Asymmetric Housing Reflectance for Vehicle Camera Thermal Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging devices installed inside vehicle windshields face temperature increases due to direct sunlight, which can lead to functional loss when the device's temperature exceeds its maximum operating temperature.
Innovation Solution
The imaging device is designed with a housing that has a first outer surface with high light reflectance and a second outer surface with low light reflectance, where the processing circuit is positioned to face the second surface, allowing heat produced by the processing circuit to be radiated from the cooler surface, thereby suppressing overall temperature rise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the imaging device is installed inside the windshield to capture images from ahead of the vehicle, then the device can be positioned for optimal imaging, but the temperature of the device increases due to direct sunlight and internal heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with different surface properties at different locations: the first outer surface (facing windshield) has high light reflectance to reduce heat absorption from sunlight, while the second outer surface (opposite side) has low light reflectance and serves as a heat radiation surface. This local differentiation of surface properties allows the device to simultaneously protect against solar heating and efficiently dissipate internal heat generation from the processing circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing exhibits asymmetric thermal management design where the first and second outer surfaces have deliberately different light reflectance characteristics. The asymmetric configuration ensures that the processing circuit faces the second portion, allowing heat to be radiated from the cooler second outer surface that has lower light reflectance and is less exposed to direct sunlight compared to the first outer surface.
2Temperature
If the processing circuit is positioned to face the first portion (high light reflectance surface), then heat radiation might be more effective, but the circuit would be exposed to higher temperatures from direct sunlight
Solution Approach 1:
The processing circuit is strategically positioned to face the second portion of the housing rather than the first portion. This local positioning ensures that the heat-generating circuit is oriented toward the surface with lower light reflectance that is less exposed to direct sunlight, thereby protecting the circuit from solar heating while maintaining effective heat radiation pathways through the housing structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively minimizes temperature increase in the imaging device, preventing functional loss and ensuring continued operation by directing heat dissipation from the cooler surface, thus maintaining device functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The first outer surface has a light reflectance which is larger than a light reflectance of the second outer surface
Implementation Method 2
heat produced by the processing circuit can be radiated from the second portion having lower temperature than that of the first portion
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device installed inside a windshield of a vehicle, capturing images from ahead of the vehicle is provided. The imaging device includes a housing, a lens, an imaging device and a processing board. The housing includes a first portion, facing the windshield, and a second portion located opposite to the first portion. The first portion has a first outer surface as an outer surface thereof, and the second portion has a second outer surface as an outer surface thereof. The first outer surface has a light reflectance which is larger than a light reflectance of the second outer surface. The processing board is provided in the housing, and the processing circuit is provided on the processing board, facing the second portion only.