Self-Cleaning Camera Lens with Electrostatic and Vibration Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor cameras often face issues with image quality due to residue buildup from exposure to elements, dust, and mineral deposits, which existing cleaning methods fail to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A self-cleaning camera system with a lens that uses an actuator to vibrate debris off, a charge generator to repel debris with electric charges, and a controller to determine transparency and activate cleaning components as needed, including a heater for ice and snow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the camera lens is exposed to outdoor elements, then the camera can capture images in various environments, but residue buildup reduces image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The camera lens performs self-cleaning through integrated actuators that vibrate the lens surface and charge generators that create electrostatic forces to repel debris, eliminating the need for manual cleaning and maintaining image quality automatically
Solution Approach 2:
An actuator is coupled to the camera lens to vibrate the lens at frequencies that dislodge debris and residue buildup, preventing accumulation that would degrade image quality while maintaining outdoor versatility
2Reliability
If manual cleaning methods are used, then residue can be removed, but the lens requires interruption and manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects when cleaning is needed through transparency sensors and executes cleaning cycles without user intervention, making the lens self-maintaining and eliminating manual cleaning requirements
Solution Approach 2:
A transparency detection sensor provides feedback about the lens condition to a controller, which automatically activates cleaning mechanisms when debris accumulation is detected, creating a closed-loop self-regulating system
3Reliability
If sophisticated cleaning techniques are used for inside debris, then image quality can be maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
An actuator vibrates the lens surface to dislodge internal debris through mechanical resonance and vibration forces, providing effective cleaning without complex mechanical structures
Solution Approach 2:
A charge generator creates electrostatic fields to repel charged debris particles from the lens surface, replacing complex mechanical wiping or blowing mechanisms with a simpler electrical field-based cleaning approach
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
The system effectively maintains lens transparency, ensuring consistent image quality by selectively cleaning the lens based on detected debris and environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
electrically charging a surface of a camera lens
Implementation Method 2
an actuator to vibrate the lens
Implementation Method 3
a heater for ice and snow
Data Source
AI summary
A camera system includes a lens that directs light onto an image sensor, an actuator that vibrates the lens, and a charge generator that charges a surface of the lens. The camera system further includes a controller that can determine a change in transparency of the lens and selectively activate the actuator based at least in part on the change in transparency. A method includes electrically charging a surface of a camera lens, determining a change in transparency of the camera lens, comparing the change in transparency to a predetermined threshold, and selectively activating an actuator to vibrate the camera lens if the change in transparency is above a predetermined threshold.