Vehicle Camera Lens Cleaning Nozzle with Mist Jetting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning devices for vehicle-mounted cameras require a large amount of cleaning liquid to effectively remove foreign substances from the lens, leading to inefficiency and potential excess usage.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a nozzle that combines a primary tank for storing cleaning liquid and a secondary tank for temporary storage, using compressed air to increase the speed of the liquid and create a negative pressure to efficiently jet a small amount of cleaning liquid mixture onto the lens, minimizing liquid consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large amount of cleaning liquid is sprayed over the lens surface, then foreign substances can be removed effectively, but cleaning liquid consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary tank pre-stores a specific amount of cleaning liquid before the cleaning operation begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that the exact needed amount is ready for immediate use, preventing both over-spraying and insufficient cleaning, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and liquid consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter by introducing compressed air to the cleaning liquid in the secondary tank. This pressure change enables the cleaning liquid to be jetted out in a concentrated, high-velocity stream that reaches the lens surface more efficiently, achieving effective cleaning with reduced liquid quantity.
2Reliability
If cleaning liquid is sprayed continuously, then the lens surface remains clean, but cleaning liquid is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous spraying, the system uses periodic jetting action where compressed air periodically propels the cleaning liquid from the secondary tank onto the lens surface. This periodic action maintains lens cleanliness by removing contaminants as they accumulate, while significantly reducing overall cleaning liquid consumption compared to continuous spraying.
3Productivity
If high-pressurized air is used to remove foreign substances, then cleaning speed increases, but cleaning liquid efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functions of compressed air and cleaning liquid by introducing compressed air into the secondary tank containing the cleaning liquid. This combination creates a jet effect where the compressed air propels the cleaning liquid at high speed directly onto the lens surface, achieving both high cleaning speed and high liquid efficiency in a single integrated action rather than separate steps.
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 device effectively cleans the lens surface with a minimal amount of cleaning liquid, using the synergistic effect of compressed air and liquid to remove foreign substances, reducing waste and maintaining camera clarity.
Implementation Method 1
using compressed air to increase the speed of the liquid and create a negative pressure to efficiently jet a small amount of cleaning liquid mixture onto the lens
Implementation Method 2
using compressed air to increase the speed of the liquid and create a negative pressure to efficiently jet a small amount of cleaning liquid mixture onto the lens
Data Source
AI summary
An air passage and two lines of cleaning liquid paths are provided in a nozzle, and the air passage is bifurcated into two lines of distal end portions. A secondary tank is provided upstream of the cleaning liquid paths. A distal end portion of a cleaning liquid path and the distal end portion of the air passage are merged. When a compressed air is supplied to the air passage, the resulting air flow makes the inside of the secondary tank to be negative pressure. Thus, the cleaning liquid can be made into the form of a mist, and is suctioned, and the cleaning liquid in the form of a mist and the compressed air are mixed, whereby it is possible to clean a lens surface and to reduce the amount of cleaning liquid used.