Vehicle Camera Movable Body Water Evacuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle exterior imaging systems face maintenance challenges due to foreign substances like water and dirt adhering to the lens, leading to inaccurate environmental recognition and increased maintenance needs, particularly with washer fluid residue and wiper component replacement.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle exterior imaging apparatus featuring movable bodies with higher surface wettability than the transparent member, which moves between covering and evacuated positions to evacuate water and, when necessary, uses a washer to discharge fluid, reducing maintenance frequency and ensuring effective removal of foreign substances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a washer device is used to remove adhered foreign substances on the lens, then the environment outside the vehicle can be accurately recognized, but the washer fluid may remain on the lens causing image degradation and requires frequent refilling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage recognition accuracyVSAvoidwasher fluid consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The movable body automatically removes water adhered to the transparent member through its own movement from covering position to evacuated position, utilizing its higher surface wettability to evacuate water without requiring external washer fluid intervention for water removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The movable body changes its surface wettability parameter to be higher than the transparent member, enabling it to attract and evacuate water through capillary action during movement, thereby reducing washer fluid consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a wiper is provided to remove adhered foreign substances on the lens, then foreign substances can be removed, but the wiper components must be replaced periodically making maintenance troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens cleaning effectivenessVSAvoidmaintenance frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The movable body is designed as a maintenance-free component that uses its inherent higher surface wettability property to remove water continuously through movement, eliminating the need for periodic replacement of wear-prone rubber wiper components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical friction-based wiper system with a wettability-based capillary action system, where the movable body evacuates water through surface property differences rather than mechanical scraping, reducing component wear

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a wiper conforming to curved surface is used in a camera apparatus with curved lens, then the wiper needs to conform to the curved surface, but the removal of adhered foreign substance becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with curved lensVSAvoidforeign substance removal efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The movable body is designed with locally differentiated surface properties, having higher surface wettability specifically in the portion opposing the transparent member, enabling effective water evacuation at the critical interface without requiring the entire structure to conform to curved geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 apparatus effectively reduces maintenance frequency by using wettability to remove water and washer fluid, ensuring clear images without frequent fluid refills and minimizing wiper component replacements, thus maintaining accurate environmental recognition.

Implementation Method 1

The movable body has a higher surface wettability at least in a portion thereof opposing to the transparent member at the covering position than the surface wettability of the front face of the transparent member. The movable body evacuates water adhered to the surface of the transparent member in a moving direction of the movable body during the movement of the movable body from the covering position to the evacuated position.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentUS9645392B2Vehicle exterior imaging apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.05.09 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

A vehicle exterior imaging apparatus includes a photo-receiving element, a transparent member that is disposed on a front face of the photo-receiving element and introduces light into it, and a movable body movable between a covering position for covering part or all of a front face of the transparent member with the movable body being spaced apart from the transparent member, and an evacuated position evacuating from the front face of the transparent member with respect to the covering position. The movable body has a higher surface wettability in a portion opposing to the transparent member at the covering position than the one of the front face of the transparent member. The movable body evacuates water adhered to the surface of the transparent member in a moving direction of the movable body during the movement of the movable body from the covering position to the evacuated position.