Vehicle Component Actuation for Frozen Window and Door Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle components can become immobilized due to freezing conditions, which existing actuation methods fail to address effectively, leading to incomplete or unsafe movement of components like windows, wipers, and doors.
Innovation Solution
A method and controller system that apply an initial force to a vehicle component, assess movement, and if immobilized due to freezing, apply an adjusted force greater than the initial force, potentially pulsing or directed differently to resonate the component, to break ice and mobilize it, with feedback loops to ensure successful movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an initial force is applied to actuate a vehicle component, then the component should move normally, but the component becomes immobilized due to freezing conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of movement before and after applying force to detect freezing conditions. By checking movement status in advance and after force application, the system can identify when a component is immobilized by ice and trigger appropriate remedial actions such as applying heated air or manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from movement indicators detected by sensors to determine whether the component moved in response to applied force. This feedback loop allows the controller to assess the effectiveness of force application and detect freezing conditions, then adjust subsequent actions accordingly to ensure reliable component actuation.
2Reliability
If an adjusted force greater than the initial force is applied to break ice, then the component can be mobilized, but the risk of damage or injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the force applied to the component based on real-time movement feedback. If the component does not move initially, the controller increases force incrementally. If movement is detected, the force is reduced to a safe level. This dynamic adjustment ensures effective ice breaking while minimizing damage risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies force in periodic cycles with assessment intervals rather than continuous maximum force. The controller applies force, assesses movement, pauses, and then decides whether to continue or stop. This periodic approach allows monitoring of component response and prevents excessive force application that could cause damage.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If force is applied to a frozen component, then ice can be broken, but the component may not move if the force is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies force that may exceed the minimum required to break ice, using movement indicators to detect whether the component responds. By applying potentially excessive force and then assessing actual movement through sensors, the system ensures ice is broken while using feedback to verify the component actually moved, avoiding both insufficient and excessively damaging force application.
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
Effectively mobilizes frozen vehicle components by applying adjusted forces that break ice and ensure safe operation, preventing damage and user injury by repeated force adjustments until the component is fully operational.
Implementation Method 1
applying an initial force to the component to actuate the component
Implementation Method 2
applying the adjusted force to cause the component to resonate at a resonance frequency of the component
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method for actuating a component of a vehicle. The method may include applying an initial force to the component to actuate the component, and generating a movement indicator based on whether the component moves in response to the initial force. Moreover, the method may include receiving a freezing indicator associated with a likelihood of the component being immobilized due to freezing. If the movement indicator is negative and the freezing indicator is affirmative, the method also includes applying an adjusted force to the component to mobilize the component.