Headlamp Lens Airflow Nozzle Layout for Targeted Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices for vehicle headlamp cover lenses are inefficient when only a specific area needs to be cleaned, as they often direct airflow uniformly across the entire lens, wasting energy and not effectively targeting areas with contamination.
Innovation Solution
The cleaning device features independently controllable air stream devices with a unique airflow direction and nozzle design, utilizing a combination of main, separation, and cover components to create a focused airstream, and optionally includes a detection system to activate cleaning only where needed, with a separate water cleaning system for enhanced effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a uniform airflow is directed across the entire cover lens, then the cleaning device can clean the entire surface, but energy is wasted and specific contaminated areas are not efficiently targeted
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is divided into multiple independently controllable air stream devices, each responsible for a specific region of the cover lens. This segmentation allows selective activation of only those air stream devices needed to clean contaminated areas, improving energy efficiency while maintaining cleaning productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Each air stream device is equipped with a detection system that locally identifies contamination on the cover lens. The cleaning action is then applied locally to the detected contaminated areas rather than uniformly across the entire lens, optimizing both energy use and cleaning effectiveness.
2Use of energy by moving object
If multiple air stream devices are used to target specific areas, then energy is conserved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air stream devices are merged into a single integrated cleaning system with a shared control unit and detection system. This merging approach allows independent regional control while reducing overall system complexity through common infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system and control unit serve multiple air stream devices simultaneously, providing universal functionality across the segmented cleaning system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms for each air stream device, thereby managing complexity.
3Reliability
If the cleaning device activates all air stream devices, then the entire cover lens is cleaned, but time and energy are wasted on already clean areas
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system performs preliminary identification of contaminated areas on the cover lens before activating the air stream devices. This preliminary action ensures that only necessary regions are cleaned, maintaining cleaning completeness while reducing time and energy expenditure.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system provides feedback information about contamination locations to the control unit, which then selectively activates air stream devices. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable cleaning of all contaminated areas while avoiding unnecessary cleaning of already clean regions, optimizing time and energy use.
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 solution allows for targeted and efficient cleaning of specific areas on the cover lens, conserving energy and ensuring optimal visibility for optical sensors by activating airflow only where contamination is detected, thereby improving the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
each air stream device is configured to generate at least one airstream in an airflow direction
Implementation Method 2
the guide channel is configured to spread the received air transversely to the airflow direction and to guide the received air to the homogenization section
Implementation Method 3
the homogenization section is configured to homogenize the spreading air along the nozzle of the air chamber
Implementation Method 4
a nozzle for outputting the received air in the airflow direction and forming the respective airstream
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device for cleaning a cover lens of a vehicle headlamp is configured to generate an airstream and direct it towards the cover lens. The cleaning device includes at least one air stream device (ASD) configured to generate at least one airstream in an airflow direction. Each ASD includes an air chamber having a spreading section for spreading the received air, a homogenization section for homogenizing the spread air, and a nozzle for outputting the received air in the airflow direction and forming the respective airstream. The spreading section includes a guide channel configured to spread the received air transversely to the airflow direction and to guide the received air to the homogenization section. The ASD is formed by: (i) a main component including parts of each of the spreading section, homogenization section, and nozzle of the air chamber of each ASD, (ii) a separation component including parts of the spreading section and nozzle, wherein the separation and main components form the spreading section of each ASD, and (iii) a cover component including parts of the homogenization portion and nozzle, wherein the cover, main, and separation components form the homogenization section and the nozzle of the ASD.