Heated Light-Scattering Aperture for Defogging Sensor Discs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical sensors and radiation sources in vehicles are prone to condensation and icing, which impair their functionality due to reduced electromagnetic radiation transmission, and existing heating solutions are inefficient or require significant modifications to existing lenses.
Innovation Solution
A disc arrangement with an electrically heated scattering aperture that heats the lens area through thermal radiation, using a scattering light diaphragm and a heating element integrated into the lens hood, ensuring transparency and effective heating without obstructing the beam path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard heating conductors are used for the pane area, then the pane can be heated to prevent condensation and icing, but the heating conductors obstruct the beam path of electromagnetic radiation and are aesthetically unappealing
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the standard heating conductors on the pane and relocated to a dedicated heating element integrated into the lens hood. This allows the pane area to remain free of heating conductors that would obstruct the beam path, while the lens hood housing contains the heating element that directs heat only to the necessary areas without interfering with electromagnetic radiation transmission through the pane.
2Area of stationary object
If the lens hood is made larger to improve heating coverage, then more pane area can be heated, but the installation space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is designed to provide localized heating precisely where needed - in the lens hood and at the pane area directly behind it. The heating coverage is concentrated in specific zones rather than attempting to heat the entire pane, allowing effective defogging and de-icing with a compact lens hood structure that fits within limited installation space.
3Reliability
If heating elements are laminated into the pane or attached to the surface, then the pane area can be heated, but the manufacturing complexity and conversion measures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is integrated into the lens hood housing as a combined unit, merging the housing structure with the heating function. This eliminates the need for separate heating element installation on the pane surface and simplifies manufacturing by allowing the heating element to be incorporated during lens hood production rather than requiring additional conversion measures on finished panes.
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 solution provides uniform and efficient heating of the lens area, maintaining optimal sensor and light source functionality by preventing condensation and icing while minimizing energy consumption and installation space.
Implementation Method 1
an electrically heatable surface (7) in the lens hood (4) which heats the area (2)
Implementation Method 2
using materials with high thermal conductivity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A disk arrangement (100) with an electrically heated diffusing light diaphragm, comprising at least: a disk (1) with an enclosure (6) on the inside (II) of the disk (1), a radiation receiver (3a) and/or a radiation source (3b) which is oriented within the enclosure (6) towards the disk (1) such that a beam path (5) of electromagnetic radiation (15) passes through a predetermined area (2) of the disk (1), a diffusing light diaphragm (4) which is arranged within the enclosure (6) and below the beam path (5), and an electrically heated area (7) in the diffusing light diaphragm (4) which heats the area (2), wherein the diffusing light diaphragm (4) has an electric heating element (7), preferably a heating cartridge (11), outside the electrically heated area (7), and the electrically heated area (7) can be heated by heat conduction.