Heated Washer Connector With Fluid Temperature Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Washer fluid spray performance deteriorates in low temperature environments, particularly in battery-powered electric vehicles where engine heat is not available to prevent freezing.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle washer connector with a main body part connecting hoses, a heating part with a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a controller that selectively controls power to the heating part based on fluid temperature to maintain constant fluid temperature and prevent freezing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If engine heat is used to prevent freezing, then spray performance is maintained, but this solution is not available in battery-powered electric vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the engine system and relocates it to an independent heating part within the washer connector. This allows the heating function to be separated from the engine, making it applicable to electric vehicles that lack engine heat.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating part is designed as a universal solution that can be applied to both conventional vehicles with engine heat and electric vehicles without engine heat. The heating element provides a common anti-freezing mechanism across different vehicle types.
2Temperature
If heating part is continuously operated, then washer fluid temperature is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating part operates periodically rather than continuously. The controller activates the heating element only when the temperature sensor detects that the washer fluid temperature has dropped below a predetermined threshold, then deactivates it when the temperature reaches the threshold. This periodic operation maintains temperature while minimizing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback control mechanism where the temperature sensor continuously monitors the washer fluid temperature and provides feedback to the controller. Based on this feedback, the controller adjusts the heating part operation to maintain the desired temperature, preventing both overheating and unnecessary energy consumption.
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
Maintains washer fluid temperature, preventing deterioration in spray performance and reducing power consumption by selectively heating and cutting off power as needed.
Implementation Method 1
The heating part has a heating wire connected thereto and disposed on an inner side of the main body part and supplies power to heat the heating wire
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle washer connector includes a main body part connecting washer hoses to each other and a heating part mounted on the main body part. The heating part has a heating wire connected thereto and disposed on an inner side of the main body part and the heating part supplies power to heat the heating wire. The washer connector also includes a temperature sensor coupled to the main body part and configured to measure a temperature of washer fluid flowing through the main body part. The washer connector also includes a controller connected to the heating part and the temperature sensor. The controller selectively controls operation of the heating part by comparing the temperature of the washer fluid measured by the temperature sensor and a set temperature.