Imaging Cover Cleaning Control Using Resonance and Impedance Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices for imaging units struggle to efficiently remove foreign substances like muddy water, as they either fail to dislodge the mud or excessively consume cleaning liquid, and often incorrectly identify the presence of foreign substances due to temperature changes.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a controller that uses a combination of resonant frequency changes, impedance variations, and image analysis to determine the presence and type of foreign substances on a light-transmissive body, adjusting vibration frequency and voltage to effectively remove contaminants while minimizing cleaning liquid usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning liquid is discharged onto the light-transmissive body to remove foreign substances, then cleaning capability is improved, but cleaning liquid consumption increases when foreign substance amount is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a detection device that monitors foreign substances on the light-transmissive body and provides feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback information about foreign substance presence and quantity, the control unit intelligently adjusts whether to activate the liquid discharge device and vibrator, and determines their operation duration, thereby optimizing cleaning liquid consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by activating cleaning operations (liquid discharge and vibration) only when and for as long as foreign substances are detected. The control unit adjusts the operation intensity and duration based on the detected foreign substance level, avoiding unnecessary full-strength cleaning operations that would waste cleaning liquid.
2Productivity
If the vibrator is driven at high voltage to remove foreign substances quickly, then cleaning speed is improved, but foreign substance detection accuracy decreases due to temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces or supplements mechanical vibration-based detection with electrical impedance detection. The detection device measures electrical characteristics (impedance, capacitance, or resistance) of the light-transmissive body, which change when foreign substances are present. This electrical detection method is less susceptible to temperature drift effects compared to mechanical resonance methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent monitors changes in electrical parameters (impedance, capacitance, resistance) of the light-transmissive body to detect foreign substances. By tracking parameter changes rather than absolute values, and by using multiple parameters for comparison, the system can distinguish foreign substance effects from temperature-induced variations, maintaining detection accuracy during high-voltage vibrator operation.
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 device accurately identifies and efficiently removes foreign substances, including muddy water, by combining resonant frequency, impedance, and image data, ensuring high cleaning efficiency and reducing unnecessary cleaning liquid consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a light-transmissive body 2 disposed in a field of view of the imaging element 5
Implementation Method 2
a vibrator 12 to vibrate the light-transmissive body 2
Implementation Method 3
a driver 30 to drive the vibrator 12
Implementation Method 4
a detector 70 to detect a value relating to the impedance of the vibrator 12 driven by the driver 30
Data Source
AI summary
In a cleaning device, a signal processing circuit determines that a foreign substance has adhered to a surface of a protection cover based on at least two pieces of information among a change amount of a resonant frequency when a vibration portion is driven at a first voltage, a change amount of a current value relating to an impedance detected by an impedance detector, and a temporal change of an image captured by an imaging portion, and cleans the surface of the protection cover by controlling the vibration portion in accordance with the determination.