Imaging Unit Cover Cleaning Using Vibration and Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices for imaging units in vehicles are inefficient in removing muddy water and consume excessive washer fluid, leading to incomplete cleaning and high operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device that includes a translucent body with a vibrator, a driver, a determiner, and a controller, which vibrates the translucent body at specific accelerations and frequencies to efficiently remove foreign matter, including muddy water, by using a combination of vibration and heating to atomize and dry the debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the translucent body is simply vibrated to remove foreign matter, then the cleaning device can operate without washer fluid, but muddy water cannot be successfully removed and moisture is atomized leading to increased mud concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration at specific acceleration levels (about 1.5×10^5 m/s²) to remove foreign matter from the translucent body. The vibration is controlled based on detection results, and when muddy water is detected, the system switches to a different mode (discharge without vibration or reduced vibration) to prevent atomization of moisture and concentration of mud.
2Reliability
If washer fluid is discharged continuously to remove foreign matter, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but the amount of consumed washer fluid increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a determiner (sensor) to detect the presence and type of foreign matter on the translucent body. Based on this detection feedback, the controller intelligently controls the vibrator and warmer, switching between different cleaning modes (vibration-only, discharge-only, or combined) to optimize cleaning effectiveness while minimizing washer fluid consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuously discharging washer fluid, the system applies cleaning actions selectively based on detection results. When foreign matter is detected, the system applies the appropriate cleaning method (vibration, discharge, or both) only at that moment, avoiding unnecessary washer fluid consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
3Reliability
If vibration acceleration is increased to remove stubborn foreign matter, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but the lens coating may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the vibration acceleration based on the detected foreign matter type and cleaning progress. The controller modifies vibration parameters in real-time, switching between different acceleration levels and modes (including discharge-only mode for muddy water) to effectively remove foreign matter while preventing damage to the lens coating.
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 effectively removes foreign matter from the imaging unit's translucent body, reducing the amount of washer fluid used and improving cleaning efficiency while protecting the lens coating from damage.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrator to vibrate the translucent body
Implementation Method 2
the controller controls the driver such that vibration of the translucent body has a resonant frequency
Implementation Method 3
a warmer to warm the translucent body
Implementation Method 4
moisture in muddy water is atomized by vibration of the translucent body
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device includes a protection cover, a vibrator, a piezoelectric driver, and a signal processing circuit. When the signal processing circuit determines that foreign matter is adhered to a surface of the protection cover, it controls the piezoelectric driver such that vibration of the protection cover has a vibration acceleration of about 1.5×105 m/s2. When the signal processing circuit determines that the foreign matter is adhered to the surface of the protection cover when control of the driver such that vibration of the protection cover has a prescribed vibration acceleration, the protection cover is warmed with a warmer. After the protection cover is warmed, the signal processing circuit controls the piezoelectric driver such that vibration of the protection cover has a resonant frequency.