Modular Spray Bracket for Vehicle Sensor Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional washer nozzles and related cleaning devices for vehicles, especially those for self-driving and autonomous systems, face challenges such as increased manufacturing costs, system weight, and the need for numerous individualized components, making them impractical for newer vehicle designs with more complex sensor systems.
Innovation Solution
A modular assembly for a fluid spray system featuring a combination bracket that mounts multiple components, including a sensor and a spray nozzle, with a check valve integrated into the system. This arrangement allows for efficient cleaning of sensors while reducing the number of components and improving installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional washer nozzles are uniquely arranged for each vehicle model and structure, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing costs and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single standardized bracket structure that can accommodate multiple sensor types (cameras, LIDAR, radar) and multiple nozzle configurations. The bracket includes standardized mounting features and fluid conduit connections that work across different vehicle models, eliminating the need for model-specific custom designs while maintaining cleaning effectiveness for various sensor arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cleaning system into modular components: a standardized bracket, interchangeable nozzles, and separate fluid conduits. This segmentation allows the same bracket to serve multiple functions with different sensor types and nozzle configurations, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through proper component selection and arrangement.
2Reliability
If conventional washer nozzles are uniquely arranged for each vehicle model, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized bracket design serves as a universal mounting structure that can accommodate various sensor types and nozzle configurations across different vehicle models. This universality enables manufacturers to produce a single bracket design in high volumes, significantly reducing per-unit manufacturing costs while maintaining the ability to achieve effective cleaning through proper nozzle placement and fluid delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by allowing the same bracket structure to accommodate different nozzle positions, angles, and fluid flow rates through adjustable mounting features and interchangeable components. This enables optimization of cleaning effectiveness for different sensor types without requiring different bracket designs, thereby maintaining cost efficiency through standardized manufacturing.
3Reliability
If conventional washer nozzles are uniquely arranged for each vehicle model, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but system weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized bracket and nozzle assembly serve multiple sensor types and cleaning configurations within a single lightweight structure. By eliminating redundant model-specific components and using universal mounting features, the overall system weight is reduced while maintaining the ability to effectively clean various sensors through proper nozzle placement and fluid delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated bracket structure that provides mounting, fluid delivery, and nozzle positioning for various sensor types. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate mounting brackets, fluid lines, and adjustment mechanisms for each sensor, thereby reducing system weight while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through the unified design.
4Reliability
If conventional washer nozzles are uniquely arranged for each vehicle model, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the number of individualized components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized bracket serves as a universal platform that can mount different sensor types and nozzle configurations, eliminating the need for multiple model-specific brackets and associated components. This universality reduces the total number of individualized parts required across different vehicle models while maintaining the ability to achieve effective cleaning through proper component selection and arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the system into modular, interchangeable components (nozzles, sensors, conduits) that can be configured on a standardized bracket. This segmentation allows a single bracket design to support multiple cleaning configurations without requiring additional individualized components for each model, thereby reducing the overall part count while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through modular assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a combination bracket for mounting multiple components of a fluid spray system, such a fluid spray system for a vehicle comprising. A spray nozzle is coupleable with the combination bracket and adapted to spray fluid onto a sensor mounted to the combination bracket. A check valve is coupleable with the combination bracket and adapted to deliver fluid to the spray nozzle. Modular assembles, systems, and vehicles incorporating a combination bracket are also provided.