Movable Nozzle for Multi-Sensor Window Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in efficiently cleaning multiple sensor windows, as existing systems often use washer fluid indiscriminately across the entire window, wasting fluid on unobstructed areas and failing to adapt to obstructions effectively.
Innovation Solution
A sensor assembly with a nozzle that is translatable, rotatable, and capable of adjusting its position to precisely target obstructed areas on multiple sensor windows, using a computer-controlled system to determine obstruction locations and adjust its aim to deliver fluid efficiently, reducing waste and ensuring thorough cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If washer fluid is delivered indiscriminately across the entire sensor window, then all areas are covered, but fluid is wasted on unobstructed areas
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is positioned and oriented to deliver washer fluid to specific localized zones on the sensor window based on detected obstruction locations. The system transitions from uniform coverage to targeted delivery, where fluid is applied only to obstructed areas rather than the entire window surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle assembly is made movable with multiple degrees of freedom (translation along first axis, rotation about first axis, rotation about second axis) allowing dynamic adjustment of fluid delivery position and orientation. This enables the system to adapt fluid delivery locations in real-time based on obstruction detection.
2Device complexity
If a single nozzle is used for multiple sensor windows, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to precisely target specific obstructed areas decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A single nozzle assembly is designed to perform multiple functions by cleaning different zones on multiple sensor windows (first sensor window and second sensor window) through its multi-degree-of-freedom movement capabilities. This eliminates the need for separate nozzles for each window while maintaining precise targeting.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle's ability to translate along the first axis and rotate about both first and second axes provides five degrees of freedom, enabling precise positioning and orientation adjustment to target specific obstructed areas on different sensor windows dynamically.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the nozzle position is fixed, then device complexity is minimized, but adaptability to different obstruction locations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle assembly incorporates multiple movable components including translation along the first axis and rotation about the first and second axes, transforming it from a fixed to a dynamic system. This enables real-time adaptation to different obstruction locations while maintaining reasonable mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor data to detect obstruction locations and feeds this information back to control the nozzle's position and orientation. The computer receives sensor data indicating obstruction locations and adjusts nozzle parameters accordingly, creating a closed-loop adaptive system.
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly includes a first sensor window defining a first plane, a second sensor window fixed relative to the first sensor window and defining a second plane different than the first plane, and a nozzle positioned to deliver fluid to the first and second sensor windows. The nozzle is translatable along a first axis, rotatable about the first axis, and rotatable about a second axis transverse to the first axis.