Vehicle Optical Mounting With Integrated Lens Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle-mounted image-capturing devices, such as cameras and LIDAR systems, are prone to degradation due to rain and dust, leading to reduced image quality and safety concerns, and existing solutions for cleaning these devices are not efficiently integrated with the mounting arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A mounting arrangement that combines an image-capturing device with a fluid projection device for cleaning, featuring a housing element with an electrical interface, a holding element for the fluid projection device, and a fastening mechanism that simplifies assembly and secure attachment to the vehicle body, including flexible tabs, snap-on feet, and adjustable components for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an image-capturing device is mounted on a vehicle body element, then the device can capture images for safety and monitoring, but the optic is liable to be soiled by rain, splashes or dust, leading to degradation in image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by projecting cleaning fluid onto the optic before significant soiling occurs. The fluid projection device is positioned to continuously or periodically apply cleaning fluid to the optic surface, preventing rain, dust, and splashes from degrading image quality. This proactive cleaning approach maintains optical clarity rather than reacting to soiling after it occurs.
2Reliability
If a fluid projection device is placed near the image-capturing device for cleaning, then image quality can be maintained, but the assembly of multiple separate components becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid projection device with the mounting arrangement by integrating the housing element that retains the image-capturing device with the holding element that positions the fluid projection device. This combination creates a unified assembly where the cleaning function is built into the mounting structure, eliminating the need to separately assemble and align independent cleaning and mounting components, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing element serves multiple functions: it retains the image-capturing device, provides an electrical interface for power and data connection, and incorporates the holding element that positions the fluid projection device. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise be separate components, simplifying the overall assembly while maintaining both image capture and cleaning capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the housing element and holding element are assembled separately to a support, then flexibility in positioning is achieved, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the housing element and holding element into a single integrated assembly that can be mounted as one unit to the vehicle body element. This merged design maintains the positioning flexibility needed for proper optical alignment while eliminating the time-consuming separate assembly steps that would be required if the components were installed independently.
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
Facilitates the assembly and secure mounting of optical systems on vehicle body elements while ensuring effective cleaning of the image-capturing devices, maintaining image quality and enhancing safety by integrating the cleaning mechanism directly with the mounting system.
Implementation Method 1
provision has been made to place a device for projecting a cleaning fluid on the vehicle and in the immediate vicinity of the optic of the image-capturing device. By projecting this fluid (a liquid or compressed air) as needed onto the optic of the image-capturing device, the aim is to eliminate the particles or the material that is obstructing the optic
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly is used to mount an optical system on a body element of a vehicle. The optical system comprises an image-capturing device and a device for projecting a fluid for cleaning the image-capturing device. The arrangement comprises a housing element for retaining the optical device in a mounting position, the housing element having an electrical interface configured to couple to an electrical connector of the image-capturing device when the latter is disposed in the mounting position, an element for holding the fluid projection device, and an element for fastening the housing element and the holding element to the body element of the vehicle.