Vehicle Optical Sensor Protection Using an Ultrasonic Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical sensors on vehicles face contamination from environmental pollutants like water droplets and dirt particles, which can degrade image clarity and require interruption for cleaning, existing cleaning methods being either invasive or disruptive to sensor operation.
Innovation Solution
A method employing an ultrasonic field to create a protection zone in front of the optical sensor, using cavitation to evaporate or pulverize pollutants and then transport them away using an air stream, ensuring contactless cleaning without interrupting sensor operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the optical sensor is covered to protect from contaminants, then the optical surface is protected from pollution, but the sensor operation is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic field is activated before pollutants can reach the optical surface, creating a protective zone in advance. This preliminary action prevents contamination without requiring the sensor to be covered or shut down, thus maintaining continuous operation while protecting against harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical protection methods (covers, shields) with an ultrasonic field-based protection zone. This substitution eliminates the need to physically block the sensor, allowing continuous operation while still preventing pollutant contact through acoustic cavitation and repulsion forces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If mechanical cleaning is used to remove pollutants, then the optical surface is cleaned, but the sensor operation is interrupted and mechanical wear occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cleaning systems (brushes, wipers, air blowers) with an ultrasonic field that uses acoustic cavitation and radiation pressure to remove pollutants. This non-contact method eliminates mechanical wear and allows cleaning to occur during normal sensor operation without interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic field employs high-frequency vibrations to create cavitation bubbles and acoustic streaming that effectively remove pollutants from the optical surface. This vibrational mechanism provides continuous cleaning capability without the mechanical contact and operational interruptions associated with traditional cleaning methods.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If liquid-based cleaning is used to remove pollutants, then the optical surface is cleaned, but additional drying time is required and liquid residues may remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces liquid-based cleaning with an ultrasonic field that uses acoustic cavitation and radiation pressure to remove pollutants directly. This eliminates the need for liquid application and subsequent drying time, as the ultrasonic method evaporates or removes contaminants without leaving residues, thereby reducing the time loss associated with drying processes.
4Productivity
If the optical sensor operates continuously in polluted environment, then data acquisition continues, but pollutant accumulation degrades image clarity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an ultrasonic protection zone that creates a pollutant-free region around the optical sensor using acoustic cavitation and repulsion forces. This allows the sensor to operate continuously with uninterrupted data acquisition while the ultrasonic field prevents pollutant accumulation on the optical surface, maintaining image clarity throughout 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 method effectively prevents pollutants from reaching the sensor, maintaining image clarity and allowing continuous data acquisition by using an ultrasonic field to destroy and remove contaminants, ensuring uninterrupted operation and avoiding mechanical or liquid-based cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
when emitting the ultrasonic field the protection device may emit an ultrasonic wave into an air volume in front of the optical surface of the sensor, which causes cavitation in the air, the environmental pollutants, or both
Implementation Method 2
The evaporated water, the pulverized dirt or both may be transported away from the sensor over an air stream by wind
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for protecting an optical sensor of a vehicle are disclosed, wherein the sensor is protected from environmental pollutants which may adhere to an optical surface of the sensor if the sensor is exposed to them, and wherein the environmental pollutants are kept away from the sensor by an ultrasonic cleaning of the sensor surface using an ultrasonic field. The ultrasonic field of the ultrasonic cleaning is emitted by a protection device into the air to provide a protection zone around the optical surface of the sensor such that a contact of the optical surface with the environmental pollutants is avoided, wherein the environmental pollutants are moved and/or destroyed in the air away from the sensor if they enter the protection zone), and wherein the protection zone provides a contactless cleaning of the sensor.