Overhead Console Fan Ducting for Vehicle Vision System Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle vision systems generate significant heat due to camera and electronic circuitry operation, which can lead to increased operating temperatures and potential degradation of functionality, especially in hot ambient conditions.
Innovation Solution
A cooling assembly is integrated within the vehicle's headliner, comprising ducts and electrically operable fans that direct air flow to dissipate heat from cameras, interior mirrors, and overhead consoles, ensuring effective heat dissipation and maintaining optimal operating temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If camera and electronic circuitry are operated in vehicle vision systems, then imaging and electronic functions are achieved, but significant heat is generated leading to increased operating temperatures and potential functionality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat-generating electronic components (camera, electronic circuitry, interior mirror with heating elements) from the main vehicle interior space and consolidates them into a dedicated overhead console housing. This separation allows for targeted thermal management of the electronics without affecting the broader vehicle interior environment, and enables the cooling system to be specifically designed for the electronic components' thermal requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary cooling medium that flows through ducts within the overhead console housing. The air acts as a heat transfer medium, absorbing heat from the camera and electronic circuitry, and carrying it away from the components. This intermediary approach enables efficient heat removal without requiring direct thermal contact between cooling elements and the electronic components
2Temperature
If cooling assembly with ducts and fans is integrated into headliner, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling assembly (ducts, fans, air flow paths) with the overhead console housing structure itself. Rather than adding a separate cooling system to the existing console, the cooling components are integrated into the housing design, with ducts formed as part of the housing walls and fans mounted within the existing console cavity. This integration reduces overall system complexity by eliminating separate mounting structures and simplifying the thermal management architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead console housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the electronics, acts as a thermal management system through its integrated ducts and fans, and maintains a controlled thermal environment for the sensitive camera and circuitry. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated cooling components, thereby simplifying the overall device complexity while achieving effective heat dissipation
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 cooling assembly effectively manages heat generated by electronic components, preventing overheating and ensuring continuous functionality of the vehicle vision system even in high-temperature environments.
Implementation Method 1
An electrically operable fan generates cooling air flow at the interior of the housing when electrically operated. When the electrically operable fan is electrically operated to generate the cooling air flow, air flow passes along the camera within the front portion of the interior of the housing to dissipate heat generated by the camera
Implementation Method 2
A cooling assembly is integrated within the vehicle's headliner, comprising ducts and electrically operable fans that direct air flow to dissipate heat from cameras, interior mirrors, and overhead consoles
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular windshield electronics module includes a housing configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle. The housing includes a front portion extending along a windshield of the vehicle and a rear portion extending along a roof of the vehicle. The housing accommodates a camera at the front portion of the housing. The camera generates heat within the housing. Electronic circuitry at the rear portion of the housing generates heat within the housing. An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head mounted at the housing and at least one electronic component generates heat within the mirror head. An electrically operable fan generates cooling air within the housing. Ducts are formed through the housing so that air flow may pass into and out from the housing. To dissipate heat, the air flow from the fan passes along the camera, along the electronic circuitry and along the mirror head.