Pulsed Laser Glass Cleaning With Calibrated Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for cleaning glass articles in vehicles and photovoltaic assemblies, such as robotic brushes and chemical solutions, are time-consuming and can damage electronic components, while chemical solutions are unsuitable for certain applications.
Innovation Solution
A pulsed laser cleaning apparatus that uses adaptive beam-forming and calibration to remove debris from glass surfaces without physical contact, employing a debris detection circuitry, laser emitter, and beam optics assembly to control laser exposure levels, minimizing penetration and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional automated cleaning solutions using robotic brushes or chemical solutions are used, then glass articles can be cleaned, but the cleaning process consumes significant time and may damage electronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical brushing systems with a pulsed laser cleaning system. The laser emits controlled pulses that ablate debris from glass surfaces without physical contact, eliminating the need for mechanical brushes while achieving effective cleaning in a fraction of the time required by conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes controlled changes in laser pulse parameters (duration, energy, frequency) to optimize the cleaning process. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves rapid debris removal while preventing excessive heat accumulation that could damage underlying electronic components, thus resolving the time-component integrity trade-off.
2Reliability
If chemical solutions are used for cleaning glass articles, then cleaning effectiveness is achieved, but electronic components may turn defective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes chemical cleaning solutions with a pulsed laser cleaning system. The laser removes debris through controlled ablation without requiring chemical agents, thereby eliminating the risk of chemical damage to electronic components while maintaining high cleaning efficiency through precise, contactless energy delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser beam acts as an intermediary between the cleaning system and the debris on glass surfaces. It transfers energy to vaporize and remove contaminants without requiring direct contact with chemical solutions, thus protecting electronic components from chemical exposure while achieving effective cleaning.
3Productivity
If pulsed laser cleaning is used, then cleaning speed and precision are improved, but control of laser exposure is critical to prevent damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control mechanisms that monitor laser exposure in real-time and adjust pulse parameters accordingly. This feedback system ensures that cleaning occurs at optimal speed while automatically preventing excessive energy delivery that could damage the glass or underlying components, managing the complexity through intelligent control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic pulsed laser action rather than continuous illumination. The pulsed delivery allows thermal diffusion between pulses, preventing heat accumulation and damage while maintaining high cleaning speed. The periodic nature of the pulses provides inherent control over energy deposition, managing complexity through temporal structuring.
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
Provides a fast, chemical-free, and efficient cleaning solution that effectively removes debris from glass articles in vehicles and photovoltaic assemblies, reducing the risk of damage to underlying components.
Implementation Method 1
A pulsed laser cleaning apparatus and method uses adaptive beam-forming and calibration to remove debris from a region on a glass article by a pulsed laser beam
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning system for a vehicle includes a beam optics assembly that emits a laser beam to irradiate a region on a glass article of the vehicle, debris detection circuitry that detects debris accumulated over the region, and control circuitry. The control circuitry calibrates a set of parameters associated with the laser beam emitted from the beam optics assembly based on detection of the debris accumulated over the region on the glass article, controls an exposure level of the laser beam on the debris accumulated based on calibration of the set of parameters associated with the laser beam, wherein the exposure level is controlled based on pulsing the laser beam at a calibrated rate that limits penetration of the laser beam to a depth that is less than a thickness of the glass article, and removes the debris accumulated over the region on the glass article using the laser beam.