Retractable Vehicle LiDAR Housing for Contamination Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
LiDAR systems mounted externally on vehicles are prone to contamination by foreign substances, leading to reduced accuracy and failure in recognizing the surrounding environment due to exposure.
Innovation Solution
A housing system with a door mechanism that selectively deploys the LiDAR outside the vehicle during autonomous driving mode and retracts it during normal driving, using a locking and unlocking mechanism to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the LiDAR is mounted externally on the vehicle structure, then the detection function is enabled, but foreign substances attach to the surface causing measurement accuracy to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The LiDAR is designed to move between two states: deployed outside the vehicle for detection operations and retracted inside the vehicle for protection. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the LiDAR to be externally accessible when needed for reliable detection while being protectable when not in use, thus maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The LiDAR is retracted into the vehicle housing before contamination can occur during normal driving conditions. This preliminary protective action prevents foreign substances from attaching to the LiDAR surface, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while still allowing the LiDAR to be deployed externally when detection functions are required.
2Reliability
If the LiDAR is exposed to the outside of the vehicle, then the surrounding environment can be recognized, but foreign substances attach to the LiDAR surface
Solution Approach 1:
The LiDAR system dynamically transitions between exposed and protected states. When environment recognition is needed, the LiDAR is deployed outside the vehicle. When not in use, it is retracted inside the vehicle housing, preventing foreign substance contamination while maintaining the ability to recognize the surrounding environment when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The LiDAR is extracted from the protected internal environment only when detection functions are needed. During normal driving conditions, the LiDAR remains separated from the external environment containing foreign substances, thus avoiding contamination while still enabling environment recognition when deployed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the LiDAR is mounted on the vehicle structure, then autonomous driving functions are enabled, but the LiDAR is vulnerable to external damage
Solution Approach 1:
The LiDAR is dynamically positioned between an external deployed state for autonomous driving operations and an internal protected state within the vehicle housing. This allows the system to maintain autonomous driving functionality when needed while providing protection from external damage when the LiDAR is not actively being used for detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The LiDAR is nested within the vehicle housing structure, allowing it to be stored protected inside the vehicle when not in use. This nesting arrangement enables the LiDAR to be both accessible for autonomous driving functions and protected from external damage by being retractable into the secure internal housing.
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
Prevents contamination of the LiDAR, maintains measurement accuracy, and protects the system from external damage while ensuring seamless operation during autonomous driving.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring configured to apply an elastic force to the stopper within the first accommodating groove so that the stopper maintains a state of protruding from the first accommodating groove toward the rail
Implementation Method 2
a second spring configured to apply an elastic force to the stopper guide within the second accommodating groove so that the stopper guide maintains a state of being moved forward in the locking groove toward the opening
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment provides a LiDAR system for vehicles including a housing having an opening, a LiDAR configured to slide in a front-rear direction within the housing and selectively deployed to the outside through the opening, guide brackets disposed on first and second side surfaces of the LiDAR and configured to guide sliding movement of the LiDAR, a locking unit configured to lock the deployed LiDAR so that the LiDAR is prevented from being pushed into the housing by an external force, and an unlocking unit configured to switch the locking unit from a locked state to an unlocked state.