Rotating Sensor Cleaning With Position-Timed Liquid and Air Jets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Environmental contaminants such as rain, snow, and dirt can cause debris buildup on vehicle sensors, impeding their functionality by blocking signal transmission and reception.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning system for rotating sensors that includes a liquid nozzle and an air nozzle, controlled by processors to apply cleaning fluid and gas at precise times based on sensor position and debris location, ensuring effective removal of contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a housing is used to protect sensor components from debris and contaminants, then the sensor components are protected, but the housing itself becomes dirty and blocks signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cleaning system with liquid and air nozzles as intermediaries between the contaminated housing and the cleaning agents. The nozzles deliver liquid cleaner and air puff precisely to the sensor input surface, allowing the housing to remain protective while being cleaned of contaminants that block signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system enables the sensor housing to clean itself. The position sensor detects when the sensor input surface is facing the nozzles, and the controller automatically activates the liquid and air nozzles to clean the housing surface, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
2Reliability
If continuous cleaning is applied to the sensor surface, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but liquid waste and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system operates periodically rather than continuously. The position sensor detects when the sensor input surface is in the correct position, and the controller activates the nozzles only at these specific moments. This periodic operation maintains cleaning effectiveness while dramatically reducing liquid waste and operational costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of the sensor housing position before initiating cleaning. The position sensor identifies when the sensor input surface is facing the nozzles, and only then does the controller activate the cleaning sequence, ensuring cleaning occurs at the optimal moment without waste.
3Productivity
If the sensor housing rotates to scan the environment, then object detection capability is improved, but the sensor surface accumulates debris from environmental exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is synchronized with the rotational movement of the sensor housing. The position sensor detects when the sensor input surface returns to a specific position, and the controller activates the nozzles periodically to clean debris accumulated during the scanning rotation, maintaining detection capability without continuous cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The position sensor provides feedback about the sensor housing's rotational position to the controller. This feedback enables the controller to determine the precise moment when the sensor input surface is facing the nozzles and activate cleaning only at that time, coordinating the cleaning action with the rotational scanning 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 system efficiently cleans sensor surfaces, reducing waste and operational costs by minimizing overspray and ensuring continuous sensor functionality, particularly important for autonomous vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid nozzle configured to provide a spray of liquid
Implementation Method 2
an air nozzle configured to provide a puff of gas
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to cleaning rotating sensors having a sensor housing with a sensor input surface. For instance, a first signal from a position sensor indicating a current position of the sensor housing may be received. A second signal to activate a liquid nozzle and an air nozzle, the liquid nozzle being configured to provide a spray of liquid and the air nozzle being configured to provide a puff of gas may be received. When to activate the liquid nozzle in order to provide the spray of liquid on the sensor input surface may be determined based on the current position of the sensor housing and the second signal. When to activate the air nozzle in order to provide the puff of gas on the sensor input surface may be determined based on the current position of the sensor housing and the second signal.