Rotating Vane Air Cooling for Uniform Sensor Assembly Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electronic spinning assemblies in autonomous vehicles, such as lidar devices, often fail to adequately reach all areas that need cooling, including heat sinks and camera arrays, due to design limitations and the buildup of heat.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing static vanes and a rotating vane cover that draws air from below the assembly and directs it through ducts to cool the spinning assembly, with choke points to increase airflow pressure and ensure uniform cooling across components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an impeller is used to pull air through the electronic spinning assembly, then air cooling is provided, but the cooling may not adequately reach all areas that need cooling such as heat sinks and camera arrays
Solution Approach 1:
The air inlet is divided into multiple segmented inlets distributed around the periphery of the rotating cover, allowing air to be drawn from multiple locations simultaneously. This segmentation enables comprehensive coverage of all internal components including heat sinks and camera arrays, resolving the issue of inadequate cooling coverage while maintaining simple impeller-based operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-point or single-axis cooling approach to a three-dimensional distributed cooling system. Multiple air inlets are positioned at different radial locations around the rotating cover, creating a volumetric cooling pattern that reaches all areas of the electronic spinning assembly, including previously inaccessible regions
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a housing is used to protect internal components from debris and contaminants, then protection is provided, but the housing may trap solar heat and heat generated by internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating cover with distributed air inlets creates continuous airflow throughout the housing during rotation. This continuous air circulation prevents heat accumulation by constantly replacing hot air with cooler ambient air drawn through the peripheral inlets, while the housing maintains its protective function against debris and contaminants
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
This solution effectively cools the electronic spinning assemblies by ensuring airflow reaches all critical areas, improving the reliability and performance of sensors in autonomous vehicles by maintaining optimal operating temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
air can be drawn up from below the assembly through the static vanes and up a plurality of ducts in the rotating cover to cool the spinning assembly
Implementation Method 2
at least one choke point disposed in the cover. The at least one choke point can be configured to increase pressure of the airflow
Implementation Method 3
air can be drawn up from below the assembly through the static vanes and up a plurality of ducts in the rotating cover to cool the spinning assembly
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments relate to an air cooling system for an electronic spinning assembly. An example embodiment includes a plurality of vanes coupled to a static base. A vane cover is rotatably coupled to the static base. The vane cover includes at least one air inlet, at least one air duct extending from the vane cover, and at least one choke point disposed in the cover. The at least one choke point is configured to increase a pressure of the airflow.