Sensor Assembly Air Tunnel with Hydrophobic Fabric and Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Moisture in the environment can impair the operation of vehicle sensors, such as LIDAR devices and cameras, by causing malfunctions due to humidity and rain, which existing sensor systems fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A sensor assembly with a housing, blower, air tunnel, filter, and drainage system that directs airflow to cool sensors and prevent moisture from reaching them, using hydrophobic fabrics to repel water and a drainage system to collect and remove rain or condensation, ensuring continued sensor operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are exposed to the external environment to detect objects and conditions, then sensor functionality and detection capability are improved, but moisture from rain and humidity can enter and cause malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
An air tunnel system acts as an intermediary between the external environment and the sensor housing. The tunnel includes hydrophobic fabric sections that selectively allow air flow while blocking moisture, and drainage channels that intercept and remove water before it reaches the sensors. This mediator structure enables the sensors to maintain reliability by filtering out harmful moisture while preserving necessary air flow for cooling and operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the sensor housing is sealed to protect from moisture, then moisture protection is improved, but airflow to cool sensors is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The air tunnel incorporates hydrophobic fabric sections at specific locations where moisture blocking is most critical, while maintaining open channels for airflow. The tunnel includes both sealed portions (with hydrophobic fabric) and open portions (for air flow), creating local variations in permeability. This allows the system to provide moisture protection where needed while preserving airflow paths for sensor cooling, resolving the contradiction between sealing and ventilation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If drainage channels are added to remove moisture, then moisture removal capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage channels are merged with the air tunnel structure itself, rather than being separate components. The hydrophobic fabric sections are integrated into the tunnel walls, and drainage openings are incorporated directly into the tunnel geometry. This merging of functions (airflow channel and moisture drainage) into a single integrated structure provides effective moisture removal while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 solution effectively keeps sensors dry and operational by using airflow and drainage to prevent moisture from entering the sensor housing, ensuring reliable performance even in wet conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a blower positioned in the housing and positioned to move air through the air tunnel
Implementation Method 2
The air tunnel may include a hydrophobic fabric section positioned between the inlet and the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly includes a housing, a blower fixed relative to the housing, an air tunnel, a filter, a first drain, and a second drain. The air tunnel includes an inlet, a first turn, a second turn, a first portion extending upward from the inlet to the first turn, a second portion extending downward from the first turn to the second turn, and a third portion extending from the second turn to the blower. The filter is positioned between the first portion and the first turn. The first drain extends through the first portion. The second drain extends through the third portion.