Vehicle Sensor Cleaning Apparatus Air Curtain Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor cleaning systems for vehicles fail to effectively prevent rainwater infiltration and remove moisture from optical sensors, leading to contamination and degraded detection performance, especially during rainy conditions.
Innovation Solution
A sensor cleaning apparatus with a motor-driven blade system that forms an air curtain outside the glass cover using an outer blade and generates air inside the sensor using an inner blade, combined with a wiper member and washer fluid spraying mechanism to clean and protect the sensor from contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If air is sprayed to remove contaminants from the optical sensor surface, then contaminant removal is improved, but rainwater infiltration and internal moisture accumulation cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The blade structure is divided into multiple blade elements arranged radially, creating multiple air flow paths that collectively form a comprehensive air curtain barrier. This segmentation allows the system to address multiple protection needs (external contaminant blocking, rainwater infiltration prevention, internal moisture removal) simultaneously through distributed air flow channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The air curtain generated by the rotating blade acts as an intermediary barrier between the external environment and the optical sensor. This air barrier mediates the interaction between rain/contaminants and the sensor, preventing direct contact while maintaining sensor operation. The air flow serves as a protective interface that addresses both external protection and internal moisture management.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a separate cleaning device is positioned around optical sensors to spray cleaning fluid or air, then contaminant removal is improved, but the device complexity increases and rainwater blocking capability is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating blade structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: it generates air flow for contaminant removal, creates an air curtain for rainwater blocking, and facilitates internal moisture evacuation. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate cleaning devices, fluid reservoirs, and pumping systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive sensor protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the rotation of the blade itself to generate the necessary air flow for cleaning and protection, without requiring external fluid supply systems or additional power-intensive components. The blade's rotational motion self-generates the air curtain and internal air flow, making the system self-sufficient and reducing structural complexity.
3Reliability
If the blade rotates at high speed to generate strong air flow for better protection, then rainwater blocking and moisture removal are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade rotation speed can be dynamically adjusted based on environmental conditions (rain intensity, contamination levels, humidity). The system transitions between different operational states: high-speed rotation for heavy rain or severe contamination, and lower-speed rotation for mild conditions. This dynamic operation optimizes energy consumption while maintaining effective sensor protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The air flow characteristics (velocity, pressure, distribution) are optimized by adjusting blade geometric parameters such as blade angle, blade spacing, and blade profile. These parameter changes enable the system to generate effective air curtains and internal air flow at lower rotation speeds, reducing energy consumption while maintaining protection effectiveness.
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
Effectively blocks rainwater infiltration, reduces external contamination, and removes moisture from within the sensor, maintaining high detection performance and preventing sensor degradation.
Implementation Method 1
the blade is formed of an outer blade and an inner blade, which, when a motor is driven, forms an air curtain outside a glass cover by air discharged along an air flow path of the outer blade
Implementation Method 2
generates air inside the detection sensor by the inner blade, and thus which is capable of blocking rainwater from infiltrating into the detection sensor, reducing contaminations from being generated outside the glass cover, and removing moisture from an inside of the glass cover
Implementation Method 3
a wiper member disposed to be in contact with the front surface of the cover part inside the sensor housing and configured to clean the front surface of the cover part as the cover part is rotated
Implementation Method 4
combined with a wiper member and washer fluid spraying mechanism to clean and protect the sensor from contaminants
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor cleaning apparatus for a vehicle includes: a sensor housing in which a driver and a sensor are mounted, a cover part configured to rotate and exposed to the outside of the sensor housing through an open region formed on a front surface of the sensor housing, and a blade part connected to the cover part. The blade is rotated as the driver is driven and provided to allow air generated by its rotation to flow toward a front surface and a rear surface of the cover.