Vehicle Sensor Cleaning Module With Bypass Air Pulse Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices for vehicles lack effective individual control over cleaning pulses, particularly for compressed air cleaning pulses, and require multiple equipment components, increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a pressure cylinder having a movable separating arrangement to divide the cylinder volume into air and liquid chambers, allowing for independent control of compressed air and liquid cleaning pulses using a switching valve and bypass valve, which enables direct pneumatic connection to the nozzle for enhanced pressure and reduced equipment costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a pressure cylinder with both air chamber and liquid chamber is used to provide both cleaning pulses with one pressure source, then equipment cost is reduced, but individual control of compressed air cleaning pulse becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure cylinder is segmented into two independent chambers (air chamber and liquid chamber) that can be controlled separately. The air chamber can be filled with compressed air independently, and the liquid chamber can be filled with cleaning liquid independently, allowing individual control of each cleaning pulse type while using a single pressure cylinder structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A movable separating arrangement acts as an intermediary between the air chamber and liquid chamber. This separator allows pressure transfer from the air chamber to the liquid chamber when needed, but can also be positioned to allow independent operation of each chamber, enabling both cost efficiency and individual control.
2Ease of manufacture
If a movable separating arrangement is used to divide the pressure cylinder into air and liquid chambers, then both cleaning pulses can be generated with one pressure source, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable separating arrangement serves multiple functions: it divides the pressure cylinder into two independent chambers for separate filling, acts as a pressure transfer mechanism when activated, and can be controlled to enable or disable communication between chambers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components like separate pumps or complex valve systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The separating arrangement is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position and alter the communication state between air and liquid chambers dynamically. This enables the system to switch between different operational modes (independent control vs. coupled operation) without requiring multiple static structures.
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 provides improved controllability of cleaning pulses with reduced equipment costs by using a single pressure source, allowing for efficient generation of both liquid and compressed air cleaning pulses, and enables operation without mechanical loading, such as during rainfall, with enhanced cleaning performance.
Implementation Method 1
a movable separating arrangement that divides the cylinder volume in a fluid-tight manner into an air chamber and a liquid chamber
Implementation Method 2
whereby the liquid chamber contracts by moving the separating arrangement against a restoring force
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device for a vehicle provides a liquid cleaning pulse and/or a compressed air cleaning pulse for a cleaning nozzle. The cleaning device includes a module compressed air connection for receiving compressed air and a pressure cylinder with a cylinder volume. A movable separator divides the cylinder volume into a compressed air receiving chamber and a cleaning liquid receiving chamber in a fluid tight manner. The air chamber has an air chamber connection which can be supplied with compressed air. Contraction of the liquid chamber occurs when filling the air chamber by moving the separator against a restoring force. A switching valve establishes a pneumatic connection between the module compressed air connection and the air chamber connection. A bypass valve establishes a pneumatic connection between the module compressed air connection and the compressed air nozzle line while bypassing the switching valve for providing a bypass compressed air flow.