Vehicle Sensor Cleaning Nozzle Recess Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The cleaning performance of external sensors in vehicles is unstable due to disturbances caused by travel wind, affecting sensing performance and accuracy in automatic driving control modes.
Innovation Solution
A sensor unit design featuring a cleaning nozzle that injects cleaning fluid from above in the yaw axis direction, with a housing having a recessed surface inclined more rearward and downward, guiding the fluid smoothly and preventing vortex formation, thus stabilizing the cleaning process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning fluid is injected to clean the exposed surface, then cleaning function is provided, but cleaning performance becomes unstable due to travel wind disturbance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the travel wind that causes harmful disturbances and converts it into a beneficial force by designing the recessed surface to guide the wind flow in a controlled manner, allowing the travel wind to assist in directing cleaning fluid toward the exposed surface and improving cleaning effectiveness while maintaining stability
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed surface acts as an intermediary structure between the cleaning fluid injection and the exposed surface, mediating the interaction by guiding fluid flow and reducing the direct impact of travel wind disturbances, thereby stabilizing cleaning performance
2Speed
If the exposed surface is inclined to guide cleaning fluid, then cleaning fluid flow is improved, but vortex formation may occur without proper recess design
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed surface is designed with a specific curved inclination that guides cleaning fluid flow smoothly, preventing turbulence and vortex formation while maintaining high flow speed, thus achieving both fast and stable fluid movement
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 design ensures stable cleaning performance even in the presence of travel wind, enhancing the accuracy of automatic driving control by maintaining a clear sensing area for external sensors.
Implementation Method 1
The cleaning nozzle having an injection port is located in front of the exposed surface to inject a cleaning fluid to the exposed surface from above of the exposed surface in a yaw axis direction of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
the recess may be provided with a recessed surface that is inclined more rearward in the travel direction from the exposed surface as toward downward in the yaw axis direction
Implementation Method 3
guiding the fluid smoothly and preventing vortex formation
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor unit for a vehicle includes an external sensor, a cleaning nozzle and a housing. The external sensor is configured to obtain information of an external environment, and to have a sensing area being set forward in a travel direction of the vehicle through an exposed surface exposed to the external environment. The cleaning nozzle has an injection port that is located in front of the exposed surface to inject a cleaning fluid to the exposed surface from above of the exposed surface in a yaw axis direction of the vehicle to clean the exposed surface. The housing is provided to hold the external sensor therein. The housing is configured to define a recess that is recessed toward a rearward in the travel direction from the exposed surface below the exposed surface in the yaw axis direction.