Sensor Cleaning Nozzle Using Pulsed Air-Liquid Spray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cleaning systems for sensors, such as LIDAR, face challenges in effectively removing foreign matter like raindrops without increasing the size or power consumption of the pump, while maintaining cleaning force stability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle cleaning system that generates a high-pressure pulsed air jet by accumulating pressure in an air jet generator and mixes it with a small amount of cleaning liquid, allowing for efficient removal of foreign matter without increasing the pump's size or power consumption, using an air pump, washer pump, and a valve device to create a gas-liquid fluid mixture for effective cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large pump is used to increase the force of air or cleaning liquid sprayed against the sensing surface, then the cleaning capability for removing foreign matter is improved, but the space occupied by the pump and the power used to drive the pump increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system accumulates cleaning liquid in a reservoir before cleaning operation, and pre-mixes it with air to create a gas-liquid fluid mixture. This preliminary preparation allows the use of a smaller pump during actual cleaning while maintaining effective cleaning force, as the pre-mixed fluid is ready for immediate application without requiring high pumping power at the moment of cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
Air acts as an intermediary substance that mixes with cleaning liquid to form a gas-liquid fluid mixture. This mixture delivers the cleaning liquid to the sensing surface with enhanced spray characteristics and coverage, allowing effective cleaning with less liquid and reduced pump requirements compared to direct liquid spraying.
2Productivity
If a large pump is used to increase the force of air or cleaning liquid sprayed against the sensing surface, then the cleaning capability for removing foreign matter is improved, but the power used to drive the pump increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system accumulates cleaning liquid in a reservoir before cleaning operation, and pre-mixes it with air to create a gas-liquid fluid mixture. This preliminary preparation allows the use of a smaller pump during actual cleaning while maintaining effective cleaning force, as the pre-mixed fluid is ready for immediate application without requiring high pumping power at the moment of cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
Air acts as an intermediary substance that mixes with cleaning liquid to form a gas-liquid fluid mixture. This mixture delivers the cleaning liquid to the sensing surface with enhanced spray characteristics and coverage, allowing effective cleaning with less liquid and reduced pump requirements compared to direct liquid spraying.
3Loss of substance
If a small amount of cleaning liquid is used for cleaning, then the loss of substance is reduced, but the cleaning force stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Air acts as an intermediary substance that mixes with cleaning liquid to form a gas-liquid fluid mixture. This mixture delivers the cleaning liquid to the sensing surface with enhanced spray characteristics and coverage, allowing effective cleaning with less liquid and reduced pump requirements compared to direct liquid spraying.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and delivery parameters of cleaning liquid by mixing it with air to create a gas-liquid fluid mixture. This transformation allows the cleaning liquid to be delivered more efficiently as a spray, improving coverage and cleaning effectiveness while reducing the total amount of liquid required, thereby maintaining stability with smaller quantities.
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 system effectively removes foreign matter from sensors with a small amount of cleaning liquid, maintaining cleaning force stability and allowing for a compact pump design, improving foreign matter removal capability without increasing space or power usage.
Implementation Method 1
the air jet generator is configured to generate the air jet that has a high pressure and is pulsed based on an action of the valve device that accumulates pressure until compressed air supplied from the air pump reaches a pressure that is higher than a discharge pressure of the air pump
Implementation Method 2
an ejection nozzle that sprays the cleaning subject with a gas-liquid fluid mixture, which includes the air jet and the cleaning liquid
Implementation Method 3
a cleaning liquid reservoir configured to store the cleaning liquid supplied from the washer pump and allow the stored cleaning liquid to be discharged for mixing with the air jet
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular cleaning system performs cleaning to remove foreign matter attached to a cleaning target in a vehicle. The vehicular cleaning system includes: an air pump driven to generate an air spray; a washer pump driven to supply a washing solution; a spray nozzle which blows an air-liquid mixed fluid, obtained by mixing the air spray and the washing solution, onto the cleaning target; a washing solution storage unit configured to store the washing solution supplied from the washer pump, and to be capable of discharging the stored washing solution when the washing solution is to be mixed with the air spray; and a mixing and outputting unit configured to blow the air-liquid mixed fluid, obtained by mixing the air spray and the washing solution introduced from the washing solution storage unit, from the spray nozzle toward the cleaning target.