Sensor Cover Cleaning Wiper with Hydrophilic Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor covers in vehicles face issues with contaminants like dust, water, and snow accumulating on hydrophilic or hydrophobic coatings, which can lead to wear and affect sensor performance, as traditional cleaning methods may damage the coatings.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact surface cleaning system using a wiper with a hydrophilic material, supported by rails, that moves along the outer surface of the sensor cover with a controlled gap to minimize wear, and includes a heater for snow removal, along with cleaners to drain water, ensuring effective cleaning without direct contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional contact-based cleaning method is used, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but wear on the sensor cover coating increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an air gap as an intermediary between the wiper and the sensor cover surface. This air gap allows the wiper to clean the surface without direct contact, thereby maintaining cleaning effectiveness while preventing wear on the hydrophilic or hydrophobic coatings. The wiper material is selected to be softer than the cover material, and the gap distance is optimized to enable contaminant removal without mechanical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based cleaning with a non-contact or minimal-contact mechanism. By using a wiper that operates with a controlled gap from the surface, the system substitutes direct mechanical friction with a gentler cleaning action that relies on the wiper's material properties and motion rather than forceful contact.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a softer wiper material is used to minimize wear, then coating protection is improved, but cleaning effectiveness may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting a wiper material that is softer than the sensor cover material specifically at the cleaning interface. This localized softness ensures that the wiper does not abrade the delicate hydrophilic or hydrophobic coatings on the cover, while the overall wiper structure maintains sufficient mechanical integrity to effectively remove contaminants through its motion and compliance.
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 contaminants while minimizing wear on the sensor cover coatings, maintaining sensor accuracy and longevity by using a wiper with a hydrophilic material and a controlled gap, and a heater for snow removal.
Implementation Method 1
The wiper material includes a hydrophilic material to facilitate removal of water from the outer cover surface of the cover
Implementation Method 2
The wiper is movable along the cleaner to remove water from the wiper when the wiper contacts the cleaner
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly includes a sensor and a cover disposed adjacent to the sensor to protect the sensor. The cover has an inner cover surface and an outer cover surface opposite the inner cover surface. The inner cover surface faces the sensor, and the outer cover surface faces away from the sensor. The cover has a first end wall and a second end wall apart from the first end wall along a first direction. The sensor assembly includes a cleaning system having a wiper movable along the outer cover surface of the cover in the first direction to clean to the outer cover surface. The wiper is at least partly made of a wiper material, and the wiper material includes a hydrophilic material to facilitate removal of water from the outer cover surface of the cover.