Protective Film Transport for Self-Cleaning Sensor Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor protection methods, such as air or water spraying and rotating protective covers, are complex, costly, and ineffective in removing foreign objects with high viscosity, compromising sensor accuracy in autonomous vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A sensor protection apparatus featuring a transparent protective film wound between rollers, with a driving unit and control system to maintain film tension and cleanliness, automatically replacing the film when contaminated, and using a cleaning liquid tank for thorough cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pump and wiper are installed to spray air or water for cleaning the sensor, then the sensor can be cleaned from foreign objects, but the configuration becomes complicated, layout space increases, and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex pump-wiper system from the sensor protection apparatus. Instead, it uses a simple protective cover that can be rotated to remove foreign objects, significantly simplifying the configuration while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of actively spraying air or water onto the sensor (complex active cleaning), the patent inverts the approach by using a rotating protective cover to mechanically scrape and remove foreign objects (passive mechanical cleaning), achieving cleaning with simpler means
2Ease of manufacture
If a protective cover is rotated to shake off foreign objects, then the sensor is protected, but foreign objects with high viscosity cannot be properly removed
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is made of a composite structure combining a rigid base layer with a flexible or abrasive surface layer. This composite material allows the cover to effectively scrape and remove high-viscosity foreign objects while maintaining structural integrity and simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is designed to rotate dynamically, creating friction and mechanical action against the sensor surface. This rotational motion, combined with the appropriate material properties, enables effective removal of viscous contaminants that static covers cannot remove
3Reliability
If a transparent protective film is used to cover the sensing plane, then the sensor can sense while protected, but the film needs to be replaced when contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The protective film is pre-installed on the sensor before deployment. This preliminary protection allows the sensor to function immediately without requiring frequent maintenance or replacement operations, improving ease of operation while maintaining reliability
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for protecting a sensor includes: a housing accommodating the sensor to allow a sensing plane of the sensor to be exposed, and mounted on an installation object, a protective film disposed to face a sensing plane of the sensor, and a moving unit installed in the housing and moving the protective film while the protective film is maintained with respect to the sensing plane of the sensor.