Autonomous Vehicle Sensor Housing with Integrated Passive Heatsink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing an efficient heat removal system for sensor units in autonomous driving vehicles is challenging due to the significant heat generated by sensor processing modules, which traditional cooling methods like fans cannot effectively manage.
Innovation Solution
A sensor unit with a built-in heat sink integrated into the unit cover, featuring heat transfer arms that direct heat from the processing modules to external fins for radiation, eliminating the need for cooling fans and ensuring effective heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional cooling fans are used to remove heat from sensor processing modules, then heat removal capability is improved, but device complexity and reliability are worsened due to moving parts and potential failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling fan system with a passive thermal conduction system using heat transfer arms and heatsinks. The sensor processing modules are thermally coupled to heat transfer arms that conduct heat to heatsinks, eliminating moving parts and improving reliability while maintaining effective heat removal capability.
2Temperature
If cooling fans are used for heat dissipation, then heat removal is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function directly into the housing structure by integrating heat transfer arms and heatsinks with the container walls. This consolidation eliminates separate cooling components and reduces assembly complexity while achieving effective heat dissipation through the integrated thermal management system.
3Device complexity
If passive heatsink design is used without fans, then device complexity is reduced, but heat removal effectiveness may be insufficient for high-power sensor processing modules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating direct thermal coupling between the sensor processing modules and heat transfer arms at critical heat generation points. The heat transfer arms are positioned to contact or be in close proximity to the modules, ensuring efficient heat extraction from high-power components without requiring active cooling throughout the entire housing.
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 solution effectively radiates heat away from the sensor unit without using fans, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of motion planning and control operations in autonomous vehicles by maintaining optimal operating temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
The heat transfer arms can receive at least a portion of the heat generated from the sensor processing modules and transfer the heat to the fins
Implementation Method 2
The fins can radiate the heat received from the heat transfer arms to the ambient environment
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor unit utilized in an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) includes a unit tray containing a sensor interface, a host interface, and one or more sensor processing modules. The sensor interface can be coupled to a variety of sensors used in the ADV, such as, for example, LIDAR, RADAR, cameras, etc., which may be mounted on different locations of the ADV. The host interface can be coupled a host system that is responsible for autonomously driving the vehicle. The host system is configured to perceive a driving environment surrounding the ADV base on sensor data obtained from the sensors and plan a path to autonomously drive the vehicle through the driving environment. The sensor processing modules are configured to process the sensor data obtained from the sensors.