Sensor Cleaning Nozzle With Wind Panel for Airflow Alignment
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sensor cleaning systems face challenges in accurately delivering cleaning fluid to sensors, especially when the vehicle is in motion, due to airflow interference affecting the trajectory of the fluid spray.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle assembly with a movable nozzle and wind panel system that adjusts its position in response to airflow, ensuring the nozzle aims at the sensor by rotating and extending from the vehicle exterior panel, using a plunger mechanism and spring biasing to maintain alignment and a guide mechanism for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a fixed nozzle is used to deliver cleaning fluid to the sensor, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning accuracy deteriorates due to airflow interference affecting the fluid trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position and orientation in response to airflow conditions. The nozzle can extend/retract along the vehicle exterior panel and rotate to different angular positions, dynamically adapting to maintain accurate fluid delivery to the sensor despite varying airflow interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that detect airflow conditions and provide feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the control system adjusts the nozzle position and orientation to compensate for airflow effects, ensuring accurate cleaning fluid delivery to the sensor.
2Measurement precision
If the nozzle is positioned close to the sensor, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but airflow interference increases affecting the fluid trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle distance from the sensor is made variable rather than fixed. The nozzle can extend closer to the sensor when needed and retract when airflow interference becomes problematic, dynamically adjusting its position to optimize the balance between cleaning effectiveness and resistance to airflow interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the airflow that would normally interfere with fluid trajectory as a useful signal. By detecting airflow conditions and using this information to adjust nozzle positioning, the system converts the harmful airflow interference into beneficial feedback for optimizing cleaning performance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the nozzle is positioned far from the sensor, then airflow interference is reduced, but the cleaning effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle position is made dynamically adjustable, allowing the system to optimize the distance between nozzle and sensor based on real-time operating conditions. When airflow interference is low, the nozzle extends closer for better cleaning effectiveness; when airflow interference is high, the nozzle retracts to reduce interference while maintaining adequate cleaning performance.
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 delivers cleaning fluid to the sensor both when the vehicle is stationary and moving, maintaining accuracy despite airflow interference, enhancing the functionality of sensors like cameras for advanced driver assistance systems.
Implementation Method 1
The wind panel is arranged to rotate the nozzle about the axis responsive to airflow directed at the wind panel
Implementation Method 2
a spring arranged to bias the plunger to move the nozzle and the wind panel to the retracted axial position when the nozzle and the wind panel are in the extended axial position
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle assembly includes a vehicle exterior panel, a nozzle, and a wind panel fixed to the nozzle. The nozzle and the wind panel are movable together along an axis between a retracted axial position concealed behind the vehicle exterior panel and an extended axial position extending outward from the vehicle exterior panel. The nozzle and the wind panel are rotatable together about the axis when in the extended axial position. The wind panel is arranged to rotate the nozzle about the axis responsive to airflow directed at the wind panel.