Vehicle Sensor Spray Timing Control for Uniform Cleaning Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sensor cleaning systems face challenges in maintaining consistent spray strength across multiple sensors due to varying hose lengths, affecting the effectiveness of cleaning small sensors located in various parts of a vehicle, which can impact autonomous driving and assistance functions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus with a spray controller that uses a combination of air and washer fluid, employing nozzles and distributors to control the spray output, ensuring a consistent spray strength by introducing a time difference between the motor and distributor ON times, thereby maintaining uniform cleaning across all sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple hoses are used to clean multiple sensors, then the coverage of sensors is improved, but the spray strength output to each sensor differs depending on the length of each hose
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by controlling the motor to operate before the distributor, creating a time delay that allows pressure to build up in the hoses. This preliminary motor operation ensures that spray strength is consistent across all sensors regardless of hose length, as the pressure equalizes before the actual spraying begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameter by introducing a time difference between motor ON time and distributor ON time. This parameter change (time delay) compensates for the varying hose lengths, ensuring that all nozzles receive consistent spray pressure simultaneously, thus resolving the inconsistency in spray strength across different sensors.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If washer fluid spray system is used to clean sensors, then foreign materials can be removed, but it is difficult to apply to small sensors located in various parts of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by using a single motor-driven compressor that supplies air to multiple nozzles through a distributor system. This multi-functional setup allows the same air spray mechanism to effectively clean sensors of various sizes and locations, making the system adaptable to different sensor configurations in the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the cleaning function by using multiple nozzles distributed to different sensor locations. Each nozzle is controlled through the distributor system, allowing targeted cleaning of individual sensors while maintaining consistent spray strength across all locations, thus solving the adaptability issue for small sensors in various parts of the vehicle.
3Speed
If air tank motor and distributor operate simultaneously, then cleaning response time is reduced, but spray strength varies due to hose length differences
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by operating the motor before the distributor. The motor starts first to build up air pressure in the hoses, and after a predetermined time delay, the distributor is activated to enable spraying. This sequence ensures uniform spray strength across all sensors while maintaining efficient cleaning response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action through a controlled time delay sequence between motor activation and distributor activation. This periodic timing control ensures that pressure builds up uniformly in all hoses before spraying begins, achieving consistent spray strength while maintaining rapid cleaning response through automated sequential operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus and a controlling method of the vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus. The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus includes at least one nozzle for spraying air and/or a washer fluid onto at least one sensor, at least one distributor for supplying the air and/or the washer fluid to at least one nozzle, and a spray controller for controlling a spray of a nozzle for each channel through an on/off control of a motor of the air tank and/or a motor of the washer fluid tank and an on/off control of the at least one distributor. The spray controller controls such that a time difference exists between an ON time of the motor of the air tank and/or the motor of the washer fluid tank and an ON time of the distributor.