Vehicle Sensor Assembly With Air-Washer Window Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in effectively protecting their sensors from debris, such as insects, dust, and rain, which can obstruct the fields of view of cameras and lidar devices, leading to reduced performance and reliability in navigation and object detection.
Innovation Solution
The sensor assembly incorporates air nozzles and washer nozzles strategically positioned to clear debris from sensor windows, with air nozzles directing airflow to prevent debris accumulation and washer nozzles providing additional cleaning, allowing for improved sensor protection and installation flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air nozzles and washer nozzles are added to the sensor assembly, then sensor protection from debris is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines air nozzles and washer nozzles into a single sensor assembly housing, merging multiple cleaning functions into one integrated unit. This allows the system to protect sensors from debris using both airflow and fluid cleaning mechanisms without requiring separate assemblies, thus improving reliability while managing complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor assembly is designed with multi-functional nozzles that can perform different cleaning operations (air blowing and fluid washing) on multiple sensor surfaces. The air nozzles and washer nozzles work together to handle various types of debris, making the system universally effective against insects, dust, and rain while maintaining a relatively compact structure.
2Reliability
If multiple nozzles are positioned to cover all sensor windows, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is segmented into multiple specialized nozzles (air nozzles and washer nozzles), each positioned to target specific sensor windows. This segmentation allows each nozzle to be optimized for its specific function and position, improving overall cleaning effectiveness while enabling modular assembly that can simplify manufacturing compared to a single complex nozzle system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air nozzles as an intermediary cleaning mechanism that works in conjunction with washer nozzles. The air nozzles can pre-clean or supplement the fluid washing, providing an intermediate step that enhances overall cleaning effectiveness without requiring the washer nozzles to handle all cleaning tasks alone, thus distributing the manufacturing complexity across simpler, specialized components.
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 solution effectively prevents debris from contacting sensors, ensuring clear fields of view and enhancing the reliability and performance of autonomous vehicle navigation systems by combining airflow and fluid-based cleaning mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
air nozzles directing airflow to prevent debris accumulation
Implementation Method 2
washer nozzles providing additional cleaning
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor assembly includes a first sensing device and a second sensing device spaced from the first sensing device. The sensor assembly includes a bracket supporting the first sensing device and the second sensing device and a sensor cover including a first sensor window and a second sensor window. The first sensing device has a first field of view through the first sensor window and the second sensing device having a second field of view through the second sensor window. The sensor assembly includes an air nozzle housing supported by the bracket and defining a first air nozzle aimed toward the first sensor window and a second air nozzle aimed toward the second sensor window. The sensor assembly includes a washer nozzle spaced from the first air nozzle. The washer nozzle aimed toward the first sensor window in a direction opposite to a direction of the first air nozzle.