Telescopic Fluid Dispenser Retraction With Residual Fluid Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispensing systems for washing motor vehicle parts, particularly those with telescopic nozzles, face issues such as uneven wear in pumps leading to premature servicing needs and the inability to maintain fluid flow when telescopic dispensers are retracted due to residual fluid, which can cause operational failures.
Innovation Solution
A fluid dispensing system with multiple pumps arranged at different heights and a control unit that monitors and adjusts pump operation based on wear, fluid level, and target object soiling status, allowing for intelligent pump management and prioritization to ensure efficient fluid delivery and extended pump life, while also incorporating a control valve assembly to manage residual fluid during retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple pumps are operated in the same way, then fluid delivery is maintained, but pump wear becomes uneven leading to premature servicing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically adjusts pump operation based on real-time monitoring of wear indicators (vibration, temperature, pressure). Pumps transition between active, reduced-capacity, and inactive states based on their condition, allowing the system to maintain fluid delivery while distributing wear more evenly across the pump fleet.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors pump performance parameters (vibration, temperature, pressure differential) and feeds this information back to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts pump operation to prevent excessive wear, extending pump service life while maintaining reliable fluid delivery through intelligent load management.
2Volume of moving object
If telescopic fluid dispensers are disabled when retracted, then they can be concealed in the vehicle, but residual fluid trapped in the dispensers acts as a stop during backward movement preventing full retraction
Solution Approach 1:
Before the telescopic dispenser is retracted into the vehicle, the control system activates a drain valve to remove residual fluid from the dispenser in advance. This preliminary action prevents the fluid from becoming a stop during retraction, enabling full concealment of the dispenser while maintaining operational readiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts residual fluid from the telescopic dispenser using a drain valve and collection reservoir before retraction. By removing the harmful fluid element beforehand, the dispenser can be fully retracted and concealed in the vehicle without operational interference.
3Reliability
If pumps are monitored and controlled individually, then wear can be balanced and service life extended, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it monitors wear indicators, controls pump operation, manages fluid distribution, and coordinates dispenser retraction. By consolidating these functions in a single intelligent controller, the system achieves individualized pump management without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the pumps' own operational data (vibration, temperature, pressure) to automatically determine their condition and adjust their operation. This self-diagnosis and self-regulation capability reduces the need for complex external monitoring systems while extending pump service life through intelligent, data-driven control.
Data Source
AI summary
The fluid dispensing system (100) comprises at least one fluid source (110), at least one pump (130-1, 130-2, 130-3, . . . , 130-N), at least one telescopic fluid dispenser (140′-1′, 140′-2′, 140′-3′, . . . , 140′-M′); a control unit (160) to operate the pump (130-1, 130-2, 130-3, . . . , 130-N) for supplying fluid (120) according to a received command of washing at least one target object (150-1, 150-2, 150-3, . . . , 150-O), a manifold (180), and at least one control valve assembly (V-1, V-2, . . . , V′-P′) comprising a fluid inlet for receiving fluid from the at least one fluid source (110), a first fluid outlet for discharging fluid into the at least one telescopic fluid dispenser (140′-1, 140′-2, 140′-3, . . . , 140′-M′), and a second fluid outlet for allowing fluid to flow back away from the telescopic fluid dispensers (140′-1, 140′-2′, 140′-3′, . . . , 140′-M′) when retracting from the extended position to the rest position.