Vehicle Cleaning Flow Control Using Three-Media Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of surfaces to clean on vehicles and the need for constant refilling of cleaning fluids, combined with weight reduction demands and cost pressures, necessitate a more efficient and cost-effective cleaning solution.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning system utilizing a combination of three media units - a first medium unit, an acceleration unit, and a control unit - to optimize fluidic flow for efficient cleaning, reducing the need for cleaning fluids by enhancing the cleaning effect through a combination of a cleaning agent, pressurized gas, and a third medium, such as air, with adjustable flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional cleaning systems use only cleaning fluid, then cleaning effect is achieved, but cleaning fluid consumption is high and refilling frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines three different media (cleaning fluid, pressurized gas, and a third medium such as air or vapor) into a single cleaning system. The control unit coordinates these media to work together, where the pressurized gas and third medium enhance the cleaning effect of the cleaning fluid, allowing reduced fluid consumption while maintaining or improving cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the cleaning process by introducing pressurized gas to increase the velocity and penetration of the cleaning fluid, and using a third medium to modify the physical state or distribution of the cleaning agents. This allows the same cleaning effect with less cleaning fluid.
2Manufacturing precision
If more cleaning fluid is used to improve cleaning effect, then dirt dissolution improves, but weight increases and fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pressurized gas (pneumatics) to deliver the cleaning fluid with higher velocity and force. This allows the cleaning fluid to penetrate and dissolve dirt more effectively, improving cleaning quality while reducing the total amount of fluid needed, thereby reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the delivery parameters of the cleaning fluid through pressurization and the addition of a third medium, the system achieves better dirt dissolution with less fluid, reducing the weight burden on the vehicle.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems use single medium cleaning, then system complexity is low, but cleaning effectiveness on multiple surface types is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to be dynamic and adaptable, with a control unit that can adjust the mix and delivery of three different media based on the cleaning requirements. This allows the system to adapt to different surface types and contamination levels, providing versatile cleaning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system is designed as a multi-functional unit that can handle various cleaning tasks by combining three different media. The same system can effectively clean different surface types (glass, metal, plastic) and different types of contamination, making it universally applicable throughout the vehicle.
4Power
If higher pressure is applied to improve cleaning effect, then cleaning power increases, but wear on cleaning system increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges three media where the pressurized gas provides the necessary pressure and velocity, while the cleaning fluid and third medium work at lower individual pressures. This distribution of pressure requirements reduces overall energy consumption and wear on the system while maintaining high cleaning power.
Solution Approach 2:
The third medium acts as an intermediary that enhances the interaction between the pressurized gas and cleaning fluid, allowing the system to achieve higher cleaning power without proportionally increasing the pressure (and thus energy consumption) of any single medium.
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 significantly reduces cleaning fluid consumption, improves dirt dissolution, and lowers energy consumption while maintaining effective cleaning performance, adaptable to varying conditions and cleaning requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the acceleration unit is configured to guide the first medium from the cleaning system in a predetermined fluidic flow via a first outlet opening
Implementation Method 2
the second medium unit is configured to introduce a second medium, in particular a pressurized gas, which can also represent a gas mixture (e.g., air), into the predetermined fluidic flow via a second outlet opening
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning system for a vehicle includes a first medium unit, an acceleration unit, a second medium unit, a third medium unit, and a control unit. The first medium unit is configured to guide a first medium, in particular a cleaning agent, into the acceleration unit, the acceleration unit being configured to guide the first medium from the cleaning system in a predetermined fluidic flow via a first outlet opening, the second medium unit being configured to introduce a second medium, in particular a pressurized gas, into the fluidic flow via a second outlet opening, the third medium unit being configured to guide a third medium obliquely in the direction of the fluidic flow via a third outlet opening, and the control unit being configured to control a flow of the third medium in order to adjust a characteristic of the fluidic flow by the third medium.