Vibrating Ridge Dust Removal for Extraterrestrial Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles, especially extraterrestrial vehicles, face issues with dust accumulation that can lead to health hazards and mechanical malfunctions due to the adherence of regolith and other debris, which existing methods like shaking solar panels or piezoelectric drives do not adequately address for efficient dust removal.
Innovation Solution
A dust loosening system comprising parallel ridges of varying heights and cross-sectional shapes supported by a flexible or rigid base, where the ridges can vibrate to dislodge dust when an extraterrestrial vehicle drives over them, allowing for efficient dust removal and easy transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If shaking solar panels or piezoelectric drives are used to remove dust, then some dust removal effect is achieved, but the dust removal efficiency is insufficient for extraterrestrial vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mechanical vibration through ridges that vibrate at specific frequencies to dislodge dust particles from the vehicle surface. The vibrating ridges create dynamic forces that effectively remove adhered regolith and debris, significantly improving dust removal efficiency compared to static or simple shaking methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The ridges are designed with curved or non-planar surfaces that conform to the vehicle's contour. This curvature allows the ridges to maintain contact with the dust-covered surface while vibrating, ensuring effective dust removal across complex vehicle geometries and improving overall removal efficiency.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid base is used to support the ridges, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability to different planetary surfaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed with flexible elements that allow it to dynamically adapt its shape to match the underlying planetary surface while maintaining structural integrity. This dynamic flexibility enables the ridge system to conform to uneven terrain, ensuring stable operation across diverse surface conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The base incorporates flexible materials or thin-film structures that can bend and conform to the planetary surface topology. These flexible elements maintain the relative positions of the ridges while adapting to surface irregularities, providing both stability and adaptability.
3Productivity
If the ridges are made non-planar with varying heights, then dust dislodging effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ridge structure is divided into discrete segments or modules with varying heights arranged in a pattern. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of individual components that can be assembled to create the overall non-planar structure, reducing fabrication complexity while maintaining dust removal effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the ridge structure have locally optimized heights and shapes tailored to specific dust removal requirements. By varying properties only where necessary rather than making the entire structure complex, manufacturing is simplified while maintaining high dust dislodging effectiveness in critical areas.
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 shakes off dust from vehicles, preventing health risks and mechanical issues by utilizing vibrating ridges that conform to the planetary surface, enhancing dust removal efficiency and facilitating smooth vehicle movement.
Implementation Method 1
a controller to control one or more of the ridges to vibrate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3E
AI summary
A system for use on a planetary surface includes ridges (120) arranged parallel to each other. The ridges (120) support a weight of an extraterrestrial vehicle (150) rolling over the ridges. The system also includes a base (130) to maintain a relative position of the ridges (120) to each other and a controller (140) to control one or more of the ridges (120) to vibrate.