Vehicle Washer Fluid System External Hatch Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washer fluid systems require users to open the bonnet and lean over the engine compartment to fill washer fluid, leading to a high risk of getting dirty and involving multiple steps, which is inconvenient and hazardous.
Innovation Solution
A washer fluid system with a filling unit integrated into a hatch that can be accessed from outside the vehicle without opening the bonnet, allowing the filling unit to pivot from an inactive to a fill position, reducing the number of steps and minimizing exposure to vehicle dirt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the filling unit is located inside the engine compartment under the bonnet, then the washer fluid system is compact and protected, but the user must open the bonnet and lean over the engine compartment to fill fluid, increasing the risk of getting dirty and adding operational steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hatch as an intermediary component between the user and the filling unit. The hatch can be opened from the outside of the vehicle to provide access to the filling unit without requiring the user to open the bonnet or lean over the engine compartment. This intermediary structure allows the user to fill washer fluid while remaining outside the engine compartment, thus eliminating exposure to dirt and harmful factors while maintaining ease of operation.
2Loss of time
If the filling unit is made accessible from outside the vehicle without opening the bonnet, then the number of steps is reduced and user convenience is improved, but the filling unit becomes exposed to the environment and potential unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the access mechanism into two distinct components: a hatch for external access and a filling unit for fluid filling. The hatch can be independently opened from the outside of the vehicle to provide quick access to the filling unit without requiring the bonnet to be opened. This segmentation allows the filling operation to be performed quickly from outside the vehicle, reducing the loss of time, while the hatch remains closed during normal operation to protect the filling unit from environmental factors and unauthorized access, thus maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the filling unit is integrated with a movable hatch, then accessibility is improved without compromising protection, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hatch structure with the filling unit by integrating the filling unit into the hatch assembly. The filling unit is positioned such that it becomes accessible when the hatch is opened from the outside, and the hatch itself serves as part of the protective enclosure. This merging allows the system to provide improved accessibility through the movable hatch while minimizing additional complexity by using the existing hatch structure as part of the filling mechanism rather than adding a completely separate access system.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a washer fluid system (3) for a vehicle: The washer fluid system comprises a reservoir (5), adapted to contain washer fluid, a filling unit (7) comprising an aperture (9) for filling washer fluid into the reservoir and a conduit (11) providing a fluid connection from the filling unit to the reservoir. The filling unit is transitable between an inactive position and a fill position. The washer fluid system further comprises a hatch being transitable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the filling unit is attached to, or integrated with, the hatch, such that the filling unit is displaced together with the hatch when transiting from the closed position to the open position, the filling unit thereby transiting from the inactive position to the fill position. The disclosure further relates to a vehicle (1) comprising the washer fluid system (3).