Vehicle undercarriage snow/ice removal system
First Claim
1. A de-icing apparatus for removing accumulations of snow and ice from an undercarriage of a vehicle, comprising:
- a piping network with multiple nozzles that is installed on the undercarriage, wherein the nozzles are adapted and configured to direct nozzle sprays of a pressurized heated antifreeze solution and nozzle jets of pressurized heated air to one or more de-icing areas of the undercarriage;
one or more onboard spray reservoirs containing the antifreeze solution, wherein each of the spray reservoirs is in pressurized fluid communication with the piping network and the nozzles;
one or more spray heating means, which are adapted and configured to heat the antifreeze solution;
one or more onboard air jet sources of the pressurized heated air;
an undercarriage heating grid that is installed on the undercarriage and is adapted and configured to heat the de-icing areas of the undercarriage;
multiple capacitive undercarriage icing sensors, which are distributed throughout the de-icing areas, and which are adapted and configured to detect a presence or an absence of water in either a solid or a liquid phase and to distinguish the solid phase of water from the liquid phase of water based on the different relative permittivities of the solid phase of water and the liquid phase of water;
an onboard central processing unit (CPU), which is interfaced with and controls multiple de-icing system components, comprising the piping network, the nozzles, the spray reservoirs, the spray heating means, the air jet sources, the undercarriage heating grid, and the undercarriage icing sensors, wherein the CPU is adapted, configured and programmed to activate the de-icing system components sequentially according to a system activation sequence, whereby the accumulations of snow and ice on the undercarriage are melted and resulting moisture is evaporated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for removing accumulated snow and/or ice from the undercarriage of a motor vehicle before it is parked in an indoor garage or parking lot includes a piping network with multiple jet/spray nozzles installed on the undercarriage and configured to direct nozzle sprays of pressurized heated antifreeze solution and nozzle jets of pressurized heated air to the perimeter areas of the undercarriage, including the wheel-wells, where snow/ice accumulation is most prevalent. Along with the network of nozzles, the undercarriage snow/ice removal apparatus includes a conductive and/or radiative heating grid covering the undercarriage perimeter areas to which the nozzle sprays and nozzle jets are directed. The undercarriage de-icing apparatus also includes multiple capacitive undercarriage icing sensors distributed throughout the de-icing areas.
20 Citations
3 Claims
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1. A de-icing apparatus for removing accumulations of snow and ice from an undercarriage of a vehicle, comprising:
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a piping network with multiple nozzles that is installed on the undercarriage, wherein the nozzles are adapted and configured to direct nozzle sprays of a pressurized heated antifreeze solution and nozzle jets of pressurized heated air to one or more de-icing areas of the undercarriage; one or more onboard spray reservoirs containing the antifreeze solution, wherein each of the spray reservoirs is in pressurized fluid communication with the piping network and the nozzles; one or more spray heating means, which are adapted and configured to heat the antifreeze solution; one or more onboard air jet sources of the pressurized heated air; an undercarriage heating grid that is installed on the undercarriage and is adapted and configured to heat the de-icing areas of the undercarriage; multiple capacitive undercarriage icing sensors, which are distributed throughout the de-icing areas, and which are adapted and configured to detect a presence or an absence of water in either a solid or a liquid phase and to distinguish the solid phase of water from the liquid phase of water based on the different relative permittivities of the solid phase of water and the liquid phase of water; an onboard central processing unit (CPU), which is interfaced with and controls multiple de-icing system components, comprising the piping network, the nozzles, the spray reservoirs, the spray heating means, the air jet sources, the undercarriage heating grid, and the undercarriage icing sensors, wherein the CPU is adapted, configured and programmed to activate the de-icing system components sequentially according to a system activation sequence, whereby the accumulations of snow and ice on the undercarriage are melted and resulting moisture is evaporated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification