A system and method to control the cleaning and emptying of a wastewater holding tank on a Recreational Vehicle. The system has the ability to autonomously open the drain valve allowing the tank to be emptied while connected to a suitable drain hose. It also has the ability to automatically rinse the tank from an external water source—should the system be so equipped. Further, the system and method can operate a wastewater system with two or more tanks each tank having its own gate valve used to empty the tank. In, this configuration the system will only open one gate valve at a time.

A vehicle including a sprayer assembly for washing away debris, such as ice, dirt, and the like, accumulating on an upper surface of a rear bumper of the vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a rear bumper having an upper surface, a reservoir including a supply of fluid and a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, the plurality of nozzles being spaced apart from one another in a vehicle lateral direction, the plurality of nozzles configured to spray the fluid from the fluid reservoir at the upper surface of the rear bumper. In some embodiments, the vehicle includes a tailgate positionable between an open position and a closed position, and the nozzles are operable when the tailgate is in the closed position. As such, the nozzles may emit a spray of fluid when the tailgate is in the closed position to wash away the debris prior to the tailgate opening.

A vibration device includes a light transmissive body, a first cylindrical body, a plate-shaped spring portion, a second cylindrical body, and a vibrating body. The light transmissive body includes a main body portion on an inner side of a portion supported by the first cylindrical body, and a protruding portion extending from the main body portion toward an outer circumference of the light transmissive body and protruding outward more than a portion supported by the first cylindrical body. A ratio between an equivalent mass calculated from a moment of inertia of the protruding portion and a weight of the main body portion is about 0.8 to about 1.2, and a resonant frequency of the light transmissive body is larger than a resonant frequency of the spring portion.

An autonomous vehicle (AV) implements a health protocol that may reduce pathogen transmission between users of the AV. The AV is equipped with a thermal sensor that captures a body temperature of a user. The AV compares the user's temperature to a threshold temperature, and if the user's temperature exceeds the threshold temperature, the AV performs checks to ensure that the user's planned trip follows current regulations or recommendations. For example, the AV confirms that the user is traveling between the user's home and a healthcare facility. If the trip is permitted, the AV enables the user to enter the AV. The AV may include a disinfectant system for disinfecting the passenger compartment or surfaces after the user exits the AV.

An embodiment device includes a housing, an actuator mounted in the housing, the actuator configured to be operated in response to a connection state of a charging plug, a drive shaft configured to be rotated in conjunction with an operation of the actuator, a lever arm rotatably provided outside the housing and connected to the drive shaft to be rotated together with the drive shaft, and a brush unit seated on the lever arm and configured to remove debris between the housing and the lever arm while being in contact with the housing during operation of the lever arm.

An embodiment device includes a housing, an actuator mounted in the housing, the actuator configured to be operated in response to a connection state of a charging plug, a drive shaft configured to be rotated in conjunction with an operation of the actuator, a lever arm rotatably provided outside the housing and connected to the drive shaft to be rotated together with the drive shaft, and a brush unit seated on the lever arm and configured to remove debris between the housing and the lever arm while being in contact with the housing during operation of the lever arm.

An optical monitoring system serves to monitor surroundings, having a monitoring apparatus, the visual or scanning field of which is captured by a lens, and a protection panel (112) which protects the lens from precipitation and covers at least the visual or scanning field of the monitoring apparatus. In order to avoid the signal quality of the monitoring apparatus being impaired by precipitation on the protection panel, it is proposed that the protection panel (12; 112; 218; 318) is acoustically coupled to at least one ultrasonic transducer (10). The optical monitoring system can be included into the control system of a vehicle for autonomous driving, wherein, overall, it is possible to obtain increased safety of the control system.

An optical monitoring system serves to monitor surroundings, having a monitoring apparatus, the visual or scanning field of which is captured by a lens, and a protection panel (112) which protects the lens from precipitation and covers at least the visual or scanning field of the monitoring apparatus. In order to avoid the signal quality of the monitoring apparatus being impaired by precipitation on the protection panel, it is proposed that the protection panel (12; 112; 218; 318) is acoustically coupled to at least one ultrasonic transducer (10). The optical monitoring system can be included into the control system of a vehicle for autonomous driving, wherein, overall, it is possible to obtain increased safety of the control system.

Systems and methods for self-cleaning a surface of an object where an electrodynamic shield is mounted to a surface of the object. The electrodynamic shield includes one or more sets of electrodes atop a substrate, at least one or more sets of electrodes being covered in a protective film. A coating is applied to the top surface of the protection film. A signal pulse generator is connected to the one or more sets of electrodes. The signal pulse generator generates a pulse signal that causes the one or more sets of electrodes to generate an electric field. The pulse signal comprises a plurality of different pulse signals which have phase differences between consecutive signals, and the electric field causes a particle atop the coating to experience an electrostatic force and be repelled away from the coating. These pulse signals (including shapes, amplitudes, shifts, and frequencies) can be tuned to increase efficiency of removal depending on dust type and relative humidity.

Systems and methods for self-cleaning a surface of an object where an electrodynamic shield is mounted to a surface of the object. The electrodynamic shield includes one or more sets of electrodes atop a substrate, at least one or more sets of electrodes being covered in a protective film. A coating is applied to the top surface of the protection film. A signal pulse generator is connected to the one or more sets of electrodes. The signal pulse generator generates a pulse signal that causes the one or more sets of electrodes to generate an electric field. The pulse signal comprises a plurality of different pulse signals which have phase differences between consecutive signals, and the electric field causes a particle atop the coating to experience an electrostatic force and be repelled away from the coating. These pulse signals (including shapes, amplitudes, shifts, and frequencies) can be tuned to increase efficiency of removal depending on dust type and relative humidity.