Self-locking mechanism and photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment having same

• US 10,008,976 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boson Robotics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Boson Robotics Ltd.
• Inventors: Wang, Guanyu, Zhang, Jinggong, Qian, Zhihong
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Devin K
• Application Number:
  US15/444,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 134172, 134198, 134 56 R, 134 57 R, 15250001, 1525011, 15103, 15 521, 15 211, 15246, 136244, 136251, 211 411, 521733
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/30 Brushes for cleaning or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/20 Cleaning of moving articles, e.g. of moving webs or of objects on a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/16 comprising worm and worm-wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 40/20 Cleaning; Removing snow
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/10 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A self-locking mechanism which is mounted in a moving mechanism of a photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment is disclosed. The moving mechanism includes driving wheels driven by driving motors, and the driving wheels being diagonally and detachably mounted. The self-locking mechanism includes self-locking units arranged between the driving motor and the driving wheel of the moving mechanism, and is used for realizing self-locking of the respective driving wheel. By adopting the self-locking mechanism and the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment having the self-locking mechanism, when the body of the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment stops on the photovoltaic panel with a gradient, the body can be prevented from falling off due to the effect of gravity.

Claims

1. A Photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment, comprising a body, the body comprises a self-locking mechanism, and a moving mechanism;

the self-locking mechanism comprising a first self-locking unit and a second self-locking unit;

the moving mechanism, comprising a first driving wheel, a second driving wheel, a first driving motor and a second driving motor, wherein the first driving wheel being driven by the first driving motor, the second driving wheel being driven by the second driving motor, the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel being diagonally and detachably mounted, the first self-locking unit is arranged between the first driving motor and the first driving wheel, and is used for realizing self-locking of the first driving wheel; and

the second self-locking unit is arranged between the second driving motor and the second driving wheel and is used for realizing self-locking of the second driving wheel;

wherein the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment further comprises an obstacle crossing mechanism, the body further comprises a telescopic mechanism and the telescopic mechanism cooperates with the obstacle crossing mechanism to realize the movement of the body from one photovoltaic panel array to another photovoltaic panel array; and

the obstacle crossing mechanism comprises a moving rack and a fixed rack, a locking device is arranged on the fixed rack, a limiting member is arranged on the moving rack and the locking device cooperates with the limiting member to lock the moving rack on the fixed rack;

the locking device comprises a bottom plate, a locking hook, a rotary force applying member, a restoring member, a first stand column, a second stand column, a third stand column, a fourth stand column and a pulling rope;

the bottom plate is fixed on the fixed rack;

a fixed column is arranged on the bottom plate and the locking hook is rotatably connected with the fixed column;

the rotary force applying member is connected with one end of the locking hook and the rotary force applying member can outwards pull away the locking hook under an effect of external force to unlock the limiting member;

the restoring member is arranged at a junction between the rotary force applying member and the locking hook, and when the external force acting on the rotary force applying member disappears, the restoring member enables the locking hook to be restored;

the first stand column and the fourth stand column are located at two ends of the bottom plate, and the second stand column and the third stand column are located between the first stand column and the fourth stand column;

two vertical pulleys which are respectively at a high position and a low position are arranged on each of the first stand column and the fourth stand column;

a horizontal pulley is arranged on each of the second stand column and the third stand column; and

the pulling rope is wound on the vertical pulleys and the horizontal pulleys and then is connected with the rotary force applying member.

2. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 1, wherein the first self-locking unit comprises a worm gear and a worm, the first driving motor comprising a power output shaft being connected with the worm, the worm is connected with the worm gear, the worm gear is coaxially connected with the first driving wheel, the power output shaft of the first driving motor drives the worm to rotate, the worm drives the worm gear to rotate and the worm gear drives the first driving wheel to rotate.

3. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 1, wherein the second self-locking unit comprises a worm gear and a worm, the second driving motor comprising a power output shaft being connected with the worm, the worm is connected with the worm gear, the worm gear is coaxially connected with the second driving wheel, the power output shaft of the second driving motor drives the worm to rotate, the worm drives the worm gear to rotate and the worm gear drives the second driving wheel to rotate.

4. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism further comprises a third driving wheel and a fourth driving wheel, the third driving wheel is driven by a third driving motor and the fourth driving wheel is driven by a fourth driving motor.

5. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 4, wherein the self-locking mechanism further comprises a third self-locking unit, and the third self-locking unit is arranged between the third driving motor and the third driving wheel and is used for realizing self-locking of the third driving wheel.

6. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 5, wherein the third self-locking unit comprises a worm gear and a worm, the third driving motor comprising a power output shaft being connected with the worm, the worm is connected with the worm gear, the worm gear is coaxially connected with the third driving wheel, the power output shaft of the third driving motor drives the worm to rotate, the worm drives the worm gear to rotate and the worm gear drives the third driving wheel to rotate.

7. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 4, wherein the self-locking mechanism further comprises a fourth self-locking unit, and the fourth self-locking unit is arranged between the fourth driving motor and the fourth driving wheel and is used for realizing self-locking of the fourth driving wheel.

8. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 7, wherein the fourth self-locking unit comprises a worm gear and a worm, the fourth driving motor comprising a power output shaft being connected with the worm, the worm is connected with the worm gear, the worm gear is coaxially connected with the fourth driving wheel, the power output shaft of the fourth driving motor drives the worm to rotate, the worm drives the worm gear to rotate and the worm gear drives the fourth driving wheel to rotate.