Cleaning mechanism having self-locking function and photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment having same

• US 10,056,860 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• 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): Troy, Abigail E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Devin K
• Application Number:
  US15/436,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 134172, 134198, 134 56 RR, 134 57 R, 15250001, 1525011, 15103, 15 521, 15 211, 15246, 136244251, 211 411, 521733
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/063 by means of a supply pipe
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/34 rotating about an axis parallel to the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/10 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/50 Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A cleaning mechanism having a self-locking function, comprising a cleaning rack, a cleaning member and a sweeping member, adapted for use on photovoltaic panel, is disclosed. The cleaning rack comprising a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a fourth connecting rod which are detachably connected. The cleaning member being detachably mounted between the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod, used for stripping off adhesive materials on photovoltaic panel; the sweeping member used for sweeping adhesive materials away from photovoltaic panel. Cleaning mechanism further comprises a cleaning member power unit, detachably connected with the cleaning member and used for driving cleaning member to rotate; and cleaning member power unit comprises a self-locking device, used for preventing cleaning member from idling, and sundries are prevented from being twisted thereon and meanwhile unnecessary wear between cleaning member and photovoltaic panel can be reduced.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment adapted for use on photovoltaic panel arrays, the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment comprising:

a body, the body comprising;

a cleaning mechanism, comprising;

a cleaning rack comprising a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a fourth connecting rod which are detachably connected;

a cleaning member, the cleaning member being detachably mounted between the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod and used for stripping off adhesive materials on at least one of the photovoltaic panel arrays;

a sweeping member, the sweeping member being detachably mounted on the second connecting rod and the fourth connecting rod and used for sweeping the adhesive materials away from at least one of the photovoltaic panel arrays; and

a cleaning member power unit, the cleaning member power unit is connected to the cleaning member and is used for driving the cleaning member to rotate, wherein the cleaning member power unit comprises a self-locking device, and the self-locking device is used for preventing the cleaning member from idlings;

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 facilitate moving the body from one photovoltaic panel array of said photovoltaic panel arrays to another photovoltaic panel array of said photovoltaic panel arrays; 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 an external force enables the rotary force applying member to move the locking hook from a locked position to an unlocked position 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 to the locked position;

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 an upper position and a lower 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 cleaning rack further comprises a fifth connecting rod, and the fifth connecting rod is detachably connected between the second connecting rod and the fourth connecting rod.

3. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning member comprises a first rolling brush and a second rolling brush which are coaxially connected, the first rolling brush is detachably connected between the first connecting rod and the fifth connecting rod, the second rolling brush is detachably connected between the third connecting rod and the fifth connecting rod, and the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush rotate simultaneously.

4. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 3, wherein the sweeping member comprises two first strip brushes and two second strip brushes, the two first strip brushes are detachably mounted on the second connecting rod, and the two second strip brushes are detachably mounted on the fourth connecting rod.

5. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 4, wherein each of the two first strip brushes and the two second strip brushes comprises a strip brush rack and a plurality of bristles;

wherein a plurality of bristle grooves are arranged in each brush rack and the bristles are fixed in the bristle grooves.

6. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 5, wherein the bristles are fixed in the bristle grooves by using a binder.

7. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member power unit further comprises a rolling brush motor, and the self-locking device is located between the rolling brush motor and the cleaning member;

and when the rolling brush motor stops, the self-locking device enables the cleaning member to instantaneously stop rotating.