Magnetic parking for robotic cleaner on a solar panel
First Claim
1. Autonomous robotic cleaner (ARC) for cleaning solar panels having an anchoring mechanism comprising:
- at least one rechargeable power source;
at least one cleaning mechanism, for cleaning dirt off of a non-ferromagnetic surface of said solar panels;
a controller, for controlling a cleaning process of said ARC;
a supporting structure for supporting a rear end of said ARC; and
an anchoring mechanism, for magnetically anchoring said ARC to a ferromagnetic anchoring surface coupled with a solar panel,said anchoring mechanism comprising;
an arm comprising at least one ferromagnetic end piece; and
a drive mechanism, coupled with said arm,wherein said drive mechanism moves said arm between a magnetically engaged position with said ferromagnetic anchoring surface for parking said ARC and a magnetically disengaged position with said ferromagnetic anchoring surface for enabling said ARC to clean said solar panels; and
wherein said arm is longer than a height of said supporting structure when said arm is in said magnetically engaged position, thereby lifting said supporting structure off of said ferromagnetic anchoring surface and preventing movement of said ARC.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Autonomous robotic cleaner (ARC) for cleaning solar panels having an anchoring mechanism including at least one rechargeable power source, at least one cleaning mechanism, a controller and an anchoring mechanism, the cleaning mechanism for cleaning dirt off of a surface of the solar panels, the controller for controlling a cleaning process of the ARC and the anchoring mechanism for magnetically anchoring the ARC to an anchoring surface coupled with a solar panel, the anchoring mechanism including an arm and a drive mechanism, the arm including at least one ferromagnetic end piece and the drive mechanism being coupled with the arm, wherein the drive mechanism moves the arm between a magnetically engaged position with the anchoring surface and a magnetically disengaged position with the anchoring surface.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. Autonomous robotic cleaner (ARC) for cleaning solar panels having an anchoring mechanism comprising:
-
at least one rechargeable power source; at least one cleaning mechanism, for cleaning dirt off of a non-ferromagnetic surface of said solar panels; a controller, for controlling a cleaning process of said ARC; a supporting structure for supporting a rear end of said ARC; and an anchoring mechanism, for magnetically anchoring said ARC to a ferromagnetic anchoring surface coupled with a solar panel, said anchoring mechanism comprising; an arm comprising at least one ferromagnetic end piece; and a drive mechanism, coupled with said arm, wherein said drive mechanism moves said arm between a magnetically engaged position with said ferromagnetic anchoring surface for parking said ARC and a magnetically disengaged position with said ferromagnetic anchoring surface for enabling said ARC to clean said solar panels; and wherein said arm is longer than a height of said supporting structure when said arm is in said magnetically engaged position, thereby lifting said supporting structure off of said ferromagnetic anchoring surface and preventing movement of said ARC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A solar tracker cleaning system for cleaning solar panels of a solar tracker under varying weather conditions, said solar tracker being able to be positioned at a pre-determined angle, said solar tracker cleaning system comprising:
-
a plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations, coupled with at least one edge of said solar tracker; an autonomous robotic cleaner (ARC); and a master controller, for receiving and transmitting data to and from said solar tracker and said ARC, said ARC comprising; at least one rechargeable power source; at least one cleaning mechanism, for cleaning dirt off of a surface of said solar panels; a controller, for controlling a cleaning process of said ARC; and an anchoring mechanism, for magnetically anchoring said ARC to at least one of said plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations, said anchoring mechanism comprising; an arm comprising at least one ferromagnetic end piece; and a drive mechanism, coupled with said arm, wherein said drive mechanism moves said arm between a magnetically engaged position and a magnetically disengaged position with said at least one of said plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations; wherein said master controller determines a weather condition and provides a clean command to said ARC if said determined weather condition is below a predetermined threshold; and wherein said master controller provides an anchoring command to said ARC to anchor in one of said at least one of said plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations if said determined weather condition is above said predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A fixed angle solar panel cleaning system for cleaning solar panels under varying weather conditions, said solar panels being positioned at a pre-determined angle, said fixed angle solar panel cleaning system comprising:
-
a plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations, coupled with at least one edge of said solar panels; an autonomous robotic cleaner (ARC); and a master controller, for receiving and transmitting data to and from said ARC, said ARC comprising; at least one rechargeable power source; at least one cleaning mechanism, for cleaning dirt off of a surface of said solar panels; a controller, for controlling a cleaning process of said ARC; and an anchoring mechanism, for magnetically anchoring said ARC to at least one of said plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations, said anchoring mechanism comprising; an arm comprising at least one ferromagnetic end piece; and a drive mechanism, coupled with said arm, wherein said drive mechanism moves said arm between a magnetically engaged position and a magnetically disengaged position with said at least one of said plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations; wherein said master controller determines a weather condition and provides a clean command to said ARC if said determined weather condition is below a predetermined threshold; and wherein said master controller provides an anchoring command to said ARC to anchor in one of said at least one of said plurality of ferromagnetic anchoring stations if said determined weather condition is above said predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
Specification