Moving mechanism and photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment having same

• US 9,831,820 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2017
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• 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:
  US15/442,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 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 moving mechanism adapted for use on a photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment for moving while cleaning one or more photovoltaic panels is disclosed, which includes a cleaning rack, a plane walking unit and a side surface walking unit. The plane walking unit drives the cleaning rack to move along a panel surface of a photovoltaic panel, and the side surface walking unit drives the cleaning rack to move along the side surface of upper edge of photovoltaic panel; the plane walking unit includes driving wheels diagonally and detachably mounted on diagonal line of cleaning rack, driving wheels driven by driving motors; side surface walking unit includes driving wheels and driven driving motors. Moving mechanism allows for more uniformly stress distribution during forward and backward movement on the photovoltaic panel. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment including the moving mechanism is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A moving mechanism, adapted to move with respect to a photovoltaic panel, comprising:

a cleaning rack comprising a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a fourth connecting rod which are connected to form a generally rectangular frame, at least one rolling brush having a diameter, the at least one brush being detachably mounted between the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod, the at least one rolling brush is configured to clean the photovoltaic panel;

a plane walking unit, the plane walking unit comprises a first driving wheel, a second driving wheel, a first driving motor, a second driving motor, a first driven wheel, and a second driven wheel;

and a side surface walking unit, the side surface walking unit comprises a third driving wheel, a fourth driving wheel, a third driving motor and a fourth driving motor,

wherein the plane walking unit drives the cleaning rack to move along a top panel surface of the photovoltaic panel, and the side surface walking unit drives the cleaning rack to move along a side surface of an upper edge of the photovoltaic panel;

wherein the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel of the plane walking unit are detachably mounted on diagonally opposed corners of the cleaning rack, and the first driven wheel and the second driven wheel are detachably mounted on diagonally opposed corners of the cleaning rack;

wherein the first driving wheel, the second driving wheel, the first driven wheel, and the second driven wheel each have a lower portion which is below the generally rectangular frame, an upper portion which is above the generally rectangular frame, and a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the at least one rolling brush;

wherein

the first driving wheel is driven by the first driving motor and the second driving wheel is driven by the second driving motor, and the third driving wheel is driven by the third driving motor; and

the fourth driving wheel is driven by the fourth driving motor.

2. The moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the plane walking unit further comprises a third driven wheel and a fourth driven wheel, the third driven wheel is located between the second driving wheel and the first driven wheel, and the fourth driven wheel is located between the first driving wheel and the second driven wheel.

3. The moving mechanism according to claim 2, wherein;

a plurality of first couplings are arranged at two ends of the first axle rod.

4. The moving mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the second driving wheel, the first driven wheel and the third driven wheel are connected by using a second axle rod;

and a plurality of second couplings are arranged at two ends of the second axle rod.

5. The moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of sliding grooves are arranged in four side surfaces of each of the first, second, third, and fourth connecting rod, respectively.

6. The moving mechanism according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of hollow through holes which run through the entire length of each of the corresponding connecting rods.

7. The moving mechanism according to claim 6, wherein number of the hollow through holes is five.

8. A photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment, adapted for cleaning a photovoltaic panel, comprising:

a body, the body comprising a moving mechanism, the moving 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 connected to form a generally rectangular frame, at least one rolling brush having a diameter, the at least one brush being detachably mounted between the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod, the at least one rolling brush is configured to clean the photovoltaic panel;

a plane walking unit, the plane walking unit comprises a first driving wheel, a second driving wheel, a first driving motor, a second driving motor, a first driven wheel, and a second driven wheel;

a side surface walking unit, the side surface walking unit comprises a third driving wheel, a fourth driving wheel, a third driving motor and a fourth driving motor,

wherein the moving mechanism being adapted to move with respect to a photovoltaic panel, the plane walking unit drives the cleaning rack to move along a panel surface of the photovoltaic panel, and the side surface walking unit drives the cleaning rack to move along a side surface of an upper edge of the photovoltaic panel;

wherein the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel of the plane walking unit are diagonally and detachably mounted on diagonally opposed corners of the cleaning rack, and the first driven wheel and the second driven wheel are detachably mounted on diagonally opposed corners of the cleaning rack;

wherein the first driving wheel, the second driving wheel, the first driven wheel, and the second driven wheel each have a lower portion which is below the generally rectangular frame, an upper portion which is above the generally rectangular frame, and a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the at least one rolling brush;

wherein

the first driving wheel is driven by the first driving motor and the second driving wheel is driven by the second driving motor, and the third driving wheel is driven by the third driving motor; and

the fourth driving wheel is driven by the fourth driving motor.

9. The photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment according to claim 8, wherein the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment further comprises an obstacle crossing mechanism for moving from one photovoltaic panel array to an another photovoltaic panel array, 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 the one photovoltaic panel array to the 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 higher 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.