Telescopic mechanism and photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment having same

• US 9,831,822 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• 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:
  US15/449,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 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 1/34 rotating about an axis parallel to the surface
• 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 telescopic mechanism arranged on a cleaning rack of a photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment configured for cleaning photovoltaic panels is disclosed. The cleaning rack includes a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a fourth connecting rod, which are detachably connected, a first fixed rod being arranged on the first connecting rod, a second fixed rod and a third fixed rod being arranged between second connecting rod and fourth connecting rod, a fourth fixed rod being arranged on third connecting rod. Telescopic mechanism includes a first telescopic unit and a second telescopic unit, first telescopic unit is detachably-mounted between first and second fixed rods and the second telescopic unit is detachably-mounted between third and fourth fixed rods. By adopting the telescopic mechanism, photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment can automatically move from one photovoltaic panel array to another photovoltaic panel array in cooperation with obstacle crossing mechanism.

Claims

1. A telescopic mechanism arranged on a cleaning rack of a photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment configured to clean a plurality of photovoltaic panel arrays, the cleaning rack, comprising:

at least one brush configured to clean the photovoltaic panel arrays;

a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, a third connecting rod and a fourth connecting rod which are detachably connected to form a generally rectangular frame;

a first fixed rod being arranged on the first connecting rod, a second fixed rod and a third fixed rod being arranged between the second connecting rod and the fourth connecting rod, a fourth fixed rod being arranged on the third connecting rod; and

the telescopic mechanism, comprising;

a first telescopic unit; and

a second telescopic unit, wherein the first telescopic unit is detachably-mounted between the first fixed rod and the second fixed rod of the cleaning rack, and the second telescopic unit is detachably-mounted between the third fixed rod and the fourth fixed rod of the cleaning rack, the telescopic mechanism facilitates the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment to travel from one photovoltaic panel array toward another photovoltaic panel array.

2. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first telescopic unit comprises a telescopic part, a housing part and a power part, and the telescopic part is located in the housing part and provides telescopic motion under the drive of the power part.

3. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the first telescopic unit is a first linear motor.

4. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second telescopic unit comprises a telescopic part, a housing part and a power part, and the telescopic part is located in the housing part and provides telescopic motion under the drive of the power part.

5. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the second telescopic unit is a second linear motor.

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

7. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of hollow through holes are arranged in each connecting rod of the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod, the third connecting rod and the fourth connecting rod.

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

9. A photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment configured for cleaning a plurality of photovoltaic panels arranged in a plurality of arrays, the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment comprising a body;

the body comprises a cleaning rack, an obstacle crossing mechanism, and

a telescopic mechanism;

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;

a first fixed rod being arranged on the first connecting rod, a second fixed rod and a third fixed rod being arranged between the second connecting rod and the fourth connecting rod, a fourth fixed rod being arranged on the third connecting rod;

the telescopic mechanism, comprising a first telescopic unit and a second telescopic unit,

wherein the first telescopic unit is detachably-mounted between the first fixed rod and the second fixed rod of the cleaning rack, and the second telescopic unit is detachably-mounted between the third fixed rod and the fourth fixed rod of the cleaning rack, 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;

the obstacle crossing mechanism comprises a moving rack and a fixed rack, wherein 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.