Obstacle crossing mechanism and photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment having same

• US 9,831,823 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2017
• 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
• Application Number:
  US15/449,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 268 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

An obstacle crossing mechanism, adapted and arranged on a cleaning rack of a photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment configured to clean photovoltaic panel arrays is disclosed. The cleaning rack includes connecting rods detachably-connected, and fixed rods arranged on respective connecting rods. The obstacle crossing mechanism includes a moving rack and a fixed rack, in which moving rack is used for temporarily stopping photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment; and the fixed rack is located below the moving rack and the moving rack ascends or descends on the fixed rack. A telescopic mechanism is further provided with the obstacle crossing mechanism so that the two mechanisms together facilitates the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment to travel from a photovoltaic panel array to reach another photovoltaic panel array during cleaning process of photovoltaic panels without requiring any human assistance, thus achieve total automation.

Claims

1. An obstacle crossing mechanism in combination with 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 obstacle crossing mechanism, comprising;

an inclined generally rectangular moving rack; and

a fixed rack which supports and elevates the moving rack above a support surface,

wherein the moving rack is used for temporarily supporting the cleaning rack when the cleaning rack moves from a first photovoltaic panel onto the moving rack; and

the fixed rack is located below the moving rack and the moving rack ascends or descends on the fixed rack along a sloped path so that the cleaning rack supported on the moving rack can move to a higher elevation or lower elevation and move off the moving rack in order to clean a second photovoltaic panel that is above or below the first photovoltaic panel.

2. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the moving rack comprises a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a third connecting member and a fourth connecting member, and the first connecting member, the second connecting member, the third connecting member and the fourth connecting member form a rectangular frame.

3. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a moving wheel and a limiting member are arranged on each of the second connecting member and the fourth connecting member.

4. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a sensor support used for mounting a sensor is arranged on the third connecting member.

5. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the fixed rack comprises a bearing rack and a bearing supporting rack, and the bearing supporting rack is located below the bearing rack and is rotatably connected with the bearing rack.

6. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the bearing rack comprises a first bearing connecting rod, a second bearing connecting rod, a third bearing connecting rod and a fourth bearing connecting rod;

and a locking device is arranged between the second bearing connecting rod and the fourth bearing connecting rod, and the locking device cooperates with the limiting member to lock the moving rack on the fixed rack.

7. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the locking device comprises a bottom plate, a locking hook, a rotary force applying member and a restoring member;

one end of the bottom plate is fixed on the second bearing connecting rod and the other end is fixed on the fourth bearing connecting rod;

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 outwards pulls away the locking hook under an effect of external force to unlock the limiting member; and

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.

8. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the locking device further comprises a first stand column, a second stand column, a third stand column and a fourth stand column which are fixed on the bottom plate;

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; and

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

9. The obstacle crossing mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the locking device further comprises a pulling rope, and the pulling rope is wound on the vertical pulleys and the horizontal pulleys and then is connected with the rotary force applying member.

10. An obstacle crossing mechanism in combination with a cleaning rack of a photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment configured for cleaning a plurality of photovoltaic panel arrays, 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,

wherein 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 a telescopic mechanism;

the obstacle crossing mechanism, comprising;

a moving rack; and

a fixed rack,

wherein the moving rack is used for temporarily supporting the cleaning rack; and

the fixed rack is located below the moving rack and the moving rack ascends or descends on the fixed rack; and

the telescopic mechanism, comprising;

a first telescopic unit, 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; and

a second telescopic unit, 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,

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,

wherein the obstacle crossing mechanism and the telescopic mechanism operate together to facilitate the photovoltaic panel cleaning equipment to automatically travel from one photovoltaic panel array to reach another photovoltaic panel array during a cleaning process of photovoltaic panels without requiring any human assistance.