An inspection robot having a detachable support beam assembly

Abstract

The application discloses a detection robot with a detachable support beam assembly, which is used for detecting defects of a photovoltaic power station and comprises a frame, a plurality of detachable housings arranged on the frame, a plurality of image acquisition devices arranged at intervals, a light source assembly for providing light sources for the image acquisition devices and a central controller. The frame comprises a pair of parallel suspension beams, a connecting plate detachably assembled with the suspension beams and a support parallel to the suspension beams and arranged at the middle part of the connecting plate. The image acquisition devices are assembled on the support, the central controller is suspended on the suspension beams, the light source assembly is detachably assembled on the frame and located directly below the suspension beams, the light source assembly, the image acquisition devices and the central controller are signal connected, and the support beam assembly can slide above the photovoltaic power station. The detection system is slidably arranged above the photovoltaic power station and the main body structure is arranged as a frame type, so that the photovoltaic components can be prevented from being damaged in the detection process, and the self weight of the detection system is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of photovoltaic power plant inspection technology, specifically to an inspection robot with a detachable support beam assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Defect detection of photovoltaic (PV) modules is fundamental and essential for the operation and maintenance of PV power plants. Many existing PV power plant microcrack detection solutions are contact-based, such as EL (Elastic Optical Module) testing, which requires disassembling the PV modules for inspection. This wastes manpower and power generation efficiency, and poses a risk of secondary damage to the PV modules. More advanced methods utilize tracked inspection trolleys; however, these trolleys must be designed to withstand pressures of less than 5400 Pa, a national standard requirement that increases equipment costs and limits structural design, resulting in low cost-effectiveness for power plants. Using support beams as the robot's motion transmission method is a more economical and reliable approach.

[0003] Therefore, this application addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a low-cost, high-performance inspection robot with a detachable support beam assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical issues, this application provides a testing robot with a detachable support beam assembly, which meets high-precision testing requirements while reducing the overall cost of the product.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides an inspection robot with a detachable support beam assembly for detecting defects in photovoltaic modules. The robot includes an inspection system, a drive system, and a support system. The inspection system comprises a body, a central control system mounted on the body, an image acquisition device connected to the central control system, a light source assembly, and an RTK positioning system. The light source assembly uses near-infrared light with a wavelength of 940nm~1100nm. The support system includes a first support beam assembly and a second support beam assembly arranged in parallel. Each of the first and second support beam assemblies includes two detachable support beams, a connecting component assembly for assembling and fixing the support beams, and a reinforcing component for strengthening the first and second support beam assemblies. The inspection system is mounted on the support system and slides back and forth along the support system via a pulley assembly mounted on the body.

[0006] Furthermore, a smooth and continuous slope is formed between the starting and ending ends of the support beam, the slope being set to 1°~3°, and the support beam is in a horizontal state when the detection system reaches the connection between two adjacent support beams.

[0007] Furthermore, the support beam includes a bottom region, a middle region, and a top region from bottom to top; the bottom region is provided with a first receiving groove extending along the extension direction of the support beam; the middle region is provided with a second receiving groove extending along the extension direction of the support beam; and the top region is provided with a guide groove located directly above the second receiving groove.

[0008] Furthermore, the connector assembly includes a connecting plate, a first assembly block, a second assembly block, and fasteners; the first assembly block is placed in the first receiving groove, the second assembly block is placed in the second receiving groove, and the fasteners are used to assemble and fix the connecting plate, the first assembly block, and the second assembly block to the support beam.

[0009] Furthermore, the first assembly block includes a body portion and a protrusion extending downward from the body portion, the center of the protrusion having a first screw hole penetrating the body portion in a vertical direction; when the first assembly block is received in the first receiving groove, the body portion abuts against the inner wall of the first receiving groove and the protrusion is placed in the opening of the first receiving groove.

[0010] Furthermore, the opening direction of the first receiving groove is downward, the opening direction of the second receiving groove is horizontal, the first receiving groove is provided with first stress holes on both the left and right sides, the second receiving groove is provided with a second stress hole between the second receiving groove and the guide groove, the fastener includes a fastening rod and a gripping part integral with the fastening rod, the gripping part includes a frustum-shaped connecting part and a handle provided on the outer wall of the connecting part.

[0011] Furthermore, the connecting plate is an L-shaped metal plate with a horizontal portion and a vertical portion. Both the horizontal portion and the vertical portion are provided with through holes for the fastener to pass through. The middle region is also provided with a first receiving hole opposite to the second receiving groove, and the top region is provided with a second receiving hole opposite to the guide groove. The second receiving hole is located directly above the first receiving hole.

[0012] Furthermore, the top of the top region includes an arc-shaped chamfered portion and a horizontal portion connected to the chamfered portion. The first receiving hole and the second receiving hole are both through holes along the length direction of the support beam. The vertical wall of the first receiving hole is provided with a first through hole, and the vertical wall of the second receiving groove is provided with a second through hole. The first through hole and the second through hole are coaxial holes. The fastener passes through the first through hole and the second through hole to assemble and fix the support beam and the connecting plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the reinforcement component includes a reinforcement plate, a third assembly block housed in the first receiving groove, and a third fastener for assembling and fixing the reinforcement plate to the support beam; the distance between the assembly position of the reinforcement component and the end of the support beam is S1, and the distance between the assembly position of the reinforcement component and the beginning of the support beam is S2; where 3 < S2: S1 < 5.

[0014] Furthermore, the light source components are symmetrically arranged on the body and located diagonally below the image acquisition device.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages: by making the support beam detachable, this application facilitates the disassembly, installation and transportation of the support beam. At the same time, by setting the slope on the support beam, it can effectively avoid the problem of the support beam sag after the overall installation, and ensure the stability of the inspection robot operation. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a detection robot partially assembled in a photovoltaic power station;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional assembly diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a detection robot;

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of part A in the diagram;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional assembly schematic diagram of a detachable support beam assembly as an exemplary embodiment;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a support beam as an exemplary embodiment;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of the connector assembly and the support beam in an exemplary embodiment;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional assembly of a connecting plate and fasteners in an exemplary embodiment;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a first fastener as an exemplary embodiment;

[0024] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a reinforcement component in an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Icon labels:

[0026] 100 inspection robots

[0027] First support beam assembly 1, second support beam assembly 2, support beam 3,

[0028] Bottom area 30, first receiving slot 301, opening 302,

[0029] First stress hole 303, central region 31, second receiving groove 311,

[0030] First receiving hole 312, second stress hole 313, first through hole 314

[0031] Second through hole 315, top area 32, guide groove 320,

[0032] Second receiving hole 321, chamfered portion 322, first horizontal portion 323,

[0033] Connector assembly 4, connecting plate 40, horizontal part 401,

[0034] Vertical part 402, through hole 403, first assembly block 41,

[0035] Body part 410, protrusion 411, first screw hole 412,

[0036] First fastener 42, fastening rod 421, gripping part 422,

[0037] Connecting part 423, handle 424, second assembly block 43,

[0038] Second fastener 44, reinforcing component 5, reinforcing plate 51,

[0039] Third assembly block 52, third fastener 53, assembly hole 54,

[0040] Detection system 6, RTK positioning system 61, Central control system 62

[0041] Image acquisition device 63, light source assembly 64, bracket 65,

[0042] Battery assembly 7, drive system 8. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to represent selected embodiments of this application.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the equipment or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0045] Furthermore, it should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0046] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the description of this application, “a plurality” means two or more unless otherwise expressly and specifically defined. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0047] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0049] Please refer to Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this application provides an inspection robot with detachable support beam assemblies for detecting defects in photovoltaic modules. The inspection robot includes an inspection system 6, a drive system 8, and a support system. The inspection system 6 includes a body, a central control system 62 mounted on the body, an image acquisition device 63 connected to the central control system 62, a light source assembly 64, and an RTK positioning system 61. The support system includes a first support beam assembly 1 and a second support beam assembly 2 arranged in parallel. Each of the first and second support beam assemblies 1 and 2 includes two detachable support beams 3, a connecting component assembly 4 for assembling and fixing the support beams 3, and a reinforcing component 5 for strengthening the first and second support beam assemblies. The inspection robot is mounted on the support system and slides back and forth along the support system via a pulley assembly mounted on the body. By making the support beam assembly detachable, this application not only facilitates disassembly, assembly, and transportation but also improves the yield rate of production and processing.

[0050] The light source assembly 64 is symmetrically arranged on the body and located diagonally below the image acquisition device 63. The image acquisition device 63 is mounted on a bracket 65 and can be adjusted horizontally and vertically; in this application, the image acquisition device 63 is a silicon-based camera, and multiple cameras are spaced apart on the bracket 65. The bracket 65 is fixed to the body. The light source assembly 64 uses near-infrared light with a wavelength of 940nm~1100nm.

[0051] In one embodiment, the body is a frame structure to reduce the overall weight of the inspection robot. Specifically, the frame is assembled from profiles, and the frame is surrounded by a detachable multi-segment shell. In this application, a battery assembly 7 is provided at one end of the support system to provide power to the inspection robot.

[0052] In one embodiment, a smooth and continuous slope is formed between the starting and ending ends of the support beam 3. The slope is set to 1°~3°, and the support beam is horizontal when the detection system reaches the connection between two adjacent support beams. As the size of photovoltaic power stations increases with the overall technological advancement of the industry, both cleaning and inspection robots are becoming larger to meet efficiency requirements. The use of support beams in inspection robots reduces product design complexity. However, if the support beams are too large, overhangs can occur, affecting the robot's smooth operation. This application eliminates the problem of the overall structure not being on the same horizontal line due to overhangs by setting the support beams to a structure with a slight slope, ensuring stable robot operation, improving the overall user experience, and offering a simple and low-cost structure.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the support beam 3 is a profile that includes a bottom region 30, a middle region 31, and a top region 32 from bottom to top. The bottom region 30 is provided with a first receiving groove 301 extending along the extension direction of the support beam 3; the middle region 31 is provided with a second receiving groove 311 extending along the extension direction of the support beam 3; and the top region 32 is provided with a guide groove 320 located directly above the second receiving groove 311.

[0054] The connector assembly 4 includes a connecting plate 40, a first assembly block 41, a second assembly block 43, and fasteners; the first assembly block 41 is placed in the first receiving groove 301, the second assembly block 43 is placed in the second receiving groove 311, and the fasteners are used to assemble and fix the connecting plate 40, the first assembly block 41, and the second assembly block 43 to the support beam 3.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, the connecting plate 40 is an L-shaped metal plate having a horizontal portion 401 and a vertical portion 402. Both the horizontal portion 401 and the vertical portion 402 are provided with through holes 403 for the fasteners to pass through. Specifically, the horizontal portion 401 has four through holes spaced at equal intervals to fix the connecting plate 40 and the support beam 3 horizontally using fasteners assembled within these through holes. The vertical portion 402 has six through holes to fix the connecting plate 40 and the support beam 3 vertically using fasteners assembled within these through holes. Admittedly, the number of through holes provided on either the horizontal portion 401 or the vertical portion 402 of the connecting plate 40 is not limited to four or six as described above. The number of through holes is determined based on both the size of the connecting plate 40 and the desired assembly effect.

[0056] The middle region 31 of the support beam 3 is provided with a first receiving hole 312 opposite to the second receiving groove 311, and the top region 32 is provided with a second receiving hole 321 opposite to the guide groove 320. The second receiving hole 321 is located directly above the first receiving hole 312. The electrical connection wires of the detection system can be accommodated in the second receiving hole 321, thereby making the overall structure of the detection system neater and improving the safety of use.

[0057] In this application, to simplify the assembly of the support beam 3, the first assembly block 41 and the second assembly block 43 adopt the same structural configuration. The following description uses the first assembly block 41 as an example. The first assembly block 41 includes a body portion 410 and a protrusion 411 extending downward from the body portion 410. The protrusion 411 has a first screw hole 412 at its center that penetrates the body portion 410 in a vertical direction. When the first assembly block 41 is received in the first receiving groove 301, the body portion 410 abuts against the inner wall of the first receiving groove 301, and the protrusion 411 is placed in the opening 302 of the first receiving groove.

[0058] The opening of the first receiving groove faces downwards, and the opening of the second receiving groove 311 faces horizontally. First stress holes 303 are provided on both the left and right sides of the first receiving groove 301, and a second stress hole 313 is provided between the second receiving groove 311 and the guide groove 320. The fastener includes a fastening rod 421 and a gripping portion 422 integral with the fastening rod 421. The gripping portion 422 includes a frustum-shaped connecting portion 423 and a handle 424 disposed on the outer wall of the connecting portion 423. In this application, the handle 424 is a plate-shaped actuating plate at a certain angle to conform to ergonomic force distribution, making tightening or loosening easier and less strenuous. In this application, the fastener assembled with the first assembly block 41 and the second assembly block 43 is the first fastener 42, which adopts the same type of structure.

[0059] The top of the top region 32 includes a rounded bevel portion 322 and a first horizontal portion 323 connected to the bevel portion 322. The pulley assembly of the detection system includes a horizontal wheel and a vertical wheel. The horizontal wheel is received in the guide groove 320 and rolls along the guide groove 320. The first horizontal portion 323 located above the guide groove 320 can restrict the movement of the horizontal wheel in the longitudinal direction to prevent it from slipping out of the guide groove 320. The vertical wheel can roll along the first horizontal portion 323 of the top region 32. With the help of the pulley assembly, the detection system can move smoothly on the support beam. Both the first receiving hole 312 and the second receiving hole 321 are through holes along the length of the support beam 3. The vertical wall of the first receiving hole 312 is provided with a first through hole 314, and the vertical wall of the second receiving groove 311 is provided with a second through hole 315. The first through hole 314 and the second through hole 315 are coaxial holes. Fasteners pass through the first through hole 314 and the second through hole 315 to assemble and fix the support beam 3 and the connecting plate 40. In this application, the fastener passing through the first through hole 314 and the second through hole 315 is a second fastener 44, which is a screw. The screw and nut cooperate to fasten the support beam 3 and the connecting plate 40, so that the connecting plate partially covers the support beam.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, both the first through hole 314 and the second through hole 315 are provided in pairs. The two through holes in the middle of the vertical portion 402 of the connecting plate are respectively adapted and assembled with the first through hole 314 and the second through hole 315. The middle portion of the connecting plate 40 is assembled with the support beam 3 through the second fastener, which further increases the balance and stability of the assembly of the connecting component 4. Admittedly, the number of the first through holes 314 and the second through holes 315 and their connection with the end or middle portion of the connecting plate 40 are not limited by the embodiment described above, and are limited to the effect of overall stable assembly.

[0061] The reinforcement component 5 includes a reinforcement plate 51, a third assembly block 52 housed in the first receiving groove 301, and a third fastener 53 for assembling and fixing the reinforcement plate 51 to the support beam 3; the distance between the assembly position of the reinforcement component 5 and the end of the support beam is S1 and the distance between the assembly position of the reinforcement component 5 and the beginning of the support beam is S2; where 3 < S2: S1 < 5.

[0062] In this application, the third assembly block 52 adopts the same structural configuration as the first assembly block 41 and the second assembly block 43, except that the overall length of the third assembly block 52 is greater than the length of the first assembly block 41. Specifically, the third assembly block 52 is provided with two screw holes for assembling two third fasteners 53. The third fasteners 53 adopt the same structure as the first fasteners 42, and their structure will not be described in detail here. The reinforcing plate 51 is provided with at least three sets of assembly holes 54 along its length to adapt to different support beam spacing requirements, thereby improving its applicability. In one embodiment, reinforcing components 5 are provided on both sides of the connecting component assembly 4 to better reinforce the support beam.

[0063] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A testing robot with a detachable support beam assembly for detecting defects in photovoltaic modules, characterized in that, The system includes a detection system, a drive system, and a support system. The detection system includes a body, a central control system mounted on the body, image acquisition devices connected to the central control system, a light source assembly, and an RTK positioning system. The light source assembly uses near-infrared light with a wavelength of 940nm~1100nm. The support system includes a first support beam assembly and a second support beam assembly arranged in parallel. Each of the first and second support beam assemblies includes two detachable and assembleable support beams, a connecting assembly for assembling and fixing the support beams, and a reinforcing assembly for strengthening the first and second support beam assemblies. The detection system is equipped with... The support beam slides back and forth along the support system via a pulley assembly mounted on the fuselage. The support beam includes a bottom region, a middle region, and a top region from bottom to top. The bottom region has a first receiving groove extending along the extension direction of the support beam. The connecting component assembly includes a connecting plate, a first assembly block, a second assembly block, and fasteners. The first assembly block includes a body portion and a protrusion extending downward from the body portion. The center of the protrusion has a first screw hole penetrating the body portion in a vertical direction. When the first assembly block is received in the first receiving groove, the body portion abuts against the inner wall of the first receiving groove, and the protrusion is placed inside the opening of the first receiving groove.

2. The inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support beam has a smooth and continuous slope between its starting and ending ends. The slope is set to 1° to 3° and the support beam is horizontal when the detection system reaches the connection between two adjacent support beams.

3. The inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The central region is provided with a second receiving groove that extends along the direction of the support beam, and the top region is provided with a guide groove located directly above the second receiving groove.

4. The inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first assembly block is placed in the first receiving slot, the second assembly block is placed in the second receiving slot, and the fastener is used to assemble and fix the connecting plate, the first assembly block and the second assembly block to the support beam.

5. The inspection robot according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The opening of the first receiving groove is downward, and the opening of the second receiving groove is horizontal. The first receiving groove is provided with first stress holes on both the left and right sides. The second receiving groove is provided with a second stress hole between it and the guide groove. The fastener includes a fastening rod and a gripping part integral with the fastening rod. The gripping part includes a frustum-shaped connecting part and a handle provided on the outer wall of the connecting part.

6. The inspection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connecting plate is an L-shaped metal plate with a horizontal part and a vertical part. Both the horizontal part and the vertical part are provided with through holes for the fastener to pass through. The middle region is also provided with a first receiving hole opposite to the second receiving groove. The top region is provided with a second receiving hole opposite to the guide groove. The second receiving hole is located directly above the first receiving hole.

7. The inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The top of the top region includes an arc-shaped bevel portion and a horizontal portion connected to the bevel portion. The first receiving hole and the second receiving hole are both through holes along the length direction of the support beam. The vertical wall of the first receiving hole is provided with a first through hole, and the vertical wall of the second receiving groove is provided with a second through hole. The first through hole and the second through hole are coaxial holes. The fastener passes through the first through hole and the second through hole to assemble and fix the support beam and the connecting plate.

8. The inspection robot according to claim 3, 6, or 7, characterized in that, The reinforcement component includes a reinforcement plate, a third assembly block housed in the first receiving groove, and a third fastener for assembling and fixing the reinforcement plate to the support beam; the distance between the assembly position of the reinforcement component and the end of the support beam is S1 and the distance between the assembly position of the reinforcement component and the beginning of the support beam is S2; where 3 < S2: S1 < 5.

9. The inspection robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The light source components are symmetrically arranged on the body and located diagonally below the image acquisition device.

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