Solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot convenient to cross panels

Abstract

The solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot comprises a bearing platform carrying a main control panel and a power source, cleaning devices are arranged at the front end and the rear end of the bearing platform respectively, a walking mechanism is arranged below the bearing platform 1, a flying mechanism is arranged on the bearing platform, and an undercarriage is fixedly installed on the bearing platform; the cleaning device and the walking mechanism are connected with the main control board and the power source respectively, the main control board is connected with the power source, the power source supplies power to the cleaning device, the walking mechanism and the main control board, and the main control board controls the operation states of the cleaning device and the walking mechanism. And the flying mechanism is controlled by the main control board. Under the condition that manual assistance is not needed, the solar photovoltaic panel can automatically fly over, and convenient and efficient cross-panel continuous cleaning is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of photovoltaic cleaning technology, specifically relating to a convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot. Background Technology

[0002] Solar panels are typically deployed on a large scale in sunny, expansive outdoor areas. Over long periods of operation, their surfaces accumulate significant amounts of dust, organic matter, and bird droppings. This layer of contaminants forms a diffuse reflection interface, significantly hindering the absorption and conversion of sunlight. Specifically, the acidic components (pH up to 3) in organic residues from bird droppings (such as uric acid crystals) corrode the reflective coating, roughening the solar panel surface, reducing reflectivity, and shortening the panel's lifespan. Furthermore, the salt in dust and salt spray in the air electrolyzes in humid environments, accelerating the corrosion of the solar panel's electrode grid lines. Therefore, timely cleaning of accumulated impurities on solar panels is beneficial for improving photoelectric conversion efficiency, increasing the utilization rate of the solar panels, and extending their lifespan.

[0003] Traditional solar panel cleaning mainly relies on manual cleaning, which has the following drawbacks: 1) It requires a significant investment of human resources and time; 2) Workers need to stand on the solar panels to clean them, but the detergent reduces the coefficient of friction on the surface of the solar photovoltaic panels, making the smooth solar panels easy for workers to slip or even fall. 3) Improper operation may cause damage to the solar panels.

[0004] Currently, some simple cleaning robots for cleaning individual solar panels have appeared on the market. However, due to the gaps between solar photovoltaic panels, manual assistance is required for the cleaning robot to work across panels during cleaning operations, resulting in low automation and failing to meet the high-efficiency cleaning needs of large-scale photovoltaic power plants. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a convenient solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot that can automatically fly over solar photovoltaic panels without human assistance, so as to achieve convenient and efficient continuous cleaning across panels.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot includes a carrying platform 1 equipped with a main control board and a power supply, cleaning devices 2 are respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the carrying platform 1, a walking mechanism 3 is provided under the carrying platform 1, and a flying mechanism 4 is provided on the carrying platform 1 and a landing gear 24 is fixedly installed. The cleaning device 2 and the walking mechanism 3 are respectively connected to the main control board and the power supply, and the main control board and the power supply are connected. The power supply provides power to the cleaning device 2, the walking mechanism 3 and the main control board, and the main control board controls the operating status of the cleaning device 2 and the walking mechanism 3. The flight mechanism 4 is controlled by the main control board.

[0007] The flight mechanism 4 includes an X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19, a brushless motor 20, a flight mechanism frame 21, a dual-axis servo top plate 22, a dual-axis servo 23, and a flight control module. The dual-axis servo 23 is fixedly mounted on the landing gear 24. The dual-axis servo top plate 22 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the dual-axis servo 23. The X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 is fixedly mounted on the top of the dual-axis servo top plate 22. The tail end of the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 is fixedly mounted with the brushless motor 20. The output shaft of the brushless motor 20 is fixedly mounted with a propeller. The flight mechanism frame 21 is fixedly mounted on the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19. The flight mechanism frame 21 is equipped with a lithium battery and a flight control module. The brushless motor 20 and the dual-axis servo motor 23 are respectively connected to the lithium battery and the microcontroller.

[0008] A buffer pad is fixedly installed between the dual-axis servo motor top plate 22 and the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19, and a rubber shock-absorbing pad is fixedly installed between the brushless motor 20 and the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19.

[0009] The flight control module includes a microcontroller and connected components such as an accelerometer, voltage regulator, gyroscope, barometer, tracking module, photoresistor, and remote control signal receiver. The accelerometer, gyroscope, and barometer upload measured data to the microcontroller to control the robot's attitude and flight altitude. The voltage regulator connects to a lithium battery to power the microcontroller. The tracking module integrates a camera and a vision image processing module. The camera acquires images in real time and uploads them to the vision image processing module, which extracts target features and performs coordinate transformation. The vision image processing module then transmits the coordinate data to the microcontroller to control the robot's hovering and landing positions. The photoresistor detects ambient light to assist the camera in image acquisition. The remote control signal receiver receives signals from a ground remote controller via a built-in wireless module and transmits the signals to the microcontroller for remote drone control. The flight control module also includes a third motor speed controller and a fourth motor speed controller. Both the third motor speed controller and the fourth motor speed controller are connected to the microcontroller. The third motor speed controller is connected to the brushless motor 20 through a wire, and the fourth motor speed controller is connected to the dual-axis servo motor 23 through a wire. The microcontroller in question is an STM32F7 series microcontroller.

[0010] The flight control module integrates an accelerometer chip, a gyroscope chip, a compass chip, and a magnetometer chip. It receives gyroscope and accelerometer data, converts the accelerometer's three-dimensional vector into a unit vector, estimates the direction of gravitational acceleration in the aircraft coordinate system, and converts the attitude measured by the sensor modules into quaternions. The vector part (q1, q2, q3) of the quaternion is related to the rotation axis, while the scalar part q0 is derived from the rotation angle. The quaternion representation and conversion method are shown in the following formula: The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the x-axis of the reference coordinate system; : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the y-axis of the reference coordinate system; : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the z-axis of the reference coordinate system; The tracking module integrates an ultrasonic sensor and an infrared edge sensor. The ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasonic waves in real time and receives the echoes to detect whether the cleaning robot has exceeded the edge of the photovoltaic panel, so that the cleaning robot can track and move to the edge of the photovoltaic panel. The infrared edge sensor assists the cleaning robot in tracking.

[0011] The remote control signal receiver receives signals from the ground remote controller through the built-in wireless module and transmits the signals to the microcontroller, thereby enabling real-time remote control of the drone's flight status; the third motor speed controller is connected to the brushless motor 20 via wires, and adjusts the speed of the brushless motor 20 through control commands issued by the microcontroller, thereby adjusting the propeller speed; the fourth motor speed controller is connected to the dual-axis servo 23 via wires, and adjusts the speed of the dual-axis servo 23 through control commands issued by the microcontroller. The drone operator remotely controls the cleaning robot to fly to the target solar photovoltaic panel and lands. The cleaning robot then follows its own path to the upper left corner of the panel. Ultrasonic ranging modules are installed at all four edges of the cleaning robot, with the transmitter / receiver of each module set at a 20° angle to the edge of the photovoltaic panel. An infrared edge sensor is installed on the bottom of the cleaning robot close to the photovoltaic panel. When the robot approaches the edge, the infrared edge sensor detects a sudden change in signal from a high-reflection, high-voltage signal on the photovoltaic panel surface to a low-reflection, low-voltage signal in the air, and sends an edge trigger signal to the microcontroller. Upon receiving this signal, the microcontroller sets the PWM duty cycle of the motor to 0, cutting off the motor power supply and thus controlling the cleaning robot to stop.

[0012] The robot's attitude angles are collected in real time using sensor modules with accelerometers and gyroscopes, and the current attitude of the robot is calculated using the quaternion method. After calculating the current attitude of the cleaning robot using the quaternion method, a cascaded PID control algorithm is adopted. Through the operation of the proportional P, integral I, and derivative D links of the "outer attitude loop + inner angular velocity loop", the attitude of the quadcopter is precisely controlled. The core output formula of the cascaded PID is as follows, where both the inner and outer loops employ complete PID control logic: The meanings of each symbol are as follows: The control output of the u(t) PID controller is the signal that ultimately acts on the actuator; e(t): Error signal, input to the PID algorithm; K P : Proportional gain corresponds to the amplification factor of the proportional correction stage; K I The integral gain corresponds to the coefficient of the integral correction element and is used to eliminate static errors. K D The differential gain corresponds to the coefficient of the differential correction element, and is used to suppress fluctuations and predict changes. The integral value of the error signal from the initial time to the current time reflects the error accumulation characteristics; The instantaneous rate of change of the error signal reflects the dynamic trend of error change.

[0013] Outer loop control method: Proportional component: based on angular deviation With proportional gain, output proportional control quantity Quickly provides the power to return to center. The larger the error, the larger the output target angular velocity component, ensuring a fast response; Integration stage: For angle deviation Perform integral calculations, combine them with integral gain, and output the integral control quantity. Accumulate minute static errors, such as persistent small angular deviations caused by center of gravity shift, and gradually correct the output until the static error is eliminated; Differential element D: for angular deviations Differentiate, and combine with differential gain Output differential control quantity Predict attitude trends based on the rate of change of angle to suppress overshoot oscillations; The inner loop aims for "rapid and stable angular velocity," receives the target angular velocity output from the outer loop, and directly controls the motor speed through PID calculation; The microcontroller is connected to the main control board. When the pilot controls the cleaning robot to land on the solar photovoltaic panel, the microcontroller uploads a signal to the main control board. The main control board starts the first motor 5 and the second motor 15, which drive the brush 9 to rotate and move the cleaning robot on the solar photovoltaic panel to clean the surface of the solar photovoltaic panel.

[0014] The cleaning device 2 includes a first motor 5, a drive wheel 6, a guide wheel 7, a synchronous belt 8, a brush 9, a joint connecting plate 11, a mudguard 10, and two brackets 12. The two brackets 12 are fixedly installed on the left and right sides of the bearing platform 1, and the brackets 12 are rotatably connected to the joint connecting plate 11 through a rotating shaft. The two ends of the mudguard 10 are respectively hinged to two joint connecting plates 11, and a first motor 5 is fixedly installed on the mudguard 10. The output shaft of the first motor 5 is fixedly connected to the shaft of the drive wheel 6 through a coupling. The shaft of the guide wheel 7 passes through the concentric holes of the mudguard 10 and one of the joint connecting plates 11, and is fixedly connected to one end of the shaft of the brush 9. The other end of the shaft of the brush 9 is rotatably connected to another joint connecting plate 11. The guide wheel 7 is connected to the drive wheel 6 through the synchronous belt 8. The first motor 5 is connected to the main control board and the power supply respectively.

[0015] The support 12 is rod-shaped with smooth transitions at the edges and no sharp corners. The main outline of the joint connecting plate 11 is approximately shield-shaped with a rounded transition at the bottom. It is hinged to the bearing platform 1 through a circular through hole at the top. Arc-shaped holes are opened on the support 12 and the joint connecting plate 11 respectively, and pins are inserted into the arc-shaped holes so that the joint connecting plate 11 can swing around the pivot.

[0016] The walking mechanism 3 includes a pair of drive wheels 13 and a pair of load-bearing wheels 14; Two L-shaped motor brackets and two bearing seats 18 are fixedly installed under the bearing platform 1. A second motor 15 is fixedly installed on the L-shaped motor brackets. The output shaft of the second motor 15 is interference-connected to a motor flange 16, and the motor flange 16 is fixedly connected to the shaft of the drive wheel 13. The bearing seat 18 is interference-connected to a bushing 17, and a bearing is interference-connected inside the bushing 17. The shaft of the load-bearing wheel 14 is fixedly connected to the bearing. The second motor 15 is connected to the main control board and the power supply respectively.

[0017] The two L-shaped motor brackets and the two bearing seats 18 are respectively arranged symmetrically about the center of the bearing platform 1.

[0018] The support platform 1 is also fixedly installed with a first motor speed controller and a second motor speed controller. Both the first motor speed controller and the second motor speed controller are connected to the main control board. The first motor speed controller is connected to the first motor 5 through a wire, and the second motor speed controller is connected to the second motor 15 through a wire.

[0019] The landing gear 24 includes an arched main beam with perforated support legs on both sides. The four support legs of the landing gear 24 are fixedly connected to the bearing platform 1, and eight evenly distributed support columns 25 are fixedly installed on the bearing platform 1. The support columns 25 have threaded holes, and bolts pass through the through holes in the top of the landing gear 24 and are threaded into the threaded holes to fix the support columns 25 to the landing gear 24. A mounting plate is fixedly installed on the landing gear 24, and the dual-axis servo motor 23 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention controls the flight altitude, hovering, and landing position of a cleaning robot via a flight control module, enabling the robot to land accurately and smoothly on solar photovoltaic panels. The flight control module then sends signals to the main control board, which controls the operation of the walking mechanism and cleaning device. As the cleaning robot moves at a constant speed along the solar photovoltaic panels, it uses brushes to clean the surface dirt. After cleaning one panel, the flight control module, based on information returned from the main control board, activates the flight mechanism, propelling the cleaning robot across panels to land on the next panel and continue cleaning. This cycle repeats, allowing for convenient and efficient crossing of gaps between photovoltaic panels to continuously clean multiple panels. This cross-panel continuous cleaning requires no manual assistance, resulting in a high degree of automation and saving labor costs.

[0021] This invention uses a first motor to drive a drive wheel to rotate, which in turn drives a guide wheel to rotate via a synchronous belt. The brush, coaxially connected to the guide wheel, rotates, thereby efficiently removing dirt from the surface of the solar photovoltaic panel. At the same time, the bracket and the joint connecting plate are hinged so that the joint connecting plate can rotate to adjust the height of the brush. In order to control the adjustable height of the brush within a set range, the rotation angle of the joint connecting plate is limited by an arc-shaped hole, so that the brush can fit closely to the surface of the solar photovoltaic panel, thereby removing dirt more effectively.

[0022] This invention supports the cleaning robot with a pair of drive wheels and a pair of load-bearing wheels, enabling it to walk smoothly on the surface of a solar photovoltaic panel. By symmetrically arranging two L-shaped motor brackets and two bearing seats about the center of the support platform, the two drive wheels are also symmetrical about the center of the support platform, resulting in better braking and preventing the drive wheels from sliding down the surface of the solar photovoltaic panel the moment the second motor stops running.

[0023] By controlling the speeds of the first motor, the second motor, the brushless motor, and the dual-axis servo motor with four motor speed controllers respectively, it is possible to control the walking speed, flight speed, pitch angle, and brush cleaning force of the cleaning robot according to actual needs. This not only improves cleaning efficiency and quality but also enhances the applicability of the cleaning robot. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a front view structural diagram of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a rear view schematic diagram of the cleaning device of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the cleaning device of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a bottom-view structural diagram of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a rear-view structural diagram of the flight mechanism of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the left-side structure of the flight mechanism of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the left-side structure of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the joint connection plate structure.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the support structure.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the landing gear structure.

[0035] In the diagram: 1. Load-bearing platform; 2. Cleaning device; 3. Walking mechanism; 4. Flight mechanism; 5. First motor; 6. Drive wheel; 7. Guide wheel; 8. Synchronous belt; 9. Brush; 10. Mudguard; 11. Joint connecting plate; 12. Bracket; 13. Drive wheel; 14. Load-bearing wheel; 15. Second motor; 16. Motor flange; 17. Bushing; 18. Bearing housing; 19. X-shaped carbon fiber arm; 20. Brushless motor; 21. Flight mechanism frame; 22. Dual-axis servo top plate; 23. Dual-axis servo; 24. Landing gear; 25. Support column. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] refer to Figures 1-2 A convenient solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot for crossing panels includes a carrying platform 1 equipped with a main control board and a power supply. Cleaning devices 2 are respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the carrying platform 1, and the two cleaning devices 2 are symmetrically arranged about the center of the carrying platform 1. A walking mechanism 3 is provided at the bottom of the carrying platform 1, and a flying mechanism 4 is provided on the surface of the carrying platform 1. Among them: cleaning device 2 is used to clean dirt on the surface of solar photovoltaic panels; walking mechanism 3 is used to drive the robot to move on the surface of solar photovoltaic panels to complete the cleaning operation; flying mechanism 4 is used to drive the robot to perform cross-panel operations.

[0038] refer to Figures 3-4 The cleaning device 2 includes a drive wheel 6, a guide wheel 7, a timing belt 8, a brush 9, a joint connecting plate 11, a mudguard 10, and two supports 12, as shown. Figure 10 As shown, the support 12 is rod-shaped with smooth edges and no sharp corners. Two supports 12 are bolted to the left and right sides of the support platform 1, respectively, and are symmetrically arranged about the axis of the support platform 1. Each support 12 is rotatably connected to a joint connecting plate 11 via a pivot. Figure 9 As shown, the main outline of the joint connecting plate 11 is approximately shield-shaped, with a rounded lower end; it is hinged to the bearing platform 1 through a circular through hole at the top; arc-shaped holes are respectively opened on the bracket 12 and the joint connecting plate 11, and pins are inserted into the arc-shaped holes, allowing the joint connecting plate 11 to swing up and down around the pivot. The shape and structure of the joint connecting plate 11 and the bracket 12 are shown in the figure. The two ends of the mudguard 10 are respectively hinged to the two joint connecting plates 11, and a first motor 5 is fixedly installed on the mudguard 10. The output shaft of the first motor 5 is connected to the shaft of the drive wheel 6 through a coupling. The shaft of the guide wheel 7 passes through the concentric hole of the mudguard 10 and one of the joint connecting plates 11, and is fixedly connected to one end of the shaft of the brush 9 through a coupling. The other end of the shaft of the brush 9 is rotatably connected to another joint connecting plate 11. The guide wheel 7 is connected to the drive wheel 6 through the synchronous belt 8. During the cleaning process, the first motor 5 drives the drive wheel 6 to rotate, which in turn drives the guide wheel 7 to rotate through the synchronous belt 8. The guide wheel 7 drives the brush 9 to rotate, thereby cleaning the dirt on the surface of the solar panel.

[0039] Preferably, a motor bracket is integrally formed on the surface of the mudguard 10, and the first motor 5 is bolted to the motor bracket.

[0040] See Figure 3 and Figure 5The walking mechanism 3 includes a pair of drive wheels 13 and a pair of load-bearing wheels 14 arranged symmetrically about the center of the support platform 1. Specifically, two L-shaped motor brackets and two bearing seats 18 are fixedly installed on the support platform 1 by bolts. A second motor 15 is fixedly installed on the L-shaped motor brackets by bolts. The output shaft of the second motor 15 is interference-connected to a motor flange 16. The motor flange 16 is connected to the drive wheels 13 by bolts to ensure reliable torque transmission. The two bearing seats 18 are interference-connected to bushings 17. The bearings are interference-connected to the bearings through bushings 17. The shafts of the load-bearing wheels 14 are fixedly connected to the bearings. The drive wheels 13 and the load-bearing wheels 14 together support the cleaning robot to walk smoothly.

[0041] The first motor 5 and the second motor 15 are respectively connected to the main control board, and the main control board controls the operating status of the first motor 5 and the second motor 15. The first motor 5, the second motor 15 and the main control board are all connected to the power supply.

[0042] Preferably, the support platform 1 is also fixedly installed with a first motor speed controller and a second motor speed controller, which are respectively connected to the main control board. The first motor speed controller and the second motor speed controller are respectively connected to the first motor 5 and the second motor 15 through wires. The speed of the first motor 5 and the second motor 15 is adjusted by the control command issued by the main control board, thereby controlling the running speed of the cleaning device 2 and the walking mechanism 3.

[0043] See Figure 8 The landing gear 24 is fixedly installed on the bearing platform 1 by bolts. The four support legs of the landing gear 24 are fixedly connected to the bearing platform 1 by bolts. Eight evenly distributed support columns 25 made of copper are fixedly installed on the bearing platform 1. The support columns 25 have threaded holes. High-strength alloy bolts pass through the through holes opened at the top of the landing gear 24 and are threaded to the threaded holes opened in the support columns 25, thus fixing the support columns 25 to the landing gear 24. An installation plate is fixedly installed on the landing gear 24. like Figure 11 As shown, the landing gear 24 is a frame structure consisting of an arched main beam and double-sided perforated supports: the arched main beam bears the load, and the double-sided supports with mounting holes are fixedly connected to the load-bearing platform 1 by bolts. The structure is symmetrical from left to right. The structure of the landing gear 24 is shown in the figure.

[0044] See Figures 6-7The flight mechanism 4 includes an X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19, a brushless motor 20, a flight mechanism frame 21, a dual-axis servo top plate 22, a dual-axis servo 23, and a flight control module. The dual-axis servo 23 is fixedly mounted on the mounting plate by bolts, and the dual-axis servo top plate 22 and the output shaft of the dual-axis servo 23 are fixedly connected by a flange. The rotation of the dual-axis servo 23 causes the dual-axis servo top plate 22 to pitch, so that the flight mechanism 4 is aligned with the tilt angle of the solar photovoltaic panel. The center of the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 is fixedly connected to the top plate 22 of the dual-axis servo motor by bolts, and a buffer pad is installed between the top plate 22 of the dual-axis servo motor and the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 to reduce the impact of the dual-axis servo motor 23 on the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 when it is running; a brushless motor 20 is fixedly installed at the tail end of the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 by bolts, and a rubber shock-absorbing pad is installed between the brushless motor 20 and the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19; a propeller is fixedly installed on the output shaft of the brushless motor 20. The flight mechanism frame 21 is fixedly connected to the center of the X-shaped carbon fiber arm 19 by bolts. The flight mechanism frame 21 is detachably equipped with a lithium battery, which can be fixed to the flight mechanism frame 21 by strong Velcro. The brushless motor 20 and the dual-axis servo motor 23 are respectively connected to the lithium battery by wires. The flight control module is fixedly installed on the flight mechanism frame 21. The flight control module includes an STM32F7 series microcontroller and connected to the microcontroller an accelerometer, voltage regulator module, gyroscope, barometer, tracking module, photoresistor, remote control signal receiver, third motor speed controller and fourth motor speed controller; The accelerometer measures the linear acceleration of the UAV in three axes, the gyroscope measures the angular velocity change around the body axis, and the linear acceleration and angular velocity change signals are uploaded to the microcontroller for data fusion to correct gyroscope drift and achieve accurate attitude estimation of the robot; the voltage regulator module is connected to the lithium battery via wires to provide a stable 3.3V voltage to the microcontroller; the barometer measures atmospheric pressure and uploads the data to the microcontroller to calculate the robot's flight altitude. It integrates an accelerometer chip, a gyroscope chip, a compass chip, and a magnetometer chip. Inputting gyroscope and accelerometer data, it converts the accelerometer's three-dimensional vector into a unit vector, estimates the representation of the gravitational acceleration direction in the aircraft's coordinate system, and converts the attitude measured by the sensor modules into quaternions. The quaternion representation and conversion method is shown in the following formula: : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the x-axis of the reference coordinate system; : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the y-axis of the reference coordinate system; : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the z-axis of the reference coordinate system.

[0045] The tracking module integrates an ultrasonic sensor and an infrared edge sensor. The ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasonic waves in real time and receives the echoes to detect whether the cleaning robot has exceeded the edge of the photovoltaic panel, enabling the cleaning robot to track and move to the edge of the photovoltaic panel. The infrared edge sensor assists the cleaning robot in tracking. The remote control signal receiver receives signals from the ground remote controller through a built-in wireless module and transmits the signals to the microcontroller, thereby remotely controlling the drone's flight status in real time. The third motor speed controller is connected to the brushless motor 20 via wires. Through control commands issued by the microcontroller, the speed of the brushless motor 20 is adjusted, which in turn adjusts the propeller speed. The fourth motor speed controller is connected to the dual-axis servo motor 23 via wires. Through control commands issued by the microcontroller, the speed of the dual-axis servo motor 23 is adjusted. The drone operator remotely controls the cleaning robot to fly to the target solar photovoltaic panel and lands. The robot then follows its own path to the upper left corner of the panel. Ultrasonic ranging modules are installed at all four edges of the robot. The transmitter / receiver of these modules is set at a 20° angle to the edge of the photovoltaic panel to prevent ultrasonic waves from reflecting off the panel and ensuring effective echo reception. This allows the robot to monitor the distances between itself and the edges of the panel and external obstacles in real time, aiding in edge positioning. An infrared edge sensor is installed on the bottom of the robot, close to the panel. When the robot approaches the edge, the sensor detects a sudden change in signal from a high-reflection, high-voltage signal on the panel surface to a low-reflection, low-voltage signal in the air, and sends an edge trigger signal to the STM32 controller. Upon receiving this signal, the STM32 controller sets the PWM duty cycle of the motor to zero, cutting off power and stopping the robot. Drone Control: The robot's attitude angles are collected in real time using sensor modules with accelerometers and gyroscopes, and the current attitude of the robot is calculated using the quaternion method.

[0046] After calculating the current attitude of the cleaning robot using the quaternion method, a cascaded PID control algorithm is adopted. Through the proportional (P), integral (I), and derivative (D) links of the "outer attitude loop + inner angular velocity loop", the attitude of the quadcopter is precisely controlled.

[0047] The core output formula of cascade PID control is as follows, where both the inner and outer loops employ complete PID control logic: The meanings of each symbol are as follows: u(t) is the control output of the PID controller (i.e., the signal that ultimately acts on the actuator). e(t): Error signal, input to the PID algorithm; K P : Proportional gain (the amplification factor corresponding to the proportional correction stage); K I Integral gain (corresponding to the coefficient of the integral correction element, used to eliminate static error); K D : Differential gain (corresponding to the coefficient of the differential correction element, used to suppress fluctuations and predict changes).

[0048] The integral value of the error signal from the initial time to the current time reflects the error accumulation characteristics; The instantaneous rate of change of the error signal reflects the dynamic trend of error change.

[0049] Outer loop control method: Proportional component: based on angular deviation With proportional gain, output proportional control quantity Quickly provides the power to return to center. The larger the error, the larger the output target angular velocity component, ensuring a fast response; Integration stage: For angle deviation Perform integral calculations, combine them with integral gain, and output the integral control quantity; Accumulate small static errors (such as persistent small angular deviations caused by center of gravity shift) and gradually correct the output until the static errors are eliminated; Differential element (D): for angular deviations Differentiate, and combine with differential gain Output differential control quantity; Predict attitude trends based on the rate of change of angle to suppress overshoot oscillations.

[0050] The inner loop aims for "rapid and stable angular velocity," receives the target angular velocity output from the outer loop, and directly controls the motor speed through PID calculation.

[0051] The microcontroller is connected to the main control board. When the pilot controls the cleaning robot to land on the solar photovoltaic panel, the microcontroller uploads a signal to the main control board. The main control board starts the first motor 5 and the second motor 15, which drive the brush 9 to rotate and move the cleaning robot on the solar photovoltaic panel to clean the surface of the solar photovoltaic panel.

[0052] Preferably, the support platform 1 is made of transparent acrylic sheet.

[0053] A convenient method for operating a cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot includes the following steps: Step 1: Check and initialize the equipment: Check the power of the lithium battery and power supply, whether the mechanical connections of each component are reliable, and whether there are any abnormalities in the transmission mechanism. Calibrate the gyroscope and barometer. Step 2: The cleaning robot moves to the working position: The pilot remotely controls the cleaning robot, using a cascade PID control algorithm to control the robot's flight attitude and ensure it lands on the target solar photovoltaic panel; the tracking module identifies the edge of the solar photovoltaic panel and uploads the data to the microcontroller. The microcontroller detects whether the cleaning robot has stepped into an empty space based on signals from the ultrasonic module and infrared sensor, and outputs motor control commands to control the robot to reach the working position of the photovoltaic panel. Step 3, Cleaning Operation: Based on the information uploaded by the microcontroller, the main control board starts the first motor 5 and the second motor 15. The first motor 5 drives the drive wheel 6 to rotate, which in turn drives the guide wheel 7 through the synchronous belt 8, thereby driving the brush 9 to rotate and clean the target solar photovoltaic panel. The second motor 15 drives the drive wheel 13 to rotate, which works in conjunction with the load-bearing wheel 14 to drive the cleaning robot to move at a constant speed along the solar photovoltaic panel until the entire solar photovoltaic panel is cleaned. Step 4, Cross-panel transfer: After the current solar photovoltaic panel cleaning operation is completed, the microcontroller starts the brushless motor 20 according to the information returned by the main control board, drives the cleaning robot to take off and fly to the next solar photovoltaic panel, repeating steps 2 to 4 until the set cross-panel cleaning task is completed. Step 5, Recovery and Maintenance: After the cleaning task is completed, send a command to the flight control module of the cleaning robot via the ground remote controller to recover the cleaning robot, charge the lithium battery, check the wear of each component, lubricate the transmission mechanism, and replace the brushes.

Claims

1. A convenient, cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot, characterized in that, The carrier platform (1) is equipped with a main control board and a power supply. Cleaning devices (2) are provided at the front and rear ends of the carrier platform (1). A walking mechanism (3) is provided under the carrier platform (1). A flight mechanism (4) is provided on the top of the carrier platform (1) and landing gear (24) is installed. The cleaning device (2) and the walking mechanism (3) are respectively connected to the main control board and the power supply, and the main control board and the power supply are connected. The power supply provides power to the cleaning device (2), the walking mechanism (3) and the main control board, and the main control board controls the operating status of the cleaning device (2) and the walking mechanism (3). The flight mechanism (4) is controlled by the main control board.

2. The convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flight mechanism (4) includes an X-shaped carbon fiber arm (19), a brushless motor (20), a flight mechanism frame (21), a dual-axis servo top plate (22), a dual-axis servo (23), and a flight control module, wherein: the dual-axis servo (23) is fixedly installed on the landing gear (24), the dual-axis servo top plate (22) is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the dual-axis servo (23), the X-shaped carbon fiber arm (19) is fixedly installed on the top of the dual-axis servo top plate (22), the tail end of the X-shaped carbon fiber arm (19) is fixedly installed with a brushless motor (20), and the output shaft of the brushless motor (20) is fixedly installed with a propeller; The flight mechanism frame (21) is fixedly mounted on the X-shaped carbon fiber arm (19). The flight mechanism frame (21) is equipped with a lithium battery and a flight control module. The brushless motor (20) and the dual-axis servo motor (23) are respectively connected to the lithium battery and the microcontroller. A buffer pad is fixedly installed between the dual-axis servo top plate (22) and the X-shaped carbon fiber arm (19), and a rubber shock-absorbing pad is fixedly installed between the brushless motor (20) and the X-shaped carbon fiber arm (19).

3. The convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flight control module includes a microcontroller and connected to the microcontroller an accelerometer, a voltage regulator module, a gyroscope, a barometer, a tracking module, a photoresistor, and a remote control signal receiver. The system includes: an accelerometer, gyroscope, and barometer that upload measured data to the microcontroller to control the robot's attitude and flight altitude; a voltage regulator connected to a lithium battery to power the microcontroller; a tracking module integrating a camera and a vision image processing module, where the camera captures images in real time and uploads them to the vision image processing module, which extracts target features and performs coordinate system transformation, then transmits the coordinate data to the microcontroller to control the robot's hovering and landing positions; a photoresistor to detect ambient light to assist the camera in image acquisition; and a remote control signal receiver that receives signals from a ground remote controller via a built-in wireless module and transmits the signals to the microcontroller for remote drone control. The flight control module also includes a third motor speed controller and a fourth motor speed controller. Both the third motor speed controller and the fourth motor speed controller are connected to the microcontroller. The third motor speed controller is connected to the brushless motor (20) via a wire, and the fourth motor speed controller is connected to the dual-axis servo motor (23) via a wire. The microcontroller in question is an STM32F7 series microcontroller.

4. The convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The flight control module integrates an accelerometer chip, a gyroscope chip, a compass chip, and a magnetic sensor chip. It inputs gyroscope and accelerometer data, converts the accelerometer's three-dimensional vector into a unit vector, estimates the representation of the gravitational acceleration direction in the aircraft coordinate system, and converts the attitude measured by the sensor modules into quaternions. The quaternion representation and conversion method are shown in the following formula: : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the x-axis of the reference coordinate system; : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the y-axis of the reference coordinate system; : The direction cosine of the angle between the cleaning robot and the z-axis of the reference coordinate system.

5. The convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tracking module integrates an ultrasonic sensor and an infrared edge sensor. The ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasonic waves in real time and receives the echoes to detect whether the cleaning robot has exceeded the edge of the photovoltaic panel, so that the cleaning robot can track and move to the edge of the photovoltaic panel. The infrared edge sensor assists the cleaning robot in tracking. The remote control signal receiver receives signals from the ground remote controller through the built-in wireless module and transmits the signals to the microcontroller, thereby remotely controlling the flight status of the drone in real time; the third motor speed controller is connected to the brushless motor (20) through wires, and adjusts the speed of the brushless motor (20) through the control command issued by the microcontroller, thereby adjusting the speed of the propeller; the fourth motor speed controller is connected to the dual-axis servo (23) through wires, and adjusts the speed of the dual-axis servo (230) through the control command issued by the microcontroller. The drone operator remotely controls the cleaning robot to fly to the target solar photovoltaic panel and lands. The cleaning robot then uses a tracking module to follow its own path to the upper left corner of the photovoltaic panel. Ultrasonic ranging modules are installed at all four edges of the cleaning robot, with the transmitter / receiver of each module set at a 20° angle to the edge plane of the photovoltaic panel. An infrared edge sensor is installed on the bottom of the cleaning robot close to the photovoltaic panel. When the cleaning robot approaches the edge of the photovoltaic panel, the infrared edge sensor detects a sudden change in signal from a high-reflection, high-voltage signal on the photovoltaic panel surface to a low-reflection, low-voltage signal in the air, and sends an edge trigger signal to the microcontroller. Upon receiving this edge trigger signal, the microcontroller sets the PWM duty cycle of the motor to 0, cuts off the motor power supply, and thus controls the cleaning robot to stop.

6. The convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The robot's attitude angles are collected in real time using sensor modules with accelerometers and gyroscopes, and the current attitude of the robot is calculated using the quaternion method. After calculating the current attitude of the cleaning robot using the quaternion method, a cascaded PID control algorithm is adopted. Through the proportional (P), integral (I), and derivative (D) links of the "outer attitude loop + inner angular velocity loop", the attitude of the quadcopter is precisely controlled. The core output formula of the cascaded PID is as follows, where both the inner and outer loops employ complete PID control logic: The meanings of each symbol are as follows: u(t) is the control output of the PID controller; e(t): Error signal, input to the PID algorithm; K P Proportional gain; K I Integral gain; K D Differential gain; The integral value of the error signal from the initial time to the current time reflects the error accumulation characteristics; The instantaneous rate of change of the error signal reflects the dynamic trend of error change.

7. A convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control method for the outer loop is as follows: Proportional component: based on angular deviation With proportional gain, output proportional control quantity Quickly provides the power to return to center. The larger the error, the larger the output target angular velocity component, ensuring a fast response; Integration stage: For angle deviation Perform integral calculations, combine them with integral gain, and output the integral control quantity; Accumulate small static errors and gradually correct the output until the static errors are eliminated; Differential element (D): for angular deviations. Differentiate, and combine with differential gain Output differential control quantity; Predict attitude trends based on the rate of change of angle to suppress overshoot oscillations; The inner loop aims for "rapid and stable angular velocity," receives the target angular velocity output from the outer loop, and directly controls the motor speed through PID calculation; The microcontroller is connected to the main control board. When the pilot controls the cleaning robot to land on the solar photovoltaic panel, the microcontroller uploads the signal to the main control board. The main control board starts the first motor (5) and the second motor (15), drives the brush (9) to rotate and moves the cleaning robot on the solar photovoltaic panel to clean the surface of the solar photovoltaic panel.

8. A convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cleaning device (2) includes a first motor (5), a drive wheel (6), a guide wheel (7), a timing belt (8), a brush (9), a joint connecting plate (11), a mudguard (10), and two brackets (12). The two brackets (12) are fixedly installed on the left and right sides of the bearing platform (1), and the brackets (12) are rotatably connected to the joint connecting plate (11) through a rotating shaft. The mudguard (10) is hinged to two joint connecting plates (11) at both ends, and a first motor (5) is fixedly installed on the mudguard (10). The output shaft of the first motor (5) is fixedly connected to the shaft of the drive wheel (6) through a coupling. The shaft of the guide wheel (7) passes through the concentric hole of the mudguard (10) and one of the joint connecting plates (11), and is fixedly connected to one end of the shaft of the brush (9). The other end of the shaft of the brush (9) is rotatably connected to another joint connecting plate (11). The guide wheel (7) is connected to the drive wheel (6) through the synchronous belt (8). The first motor (5) is connected to the main control board and the power supply respectively; The bracket (12) is rod-shaped with smooth transitions at the edges and no sharp corners. The main outline of the joint connecting plate (11) is similar to that of a shield with a rounded transition at the bottom. It is hinged to the bearing platform (1) through a circular through hole at the top. Arc-shaped holes are opened on the bracket (12) and the joint connecting plate (11), and pins are inserted into the arc-shaped holes so that the joint connecting plate (11) can swing around the pivot.

9. A convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The walking mechanism (3) includes a pair of drive wheels (13) and a pair of load-bearing wheels (14). The bearing platform (1) is fixedly installed with two L-shaped motor brackets and two bearing seats (18). The L-shaped motor brackets are fixedly installed with a second motor (15). The output shaft of the second motor (15) is interference-connected with a motor flange (16). The motor flange (16) is fixedly connected to the shaft of the drive wheel (13). The bearing seat (18) is interference-connected with a bushing (17). The bushing (17) is interference-connected with a bearing. The shaft of the load-bearing wheel (14) is fixedly connected to the bearing. The second motor (15) is connected to the main control board and the power supply respectively; The two L-shaped motor brackets and the two bearing seats (18) are respectively arranged symmetrically about the center of the bearing platform (1); The bearing platform (1) is also fixedly installed with a first motor speed controller and a second motor speed controller. Both the first motor speed controller and the second motor speed controller are connected to the main control board. The first motor speed controller is connected to the first motor (5) through a wire, and the second motor speed controller is connected to the second motor (15) through a wire.

10. A convenient cross-panel solar photovoltaic panel cleaning robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The landing gear (24) includes an arched main beam with perforated support feet on both sides. The four support feet of the landing gear (24) are fixedly connected to the bearing platform (1). Eight evenly distributed support columns (25) are fixedly installed on the bearing platform (1). The support columns (25) have threaded holes. Bolts pass through the through holes opened at the top of the landing gear (24) and are threaded into the threaded holes to fix the support columns (25) to the landing gear (24). A mounting plate is fixedly installed on the landing gear (24), and the dual-axis servo motor (23) is fixedly installed on the mounting plate.

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