Connection device and collaborative operation method between drone and photovoltaic cleaning robot

Abstract

This invention discloses a device for attaching a drone to a photovoltaic cleaning robot and a method for collaborative operation, comprising: a descent rope; a gravity sensor connected to the lower end of the descent rope; a deployment ball disposed at the lower end of the gravity sensor; and an electromagnetic lock, including two sets of lock bodies symmetrically disposed inside the deployment ball and a latch disposed within the lock body. This invention monitors weight changes in real time through the gravity sensor and, combined with instructions from a remote operation and maintenance platform, achieves a closed-loop control process of "lowering-locking-retrieval-verification." By setting specific weight thresholds and durations as judgment criteria, it can effectively eliminate instantaneous interference and accurately determine whether the attachment or deployment is successful, avoiding equipment damage or operational failure due to misjudgment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned operation and maintenance technology for distributed photovoltaic power plants, and particularly to a device for connecting drones and photovoltaic cleaning robots and a method for collaborative operation. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of distributed photovoltaic power stations, the demand for automation in photovoltaic panel cleaning operations is increasing. Currently, the collaborative operation of drones and photovoltaic cleaning robots has become the mainstream solution for distributed photovoltaic cleaning, but existing technologies lack reliable mounting devices specifically adapted to this scenario. Traditional attachment structures lack a precise attachment status judgment mechanism, making it impossible to confirm whether the cleaning robot has been successfully attached or deployed, which can easily lead to operation interruption or the risk of equipment falling. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides the following technical solution: The device for connecting the drone and the photovoltaic cleaning robot includes: Descending rope; A gravity sensor is connected to the lower end of the descent rope; A sphere is placed at the lower end of the gravity sensor; An electromagnetic lock includes two sets of lock bodies symmetrically arranged inside the launching sphere and a latch disposed within the lock bodies; The control unit includes a control module and a communication module disposed inside the launch sphere. The control module is electrically connected to both the gravity sensor and the electromagnetic lock, and the control module communicates with a remote operation and maintenance platform through the communication module. The hanging basket is fixed to the top of the photovoltaic cleaning robot. Its internal structure is adapted to the delivery ball and has a groove that cooperates with the electromagnetic lock. The control module is configured to: determine the attachment or deployment status based on the weight signal detected by the gravity sensor, control the action of the electromagnetic lock according to the instructions of the remote operation and maintenance platform, and send the descent rope retrieval and release instructions of the descent device to the UAV through the communication module, so as to achieve the coordination of the electromagnetic lock action and the descent rope retrieval and release.

[0004] As an improvement to the above technical solution, a gravity locking mechanism is also included, wherein the launching sphere is provided with an installation groove, and the gravity locking mechanism includes: A sliding plate is movably disposed within the mounting slot; Spring 1 is disposed between the top of the sliding plate and the mounting groove, and is used to apply a downward elastic force to the sliding plate; A traction component is connected between the sliding plate and the gravity sensor; The drive unit is fixedly disposed below the sliding plate; At least one locking assembly, including a pusher actuated by the drive unit and a latch disposed at the end of the pusher; When the ball is supported by an external force, the elastic force of the spring drives the sliding plate to move downward, which in turn drives the driving part to push the pushing member, thereby driving the locking member to move to the unlocked position; when the ball is suspended in the air, the gravity sensor pulls the sliding plate upward through the traction member, causing the driving part to move upward, and the pushing member drives the locking member to move to the locked position.

[0005] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the pushing component includes: A wedge-shaped block, the inner side of which forms a mating surface that mates with the driving part; A push plate is connected to the outside of the wedge-shaped block; Spring 2 is disposed on the surface of the push plate; A slot is formed at the end of the push plate away from the drive section; The inclined portion is integrally formed on the push plate and located at the slot position.

[0006] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the clamping component includes a clamping rod vertically disposed on the push plate and a spring three disposed on the clamping rod, wherein a sliding groove adapted to the inclined portion is formed on the clamping rod.

[0007] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the inclined portion is at least partially housed within the slide groove to guide the movement trajectory of the lever.

[0008] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the launching sphere integrates a storage battery to power the electromagnetic lock, gravity sensor, control module, and communication module.

[0009] A collaborative operation control method for drones and photovoltaic cleaning robots based on the aforementioned mounting device. The first operating mode is used to attach the photovoltaic cleaning robot to the drone, including: The ball is dropped into the basket, the electromagnetic lock is engaged, and the rope is pulled in by the descent device to bring the two together. When the gravity sensor detects that the weight has increased to the first preset condition, the connection is deemed successful. The second operating mode is used to deploy the photovoltaic cleaning robot from the drone, including: The ball is locked inside the basket, the electromagnetic lock is unlocked, and the descent device is used to slow down and retract the descent rope, thus separating the two. When the weight is detected by the gravity sensor to have decreased to the second preset condition, the deployment is considered successful.

[0010] As an improvement to the above technical solution, if the weight detection condition is not met after a preset number of consecutive hanging or placement actions, the control module will automatically trigger an alarm signal and send it to the remote operation and maintenance platform through the communication module.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are: By monitoring weight changes in real time through gravity sensors and combining instructions from the remote operation and maintenance platform, a closed-loop control process of "lowering-locking-retrieval-verification" is realized. By setting specific weight thresholds and durations as judgment criteria, instantaneous interference can be effectively eliminated, and the success of attachment or deployment can be accurately determined, avoiding equipment damage or operation failure due to misjudgment. At the same time, through dual protection - electromagnetic lock combined with the status verification of weight sensors, the attachment status is ensured to be stable and reliable, fundamentally avoiding the risk of the cleaning robot accidentally falling and damaging the photovoltaic panel or causing safety accidents during operation. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention under external support. Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point B; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hanging basket structure of the present invention.

[0013] Reference numerals: 10. Launching ball; 11. Mounting slot; 20. Control module; 21. Battery; 22. Communication module; 30. Lock body; 31. Latch; 40. Gravity lock mechanism; 41. Sliding plate; 42. Traction component; 43. Drive unit; 44. Spring 1; 50. Push plate; 51. Wedge block; 52. Spring 2; 53. Inclined part; 60. Gravity sensor; 70. Descent rope; 80. Locking bar; 81. Spring 3. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0015] The device for attaching a drone to a photovoltaic cleaning robot includes: a descent rope 70; Gravity sensor 60 is connected to the lower end of the descent rope 70; A ball 10 is placed at the lower end of the gravity sensor 60; The electromagnetic lock includes two sets of lock bodies 30 symmetrically arranged inside the launching ball 10 and a latch 31 disposed within the lock body 30; The control unit includes a control module 20 and a communication module 22 disposed inside the launching ball 10. The control module 20 is electrically connected to the gravity sensor 60 and the electromagnetic lock, and the control module 20 communicates with the remote operation and maintenance platform through the communication module 22. The hanging basket is fixed to the top of the photovoltaic cleaning robot. Its internal structure is adapted to the delivery ball 10 and has a groove that cooperates with the electromagnetic lock. The control module 20 is configured to: determine the attachment or deployment status based on the weight signal detected by the gravity sensor 60, and control the action of the electromagnetic lock according to the instructions of the remote operation and maintenance platform, and send the descent rope 70 of the descent device to the drone through the communication module 22 to achieve the coordination of the electromagnetic lock action and the descent rope 70 retrieval.

[0016] Specifically, the process of mounting a cleaning robot on a drone: The drone, carrying the mounting device, flies to a position 1m above the photovoltaic cleaning robot via GPS positioning and maintains a stable position. The maintenance platform sends a command to control the drone's descent device to release the descent rope by 1m, allowing the ball 10 to slowly descend into the mounting basket. As the ball 10 lands in the mounting basket fixed to the top of the cleaning robot, the maintenance platform immediately sends an energizing command to the electromagnetic lock. Two symmetrically arranged lock bodies 30 drive the latches 31 to pop out and engage with pre-set grooves inside the mounting basket, completing the mechanical locking. The maintenance platform then controls the descent device to reverse, retracting the rope by 0.5m, ensuring a tight fit between the ball 10 and the mounting basket. This action eliminates any slack in the rope, allowing the ball 10 to be securely attached. Pulling upwards creates a tight pre-tightening force between the drone and the bottom of the hook basket and the latch groove. Under this pre-tightening state, the gravity sensor 60 monitors the weight signal in real time. If the detected weight meets the first preset condition (for example, in this embodiment, the weight is set to ≥5kg and the duration is ≥3s), the control module 20 determines that the hooking is successful and sends a confirmation signal to the remote operation and maintenance platform through the communication module 22. The platform then instructs the drone to increase its altitude and start the transportation operation. If the condition is not met, the operation and maintenance platform receives the failure feedback and immediately controls the electromagnetic lock to power off and reset (latch 31 retracts). The descent device releases the rope again, and the ball 10 is completely placed at the bottom of the hook basket. The entire process of "lowering-locking-retracting-verifying" is automatically repeated until the hooking is successful. Drone deployment process for cleaning robots The drone, carrying the attached cleaning robot, flies to the preset placement point on the photovoltaic panel and hovers. The remote operation and maintenance platform issues a "placement" command, controlling the descent device to release the rope 0.5m, allowing the cleaning robot to land slightly on the photovoltaic panel surface. Subsequently, the operation and maintenance platform sends an electromagnetic lock unlock command, releasing the electromagnetic lock and disengaging the placement sphere 10 from the attachment basket. Since the electromagnetic lock is unlocked, the descent rope 70 retracts, pulling the placement sphere 10 upward. The placement sphere 10 rises and detaches from the attachment basket. During this process, the gravity sensor 60 monitors the change in tension at the end of the rope in real time. If the detected weight meets the second preset condition (for example, set to weight < 5kg and duration ≥ 3s), the placement is considered successful, and the operation and maintenance platform receives a success feedback; if the condition is not met, the above steps are repeated until the placement is successful.

[0017] In one embodiment, a gravity locking mechanism 40 is further included, wherein the launching ball 10 is provided with an installation groove 11, and the gravity locking mechanism 40 includes: The sliding plate 41 is movably disposed within the mounting groove 11; Spring 44 is disposed between the top of the sliding plate 41 and the mounting groove 11, and is used to apply a downward elastic force to the sliding plate 41; The traction component 42 is connected between the sliding plate 41 and the gravity sensor 60; The drive unit 43 is fixedly disposed below the sliding plate 41; At least one locking assembly, including a pusher actuated by the drive unit 43 and a latch disposed at the end of the pusher; When the ball 10 is supported by an external force, the elastic force of the spring 44 drives the sliding plate 41 to move downward, which in turn drives the driving part 43 to push the pushing member, thereby driving the locking member to move to the unlocked position; when the ball 10 is suspended in the air, the gravity sensor 60 pulls the sliding plate 41 upward through the traction member 42, causing the driving part 43 to move upward, and the pushing member drives the locking member to move to the locked position. A gravity lock mechanism 40 is introduced as the core mechanical interlocking unit. This mechanism realizes automatic switching of the locking state through a pure mechanical transmission chain. When the ball 10 is suspended (i.e., not supported by external forces), the weight of the ball 10 and the attached load is transmitted to the gravity sensor 60 through the shell of the ball 10. The gravity sensor 60 is pulled and pulls the sliding plate 41 upward through the traction member 42. The sliding plate 41 moves upward against the elastic force of the spring 44, which drives the drive part 43 to move upward. At this time, the pusher moves towards each other, which drives the locking member to move downward, so that the lower end of the locking member extends out and inserts into the slot on the latch, engaging with the latch 31 to achieve mechanical locking. In this state, even if the electromagnetic lock loses power or the control fails, the locking member can prevent the ball 10 from accidentally separating from the hanging basket. When the launch ball 10 is placed on the photovoltaic panel (i.e., under external support), the weight of the launch ball 10 is borne by the external support, the gravity sensor 60 no longer bears the load, the traction component relaxes, and the elastic force of the spring 44 drives the sliding plate 41 to move downward, which in turn drives the drive part 43 to move downward, which in turn drives the pusher to move in a direction away from each other, which in turn drives the locking component to move upward and disengage from the latch 31, thus releasing the locking state. At this time, the latch 31 of the electromagnetic lock operates normally, realizing active locking or unlocking. During normal operation, the electromagnetic lock achieves fast and reliable locking and unlocking. In the suspended state, the gravity lock mechanism automatically intervenes by utilizing the physical characteristic of "locking when suspended". Even in extreme situations such as battery depletion, circuit failure or communication interruption, the locking component can rigidly lock the latch 31, completely eliminating the risk of accidental separation between the launch ball 10 and the hanging basket, and fundamentally ensuring the safety of the equipment suspended below the drone.

[0018] In one embodiment, the actuator includes: The wedge-shaped block 51 has an inner surface that forms a mating surface that mates with the drive part 43; A push plate 50 is connected to the outside of the wedge block 51; Spring 52 is disposed on the surface of the push plate 50; A slot is formed at the end of the push plate away from the drive section; The inclined portion 53 is integrally formed on the push plate 50 and located at the slot position.

[0019] The locking component includes a locking rod 80 vertically disposed on the push plate 50 and a spring 81 disposed on the locking rod 80. The locking rod 80 has a sliding groove adapted to the inclined portion 53. When the ball 10 is suspended in the air, the gravity sensor 60 is pulled, which drives the sliding plate 41 and the drive part 43 to move upward. The two sides of the drive part 43 slide upward along the mating surface (sloping surface) of the wedge block 51. According to the principle of the inclined plane, the vertical upward force is decomposed into a horizontal outward thrust, which forces the wedge block 51 and the connected push plate 50 to move towards each other, compressing the second spring 52. The movement of the push plate 50 drives the inclined part 53 on it to move synchronously. Since the locking rod 80 is constrained by the ball 10, the inclined surface of the inclined part 53 slides relative to the groove on the locking rod 80. Under the guidance of the inclined part 53, the locking rod 80 is forced to overcome the resistance of the third spring 81 and extend downward along the groove. The lower end of the locking rod 80 is fully extended and inserted into the latch 31. At this time, the third spring 81 is in a stretched state, realizing a rigid and non-loose mechanical lock. When the ball 10 lands (under external support), the tension of the gravity sensor 60 disappears, the first spring 44 releases energy, driving the sliding plate 41 and the driving part 43 to move downward. The driving part 43 slides downward along the mating surface of the wedge block 51, releasing the horizontal thrust on the wedge block. The compressed second spring 52 releases its elasticity, pushing the push plate 50 and the wedge block 51 to move closer to each other. As the push plate 50 moves, the inclined part 53 disengages from the clamping rod 80, and the third spring 81 pulls the clamping rod 80 upward along the slide groove, completely disengaging from the latch. At this time, the mechanical constraint between the ball 10 and the hanging basket is released, preparing for the subsequent separation of the ball from the hanging basket.

[0020] In one embodiment, the inclined portion 53 is at least partially housed within the groove to guide the movement trajectory of the lever 80. The inclined portion 53 is enclosed within the groove, forming an anti-dislodgement structure that can effectively resist lateral forces from any direction and prevent the lever 80 from accidentally shifting or the mechanism from failing.

[0021] In one embodiment, the launch sphere 10 integrates a battery 21 to power the electromagnetic lock, gravity sensor 60, control module 20, and communication module 22. The battery 21 is a lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 5000mAh, a nominal voltage of 24V, a battery life of ≥8h, and supports repeated charging. Example 2

[0022] A collaborative operation control method for a drone and a photovoltaic cleaning robot based on the aforementioned mounting device includes: The first operating mode is used to attach the photovoltaic cleaning robot to the drone, including: The ball 10 is placed into the hanging basket, the electromagnetic lock is locked, and the rope is pulled up by the descent device to make the two fit together. When the gravity sensor 60 detects that the weight has increased to the first preset condition, the connection is determined to be successful. The second operating mode is used to deploy the photovoltaic cleaning robot from the drone, including: The ball 10 is locked inside the basket. The electromagnetic lock is unlocked, and the descent device is used to slow down the descent rope and retract the descent rope to separate the two. When the gravity sensor 60 detects that the weight has decreased to the second preset condition, the deployment is deemed successful.

[0023] In one embodiment, if the weight detection condition is not met after a preset number of consecutive hanging or placement actions, the control module 20 automatically triggers an alarm signal and sends it to the remote operation and maintenance platform via the communication module 22. If the weight detection condition is not met after three consecutive hanging / placement actions, an alarm signal is automatically triggered, and the platform prompts for manual investigation after receiving the signal.

[0024] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it.

Claims

1. A device for connecting a drone to a photovoltaic cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: Descending rope (70); A gravity sensor (60) is connected to the lower end of the descent rope (70); A sphere (10) is placed at the lower end of the gravity sensor (60); The electromagnetic lock includes two sets of lock bodies (30) symmetrically arranged inside the launching ball (10) and a latch (31) arranged inside the lock body (30). The control unit includes a control module (20) and a communication module (22) disposed inside the launching ball (10). The control module (20) is electrically connected to the gravity sensor (60) and the electromagnetic lock, and the control module (20) communicates with the remote operation and maintenance platform through the communication module (22). The hanging basket is fixed to the top of the photovoltaic cleaning robot. Its internal structure is adapted to the delivery ball (10) and has a groove that cooperates with the electromagnetic lock. The control module (20) is configured to: determine the attachment or deployment status based on the weight signal detected by the gravity sensor (60), and control the action of the electromagnetic lock according to the instructions of the remote operation and maintenance platform, and send the descent rope (70) retraction and release instructions of the descent device to the UAV through the communication module (22), so as to realize the coordination between the action of the electromagnetic lock and the retraction and release of the descent rope (70).

2. The drone and photovoltaic cleaning robot docking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a gravity lock mechanism (40), wherein the launching ball (10) is provided with an installation groove (11), and the gravity lock mechanism (40) includes: A sliding plate (41) is movably disposed within the mounting groove (11); Spring 1 (44) is disposed between the top of the sliding plate (41) and the mounting groove (11) for applying a downward elastic force to the sliding plate (41); The traction component (42) is connected between the sliding plate (41) and the gravity sensor (60); The drive unit (43) is fixedly disposed below the sliding plate (41); At least one locking assembly, including a pusher actuated by the drive unit (43) and a latch disposed at the end of the pusher; When the ball (10) is supported by an external force, the elastic force of the spring (44) drives the sliding plate (41) to move downward, which in turn drives the driving part (43) to push the pusher, thereby driving the locking piece to move to the unlocking position; when the ball (10) is suspended, the gravity sensor (60) pulls the sliding plate (41) upward through the traction member (42), causing the driving part (43) to move upward, and the pusher drives the locking piece to move to the locking position.

3. The drone and photovoltaic cleaning robot docking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pushing component includes: The wedge-shaped block (51) has an inner surface that forms a mating surface that mates with the drive unit (43); A push plate (50) is connected to the outside of the wedge block (51); Spring 2 (52) is disposed on the surface of the push plate (50); A slot is formed at the end of the push plate away from the drive section; The inclined portion (53) is integrally formed on the push plate (50) and located at the slot position.

4. The drone and photovoltaic cleaning robot docking device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The clamp includes a clamp rod (80) vertically disposed on the push plate (50) and a spring three (81) disposed on the clamp rod (80), and a sliding groove adapted to the inclined portion (53) is formed on the clamp rod (80).

5. The drone and photovoltaic cleaning robot docking device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inclined portion (53) is at least partially housed within the groove for guiding the movement trajectory of the lever (80).

6. The drone and photovoltaic cleaning robot docking device and collaborative operation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The launch sphere (10) integrates a battery (21) to power the electromagnetic lock, gravity sensor (60), control module (20) and communication module (22).

7. A method for controlling the collaborative operation of a drone and a photovoltaic cleaning robot based on the mounting device described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: include: The first operating mode is used to attach the photovoltaic cleaning robot to the drone, including: Make the ball (10) enter the hanging basket, control the electromagnetic lock to lock it, and cooperate with the descent device to retract the rope so that the two are in contact; When the gravity sensor (60) detects that the weight has increased to the first preset condition, the connection is determined to be successful. The second operating mode is used to deploy the photovoltaic cleaning robot from the drone, including: Make the ball (10) locked inside the basket, control the electromagnetic lock to unlock, and cooperate with the descent device to slow down the descent rope and retract the descent rope to separate the two. When the weight is detected by the gravity sensor (60) to have decreased to the second preset condition, the deployment is deemed successful.

8. The collaborative operation control method of the UAV and photovoltaic cleaning robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: If the weight detection condition is not met after the preset number of consecutive hooking or deployment actions, the control module will automatically trigger an alarm signal and send it to the remote operation and maintenance platform via the communication module.

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