A surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels

Abstract

This invention discloses a surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels, comprising: a support portion, with a cleaning portion rotatably connected to its outer wall; and a drive portion, including a guide rail, a first drive assembly, and a second drive assembly. The guide rail is arranged along the upper and lower edges of the solar panels. The first drive assembly is respectively disposed at both ends of the support portion and is used to drive the support portion to move along the guide rail. The second drive assembly is disposed at at least one end of the support portion and is used to drive the cleaning portion to rotate along the support portion. The support portion is constructed to have a hollow structure, with a plurality of first through holes evenly distributed axially on its outer wall. The cleaning portion is constructed to have a plurality of second through holes evenly distributed on its outer wall. Cleaning liquid flows through each of the first and second through holes to the bristles of the cleaning portion. This surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels has the advantages of being lightweight, allowing for direct penetration of cleaning liquid, and providing good cleaning effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cleaning devices, and more specifically to a surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels. Background Technology

[0002] As solar power plants develop towards large-scale and interconnected operations, the demand for automated cleaning and maintenance of solar panels is increasing. Solar panels are exposed to the outdoor environment for a long time, and dust, mud, and particulate matter easily accumulate on their surfaces. If they are not cleaned in time, they will significantly block sunlight and reduce power generation efficiency. Therefore, efficient and stable cleaning devices are particularly important for ensuring the power plant's production capacity.

[0003] Track-mounted cleaning devices have become the mainstream equipment for cleaning outdoor solar panels due to their reliable operation and ease of deployment. Existing track-mounted cleaning devices typically have tracks running along the upper and lower edges of the solar panel. A walking mechanism drives the cleaning components to move back and forth, working in conjunction with rotating brush rollers to clean the panel surface. The support beams of these devices are often made of solid profiles, resulting in a large overall weight. This not only increases the driving load and energy consumption but also places higher strength requirements on the tracks and mounting brackets. The internal electrical wiring is mostly externally installed, lacking reasonable routing space. The wiring is messy and susceptible to wind, sun, dust, and moisture corrosion, leading to wear and poor contact over long-term operation. In wet cleaning mode, the cleaning fluid is mostly supplied through external pipelines and spray components, further increasing the overall size and weight of the device and making the structure more complex. Furthermore, existing structures lack lightweight design and internal wiring space. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art, the present invention provides a surface cleaning device for a row of solar power panels that is lightweight, allows direct penetration of cleaning liquid, and has a good cleaning effect.

[0005] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: A surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels includes: The support portion has a cleaning portion rotatably connected to its outer wall; The driving unit includes a guide rail, a first driving component, and a second driving component. The guide rail is arranged along the upper and lower edges of the solar panel. The first driving component is respectively disposed at both ends of the support unit and is used to drive the support unit to move along the guide rail. The second driving component is disposed at at least one end of the support unit and is used to drive the cleaning unit to rotate along the support unit. The support portion is constructed to have a hollow structure, and a plurality of first through holes are evenly distributed along the axial direction on its outer wall. The cleaning portion is constructed to have a plurality of second through holes evenly distributed on its outer wall, and the cleaning liquid flows to the bristles of the cleaning portion through each of the first through holes and each of the second through holes.

[0006] Preferably, the cleaning unit is a split structure, with each split part having a rigid frame. The inner wall of the rigid frame is provided with mutually cooperating grooves, which are used to engage with the outer ring of the bearing. Each of the sub-sections also has an inwardly extending connecting seat at its edge.

[0007] In any of the above embodiments, it is preferred that a third through hole is provided at the body of a split structure, the third through hole being used to provide clearance space for the fastening bolts connecting the connecting seat.

[0008] In any of the above embodiments, it is preferred that the edges of one side of the two rigid frames are respectively provided with mutually cooperating plugs and slots, and when the plugs are inserted into the slots, they guide the assembly of the split structure.

[0009] In any of the above embodiments, it is preferred that the support includes multiple support bodies, and two adjacent support bodies are hinged at their ends so that the adjacent support bodies can adapt to the undulations between the rows of solar panels.

[0010] In any of the above embodiments, it is preferred that the hollow structure of the support portion contains a pre-installed conduit, and the conduit wall is provided with multiple water outlets.

[0011] In any of the above embodiments, it is preferred that guide plates are provided on both sides of the guide rail extending in the direction of extension; The first drive component includes a bracket, which achieves rolling engagement with a guide plate containing the guide rail via multiple rollers.

[0012] In any of the above solutions, it is preferred that the two ends of the cleaning part are floatingly connected to the first driving component via a connecting sleeve, and an elastic element is provided between the connecting sleeve and the first driving component.

[0013] In any of the above embodiments, it is preferred that the elastic element includes a guide rod and a spring, the spring is sleeved on the guide rod, one end of the spring abuts against the first driving component, and the other end abuts against the support portion, and the guide rod and the support portion are slidably connected.

[0014] In any of the above solutions, it is preferred that a limit block is threadedly connected to the guide rod, and the limit block is used to limit the support portion.

[0015] The surface cleaning device for continuous solar panels of the present invention features a hollow support structure. Compared with traditional solid rods, this significantly reduces the amount of profile material used and lowers the weight of the support while still meeting the requirements for lateral support and rotational installation rigidity. Simultaneously, the cleaning fluid can be directly delivered through the inside of the support, eliminating the need for additional structures such as external spray pipes or independent spray boxes. This further simplifies the overall structure and reduces the total weight of the device, thus achieving the beneficial effect of lightweight design.

[0016] The support section has a hollow structure, which can serve as a channel for the flow of cleaning fluid. Multiple first through holes are evenly distributed along the axial direction on its outer wall. Together with multiple second through holes evenly distributed on the outer wall of the cleaning section, the cleaning fluid can penetrate directly from the inside of the support section through the first and second through holes to the bristle area of ​​the cleaning section, forming a continuous and uniform direct penetration path. The cleaning fluid acts synchronously and evenly on the surface of the solar panel as the cleaning section rotates, avoiding insufficient wetting or excessive spraying in some areas, thereby improving the uniformity and cleaning effect of wet cleaning. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels of the present invention, showing the connection between the cleaning part and the support part.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the support portion of the surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels of the present invention, showing the cooperation between two adjacent support bodies.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels of the present invention, showing the cooperation between one end of the support portion and the first support component.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a practical application scenario of the surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels according to the present invention.

[0022] Explanation of markings in the diagram: 101-Second drive motor; 102-Coupling; 103-Cleaning section; 104-Support section; 105-Guide rail; 106-First drive motor; 107-Bracket; 108-Connecting sleeve; 109-Rigid frame; 110-Connecting seat; 111-Slot; 112-Third through hole; 113-Hinge ear; 114-Pin; 115-Spring; 116-Guide rod. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] In the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are used solely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device 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 the invention. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0025] Example 1: like Figure 1 As shown, the surface cleaning device for the row of solar panels in this embodiment includes a support 104, a cleaning part 103, a first drive assembly, and a second drive assembly.

[0026] A cleaning part 103 is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the support part 104. The support part 104 has a hollow structure, and its outer wall has multiple first through holes evenly distributed along the axial direction. After assembly, the first through holes are oriented downwards to allow the cleaning liquid to smoothly seep outwards under gravity. The cleaning part 103 is constructed with a brush body, and its outer wall has multiple second through holes evenly distributed accordingly. The cleaning liquid flowing out from the first through holes of the support part 104 can further penetrate to the brush body of the cleaning part 103 through the second through holes, thereby continuously wetting the surface of the solar panel during the cleaning process and improving cleaning efficiency and effect.

[0027] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, the cleaning unit 103 adopts a split structure. Each split unit is equipped with a rigid frame 109, which can be made of aluminum alloy profiles or stainless steel to ensure structural rigidity and reliability. The inner wall of the rigid frame 109 is provided with a slot 111, which is used to engage with the outer ring of the bearing on the outer periphery of the support unit 104, thereby realizing the rotational engagement of the cleaning unit 103 relative to the support unit 104. The edge of each split unit is also provided with an inwardly extending connecting seat 110, which facilitates the detachable connection between the two split units by fasteners. The brush body is set on the outside of the rigid body of the cleaning unit 103. One option for the brush body is to use a base made of rubber or silicone material, and form a brush by flocking or bonding bristles on the outer surface of the base. Another option for the brush body is to use a velvet cloth, acrylic fleece, or polyester long-pile fleece with a certain thickness, and set it on the outer wall of each rigid frame 109 by bonding.

[0028] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 As shown, a third through hole 112 is provided at the main body of a split structure. The third through hole 112 is used to provide clearance space for the fastening bolts of the connecting seat 110, so as to facilitate the assembly of each split mechanism and support part 104.

[0029] Each of the two rigid frames has a matching plug and a slot on one side of its edge. When the plug is inserted into the slot, it guides the assembly of the split structure.

[0030] like Figure 1 , 4 As shown, the guide rail 105 is arranged along the upper and lower edges of the solar panel. The guide rail 105 is preferably made of hollow square tubing, which reduces weight while ensuring sufficient structural strength and bending resistance. The first drive assembly includes a bracket 107, which can be formed by welding, threading, or riveting thin metal sheets. The first drive assemblies are respectively located at both ends of the support portion 104. Each end of the support portion 104 is provided with a connecting sleeve 108, and the support portion 104 is connected to the corresponding first drive assembly through the connecting sleeves 108 at both ends. Guide plates are provided on both sides of the guide rail 105 along its extension direction. The guide plates are used to limit and constrain the rollers of the first drive assembly, ensuring that the rollers maintain a fixed vertical posture during movement, preventing swaying, deviation, or derailment.

[0031] The upper part of the guide rail 105 is provided with a rack along the length direction. The first drive assembly is equipped with a first drive motor 106. The output shaft of the first drive motor 106 is provided with a gear that meshes with the rack. The first drive assembly is driven to move along the guide rail 105 through the gear and rack meshing transmission. At the same time, it can accurately ensure the synchronicity of the movement of the two ends of the support part 104 and avoid jamming or twisting.

[0032] The second drive assembly is disposed at at least one end of the support portion 104 and is used to drive the cleaning brush to rotate around the support portion 104. When the overall length of the cleaning brush is long or adopts a multi-segment split structure, the second drive assembly can be disposed at both ends of the support portion 104. The second drive assembly specifically includes a second drive motor 101 and a coupling 102. The coupling 102 is rotatably engaged with the support portion 104, and the end of the coupling 102 is circumferentially fixed to the assembled cleaning portion 103 through a transmission engagement structure such as splines and clamping heads and grooves to achieve torque transmission. The second drive motor 101 and the coupling 102 can be connected by chain drive, synchronous belt drive, or multi-wedge belt drive to achieve power transmission.

[0033] In this embodiment, to reduce the weight of the device during use, a conduit can be pre-installed within the hollow structure of the support 104, and multiple water outlets are provided on the wall of the conduit. During use, the cleaning solution is dynamically introduced through the conduit and evenly distributed within the hollow structure of the support 104 through the water outlets on the conduit wall.

[0034] This device is also equipped with a control unit for controlling the first drive motor 106 and the second drive motor 101. The first drive motor 106 is preferably a servo motor or a stepper motor, facilitating precise control of speed, direction, and travel distance, further ensuring the synchronization and consistency of movement at both ends of the support 104. To constrain the left and right travel of the first drive assembly along the guide rail 105, limit sensors are installed at both ends of the guide rail 105 or at preset travel positions. The limit sensors are electrically connected to the control system. When the first drive assembly moves to the preset limit position, the sensor sends a signal to the control unit, which then controls the first drive motor 106 to reverse or stop, achieving automatic reciprocating cleaning or fixed-point stopping. To fully utilize the hollow structure of the support 104 for wiring, waterproof connecting wires are threaded through the internal cavity of the support 104, with a unified lead wire from one end of the support 104 connected to the control system. This simplifies the wiring structure and effectively protects the wiring, preventing wear or interference caused by exposed wires.

[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, the working principle and process of this device are as follows: When the device is in operation, the control unit activates the second drive motor 101. The second drive motor 101 drives the coupling 102 to rotate through the transmission structure, thereby driving the cleaning part 103 to rotate around the support part 104, so that the bristles continuously act on the surface of the solar panel. At the same time, the control system activates the first drive motors 106 at both ends. The first drive motors 106 drive the support part 104 to move smoothly along the guide rail 105. The cleaning liquid in the hollow structure of the support part 104 penetrates into the bristles through the first and second through holes under the action of gravity, wetting the surface of the solar panel while rotating and cleaning, thus achieving wet cleaning. During the movement, the guide plates on both sides of the guide rail 105 limit the rollers to ensure the stability of the first drive component. When the first drive component triggers the limit sensors at both ends of the stroke, the control unit controls the first drive motor 106 to reverse, so that the device moves in the opposite direction along the guide rail 105, realizing reciprocating automatic dust removal operation. The hollow structure of the support part 104 also provides a protective channel for the internal circuitry, ensuring stable power supply and signal transmission for the motors and sensors at both ends. The entire device can continuously and stably complete the surface cleaning of the row of solar panels.

[0036] Example 2: Based on Example 1, such as Figure 3 As shown, in order to accommodate the undulations of the solar panels caused by installation errors, deformation of the support 107, or foundation settlement between the rows of solar panels, the support part 104 adopts a segmented hinged structure.

[0037] The support section 104 includes multiple support bodies arranged in sequence. The length of each support body can be set to match the length of a single solar panel, so that each support body and the outer cleaning section 103 clean one solar panel area. Corresponding ends of two adjacent support bodies are respectively provided with mutually cooperating hinge ears 113. The hinge ears 113 are hinged together by a pin 114. The pin 114 and the direction of travel of the support section 104 are parallel, thereby allowing the adjacent support bodies to swing relative to each other.

[0038] During operation, the two ends of the support part 104 are connected to the first drive component through the connecting sleeve 108, and the first drive component drives the entire support part 104 to move along the guide rail 105. When there is a height difference or undulation between adjacent solar panels, the support part 104 can make local posture adaptive adjustment through the relative rotation of each hinge, so as to avoid the support part 104 being unable to fit with the undulation of the panel due to the overall rigid fixation. This ensures that the cleaning part 103 is always in close contact with the surface of the solar panel, and there will be no problems such as local suspension, incomplete cleaning or movement jamming. This improves the adaptability of the device to the installation conditions of multiple rows of solar panels and ensures that the cleaning effect is uniform and stable.

[0039] During actual cleaning, when adjacent support bodies sway relative to each other due to the undulation of the solar panels, the overall axial length of the support 104 will change slightly. To prevent this length change from causing the two ends of the support 104 to be rigidly locked by the connecting sleeve 108 and the first drive assembly, resulting in movement stagnation, this embodiment adopts at least one of the following two adaptation structures: The first method involves setting the connecting sleeve 108 at the end of the support part 104 and the corresponding support body to be axially floating. That is, the connecting sleeve 108 and the support body can generate a small amount of relative sliding along the axial direction of the support part 104. Thus, when the adjacent support body swings and the overall length of the support part 104 changes slightly, the axially floating structure provides length compensation, ensuring that the hinge structure can swing smoothly, while maintaining a reliable connection between the two ends of the support part 104 and the first drive assembly.

[0040] Another option is to use a clearance fit between the pin 114 and the hinge ear 113. By reasonably setting the fit clearance, there is a small amount of play between the pin 114 and the hinge ear 113. This clearance is used to offset the slight change in the axial length of the support part 104 when the adjacent support bodies swing relative to each other.

[0041] Example 3: Based on Example 1 or 2, such as Figure 4 As shown, the end of the support 104 and the first drive assembly are connected in a floating manner, and an elastic element is provided between the first drive assembly and the connecting sleeve 108 to ensure the contact pressure between the cleaning brush and the plate surface.

[0042] Specifically, the floating connection method and the selection of the elastic element are as follows: The elastic element includes a guide rod 116 and a spring 115. The spring 115 is sleeved on the guide rod 116. One end of the spring 115 abuts against the first drive assembly, and the other end abuts against the connecting sleeve 108 or the support part 104. The guide rod 116 is slidably connected to the support part 104 or the connecting sleeve 108 to ensure stable floating direction and prevent deviation. A limit block is also threaded onto the guide rod 116 to limit the floating stroke and prevent the cleaning part 103 from floating excessively and leaving the working position. At the same time, the preload of the spring 115 can be adjusted by rotating the limit block, thereby adjusting the contact pressure between the cleaning brush and the surface of the solar panel to adapt to cleaning needs under different working conditions.

[0043] The above-described embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels, characterized in that, include: A support part (104) is provided, and a cleaning part (103) is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the support part (104). The driving unit includes a guide rail (105), a first driving component, and a second driving component. The guide rail (105) is arranged along the upper and lower edges of the solar panel. The first driving component is respectively disposed at both ends of the support unit (104) and is used to drive the support unit (104) to move along the guide rail (105). The second driving component is disposed at at least one end of the support unit (104) and is used to drive the cleaning unit (103) to rotate along the support unit (104). The support part (104) is constructed to have a hollow structure, and a plurality of first through holes are evenly distributed along the axial direction on its outer wall. The cleaning part (103) is constructed to have a plurality of second through holes evenly distributed on its outer wall. The cleaning liquid flows to the bristles of the cleaning part (103) through each of the first through holes and each of the second through holes.

2. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning section (103) is a split structure, and each split section is provided with a rigid frame (109). The inner wall of the rigid frame (109) is provided with a matching slot (111), which is used to engage with the outer ring of the bearing. The rigid frame (109) is also provided with an inwardly extending connecting seat (110) at the edge.

3. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A third through hole (112) is provided at the body of a split structure. The third through hole (112) is used to provide clearance space for the fastening bolts of the connecting seat (110).

4. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the two rigid frames (109) has a plug and a slot that cooperate with each other on one side of its edge. When the plug is inserted into the slot, it guides the assembly of the split structure.

5. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support (104) includes multiple support bodies, with adjacent support bodies hinged at the ends so that the adjacent support bodies can adapt to the undulations between the rows of solar panels.

6. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hollow structure of the support part (104) has a pre-installed conduit, and the conduit has multiple water outlets on its wall.

7. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Guide plates are provided on both sides of the guide rail (105) in the extension direction; The first drive assembly includes a bracket (107), which rolls in conjunction with a guide plate containing multiple rollers and a guide rail (105).

8. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The two ends of the cleaning part (103) are floatingly connected to the first drive assembly via a connecting sleeve (108), and an elastic element is provided between the connecting sleeve (108) and the first drive assembly.

9. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic element includes a guide rod (116) and a spring (115). The spring (115) is sleeved on the guide rod (116). One end of the spring (115) abuts against the first drive assembly, and the other end abuts against the support part (104). The guide rod (116) and the support part (104) are slidably connected.

10. The surface cleaning device for a row of solar panels as described in claim 9, characterized in that, A limit block is threadedly connected at the guide rod (116), and the limit block is used to limit the support part (104).

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