Solar panel folding and unfolding mechanism and unmanned ship

Abstract

The utility model discloses a solar panel folding and unfolding mechanism and an unmanned boat, and belongs to the technical field of unmanned boats, the solar panel folding and unfolding mechanism comprises a first driving unit and a solar panel, the first driving unit is in transmission connection with the solar panel, and the first driving unit is used for driving the solar panel to unfold or fold; and each first driving unit can independently control the expansion or contraction stroke of the corresponding solar panel. The unfolding or retracting stroke of the corresponding solar panel is independently controlled through the first driving unit, the situation that the solar panel is damaged in a large area due to the influence of the marine environment, especially rainwater weather, is avoided, and the service life of the unmanned ship is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned surface vessel technology, and in particular to a solar panel deployment and take-up mechanism and an unmanned surface vessel. Background Technology

[0002] Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) can be used for maritime operations and surveying. However, due to the vastness of the sea, the endurance of USVs is greatly limited by energy reserves, making it impossible to achieve autonomous long-term operations. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the endurance of USVs.

[0003] Existing unmanned surface vessels (USVs) are covered with solar panels to convert solar energy into electricity, increasing their range. However, if the solar panels were directly covering the entire outer surface of the USV, they could be severely damaged by the marine environment, especially rain, thus affecting the USV's lifespan.

[0004] If multiple retractable solar panels are installed on the surface of an unmanned surface vessel (USV), improper placement may affect the USV's balance on the water. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this section is to outline some aspects of embodiments of the present invention and to briefly describe some preferred embodiments. Simplifications or omissions may be made in this section, as well as in the abstract and title of this application, to avoid obscuring the purpose of these documents; however, such simplifications or omissions should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

[0006] In view of the problems existing in the above and / or prior art, this utility model is proposed.

[0007] Therefore, the first objective of this utility model is to provide a solar panel extension and retraction mechanism that can individually control the extension or retraction stroke of each solar panel.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism, comprising a first driving unit and a solar panel, wherein the first driving unit and the solar panel are connected by transmission, the first driving unit is used to drive the solar panel to unfold or retract; and a single first driving unit can individually control the unfolding or retraction stroke of the corresponding solar panel.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism is provided with at least two components.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, at least two of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms further include a second drive unit, the second drive unit being connected to the corresponding solar panel in a transmission manner, and the second drive unit being used to adjust the angle of the solar panel relative to the horizontal plane.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the solar panel retraction mechanism of this utility model, all of the solar panel retraction mechanisms include a second drive unit, which is connected to the corresponding solar panel in a transmission manner, and the second drive unit is used to adjust the angle of the solar panel relative to the horizontal plane.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, each of the second drive units can individually control the rotation angle of the corresponding solar panel.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, wherein: at least one of the solar panels of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism can be in contact with a horizontal plane.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, the solar panels of both solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms are able to fit against the horizontal plane.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, the rotation axes of the solar panels in at least two of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms coincide.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, the rotation axis of the solar panel is parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, the solar panels of at least two of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms have equal angles with the horizontal plane.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of this utility model, the angle between the solar panel and the horizontal plane is equal in all the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms.

[0019] The second objective of this utility model is to provide an unmanned surface vessel, including the aforementioned solar panel retraction mechanism and a hull, wherein the solar panel retraction mechanism is disposed on the hull, and a plurality of the solar panel retraction mechanisms are distributed symmetrically with respect to the vertical center plane of the hull along its length.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hull is hollow inside, and at least one partition is provided inside the hull, which divides the interior of the hull into multiple accommodating spaces.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the uppermost accommodating space is used to accommodate the unmanned surface vessel.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tail of the hull is provided with an outlet at the same level as the uppermost accommodating space, and the drone can fly out from the outlet.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the unmanned surface vessel is provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs inside the shell, the plurality of reinforcing ribs being arranged parallel to each other and evenly arranged along the length direction of the shell.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface of the hull that is not in contact with the water surface is also provided with a solar panel.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: by individually controlling the unfolding or retraction of the corresponding solar panel through the first drive unit, the solar panel is prevented from being damaged over a large area by the marine environment, especially rainy weather, thus extending the service life of the unmanned surface vessel. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism of an unmanned surface vessel.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the number of solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms for an unmanned surface vessel is two.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a structure for an unmanned surface vessel with eight solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another structure when the number of solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms for an unmanned surface vessel is eight.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the unmanned surface vessel from its frontal view.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the unmanned surface vessel from the right side.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the unmanned surface vessel from an isometric perspective. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0036] Secondly, this utility model is described in detail with reference to the schematic diagrams. When describing the embodiments of this utility model, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged, not according to the usual scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of this utility model. In addition, actual manufacturing should include the three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth.

[0037] Example 1

[0038] Reference Figure 1 This is the first embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment provides a solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism 100, which includes a first driving unit 101 and a solar panel 102.

[0039] Specifically, the first drive unit 101 and the solar panel 102 are connected by a drive mechanism. In this embodiment, the first drive unit 101 is a motor, and the solar panel 102 is stored by winding. One end of the solar panel 102 is fixed on a rotating shaft, and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, so that the motor can drive the rotating shaft to rotate. In the initial state, the solar panel 102 is wound and stored on the rotating shaft layer by layer. When the solar panel 102 needs to be unfolded, the motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the solar panel 102 wound and stored on the rotating shaft to gradually unfold. When the solar panel 102 needs to be rewound and stored, the motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate in the opposite direction, which in turn drives the solar panel 102 to be rewound and stored on the rotating shaft.

[0040] When the rotating shaft rotates, the solar panel 102 can be unfolded or retracted. That is, the first driving unit 101 can drive the solar panel 102 to unfold or retract by winding. When there are multiple solar panel unfolding and retracting mechanisms 100, each first driving unit 101 can independently control the unfolding or retracting stroke of the corresponding solar panel 102, which can take into account both the utilization efficiency of the solar panel 102 and the protection of the solar panel from rain damage.

[0041] Example 2

[0042] This is the second embodiment of the present invention, which is basically the same as embodiment 1.

[0043] The difference is that the first driving unit 101 in this embodiment uses a hydraulic cylinder, and the solar panel 102 in this embodiment is also different in that it is stored in a sliding manner. The single solar panel storage mechanism 100 has multiple solar panels 102, which are arranged in parallel to each other, and adjacent solar panels 102 are slidably connected to each other. The output end of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the outermost solar panel 102. In the initial state, the multiple solar panels 102 are stored together, and the stored solar panels 102 are parallel to each other. When the solar panels 102 need to be unfolded, the output end of the hydraulic cylinder drives the outermost solar panel 102 to move outward, thereby causing the multiple solar panels 102 to unfold in sequence. When the solar panels 102 need to be retracted, the hydraulic cylinder drives the outermost solar panel 102 to move in the opposite direction, thereby causing the multiple solar panels 102 to retract in sequence.

[0044] That is, the first driving unit 101 can drive the solar panel 102 to unfold or retract by sliding. When there are multiple solar panel unfolding and retracting mechanisms 100, each first driving unit 101 can individually control the unfolding or retracting stroke of the corresponding solar panel 102, which can take into account both the utilization efficiency of the solar panel 102 and protect the solar panel 102 from rain damage.

[0045] Example 3

[0046] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is the third embodiment of the present invention, which is based on embodiment 1 or embodiment 2.

[0047] Specifically, the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism 100 has at least two components, and in this embodiment, the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism 100 has two components. Compared to having only one solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism 100, the total area of ​​the solar panel 102 can be increased, thereby improving the energy conversion rate.

[0048] Preferably, the solar panels 102 of at least one or two solar panel deployment mechanisms 100 are in contact with a horizontal plane. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the solar panels 102 of both solar panel deployment mechanisms 100 are in contact with a horizontal plane.

[0049] Example 4

[0050] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 This is the fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is based on embodiment 1 or embodiment 2.

[0051] Specifically, there are at least two solar panel retraction mechanisms 100, and in this embodiment there are eight solar panel retraction mechanisms 100. The eight solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 are divided into upper and lower layers, with four solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 in each layer.

[0052] Preferably, at least two solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 further include a second drive unit 103. In this embodiment, the four upper-layer solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 also include a second drive unit 103. The second drive units 103 of these four solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 are connected to the corresponding solar panels 102 in a transmission connection. In this embodiment, the second drive unit 103 is also a motor. The solar panels 102 of these four solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 are respectively installed in four sealed shells. The output shaft of the motor is fixedly connected to the sealed shell. That is, the second drive unit 103 drives the corresponding solar panel 102 to rotate by driving the sealed shell to rotate. In other words, the second drive unit 103 is used to adjust the angle of the solar panel 102 relative to the horizontal plane.

[0053] Preferably, each of the second drive units 103 can individually control the rotation angle of the corresponding solar panel 102.

[0054] Preferably, the rotation axes of the solar panels 102 of at least two solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100 coincide. Since the four solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100 on the upper layer of this embodiment also include a second drive unit 103, these four solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100 are divided into two groups of two, each group including two solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100, and the rotation axis of the solar panel 102 of one solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism 100 in each group coincides with the rotation axis of the solar panel 102 of the other solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism 100 in the same group.

[0055] Preferably, the rotation axis of the solar panel 102 is parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0056] Preferably, the solar panels 102 of at least two or all of the solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 have equal angles with the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the solar panels 102 of four solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 have equal angles with the horizontal plane, while the solar panels 102 of the other four solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 are parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0057] Example 5

[0058] See Figure 1 and Figure 4 This is the fifth embodiment of the present invention, which is based on embodiment 1 or embodiment 2.

[0059] Specifically, there are at least two solar panel retraction mechanisms 100, and in this embodiment, there are eight solar panel retraction mechanisms 100. The eight solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 are divided into upper and lower layers, with four solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 in each layer.

[0060] Preferably, all solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 include a second drive unit 103, that is, all eight solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 include a second drive unit 103. The second drive unit 103 is connected to the corresponding solar panel 102 in a transmission manner. The transmission connection method between the second drive unit 103 and the corresponding solar panel 102 is the same as the connection method in embodiment 4. The second drive unit 103 is used to adjust the angle of the solar panel 102 relative to the horizontal plane.

[0061] Preferably, each of the second drive units 103 can individually control the rotation angle of the corresponding solar panel 102.

[0062] Preferably, the rotation axes of the solar panels 102 of at least two solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100 coincide. Since all eight solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100 in this embodiment include a second drive unit 103, these eight solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100 are divided into four groups of two, each group including two solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms 100. The rotation axis of the solar panel 102 of one solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism 100 in each group coincides with the rotation axis of the solar panel 102 of another solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism 100 in the same group.

[0063] Preferably, the rotation axis of the solar panel 102 is parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0064] Preferably, the solar panels 102 of at least two or all of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms 100 have equal angles with the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the solar panels 102 of all the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms 100 have equal angles with the horizontal plane, and the angle in this embodiment is 180°, that is, the solar panels 102 of all the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms 100 in this embodiment are uniformly parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0065] Example 6

[0066] See Figures 1 to 7 This embodiment is the sixth embodiment of the present invention, and this embodiment is based on the above embodiments.

[0067] Specifically, this embodiment provides an unmanned surface vessel, including the aforementioned solar panel retraction mechanism 100 and a hull 200. The solar panel retraction mechanism 100 is disposed on the hull 200. In this embodiment, the multiple solar panel retraction mechanisms 100 are symmetrically distributed with respect to the vertical center plane of the length direction of the hull 200.

[0068] Preferably, the interior of the housing 200 is hollow, and at least one partition is provided inside the housing 200. In this embodiment, two partitions are provided, which are arranged parallel to each other. The two partitions divide the interior of the housing 200 into three accommodating spaces M, which are arranged parallel to each other. The uppermost accommodating space M is used to accommodate the drone 300. An outlet 202 is provided at the tail end of the housing 200, which is flush with the uppermost accommodating space M, through which the drone 300 can fly out.

[0069] Furthermore, the housing 200 is also provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs 203. The reinforcing ribs are used to strengthen the structural strength of the housing. In this embodiment, the reinforcing ribs 203 are annular in shape. The plurality of reinforcing ribs 203 are arranged parallel to each other and are evenly arranged along the length direction of the housing 200, that is, the distance between two adjacent reinforcing ribs 203 is equal.

[0070] Furthermore, solar panels 102 are also provided on the outer surface of the housing 200 that is not in contact with the water surface.

[0071] Based on the above, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0072] 1. By individually controlling the extension or retraction of the corresponding solar panel through the first drive unit, the solar panel is prevented from being damaged over a large area by the marine environment, especially rainy weather, thus extending the service life of the unmanned surface vessel.

[0073] 2. By symmetrically distributing multiple solar panel deployment and take-up mechanisms 100 relative to the vertical center plane of the shell 200 along its length, the arrangement of the solar panel deployment and take-up mechanisms 100 is optimized to avoid affecting the balance of the unmanned surface vessel on the water.

[0074] It is important to note that the constructions and arrangements of this application shown in several different exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Although only a few embodiments are described in detail in this disclosure, those who consult this disclosure will readily understand that many modifications are possible (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion of various elements, as well as parameter values ​​(e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described in this application). For example, an element shown as integrally formed may be composed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be inverted or otherwise altered, and the nature or number or position of discrete elements may be changed or altered. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this utility model. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be changed or rearranged according to alternative embodiments. In the claims, any "device plus function" clause is intended to cover the structure described herein that performs the function, and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Without departing from the scope of this invention, other substitutions, modifications, alterations, and omissions may be made in the design, operation, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but extends to various modifications that still fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0075] Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual embodiments (i.e., those features that are not relevant to the best mode of carrying out the present invention as currently considered, or those features that are not relevant to implementing the present invention) may be omitted.

[0076] It should be understood that numerous specific implementation decisions can be made during the development of any practical implementation, such as in any engineering or design project. Such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, the development effort will be a routine work of design, manufacturing, and production without requiring much experimentation.

[0077] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solution of this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of this utility model, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100), characterized in that: It includes a first drive unit (101) and a solar panel (102), the first drive unit (101) and the solar panel (102) are connected by a drive, the first drive unit (101) is used to drive the solar panel (102) to unfold or retract; and a single first drive unit (101) can individually control the unfolding or retracting stroke of the corresponding solar panel (102).

2. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism (100) has at least two parts.

3. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 2, characterized in that: At least two of the solar panel retraction mechanisms (100) further include a second drive unit (103), which is connected to the corresponding solar panel (102) in a transmission manner. The second drive unit (103) is used to adjust the angle of the solar panel (102) relative to the horizontal plane.

4. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 2, characterized in that: All of the solar panel retraction mechanisms (100) include a second drive unit (103), which is connected to the corresponding solar panel (102) in a transmission manner. The second drive unit (103) is used to adjust the angle of the solar panel (102) relative to the horizontal plane.

5. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: Each of the second drive units (103) can individually control the rotation angle of the corresponding solar panel (102).

6. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 2, characterized in that: At least one of the solar panel deployment mechanisms (100) has a solar panel (102) that can be attached to a horizontal plane.

7. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The solar panels (102) of both solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms (100) are able to fit against the horizontal plane.

8. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The rotation axes of the solar panels (102) of at least two of the solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms (100) coincide.

9. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The rotation axis of the solar panel (102) is parallel to the horizontal plane.

10. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The solar panels (102) of at least two of the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms (100) have equal angles with the horizontal plane.

11. The solar panel deployment and retraction mechanism (100) as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The solar panels (102) of all the solar panel deployment and retraction mechanisms (100) have equal angles with the horizontal plane.

12. An unmanned surface vessel, characterized in that: Includes a solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism (100) as described in any one of claims 2 to 11, and a housing (200), wherein the solar panel take-up and take-down mechanism (100) is disposed on the housing (200), and a plurality of the solar panel take-up and take-down mechanisms (100) are distributed symmetrically with respect to the vertical center plane of the housing (200) in the length direction.

13. The unmanned surface vessel as described in claim 12, characterized in that: The interior of the housing (200) is hollow, and at least one partition (201) is provided inside the housing (200), which divides the interior of the housing (200) into multiple layers of receiving space (M).

14. The unmanned surface vessel as described in claim 13, characterized in that: The uppermost storage space (M) is used to accommodate the drone (300).

15. The unmanned surface vessel as described in claim 14, characterized in that: The tail of the housing (200) is provided with an outlet (202) at the same level as the uppermost accommodating space (M), through which the drone (300) can fly out.

16. The unmanned surface vessel as described in claim 12, characterized in that: The housing (200) is also provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs (203), which are arranged parallel to each other and are evenly arranged along the length direction of the housing (200).

17. The unmanned surface vessel as described in claim 12, characterized in that: The outer surface of the housing (200) that is not in contact with the water surface is also provided with a solar panel (102).

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