Crawler and photovoltaic cleaning robot
By dividing the track into rough and smooth areas with raised structures, high static friction and a water-scraping function are provided, solving the problem of photovoltaic cleaning robots slipping and falling on wet photovoltaic panels and achieving stable operation in wet and slippery environments.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202521052346.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-05-26
AI Technical Summary
Traditional tracked photovoltaic cleaning robots are prone to slipping on wet photovoltaic panels and are at risk of falling. Existing patterned structures and textures cannot provide sufficient sliding friction to stop the slipping process.
Design a track with multiple raised structures on its wear-resistant layer. The raised structures are divided into rough and smooth areas. The rough area provides high static friction to prevent slippage, while the smooth area scrapes water during sliding to reduce liquid interference and ensure dynamic friction, thus achieving dual protection of sliding and static friction.
The tracks remain stable on wet solar panels, reducing the risk of the solar cleaning robot slipping and falling, and adapting to various climatic conditions, especially operating normally in cold regions.
Smart Images
Figure CN224562638U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of photovoltaic technology, and more specifically, to a tracked and photovoltaic cleaning robot. Background Technology
[0002] Traditional tracked photovoltaic (PV) cleaning robots typically feature herringbone or rectangular raised or recessed patterns on their tracks to ensure smooth movement on tilted, smooth PV panels. However, because these raised surfaces are usually simple and uniformly smooth, their texture only provides good grip when the PV panel's tilt angle is small. The installation environment of PV panels is affected by latitude and climate, causing dew or frost to accumulate on the surface in winter, leading to slippage for the cleaning robot. Once slippage begins, the existing patterns and textures cannot provide sufficient friction to stop the robot from sliding, posing a risk of it falling.
[0003] Therefore, how to reduce the risk of photovoltaic cleaning robots sliding and falling off damp photovoltaic panels has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content
[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a track to reduce the risk of a photovoltaic cleaning robot slipping and falling off a wet photovoltaic panel.
[0005] Another objective of this application is to provide a photovoltaic cleaning robot having the aforementioned tracks.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:
[0007] A track, comprising:
[0008] The track body has a wear-resistant layer that can contact the walking surface. The wear-resistant layer includes a plurality of raised structures that define a rough area and a smooth area that can contact the walking surface, with the smooth area surrounding the outer side of the rough area.
[0009] Optionally, in the above-mentioned track, the track body further has a tensile layer stacked with the wear-resistant layer, and the tensile layer is provided with a plurality of internal teeth capable of meshing with the external teeth of the drive wheel.
[0010] Optionally, in the above-mentioned track, each of the inner teeth is distributed in two rows along the axial direction of the track body, and an integrally formed limiting guide is provided between the two rows of inner teeth.
[0011] Optionally, in the above-described track, the internal teeth are trapezoidal teeth or triangular arcuate teeth; and / or,
[0012] The internal teeth are made of polyurethane.
[0013] Optionally, in the aforementioned track, the tensile layer is made of one of stainless steel wire, glass fiber, and Kevlar.
[0014] Optionally, in the above-mentioned track, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion structure is at least one of a regular hexagon, an equilateral triangle, a square, and a circle.
[0015] Optionally, in the above-mentioned track, the ratio between the roughness of the rough area and the roughness of the smooth area is not less than 20.
[0016] Optionally, in the above-described track, the roughness of the smooth region is 0.8 μm to 1 μm; and / or,
[0017] The roughness of the rough region is 20μm to 35μm.
[0018] Optionally, in the above-described track, the interval between two adjacent protrusions is 1.9 mm to 2.1 mm; and / or,
[0019] The protruding structure is made of wear-resistant natural rubber.
[0020] A photovoltaic cleaning robot includes tracks as described in any of the preceding claims.
[0021] The track provided in this application features multiple raised structures on the wear-resistant layer of the track body. These raised structures form rough areas and smooth areas surrounding the rough areas. The rough areas provide high static friction, preventing slippage when stationary, while the smooth areas act as a water-scraping mechanism during sliding, reducing liquid interference and maintaining high dynamic friction. As demonstrated above, the track provided in this application, by functionally dividing the contact surface of the raised structures into different areas, achieves dual protection of sliding and static friction. This ensures the photovoltaic cleaning robot remains stable on the photovoltaic surface, whether stationary or sliding, reducing the risk of slipping and falling off wet photovoltaic panels.
[0022] The technical features mentioned above, those to be mentioned below, and those shown individually in the accompanying drawings can be combined arbitrarily, provided that the combined technical features are not contradictory. All feasible combinations of features are the technical content explicitly described herein. Any one of the multiple sub-features contained in the same statement can be applied independently, without necessarily being applied together with other sub-features. Attached Figure Description
[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.
[0024] Figure 1 An isometric view of the track provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0025] Figure 2 A front view of the track provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0026] Figure 3 A side view of the track provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0027] Figure 4 A top view of the track provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0028] Figure 5 Provided for the embodiments of this application Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.
[0029] Among them, 100 is the track body, 10 is the wear-resistant layer, and 20 is the tensile layer;
[0030] 11 represents a raised structure, 111 represents a rough area, and 112 represents a smooth area;
[0031] 21 is the internal tooth, 211 is the tooth groove, and 22 is the limiting guide bar. Detailed Implementation
[0032] The core of this application is to provide a track to reduce the risk of a photovoltaic cleaning robot slipping and falling off wet photovoltaic panels.
[0033] Another core aspect of this application is to provide a photovoltaic cleaning robot with the aforementioned tracks.
[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0035] A tracked photovoltaic (PV) cleaning robot is an intelligent device used for cleaning PV panels. It moves across the PV panels by rotating its tracks and uses cleaning components to clean them. The patterns or protrusions on the tracks increase friction with the PV panel surface, ensuring the robot doesn't slip or fall during movement.
[0036] Traditional tracked photovoltaic (PV) cleaning robots typically feature herringbone or rectangular raised or recessed patterns on their tracks to ensure smooth movement on tilted, smooth PV panels. However, because these raised surfaces are usually simple and uniformly smooth, their texture only provides good grip when the PV panel's tilt angle is small. The installation environment of PV panels is affected by latitude and climate, causing dew or frost to accumulate on the surface in winter, leading to slippage for the cleaning robot. Once slippage begins, the existing patterns and textures cannot provide sufficient friction to stop the robot from sliding, posing a risk of it falling.
[0037] Therefore, such as Figure 1 As shown in the illustration, this application discloses a track, including a track body 100. By functionally dividing the contact surface of the protruding structure 11 on the track body 100 into different areas, dual protection of sliding friction and static friction is achieved. This ensures that the photovoltaic cleaning robot remains stable on the photovoltaic surface, whether stationary or sliding, reducing the risk of the robot slipping and falling on wet photovoltaic panels. Furthermore, it can operate stably on photovoltaic panels with large tilt angles, avoiding the slippage problems caused by smooth surfaces or excessive tilt in traditional designs. It also improves the adaptability of the photovoltaic cleaning robot under various climatic conditions, especially in cold regions or winter environments, ensuring the robot can operate normally.
[0038] The following will combine Figures 1 to 5 The tracks disclosed in the embodiments of this application will be explained and described in detail.
[0039] Among them, such as Figures 1 to 4As shown, the track body 100 has a wear-resistant layer 10 that can contact the walking surface, and the wear-resistant layer 10 may include multiple protrusions 11. These protrusions 11 increase the friction between the track body 100 and the walking surface, ensuring that the photovoltaic cleaning robot will not slip or fall during movement. Meanwhile, as... Figure 5 As shown, the protruding structure 11 has a rough area 111 and a smooth area 112 that contact the walking surface, with the smooth area 112 surrounding the rough area 111. The rough area 111 of the protruding structure 11 provides high static friction, preventing slippage when stationary. Simultaneously, the smooth area 112 acts as a water scraper during sliding, reducing the interference of liquid on friction and ensuring high dynamic friction during sliding. This achieves dual protection of sliding and static friction, allowing the photovoltaic cleaning robot to remain stable on the photovoltaic surface whether stationary or sliding, reducing the risk of the robot slipping and falling on wet photovoltaic panels. It should be noted that the walking surface can be the surface of the photovoltaic panel or other inclined support surfaces.
[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, in order to ensure that the rough area 111 of the protruding structure 11 can provide high static friction, while the smooth area 112 can play a role in scraping water during sliding, the ratio between the roughness of the rough area 111 and the roughness of the smooth area 112 of the protruding structure 11 is not less than 20, that is, the roughness of the rough area 111 is at least 20 times the roughness of the smooth area 112, thereby ensuring that the rough area 111 of the protruding structure 11 can provide high static friction. Optionally, the roughness of the smooth area 112 can be 0.8μm to 1μm, for example, the roughness of the smooth area 112 can be 1μm, while the roughness of the rough area 111 can be 20μm to 35μm. This ensures that the rough area 111 can provide sufficient static friction when stationary. Moreover, when sliding begins, due to the scraping and pushing effect of the smooth area 112 on the outer edge of the rough area 111 on the liquid, the contact between the inner rough area 111 and the photovoltaic panel surface can still be kept dry. This results in the track having high dynamic friction during sliding, reducing the risk of the photovoltaic cleaning robot slipping and falling in wet conditions. At the same time, once sliding begins, there is sufficient dynamic friction to stop the sliding process, reducing the risk of the photovoltaic cleaning robot falling and colliding.
[0041] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, to ensure that the smooth area 112 of the raised structure 11 has a good scraping and pushing effect on the liquid, there is a gap of 1.9mm to 2.1mm between two adjacent raised structures 11. Preferably, the gap between two adjacent raised structures 11 can be 2mm, so that the smooth area 112 of the raised structure 11 can push water stains away through the gap between the two raised structures 11. At the same time, in order to ensure that the raised structure 11 has high wear resistance, the material of the raised structure 11 can be a wear-resistant natural rubber material with a Shore hardness of about 40A, so that the raised structure 11 has high tear resistance, wear resistance and large friction. The wear-resistant natural rubber material can be a composite material of natural rubber and carbon black, a blend of natural rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber, etc., which are not limited here.
[0042] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion structure 11 may be at least one of a regular hexagon, an equilateral triangle, a square, and a circle. That is, the protrusion structure 11 may be entirely made of one of a regular hexagon, an equilateral triangle, a square, and a circle, or a combination of regular hexagons, equilateral triangles, squares, and circles may be used.
[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion structure 11 can be a regular hexagon. The protrusion structure 11 can be composed of a small regular hexagon with an inscribed circle diameter of 7 mm and a large regular hexagon with an inscribed circle diameter of 10 mm, and the center of the large regular hexagon coincides with the center of the small regular hexagon. The area enclosed by the small regular hexagon is the rough area 111, and the area between the large and small regular hexagons is the smooth area 112. When the photovoltaic cleaning robot slides in any direction, the smooth area 112 located outside the rough area 111 can play a role in scraping and pushing to drain water. At the same time, the rough area 111 can establish a large contact area with the dry photovoltaic panel surface, thereby giving the track a high dynamic friction force during the sliding process, reducing the risk of the photovoltaic cleaning robot sliding and falling in wet and slippery conditions. At the same time, once the sliding begins, there is sufficient dynamic friction force to stop the sliding process, reducing the risk of the photovoltaic cleaning robot falling and colliding.
[0044] In the above embodiments, by using a regular hexagonal protrusion structure 11 instead of the traditional herringbone or rectangular protrusions, the anti-slip performance of the track is made more uniform and efficient, providing better grip and stability when the photovoltaic panel is wet and slippery. By setting a smooth rubber surface on the outer periphery of the regular hexagonal protrusion and a rough small hexagonal area inside, the functional division of different areas of the contact surface is realized. The rough area 111 provides high static friction to prevent slippage when stationary; while the smooth area 112 acts as a scraper during sliding, reducing the interference of liquid on friction and ensuring that high dynamic friction is maintained during sliding. At the same time, since the smooth area 112 of the regular hexagonal protrusion structure 11 has a unique "scraping" effect, it can effectively clean the water or thin ice on the surface of the photovoltaic panel, keeping the rough area 111 of the track surface dry when in contact with the photovoltaic panel. Thus, in wet or frost-covered environments, the photovoltaic cleaning robot can avoid slippage in the early stages and provide sufficient dynamic friction to stop slippage when it occurs, greatly reducing the risk of the photovoltaic cleaning robot falling.
[0045] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the track body 100 may also have a tensile layer 20 stacked with the wear-resistant layer 10, and a plurality of internal teeth 21 capable of meshing with the external teeth of the drive wheel are provided on the tensile layer 20 along the circumferential direction of the track body 100, and a tooth groove 211 capable of inserting into the external teeth of the drive wheel is formed between two adjacent internal teeth 21, so that the track body 100 can be driven to rotate by the drive wheel of the photovoltaic cleaning robot.
[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the tensile layer 20 can be made of stainless steel wire, glass fiber and Kevlar, and the shape of the inner teeth 21 can be trapezoidal teeth or triangular arc teeth. The material of the inner teeth 21 can be polyurethane material with a Shore hardness of A87°~A93°.
[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the track body 100 can be a T-shaped synchronous belt, and the internal teeth 21 can be trapezoidal teeth, so as to mesh with the external teeth of the drive wheel of the photovoltaic cleaning robot through the trapezoidal teeth. Optionally, the number of trapezoidal teeth is 120, the pitch of the trapezoidal teeth is 10mm, and the pitch line length is 1200mm±0.8mm.
[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, two rows of internal teeth 21 are distributed along the axial direction of the track body 100, and a limiting guide strip 22 integrally formed with the inner wall of the tensile layer 20 is provided between the two rows of internal teeth 21. The limiting guide strip 22 can cooperate with the notch groove in the middle of the drive wheel to form a limiting docking with the drive wheel, thereby effectively preventing the track from deviating from the drive wheel. Optionally, the limiting guide strip 22 can be made of polyurethane material and can be integrally vulcanized with the inner wall of the tensile layer 20.
[0049] This application also discloses a photovoltaic cleaning robot, which includes the track disclosed in the above embodiments. Therefore, the photovoltaic cleaning robot has all the technical effects of the track mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.
[0050] The terms "first" and "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units may include steps or units not listed, but rather not listed.
[0051] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A track, characterized in that, include: The track body (100) has a wear-resistant layer (10) that can contact the walking surface. The wear-resistant layer (10) includes a plurality of raised structures (11) that define a rough area (111) and a smooth area (112) that can contact the walking surface. The smooth area (112) surrounds the rough area (111) and the rough area (111) can provide high static friction. The smooth area (112) can scrape away water stains during sliding.
2. The track according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track body (100) also has a tensile layer (20) stacked with the wear-resistant layer (10), and the tensile layer (20) is provided with a plurality of internal teeth (21) that can mesh with the external teeth of the drive wheel.
3. The track according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the inner teeth (21) is distributed in two rows along the axial direction of the track body (100), and an integrally formed limiting guide strip (22) is provided between the two rows of inner teeth (21).
4. The track according to claim 2, characterized in that, The internal teeth (21) are trapezoidal teeth or triangular arcuate teeth; and / or, The internal teeth (21) are made of polyurethane.
5. The track according to claim 2, characterized in that, The tensile layer (20) is made of one of stainless steel wire, glass fiber and Kevlar.
6. The track according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the protrusion structure (11) is at least one of a regular hexagon, an equilateral triangle, a square, and a circle.
7. The track according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio between the roughness of the rough region (111) and the roughness of the smooth region (112) is not less than 20.
8. The track according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roughness of the smooth region (112) is 0.8 μm to 1 μm; and / or, The roughness of the rough region (111) is 20 μm to 35 μm.
9. The track according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interval between two adjacent protrusions (11) is 1.9 mm to 2.1 mm; and / or, The protruding structure (11) is made of wear-resistant natural rubber.
10. A photovoltaic cleaning robot, characterized in that, Includes the track as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.