System for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels

Abstract

A system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels (2) is provided with two longitudinal guide members (8; 32, 34), which are parallel to one another; two moving carriages (9; 35, 36), each movable along a respective longitudinal guide member (8; 32, 34); a cleaning roller ((1111;; 38), in particular a brush roller, mounted between the two moving carriages (9; 35, 36); and a motorized operating carriage (17; 43) mounted inside a guide section bar (16; 33) arranged under at least one photovoltaic or solar panel ((22)) and connected with at least one of the moving carriages (9; 35, 36) so as to move the moving carriages ((99;; 35, 3366)) and the cleaning roller (11; 38) along the longitudinal guide members (8; 32, 34) and above the photovoltaic or solar panel (2).

Description

[0001] "SYSTEM FOR CLEANING PHOTOVOLTAIC OR SOLAR PANELS"

[0002] Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no . 102023000018021 filed on September 1 , 2023 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference .

[0004] Technical Field

[0005] The present invention relates to a system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels .

[0006] Background of the Invention

[0007] In particular, the present invention relates to a system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels of the type comprising a support frame , which extends around at least one photovoltaic or solar panel , in particular a plurality of photovoltaic or solar panels , and has two longitudinal guide members , which are parallel to one another and to a first direction .

[0008] The system comprises , furthermore , two moving carriages , which are coupled in a sliding manner to the two longitudinal guide members , and support a cleaning roller, in particular a brush roller, mounted between the moving carriages so as to rotate around its own longitudinal axis parallel to a second direction transverse to the first direction .

[0009] The system is provided, furthermore , with a first driving motor mounted on one of the moving carriages so as to move the cleaning roller around its longitudinal axis , and an operating device to move the operating carriages and the cleaning roller along the longitudinal guide members in the first direction .

[0010] The operating device comprises a rack mounted along one of the longitudinal guide members parallel to the first direction, and a second driving motor mounted on the corresponding moving carriage and coupled with the rack . The system has , furthermore, a hydraulic supply unit comprising two supply ducts , which extend between the moving carriages parallel to the second direction, are arranged on opposite sides of the cleaning roller in the first direction, and are connected to a washing liquid supply device , in particular a tank or the water network, by means of the interposition of a distribution mani fold .

[0011] Known photovoltaic or solar panel cleaning systems of the type described above have some drawbacks mainly resulting from the fact that the rack and the aforementioned second driving motor are exposed to atmospheric agents and to any other external damaging factors .

[0012] Summary of the Invention

[0013] The obj ect of the present invention is to provide a system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels that is free from the drawbacks described above and which is simple and inexpensive to implement .

[0014] According to the present invention, there is provided a system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels as claimed in the attached claims .

[0015] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings , which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof , wherein :

[0017] Figures 1 and 2 are two schematic perspective views , with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the system of Figures 1 and 2 ;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of Figure 3 ; Figures 5 and 6 are two schematic perspective views , with parts removed for clarity, of an alternative of the system of Figures 1 and 2 ; and

[0020] Figure 7 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the system of Figures 5 and 6 .

[0021] Description of Embodiments of the Invention

[0022] With reference to Figures 1 and 2 , 1 denotes , as a whole , a system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels 2 .

[0023] The system 1 comprises a support frame 3 compris ing, in turn, a plurality of vertical uprights 4 parallel to one another, which extend in a direction 5 , each have di f ferent lengths from one another, and carry a plurality of hori zontal crosspieces 6 , which are paral lel to one another, arranged between the uprights 4 and extend in a direction 7 transverse to the direction 5 .

[0024] The crosspieces 6 are arranged at di f ferent heights from the ground, and define an inclined support plane P for a plurality of panels 2 ( in this case two panels 2 ) .

[0025] The frame 3 comprises , furthermore , two longitudinal guide members 8 parallel to one another, which are mounted on opposite sides o f the panels 2 , and extend along an upper edge and a lower edge of the panels 2 in the direction 7 .

[0026] Each longitudinal member 8 is engaged in a sliding manner by a moving carriage 9 by means of the interposition of a set of wheels 10 mounted on the carriage 9 .

[0027] The two carriages 9 are connected to one another by a cleaning roller 11 , in particular a brush roller, which extends above the panels 2 , is mounted to rotate around its own longitudinal axis 12 which is parallel to the plane P and to a direction 13 transverse to the direction 7 , and is moved around the axis 12 by an electric motor 14 mounted on the lower carriage 9 .

[0028] As shown in figures 3 and 4 , the carriages 9 and the roller 11 are moved along the longitudinal members 8 in the direction 7 by an operating device 15 compri sing a guide section bar 16 , which is fixed to the lower crosspiece 6 parallel to the direction 7 , extends under the panels 2 , and is slidably engaged by a motori zed carriage 17 .

[0029] The carriage 17 is housed inside the section bar 16 , is driven by an electric motor 18 mounted on the carriage 17 , and is connected to the lower carriage 9 by means of the interposition of a coupling bracket 19 slidingly engaged in a groove 20 obtained through the section bar 16 parallel to the direction 7 .

[0030] The device 15 is provided, furthermore , with a cable carrier 21 , which is fixed to the frame 3 at its first free end and to the carriage 17 at its second free end, extends inside the section bar 16 , and houses , on the inside , at least one power supply cable 22 configured to electrically power the motor 18 and / or selectively control the operation of the motor 18 .

[0031] The system 1 comprises , furthermore , a hydraulic supply unit 23 comprising, in turn, two supply ducts 24 , which extend between the two carriages 9 in the direction 13 , are arranged on opposite sides of the roller 11 in the direction 7 , and are each provided with a respective plurality of known and not shown outlet holes .

[0032] The ducts 24 are connected to a distribution mani fold 25 , which is housed inside the cable carrier 21 , at least partly extends inside the section bar 16 , and is connected, in turn, to a washing liquid supply device (not shown) , in particular a storage tank or the water network . The supply of the washing liquid from the mani fold 25 to the ducts 24 is selectively controlled by two solenoid valves (not shown) mounted, each, between the mani fold 25 and a respective duct 24 .

[0033] The system 1 is provided, furthermore , with a protection casing (not shown) , which is mounted between the two carriages 9 parallel to the direction 13 , extends around the roller 11 and the ducts 24 , and is moved by the carriages 9 along the longitudinal members 8 in the direction 7 .

[0034] According to an alternative not shown, the panels 2 are mounted on an additional support frame coupled in a rotatably manner to the frame 3 to rotate , with respect to the frame 3 , around a rotation axis parallel to the direction 7 and / or around a rotation axis parallel to the direction 13 .

[0035] The system 1 has some advantages mainly deriving from the fact that the carriage 17 and the motor 18 are housed inside the section bar 16 and that the power supply cable 22 and the supply mani fold 25 are housed inside the cable carrier 21 so as to be protected from atmospheric agents and any other external damaging factors .

[0036] The alternative shown in Figures from 5 to 7 relates to a system 26 for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels 2 .

[0037] The system 26 comprises a support frame 27 comprising, in turn, two vertical uprights 28 parallel to one another, which extend in the direction 5 , and have an upper crosspiece 29 connected to the same , which extends in the direction 7 , and supports the panels 2 .

[0038] The uprights 28 are delimited by respective front faces 30 facing the panel s 2 and by respective rear faces 31 opposite to the faces 30 . The frame 27 comprises, furthermore, a rear longitudinal guide member 32, which extends between the uprights 28 and along the panels 2 in the direction 7, and is fixed to the rear faces 31, and a guide section bar 33, which extends between the uprights 28 and along the panels 2 in the direction 7, is mounted under the panels 2, and is fixed to the front faces 30.

[0039] The profile 33 houses, on the inside, a front longitudinal guide member 34 parallel to the direction 7.

[0040] Each longitudinal member 32, 34 is engaged in a sliding manner by a respective moving carriage 35, 36 by means of the interposition of a set of wheels 37 mounted on the carriage 35, 36.

[0041] The system 26 comprises, furthermore, a cleaning roller 38, which is mounted above and in contact with the panels 2, and is inserted inside a support structure 39 so as to rotate, relative to the structure 39 and under the thrust of a known and not shown driving motor, around its own longitudinal axis 40 which is parallel to the panels 2.

[0042] The structure 39 has a U-shape with a concavity facing the panels 2, and is connected to the carriages 35, 36 by means of two elongated coupling members 41 extending under the panels 2.

[0043] The carriages 35, 36, the roller 38, the structure 39, and the members 41 are moved along the longitudinal members 32, 34 in the direction 7 by an operating device 42 comprising a motorized carriage 43, which is entirely analogous to the carriage 17, is housed inside the profile 33, and is connected to the carriage 36 and to the respective member 41. The device 42 is provided, furthermore , with a cable carrier entirely analogous to the cable carrier 21 , and with a hydraulic supply unit entirely analogous to the hydraulic supply unit 23 .

Claims

CLAIMS1.- A system for cleaning photovoltaic or solar panels (2) comprising at least one photovoltaic or solar panel (2) ; a support frame (3; 27) provided with two longitudinal guide members (8; 32, 34) , which are parallel to one another and are mounted along the photovoltaic or solar panel (2) parallel to a first direction (7) ; two moving carriages (9; 35, 36) , each movable along a respective longitudinal guide member (8; 32, 34) in the first direction (7) ; a cleaning roller (11; 38) , in particular a brush roller, mounted between the two moving carriages (9; 35, 36) parallel to a second direction (13) , which is transverse to the first direction (7) ; and an operating device (15; 42) to move the moving carriages (9; 35, 36) and the cleaning roller (11; 38) along the longitudinal guide members (8; 32, 34) in the first direction (7) and above the photovoltaic or solar panel (2) ; and characterised in that the operating device (15; 42) comprises a guide section bar (16; 33) mounted under the photovoltaic or solar panel (2) parallel to the first direction (7) and a motorised operating carriage (17; 43) mounted inside the guide section bar (16; 33) and connected to at least one of the moving carriages (9; 35, 36) .2.- The system according to claim 1 and further comprising a hydraulic supply unit (23) comprising, in turn, two supply ducts (24) , which extend between the two moving carriages (9; 35, 36) , in particular parallel to the second direction (13) , are mounted on opposite sides of the cleaning roller (11; 38) in the first direction (7) , and can be connected to a washing liquid supply device.3.- The system according to claim 2 and further comprising a protection casing, which is mounted between the two moving carriages (9; 35, 36) and extends around the cleaning roller (11) and the supply ducts (24) .4.- The system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the hydraulic supply unit (23) further comprises a distribution manifold (25) , which is carried by the operating carriage (17; 43) , at least partly extends inside the guide section bar (16; 33) , and connects the washing liquid supply device and the supply ducts (24) to one another.5.- The system according to claim 4 and further comprising, for each supply duct (24) , a respective valve device to selectively connect the distribution manifold (25) and the supply duct (24) to one another.6.- The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating device (15; 42) further comprises a driving motor (18) mounted on the operating carriage (17; 43) inside the guide section bar (16; 33) .7.- The system according to claim 6 and further comprising at least one power supply cable (22) , which is carried by the operating carriage (17; 43) , extends inside the guide section bar (16; 33) , and is configured to electrically power the driving motor (18) and / or selectively control the operation of the driving motor (18) .8.- The system according to claim 7, when it depends on claim 4, and further comprising a cable carrier (21) , which is carried by the operating carriage (17; 43) , extends inside the guide section bar (16; 33) , and houses, on the inside, the distribution manifold (25) and the power supply cable (22) .9.- The system according to any one of the preceding claims and further comprising a further driving motor (14) mounted on one of the moving carriages (9; 35, 36) so as to move the cleaning roller (11; 38) around a longitudinal axis (12; 40) thereof .10.- The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the photovoltaic or solar panel (2) is mounted on a further support frame coupled to the support frame (3; 27) so as to oscillate, relative to the support frame (3; 27) around a first rotation axis, which is parallel to the first direction (7) and / or around a second rotation axis, which is parallel to the second direction (13) .

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