Mobile panel cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile panel maintenance systems lack efficient and automated methods for positioning and maintaining solar panels or other panels, especially in large arrays, which hinders effective cleaning and maintenance due to the complexity of navigating and orienting maintenance units relative to the panels.
Innovation Solution
A mobile panel maintenance system comprising a mobile base with a carriage arm and panel maintenance assembly, equipped with navigation sensors, fluid reservoirs, and cleaning mechanisms, which uses GPS and RTK systems to precisely position and orient the maintenance unit relative to the panels, allowing for automated cleaning and maintenance operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual positioning and maintenance methods are used for solar panels, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity and cleaning effectiveness deteriorate due to the complexity of navigating and orienting maintenance units relative to large panel arrays
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance unit autonomously navigates and positions itself relative to solar panels using onboard sensors (cameras, LIDAR, GPS/RTK) and automated control systems. The system performs self-positioning, self-orientation, and self-adjustment of maintenance tools without requiring manual intervention for navigation, thereby dramatically improving productivity while the automated systems manage the complexity internally
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with automated electronic control systems. Sensors detect panel locations and conditions, processors analyze data to determine optimal positioning, and actuators automatically adjust the maintenance unit's position and orientation. This substitution of manual mechanical operations with automated sensor-processor-actuator systems resolves the contradiction by improving efficiency while containing complexity within the automated control architecture
2Measurement precision
If automated positioning systems with GPS and RTK are implemented, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple positioning systems (GPS, RTK, and local visual/LIDAR sensors) into an integrated navigation system. The GPS/RTK provides coarse global positioning while local sensors provide fine relative positioning to panels. The processor fuses data from all sensors to achieve high positioning accuracy. This merging of multiple positioning approaches at different scales resolves the contradiction by achieving precision through system integration rather than relying on a single complex system
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary that receives data from multiple sensor sources (GPS, RTK, cameras, LIDAR) and synthesizes this information into accurate positioning and orientation data. Rather than requiring each sensor to independently achieve high precision, the intermediary processor integrates their combined information to achieve the desired measurement precision, thereby managing complexity through intelligent data fusion
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile panel maintenance system including a mobile panel maintenance unit having a base supported for translational motion over a surface within a panel array and a carriage movably mounted to the base to position a panel maintenance assembly in relation to a panel surface for panel maintenance.