SOLAR ARRAY WITH SERVICE ROBOT THAT CAN TRAVEL BETWEEN SOLAR PANELS

Abstract

A travel path is arranged on the end faces of the solar panels and on which a service robot can travel, can rotate in place by a suitable rotational device, and can continue on a line. In this manner, the service robot can travel completely autonomously. For each row of adjacent solar panels, a centering opening is paired with the travel path, wherein the service robot has a centering pin which can engage into the centering opening, or the travel path is made of multiple sub-surfaces which form a respective rotary table in the region of the end faces of the solar panels, and the rotary table can be rotated about a perpendicular rotational axis running through the rotary table.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A solar array comprising a plurality of solar panels (2) that are set up in rows and can pivot about a pivot axle (3), as well as at least one service robot (8) that can travel on the solar panels (2) using drive elements, wherein the end faces of multiple solar panels (2) are connected by way of a travel path that borders on them, for travel of the service robot (2) between multiple rows of solar panels (2), and means of rotation for rotating the service robot (8) about a perpendicular rotational axis that runs within the same are provided, wherein a centering opening (7) is assigned to the travel path for each row of adjacent solar panels (2), wherein the service robot (8) has a centering pin (12) that can be moved into this centering opening (7).

16. The solar array according to claim 15, wherein the travel path is formed from multiple sub-surfaces that form a rotary table (6) in the region of the end faces of the solar panels (2), in each instance.

17. The solar array according to claim 16, wherein the rotary table (6) can rotate about a perpendicular rotational axis that runs through the same.

18. The solar array according to claim 16, wherein at least one travel table (5) is arranged between two rotary tables (6).

19. A solar array comprising a plurality of solar panels (2) that are set up in rows and can pivot about a pivot axle (3), as well as at least one service robot (8) that can travel on the solar panels (2) using drive elements, wherein the end faces of multiple solar panels (2) are connected by way of a travel path that borders on them, for travel of the service robot (2) between multiple rows of solar panels (2), and means of rotation for rotating the service robot (8) about a perpendicular rotational axis that runs within the same are provided, wherein the travel path is formed by multiple sub-surfaces that form a rotary table (6) in the region of the end faces of the solar panels (2), in each instance, and the rotary table (6) can rotate about a perpendicular rotational axis that runs through the same, wherein a centering opening (7) is assigned to the travel path for each row of adjacent solar panels (2), wherein the service robot (8) has a centering pin (12) that can be moved into this centering opening (7).

20. The solar array according to claim 19, wherein at least one travel table (5) is arranged between two rotary tables (6).

21. The solar array according to claim 15, wherein the means of rotation comprise drive elements of the service robot (8) that can be operated in opposite directions.

22. The solar array according to claim 21, wherein the drive elements of the service robot (8) that can be operated in opposite directions are drive wheels, drive rollers or drive belts (10), which directly contact the surfaces of the solar panels (2).

23. The solar array according to claim 15, wherein the drive elements of the service robot (8) are distributed over a length of the service robot (8) that is both greater than the distance between two solar panels (2) arranged in a row and also greater than the distance (4) between the end face of a solar panel (2) and the travel path.

24. The solar array according to claim 15, wherein the travel path is formed as a continuous travel table (5).

25. The solar array according to claim 15, wherein the service robot (8) has side guide elements assigned to it on both sides, for contacting longitudinal edges of the solar panels (2) on both sides.

26. The solar array according to claim 25, wherein the side guide elements can be moved out of engagement with the longitudinal edges of the solar panels (2).

27. The solar array according to claim 25, wherein the side guide elements are four side guide rollers (11) which are arranged so as to rotate around a perpendicular rotational axis and in such a manner that they are distributed uniformly around the service robot (8), and all have the same distance from a centering pin (12) arranged centrally in the service robot (8), for introduction into a centering opening (7) of a rotary table (6) of the travel path.

Description

[0026] The figures show:

[0027] FIG. 1 the region of a continuous travel table of a solar array having at least three solar panels, in a schematic top view,

[0028] FIG. 2 the region of the solar array according to FIG. 1, wherein the travel path is formed from multiple adjacent rotary tables, in a schematic top view,

[0029] FIG. 3 a service robot on a rotary table in a schematic lateral top view,

[0030] FIG. 4 the service robot according to FIG. 3 in a schematic top view from above, as well as

[0031] FIG. 5 the region of the solar array according to FIG. 2, with the service robot according to FIG. 4, in a schematic top view from above.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a region of a solar array 1 in a schematic top view. The solar array 1 consists of a plurality of solar panels 2, which can be both photovoltaic modules and mirrors, the latter of which can be oriented, row by row, toward a centrally set-up absorber. In both cases the solar panels 2 can pivot about a pivot axle 3, so that correct orientation with respect to the sun can take place. In order to keep the energy yield of the solar panels at the highest possible level, a service robot 8 can be used to clean the solar panels 2. This robot can be set onto a solar panel 2 and can move along its length. However, in order to also reach further rows of solar panels autonomously, a travel path is provided that connects the end faces of the different solar panels 2 with one another. This path is configured as a continuous travel table 5, onto which the service robot 8 travels at the end of a row of solar panels 2. As soon as the service robot 8 has reached the middle of the travel table 5, it will operate its two drive belts 10, which are arranged on the side, in opposite directions, so that rotation in place occurs. At 90° the service robot 8 ends the rotation and travels along the travel table 5 until it has reached the height of the center of the next row of solar panels 2. There it performs a further rotation by 90° in the same direction, and then travels forward onto and over the next row of solar panels 2.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a variant of the solar array according to FIG. 1, in which the travel path is formed by multiple discrete rotary tables 6. In this regard, the rotary tables 6 each have a centering opening 7, which the service robot 8 can use as a stopping point for its rotation when it moves over the opening. Furthermore the rotary tables 6, which now jointly form the travel path, are spaced apart from one another, in each instance, so that side guide rollers 11 of the service robot 8 can remain in engagement while the robot performs its rotations on the rotary tables 6.

[0034] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the service robot 8 in a representation from the side, as well as a top view. Under its housing 9, the service robot 8 has a drive that consists of two drive belts composed of a slip-resistant material such as rubber or silicone, arranged lengthwise under the housing. In the case of movement of the drive belt in the same direction, forward movement of the service robot 8 takes place; in contrast, in the case of movement in opposite directions rotation about a rotational axis of the robot takes place. Movement in the same direction but at different speeds would lead to travel along a curve, but this is not planned for.

[0035] The representation shows the service robot 8 on a rotary table 6, wherein a centering pin 12 arranged under the housing 9 has moved into the centering opening 7 of the rotary table 6 that has already been mentioned. Independent of how precisely the drive belts can be operated or whether one of them might sometimes slip, in this manner rotation can only take place about the rotational axis that is predetermined by the centering pin 12. The side guide rollers 11 that create a suitable side hold for the service robot 8 on its travel along the solar panels lie farther away from the centering pin 12 than the corners of the rotary table 6, so that during a rotation the side guide rollers 11 cannot bump into the rotary table 6 and prevent rotation. Therefore raising the side guide rollers 11 or folding them away can be eliminated.

[0036] This is illustrated once again in FIG. 5. Here the service robot 8 has just arrived onto the middle rotary table 6 and now moves the centering pin 12 into the centering opening 7 of the rotary table 6. Afterward the service robot 8 is moved about the rotational axis of the centering pin 12 by means of movement of the drive belts 10 in opposite directions, and positioned onto the middle solar panel 2 in the direction of travel. The centering pin 12 is then retracted again and the drive belts 10 are put into motion in the same direction, so that the service robot 8 is moved in the direction of the middle solar panel 2. First the distance 4 between the middle rotary table 6 and the middle solar panel 2 is overcome on the basis of the sufficient length of the drive belts 10, wherein the side guide rollers 11 that are at the front in the direction of travel engage first around the edges of the middle solar panel 2. The service robot 8 pushes itself onto the middle solar panel 2 until the drive belts 10 finally engage entirely onto the surface of the solar panel 2, and the side guide rollers 11 that are in the back in the travel direction also engage around the edges of the solar panel 2.

[0037] What has been described above is therefore a solar array with a service robot that can not only maintain entire rows of the solar array autonomously, but rather can also switch between the rows of the solar array autonomously and thereby can maintain the entire solar array without outside intervention.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0038] 1 solar array [0039] 2 solar panel [0040] 3 pivot axle [0041] 4 distance [0042] 5 travel table [0043] 6 rotary table [0044] 7 centering opening [0045] 8 service robot [0046] 9 housing [0047] 10 drive belt [0048] 11 side guide roller [0049] 12 centering pin