JP2015082647A - Solar panel cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a solar panel cleaning device which is capable of discharging a liquid on a light receiving surface of a solar system to the outside of the light receiving surface whether the light receiving surface is disposed in an inclined attitude or in a horizontal attitude.SOLUTION: The solar panel cleaning device includes a body 2 movable on a light receiving surface R, cleaning means provided on the body 2 to clean the light receiving surface R, and a control unit for controlling movement of the cleaning means. Means including a wiper and a wiper driving unit which drives the wiper to be able to adjust the direction of a wiping surface 45 of the wiper is employed as the cleaning means and is configured so that, at least during rectilinear movement of the body 2, the wiping surface 45 is inclined relative to a rectilinear movement direction F of the body 2 toward a prescribed direction G1 in which a liquid on the light receiving surface R is to be discharged, by the control unit.

Description

  The present invention relates to a solar panel cleaning device for cleaning a light receiving surface of a solar panel.

  In recent years, a solar system that has been widely used is a solar panel in which a plurality of cells including solar cells that instantly convert sunlight into electric power by the photovoltaic effect are assembled into a panel shape in order to use solar energy. It is a system used with the light receiving surface installed outdoors with the sun facing.

  Solar panels include unitized panel units such as a light-receiving surface and a power generation unit, and in some large-scale mega solar systems, the total length of an array in which panel units are arranged in rows and columns can reach several hundred meters. Since these solar panels are installed outdoors, foreign matter such as dust contained in the atmosphere or rainwater, or bird droppings or dead leaves may adhere to the light receiving surface. And when it adheres to the light-receiving surface of such dust and a foreign material, the effective light-receiving area (area which light-receives sunlight directly) in a light-receiving surface reduces, and electric power generation efficiency falls.

  In order to avoid such a situation, it is required to appropriately clean the light receiving surface of the solar panel. However, since solar panels are often installed at high places such as roofs and rooftops, manual cleaning is difficult, especially in mega solar systems with a large light receiving surface, manual cleaning is a great effort. Need time.

  Then, the aspect which cleans a light-receiving surface using the solar panel cleaning apparatus for exclusive use instead of a human hand can be considered. For example, it has self-propelled means for self-propelling the main body equipped with the cleaning means on the light receiving surface of the solar panel and recognition means for recognizing the size and shape of the solar panel, and the main body is based on the output of the recognition means There has also been proposed a configuration in which the light receiving surface is cleaned by a cleaning unit while sequentially moving the light receiving surface along a predetermined cleaning line (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Patent Document 1 discloses a mode in which a rotating brush that cleans the surface of a solar panel is provided as a specific example of the cleaning unit. Further, as a modification of the cleaning unit, the surface of a smooth solar panel is uniformly formed. An embodiment using a blade that can be wiped (hereinafter referred to as “wiper”) is disclosed.

  As can be understood from FIG. 7 of Patent Document 1, the wiper is configured so that the direction of the surface (hereinafter referred to as “wiping surface”) for wiping the liquid such as the cleaning liquid from the light receiving surface to be cleaned is the traveling direction of the cleaning device. It is attached in a state where it is supported in a posture matched with.

JP 2010-186819 A

  By the way, when the solar panel is arranged with the light receiving surface inclined in a predetermined direction, the liquid such as the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface wiped with the wiper is automatically received through the inclined light receiving surface. Since it flows down from the surface, dust and foreign matter (hereinafter collectively referred to as “dirt”) removed from the light receiving surface by the cleaning means are also excluded from the light receiving surface.

  However, when the light receiving surface is arranged in a horizontal posture, the liquid and dirt such as the cleaning liquid wiped by the wiper do not flow down the inclined light receiving surface, and the wiper wiping surface faces. It is not guided in a certain direction by being pushed away in the direction, that is, in the traveling direction of the cleaning device, or leaking from both ends of the wiping surface of the wiper to a region outside the cleaning line passing at that time. Such a liquid or dirt stays on the light receiving surface unless it is wiped from the light receiving surface to the outside of the light receiving surface by a wiper or an appropriate tool other than the wiper, which may cause a decrease in power generation efficiency.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such inconveniences, and its main purpose is either when the light receiving surface of the solar system is arranged in an inclined posture or in a horizontal posture. However, it is providing the solar panel cleaning apparatus which can discharge | emit the liquid on a light-receiving surface out of a light-receiving surface.

  That is, this invention relates to the solar panel cleaning apparatus which can clean a light-receiving surface, moving on the light-receiving surface of a solar panel. And the solar panel cleaning device according to the present invention comprises a main body movable on the light receiving surface, a cleaning means provided on the main body for cleaning the light receiving surface, and a control unit for controlling at least the operation of the cleaning means, As the cleaning means, a wiper and a wiper driving unit that can drive the wiper and adjust the direction of the wiping surface of the wiper are applied, and the wiping surface is at least when the main body moves straight by the control unit. This is characterized in that the direction is inclined in a predetermined direction in which the liquid on the light receiving surface is discharged with respect to the straight direction of the main body. Here, examples of the “liquid on the light receiving surface” in the present invention include cleaning liquid, water that is not cleaning liquid, rain water, water droplets, and the like. In other words, the “liquid on the light receiving surface” in the present invention is a region on the light receiving surface and through which the wiping surface of the wiper passes at the time of cleaning regardless of whether or not the liquid is subjected to a cleaning process. It is meant to include all liquids present in Further, “the direction of the wiping surface” is synonymous with “the direction in which the wiping surface faces”.

  With such a solar panel cleaning device, the wiper drive unit can be adjusted in the direction of the wiper wiping surface, and the control unit sets the wiping surface direction on the light receiving surface with respect to the straight direction of the main body. By tilting in a predetermined direction set as the direction in which the liquid is desired to be discharged, the relative positional relationship between the both ends of the wiping surface is more downstream (front end side) in the straight direction of the main body than the other end. Thus, it is possible to set the positional relationship so that the other end is on the upstream side (opposite end side) in the straight direction of the main body from the one end. The liquid on the light-receiving surface wiped off by such a wiping surface is uniformly guided from the upstream side (anti-tip side) end of the wiping surface to the outside of the passing area of the wiping surface. The Therefore, with the solar panel cleaning device according to the present invention, even if the light receiving surface is arranged in a horizontal posture, the liquid on the light receiving surface wiped off by the wiper deviates from the passing area of the wiping surface. It is possible to accurately guide in the direction and discharge out of the light receiving surface, and it is possible to avoid the situation where the liquid wiped with the wiper leaks from both ends of the wiping surface and stays on the light receiving surface. . Even when the light receiving surface is arranged in an inclined posture so as to have a predetermined gradient, the solar panel cleaning device of the present invention is inclined as the predetermined direction for discharging the liquid on the light receiving surface. Compared with the case where the direction of the wiping surface matches the straight direction of the main unit by selecting the direction to decrease the gradient of the light receiving surface in the posture, the liquid wiped with the wiper is strongly discharged out of the light receiving surface can do.

  According to the present invention, the direction in which the wiping surface of the wiper faces can be set obliquely with respect to the straight direction of the main body, and when the light receiving surface of the solar panel is arranged in an inclined posture, In any case, the liquid on the light receiving surface can be discharged out of the light receiving surface by inclining the wiping surface in a predetermined direction for discharging the liquid on the light receiving surface. A possible solar panel cleaning device can be provided.

The plane schematic diagram which shows an example of the light-receiving surface of the solar panel with which one Embodiment of this invention is applied. The plane schematic diagram of the solar panel cleaning apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. The side surface schematic diagram of the solar panel cleaning apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. The front schematic diagram of the solar panel cleaning apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. FIG. 2 is an overall schematic diagram of a wiper and a wiper driving unit in the same embodiment. The figure which shows the state in process of cleaning along a 1st cleaning line in the same embodiment corresponding to FIG. The figure which shows the state in process of the movement process between cleaning lines in the embodiment corresponding to FIG. The figure which shows the state just before the start of the cleaning process along a 2nd cleaning line in the embodiment corresponding to FIG. The figure which shows the state in process of cleaning along a 2nd cleaning line corresponding to FIG. 1 in the same embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 according to this embodiment can be cleaned while moving on the light receiving surface R of the solar panel. The solar panel includes a panel unit P in which, for example, a light receiving surface R that is a glass surface, a power generation unit, a frame (not shown), and the like are unitized, and a plurality of such panel units P are arranged as shown in FIG. This constitutes a part of the solar system S. The total area of the light receiving surfaces R in an array in which a plurality of panel units P are arranged side by side (also referred to as an assembly of panel units P) depends on the number of panel units P and the area of the light receiving surfaces R of the panel units P.

  For convenience of explanation, FIG. 1 shows a surface direction of a light receiving surface R having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view in an assembly (array) of panel units P in which four panel units P are arranged in the lateral direction Y (width direction). The arrangement | sequence state of the light-receiving surface R seen from the direction orthogonal to is typically shown. In the mega solar system S in which a large number of panel units P are arranged side by side, the total length of the light receiving surface R reaches several hundreds of meters.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 (each of these figures is a schematic plan view, a schematic side view, and a schematic front view of the solar panel cleaning device 1, respectively). The main body 2, the self-propelled means 3 for allowing the main body 2 to self-run on the light receiving surface R of the panel unit P, the cleaning means 4 capable of cleaning the light receiving surface R of the panel unit P, and the self-running means 3 and the cleaning means 4 The control part 5 which controls the operation | movement of this is provided.

  In this embodiment, a pair of left and right crawlers 31 (infinite track) provided near both side edges of the main body 2 are applied as the self-running means 3 as shown in FIG. An encoder 6 as a distance detecting means is attached to the rotating shaft of one wheel 32 among the plurality of wheels 32 constituting the crawler 31 (see FIG. 3). The main body 2 can be advanced by rotating each wheel 32 of the crawler 31 in the forward direction, and the main body 2 can be moved backward by rotating each wheel 32 of the crawler 31 in the reverse direction. Further, the direction of the main body 2 is changed by one-sided driving for appropriately operating either one of the pair of left and right crawlers 31 or by super-spinning that changes the direction of the vehicle body by rotating the left and right crawlers 31 oppositely at the same speed. Can be changed. In the following description, the “traveling direction F of the main body” is synonymous with the “straight traveling direction of the main body” in the present invention, and unless otherwise specified, means the traveling direction F when the main body 2 moves forward. , “Previous (forward) in the direction of travel F”.

  The cleaning means 4 includes a nozzle 42 for injecting a cleaning liquid (corresponding to “liquid” in the present invention) stored in a cleaning liquid tank 41 (see FIG. 3) formed in the main body 2 to the light receiving surface R, and the cleaning liquid A rotating brush 43 for brushing the ejected light receiving surface R and a wiper 44 for wiping the brushed light receiving surface R are provided. In the present embodiment, the brush accommodating portion 21 that can accommodate the rotating brush 43 is provided in the vicinity of the front end portion of the main body 2, and the nozzle 42 is attached to the front end of the brush accommodating portion 21. In the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the width dimension of the brush accommodating portion 21 provided in the main body 2 (the dimension in the direction of arrow W in FIG. It is set larger than the dimension.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the wiper 44 includes a plate-like wiper body 441 made of an appropriate material such as rubber or silicon and having elasticity, and a support portion 442 that supports the wiper body 441. The front surface of the wiper body 441 functions as a wiping surface 45 that wipes the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, only parts corresponding to the wiper body 441 including the wiping surface 45 in the wiper 44 are shown by a solid line. In the present embodiment, by setting the width dimension (longitudinal dimension) of the wiper body 441 to be the same as the width dimension of the rotating brush 43 or larger than the width dimension of the rotating brush 43, the entire region brushed by the rotating brush 43 is used. Is configured such that the wiping surface 45 of the wiper body 441 passes therethrough.

  Further, the cleaning means 4 of the present embodiment includes a wiper drive unit 46 that can drive the wiper 44 and adjust the direction of the wiping surface 45. The wiper drive unit 46 includes a rotation motor 461 and a drive shaft 462. The drive shaft 462 is attached to the support unit 442 so as to be integrally rotated, and the drive shaft 462 is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions, whereby the support unit 442 and the wiper main body are driven. 441 is rotated around the drive shaft 462. If the posture of the wiper 44 shown in FIG. 5, that is, the posture in which the direction of the wiping surface 45 coincides with the traveling direction F of the main body 2 is defined as the reference posture, both longitudinal ends 451 of the wiping surface 45 in this reference posture 452 is positioned on a common straight line orthogonal to the traveling direction F of the main body 2, and is positioned at the same or substantially the same point in the traveling direction F of the main body 2. In the present embodiment, the wiper drive unit 46 rotates (swings) the wiper 44 in the reference posture around the drive shaft 462 with respect to the reference posture, so that the both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45 are rotated. Of these, one of the ends can be positioned on the downstream side (tip side) in the traveling direction F of the main body 2 with respect to the other end, and the other end can be positioned on the upstream side (anti-tip side) with respect to one end. . In FIG. 1, the inclination posture of the wiper 44 in which the upper end 451 in the drawing among the both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45 is positioned on the downstream side in the traveling direction F of the main body 2 from the lower end 452 is schematically illustrated. Show.

  The main body 2 of the solar panel cleaning device 1 is equipped with a self-propelled means 3 and a battery 20 that drives the cleaning means 4. Although not shown, the main body 2 is equipped with a digital compass as direction deviation detection means and a GPS as absolute position detection means, and appears on the light receiving surface R of the panel unit P at an appropriate location. A camera capable of detecting a line (partition line between cells), a tilt sensor capable of detecting the tilt angle of the main body 2 or a triaxial acceleration sensor, or a sensor capable of detecting the end E of the light receiving surface R is provided. .

  Such a solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 rotates the wheel 32 of the crawler 31 in the forward direction by the control unit 5 in a state where the main body 2 is placed on the light receiving surface R of the panel unit P where the cleaning line is set. Thus, the main body 2 can be advanced. Moreover, the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment is the process which operates the cleaning means 4 by the control part 5, specifically, the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid tank 41 is sprayed to the light-receiving surface R by the nozzle 42, and the cleaning liquid Is used to clean the light-receiving surface R with the rotating brush 43 and wipe the cleaning liquid on the light-receiving surface R with the wiper 44, thereby removing dirt on the portion of the light-receiving surface R through which the rotating brush 43 has passed. can do. The rotation direction of the rotary brush 43 may be set in the opposite direction to the traveling direction F of the main body 2 (the rotation direction of the wheel 32 of the crawler 31), or may be set in the same direction. Further, the rotation direction of the rotating brush 43 can be set to be switchable between the forward direction and the reverse direction.

  In this embodiment, since the light receiving surface R of each panel unit P is arranged in a horizontal posture, the wiper 44 is in a reference posture in which the longitudinal direction of the wiping surface 45 is orthogonal to the traveling direction F of the main body 2. When the wiping process is performed in the maintained state, the cleaning liquid from which the dirt on the light receiving surface R has been dropped has a gradient as in the case where the light receiving surface R of each panel unit P is arranged with a predetermined gradient. It does not flow down along the light receiving surface R in the direction and flows out from both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45, and the wiped cleaning liquid cannot be guided in a predetermined direction. As a result, the cleaning liquid containing dirt that has flowed out from both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45 by the wiping process continues to remain on the light receiving surface R unless the wiping process is performed again. Can be.

  Therefore, in the solar panel cleaning device 1 according to the present embodiment, when the main body 2 moves straight along the cleaning line, the control unit 5 causes the wiping surface 45 to face the straight direction F of the main body 2 with respect to the light receiving surface. It is configured to be inclined in a direction in which the cleaning liquid on R is desired to be discharged, that is, a predetermined direction set as a cleaning liquid discharge direction. Here, the “predetermined direction for discharging the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R” can be arbitrarily set. For example, the “predetermined direction for discharging the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R” "Direction toward the cleaning line" or "Direction toward the end E of the light receiving surface R" or "Direction toward the end E of the light receiving surface R" or "Direction toward the end E of the light receiving surface R" Can do.

  If a plurality of mutually parallel cleaning lines are set on the light receiving surfaces R arranged in a horizontal posture, when the main body 2 moves straight along a cleaning line other than the last cleaning line in the cleaning order. “Predetermined direction for discharging the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R” is set to “Direction toward the next cleaning line”, and “On the light receiving surface R when the main body 2 moves straight along the last cleaning line” The “predetermined direction for discharging the cleaning liquid” is “the same direction as the discharging direction of the cleaning liquid when the main body 2 moves straight along the previous cleaning line” and “the end of the light receiving surface R parallel to the last cleaning line” By setting it to “direction toward E”, it is possible to guide all of the cleaning liquid wiped in the cleaning process while moving the main body 2 straight along each cleaning line in the same direction.

  A first cleaning line L1 and a second cleaning line L2 parallel to each other are set on the light receiving surface R in the assembly (array) of the panel units P shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 includes these cleaning lines L1 and L2, and a relay line LA that connects the end point L1e of the first cleaning line L1 and the start point L2s of the second cleaning line L2. The entire light receiving surface R can be cleaned while moving the main body 2 along the cleaning path.

  In FIG. 6, the “predetermined direction for discharging the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R” when the main body 2 moves straight along the first cleaning line L1 is directed to the next cleaning line, that is, the second cleaning line L2. When the direction is set, the direction in which the cleaning liquid wiped by the wiper 44 is guided is indicated by an arrow G1. That is, the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment causes the control unit 5 to change the direction of the wiping surface 45 with respect to the straight traveling direction F of the main body 2 when moving the main body 2 straight along the first cleaning line L1. And it is comprised so that it may incline in the direction which goes to the 2nd cleaning line L2. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the end 452 that is relatively closer to the second cleaning line L2 among the both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45 is far from the second cleaning line L2. The wiper 44 is rotated around the drive shaft 462 of the wiper drive unit 46 by the control unit 5 so as to be on the upstream side (opposite end side) in the straight direction F of the main body 2 with respect to the other end 451, thereby wiping the surface. 45 is inclined with respect to the straight direction F of the main body 2 (the extending direction of the first cleaning line L1). The cleaning liquid wiped by the wiping surface 45 maintained in such a direction is an end which is relatively upstream (anti-tip side) in the straight direction F of the main body 2 among the both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45. 452, that is, it is uniformly guided from the end 452 closer to the second cleaning line L2 toward the second cleaning line L2. As a result, in the light receiving surface R, the region where the wiping surface 45 of the wiper 44 passes while moving the main body 2 straight along the first cleaning line L1 has no wiping residue of the cleaning liquid used for cleaning, and becomes dirty A beautiful finished surface is also removed.

  Moreover, the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment moves the main body 2 from the end point L1e of the first cleaning line L1 to the start point L2s of the second cleaning line L2 after the completion of the cleaning process along the first cleaning line L1. The process to be performed (moving process between cleaning lines) is executed. Specifically, when the relay line LA connecting the end point L1e of the first cleaning line L1 and the start point L2s of the second cleaning line L2 shown in FIG. 1 is a straight line orthogonal to the cleaning lines L1 and L2, the cleaning line In the inter-movement process, after the cleaning process along the first cleaning line L1, the one-side drive of the left and right crawlers 31 and super-spinning are performed so that the traveling direction F of the main body 2 coincides with the extending direction of the relay line LA. The direction of the main body 2 is changed by the above, and then the main body 2 is moved straight along the relay line LA to the start point L2s of the second cleaning line L2, and then the traveling direction F of the main body 2 is the extending direction of the second cleaning line L2. Is the process of changing the orientation of the main body 2 so as to match. In this embodiment, in order to prevent the cleaning liquid wiped by the wiper 44 during the cleaning process between the cleaning lines from flowing from the end of the wiping surface 45 to the light-receiving surface R that has been cleaned (wiped), By the control unit 5, the direction of the wiping surface 45 is set to an appropriate direction with respect to the direction of the main body 2 (direction in which the cleaning liquid can be guided to the light-receiving surface R that has not been cleaned, or from the end E of the light-receiving surface R to (See FIGS. 7 and 8). During such a process for moving between cleaning lines, the control unit 5 preferably executes control for operating the rotating brush 43 (performing brushing processing) in the cleaning unit 4, but control for stopping the operation of the rotating brush 43. May be executed.

  The solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment performs the cleaning process while moving the main body 2 along the second cleaning line L2 following the cleaning process between cleaning lines. The cleaning path shown in FIG. 1 has the second cleaning line L2 as the final cleaning line. FIG. 9 shows the “on the light receiving surface R” when the main body 2 moves straight along the second cleaning line L2. Wiping is performed by the wiper 44 when the “predetermined direction for discharging the cleaning liquid” is set in the same direction as the cleaning liquid discharge direction G1 when the main body 2 moves straight along the previous cleaning line (first cleaning line L1). The direction in which the washed liquid is guided is indicated by an arrow G2. That is, when the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment moves the main body 2 straight along the second cleaning line L2, the controller 5 changes the direction of the wiping surface 45 with respect to the straight movement direction F of the main body 2. And it is comprised so that it may incline in the direction which turns to the 1st cleaning line L1. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the end 452 that is relatively closer to the first cleaning line L1 out of the both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45 is far from the first cleaning line L1. The wiper 44 is rotated around the drive shaft 462 of the wiper drive unit 46 by the control unit 5 so as to be on the downstream side (front end side) in the rectilinear advance direction F of the main body 2 with respect to the other end 451, thereby wiping the surface 45. Is inclined with respect to the straight direction F of the main body 2 (the extending direction of the second cleaning line L2). The cleaning liquid wiped by the wiping surface 45 maintained in such a direction is an end which is relatively upstream (anti-tip side) in the straight direction F of the main body 2 among the both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45. 451, that is, from the end 451 far from the first cleaning line L1, toward the end E of the light receiving surface R that is close to and parallel to the second cleaning line L2 among the four ends E of the light receiving surface R viewed from the entire array. Are uniformly guided and discharged out of the light receiving surface R. At this time, not only the cleaning liquid provided for the cleaning process along the second cleaning line L2 but also the cleaning liquid scraped to the second cleaning line L2 side during the cleaning process along the first cleaning line L1 Can be discharged outside. As a result, the region of the light receiving surface R through which the wiping surface 45 of the wiper 44 passes while moving the main body 2 linearly along each cleaning line (first cleaning line L1, second cleaning line L2) It has a clean finish with no wiping residue and dirt removed.

  In the present embodiment, the main body 2 is moved along a cleaning path including two cleaning lines (first cleaning line L1, second cleaning line L2) and one relay line LA connecting the cleaning lines L1, L2. However, even if the number of cleaning lines and relay lines is increased, the same process is repeated according to the above-described procedure, thereby the entire light receiving surface R where the cleaning path is set. Can remove dirt. Of course, even when the cleaning path is constituted by a single cleaning line, the light receiving process in which the cleaning path is set is performed by performing the cleaning process while moving the main body along the cleaning line. The dirt on the surface R can be removed.

  Thus, the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured so that the direction of the wiping surface 45 of the wiper 44 can be adjusted by the wiper driving unit 46, and the direction of the wiping surface 45 is adjusted by the control unit 5 to the main body. 2, the relative positions of both ends 451, 452 of the wiping surface 45 are shifted relative to each other in the straight direction F of the main body 2 by tilting in a predetermined direction in which the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R is discharged. Thus, either one of the ends can be set to be on the downstream side (tip side) with respect to the other end. The cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R wiped by the wiping surface 45 is out of the passing area of the wiping surface 45 from the upstream side (anti-tip side) end of the wiping surface 45 in the straight direction F of the main body 2. Is uniformly guided to.

  Therefore, according to the solar panel cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the light receiving surface R is arranged in a horizontal posture, the cleaning liquid on the light receiving surface R wiped with the wiper 44 maintained in the inclined posture is used. The cleaning liquid wiped by the wiper 44 leaks from both ends 451 and 452 of the wiping surface 45 by accurately guiding it in one direction away from the passage area of the wiping surface 45 and discharging it to the outside of the light receiving surface R. Thus, the situation of staying on the light receiving surface R can be avoided.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the cleaning unit is provided with a rotating brush, and the brushing process using the rotating brush and the wiping process using the wiper are exemplified. However, a cleaning unit that does not include the rotating brush can be applied. is there. In this case, the brushing process is not performed, but the light receiving surface can be cleaned by the wiping process.

  Further, the cleaning means may be provided with a nozzle that blows normal water, which is not a cleaning liquid, onto the light receiving surface. In this case, the “liquid on the light receiving surface” wiped off by the wiping process is water that has been subjected to the cleaning process. Moreover, you may employ | adopt the structure which replaces with a nozzle and supplies a washing | cleaning liquid or water on a light-receiving surface from the appropriate supply part provided in the main body (without spraying).

  Furthermore, it is also possible to set the wiper to wipe rainwater that has fallen on the light receiving surface or water droplets on the light receiving surface without spraying or supplying cleaning liquid or water on the light receiving surface during the cleaning process. is there.

  In the solar panel cleaning apparatus of the present invention, a wiper having a wiping surface curved or bent in the longitudinal direction may be applied. The wiper preferably satisfies the condition that both ends in the longitudinal direction of the wiping surface are the same or substantially the same position in the straight direction of the main body in the reference posture described above, but may not satisfy this condition. Absent.

  The material and shape of the wiper are not particularly limited, and an appropriate material and shape can be selected.

  It may be a cleaning path set in a rectangular spiral shape for cleaning from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side as viewed from the entire array, or a cleaning path that is not provided with a relay line but includes only a combination of linear cleaning lines.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the direction of the wiping surface of the wiper is set so as to guide all the cleaning liquid wiped in the process of performing the cleaning process while moving the main body linearly along each cleaning line is illustrated. However, at the end of the cleaning process along all the cleaning lines, the cleaning liquid and dirt that are guided to the outside of the wiper wiping surface by the wiping process do not remain on the light receiving surface or are extremely difficult to remain. If possible, the direction of guiding the cleaning liquid wiped during the cleaning process while moving the main body straight along each cleaning line may be different for each cleaning line. For example, among the plurality of cleaning lines, a cleaning line relatively close to the end of the light receiving surface viewed from the entire array (for example, in FIG. 1, the first cleaning line L1 near the upper end of the light receiving surface and the first near the lower end of the light receiving surface. 2 When the cleaning process is performed while moving the main body straight along the cleaning line L2), the “predetermined direction for discharging the liquid on the light receiving surface” that defines the direction (inclination direction) of the wiping surface is Instead of “the direction toward the cleaning line”, the “direction toward the end of the light receiving surface that is relatively close to the cleaning line to be cleaned among the ends of the light receiving surface” may be set. As a specific example, in FIG. 1, when the cleaning line to be cleaned is the first cleaning line L1, the cleaning liquid wiped in the course of the cleaning process while moving the main body straight along the first cleaning line L1 is discharged. The predetermined direction is set to a direction toward the upper end of the light receiving surface, and when the cleaning line to be cleaned is the second cleaning line L2, the cleaning process is performed while moving the main body straight along the second cleaning line L2. A case where a predetermined direction in which the cleaning liquid wiped in the process is discharged is set to a direction toward the lower end of the light receiving surface can be given.

  The specific configuration of the self-propelled means is not limited to that exemplified in the above-described embodiment, and an appropriate one can be adopted.

  Further, the solar panel cleaning device of the present invention is in the inclined posture as the predetermined direction for discharging the liquid on the light receiving surface even when the light receiving surface is arranged in an inclined posture so as to have a predetermined gradient. Compared with the case where the direction of the wiping surface matches the straight direction of the main unit by selecting the direction of decreasing the gradient of the light receiving surface, the liquid wiped with the wiper is forcibly discharged out of the light receiving surface. be able to.

  The wiper driving unit in the present invention may be any unit that can drive the wiper and adjust the direction of the wiping surface of the wiper, and has a configuration other than the configuration including the rotation motor and the drive shaft described above, for example, the support unit 442. The side surface of the wiping surface may be driven by a solenoid and driven around the drive shaft, or the direction of the wiping surface may be adjusted by a mechanical mechanism. Further, as the wiper drive unit, the center of the rotation axis (the axis corresponding to the drive shaft in the above embodiment) when adjusting the direction of the wiper wiping surface is not the center of the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the wiper. It is also possible to apply one set at or near one end, or one set at a position closer to one end than the center in the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the wiper. it can.

  Moreover, it is also possible to clean smooth glass surfaces other than the light-receiving surface of a solar system with the solar panel cleaning apparatus of this invention.

  In addition, the specific configuration of each part is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Solar panel cleaning apparatus 2 ... Main body 3 ... Self-propelled means 4 ... Cleaning means 44 ... Wiper 45 ... Wiping surface 46 ... Wiper drive part 5 ... Control part R ... Light-receiving surface

Claims (1)

A solar panel cleaning device capable of cleaning the light receiving surface while moving on the light receiving surface of the solar panel,
A main body movable on the light receiving surface;
A cleaning means provided on the main body and cleaning the light receiving surface;
A control unit that controls at least the operation of the cleaning means,
The cleaning means
A wiper, and a wiper driving unit capable of adjusting the direction of the wiping surface of the wiper by driving the wiper,
The control unit performs control to incline the direction of the wiping surface toward a predetermined direction for discharging the liquid on the light receiving surface with respect to the linear movement direction of the main body at least during the straight movement of the main body. A solar panel cleaning device characterized by being.

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