WO2014208118A1

WO2014208118A1 - Washing device

Info

Publication number: WO2014208118A1
Application number: PCT/JP2014/053647
Authority: WO
Inventors: 良治石村; 秀明名倉; 坂本　泰宏; 正明児玉
Original assignee: シャープ株式会社
Priority date: 2013-06-26
Filing date: 2014-02-17
Publication date: 2014-12-31
Also published as: JP2015006647A

Abstract

The present invention achieves a washing device capable of efficiently washing a surface to be washed by making washing with a reciprocating motion possible. The washing device (100), which is provided with a movement means (tires (107)) for moving on the surface that is being washed and nozzles (nozzle group (102)) for discharging liquid toward the surface that is being washed and which washes the surface that is being washed by pressing a blade (101) on the surface that is being washed to wipe the liquid thereon, is characterized in being provided with a switching mechanism (fixing member (113)) for switching the blade (101) according to the direction of movement of the washing device (100).

Description

Cleaning device

The present invention relates to a cleaning device, particularly a solar panel cleaning device.

In recent years, from the viewpoint of environmental protection, an increasing number of households install solar panels (solar cells) that convert sunlight into electric power on the roof. In addition, discussions on alternative energy for oil / nuclear energy are taking place on a global scale, and the measures for the feed-in tariff system for renewable energy such as solar power generation have been implemented. A large-scale solar power plant is managed, and the electric power business by the in-house utilization of the generated electric power and the sale of electric power is being carried out.

Until now, solar panels were supposed to be able to generate electricity without maintenance, such as being able to remove dirt on the surface due to rain. However, since the solar panel generates power by sunlight, if dirt such as dead leaves or dust adheres to the surface, the amount of power to be generated rapidly decreases. In particular, in areas with low rainfall, such as desert / dry areas, and areas with a lot of sediment such as volcanic ash, yellow sand, and snow, it is necessary to clean the surface of the solar panel in order to generate power efficiently throughout the year. Doing work.

Examples of cleaning devices for cleaning solar panels include those described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a solar panel cleaning machine 200 described in Patent Document 1. The solar panel cleaning machine 200 of Patent Document 1 moves on the frame 201 by applying a gear to the frame 201 of the solar panel cleaning machine 200 and electrically driving a gear 206 supported by a fixed car. Also, the cleaning mops 207 rotate and clean the solar panel 210 with the water supply jet from the cleaning hose 208.

In addition, the solar panel cleaning device described in Patent Document 2 is self-propelled on four solar panels and cleans the solar panel with a cleaning body (brush, blade) that cleans the surface of the solar panel. In addition, a high-pressure cleaning mechanism that sprays the cleaning liquid toward the surface of the solar panel is provided to lift up the dirt that has stuck.

Japanese Patent Publication “Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-287867 (published on December 24, 2010)” Japanese Patent Publication “Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-186819 (published on August 26, 2010)”

By the way, in the solar panel cleaning machine 200 of Patent Document 1, the cleaning mops 207 rotate and move on the solar panel 210 by water absorption jet from the cleaning hose 208 to perform cleaning.

However, in the configuration using only the cleaning mops 207, the water after cleaning remains on the solar panel 210, so that there is a problem that dirt in the air tends to adhere before drying.

Also, since the washed water is mixed with dirt such as dust that has accumulated on the panel, it has a problem that these dirt is reattached after drying and remains in a mottled pattern. In order to prevent this, it is possible to completely remove dirt with a lot of water, but there is a problem that the amount of water used and the cost are increased. Areas where solar panel cleaning devices are used are often areas where water resources are scarce, such as desert / dry areas, and reducing water consumption is a major issue.

On the other hand, in the solar panel cleaning device of Patent Document 2, it is also described that dirt is floated using a brush and water (cleaning liquid) on the panel containing dirt is wiped off using a blade. However, since only one blade is attached instead of the rotating brush, there is a problem that it is difficult to perform reciprocal cleaning of the cleaning machine.

Ordinarily, when wiping water with a blade, it is preferable to wipe the blade by tilting it in the direction of travel. This is because the friction between the panel and the blade edge portion is reduced by tilting the blade to the traveling direction to some extent, and the blade can move smoothly on the panel and wipe off water.

Therefore, as in Patent Document 2, in order to perform reciprocal cleaning with only one blade, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for making the blade vertical or changing the angle. As mentioned earlier, when wiping water on the panel with the blade vertical, the friction between the panel and the blade is large, making it difficult to drive the device or causing the blade to vibrate. Wiping residue will occur. Further, there is no particular description about the mechanism for changing the angle.

Also, since the water used for the cleaning operation is supplied from only one direction, there is a problem that reciprocal cleaning becomes difficult. In Patent Document 2, water is supplied only from one direction of a blade or a rotating brush. In order to perform reciprocal cleaning, it is necessary to supply water before the rotating brush and blade to be cleaned, but the means for supplying water is arranged only in one direction of the rotating brush and blade, In at least one direction of cleaning, water is supplied in the rear direction of the rotary brush and blade, and there is a problem that the panel cannot be cleaned.

In recent years, companies, local governments, power companies, etc. are operating larger solar power plants called mega solar power plants. There are hundreds of thousands of solar panels installed in mega solar power plants, and all these panels need to be cleaned. Therefore, it is essential to clean the panel efficiently with a washer. Cleaning a panel using a cleaning machine that cannot clean the panel in a reciprocating manner has a problem that a large number of cleaning machines are required, resulting in an increase in equipment costs and power generation costs. In addition, in order to suppress an increase in equipment costs, if the cleaning operation is performed with a small number of units, the cleaning operation takes time, leading to a decrease in the amount of power generation, resulting in an increase in power generation cost.

For the above reasons, if the solar panel cleaning machine cannot perform the cleaning work by reciprocating movement, the cleaning work becomes inefficient and a large number of cleaning machines are required, resulting in an increase in equipment costs and power generation costs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to realize a cleaning device capable of performing a cleaning operation by reciprocating movement, and to efficiently clean a surface to be cleaned, thereby reducing equipment costs and power generation costs. It is in providing the washing | cleaning apparatus which can suppress this.

The cleaning apparatus according to the present invention includes a moving means for moving on the surface to be cleaned and a nozzle for discharging liquid toward the surface to be cleaned, and presses the liquid on the surface to be cleaned against a blade. The cleaning apparatus cleans the surface to be cleaned by wiping the cleaning surface, and the cleaning apparatus includes a switching mechanism that switches the blades according to a moving direction of the cleaning apparatus.

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a cleaning apparatus that can efficiently clean the surface to be cleaned by enabling the cleaning operation by reciprocating movement.

(A) is a top view which shows schematic structure of the washing | cleaning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a cross section A-A ′ of the cleaning device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a cross section B-B ′ of the cleaning device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is the schematic of the cross section A-A 'of the cleaning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the schematic of the cross section B-B 'of the cleaning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. (A) is a top view which shows schematic structure of the washing | cleaning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. It is the schematic which connected 3 washing | cleaning apparatuses which concern on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is the schematic of the washing | cleaning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is the schematic of the washing | cleaning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 6 of this invention. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional solar panel cleaning machine described in Patent Document 1. FIG.

(Embodiment 1)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Hereinafter, a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiments, the same or corresponding parts in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated. In the description of the embodiments, for the sake of convenience of explanation, upper, lower, left, and right expressions are used. However, these expressions are based on the drawings and do not limit the configuration of the invention.

In the following embodiment, a solar panel cleaning device will be described. However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the solar panel cleaning device, and may be a cleaning device used for flat portions such as a roof and a floor.

FIG. 1A is a top view showing a schematic configuration of the cleaning apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a longitudinal sectional view. As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning apparatus 100 includes blades 101a to 101d, nozzle groups 102a to 102d, a tank 103, a motor 104, a control unit 105, a power source 106, a tire 107, a guide 108, a frame 109, and a pipe 111. Yes.

The cleaning device 100 is disposed on the surface to be cleaned of the solar panel 110 so that the tire 107 as a moving means is in contact with the both ends of the solar panel 110 by the guide 108 and fixed.

In addition, the guide 108 has a function for preventing the cleaning device 100 from falling from the solar panel 110. In many cases, the solar panel 110 is inclined and installed on the mount 112 so that sunlight is incident on the solar panel 110 as vertically as possible. With only the frictional force of the tire 107, the solar panel 110 slides on the slope and the cleaning device 100 is moved to the solar panel 110. There is a possibility of dropping from 110. In order to prevent this, the cleaning device 100 is fixed to the solar panel 110 using the guide 108. The guide 108 also has a function of assisting the cleaning device 100 to travel linearly on the solar panel 110.

2 is a schematic view of a cross section A-A ′ of the cleaning apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a cross section B-B ′ of the cleaning apparatus 100 of FIG.

The

blades

101a and 101b are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the cleaning apparatus 100, and the edges of the

blades

101a and 101b are inclined at about 1 to 5 ° with respect to the end of the panel (y direction). Further, they are fixed to the frame 109 of the cleaning device 100 by fixing

members

113a and 113b, respectively.

The blade 101c is substantially opposite to the blade 101a, and the blade 101d is substantially opposite to the blade 101b, and is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the cleaning apparatus 100 so as to be paired. The blades 101c, d are fixed to the cleaning device 100 by fixing members 113c, d so that the edges of the blades 101c, d are inclined by about -1 to -5 ° with respect to the end of the panel (y direction). Has been.

Also, the blades 101a to 101d may be configured by connecting a plurality of small blades. This is because, when attached to a large cleaning device, the blade size becomes long, and the cost for producing the blade becomes high, and the maintainability such as attachment of the blade is deteriorated. By arranging and connecting the blades using a plurality of small blades, it is possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing the blades, and it is possible to improve maintainability such as attachment. Further, it is preferable to change the number of small blades because it is possible to deal with objects to be cleaned such as solar panels having different dimensions.

In addition, by setting the joint between the blade and the blade at the same position as the fasteners such as bolts and nuts connecting the solar panels, the blade joint passes through the convex portion of the fixture, so that the blade hits the convex portion. This is preferable because problems such as breakage, stoppage of movement, and remaining wiping can be avoided.

The nozzle group 102a is composed of a plurality of nozzles and is connected through the pipe 111, and the nozzle groups 102b to 102d are similarly connected through the pipe 111. Water or cleaning liquid in the tank 103 is sprayed onto the solar panel 110 from the holes of the nozzle groups 102a to 102d through the pipe 111.

Further, the

nozzle groups

102a and 102c are disposed outside the substantially

opposite blades

101a and 101c. The nozzle groups 102b, d are arranged inside the opposing blades 101b, d. The reason for this arrangement will be described in detail later.

The tank 103, the motor 104, and the power source 106 are controlled by the control unit 105. The control unit 105 controls water supplied from the motor 104 and the tank 103 of the cleaning device 100. Specifically, the control unit 105 controls the electric power supplied from the power source 106 to turn on / off / drive speed / rotation direction of the motor 104, and connect the pipes 111 connected from the tank 103 to the nozzle groups 102a to 102d. Control the water supply.

Further, the power source 106 may be equipped with a battery or may be directly supplied to the control unit 105 from an external power source. When supplying directly to the control part 105 from an external power supply, it is necessary to wire a power cord from the washing | cleaning apparatus 100 to an external power supply. In such a case, it can be said that it is preferable to mount a battery because the power cord may be caught on the solar panel 110 and obstacles around the solar panel 110 and hinder the driving of the cleaning device.

Hereinafter, various components provided in the cleaning apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail.

As described above, the blade 101a is disposed at an inclination of about 1 to 5 ° with respect to the end (y direction) of the panel, and the blade 101c is −1 to −5 with respect to the end (y direction) of the panel. It is arranged at an angle of about °. Further, the blade 101 a is inclined by about 30 to 45 ° from the normal direction of the plane of the solar panel 110 to the traveling direction of the cleaning device 100, and the blade 101 c is inclined from the normal direction of the plane of the solar panel 110. It is fixed with an inclination of about −30 to 45 ° with respect to the traveling direction of When cleaning is performed, the blade 101a is used when traveling in the traveling direction (x direction) shown in FIG. 2, and the blade 101c is used when traveling in the direction opposite to the traveling direction (−x direction). The reason why the blades are tilted and fixed in this manner is that the blades to be used are tilted to some extent in the traveling direction, so that friction between the solar panel 110 and the blade edge portion is reduced, and the blades move smoothly on the solar panel 110. This is because the water can be wiped off. In other words, it is not difficult to drive the apparatus, and the wiping residue does not occur due to fine vibration (chatter) of the blade.

In addition, the

blades

101a and 101c are fixed by fixing

members

113a and 113c that fix the blades. The fixing member 113 is a pressing mechanism for the blade 101. As shown in FIG. 2, the

blades

101a and 101c can be fixed at two positions above and below the

blade fixing members

113a and 113c. In other words, the switching mechanism is capable of pressing the

blades

101a and 101c against the panel or releasing them. When the blade 101a is pressed against the panel, the blade 101c is away from the panel, and when the blade 101c is pressed against the panel, the blade 101a is controlled away from the panel.

The blade 101b is disposed in the same manner as the blade 101a, and the blade 101d is disposed in the same manner as the blade 101c, and is tilted and fixed. When cleaning is performed, the blade 101b is used when traveling in the traveling direction (x direction) shown in FIG. 3, and the blade 101d is used when traveling in the direction opposite to the traveling direction (−x direction).

Further, the blades 101b and d are also fixed by fixing

members

113b and 113d for fixing the blades, respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the blades 101b and d can be fixed at two upper and lower positions of the fixing members 113b and d, and the blades 101b and d can be pressed against the panel or separated. Yes. When the blade 101b is pressed against the panel, the blade 101d is away from the panel, and when the blade 101d is pressed against the panel, the blade 101b is controlled away from the panel.

The material of the blades 101a to 101d is preferably an elastic material in consideration of water and dirt wiping performance and weather resistance. For example, it is preferable to use a rubber blade using EPT rubber, urethane rubber or the like.

The nozzle groups 102a to 102d are arranged so that water can be sprayed in the direction of the blades 101a to 101d. That is, the nozzle groups 102a to 102d are arranged forward in the movement direction corresponding to the blades 101a to 101d, and the holes of the nozzles are arranged facing the blade.

The frame 109 fixes the blades 101a to 101d, the nozzle groups 102a to 102d, the piping 111, the tank 103, the motor 104, the control unit 105, and the power source 106. Since the cleaning apparatus 100 is cleaned using water, it is preferable that the cleaning apparatus 100 is made of a material excellent in lightweight / rust prevention properties such as aluminum. In addition, the cleaning device 100 is installed so as to cover the longitudinal direction of the arranged solar panels 110, and the size of the cleaning device itself is 3 m or longer, so it may be very heavy to maintain rigidity. Concerned. In the present embodiment, in order to avoid an increase in the weight of the cleaning apparatus 100, the weight is reduced by adopting a frame structure having excellent rigidity such as a truss structure.

Next, a method for uniformly removing dust accumulated on the panel by both reciprocating movements of the cleaning apparatus 100 by switching blades used for cleaning in the configuration of the present embodiment will be described.

First, the case where the cleaning device 100 shown in FIG. 1 drives the cleaning device 100 in the x direction to clean the solar panel 110 will be described. When the cleaning device 100 is driven in the x direction to clean the solar panel 110, the cleaning is performed using the blades 101a, b and the nozzle groups 102a, b disposed in front of the blades 101a, b in the traveling direction.

That is, cleaning is performed by pressing against the panel by lowering the

blades

101a and 101b shown in FIGS. Further, the

blades

101c and 101d not used for cleaning are raised so as not to come into contact with the panel.

The

blades

101a and 101b are arranged to be inclined with respect to the traveling direction (x direction) of the cleaning device 100. As a result, the friction between the solar panel 110 and the edge portions of the

blades

101a and 101b is reduced, and the

blades

101a and 101b move smoothly on the solar panel 110, and the water can be wiped off well. That is, it becomes difficult to drive the apparatus or to cause uncleaned residue due to fine vibrations (chatter) of the blade.

Further, the nozzle group 102a supplies the cleaning liquid toward the blade 101a. Similarly, the nozzle group 102b supplies the cleaning liquid toward the blade 101b. That is, since the

nozzle groups

102a and 102b are arranged in front of the

blades

101a and 101b with the nozzle holes facing the blades, the panel 110 is removed before the

blades

101a and 101b wipe off dirt such as dust. Moistening, dust and the like can be floated with water.

Further, by supplying water in the direction of the blades 101a and b, the water supplied from the nozzle groups 102a and b is not only used for removing dirt such as dust on the solar panel 110, but also the

blades

101a and 101b. The dirt accumulated in b is removed by the water supplied from the

nozzle groups

102a and 102b and can always be kept in a clean state, so that it is possible to always maintain a high cleaning ability.

More specifically, the

blades

101a and 101b are arranged to wipe off dirt accumulated in the solar panel 110 simultaneously with water, but sufficient water is not supplied near the edges of the

blades

101a and 101b. As cleaning progresses, dirt such as dust accumulates, and the cleaning ability deteriorates.

In addition, when water is sprayed in the direction opposite to the direction of the

blades

101a, 101b, the panel is moistened, in other words, the dust is only floated with water. Flowing down, the water flow at the blade edge portion is weakened, and dust accumulates at the blade edge portion, thus deteriorating the cleaning performance.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the water supplied from the

nozzle groups

102a and 102b is sprayed in the direction of the

blades

101a and 101b, so that it is sprayed along the edges of the

blades

101a and 101b together with the dirt accumulated on the

blades

101a and 101b. The generated water flows down to the lower side of the solar panel 110.

The solar panel 110 is installed so as to be inclined so that sunlight enters the solar panel 110 as vertically as possible, and the blade 101 is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the cleaning device 100. Specifically, the blade 101 is disposed so as to be inclined downward by about 1 to 5 ° with respect to the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the cleaning apparatus 100. For this reason, it is easy for dirty water to flow along the edge of the blade 101 to flow to the lower side of the solar panel 110.

Therefore, by disposing water supplied from the nozzle group 102 in the direction of the blade 101, the water sprayed from the nozzle group 102 can easily remove dirt (such as dust) collected on the solar panel 110 by floating it. At the same time, since the edge of the blade 101 can be cleaned, the blade 101 can always be kept clean and high cleaning ability can be maintained.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, water is sprayed from the nozzle group 102 from a direction inclined in the traveling direction of the cleaning device with respect to the normal direction of the solar panel 110. This is preferable because water can be efficiently sprayed near the edge of the blade 101 and dirt accumulated on the blade 101 can be removed.

Next, in the cleaning apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1, the case where the panel 110 is cleaned by driving the cleaning apparatus 100 in the −x direction will be described. When cleaning the solar panel 110 by driving the cleaning device 100 in the −x direction, cleaning is performed using the blades 101c, d and the nozzle groups 102c, d arranged in the traveling direction of the blades 101c, d.

That is, the blades 101c and d shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are lowered to be pressed against the panel for cleaning. The

blades

101a and 101b that are not used for cleaning are raised so as not to come into contact with the panel.

The

blades

101c and 101d are also inclined with respect to the traveling direction (−x direction) of the cleaning apparatus 100. Thereby, the friction between the solar panel 110 and the blade edge portion is reduced, the blade moves smoothly on the panel, and water can be wiped off satisfactorily.

Also, in the nozzle groups 102c and d, the cleaning liquid is supplied in the direction of the blades 101c and d, respectively. In other words, since the nozzle groups 102c and d are arranged in front of the blades 101c and d in the moving direction with the nozzle holes facing the blades, the panel 110 is removed before the blades 101c and d wipe off dirt such as dust. Moistening, dust and the like can be floated with water.

Further, by supplying water in the direction of the blade 101c, d, the water supplied from the nozzle group 102c, d is not only used for removing dirt such as dust on the solar panel 110, but also the blade 101c, Since dirt accumulated in d is removed by the water supplied from the nozzle groups 102c and d and can always be kept in a clean state, it is possible to always maintain a high cleaning ability.

Here, the combinations of the blades 101a to 101d used in the x direction and the -x direction are arranged. When cleaning is performed by driving the cleaning device 100 in the x direction, cleaning is performed using the

blades

101a and 101b. Conversely, when cleaning is performed by driving the cleaning device 100 in the −x direction, cleaning is performed using the blades 101 c and d.

That is, in FIG. 1, the

blades

101a and 101b used for cleaning in the x direction and the

blades

101c and 101d used for cleaning in the -x direction are arranged in an approximately X shape so as to cross each other. The blade 101 used in the x direction and the blade 101 used for the cleaning in the -x direction are divided into two parts, and the blades 101a to 101a used for the reciprocating cleaning are changed by changing the combination of the blades pressed against the cleaning surface according to the cleaning direction. Since d can be arranged so as to cross each other, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the apparatus, which is preferable.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the solar panel 110 is often provided with a plurality of solar panels arranged side by side, and cleaning water may accumulate in the frame at the boundary between the upper and lower solar panels 110. . At the time of cleaning, the cleaning water accumulates in the frame, and a certain amount overflows and flows into the lower solar panel 110. For this reason, the washing water overflowing in the solar panel 110 may remain. The cleaning apparatus 100 of the present invention has a configuration in which blades 101b and d for cleaning the lower solar panel 110 are arranged at positions offset with respect to the

blades

101a and 101c for cleaning the upper solar panel 110. With this arrangement, it is possible to wipe off the washing water overflowing from the upper solar panel 110 with the lower blades 101b and 1d. The offset distance may be set in consideration of the running speed of the cleaning device 100 and the time of overflow from the amount of cleaning water jetted. Moreover, you may set to the distance which can wipe off the wash water discharged | emitted by the structure which forcibly discharges the wash water which accumulated. With this configuration, even when a plurality of solar panels 110 are arranged, good wiping performance can be realized.

As described above, according to the cleaning device of the present embodiment, the friction between the panel and the blade edge portion is reduced by pressing the blade inclined in the traveling direction against the cleaning surface (panel) for cleaning. The blade moves smoothly on the panel, and the water can be wiped off.

Also, the blade is pressed against the cleaning surface by the vertical movement of the fixing member that fixes the blade. Therefore, the blade to be cleaned can be switched by moving the fixing member for fixing the blade up and down. Therefore, the blade can be easily switched so that the blade inclined in the traveling direction of the cleaning machine can be pressed against the cleaning surface (panel) and cleaned.

Furthermore, by dividing the blade into multiple parts, the combination of blades pressed against the cleaning surface is changed according to the cleaning direction. By dividing the blade into a plurality of blades, it is possible to arrange the blades used for reciprocating cleaning so as to intersect with each other, so that the apparatus can be reduced in size and weight.

Also, the nozzle for supplying water is arranged in front of the blade in the traveling direction, and supplies water in the blade direction. Therefore, it is possible to wet the panel before wiping off dirt such as dust with the blade, and float the dust with water. Moreover, by supplying water in the blade direction, the water supplied from the nozzle is not only used for removing dirt such as dust on the solar panel, but also the dirt accumulated in the blade is supplied from the nozzle. It is possible to maintain a high cleaning ability at all times because it is removed by the water to be kept and can always be kept clean.

Therefore, the cleaning device in the present embodiment can have a higher cleaning capability than the cleaning devices of Patent Documents 1 and 2. In addition, the blade used for cleaning can be switched by a simple method, and the dust accumulated on the panel can be uniformly removed by both reciprocating movements of the cleaning device, so the panel can be cleaned efficiently. It is possible to provide a solar panel cleaning device capable of suppressing facility costs and power generation costs.

(Embodiment 2)
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

In this embodiment, the blades 102a to 102d can be pressed against or released from the panel 110 by the rotation of the fixing members 113a 'to d' for fixing the blades. The fixing members 113a 'to d' are switching mechanisms in the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a different structure in the section AA ′ in the cleaning apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1, and is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the blades 101a and c and the nozzle groups 102a and c in the present embodiment. .

As shown in FIG. 4, the blade 101a is fixed by a fixing member 113a 'for fixing the blade, and similarly, the blade 101c is fixed by 113c'. The fixing members 113a 'and c' are integrated, and are provided so as to be rotatable around the centers of the fixing members 113a 'and c'. Therefore, by rotating the fixing members 113a 'and c', the

blades

101a and 101c can be pressed against or released from the panel.

The

blade

101a or 101c, which is rotated and pressed against the solar panel 110, is fixed with an inclination of about 30 to 45 ° from the normal direction of the plane of the solar panel 110 to the traveling direction of the cleaning device 100. .

FIG. 5 shows a different structure in the section BB ′ in the cleaning apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1, and is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the blades 101b and d and the nozzle groups 102b and d in the present embodiment. is there.

As shown in FIG. 5, the blades 101b and d are also fixed by fixing members 113b 'and d' that fix the blades. The fixing members 113b 'and d' are integrated in the same manner as the fixing members 113a 'and c', and are provided so as to be rotatable around the centers of the fixing members 113b 'and d'. Therefore, by rotating the fixing members 113b 'and d', the blades 101b and d can be pressed against or released from the panel.

The

blade

101b or 101d, which is rotated and pressed against the solar panel 110, is also inclined by about 30 to 45 ° from the normal direction of the plane of the solar panel 110 to the traveling direction of the cleaning device 100, like the

blade

101a or 101c. It is supposed to be fixed.

The blades 101a ′ to d ′ that perform cleaning in the x direction and the −x direction are switched so that the blades can be pressed against or released from the panel 110 by the rotation of the fixing members 113a ′ to d ′ that fix the blades. The effect will be described below.

By rotating the fixing member that fixes the blade, by switching the blade to be cleaned, the blade that is inclined in the moving direction of the cleaning device is moved to the cleaning surface (panel) in the same manner as when the blade is switched by the vertical movement. The blades can be easily switched so that they can be pressed and cleaned.

Also, when switching blades by rotating, it is preferable that two opposing blades can be separated from the panel and pressed against each other in one operation, so that the cleaning operation can be performed more efficiently.

Therefore, the cleaning apparatus according to the present embodiment can also have a higher cleaning ability than the cleaning apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, similarly to the first embodiment. In addition, the blade used for cleaning can be switched by a simple method, and the dust accumulated on the panel can be uniformly removed by both reciprocating movements of the cleaning device, so the panel can be cleaned efficiently. It is possible to provide a solar panel cleaning device capable of suppressing facility costs and power generation costs.

(Embodiment 3)
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

In the present embodiment, the

nozzle groups

102a and 102c are disposed outside the opposing

blades

101a and 101c. The nozzle group 102e is arranged in a row inside the opposing blades 101b, d.

Also in the present embodiment, the combination of the blades 101a to 101d used in the cleaning apparatus 100 driven in the x direction and the −x direction is the same as in the first and second embodiments, in which the cleaning apparatus 100 is driven in the x direction. When cleaning, the

blades

101a and 101b are used for cleaning. Conversely, when cleaning is performed by driving the cleaning machine in the -x direction, cleaning is performed using the

blades

101c and 101d.

In addition, the

nozzle groups

102a and 102c supply the cleaning liquid toward the

blades

101a and 101c. Therefore, since the

nozzle groups

102a and 102c are arranged in the moving direction of the

blades

101a and 101c, the panel 110 can be moistened and the dust and the like can be floated with water before the

blades

101a and 101c wipe off dirt such as dust. It becomes possible. Further, by supplying water in the direction of the blades 101a, c, the water supplied from the nozzle groups 102a, c is not only used for removing dirt such as dust on the solar panel 110, but also the blades 101a, Since the dirt accumulated in c is removed by the water supplied from the

nozzle groups

102a and 102c and can always be kept in a beautiful state, it is possible to always maintain a high cleaning ability.

On the other hand, the nozzle group 102e supplies the cleaning liquid toward both the

blades

102b and 102d. In this case, half of the cleaning liquid is supplied in the direction opposite to the direction of the

blade

102b or 102d used for cleaning, but the nozzle group in the case of the first embodiment or the second embodiment shown in FIG. Since it becomes possible to halve the number of 102b and d and the piping 111, there exists an effect of the equipment cost reduction of a washing | cleaning apparatus. The supply of water from the individual nozzles of the nozzle group 102e may be switched on / off based on the traveling direction.

Therefore, also in the cleaning apparatus in the present embodiment, it is possible to have a higher cleaning ability than the cleaning apparatus 200 of Patent Documents 1 and 2 shown in FIG. Even when a large area is cleaned, it is possible to realize a cleaning device that can always maintain a high cleaning capability, and a solar panel cleaning device using the same.

(Embodiment 4)
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram in which three cleaning devices 100 are connected in three vertical rows. Here, for simplification, members other than the blade 101 and the frame 109 constituting the cleaning apparatus 100 are omitted. The cleaning device 100 is connected in three vertical rows by a connecting member 114. At this time, it is necessary to remove the guide 108 located in the immediate vicinity of the connecting member 114 of the cleaning apparatus 100. The connecting member 114 connects the frames 109 of the cleaning devices 100 adjacent to each other. The connecting member 114 may simply connect the frame 109 or may include a tire.

By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to clean the three rows of the cleaning device 100 by one movement, and it is possible to more efficiently clean the solar panel.

(Embodiment 5)
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus 100a according to the present embodiment. Here, for simplification, members other than the blade 101e, the nozzle groups 102f and g, and the frame 109 constituting the cleaning device 100a are omitted.

FIG. 8A shows a state in which the cleaning apparatus 100a moves in the x direction. The blade 101e is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the cleaning device 100a by a switching mechanism (not shown), and the edge of the blade 101e is arranged with an inclination of about 1 to 5 ° with respect to the end (y direction) of the panel. It is pressed against the solar panel. Further, the blade 101e is fixed to be tilted by about 30 to 45 ° from the normal direction of the plane of the solar panel to the traveling direction of the cleaning device 100a. The nozzle group 102f for supplying water is disposed in front of the moving direction (x direction) of the blade 101e, and supplies water in the direction of the blade 101e. Therefore, it is possible to wet the panel before wiping off dirt such as dust with the blade, and float the dust with water.

FIG. 8B shows a state where the cleaning apparatus 100a moves in the −x direction. The blade 101e is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction (−x direction) of the cleaning apparatus 100a by a switching mechanism (not shown), and the edge of the blade 101e is −1 to 5 with respect to the end of the panel (y direction). It is placed at an angle of about ° and pressed against the solar panel. Further, the blade 101e is fixed at an angle of about 30 to 45 ° with respect to the traveling direction (−x direction) of the cleaning device 100a from the normal direction of the plane of the solar panel. The nozzle group 102g that supplies water is disposed in front of the blade 101e in the traveling direction (−x direction), and supplies water in the direction of the blade 101e. Therefore, it is possible to wet the panel before wiping off dirt such as dust with the blade, and float the dust with water.

According to the present embodiment, by switching the position of one blade, it is possible to deal with both the forward path and the backward path, so that the width of the cleaning device can be reduced.

(Embodiment 6)
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus 100b according to the present embodiment. Here, for simplification, members other than the blades 101f and g, the nozzle group 102h, and the frame 109 constituting the cleaning device 100b are omitted.

The nozzle group 102h is arranged in a row inside the opposing blades 101f and g. When cleaning is performed by driving the cleaning apparatus 100b in the x direction, cleaning is performed using the blade 101f. Conversely, when cleaning is performed by driving the cleaning machine in the -x direction, cleaning is performed using the blade 101g. Switching between the blade 101f and the blade 101g is performed by a switching mechanism (not shown).

The nozzle group 102h supplies the cleaning liquid toward both the

blades

102f and 102f. In this case, half of the cleaning liquid is supplied in a direction opposite to the direction of the

blade

102f or 102g used for cleaning, but compared to the case where the nozzle group is provided for each of the two blades, the nozzle group Since the number of pipes can be halved, the equipment cost of the cleaning device can be reduced. Note that the water supply from the individual nozzles of the nozzle group 102h may be switched ON / OFF based on the traveling direction.

According to the present embodiment, in the cleaning device, since one nozzle can cope with both the forward path and the backward path, the width of the cleaning device can be reduced, and the structure of the device is simplified and installed. Costs can be reduced.

As described above, if the cleaning device of the present invention is used, it is possible to have a higher cleaning ability than the cleaning device 200 of Patent Documents 1 and 2 shown in FIG. However, it is possible to realize a cleaning apparatus that can always maintain a high cleaning capability, and a solar panel cleaning apparatus using the same.

Further, the solar cell module cleaning system of the present invention includes the above-described cleaning device, and further includes a sensing function for detecting the remaining amount of liquid in the water storage tank 15 to automatically stop and operate, and the end of the row of solar cell modules. It may have a sensing function for detecting a part and automatically stopping it, and / or a lifter, an automatic guided vehicle or the like for moving the cleaning device to the next row when there are many rows of solar cell modules. Moreover, it can apply also to a frameless solar cell module by installing a driving wheel directly on a panel surface. The solar cell module cleaning system is a system that can operate the cleaning device appropriately in accordance with the configuration of the solar power generation device and can be flexible enough to handle a large-scale solar cell module.

Further, in other words, the present invention is as described below.

The switching mechanism may switch the position of the blade.

The blade includes a first blade and a second blade disposed substantially opposite to each other, and the switching mechanism is configured such that the first blade is moved when the cleaning device moves in the first movement direction. May be pressed against the surface to be cleaned, and when the cleaning device moves in the second movement direction, the second blade may be pressed against the surface to be cleaned.

Further, the first blade is pressed against the vertical direction of the surface to be cleaned while being inclined in the first moving direction of the cleaning device, and the second blade is disposed on the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning device may be pressed while being inclined in the second moving direction of the cleaning device with respect to the vertical direction.

Further, the first blade and the second blade may be divided and configured.

Further, the nozzle may be arranged in front of the pressed blade in the moving direction, and the nozzle hole may face the blade side.

Note that the above-described embodiment disclosed herein is an example in all respects and does not serve as a basis for limited interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted only by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the description of the scope of claims. Further, all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims are included.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, a new technical feature can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

The cleaning device according to the present invention is not limited to a solar power generation device, but can be suitably applied to a surface to be cleaned that extends long with the same width. For example, the cleaning device described above can be adapted to arcades, home roofs, and corridors.

100, 100a,

101b Cleaning device

101, 101a-

g Blade

102, 102a-h, Nozzle group 103 Tank 104 Motor 105 Control unit 106 Power supply 107 Tire 108 Guide 109 Frame 111 Piping 113, 113a-d, 113a'-d 'Fixed Member 114 Connecting member

Claims

A moving means for moving on the surface to be cleaned; and a nozzle for discharging liquid toward the surface to be cleaned,
A cleaning device for cleaning the surface to be cleaned by wiping the liquid on the surface to be cleaned by pressing a blade against the surface,
The cleaning apparatus includes a switching mechanism that switches the blades according to a moving direction of the cleaning apparatus.
The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the switching mechanism switches the position of the blade.
The blade comprises a first blade and a second blade disposed substantially opposite to each other,
The switching mechanism presses the first blade against the surface to be cleaned when the cleaning device moves in the first movement direction, and the switching mechanism moves when the cleaning device moves in the second movement direction. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second blade is pressed against the surface to be cleaned.
The first blade is pressed against the vertical direction of the surface to be cleaned, inclined in the first moving direction of the cleaning device,
4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second blade is pressed while being inclined in the second moving direction of the cleaning apparatus with respect to a vertical direction of the surface to be cleaned.
The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the first blade and the second blade are each configured to be divided.
The nozzle is disposed in front of the pressed blade in the moving direction;
The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hole of the nozzle faces the blade side.