JP7713270B2 - Cleaning equipment and robots - Google Patents

Description

This application relates to the technical field of cleaning photovoltaic panels, and more specifically to cleaning devices and robots.

Most of the material of photovoltaic panels is silicon, which uses semiconductor materials to generate electromotive effect under light conditions, so that solar energy can be directly converted into electrical energy. Since photovoltaic panels are installed outdoors, dust and other particles are easily attached to the panel surface, which reduces the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic panels. Usually, the surface of the photovoltaic panels needs to be cleaned regularly, and in order to reduce manual cleaning costs and improve cleaning efficiency, solar power plants often use cleaning robots to clean the panel surface.

Solar panels are often tilted at a certain angle relative to the horizontal plane to ensure power generation efficiency, but conventional robots are often applied to horizontally arranged surfaces, and there are many difficulties when applied to inclined solar power generation surfaces. When a robot cleans dust, sand, and other deposits on a smooth inclined solar power generation panel, the weight of the dust, sand, and other deposits is too heavy for the robot to carry and it is likely to slip on the inclined solar power generation surface, making it impossible to guarantee the stability and safety of the robot during cleaning.

This application provides a cleaning device and robot to solve the technical problem of the robot being prone to slipping due to excessive load on an inclined solar power generation surface.

The present application provides a cleaning device for cleaning a surface of a cleaning object. The cleaning device includes a housing, a rotating brush, a dust collection bin, a flow guide plate, a baffle, and an opening/closing device. The housing is cylindrical. The rotating brush is rotatably connected within the housing. The dust collection bin is connected to the housing. The dust collection bin includes an opening and at least two first exhaust holes, the opening facing the rotating brush, and the first exhaust holes communicating with the outside of the dust collection bin. The flow guide plate is connected to the lower end of the opening and extends toward the bottom of the rotating brush. The baffle is connected to the upper end of the opening and disposed opposite the flow guide plate. A passage is formed between the baffle and the flow guide plate to communicate the housing and the dust collection bin. The opening/closing device is the bottom of the dust collection bin. When the dust collection bin is located on the surface of the cleaning object, the opening/closing device is closed. When the dust collection bin is located outside the surface of the cleaning object, the opening/closing device can be opened.

Optionally, the opening and closing device further includes a support plate and a driving member. The support plate is the bottom of the dust collecting bin and can be movably attached to the side wall of the dust collecting bin. The driving member is attached to the dust collecting bin, connected to the support plate, and used to drive the movement or rotation of the support plate. When the support plate is driven, an outlet is formed at the bottom of the dust collecting bin.

Optionally, the support plate includes a support bottom plate and a support side plate. The support bottom plate is a flat plate, a bent plate, or a curved plate. The upper end of the support side plate is connected to the driving member, and the lower end is connected to the support bottom plate. When the driving member rotates, the support side plate can rotate the support bottom plate. When the driving member is stationary, one end of the support bottom plate is in close contact with the side wall of the dust collecting bin or forms the discharge outlet with the side wall of the dust collecting bin.

Optionally, the housing includes a first housing body and a connecting plate. The first housing body is covered above the rotating brush. The connecting plate is detachably connected to an edge of the first housing body. The dust collecting bin includes a support plate, a first plate and a second plate. The support plate includes a support bottom plate and a support side plate, and a lower end of the support side plate is connected to the support bottom plate. The second plate is disposed opposite the support bottom plate and connected to the connecting plate. The first plate is disposed opposite the support side plate and connected to the second plate. The opening is formed between the support side plate and the second plate. When the support plate is driven, an exhaust port is formed between the support plate and the first plate, and when the support bottom plate is in close contact with the first plate, the exhaust port is sealed.

Optionally, the housing further includes a third housing body. The third housing body is removably fitted over the dust bin and the connecting plate. The third housing body, the upper surface of the dust bin, and the connecting plate are surrounded to form a sealed exhaust cavity. At least two of the first exhaust holes are provided on the second plate, and at least two of the second exhaust holes are provided on the third housing body. When the rotating brush rotates, air in the housing flows through the passage into the dust bin, and flows out of the third housing body by passing through the first exhaust hole and the second exhaust hole in sequence.

Accordingly, the present application further provides a robot. The robot includes a vehicle body and a cleaning device. The vehicle body is capable of traveling on the surface of the object to be cleaned. The cleaning device is connected to the vehicle body. The cleaning device is any one of the cleaning devices described above.

Optionally, the cleaning robot further includes a data processing device and a distance sensor. The distance sensor is electrically connected to the data processing device. The distance sensor is attached to the front end of the vehicle body and is used to collect real-time distance between the distance sensor and the surface of the object to be cleaned. The forward direction of the vehicle body is defined as forward. The opening and closing device includes a driving member, and the driving member is electrically connected to the data processing device. The data processing device determines whether the dust collection bin is on the surface of the object to be cleaned based on the real-time distance, and if not, the data processing device controls the driving member to open the opening and closing device.

This application provides a cleaning device and robot. When the rotating brush rotates in the housing, it moves dust, sand, and other particles on the surface of the object to be cleaned toward the opening of the dust collection bin. The opposing flow guide plate and baffle can limit the area through which the particles move, so that most of the particles are collected in the dust collection bin by centrifugal force and negative pressure at the opening.

When the dust collection bin moves off the surface of the object to be cleaned, the opening and closing device opens and discharges the dust, sand and other debris from inside the dust collection bin. When cleaning, the opening and closing device gradually discharges the debris from the dust collection bin, thereby reducing the weight of the dust collection bin and the debris inside it, thereby reducing the driving force required to move the cleaning device and extending the usage time and lifespan of the cleaning device. At the same time, the design size of the dust collection bin can be reduced to achieve a lightweight design for the cleaning device, so that the lightweight dust collection bin can be used to gradually discard the debris from the dust collection bin, reducing skidding caused by the excessive weight of the cleaning device and improving safety and stability when the robot is moving.

In order to describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application in more detail, the drawings necessary for describing the embodiments will be briefly described below. Of course, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative labor.
FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a robot provided by the present application. FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a fixed plate in the robot provided by the present application. FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device provided by the present application; 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning device provided by the present application; 1 is a side view of a cleaning device provided by the present application; 1 is a partial schematic diagram of a cleaning device provided by the present application; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the second housing body, the flow guide plate and the baffle in the cleaning device provided by the present application. FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a second housing body in the cleaning device provided by the present application; 2 is an exploded schematic view of a first side plate and a second side plate in the cleaning device provided by the present application; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first side plate and a second side plate in a cleaning device provided by the present application.

100, vehicle body; 110, first fixed rod; 120, second fixed rod; 200, housing; 210, first housing body; 220, connecting plate; 230, first side plate; 231, first locking block; 232, position limiting groove; 233, second locking block; 234, elastic member; 300, dust collection bin; 310, first plate body; 320, second plate body; 321, first exhaust hole; 330, second side plate; 331, first locking block; 332, second locking groove; 340, support plate; 341, support bottom plate; 342, support side plate; 350, rudder Removal machine; 351, transmission pair; 360, inspection door; 400, third housing body; 410, exhaust cavity; 420, second exhaust hole; 500, flow guide plate; 510, arc-shaped segment; 520, flat segment; 610, baffle; 611, scraping tooth; 620, reinforcing member; 630, buffer member; 700, mounting frame; 710, fixed frame; 720, two-axis motor; 730, handle; 800, rotating brush; 900, fixed plate; 910, sliding groove; 911, first end; 912, second end; 920, groove

Hereinafter, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Of course, the embodiments described herein are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative work are included in the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining and interpreting the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application. In this application, unless otherwise specified, terms indicating directions such as "up", "down", "left", and "right" generally refer to the up, down, left, and right of the device in the actual use or operation state, specifically, the drawing direction of the attached drawings.

The present application provides a cleaning device and a robot, each of which will be described in detail below. Note that the order of description of the following embodiments does not limit the preferred order of the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the description of each embodiment focuses on itself, but for parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present application provides a robot that can travel on the surface of an object to be cleaned and removes dirt, such as dust and sand, from the surface of the object to be cleaned. The object to be cleaned may be a solar panel or a panel array made of solar panels, or may be a flat surface made of a material such as glass. In this embodiment, a solar panel will be used as an example of the object to be cleaned.

Referring to FIG. 1, the robot includes a vehicle body 100 and a cleaning device. The cleaning device is detachably connected to the front of the vehicle body 100. Here, the forward direction of the vehicle body 100 is defined as the forward direction. The vehicle body 100 can travel on the solar power generation panel and the cleaning device can be driven to clean the deposits on the solar power generation panel.

Referring to FIG. 1, the robot further includes two sets of connection assemblies. The two sets of connection assemblies are respectively arranged on both sides of the body 100 and are distributed symmetrically about the central axis of the body 100, so as to improve the reliability of the connection points between the body 100 and the cleaning device.

1 and 2, each connection assembly includes a fixed plate 900 and a first fixed rod 110. One end of the fixed plate 900 is connected to the housing of the cleaning device by a fastening screw, and the fixed plate 900 has a sliding groove 910 along its height direction. The sliding groove 910 includes a first end 911 and a second end 912 facing each other, and the first end 911 is located below the second end 912.

A boss is provided at one end of the first fixed rod 110, and the orthogonal projection of the boss along the axial direction of the first fixed rod 110 can completely cover the rod body of the first fixed rod 110. That is, the diameter of the boss is larger than the diameter of the first fixed rod 110. The opening width of the first end 911 in this embodiment is slightly larger than the opening width of the second end 912, so that the boss fits the opening width of the first end 911, and at the same time, the rod body of the first fixed rod 110 fits the second end 912.

The rod body of the first fixed rod 110 is fixedly connected to the front end of the vehicle body 100, and the first end 911 of the sliding groove 910 corresponds to the boss, and the boss penetrates the first end 911. The gravitational force of the cleaning device itself causes the fixed plate 900 to move downward, thereby moving the rod body of the first fixed rod 110 from the first end 911 to the second end 912, completing the assembly of the cleaning device and the vehicle body 100.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the connection assembly further includes a second fixed rod 120. The second fixed rod 120 is connected to the front end of the vehicle body 100, and a corresponding groove 920 is recessed inward at the front end of the fixing plate 900. When the first fixed rod 110 is fitted into the second end 912, the second fixed rod 120 is also fitted into the corresponding groove 920.

The fixed position of the second fixed rod 120 is located behind the fixed position of the first fixed rod 110, and in the process of the first fixed rod 110 moving along the sliding groove 910, in order to avoid interference between the fixed plate 900 and the second fixed rod 120, the sliding groove 910 in this embodiment is arc-shaped and the concave surface is installed facing the second fixed rod 120.

When the first fixed rod 110 is fitted into the second end 912, the vertical and horizontal degrees of freedom of the cleaning device relative to the vehicle body 100 can be restricted. When the second fixed rod 120 is fitted into the inside of the groove 920, the rotational degrees of freedom of the cleaning device relative to the vehicle body 100 can be restricted. Therefore, based on the fit between the first fixed rod 110 and the sliding groove 910, and the fit between the second fixed rod 120 and the groove 920, it is possible to realize the restriction of multiple degrees of freedom of the connection point between the cleaning device and the vehicle body 100, and improve the stability of the connection point.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the cleaning device includes a housing 200, a dust collection bin 300, and a rotating brush 800. The housing 200 is cylindrical and connected to the dust collection bin 300. The rotating brush 800 is rotatably connected to the inside of the housing 200. Specifically, both end faces of the rotating brush 800 are connected to the side walls of the housing 200 via rotary bearings.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the dust collection bin 300 includes an opening. The opening is open toward the rotating brush 800 in the housing 200, so that the dust collection bin 300 communicates with the inside of the housing 200 through the opening. When the vehicle body 100 travels over the solar power generation panel, the rotating brush 800 is positioned within the housing 200 and rotates, cleaning the deposits on the surface of the solar power generation panel through the opening to the inside of the dust collection bin 300.

The cleaning device further includes a flow guide plate 500 and a baffle 610. One end of the flow guide plate 500 is connected to the lower end of the opening, and the other end extends toward the lower end of the rotating brush 800 so that the end is as close as possible to the rotating brush 800. One end of the baffle 610 is connected to the upper end of the opening, and the other end extends in a direction away from the dust collection bin 300. The baffle 610 corresponds to the above-mentioned flow guide plate 500, and a passage is formed between the baffle 610 and the flow guide plate 500 that connects the housing 200 and the dust collection bin 300, thereby limiting the intake area at the opening.

When the rotating brush 800 rotates within the housing 200, the bristles of the rotating brush 800 can remove dust, sand, and other deposits from the surface of the solar panel along the direction of rotation of the rotating brush 800. At the same time, since the opening of the dust collection bin 300 is positioned toward the housing 200, the deposits are removed from the bristles by the centrifugal force applied by the rotating brush 800 and collected inside the dust collection bin 300 through the opening.

At the same time, when the rotating brush 800 is positioned near the opening of the dust collection bin 300 and rotates, the air flow speed at the opening of the dust collection bin 300 is slightly higher, creating a negative pressure state at the opening of the dust collection bin 300, so that the deposits are more likely to pass through the opening and be adsorbed into the dust collection bin 300.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the dust collection bin 300 further includes at least two first exhaust holes 321. The first exhaust holes 321 may be opened in the side wall and/or the top wall of the dust collection bin 300, and the inside of the dust collection bin 300 can be connected to the outside through the first exhaust holes 321.

When the vehicle body 100 moves on the solar power generation panel, the rotating brush 800 collects the air and any debris mixed in the air into the dust collection bin 300. The dust and sand in the air collect at the bottom of the dust collection bin 300 due to its own gravity, and the air inside the dust collection bin 300 can flow to the outside of the dust collection bin 300 through the first exhaust hole 321. Therefore, the combination of the dust collection bin 300 and the rotating brush 800 is used to clean the surface of the solar power generation panel.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the dust collection bin 300 further includes an opening and closing device. The opening and closing device is the bottom of the dust collection bin 300. When the dust collection bin 300 is located on the solar power generation panel, the opening and closing device is closed. When the dust collection bin 300 is located outside the solar power generation panel, the opening and closing device can be opened, and the dust, sand, and other deposits inside the dust collection bin 300 can be discharged to the outside through the open opening and closing device.

To ensure power generation efficiency, solar panels are often designed to be inclined at a certain angle relative to the mounting surface. At the same time, the surface of the solar panel is a smooth plane, so when the vehicle body 100 drives the cleaning device to move, it is necessary to overcome slippage caused by the robot's own gravity. When the dust collection bin 300 moves outside the solar panel, the opening and closing device of the dust collection bin 300 opens and the attached matter is discharged outside the dust collection bin 300. This reduces the weight of the cleaning device while it is moving, reduces the lateral slippage of the robot, saves energy consumption while the robot is moving, and extends the usage time of the robot.

When the opening and closing device of the dust collection bin 300 is opened, the dust and sand inside the dust collection bin 300 are discharged, which reduces the design volume of the dust collection bin 300, and further reduces the weight of the cleaning device and reduces costs.

3 to 5, the housing 200 includes a first housing body 210 and a connecting plate 220. The first housing body 210 and the connecting plate 220 are detachably connected by a fastening screw and are installed together above the rotating brush 800. The dust collecting bin 300 includes a first plate body 310, a second plate body 320, and a support plate 340. The first plate body 310, the second plate body 320, and the connecting plate 220 are connected in a stepped manner. An end of the connecting plate 220 can be connected to the edge of the first housing body 210 by a fastening screw or a rivet so that the dust collecting bin 300 and the housing 200 are connected. The support plate 340 is the bottom of the dust collecting bin 300 and includes a supporting bottom plate 341 and a supporting side plate 342. One side of the supporting bottom plate 341 can be connected to the bottom of the supporting side plate 342, and the other side can be in close contact with the edge of the first plate body 310.

The first plate 310 is the front side wall of the dust collection bin 300. The second plate 320 is the top wall of the dust collection bin 300 and is disposed opposite the support bottom plate 341. The support side plate 342 is the rear side wall of the dust collection bin 300 and is disposed opposite the first plate 310 described above.

Because there is a distance between the support side plate 342 and the second plate body 320, the aforementioned opening is formed, making it easy to collect the deposits in the dust collection bin 300 through the opening.

The opening and closing device includes a support plate 340 and a connected drive member. The support plate 340 includes a connected support bottom plate 341 and a support side plate 342. The drive member is connected to the support side plate 342 and can drive the rotation of the support side plate 342. The support side plate 342 can move the support bottom plate 341, so that the support bottom plate 341 can adhere to or separate from the lower edge of the first plate body 310, thereby forming an outlet that can be opened and closed.

In another embodiment, the opening and closing device includes a support plate 340 and a driving member. The support plate 340 is the bottom of the dust collection bin 300, and the driving member is connected to the support plate 340 and drives the support plate 340 to move along a straight line so that the support plate 340 is movably attached to the side wall of the dust collection bin 300. When the dust collection bin 300 is located on the solar power generation panel, the support plate 340 is in an initial state and is in close contact with the lower edge of the first plate body 310. When the dust collection bin 300 is located outside the solar power generation panel, the driving member moves the support plate 340 to separate the support plate 340 from the lower edge of the first plate body to form the above-mentioned openable and closable discharge port. Specifically, the support plate 340 may be arranged at an angle or horizontally. The driving member may be a linear movement mechanism such as a cylinder, a linear motor, or a rack gear.

Referring to FIG. 5 to FIG. 8, the first housing body 210 is a sheet metal part, and is formed into an arch-like structure by bending the entire plate. The first plate body 310, the second plate body 320, and the connecting plate 220 are formed into a stepped structure by bending the entire plate, and therefore the entire plate is defined as the second housing body. The support plate 340 is formed into a support bottom plate 341 and a support side plate 342 by bending the entire plate. By manufacturing the first housing body 210, the second housing body, and the support plate 340 by a bending process, the manufacturing process can be simplified, the processing and assembly efficiency can be improved, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, while the strength of the first housing body 210, the second housing body, and the support plate 340 can be ensured, and the service life of the cleaning device can be extended.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the cleaning device travels by driving the vehicle body 100, there is a gap between the support base plate 341 and the solar power panel, so the support base plate 341 is located above the solar power panel. The solar power panel is surrounded by a frame, and the frame is slightly higher than the solar power panel, so that a gap is limited between the lowest position of the support base plate 341 and the solar power panel. When the cleaning device straddles adjacent solar power panels, it is possible to avoid collision between the support plate 340 and the frame, thereby protecting both the robot and the solar power panel.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the housing 200 further includes a first side plate 230. The first side plate 230 is connected to an end of the first housing body 210 by a fastening screw. The dust collection bin 300 further includes a second side plate 330, which is connected to an end of the second housing body by a fastening screw. That is, the ends of the first plate 310, the second plate 320 and the connecting plate 220 are all connected to the second side plate 330.

The first side plate 230, the first housing body 210 and the connecting plate 220 form the housing 200 described above, and the end of the rotating brush 800 is rotatably connected to the first side plate 230 via a rotary bearing to realize the assembly of the rotating brush 800 and the housing 200. The second side plate 330, the first plate body 310, the second plate body 320 and the support plate 340 form the dust collection bin 300 described above, and the end of the support side plate 342 is rotatably connected to the second side plate 330 to realize the assembly of the support plate 340.

5 and 9, the driving member is attached to the second side plate 330 of the dust collecting bin 300. The above driving member includes a steering gear 350 and a transmission pair. The steering gear 350 is attached to the inside of the second side plate 330 and is connected to the upper end of the supporting side plate 342 through the transmission pair 351. The steering gear 350 drives the supporting side plate 342 to rotate at a certain angle through the transmission pair 351, and at the same time, the supporting side plate 342 can synchronously rotate the supporting bottom plate 341 connected thereto, so that the edge of the supporting bottom plate 341 is separated from the first plate body 310. At this time, the discharge port is opened, and the dust, sand and other deposits in the dust collecting bin 300 can be discharged from the discharge port. After the deposits inside the dust collection bin 300 have been discharged, the steering gear 350 drives the support side plate 342 to rotate in the reverse direction, resetting the support bottom plate 341 with the support side plate 342 and bringing it into close contact with the edge of the first plate body 310, thereby closing the discharge port.

The driving member in this embodiment can be a high-precision servo motor, and at the same time, the transmission pair 351 includes a synchronous toothed belt and a toothed transmission wheel with high transmission precision. By using the steering gear 350 and the transmission pair 351 with high movement precision, the movement precision of the support plate 340 can be improved, and the opening and closing of the discharge port can be accurately controlled.

5 and 9, the robot includes a data processing device and at least one distance sensor (not shown), and the steering gear 350 and the distance sensor are both electrically connected to the data processing device. The above-mentioned distance sensor is mounted on the front end of the vehicle body 100 to collect the real-time distance between the distance sensor and the solar power generation panel, and transmit the collected signal to the data processing device. The data processing device judges whether the dust collection bin 300 is located on the surface of the solar power generation panel based on the real-time distance signal of the distance sensor. If so, the vehicle body 100 continues to run. If not, the data processing device controls the steering gear 350 to drive the rotation of the support side plate 342, and the support side plate 342 rotates the support bottom plate 341 at a certain angle, so that the support bottom plate 341 is separated from the first plate body 310, and the above-mentioned discharge port is formed.

5 and 9, the photovoltaic panel includes a panel and a frame surrounding the panel, so the frame is slightly higher than the surface of the panel. If the distance sensor is attached to the bottom of the vehicle body 100 and positioned close to the front end of the vehicle body 100, the distance sensor can collect a changed signal when the vehicle body 100 moves to the frame. Since the dust collection bin 300 is positioned at the front end of the vehicle body 100, the data processing device determines that the dust collection bin 300 is located outside the photovoltaic panel at this time based on the signal change of the distance sensor.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 9, the dust collecting bin 300 further includes an inspection door 360. The inspection door 360 is detachably connected to the outside of the second side plate 330. Since the end of the rotating shaft of the steering gear 350 protrudes outside the second side plate 330, a belt transmission pair 351 that matches it is attached to the outside of the second side plate 330. Therefore, the detachably attached inspection door 360 facilitates assembly and inspection of the steering gear 350 and the transmission pair 351.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the dust collection bin 300 further includes a third housing body 400. The third housing body 400 is detachably connected to the outside of the second housing body by a fastening screw. The first plate body 310 and the second plate body 320 are connected in a stepped manner, so that when the third housing body 400 is installed outside the first plate body 310 and the second plate body 320, a sealed exhaust cavity 410 can be formed between the third housing body 400 and the second housing body.

The first plate 310 and/or the second plate 320 are provided with several first exhaust holes 321. The exhaust cavity 410 communicates with the dust collection bin 300 through the first exhaust holes 321, allowing the air in the dust collection bin 300 to flow into the exhaust cavity 410. The third housing body 400 is provided with at least two second exhaust holes 420. The exhaust cavity 410 can communicate with the outside through the second exhaust holes 420, allowing the air in the exhaust cavity 410 to flow to the outside of the cleaning device through the second exhaust holes 420.

The third housing body 400 is installed outside the first plate body 310 and the second plate body 320 to prevent particulate matter such as sand from the outside from falling into the first exhaust hole 321 and to avoid blocking of the air passage of the first exhaust hole 321. Air flows into the exhaust cavity 410 through the first exhaust hole 321 and then flows to the outside of the cleaning device through the second exhaust hole 420. Therefore, after the air is doubly filtered by the first exhaust hole 321 and the second exhaust hole 420, more impurities such as dust suspended in the air can be deposited in the dust collecting bin 300 and the exhaust cavity 410, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the cleaning robot.

Referring to Figures 4 to 6, the first exhaust holes 321 in this embodiment are opened in the second plate 320 and are distributed on one side of the second plate 320 away from the third housing body 400. Correspondingly, the opening position of the second exhaust holes 420 is located above the second plate 320, so that the opening position of the second exhaust holes 420 is slightly higher than the opening position of the first exhaust holes 321.

The second plate 320 is the upper wall of the dust collection bin 300, and the first exhaust hole 321 is opened in the second plate 320, so that when particulate matter mixed in the air moves upward and flows into the first exhaust hole 321, the particulate matter is more likely to fall to the bottom of the dust collection bin 300 due to its own gravity. Therefore, when the air in the dust collection bin 300 flows into the exhaust cavity 410 through the first exhaust hole 321, more particulate matter such as dust and sand mixed in the air can be filtered by the first exhaust hole 321, and more particulate matter accumulates in the dust collection bin 300. The second exhaust hole 420 is opened at a position slightly higher than the second plate 320, and the second exhaust hole 420 is opened in the vertical part of the third housing body 400, which makes it easier for the air in the exhaust cavity 410 to flow to the outside of the third housing body 400, and prevents sand or particulate matter from the outside from falling into the second exhaust hole 420 and causing blockage of the air passage.

Since the first exhaust hole 321 is located on one side of the second plate 320 away from the third housing body 400, the air discharged from the dust collection bin 300 is collected at the first exhaust hole 321. When the air in the exhaust cavity 410 flows into the second exhaust hole 420, the air passage through which the air flows increases, and fine particulate matter such as dust suspended in the air can be deposited on one side of the second plate 320 closer to the third housing body 400, thereby further improving the cleaning effect of the robot.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the flow guide plate 500 is connected to the lower end of the opening. Since the opening of the dust collection bin 300 is in a negative pressure state, by using the flow guide plate 500 to restrict the intake area at the lower end of the opening, the air and the deposits suspended in the air can flow along the flow guide plate 500 into the inside of the dust collection bin 300. This prevents particulate matter from falling between the dust collection bin 300 and the rotating brush 800, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of cleaning.

The baffle 610 is connected to the upper end of the opening, so that when the rotating brush 800 rotates to the baffle 610, the baffle 610 can restrict the particulate matter attached to the brush bristles, so that the particulate matter is separated from the rotating brush 800 and then adsorbed to the opening. At the same time, the baffle 610 can also block a portion of the particulate matter moving upwards due to the drive of centrifugal force, so that the particulate matter is collected inside the dust collecting bin 300.

Referring to Figures 4 and 7, the end of the baffle 610 close to the bristles is provided with at least two scraping teeth 611. When the bristles of the rotating brush 800 pass through the scraping teeth 611, the baffle 610 can block particulate matter attached to the bristles, and the scraping teeth 611 can remove foreign matter such as hair, feathers, ropes, etc. tangled in the bristles, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the rotating brush 800.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the second plate 320 and the connecting plate 220 are formed by bending the second housing body, so the baffle 610 is fixed to the bending points of the second plate 320 and the connecting plate 220 and is arranged to extend along the axial direction of the rotating brush 800. To facilitate the attachment of the baffle 610 and to increase the strength of the bending points of the second plate 320 and the connecting plate 220, a reinforcing member 620 is connected above or below the baffle 610. The reinforcing member 620 in this embodiment is fixed above the baffle 610 and is arranged to extend along the axial direction of the rotating brush 800.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in order to avoid vibration at the connection point between the rigid baffle 610 and the rigid reinforcing member 620, a buffer member 630 is provided between the baffle 610 and the reinforcing member 620. In this embodiment, the material of the buffer member 630 is preferably rubber or silicone. When the brush bristles of the rotating brush 800 pass through the scraping teeth 611 of the baffle 610, the buffer member 630 can buffer the force between the baffle 610 and the reinforcing member 620 to reduce vibration.

Referring to Figures 4, 5 and 7, the flow guide plate 500 includes a connected arc-shaped segment 510 and a flat segment 520. The arc-shaped segment 510 is located at the opening of the dust collecting bin 300 and at the top of the supporting side plate 342. One end of the flat segment 520 is connected to the end of the arc-shaped segment 510, and the other end is inclined toward the lower end of the rotating brush 800, so that the flat segment 520 is located below the opening.

The downwardly inclined flat surface segment 520 brings its end closer to the bottom of the rotating brush 800. When the rotating brush 800 applies a force to the deposits on the solar panel, the deposits move toward the opening of the dust collection bin 300 under the action of centrifugal force. As a result, some of the dust, sand, and other deposits lifted by the rotating brush 800 are blown into the dust collection bin 300 by the airflow, and some of them fall onto the flat surface segment 520 by gravity and are driven into the dust collection bin 300 along the surface of the flat surface segment 520. In this application, the inclination angle of the flat surface segment 520 can be specifically designed according to the inclination angle of the solar panel and the size of the rotating brush 800, and is not particularly limited here.

Since the opening of the dust collection bin 300 is in a negative pressure state, the arc-shaped segment 510 located on the upper part of the support side plate 342 is used to facilitate the collection of deposits in the dust collection bin 300. In this embodiment, the upper part of the support side plate 342 has a cylindrical structure, and the arc-shaped segment 510 is in close contact with the upper part of the support side plate 342, thereby preventing interference between the arc-shaped segment 510 and the support side plate 342 when the steering gear 350 rotates the support side plate 342. At the same time, the support side plate 342 can be used to apply a supporting force to the flow guide plate 500, thereby improving the connection strength and stability of the flow guide plate 500.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the cleaning device is driven by the vehicle body 100 to travel along the surface of the solar power panel, there is a gap between the lowest point of the planar segment 520 and the solar power panel, so that the flow guide plate 500 is located above the solar power panel. The solar power panel is surrounded by a frame, and the frame is slightly higher than the surface of the solar power panel, so that a gap is limited between the lowest position of the flow guide plate 500 and the solar power panel. When the flow guide plate 500 straddles the adjacent solar power panel, it is possible to avoid a collision between the flow guide plate 500 and the frame, thereby protecting both the robot and the solar power panel.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the cleaning device further includes a two-axis motor 720, a mounting frame 700, and a fixed frame 710. The two-axis motor 720 includes two opposing protruding shafts, each of which is connected to a rotating brush 800. Therefore, by using the two-axis motor 720, the surface of the solar panel can be simultaneously cleaned by two sets of rotating brushes 800, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency. The two-axis motor 720 is fixed to the mounting frame 700 so that the two protruding shafts protrude from both sides of the mounting frame 700, respectively, and at the same time, the fixed frame 710 is connected to one side wall of the mounting frame 700 by a fastening screw, thereby realizing the relative fixation of the fixed frame 710 and the mounting frame 700.

Referring to Figures 5 to 7, the exterior of each rotating brush 800 is covered with a connected housing 200 and dust collection bin 300, so that when the housing body is fixedly connected to the mounting frame 700 and the fixed frame 710, the two housings 200 are respectively connected to both side walls of the mounting frame 700 by fastening screws, and the two dust collection bins 300 are respectively connected to both side walls of the fixed frame 710 by fastening screws. The first plate 310 and the second plate 320 of the dust collection bin 300 are connected to the sides of the fixed frame 710, so that the two opposing sides of the fixed frame 710 become the side walls of the dust collection bin 300.

Two rotating brushes 800 are connected to the two protruding shafts of the two-axis motor 720, respectively, and as a result, the length of the two housing bodies covered on the outside of the rotating brushes 800 after joining is relatively long. Since the housing body is a sheet metal part structure, the mounting frame 700 and the fixing frame 710 are used to fix the housing 200 and the dust collection bin 300, respectively, so that a supporting force can be applied to the housing body, thereby reducing bending deformation of the housing body and improving the strength and stability of the housing body. In addition, by joining two sets of housing bodies, it is possible to increase the cleaning area and improve cleaning efficiency, and to facilitate the processing and manufacturing of the housing body, reduce the difficulty of manufacturing, and improve the processing efficiency.

3 and 6, a handle 730 is connected to the outside of the mounting frame 700 to facilitate assembly of the cleaning device with the vehicle body 100. Since the mounting frame 700 is located at the center of the two sets of housing bodies, when the cleaning device is assembled using the handle 730, the two sets of symmetrically distributed connection assemblies facilitate assembly of the cleaning device with the vehicle body 100. At the same time, since the mounting frame 700 has a relatively large strength and hardness, when the cleaning device is assembled using the handle 730, the housing body is not deformed, thereby avoiding deformation or damage of the cleaning device during assembly.

3, 4 and 9, the side wall of the housing body includes a first side plate 230 and a second side plate 330, and the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330 are located on the same plane. The first side plate 230 is pre-fixed to the end of the first housing body 210 by a fastening screw, and then the second side plate 330 is connected to the first side plate 230 by a position limiting assembly and fixed to the end of the second housing body by a fastening screw. The above-mentioned position limiting assembly can limit the relative position of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330, thereby improving the accuracy of assembly.

9 and 10, the position limiting assembly includes a first locking block 231 and a matching first locking block 331. The first locking block 231 is fixed to a side wall of the first side plate 230, and the first locking block 331 is fixed to an opposing side wall of the second side plate 330. The first locking block 231 can lock with the first locking block 331 along a first direction. In this embodiment, the first direction is preferably the Z-axis direction.

In this embodiment, the first locking block 331 is docked with the first locking block 231 along the Z-axis direction to realize restrictions on the degree of freedom of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330 along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. By fitting the first locking block 331 with the first locking block 231, the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330 can be fixed in advance, improving the assembly accuracy of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330.

9 and 10, the position limiting assembly further includes a second locking block 233 and a second locking groove 332 that matches the second locking block 233. The first side plate 230 has a position limiting groove 232 that opens inward from its side wall. The locking block is fitted into the position limiting groove 232 and can slide along the opening direction, so that a portion of the second locking block 233 can protrude from the position limiting groove 232. In this embodiment, the second locking block 233 includes a lock body and a lock head. The lock head is connected to the lock body, and the size specification of the lock head is smaller than the size specification of the lock body. The position limiting groove 232 includes a first groove body and a second groove body that communicate with each other. The opening size of the first groove body matches the lock head, and the opening size of the second groove body matches the lock body.

An elastic member 234 is provided between the second locking block 233 and the position limiting groove 232. In this embodiment, the elastic member 234 is preferably a coil spring. One end of the elastic member 234 is connected to the lock body of the second locking block 233, and the other end abuts against the inner wall of the second groove body, and the elastic member 234 pushes the lock head of the second locking block 233 to protrude from the first groove body and fit into the second locking groove 332.

The second locking groove 332 is recessed inward on the side wall of the second side plate 330, and the second locking block 233 can abut within the second locking groove 332 along the second direction. In this embodiment, the second direction is preferably the X-axis direction. When the second locking block 233 and the second locking groove 332 abut along the X-axis direction, the degree of freedom of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330 along the Z-axis direction and the Y-axis direction can be limited. In other words, the assembly accuracy of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330 can be improved, and the stability of the connection points can be improved.

The above position limiting assembly can independently select the combination of the first locking block 231 and the first locking block 331, can independently select the combination of the second locking block 233 and the second locking groove 332, and can simultaneously select the combination of the first locking block 231 and the first locking block 331, and the combination of the second locking block 233 and the second locking groove 332.

9 and 10, in this embodiment, after the first side plate 230 is fixed to the end of the first housing body 210, the second side plate 330 is attached along the Z-axis direction, and the first locking block 231 and the first locking block 331 engage along the Z-axis direction. In the process of the second side plate 330 moving along the Z-axis, the second side plate 330 is in close contact with the side wall of the first side plate 230. At this time, the second side plate 330 applies a thrust to the second locking block 233, completely fitting the second locking block 233 into the position limiting groove 232, and at the same time, the elastic member 234 is compressed. After the second locking groove 332 of the second side plate 330 moves to a position facing the second locking block 233, the elastic member 234 can convert its own elastic force into a thrust force that drives the movement of the second locking block 233, so that the lock head of the second locking block 233 is fitted into the second locking groove. At this time, the first locking block 231 fits into the first locking block 331, and the second locking block 233 abuts against the second locking groove 332, thereby realizing the pre-fixing of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330, and ensuring the accuracy of the relative position between the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330. After that, the second side plate 330 is fixed to the end of the second housing body by a tightening screw, thereby realizing the assembly of the first side plate 230 and the second side plate 330.

Referring to Figure 1, the vehicle body can drive the cleaning device to run along the surface of the solar panel, so the structure of the vehicle body can refer to the following conventional technologies to ensure the stability of the robot during cleaning.

Based on the suction cup track drive mechanism and solar panel cleaning robot of Announcement No. CN112657991A, the vehicle body 100 includes a suction cup track drive mechanism.

Based on the track tensioning device and track-type traveling device of Publication No. CN111942489A, the track tensioning device is fixed and attached to the two side walls of the vehicle body 100.

Based on the track and track-type traveling device of Announcement No. CN114104131A, two or more wheels are provided on each of the left and right sides of the vehicle body 100, and each of the tracks is fitted onto a plurality of the wheels on one side of the vehicle body.

The above provides a detailed introduction of the cleaning device and robot provided in this application, and the present specification uses specific examples to explain the principles and embodiments of the present application. The above description of the examples is used only to assist in understanding the method and the spirit of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art may find changes in the specific embodiments and application scope based on the spirit of the present application. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be understood as limitations on the present invention.

Claims (18)

A cleaning device used for cleaning a surface of a cleaning target, the cleaning device including a housing, a rotating brush, a dust collecting bin, a flow guide plate, a baffle, and an opening and closing device;
The housing is cylindrical,
The rotating brush is rotatably connected within the housing;
the dust collection bin is connected to the housing, the dust collection bin includes an opening and at least two first exhaust holes, the opening faces the rotating brush, and the first exhaust holes communicate with the outside of the dust collection bin;
The flow guide plate is connected to a lower end of the opening and extends toward a bottom of the rotating brush,
the baffle is connected to an upper end of the opening and is disposed opposite the flow guide plate, and a passage is formed between the baffle and the flow guide plate, the passage connecting the housing and the dust collecting bin;
The opening and closing device is the bottom of the dust collecting bin,
A cleaning device, characterized in that the opening and closing device is closed when the dust collection bin is located on the surface of the object to be cleaned, and the opening and closing device can be opened when the dust collection bin is located outside the surface of the object to be cleaned. The opening and closing device further includes a support plate and a drive member.
The support plate is a bottom of the dust collecting bin and can be movably attached to a side wall of the dust collecting bin;
the driving member is attached to the dust collecting bin, connected to the support plate, and used to drive the movement or rotation of the support plate;
2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein when the support plate is driven, a discharge port is formed at the bottom of the dust collecting bin. The support plate includes a bottom support plate and a side support plate,
The support base plate is a flat plate, a bent plate, or a curved plate;
The support side plate has an upper end connected to the drive member and a lower end connected to the support bottom plate,
3. The cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein when the driving member rotates, the support side plate can rotate the support bottom plate, and when the driving member is stationary, one end of the support bottom plate is attached to a side wall of the dust collecting bin or forms the discharge outlet together with the side wall of the dust collecting bin. The drive member includes a steering gear and a transmission pair;
The steering gear is electrically connected to a data processing device and is mounted within the dust collection bin;
the steering gear is connected to the support plate via the transmission pair and is used to drive the movement of the support plate;
3. The cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission pair is a gear transmission pair or a belt transmission pair. The flow guide plate is
an arcuate segment connected to a lower end of the opening;
2. The cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising a planar segment having one end connected to said arcuate segment and an opposite end extending toward a bottom of said rotating brush. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the dust collection bin is positioned on the surface of the object to be cleaned, there is a distance between each of the opening/closing device and the flow guide plate and the surface of the object to be cleaned. The housing includes:
a first housing body provided above the rotary brush;
a connection plate detachably connected to an edge portion of the first housing body,
The dust collection bin includes a support plate, a second plate, and a first plate;
The support plate includes a bottom support plate and a side support plate, and a lower end of the side support plate is connected to the bottom support plate;
The second plate is disposed opposite the support bottom plate and is connected to the connecting plate;
The first plate is disposed opposite the support side plate and is connected to the second plate;
The opening is formed between the support side plate and the second plate body,
2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein when the support plate is driven, an outlet is formed between the support plate and the first plate body, and when the support bottom plate is in close contact with the first plate body, the outlet is sealed. The housing further includes a first side panel;
The rotating brush is rotatably connected to the first side plate,
The dust collection bin further includes a second side panel;
2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the second side plate is positioned on the same plane as the first side plate, and the flow guide plate is connected to the second side plate. The cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising a position limiting assembly, the dust collection bin being removably connected to the housing via the position limiting assembly. The housing includes a first side panel;
the dust bin includes a second side panel, the second side panel being flush with the first side panel;
the position limiting assembly includes a first locking block and a first stop block;
the first locking block is connected to the first side panel;
The first locking block is connected to the second side plate, and the first locking block can lock the first locking block;
and/or a position limiting groove recessed downward is provided on a side wall of the first side plate facing the second side plate,
A second locking groove is provided on a side wall of the second side plate facing the first side plate, the second locking groove being recessed downward.
the position limiting assembly includes a second locking block and further includes a resilient member;
The second locking block is slidably mounted in the position limiting groove and abuts against the second locking groove;
The elastic member has one end connected to the second locking block and the other end abutting against an inner wall of the position limiting groove,
10. The cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein a first direction in which the first locking block is locked to the first locking block and a second direction in which the second locking block abuts against the second locking groove are perpendicular to each other. the dust collecting bin and the connecting plate are disposed above the third housing body in a detachable manner,
the third housing body, the top surface of the dust collecting bin, and the connecting plate are surrounded to form a sealed exhaust cavity;
8. The cleaning device according to claim 7, wherein the second plate is provided with at least two of the first exhaust holes and the third housing body is provided with at least two of the second exhaust holes, and when the rotating brush rotates, air in the housing flows through the passage into the dust collecting bin, and then passes through the first exhaust holes and the second exhaust holes in sequence to flow outside the third housing body. The cleaning device is
A reinforcing member provided above the baffle and arranged facing the baffle;
The cleaning device according to claim 1 , further comprising a buffer member that is in intimate contact between the baffle and the reinforcing member. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge of the baffle facing the rotating brush is provided with scraping teeth that are evenly distributed, and when the rotating brush rotates, the brush bristles of the rotating brush can be scraped by the scraping teeth. A robot,
A vehicle body capable of traveling on a surface of the object to be cleaned;
and the cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, connected to the vehicle body. The robot of claim 14, further comprising a two-axis motor, the two-axis motor including two protruding shafts, each of which is connected to a rotating brush of a cleaning device. A data processing device;
a distance sensor electrically connected to the data processing device;
The distance sensor is mounted on a front end of the vehicle body to collect real-time distance between the distance sensor and the surface of the object to be cleaned, where the forward direction of the vehicle body is defined as forward;
15. The robot of claim 14, wherein the opening and closing device includes a driving member, the driving member is electrically connected to the data processing device, and the data processing device determines whether the dust collection bin is on the surface of the object to be cleaned based on a real-time distance, and if not, the data processing device controls the driving member to open the opening and closing device. The vehicle further includes two sets of connection assemblies, the two connection assemblies being symmetrically distributed with respect to the central axis of the vehicle body, and each of the connection assemblies includes:
a fixed plate connected to the housing and having a sliding groove;
a first fixed rod having a boss at one end and the other end connected to the vehicle body;
15. The robot of claim 14, wherein the sliding groove includes a first end and a second end, the first end is located below the second end, the boss is fitted to the first end, and the first fixed rod can engage with the second end. The connection assembly includes:
A second fixed rod connected to the vehicle body;
a groove recessed inwardly at an end of the fixing plate;
18. The robot of claim 17, wherein the second fixation rod is engaged within the recess when the first fixation rod is engaged with the second end.