# US 10,873,291 B1 · Methods for cleaning photovoltaic panels

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- Number: US 10,873,291 B1
- Document ID: US10873291B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/675,209
- Filed: 2019-11-05
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-06
- Applicants: Mary Ethel Parker
- Inventors: Mary Ethel Parker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873291B1

## CPC

- H02S 40/10: Cleaning arrangements
- B08B 1/34: rotating about an axis parallel to the surface
- B08B 5/02: Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities {(airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005)}
- B08B 6/00: Cleaning by electrostatic means
- B08B 7/0035: {by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like}
- B08B 13/00: Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
- B08B 15/04: from a small area, e.g. a tool {(removing chips B23Q11/0042)}
- F24S 40/20: Cleaning; Removing snow
- B08B 1/12: Brushes
- B08B 1/30: by movement of cleaning members over a surface
- B08B 5/00: Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow (cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00)
- B08B 5/04: Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action
- F24S 25/12: using posts in combination with upper profiles
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The disclosure herein includes one or more methods for cleaning photovoltaic panels, which includes using cleaning assemblies for photovoltaic panels that may each include: 1) a track coupled to the photovoltaic panel; 2) a housing coupled to the photovoltaic panel; 3) a drive motor coupled to the housing; 4) a drive wheel coupled to the drive motor, wherein the wheel is capable of rolling on the track; 5) a vacuum pump having a suction head coupled to the housing; and/or 6) an air pump having an ionizing electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of cleaning a photovoltaic panel, comprising:
providing a cleaning assembly comprising:
a housing disposed adjacent a surface of the photovoltaic panel for cleaning;
a drive motor coupled to the housing;
a first wheel coupled to the drive motor;
a second wheel coupled to the drive motor;
a vacuum pump having a suction head disposed in the housing;
an air pump having a nozzle disposed in the housing;
an ionizing electrode coupled to the air pump;
a brush coupled to the drive motor and disposed in the housing;
a power supply coupled to the drive motor; and
a controller electrically coupled to the drive motor, the vacuum pump, the air pump, the ionizing electrode, and the power supply;
disposing the first wheel and the second wheel on the photovoltaic panel;
turning on the drive motor, the vacuum pump, and the air pump with the controller at a pre-determined time;
rolling the first wheel and the second wheel on the photovoltaic panel in a first direction with the drive motor;
generating a first volume of air with the air pump;
ionizing the first volume of air with the ionizing electrode;
blowing the ionized first volume of air through the nozzle against the photovoltaic panel with the air pump;
sucking a portion of the ionized first volume of air and debris in the housing out of the housing through the suction head with the vacuum pump;
rotating the brush with the drive motor; and
brushing the surface of the photovoltaic panel with the brush.