Back to results
US 12,560,359 B2Granted
Autonomous cleaning systems and methods for photovoltaic modules
AssigneeNextpower LLC
InventorsJitendra Morankar, Abhimanyu Sable, Phani Kumar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A docking station for use with a solar tracking system includes a frame configured to selectively support solar cleaning equipment thereon and a mounting bracket operably coupled to a portion of the frame. The mounting bracket maintains a gap between adjacent edges of the frame and an adjacent solar module, and the frame includes a width that approximates a width of the solar module.
Claims12
A row-to-row bridge for use with a solar tracking system, comprising:
- a frame comprising a plurality of beams to enable cleaning equipment to move from a first solar module at an end of a first row of solar modules to a second solar module at an end of a second row of solar modules, the second row of solar modules being adjacent to the first row of solar modules, the first and second rows of solar modules capable of rotating about an axis to track movement of a sun, the frame configured to selectively support the cleaning equipment while moving from the first solar module to the second solar module, wherein the plurality of beams of the frame includes rotatable couplings configured to accommodate twisting of a first end portion of the frame relative to a second end portion of the frame when the first and second rows of solar modules rotate about the axis;
- a first mounting bracket interconnecting the first end portion of the frame and a portion of the first solar module at the end of the first row of solar modules;
- and
- a second mounting bracket interconnecting the second end portion of the frame and a portion of the second solar module at the end of the second row of solar modules.
1 more element
A bridge for use with a solar tracking system, comprising:
- a frame comprising a plurality of beams to enable cleaning equipment to move from a first solar module to an adjacent second solar module across a gap, a slew drive being interposed between the first solar module and the second solar module to form the gap therebetween, the slew drive configured to effectuate rotation of the first solar module and the second solar module about an axis, the frame configured to selectively support the cleaning equipment while moving from the first solar module to the second solar module;
- and
- a pair of mounting brackets configured to couple the frame to a pair of adjacent torque tubes, each torque tube coupled to a respective output of the slew drive,
- wherein the frame is configured to selectively permit adjustment of a width of the frame.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.