Robotic system to install solar array
AssigneePegasus Solar Inc.
InventorsErich Kai Stephan, Ian Wogan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic system for driving micropiles into a terrain is disclosed. The system may include a chassis, a micropile hoper mounted to the chassis, and a retractable driving arm. The retractable driving arm may be of an extendable length and mounted to the chassis by at least one articulating connection. The system may further include a drive unit mounted to the driving arm, in which the drive unit drives a micropile into the terrain. The system may further include a micropile feeder that feeds the micropile from the micropile hopper to a position under the drive unit. The system may further include a power unit that powers the drive unit and the driving arm.
Claims27
A robotic system for driving micropiles into a terrain, the system comprising:
- a chassis;
- a micropile hopper mounted to the chassis;
- a retractable driving arm of an extendable length, wherein the driving arm is mounted to the chassis by at least one articulating connection;
- a drive unit mounted to the driving arm, wherein the drive unit drives a micropile into the terrain;
- a micropile feeder that feeds the micropile from the micropile hopper to a position under the drive unit;
- and
- a power unit that powers the drive unit and the driving arm.
A method for transporting a micropile by a robotic system, the method comprising:
- drawing a horizontal stack of micropiles from a micropile hopper by a micropile feeder of the robotic system;
- reorienting one of the micropiles from a horizontal position to a vertical position under a drive unit of the robotic system by the micropile feeder;
- and
- driving the micropile in the vertical position into the terrain by the drive unit of the robotic system.
A method for transporting a plurality of micropiles by a robotic system, the method comprising:
- drawing a first micropile from a plurality of micropiles in a micropile hopper by a micropile feeder;
- transporting the first micropile to a first set of coordinates from among a preselected coordinates on a terrain;
- driving the first micropile into the terrain using a retractable driving arm of the robotic system at the first set of coordinates to a depth such that an exposed distal end of the micropile is at a first elevation above the terrain;
- transporting the micropile feeder back to the micropile hopper;
- and
- traversing the robotic system across the terrain to a next set of coordinates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.