U.S. patent application number 12/468347 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-25 for cleaning apparatus for solar panels.
Invention is credited to Chang Chi LEE.
Application Number | 20100293729 12/468347 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43123558 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100293729 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Chang Chi |
November 25, 2010 |
CLEANING APPARATUS FOR SOLAR PANELS
Abstract
A cleaning apparatus for a solar panel, comprising a controlling
device and a solar panel, wherein the controlling device is
installed either on bottom portion or lower back of the back
portion of the solar panel. A driving motor of the controlling
device is controlled by means of setting the timer, so that the
driven cleaner will be driven to clean up the surface of the solar
panel on the presetting time. Since the structural constitution of
the present invention is simple, so that the maintenance cost can
be reduced significantly. Thus, the objects of simplifying the
structure and reducing the maintenance costs are achieved.
Inventors: |
LEE; Chang Chi; (Fengyuan
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SINORICA, LLC
2275 Research Blvd., Suite 500
ROCKVILLE
MD
20850
US
|
Family ID: |
43123558 |
Appl. No.: |
12/468347 |
Filed: |
May 19, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/21.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02S 40/36 20141201;
Y02E 10/50 20130101; H02S 40/10 20141201; F24S 40/20 20180501; Y02E
10/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/21.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 13/02 20060101
A46B013/02 |
Claims
1. A cleaning apparatus for a solar panel, comprising: a
controlling device having a driving motor and a timer, wherein a
driven cleaner is assembled with the driving motor; and a solar
panel having a bottom portion, the controlling device is installed
on such bottom portion.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driven cleaner
is in the form of brush.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driven cleaner
is in the form of foam.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solar panel
comprises a back portion, and the controlling device is installed
on the lower back of the back portion.
5. A cleaning apparatus for a solar panel, comprising: a
controlling device having a driving motor and a timer, wherein a
driven cleaner is assembled with the driving motor; a solar panel
having a bottom portion, the controlling device is installed on
such bottom portion; an electrical junction box is installed on the
back portion of the solar panel having an electric wire; and a
power conditioner having the input connectors connecting with the
electrical junction box and the driving motor by electric wires,
and an output connector connecting with a power loading.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driven cleaner
is in the form of brush.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driven cleaner
is in the form of foam.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the solar panel
comprises a back portion, and the controlling device is installed
on the lower back of the back portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus. More
particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus used in
cleaning dust and other accumulations on a solar panel.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A conventional cleaning apparatus for a solar panel as shown
in FIG. 7 comprises a solar panel 40, a driving device 41, a set of
driving bars 42, a set of driven bars 43 and a scraper 44; wherein
the driving device 41 and the driving bars 42 are disposed on the
top of the solar panel 40 and connected to each other; in addition,
the driven bars 43 are disposed aside the solar panel 40 which are
driven by the driving bars 42; as for the scraper 44, it is mounted
across the solar panel 40 transversely, and driven by the driven
bars 43. By means of the structural arrangement stated above, the
scraper 44 can be driven by the driving device 41 to clean up the
dust on the solar panel 40 by way of the driving bars 42 and the
driven bars 43.
[0005] However, the conventional cleaning apparatus has contained
some improvable defects, such as:
[0006] 1. Complicated structural combination: Due to the driving
device 41 and the driving bars 42 of the conventional cleaning
apparatus are disposed on the top of the solar panel 40 and
connected to each other, meanwhile, the driven bars 43 are driven
by the driving bars 42, and the scraper 44 which mounted across the
solar panel 40 is driven by the driven bars 43. Thus, the
components which are used in the conventional cleaning apparatus
are miscellaneous, so that the overall structure of the
conventional cleaning apparatus is tremendously complicated;
and
[0007] 2. High maintenance cost: Due to the driving device 41 and
the driving bars 42 of the conventional cleaning apparatus are
disposed on the top of the solar panel 40 and connected to each
other, meanwhile, the driven bars 43 are driven by the driving bars
42, and the scraper 44 which mounted across the solar panel 40 is
driven by the driven bars 43. Thus, the components which are used
in the conventional cleaning apparatus are complicated, so that the
maintenance costs of the apparatus is tremendously high.
[0008] The present invention is intended to improve the above
mentioned drawbacks of the conventional cleaning apparatus for the
solar panel. The present invention provides improved solutions to
the problems of complicated structural combination and high
maintenance cost which may cause.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The primary purpose for the present invention is to provide
a cleaning apparatus for a solar panel, comprising a controlling
device and a solar panel, wherein the controlling device further
comprises a driving motor having a driven cleaner, and a timer; the
solar panel further comprises a bottom portion and a back portion
in which allow the controlling device to install on either place.
The driving motor of controlling device is controlled by means of
setting the timer, so that the driven cleaner will be driven to
clean up the surface of the solar panel on the presetting time.
Since the structural constitution of the present invention is
simple, so that the maintenance cost can be reduced significantly,
thus the objects of simplifying the structure and reducing the
maintenance costs are achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a segmented view schematically showing the first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is the front plan views schematically showing the
practical use of the first embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the electrical
connection of the solar panel, DC/AC power conditioner and driving
motor of the first embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the
second embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the third
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the conventional cleaning
apparatus for the solar panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] While this invention is capable of embodiment in many
different forms, what is shown in the drawings and described in
detail herein is the preferred embodiment of the invention. The
preferred embodiment is disclosed with the understanding that the
present description is but one example of the principles of the
invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the
invention to the single embodiment illustrated.
[0018] FIGS. 1 to 2 are perspective and segmented views
schematically showing a preferable embodiment of the present
invention.
[0019] The cleaning apparatus for a solar panel comprises:
[0020] a controlling device 10 including a driving motor 11 and a
timer 12, wherein a driven cleaner 110 is assembled with the
driving motor 11 which is in the form of brush or foam; and
[0021] a solar panel 20 including a bottom portion 21 and a back
portion 22, the controlling device 10 is installed either on bottom
portion 21 or lower back of the back portion 22.
[0022] In light of the structural description stated above, the
present invention fulfills a cleaning apparatus for the solar panel
thereof.
[0023] FIG. 3 is the front plan views schematically showing the
practical use of the aforementioned embodiment. The controlling
device 10 is installed either on bottom portion 21 or lower back of
the back portion 22 of the solar panel 20. The driving motor 11 of
controlling device 10 is controlled by means of setting the timer
12, so that the driven cleaner 110 will be driven to clean up the
surface of the solar panel 20 on the presetting time. Since the
structural constitution of the present invention is simple, so that
the maintenance cost can be reduced significantly, thus the objects
of simplifying the structure and reducing the maintenance costs are
achieved.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the electrical
connection of the solar panel, DC/AC power conditioner and driving
motor of the first embodiment. An electrical junction box 23 is
installed on the back portion 22 of the solar panel 20 extending an
electric wire 230 to connect with the input connector of the power
conditioner 30; in addition, the driving motor 11 also extends an
another electric wire 230 to connect with the input connector of
the power conditioner 30; as for the output connector of the power
conditioner 30 is connected with a power loading.
[0025] FIGS. 5 and 6 are the perspective views schematically
showing the second and third embodiments of the present invention.
Similar to the first embodiment which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the
second embodiment provides a cleaning apparatus comprising three
solar panels 20 (as shown in FIG. 5), and the third embodiment
provides a cleaning apparatus comprising six solar panels 20 (as
shown in FIG. 6). In the case of comprising three solar panels 20
as shown in FIG. 5, the shorter driven cleaner 110 will be replaced
with a longer one in the apparatus; and in the case of comprising
six solar panels 20 as shown in FIG. 6, the controlling device 10
will be relocated at the middle position of the solar panels 20,
likewise, the shorter driven cleaner 110 will be replaced with a
longer one in the apparatus. Therefore, it is not necessary to
change the main structure of the cleaning apparatus due to the
increase of the solar panel 20, but replacing the driven cleaner
110 with a longer size.
[0026] In the light of the above, the advantages of the present
invention include:
[0027] 1. Simplified structural combination: The present invention
provides a novelty design which comprises a controlling device 10
having a driving motor 11 and a timer 12; and a solar panel 20
having a bottom portion 21 and a back portion 22; wherein the
controlling device 10 is installed either on bottom portion 21 or
lower back of the back portion 22 of the solar panel 20. Thus, the
present invention provides a simple design which simplifies the
overall structural combination; and
[0028] 2. Lower maintenance cost: The driving motor 11 of
controlling device 10 is worked by means of setting the timer 12,
further to drive the driven cleaner 110 to clean up the surface of
the solar panel 20 on the presetting time. Thus, the present
invention provides a simple design which reduces the maintenance
cost for the cleaning apparatus effectively.
[0029] Although numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present invention have been described in detail in the foregoing
description, together with the structure and function of the
invention, this disclosure is only one of the examples, and changes
may be made with regard to specific details, particularly to shape,
size, and arrangement of parts within the invention to the full
extent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the
appended claims are expressed.
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