Method and system for installing photovoltaic solar panels in an outdoor area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11245353-B2
Application number	US-201816760668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 14, 2017
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A system for positioning a row of photovoltaic solar panels (1) on a support structure (S) arranged in an outdoor space includes a vehicle (20) on which the photovoltaic solar panels (1) to be installed are arranged, and a manipulator robot (24) arranged on-board the vehicle (20) for sequentially picking-up one or more photovoltaic panels (1) from the vehicle, and for positioning them on said support structure (S) as the vehicle moves on one side along the support structure (S). An optoelectronic system (27) is used for automatic optical recognition of the correct position in which a photovoltaic solar panel (1) must be picked-up as well as the correct installing position of the photovoltaic solar panel (1) on the support structure (S).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for positioning a row of photovoltaic solar panels on a support structure arranged in an outdoor space,
wherein a vehicle is provided, on which the photovoltaic solar panels to be positioned are arranged,
wherein a manipulator robot is arranged on-board the vehicle, programmed to pick-up one or more photovoltaic solar panels from the vehicle and to position them on said support structure,
said method being characterized in that:
the vehicle moves on one side, and along, said support structure for positioning said row of photovoltaic solar panels in sequence, each photovoltaic solar panel being positioned by the manipulator robot on the support structure, with an approaching movement of the photovoltaic solar panel towards the support structure, in such a way that at the end of the movement each photovoltaic solar panel is already in a final position along said row of photovoltaic solar panels, wherein the vehicle further comprises a cover operable to protect the manipulator robot and the photovoltaic solar panels carried by the vehicle, the cover having a portion protruding at least on one side of the vehicle operable to define a protected chamber above a positioning area of each photovoltaic panel.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) mounted on one of wheels or tracks.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the manipulator robot further comprises an opto-electronic system operable for automatic optical recognition of a correct position for picking-up one of the photovoltaic solar panels to be installed, and also of a correct position of each of the photovoltaic solar panels on the support structure.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the optoelectronic system comprises an electronic controller programmed to calculate the correct position of each photovoltaic solar panel on a predetermined area of the support structure, on the basis of an optical detection of a position of another photovoltaic panel which has been previously installed on the support structure adjacent to said predetermined area.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cover has a portion movable between an extracted position, wherein it defines said protruding portion of the cover, and a position retracted within the vehicle structure.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the portion of said cover includes a roof slidably mounted between a retracted position in the vehicle and an extracted position projecting on one side of the vehicle, and two side walls pivotally mounted between an operative position in which they protrude transversely from the vehicle, and a rest position, in which they are rotated against a side wall of the vehicle.

8. A system for positioning a row of photovoltaic solar panels on a support structure arranged in an outdoor space, said system comprising:
a vehicle, on which the photovoltaic solar panels to be positioned are arranged;
a manipulator robot arranged on-board the vehicle operable to pick-up one or more of the photovoltaic solar panels from the vehicle and to position them on said support structure;
a controller in communication with the manipulator robot, the controller programmed for picking-up and positioning said row of photovoltaic solar panels in succession by said manipulator robot while the vehicle gradually moves on one side, and along, said support structure, by causing each photovoltaic solar panel to have an approaching movement towards the support structure, in such a way that at the end of the movement, each photovoltaic solar panel is already in a final position along said row of photovoltaic solar panels; and
the vehicle further comprises a cover operable to protect the manipulator robot and the photovoltaic solar panels carried by the vehicle, the cover having a portion protruding at least on one side of the vehicle operable to define a protected chamber above a positioning area of each photovoltaic solar panel.

9. The positioning system according to claim 8 , wherein said manipulator robot comprises a gripping device.

10. The positioning system according to claim 9 , wherein said gripping device comprises a plurality of suction cups.

11. The positioning system according to claim 8 , wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

12. The positioning system according to claim 11 , wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) mounted on one of wheels or tracks.

13. The positioning system according to claim 8 , wherein the manipulator robot further comprises an optoelectronic system operable for automatic optical recognition of both a correct position for picking-up one of the photovoltaic solar panels to be installed, and of a correct position of each of the photovoltaic solar panels on the support structure.

14. The positioning system according to claim 13 , wherein the optoelectronic system further comprises an electronic controller programmed to calculate the correct position for installing each photovoltaic solar panel on a predetermined area of the support structure, on the basis of an optical detection of a position of another photovoltaic panel, previously installed on the support structure adjacent to said predetermined area.

15. The positioning system according to claim 8 , wherein the vehicle carries, in addition to the manipulator robot, at least one container carrying a plurality of the photovoltaic solar panels, and said electronic controller of the robot.

16. The positioning system according to claim 15 further comprising:
an electric generator supported by the vehicle and driven by an engine of the vehicle, the electric generator is operable to at least one of supply electrical power to the manipulator robot or recharge electric supply batteries.

17. The positioning system according to claim 8 , wherein the vehicle carries a source of pressurized air operable to activate one of pneumatic devices or suction devices carried by the robot, for gripping the solar photovoltaic panels.

18. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said manipulator robot further comprises:
a protective sheath, inside of which air can be blown at a controlled temperature.

19. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the cover has a portion movable between an extracted position, wherein it defines said protruding portion of the cover, and a position retracted within the vehicle structure.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the portion of said cover includes a roof slidably mounted between a retracted position in the vehicle and an extracted position projecting on one side of the vehicle, and two side walls pivotally mounted between an operative position in which they protrude transversely from the vehicle, and a rest position, in which they are rotated against a side wall of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Comau Spa

Inventors

• Di Stefano Giovanni
• Beccarisi Francesco
• De Gese Egidio

Classifications

• H10F77/00

  Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass (constructional details of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H02S20/20 Primary

  Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object (H02S20/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02S30/10

  Frame structures · CPC title

• F24S25/20

  Peripheral frames for modules · CPC title

• F24S25/12

  using posts in combination with upper profiles · CPC title