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US-12617639-B2 - Dispensing hopper and presentation system for overhead installation of solar panels for a solar tracking system

US12617639B2US 12617639 B2US12617639 B2US 12617639B2US-12617639-B2

Abstract

A robotic solar panel presentation system, as part of a solar panel installation system, for facilitating installation of solar panels into a panel retention system of a panel support assembly, the solar panel presentation system comprising a solar panel dispensing hopper comprising a hopper enclosure operable to receive and support one or more solar panels, and a panel acquisition and placement system comprising at least one moveable installation arm, wherein the panel acquisition and placement system is operable to acquire and manipulate a lead solar panel into an overhead installation position relative to the panel retention system, and to facilitate placement of the lead solar panel into an installed position within the panel retention system. The presentation system can further comprise a control system associated with the solar panel dispensing hopper, and comprising one or more processors and memory operable to control and operate the panel acquisition and placement system.

Inventors

  • Fraser M. Smith
  • Matthew Torok

Assignees

  • Sarcos Corp.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20250108

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A robotic solar panel dispensing hopper facilitating installation of solar panels into a panel retention system of a panel support assembly, the solar panel dispensing hopper comprising: a hopper enclosure operable to receive and support one or more solar panels within an interior volume, the hopper enclosure comprising an exit opening sized and configured to permit passage of a lead solar panel of the one or more solar panels therethrough; and a dispensing system supported at least in part within the hopper enclosure, the dispensing system comprising a panel acquisition and placement system comprising at least one moveable arm, wherein the panel acquisition and placement system is operable to acquire and manipulate the lead solar panel into an overhead installation position relative to the panel retention system, and to facilitate placement of the lead solar panel into an installed position within the panel retention system.
  2. 2 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing system further comprises a panel feed system supported within the hopper enclosure and comprising a solar panel interface, the panel feed system being operable to act upon the solar panels to displace the solar panels within the hopper enclosure.
  3. 3 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 2 , wherein the panel feed system comprises: a plurality of belt drive mechanisms strategically arranged and positioned within the hopper enclosure; and at least one actuator operable to actuate one or more of the plurality of belt drive mechanisms.
  4. 4 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of belt drive mechanisms comprises: first and second belt drive mechanisms supported about opposing sidewalls of the hopper enclosure, such that the first and second belt drive mechanisms face one another and contact opposing sides of one or more of the solar panels contained within the hopper enclosure between the first and second belt drive mechanisms; and third and fourth belt drive mechanisms supported about opposing sidewalls of the hopper enclosure, such that the third and fourth belt drive mechanisms face one another and contact opposing sides of one or more of the solar panels contained within the hopper enclosure between the third and fourth belt drive mechanisms.
  5. 5 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of belt drive mechanisms comprises: a support chassis; a drive roller rotatably coupled to the support chassis; a passive roller rotatably coupled to the support chassis; a drive belt supported in tension about the drive and passive rollers; a plurality of force applicators coupled to the support chassis between the drive roller and the passive roller, each of the plurality of force applicators being configured to apply a force to the drive belt and to one of the one or more solar panels in contact with the drive belt, wherein the drive roller is operable with the at least one actuator to facilitate actuation and rotation of the drive roller and therefore the drive belt around the drive roller and the passive roller to displace the one or more solar panels.
  6. 6 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of force applicators comprises: one or more posts supported by the support chassis; a roller carriage moveably supported on the one or more posts; a force applicator roller rotatably coupled to the roller carriage, and operable to rotate with rotation of the drive belt; a biasing member supported on the post between the roller carriage and the support chassis so as to bias the roller carriage, the force applicator roller, and the drive belt away from the support chassis, wherein each force applicator is operable to be compressed by one of the one or more solar panels upon being loaded into the hopper enclosure.
  7. 7 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein a force applicator from a first belt drive mechanism is arranged along a common plane with a force applicator from an opposing belt drive mechanism, so as to act on opposing sides of a same solar panel of the one or more solar panels.
  8. 8 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein the drive roller and the passive roller are arranged along a common plane, and wherein the plurality of force applicators are arranged along a common plane offset outward and away from the common plane of the drive and passive rollers and the support chassis, such that a portion of the belt drive transitioning between the drive roller and an adjacent force applicator is formed on an incline, and such that a portion of the belt drive transitioning between the passive roller and an adjacent force applicator is formed on an incline.
  9. 9 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein the drive belt comprises a smooth outer surface.
  10. 10 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein the drive belt comprises a plurality of protrusions extending upward from an outer surface, the protrusions being sized and configured so as to receive and support a solar panel resting thereon.
  11. 11 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of belt drive mechanisms comprises one or more sensors associated with one or more of the plurality of force applicators, respectively, the one or more sensors being operable to monitor a force applied by the force applicators to a respective solar panel of the one or more solar panels.
  12. 12 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of force applicators are spaced apart from one another at a distance that equals a thickness of a solar panel of the one or more solar panels, such that each of the force applicators is configured to be aligned with a center or midpoint of a thickness of a respective solar panel of the one or more solar panels.
  13. 13 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 5 , wherein each of the force applicators comprises: one or more fluid actuators supported by the support chassis; a roller carriage supported by the one or more fluid actuators; a force applicator roller rotatably coupled to the roller carriage, and operable to rotate with rotation of the drive belt, wherein the panel feed system further comprises a fluid supply in fluid communication with the fluid actuator, and a fluid control system, and wherein the fluid control system is selectively operable to actuate the one or more fluid actuators to displace the roller carriage and the force applicator roller to cause the force applicator to apply a force to the drive belt and a solar panel of the one or more solar panels in contact with the drive belt.
  14. 14 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 2 , wherein the panel feed system comprises a lift table comprising: a platform supported within the hopper enclosure and comprising an upper surface, the platform being operable to receive and support the one or more solar panels thereon; and a lift mechanism coupled to the platform and associated with an actuator, the lift mechanism being actuatable to displace the platform and the one or more solar panels within the hopper enclosure.
  15. 15 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 1 , further comprising a support frame operable to provide support to the hopper enclosure.
  16. 16 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 15 , wherein the support frame is integrally formed with the hopper enclosure.
  17. 17 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 15 , wherein the support frame comprises an interface feature operable to interface with, and facilitate support of the solar panel dispensing hopper by, at least one of an installation vehicle or a torque tube spanning bridging support member.
  18. 18 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 1 , wherein the exit opening is at one of a top or a bottom of the hopper enclosure.
  19. 19 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 1 , wherein the at least one moveable arm of the panel acquisition and placement system comprises a first set of moveable arms.
  20. 20 . The robotic solar panel dispensing hopper of claim 19 , wherein the first set of moveable arms comprises two or more actuatable flippers supported about the exit opening of the hopper enclosure, the flippers being configured to receive and support the lead solar panel, and to manipulate at least one of a position or orientation of the lead solar panel relative to the hopper enclosure.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/618,806, filed Jan. 8, 2024, and entitled, “Dispensing Hopper and Presentation System for Overhead Installation of Solar Panels for A Solar Tracking System” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 19/013,839, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Solar Panel Mounting Systems and Methods”; U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,038, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Torque Tube Clamps for Automated Solar Panel Installation”; U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,062, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Solar Panel Installation Alignment Systems”; U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,152, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Solar Panel Installation Vehicles as Part of a Solar Panel Installation System for A Solar Tracking System”; and U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,045, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Support Clamp Installation Vehicles as Part of a Solar Panel Installation System for A Solar Tracking System”, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. BACKGROUND In recent years, electricity generation through the use of solar panels has become much more common and widespread. Solar panels and solar panel arrays are commonly installed in both commercial and residential settings. Furthermore, large-scale or utility-scale solar systems consisting of a large number of solar panel arrays are being deployed on large areas of land at increasing rates across the globe. One type of common system comprising one or more solar panel arrays is known as a solar tracking system. A solar tracking system comprises one or more rows of solar panels mounted or otherwise operable with a torque tube (also referred to as a drive shaft) that is driven by one or more motors. The solar tracking system facilitates dynamic, changing orientation or positioning of an installed solar panel array payload relative to the sun so as to optimize the solar energy collected by the various individual solar panels (namely to maximize the proportion of energy derived from direct radiation onto the panels) within the solar panel array. This is accomplished by driving the torque tube so as to rotate the solar panel array(s) at a rate that tracks the movement of the Sun as it traverses across the sky within its path as the Earth orbits around the Sun. One example of a solar tracking system is a single-axis horizontal tracker having a long horizontal torque tube that is supported on bearings mounted upon support pylons or frames. The axis of the torque tube is oriented so as to be on a north-south line. Individual solar panels are mounted on the torque tube using a clamp or other mounting bracket, and the torque tube is caused to rotate about its longitudinal axis at a rate so as to track the apparent motion of the Sun throughout the day. With solar panel arrays and solar panel installation becoming more common, quicker and more efficient ways of installing solar panels within their supporting systems are being developed in order to increase rates and decrease costs. However, despite various advancements in systems, mounts, and supports for facilitating installation of solar panels, current installation methods continue to be associated with significant manual labor requirements in order to install individual solar panels within or onto a mount to achieve an installed and operating solar panel array. This is true with solar tracking systems as well as other types of solar panel arrays, such as those supported by a non-tracking fixed-mount type of system. For example, with a solar tracking system, workers are often required to install each individual solar panel within the solar panel array by hand by mounting the individual solar panel to its mounting bracket. This is often done using a power tool and suitable fasteners. The manual efforts involved to complete installation can mean tedious, slow work for the workers, as well as significant costs. This is particularly true when large or utility-scale solar panel arrays are being installed. Moreover, installations are typically carried out in the day time so workers can see, thus eliminating a significant number of hours of the day where installation efforts could be taking place, and delaying time to completion. If installation is carried out at night, large lights are required to be deployed, which further increases costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention; and, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates a solar panel installation system in accordance with one example of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A illustrates an example frameless type of solar panel. FIG. 2B illustrates an example framed solar panel.