Solar panel installation system
A vehicle for unloading solar panels from a shipping container includes tractive elements, a boom assembly, and an implement assembly. The tractive elements are coupled with a base of the vehicle. The boom assembly is coupled with the base of the vehicle. The implement assembly is coupled with an end of the boom assembly. The implement assembly includes a carriage, forks, and a sensor. The carriage is pivotally coupled with the end of the boom assembly at a first pivotal location along the carriage. The pair of forks are configured to be inserted into and lift a pallet of solar panels positioned within the shipping container. The pair of forks are pivotally coupled with the carriage at a second pivotal location along the carriage. The sensor is positioned on the carriage and configured to measure a position of the implement assembly relative to an interior of the shipping container.
1 . A vehicle for unloading solar panels from a shipping container, the vehicle comprising:
a plurality of tractive elements coupled with a base of the vehicle;
a boom assembly coupled with the base of the vehicle; and
an implement assembly coupled with an end of the boom assembly, wherein the implement assembly comprises:
a carriage pivotally coupled with the end of the boom assembly at a first pivotal location along the carriage;
a pair of forks configured to be inserted into and lift a pallet of solar panels positioned within the shipping container, the pair of forks pivotally coupled with the carriage at a second pivotal location along the carriage; and
a sensor positioned on the carriage and configured to measure a position of the implement assembly relative to an interior of the shipping container;
wherein the carriage comprises a plurality of rollers positioned along a bottom of the carriage, the plurality of rollers configured to facilitate alignment between the pair of forks and the pallet, wherein the plurality of rollers are disposed on a linkage extending from the bottom of the carriage, the carriage further comprising a plurality of suspension members extending between the plurality of rollers and the bottom of the carriage.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a camera configured to obtain image data of the interior of the shipping container and provide the image data to a control system of the vehicle for autonomously or semi-autonomously controlling alignment of the pair of forks with the pallet.
3 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the implement assembly further comprises a distance sensor positioned on the carriage and configured to measure a distance between the implement assembly and an interior surface of the shipping container, the distance sensor configured to provide the distance to the control system of the vehicle for autonomously or semi-autonomously controlling alignment of the pair of forks with the pallet.
4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a distance sensor positioned on the carriage and configured to measure a distance between the implement assembly and an interior surface of the shipping container, the distance sensor configured to provide the distance to a control system of the vehicle for autonomously or semi-autonomously controlling alignment of the pair of forks with the pallet.
5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the carriage comprises an L-shape, a first portion of the carriage extending in a direction beneath the end of the boom assembly, and a second portion of the carriage extending in a direction perpendicular with the first portion.
6 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the carriage comprises a plurality of rollers positioned along the first portion of the carriage, the plurality of rollers configured to facilitate alignment between the pair of forks and the pallet.
7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the implement assembly is coupled with an end of a fly section of the boom assembly.