Apparatus, systems and methods for debris removal from an antenna
View Patent ↗Debris removal systems and methods are operable to remove debris, such as snow, from a surface. An exemplary embodiment has a wiper blade configured to remove debris from a surface in response to a movement of the wiper blade; a spring coupled to the wiper blade, wherein the spring is configured to store potential energy as the spring is biased from a relaxed position to a biased position; and a motor coupled to the spring, wherein the motor is configured to convert received electrical power into mechanical power that biases the spring. The spring is released from the biased position to release the stored potential energy as the spring returns to the relaxed position. The released potential energy from the spring is converted to mechanical energy that moves the wiper blade.
1. A debris removal system that removes debris from a surface of a dish antenna, comprising:
a wiper rotor;
a wiper blade coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the wiper blade is positioned over the surface of the dish antenna, and wherein the wiper blade is configured to remove debris from the surface in response to a rotational movement of the wiper rotor that rotates the wiper blade over the surface of the dish antenna;
a spring coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the spring is configured to store a potential energy as the spring is biased from a relaxed position to a biased position;
a motor coupled to the spring, wherein the motor is configured to convert received electrical power into mechanical power that biases the spring from the relaxed position to the biased position;
a remote device configured to receive a user input corresponding to a command to remove the debris from the surface of the dish antenna, and further configured to communicate an electrical control signal corresponding to the user input; and
an interface device communicatively coupled to the remote device, wherein the interface device is configured to receive the electrical control signal from the remote device, where in response to receiving the electrical control signal at the interface device the spring is released from the biased position to the relaxed position, and wherein the stored potential energy is released from the spring as the spring returns to the relaxed position, and
wherein the potential energy that is released from the spring is converted to mechanical energy that rotates the wiper rotor such that the rotation of the wiper rotor moves the wiper blade over the surface of the dish antenna.
2. The debris removal system of claim 1 , wherein the interface device receives a wireless electrical control signal from the remote device.
3. The debris removal system of claim 1 , wherein the interface device is a first interface device configured to receive the wireless electrical control signal from the remote device, and further comprising:
a second interface device, wherein the second interface device is a mechanical device coupled to a cord and coupled to the spring, where in response to actuation of the cord by a person, actuation of the cord causes the second interface device to release the spring is from the biased position to the relaxed position.
4. A debris removal system that removes debris from a surface of a dish antenna, comprising:
a wiper rotor;
a wiper blade coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the wiper blade is positioned over the surface of the dish antenna, and wherein the wiper blade is configured to remove debris from the surface of the dish antenna in response to a rotational movement of the wiper rotor that rotates the wiper blade over the surface of the dish antenna;
a spring coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the spring is configured to store a potential energy as the spring is biased from a relaxed position to a biased position;
a motor coupled to the spring, wherein the motor is configured to convert received electrical power into mechanical power that biases the spring from the relaxed position to the biased position; and
a spring latch device coupled to the spring, wherein the spring latch device latches the spring in the biased position, and wherein the spring latch device is configured to release the spring from the biased position such that the spring returns from the biased position to the relaxed position to release the stored potential energy as the spring returns from the biased position to the relaxed position,
wherein the released potential energy from the spring is converted to mechanical energy that rotates the wiper rotor such that the rotation of the wiper rotor moves the wiper blade over the surface of the dish antenna.
5. A debris removal system that removes debris from a surface of a dish antenna, comprising:
a wiper rotor;
a wiper blade coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the wiper blade is positioned over the surface of the dish antenna, and wherein the wiper blade is configured to remove debris from the surface in response to a rotational movement of the wiper blade;
a spring coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the spring is configured to store a potential energy as the spring is biased from a relaxed position to a biased position; and
a motor coupled to the spring,
wherein the motor is configured to convert received electrical power received from a power source into mechanical power that biases the spring from the relaxed position to the biased position,
wherein the motor retains the spring in the biased position, and
wherein the motor releases the spring from the biased position to release the stored potential energy as the spring returns to the relaxed position, and
wherein the released potential energy from the spring is converted to mechanical energy that rotates the wiper rotor such that the rotation of the wiper rotor moves the wiper blade over the surface of the dish antenna.
6. The debris removal system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a power source coupled to the motor and configured to provide the electrical power to the motor,
wherein the electrical power is provided using at least one of a low voltage and a low current.
7. The debris removal system of claim 6 , wherein the power source is a solar cell array.
8. A debris removal system that removes debris from a surface of a dish antenna, comprising:
a wiper rotor;
a wiper blade coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the wiper blade is positioned over the surface of the dish antenna, and wherein the wiper blade is configured to remove debris from the surface of the dish antenna in response to a rotational movement of the wiper rotor that rotates the wiper blade;
a spring coupled to the wiper rotor, wherein the spring is configured to store a potential energy as the spring is biased from a relaxed position to a biased position; and
a motor coupled to the spring, wherein the motor is configured to convert received electrical power into mechanical power that biases the spring,
wherein the spring is released from the biased position to release the stored potential energy as the spring returns to the relaxed position, and
wherein the released potential energy from the spring is converted to a mechanical energy that rotates the wiper rotor to move the wiper blade over the surface of the dish antenna.