EP2134577A1

EP2134577A1 - Safety system for a car wash

Info

Publication number: EP2134577A1
Application number: EP08715582A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kim Secher Mogensen
Original assignee: Ninki Holding ApS
Current assignee: Ninki Holding ApS
Priority date: 2007-03-14
Filing date: 2008-03-14
Publication date: 2009-12-23
Also published as: DK201100036U3; WO2008110175A1

Abstract

The invention concerns method for controlling and regulating a washing area (1) as well as a car wash with a washing area (I)5 preferably a wash facility of the type wherein a car (2) is placed at the centre of a floor, wherein a machine including a movable portal with at least one brush and preferably with several brushes is provided, where the portal is moved along the placed car (2). At least one sensor (8), preferably a plurality of sensors and preferably photo cells with receivers (8), is mounted in the washing area (1), where the sensors are disposed so that a signal (7) is emitted in a direction that substantially coincides with the direc¬ tion of movement of the machine, where the signal is emitted and received at a level immediately above the floor level. Hereby is achieved the possibility of covering the entire floor area of the washing area so that safe operation may take place.

Description

Safety System for a Car Wash

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a method for controlling and regulating a washing area as well as a car wash with a washing area, preferably a car wash of the type wherein a car is placed at the centre of a floor, wherein a machine including a movable portal with at least one brush and preferably with several brushes is provided, where the portal is moved along the placed car.

Des criptiojtt of Prior Art

It is commonly known to wash cars by machine in a so-called car wash. The car is placed in the car wash and a washing machine, which is often constituted by a portal running on rails in the floor and with vertical rotating brushes at the sides and a horizontal rotating brush is working in the longitudinal direction of the car, while simulta- neously brushes and flushing nozzles clean the car. Usually, a subsequent drying is effected with air which is blown on the wet car by air nozzles.

hi order to ensure that the washing machine does not damage the car during the washing operation, it is important that the car is positioned accurately in the car wash. Therefore, various rails or guards are often provided at the floor in the car wash with the purpose of guiding the driver to a correct position. However, such rails have the disadvantage that they may damage tyres and wheels on the car if the driver inadvertently drives on these. Moreover, there is the risk that the driver by exiting the car may stumble and fall by these rails or guards.

At the washing machine itself there are various kinds of sensors for controlling and regulating the brush pressure on the car and the spacing between air nozzles and the surface of the car. Camera surveillance is also used in the car wash. This is necessary, partly in order to help the customers in the case of an unmanned facility in which a failure has occurred or the like, and partly for safety reasons. Even if a washing facility is simple to operate in principle, it appears that people easily may find alternative and sometimes dangerous ways of using such a facility. A very often used method is that after finishing programming, one runs into the car wash and enter the car at the same time as the washing machine starts the wanted car washing operation. Another situation that often arises is that immediately after starting the machine, one discovers forgetting dismounting the car antenna and then deciding to do the dismounting while the machine moves towards the point where the person is standing.

m car washes provided with rails for the washing machine and rails or guards in the floor for guiding the car into position, there is a great risk of one's foot getting caught or of stumbling on these devices and possibly getting injured. Such a situation may be particularly dangerous if the washing machine is operating. Over time, several serious accidents have occurred in car washes, even some with fatalities as a consequence.

It is thus the purpose of the invention to indicate a solution where the driver is guided accurately in position in the car wash, where there is no risk of damaging wheels or tyres, and where there is a safety system for continuous monitoring of the floor in a car wash.

Description of the Invention

As mentioned in the introduction, the invention concerns a method for controlling and regulating a washing area and a car wash facility with a washing area, wherein at least one sensor, preferably a plurality of sensors and preferably photo cells with receivers, is mounted in the washing area , where the sensors are disposed so that a signal is emitted in a direction, preferably substantially parallel signals, substantially coinciding with the direction of movement of the machine, where the signal is emitted and received at a level immediately above the floor level.

By providing sensors, e.g. photo cells with associated receivers at a level immediately above the floor, there is possibility of providing coverage of the entire floor area for the washing area. As the signals are emitted in the same direction as the movement of the portal with the washing machine, no problems will arise with possible rails on which the washing machine is running. It is thus possible to achieve a complete coverage of the floor with a suitable number of sensors mounted side by side so that parallel signals can be emitted. In a variant of the invention, sensors mounted at the ceiling of a car wash and arranged to detect movements in the washing area can be applied. A movement by e.g. a person in the washing area may thus entail that the washing portal and possible rotating brushes are stopped. Such sensors may e.g. be arrayed in one or more rows along the sides in the washing area, whereby optimal coverage of the entire washing area is achieved with substantially parallel sensor signals.

The car wash may advantageously be adapted so that sensors are switched off immediately before and as the washing portal moves into their respective areas. This is possi- ble in that during operation of such a facility, the precise position of the washing portal, which is typically controlled by step motors, is known. In the same way, the switched off sensors are activated again when the washing portal is no longer within their active area. Such a solution can be made with great safety coverage, as the selected sensors may be arranged closely and with a relatively narrow viewing angle, entailing high resolution in the system.

Such a system may be adapted to accept movements at a given distance for the washing portal. For example, it may be allowed that movements are detected at a distance corresponding to e.g. the distance of five sensors to the sensor which is closest to the operating area of the washing portal at any time, or which has just been switched off due to the passage of the washing portal.

By a method according to the invention, where sensors are mounted at both sides of the washing area, preferably a plurality of parallel photo cells with associated receivers at each side, where broken signals from one or more of the sensors indicate inaccurate disposition of the car, performing a safe and accurate positioning of a car in the washing area without any risk of damage to wheels or tyres is enabled.

A variant according to the invention is designed such that the sensors are communicat- ing with a direction indicator, where the direction indicator indicates the side to which the car is to be moved in order to assume a correct position. In yet a variant of the invention, sensors and direction indicator is mounted so that a signal is concurrently emitted during drive-in of the car by inaccurate positioning. This maybe effected in various ways. For example, sensors maybe provided at both sides of the washing area, where the innermost at each side is disposed so that a suitable safety distance to the washing machine portal is attained when the machine is operating. If a driver then places his car such that one or more wheels break the signal, a signal indicating inac- curate position is then transmitted. This message may advantageously be a flashing arrow showing the direction in which the car is to be moved.

The system may also be arranged so that it is allowed to break one or more signals at each side, e.g. if the case is a wide car, however not wider than allowed for the ma- chine. In such a case, the system may be adapted to accept that two signals have been broken at both sides.

In yet a variant of the invention, an automatic control of the signals is effected prior to starting the washing process, and subsequent broken signals will cause complete or partial stop of the washing machine.

In a preferred embodiment of the method as well as a car wash according to the invention, the sensors are constituted by photo cells with associated receivers, where photo cells and preferably also receivers are mounted under a protective rail at the surface of the floor. Hereby is enabled disposition of sensors in a way allowing cars to pass without destroying the sensors.

The rail may advantageously be adapted to fastening at the floor in a washing area, where the rail is provided with apertures through which signals from the sensors can be emitted and/or received.

In a preferred variant of a car wash according to the invention, sensors, preferably photo cells with associated receivers, are mounted at the ends of the washing area so that the washing area is monitored in the entire operation area of the machine. If some- thing is detected by the sensors during operation of the machine, the system may, as mentioned above, be adapted to stop completely or partially. For example, if a person is staying in the area, the machine cannot start, or if a person walks into the area, e.g. for dismounting an antenna, then the machine is immediately stopped. Another advantage of the invention is that various rail systems now do not have to be provided for guiding the driver into position in the washing area. It thus becomes less dangerous to go into the area when the driver moves to and from the car.

Short Description of the Drawing

The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a washing area as seen from above;

FIG. 2 shows a variant of a protective rail for sensors.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In Fig. 1 is seen a washing area 1 from above, where a car 2 is placed at the centre of the washing area 1. At both sides 3 and 4 along the car 2, rails 5 and 6 appears on which a not shown washing machine portal is running when operating. Furthermore, at both sides. 3 and 4 is seen a number of broken lines 7 symbolising signals from photo cells. The photo cells and the receivers are placed in panels 8 extending crosswise of the washing area 1. In Fig. 1, these panels 8 are shown so that the distance from the edge 9 of the washing area - often a wall - and to the car wheels 10 is covered by parallel signals 7 at both sides of the car 2. As mentioned in the description above, the panels 8 may easily cover a larger area than the one shown here, also under the car. The system is then to be adapted to ignore the broken signals and to accept the position of the car when an equal number of signals have been broken at each side. In Fig. 1 is seen that the rails 5 and 6 extend farther than the distance between interrelated panels 8. Obviously, it is possible that the signals may extend over a distance corre- sponding to the length of the rails 5 and 6, if so preferred.

In Fig. 2 appears a panel 8 which is made as a protective jacket 11 ensuring that the sensors can withstand running over by the cars to be washed. In the protective jacket 11, apertures 12 are arranged, allowing a signal 7 to be emitted or received, and the jacket 11 is made with sloping side faces 13 facilitating passage with a car. The sensors may e.g. be photo cells of the trademark Telco, a type also used in connection with doorways in lifts. These may be delivered as a panel which is suited for mounting under the mentioned protective jacket 11.

Claims

1. A method for controlling and regulating a washing area, preferably a wash facility of the type wherein a car is placed at the centre of a floor, where a machine including a movable portal with at least one brush and preferably with several brushes is provided, and wherein the portal is moved along the placed car, characterised in that at least one sensor, preferably a plurality of sensors and preferably photo cells with receivers, is mounted in the washing area, where the sensors are disposed so that substantially parallel signals are emitted in a direction substantially coinciding with the direction of movement of the machine or perpendicularly thereto.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that sensors are mounted at both sides of the washing area, preferably a plurality of parallel photo cells with asso- ciated receivers at each side, where broken signals from one or more of the sensors indicate inaccurate disposition of the car.

3. Method according to any of claims 1 and 2, characterised m that the sensors are communicating with a direction indicator, where the direction indicator indicates the side to which the car is to be moved in order to assume a correct position.

4. Method according to any of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that during drive- in of the car, sensors and direction indicator continuously emit a signal by inaccurate positioning.

5. Method according to any of claims 1 -4, characterised in that broken signals cause complete or partial stop of the washing machine.

6. Method according to any of claims 1 -5, characterised in that the sensors are constituted by photo cells with associated receivers, where photo cells and preferably also receivers are mounted under a protective rail at the surface of the floor.

7. A car wash with, a washing area, preferably a wash facility of the type wherein a car is placed at the centre of a floor, where a machine including a movable portal with at least one brush and preferably with several brushes is provided, where the portal is moved along the placed car, characterised in that at least one sensor, preferably a plurality of sensors and preferably photo cells with receivers, is mounted, where these sensors are disposed so that substantially parallel signals are emitted.

8. Car wash according to claim 7, characterised in that the mounted sensors are disposed above the washing area and emit signals which are substantially perpen- dicular to the direction of movement of the machine.

9. Car wash according to claim 7, characterised in that the mounted sensors emit signals in a direction which substantially coincides with direction of movement of the machine, where this signal is emitted and received at a level immediately above the floor level.

10. Car wash according to any of claims 7 and 9, characterised in that sensors, preferably photo cells with associated receivers, are mounted at the ends of the washing area so that the washing area may be monitored in the entire operation area of the machine.

11. Car wash according to any of claims 7, 9 and 10, characterised in that the sensors are mounted under a rail which is adapted for fastening at the floor in a washing area, where the rail is provided with apertures through which signals from the sen- sors can be emitted and/or received.