JP2008013077A - Car washing method in car washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a car washing method which does not stop washing machine abnormally and which eliminates the manual correction work in the case wherein car-form detection and car washing are performed at the same time and the car-form detection is not performed normally. <P>SOLUTION: In the case wherein car-form detection by a car-form detecting device 16 and washing by car washing devices 8 - 13 are performed at the same time with reciprocating motion of a main body frame 1, and when the car-form detection is not performed normally in the car washing process. the correction work is performed to eliminate components adhered to the car body surface by washing in the car-form washing process with the reciprocating motion of the main body frame 1, and car-form detection is detected again with a following reciprocating motion of the main body frame. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a car wash method in a case where car shape detection of a car cannot be normally performed in a car wash machine that performs car wash processing of a car body by causing a car wash processing device to act along the shape of the car to be washed.

  A portal-shaped body frame is equipped with a vehicle shape detection device that detects the shape of the car to be washed, and a car wash processing device that acts on the body surface of the car. It is known for car wash machines that perform car wash treatment along. As a vehicle shape detection device, a light emitting part in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged in the vertical direction and a light receiving part in which a light receiving element that is paired with the light emitting element of this light emitting part is opposed to the inner side surface of the main body frame. When the vehicle travels a predetermined distance, a device is used that extracts the automobile by causing the light emitting portion to emit light and detecting the light transmitting / shading state at the light receiving portion. As the car wash processing apparatus, a cleaning brush for brushing the car body surface of an automobile, a drying nozzle for blowing the car body surface of the automobile, an injection nozzle for injecting washing water, detergent, wax, or the like onto the car body surface are used. In such a car wash machine, the car shape detection device is arranged ahead of each car wash processing device, so that the car shape detection and the car wash processing can be performed simultaneously while the main body frame is moved one time. It has become.

  Performing car shape detection and car wash processing at the same time is a very effective means for shortening the car wash time, but if car wash processing accompanied by detergent spray and rotation of the washing brush proceeds at the same time, vehicle shape detection will be adversely affected. There is a risk of effects. For example, if steam is generated by hot water injection when the outside air temperature is low, or if water droplets or bubbles are scattered by jet injection during strong winds, these can be mistaken as part of the vehicle body and normal vehicle shape detection can be performed. Disappear. When such a vehicle shape detection error occurs, the car wash process is interrupted in the middle, and therefore, a considerable amount of work is required for correcting the vehicle body on which the detergent is sprayed.

In response to this, the present applicant has proposed a car wash machine that performs only vehicle shape detection as the car wash machine travels (Patent Document 1). However, since this car wash machine increases the overall car wash processing time, it is often avoided to introduce it into a store in terms of efficiency and profitability. In addition, when only the vehicle shape detection is performed, the car wash is not performed even though the car wash machine is running, which causes distrust to the customer.
JP 2000-127920 A

  Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that when the vehicle shape detection and the car wash processing are performed simultaneously, if the vehicle shape detection is not normally performed, the car wash machine is not stopped abnormally, and the manual correction work is performed. A car wash method that eliminates the need for water is proposed.

  In order to solve such problems, the present invention provides a vehicle body frame equipped with vehicle shape detection means for detecting the shape of a vehicle to be cleaned, and a car wash processing device that acts on the body surface of the vehicle to perform cleaning. In the car wash machine for washing the car body by causing the car wash processing device to act along the shape of the car detected by the car shape detection means, the car shape detection is performed as the main body frame travels. The vehicle shape detection by the means and the washing process by the car wash processor are performed simultaneously. When the vehicle shape is not normally detected in the vehicle shape / cleaning process, The correction work to remove the components attached to the car body surface by the washing process performed in the shape and car washing process was performed, and the car shape was detected again with the next body frame going forward.

  In the correction operation, the component to be removed is removal of the foam agent that affects the next vehicle shape detection. In addition, when performing the re-car shape detection, the cleaning process having a large influence on the car shape detection is not executed, and only the cleaning process having a small influence on the car shape detection is executed.

  According to such a car wash method, if the car shape detection is not performed normally in the process of simultaneously performing the car shape detection and the car wash process while the main body frame is moved forward, the main body frame is returned to the start position. Then, the vehicle is re-traveled, and only the vehicle shape detection is executed in the re-traveling process, so that the car wash machine is not abnormally stopped. Also, when returning to the start position, the body surface foam that affects the vehicle shape detection by the next retracing is washed away. Since the car wash process that causes the failure is not executed, the retry of the vehicle shape detection can be surely succeeded.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a body frame formed in a gate shape so as to straddle the car body, and the wheels 2 and 2 are driven to rotate by the traveling motors 4 and 4 that can be rotated in the normal direction and reciprocated along the rails 3 and 3. . A traveling encoder 5 is connected to the output shaft of the traveling motor 4 and outputs a pulse signal for each unit angle rotation while detecting the rotational direction of the traveling motor 4 to give the traveling position of the main body frame 1. A frame position sensor 6 is in contact with the dock 7a at the front end of the rail 3 and the dock 7b at the rear end of the rail 3, and gives a forward limit and a reverse limit of the main body frame 1.

  8 is an upper surface cleaning brush for mainly brushing the upper surface of the vehicle body, 9 is a side surface cleaning brush for mainly brushing the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle body and the side surfaces of the vehicle body, 10 is an injection nozzle for spraying high-pressure cleaning water on the upper surface of the vehicle body, and 11 is a cleaning water / detergent. A liquid nozzle that sprays water repellant by switching, 12 is a wax nozzle that sprays wax, 13 is a foam nozzle that sprays foam, 14 is an upper surface drying nozzle that blows high-pressure air on the upper surface of the vehicle body, and 15 is high pressure on the side surface of the vehicle body It is a side drying nozzle that blows air, and constitutes a car wash processing device that performs processing such as cleaning and drying of the vehicle body. These car washing processing apparatuses are arranged in the order of the injection nozzle 10, the liquid agent nozzle 11, the upper surface cleaning brush 8, the side surface cleaning brush 9, the wax nozzle 12, the foam nozzle 13, the upper surface drying nozzle 14, and the side surface drying nozzle 15 from the front of the main body frame 1. Is provided. With this configuration, it is possible to perform a car wash operation in which a car wash is started from the front of the automobile and the car wash is finished behind the automobile, and after completion of the car wash, the automobile is moved forward to exit.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a vehicle shape detection device that detects the shape of the automobile to be cleaned. The light emission unit 16A is provided in front of the inner surface of the main body frame 1 and has light emitting elements arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical vertical direction, and the light emission of the light emission unit 16A. The light receiving unit 16B in which light receiving elements that are paired with the elements are arranged to face each other, and the presence or absence of the vehicle body is detected by detecting that the optical axis between the light emitting / receiving elements is blocked by the vehicle body. The vehicle shape detection device 16 is disposed in front of any car wash processing device provided in the main body frame 1. With this configuration, it becomes possible to detect the shape of the automobile ahead of the car wash processing device. Therefore, the car shape is detected and the car wash processing device based on this car shape is washed while the main body frame 1 is moved one time. It becomes possible.

  A car wash acceptance device 17 is installed at the entrance of the car wash space C, and is used to select and input a car wash fee and car wash contents using an operation panel 18 provided at the front. Reference numeral 19 denotes a gate installed between the car wash acceptance device 17 and the car wash space C, which is a type of raising and lowering a known pole in a parking lot or the like, and prohibits / permits entry of the car into the car wash space C. To do. Reference numeral 20 denotes a vehicle body detection sensor provided in the car wash acceptance device 17, which includes a reflection type ultrasonic sensor, and detects that an automobile approaches the car wash acceptance device 17.

  21 is a car guide light, which is installed on the exit side of the car wash space C and is "forward", "stop", "reverse" for the car waiting in the car wash reception device 17 and the car that has been washed in the car wash space. And other information. Reference numeral 22 denotes a management panel provided on the front of the car wash machine, which performs a totaling operation such as a daily counter and a monthly counter, and reports / restarts an abnormality that has occurred.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the control system of the first embodiment.
Reference numeral 23 denotes a control unit including a microcomputer, which is a travel position detection unit 23a that detects the travel position of the main body frame 1 based on a pulse signal from the travel encoder 5, and a translucent / light-shield signal from the vehicle shape detection device 16 to An upper surface level detection unit 23b for detecting the level, a vehicle shape data detection unit 23c for detecting the shape of the vehicle from both detection units 23a and 23b, and a reference point recognition unit 23d for recognizing the reference point of the vehicle from the detected vehicle shape data. A projection recognition unit 23e that identifies the detected projection of the automobile, a data storage unit 23f that stores each data, a car wash drive unit 23g that drives each car wash processing device, and the travel of the main body frame 1 is controlled. A travel drive unit 23h is provided and an operation panel 18 is connected.

Next, functions of each unit in the control unit 23 will be described.
The travel position detection unit 23a detects the travel position of the main body frame 1 by counting pulse signals transmitted from the travel encoder 5, and starts the travel of the main body frame 1 given by the travel switch 6 being brought into contact with the dock 7a. If a pulse is input when the travel motor 4 rotates forward from the position and the main body frame 1 moves forward, the count is incremented by +1, the travel switch 6 comes into contact with the dock 7b, the travel motor 4 reverses, and the main body frame 1 moves backward. When a pulse is sometimes input, -1 is counted, and the travel position of the main body frame 1 is given by this count. The upper surface level detection unit 20b drives the vehicle shape detection device 16 using a pulse signal transmitted from the traveling encoder 5 as a trigger, and detects light transmission / light shielding from the light reception level at the light receiving unit 16B. The upper surface level is given with the boundary of the vehicle as the upper surface of the automobile. The vehicle shape data detection unit 23c creates vehicle shape data by tabulating the travel position of the main body frame 1 given by the detection units 23a and 23b and the upper surface level of the automobile at each travel position.

  The reference point recognition unit 23d determines vehicle reference points such as the front end of the vehicle body, the boundary between the bonnet and the windshield, the roof front end, the roof rear end, and the vehicle rear end from the vehicle shape data sequentially generated by the vehicle shape data detection unit 23c. Will be recognized. The protrusion recognition unit 23e recognizes the presence or absence of a protrusion based on the change in the vehicle reference point and the top surface level recognized by the reference point recognition unit 23d, and when the protrusion is recognized, the protrusion is detected depending on the position of the protrusion on the vehicle body. Identify the type of object. The data storage unit 23f stores the created vehicle shape data, vehicle body reference points, and projection data. The car wash drive unit 23g operates each processing device while correcting the distance difference from the vehicle body detection position of the vehicle body detection device 16 to each processing device so that the car washing processing device acts along the vehicle shape data. The traveling drive unit 23h includes an inverter that controls the rotational speed of the traveling motor 4 of the main body frame 1, and changes the frequency of the power supplied to the traveling motor 4 to change the rotational speed of the motor 4, thereby driving the vehicle washing machine. The speed is changed as appropriate.

  The operation panel 18 receives an LCD display 24 for displaying a car wash machine operation guide, a course key 25 for selecting a car wash course, a start key 26 for instructing start of car wash, a stop key 27 for stopping car wash, and a car wash fee. A fee receiving device 28 is provided. The management panel 22 includes an LCD display 29 for displaying an operation guide and the like, and a key switch 30 for switching power on / off, management mode, and operation mode.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
When a car wash is accepted by the car wash acceptance device and the car is stopped at a predetermined stop position, a car wash operation is executed according to the contents of the received car wash (course / projection designation, etc.). Here, a car wash course for performing up to a water repellent coat as the main body frame 1 reciprocates 1.5 times will be described.

  When the car wash starts, the main body frame 1 in the standby position starts to move forward. As the main body frame 1 travels in the first direction, the preceding vehicle shape detection device 16 detects the vehicle shape of the automobile to be cleaned. In the subsequent car wash processing device, jet cleaning by the injection nozzle 10 and cleaning water are performed. Brushing cleaning for driving the upper surface cleaning brush 8 and the side surface cleaning brush 9 according to the vehicle shape while spraying detergent on the vehicle body surface from the nozzle 11 and foam spraying for blowing a foaming agent from the foam nozzle 13 are sequentially executed. Next, with the first return of the main body frame 1, brushing cleaning that drives the upper surface cleaning brush 8 and the side surface cleaning brush 9 according to the vehicle shape while spraying the defoaming wax agent from the wax nozzle 12, and the cleaning water nozzle The water repellent coating for spraying the water repellent from 11 is sequentially performed. Finally, as the body frame 1 travels in the second direction, water is sprayed from the washing water nozzle 11 to flow the water repellent, and the upper surface drying nozzle 14 and the side surface drying nozzle 15 are moved along the vehicle shape while jetting high-pressure air. The blower drying that is driven is executed sequentially.

  Now, in the first traffic of the main body frame 1, the vehicle shape detection and the cleaning work are performed at the same time. On the day when the wind is strong, the splash cleaning water scattered by the jet cleaning is jet cleaning when the temperature is low. In some cases, the steam generated in step 1 becomes noise and affects the vehicle shape detection device 16 so that the vehicle shape cannot be detected normally. For example, if water droplets appear as shading data that continues at the rear of the vehicle body, the water droplets are recognized as part of the vehicle body, and the rear end of the vehicle body cannot be determined, resulting in vehicle body detection abnormality. In the car wash machine of the first embodiment, when the vehicle shape detection fails in the first outbound, the vehicle body correction process is performed during the first return and the vehicle shape is detected again during the second outbound.

The vehicle body correction process and the re-car shape detection operation will be described with reference to FIG.
The vehicle body correction process is a process for removing the foaming agent sprayed to the vehicle body at the end of the first outbound as the main body frame 1 returns, and exposing the outline of the vehicle shape. It is carried out by any method of jetting from the spray nozzle 10 and blowing high-pressure air from the drying nozzles 14 and 15. (Here, the bubbles are removed by jetting from the jet nozzle 10.)

  Next, in the re-car shape detection, jet cleaning that has the most influence on the car shape detection is not performed, and a detergent that has little influence on the car shape detection is sprayed so as not to distrust the user. Perform a brushing wash. By the way, foaming may not be performed because the running cost increases.

  In this way, even if the first vehicle shape detection fails, by performing vehicle shape detection again, the abnormal stop of the car wash machine can be reduced as much as possible. Further, when the vehicle shape is detected again, even if the vehicle shape detection and the cleaning associated with the first traveling of the main body frame 1 are performed at the same time, correction for removing bubbles attached to the vehicle body by the cleaning operation is performed. Since the vehicle shape is detected again after the work is performed, accurate vehicle shape detection becomes possible. Further, since the re-car shape detection is performed without the washing operation that hinders the car shape detection, it is possible to prevent the vehicle shape detection from repeatedly failing.

It is a side view which shows the car wash machine of Example 1. FIG. It is a front view which shows the car wash machine of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control system according to the first embodiment. It is explanatory drawing about the car wash operation | movement of Example 1. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the car wash operation at the time of the vehicle shape failure of Example 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body frame 8 Top surface washing brush 9 Side surface washing brush 10 Injection nozzle 11 Washing water nozzle 12 Wax nozzle 13 Foam nozzle

Claims (3)

A body frame equipped with a vehicle shape detection means for detecting the shape of the car to be cleaned and a car wash processing device that acts on the body surface of the car to perform cleaning is reciprocated across the car and detected by the car shape detection means. In a car wash machine that performs a car wash treatment of a car body by operating a car wash treatment device along the shape of the car
Along with the travel of the main body frame, a step of simultaneously executing the vehicle shape detection by the vehicle shape detection means and the cleaning process by the car wash processing device is performed, and the vehicle shape is not normally detected in this vehicle shape / cleaning process. When the main body frame goes back, correction work is performed to remove components adhering to the car body surface by the cleaning process performed in the car shape / car wash process, and the car shape is detected again with the next main body frame going forward. Car wash method in car wash machine characterized by performing.
The car wash method according to claim 1, wherein the component removed in the correction operation is removal of a foam agent that affects the next vehicle shape detection.
2. The car wash method according to claim 1, wherein when the re-car shape detection is performed, the washing process having a large influence on the car shape detection is not executed, and only the washing process having a little influence on the car shape detection is executed.

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