JP2619729B2 - Automatic car washer - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car washer for automatically washing a car with washing water injection, and more particularly to an automatic washing machine having a beam sensor as a vehicle body detecting means. Car wash machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of apparatus, a so-called gate-type car washer of a type that includes a beam sensor that moves up and down integrally with a blower nozzle and detects the body of an automobile by using the beam sensor and moves the blower nozzle up and down is known. I have. Hereinafter, an example thereof will be described with reference to FIGS.

The car washer body 1 reciprocates on the rails 2.2 and moves so as to straddle a car stopped between the rails 2.2. In the main body 1 of the car washer, cleaning brushes 3, 3.3, blowers 4, 4, blower nozzles 5, 6, 6 and a washing water injection nozzle (not shown) are provided. Accordingly, cleaning by brushing accompanied by injection of cleaning water and drying by blowing air from a blower nozzle by a blower operation are sequentially performed. Of these, the drying operation is always performed with the return of the car washer body 1 as the last step, and the body 1 performs drying while returning, returns to the standby position at the start of the car wash, and ends the car wash.

Blower nozzle 5 among the blower nozzles 5, 6, 6
Is configured to move up and down in accordance with the shape of the upper surface of the vehicle body. The configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The blower nozzle 5 has arms 9.9 extending on both sides and having carriers 10 on its ends. The carriers 9.9 engage with rails 11, 11 formed on both front sides of the car wash machine body 1. , And guides the elevating operation of the blower nozzle 5. Also, the blower nozzle 5 is
At 10 ・ 10, it is suspended from the top of the car wash machine body 1 by the chain 12 ・ 12, and this chain 12 ・ 12 and the sprocket
The air cylinder 14 is moved up and down by the operation of the air cylinder 14 interlocked with the actuator 13. 15, 15, 15 are guide sprockets for the chain 12.

16a and 16b and 17a and 17b are beam sensors that operate in pairs and are fixed to the case 8 integrally formed with the carriers 10 and 10 with their positions shifted from each other, and always output from the light emitters 16a and 17a. The received beam signals X and Y are received by the photodetectors 16b and 17b, respectively, and when the beam signals X and Y are blocked, a detection signal is output. That is, the beam signal X
The relative position between the blower nozzle 5 and the vehicle body is detected based on whether or not Y is blocked by the vehicle body.

In the drying step, the blower nozzle 5 is lowered, and the beam signal X of the beam sensors 16a and 16b located on the front side in the operation direction is blocked by the automobile. When the light signal is detected by the light receiver 16b, the blower nozzle 5 is raised. Accompanying receiver 16b
The blower nozzle 5 whose detection state is released is lowered again. Also, the beam signal Y of the beam sensors 17a and 17b is blocked by the automobile, and when this is detected by the receiver 17b, the lowering of the blower nozzle 5 is stopped and held at a fixed position. When the detection state of the light receiver 17b is released, the blower nozzle 5 is lowered.

In addition to the above, this type of automatic car washer has a beam sensor in the front of the car washer for various purposes, such as detecting the entry of a car and detecting the car shape by providing a plurality of beams. You are using a sensor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the above-described car washing machine, since washing with washing water injection is performed, washing water may be scattered and attached to the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface of the beam sensor. By the way, when the cleaning water adheres, the beam sensor does not normally transmit and receive the beam signals X and Y due to the adhering water droplets, and in the case of the above-described conventional example, the beam signal is interrupted and the blower nozzle 5 does not descend. Things will happen.

Also, in the early morning or when fog occurs, water droplets condensed on the light emitting surface and light receiving surface of the beam sensor may cause erroneous detection. This is especially true in cold climates. That is, in cold regions, hot water is often used as wash water so that the sprayed wash water does not freeze and impair the washing effect.However, when hot water is used, steam is trapped in the car wash machine body and dew condensation occurs on the beam sensor. Results in adhesion.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention addresses these problems by providing a compressed air pipeline having an open end on a light emitting surface and a light receiving surface of a beam sensor, and a compressed air pipeline having an open end. A valve device that opens and closes, means for detecting a decrease in light receiving sensitivity of the beam sensor, and when the detecting means detects that the light receiving sensitivity has dropped below a predetermined value, the valve device is opened for a predetermined time to open the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface. And a means for controlling compressed air to be blown to the beam sensor. If water droplets or the like adhere to the beam sensor and the sensitivity is reduced, the attached matter is removed to prevent malfunction.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an example in which the present invention is applied to the above-described conventional example will be described as a fourth example.
Description will be made based on the drawings after the figure.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing one case 18 of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 20 ・ 21
Numeral denotes a beam sensor, which is a cover tube attached to the windows 22 and 23 for emitting and receiving the beam signals XY of 16a and 16b and 17a and 17b, and prevents infiltration of cleaning water or the like from a soft material such as rubber.

25 is an air hose for sending compressed air, 26 is an air nozzle for performing air purging for blowing compressed air toward the light emitting surface 27 and the light receiving surface 28 of the beam sensor, and both form a compressed air pipeline 29 (see FIG. 6). You. The air hose 25 passes through the inside of the arm 9, is disposed in parallel with a blower duct communicating with the blower nozzle 5, and reaches the inside of the car washer body.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main part control system of the embodiment. 35 is a two-way solenoid valve for opening and closing the compressed air line 29,
Normally, the valve is kept closed, and the valve is opened in response to a signal from a control unit 40 to be described later, and compressed air is ejected from the air nozzle 26 to perform air purging of the beam sensor.

36 and 37 are light-receiving sensitivity detecting means provided in the light-receiving devices 16b and 17b of the beam sensor, and when the light-receiving levels of the beam signals X and Y sent from the light-emitting devices 16a and 17a fall below a predetermined value, a signal is output to the control unit 40. I do.

The control unit 40 opens and closes the two-way solenoid valve 35 according to signals from the light receiving sensitivity detecting means 36 and 37 and the like. Reference numeral 41 denotes an operation panel which receives a car wash input and includes a display unit 42 and an alarm output unit 43, and performs an abnormality display and an alarm output when an abnormality occurs.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the main part of the operation of the above embodiment, and the operation of the embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

When the car wash is started, first, the beam sensors 16a and 16b and 17a and 17b are put into a functional state, and if there is a signal output accompanying a decrease in sensitivity from any of the light receiving sensitivity detecting means 36 and 37, the seventh signal is output. Execute the flow shown in the figure.

First, the two-way solenoid valve 35 is opened for a predetermined time (2 to 5 seconds) to perform air purging (1). Thereafter, the signal from the light receiving sensitivity detecting means which has received the signal output is monitored, and if it is confirmed that the signal output has been lost and the sensitivity has been restored (2), this flow is terminated.

If it is recognized in step (2) that the decrease in sensitivity has not been resolved, the operation is repeated from step (1), and if the sensitivity is not recovered even if it is repeated n times (2 to 4 times) (3) , The abnormal flag F is set, and the operation panel
At 41, an abnormality is notified by an abnormality display / alarm output, and the flow ends (4).

The abnormal flag F set here is referred to at an appropriate timing during the car washing operation. In this embodiment, if the abnormal flag F is set, the detection signal of the beam sensor is ignored and the blower nozzle 5 is held at a fixed position. It operates to perform the drying operation as it is.

If a beam sensor other than that of the present embodiment is used for detecting the approach of a car, etc., the car body cannot be detected accurately, and there is a risk of damaging the car body. What is necessary is just to control so that work may be stopped.

This abnormal condition occurs after the car wash operation has been completed and the beam sensor light-receiving surfaces 27 and 28 have been wiped clean before the operation panel
It is released by pressing a reset button (not shown) provided on 41.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention is configured as described above. When the light receiving sensitivity of the beam sensor is reduced, compressed air is blown from the compressed air pipeline to the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface, and the attached matter such as cleaning water is automatically generated. Is eliminated, so that erroneous detection of the beam sensor does not occur, and a reliable and safe automatic car wash can always be performed as expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a conventional example of a car washer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of a conventional example. FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of a conventional example. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a main part of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment. 1 is the car washer body, 5 is the blower nozzle, 16a, 16b and 17
Reference numerals a and 17b denote beam sensors, 29 denotes a compressed air pipeline, 36 and 37 denote light receiving sensitivity detection means, and 40 denotes a control unit as control means.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A car washing machine for automatically washing an automobile with washing water injection, comprising a beam sensor as a means for detecting an automobile body, wherein a light emitting surface and a light receiving surface of the beam sensor are provided on the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface. A compressed air pipeline having an open end, a valve device for opening and closing the compressed air pipeline, a unit for detecting a decrease in light receiving sensitivity of the beam sensor, and a light receiving sensitivity of the detecting unit having decreased below a predetermined value. Means for opening the valve device for a predetermined period of time when the detection is made, and controlling the compressed air to be blown to the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface.