JP2739169B2 - Car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a type of car washer equipped with various processing devices in a main body of the car washer, and the above-mentioned processing device is operated as the main body of the car washer reciprocates to wash and dry an automobile body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As this kind of car washer, for example,
As described in JP-A-60605, when cleaning an automobile having a projection such as a roof carrier or an antenna, a means for avoiding an upper surface processing device such as a top brush or an upper blower nozzle from contacting the projection is provided. There is known a device that can be provided and partially wash away the processing apparatus by retracting the processing apparatus from the vehicle body. In these conventional car wash machines,
The upper surface processing device is raised to a predetermined upper standby position (upper limit position) in response to the avoidance start input from the avoidance operation means, and the upper surface processing device is similarly lowered from the standby position in response to the avoidance release input.

[0003]

By the way, in the conventional car washing machine, since the processing device is retracted to a predetermined upper standby position with respect to any projection, cleaning and cleaning of the projection are required.
There is a disadvantage that drying cannot be performed at all. In other words, a processing device such as a blower nozzle that works without contacting the vehicle body can expect a processing effect if it is relatively close to the vehicle body even in the avoidance state. And the protrusions are retracted to a safe upper limit position, and the above-described processing effects cannot be expected at all. In addition, in the case of a top-surface treatment device of a type that is moved up and down along a straight track by a motor or the like, it takes time to ascend and descend if the treatment device is avoided to the upper limit position every time the avoidance operation is performed, and speedy car washing is performed. There was an inconvenience that could not be done.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide:
Even if the upper surface processing apparatus is in the avoidance state, the effect of the treatment can be expected, and whether the car washing including the avoidance operation can be performed in a shorter time than before can be achieved.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a car washer of the type in which various types of processing devices are provided in the body of the car washer and the above-mentioned processing devices are operated as the car washer reciprocates to wash and dry the vehicle body. Lifting means for raising and lowering the upper surface processing device acting on the upper surface of the vehicle body of the processing device, and preventing the upper surface processing device from being pressed against a protrusion such as a roof carrier or an antenna provided on the vehicle body. Means for operating, means for detecting the position where the avoidance release input has been made as well as the position where the avoidance start input has been made by the avoidance operation means, and the position of the avoidance start input and the position of the avoidance release input given by the detection means. Means to store the upper surface processing device in response to the avoidance start input, control to lower the upper surface processing device in response to the avoidance release input,
Thereafter, in a car washing machine having means for controlling automatic avoidance based on the position of the avoidance start input and the position of the avoidance release input given by the storage means, the elevating means moves the upper surface processing device along a linear trajectory. Means for setting the avoidance height of the avoidance operation by the avoidance operation means, and means for detecting the position of the avoidance height given by the setting means,
The storage unit stores a position of the avoidance height given by the detection unit in addition to the position of the avoidance start input and the position of the avoidance release input, and the control unit controls the upper surface processing apparatus in accordance with the avoidance start input. Raised, held at the retreat height given by the setting means, and controlled to descend from the holding position in response to the avoidance release input, and thereafter, the position of the avoidance start input and the position of the avoidance release input given by the storage means The above problem is solved by controlling the automatic avoidance based on the position of the avoidance height.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory front view showing a configuration of a main part of an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the same. Here, an example in which the present invention is applied to a portal type car washer is shown. Reference numeral 1 denotes a gate-shaped car wash machine main body, which reciprocates on the rails 2.2 and moves across a vehicle stopped between the rails 2.2 to wash the vehicle body. 3
Reference numeral 3 denotes a motor for driving the main body 1, which rotationally drives the wheels 4. Reference numeral 5 denotes a rotary encoder attached to the output shaft of the traveling motors 3, 3 and outputs a pulse each time the motor rotates a predetermined number, and is used for detecting the traveling position of the main body 1.
6 is a top brush that mainly brushes the top of the car,
7.7 is a side brush for brushing mainly the side of the automobile. Reference numeral 8 denotes a top blower nozzle, and 9.9 denotes a side blower nozzle. By driving a blower (not shown) connected through a duct D, air is blown to the top and side surfaces of the automobile to dry the vehicle body after washing. Reference numeral 10 denotes an operation panel provided on the front surface of the main body 1, which will be described later in detail. In addition to the above, the main body 1 is provided with a spray nozzle or the like for spraying various liquids such as washing water to the automobile.

The top brush 6 can swing back and forth with its both ends supported by swinging arms 6a, 6a. The arms 6a, 6a are moved up and down on a track A by a lifting device 11. The elevating device 11 is driven by a motor 11a and includes a rotary encoder 13 for detecting the elevating position of the top brush 6. The upper blower nozzle 8 is located at the front of the top brush 6 at a predetermined distance L before and after not interfering with each other, and is moved up and down on the track B by the lifting device 12. The elevating device 12 is used not only to raise and lower the upper blower nozzle 8 but also as upper surface level detecting means of a car to be washed. Hereinafter, the structure of the 12 parts of the lifting device is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The elevating device 12 comprises carriers 21 and 21 which can be moved up and down along a vertical rail 20 and carriers 21 and 21 via a chain 22 and a shaft 23.
And a rotary encoder 25 for detecting the vertical position of the carriers 21. The upper blower nozzle 8 has arms 26 on both sides.
26 is extended and its end is carried by the carriers 21 and moves up and down as the carriers 21 and 21 move up and down. 27, 27 are locking devices for the upper surface blower nozzle 8; locking arms 28, 28 which engage with the arms 26, 26;
A spring 29 that urges the locking arms 28 in the engaging direction, and a solenoid 3 that operates to release the engagement of the locking arms 28 against the urging of the springs 29.
0.30.

Reference numerals 31 denote body detectors integrally mounted on the carriers 21. The light emitting elements 32a and 33 are provided with two sets of beam sensors and sandwich the car wash area of the car washer 1.
a and the light receiving elements 32b and 33b are opposed to each other. 34
35 is a microswitch for detecting the lower limit position and the upper limit position of the carriers 21 and 36 is a control unit of the motor 24.

The vehicle body detectors 31 include light emitting elements 32a.
The light receiving elements 32b and 33b detect that the beam signal from 33a is blocked by the automobile, and detect the vehicle body. The drive control unit 36 controls the drive of the motor 24 in accordance with signals from the vehicle body detectors 31 and 31 and the micro switches 34 and 35, and moves the carriers 21 and 21 between the upper limit position and the lower limit position to form the upper surface of the vehicle. Move to trace. That is, when both the light receiving elements 32b and 33b are in the vehicle body detection state, the motor 24 is rotated forward and the carrier 21
If only the lower light receiving element 32b is in the vehicle body detection state, the motor 24 is stopped and the carriers 21
Is held in a fixed position, and if both light receiving elements 32b and 33b are in a non-detection state, the motor 24 is rotated in the reverse direction to
-Lower 21. In this way, the carriers 21 are raised and lowered so that the upper surface of the vehicle is always located between the upper and lower beam sensors of the body detectors 31 and the pulsed signal from the rotary encoder 25 is determined by the raised and lowered positions of the carriers 21. It is configured so that the upper level of the car to be washed can be continuously detected by counting. From the detected upper surface level and the traveling position of the main body 1 obtained by the encoder 5, it is possible to grasp the upper surface shape of the automobile.

In a step prior to drying, such as a washing step, the upper blower nozzle 8 is
, And the carriers 21 are individually moved up and down along the upper surface of the vehicle to detect the level of the upper surface of the vehicle body. On the other hand, in the drying step, the solenoids 30 are actuated to disengage the locking devices 27, and the upper surface blower nozzle 8 is carried by the carriers 21 so as to move up and down to dry the vehicle body surface. In this drying step, the drive of the motor 24 is controlled based on the vehicle body top level detected and stored in the previous step,
The top blower nozzle 8 acts along the top of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the above embodiment. Reference numeral 40 denotes a control board having a microcomputer and including the control unit 36; The control board 40 outputs a signal to the drive boat 41 in response to an operation input on the operation panel 10 to execute the car washing, and also executes the encoders 5.13.2.
5 and signals from the vehicle body detectors 31 and 31 to perform predetermined control described later. The control board 40 includes a ROM 42 for storing predetermined control data, and a RAM 43 for storing, for example, top surface shape data of the vehicle obtained based on signals from the encoders 5 and 25.

The top shape data stored in the RAM 43 is corrected by the control board 40 so that each of the top brush 6 and the top blower nozzle 8 operates properly along the top surface of the vehicle, and is used for each control. That is, the height position and the front-back position are different between the position of the vehicle body detectors 31 used for detecting the upper surface shape and the position of the top brush 6, and the height position is different from the position of the upper surface blower nozzle 8, The upper surface shape data is corrected so that each of the brush 6 and the nozzle 8 operates while maintaining an appropriate positional relationship with the upper surface of the vehicle body under a predetermined condition. The control board 40 controls the correction data thus obtained so that the main body travel position obtained from the encoder 5 and the elevation position obtained from the encoder 13 or the encoder 25 match.

The operation panel 10 is provided with a car wash course selection key 51, a start key 52, an avoidance operation key 53, and a temporary stop key 54. When a desired car wash course is selected with the select keys 51 and the start key 52 is pressed, the car wash is performed. Can be started. The avoidance operation key 53 is used for an avoidance operation when the vehicle is provided with a protrusion, such as a roof carrier, an antenna, and a spoiler, which may be damaged by washing. That is, the top brush 6 or the upper blower nozzle 8 in operation can be retracted upward by pressing the "elevation" key, and the side brush 7 can be retracted by pressing the "open / close" key.
・ 7 can be opened and closed to perform the avoidance operation. The temporary stop key 54 temporarily stops the running of the main body 1 and the operation of the processing device such as a brush, and can be used when the avoidance operation by the avoidance operation key 54 is delayed. That is, since the avoidance operation key 54 can be operated even during the temporary stop, if the avoidance operation cannot be performed in time, the stop operation may be performed by pressing the stop key 54 once. The temporary stop state can be released by pressing the stop key 54 again.

In the embodiment having the above configuration, the car washer body 1 is reciprocated one or more times to perform car washing with brushing of the vehicle body, and in the final returning process, the blower nozzle is operated to perform drying. In the first outward step, the carriers 21 are raised and lowered to grasp the top surface shape of the automobile, and based on this top surface shape data, the elevation of the top brush 6 and the top blower nozzle 8 in the same step and subsequent steps are controlled. The upper surface treatment device is operated along the vehicle body.

An example of an operation involving an avoidance operation using the avoidance operation key 53 will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 shows the operation of the top brush 6 and the upper blower nozzle 8 when the car washer body 1 travels two reciprocations to wash the car. The thick solid line in FIG. is there. Here, the traveling position of the main body 1 is detected by counting the pulses transmitted by the encoder 5 from the car wash start position,
The ascending and descending positions of the top brush 6 and the top blower nozzle 8 are detected by counting the pulses transmitted by the encoder 13 or 25 after descending to the lower limit position.

First outgoing step (see FIG. 5 (a)): First, the car washer body 1 is moved forward and sprayed with detergent water from a spray nozzle (not shown) to perform brushing. Here, as described above, the carriers 21 are operated to detect the upper surface shape of the automobile, and the top brush 6 is moved up and down based on the detected upper surface shape data. When the “elevation” key of the obstacle avoidance keys 53 is pressed when the top brush 6 approaches the projection P,
The top brush 6 starts rising unconditionally. When the top brush 6 rises to a position where the protrusions P can be cleared and the "elevation" key is pressed again, the elevation stops and the top brush 6 is held at a fixed position. Thereafter, when the top brush 6 passes through the position of the projection P and the "elevation" key is pressed again, the top brush 6 is lowered and returns to a normal position based on the top surface shape data. The main body travel positions P1 and P3 when the "elevation" key is pressed for the first time and when the key is pressed for the third time, and the top brush 6 when the key is pressed for the second time.
Is stored in the RAM 43, and in the subsequent steps, automatic avoidance is performed based on this stored position.

First return step (see FIG. 5B): Subsequently, the car wash machine main body 1 is returned, and the same manner as above is performed by spraying detergent water to perform brushing. Here, the top brush 6 is moved up and down based on the upper surface shape detected in the first outward step. Control board 4
In the case of 0, a position to be avoided in this step is obtained based on the avoidance position data P1 and P3 stored in the RAM 43 in the first forward step. That is, as shown in the figure, the avoidance start position and the avoidance release position are reversed when the main body 1 moves forward and backward.
In addition, since the swinging arms 6a and 6a swing in opposite directions during the forward and backward movements of the top brush 6 and the brushing positions on the main body 1 are different, the avoiding position P
1 '· P3' is set. When the main body 1 reaches the avoidance position P3 ', it is raised to the elevation position H2 in which the top brush 6 is stored, and when it reaches the avoidance position P1', it is lowered and returns to the normal brushing position.

Second outbound process (see FIG. 5 (c)): The car wash machine body 1 is again forwarded and brushing with spraying of wax is performed. Similarly, the top brush 6 is moved up and down along the top surface shape, and moves to the avoidance operation at the stored avoidance positions P1 and P3 to avoid the up-and-down position H2.

Second return process (see FIG. 5 (d)): Finally, the car washer body 1 is returned and a drying process is performed using the blower nozzles 8, 9.9. Here, the upper surface blower nozzle 8 is moved up and down based on the upper surface shape detected in the first outward step. In the control board 40, the stored avoidance position data P1, H2,
Based on P3, the positions P1 ", H2", P3 "where the upper blower nozzle 8 should perform the avoidance operation are obtained, and the avoidance operation as shown in the figure is automatically performed.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the avoidance operation in the first outward step is performed once with the stop key 54 temporarily stopped, it is determined that the avoidance operation has been performed later than an appropriate state. Then, the RAM 43 stores a position a predetermined distance L1 before the position where the operation was actually performed as the avoidance position P1. As a result, in the subsequent steps, the avoidance range is automatically widened, and a safe avoidance operation becomes possible.

According to the embodiment having the above-described configuration, when the avoidance operation key 53 is sequentially pressed, the upper surface processing apparatus in operation performs each operation of ascending / holding / releasing, and adjusts the shape and height of the protrusion. At the same time, the avoidance operation can be performed, and there is no need to raise the upper surface processing apparatus to the upper limit position every time the avoidance operation is performed. Further, once the avoidance operation is performed in the first step, the position where the operation was performed and the avoidance height are stored, and the avoidance operation can be automatically performed from the next step.

[0023]

The present invention is configured as described above and includes means for setting an avoidance height so that the obstacle can be avoided with a minimum necessary height. Can be expected. In addition, since the upper surface processing device is not retracted to the upper limit position due to the avoidance, the operation of avoiding and canceling the avoidance can be executed quickly, and the car washing including the avoiding operation can be performed in a short time. In addition, since the position of the avoidance height is detected and stored, the avoidance height can be automatically avoided at the avoidance height position thereafter. It is especially effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory front view showing a configuration of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view showing a configuration of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is another operation explanatory view of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car wash machine main body 5 Rotary encoder as a position detecting means 6 Top brush as an upper surface processing device 8 Upper surface blower nozzle 11 and 12 as an upper surface processing device Elevating means 13 and 25 of an upper surface processing device 13, 25 Rotary encoder as a position detecting device 40 Control means Control board 53 as an escape operation key as an escape operation means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A car washing machine of a type in which various types of processing devices are provided in a car washing machine main body , wherein the processing device is operated as the car washing machine main body reciprocates to wash and dry an automobile body. a lifting means for the top processor acting out vehicle body upper surface raising and lowering, and means for the relative protrusions of the roof carrier and an antenna or the like provided in the vehicle body upper surface processing apparatus avoidance operation so as not to press, the avoidance
Avoidance at the same position as the avoidance start input by the operating means
Means for detecting a position where a release input has been made, and the detecting means
Between the position of the avoidance start input and the position of the avoidance release input
Means for storing, the avoidance started in response to an input to raise the top processor, and controlled to lower the upper surface processing device according to the avoidance reset input, and thereafter, given in the storage means
Based on the position of the avoidance start input and the position of the avoidance release input
Means for controlling the automatic avoidance , wherein the elevating means elevates and lowers the upper surface processing device along a linear trajectory, and sets an avoidance height of the avoidance operation by the avoidance operation means ; The position of the avoidance height given by
And means for output, in the storage means, the position and avoidance of the avoidance start input
In addition to the position of the release input, the avoidance height given by the detection means
A position is stored, and the control means raises the upper surface processing apparatus in response to the avoidance start input, holds the upper surface processing apparatus at the retreat height given by the setting means, and lowers the upper surface processing apparatus from the holding position in response to the avoidance release input. Control , and thereafter,
The position of the avoidance start input, the position of the avoidance release input, and
A car washer characterized by controlling to automatically avoid based on the position of the avoidance height .