JP2986811B2 - Car wash equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car washing apparatus of a type in which an automobile is conveyed by a conveyor and the body of the automobile is automatically washed.

[Conventional technology and its problems] In general, this type of conveyor type device is relatively large, has an elongated shape along the conveyor, and cannot be moved freely by ordinary transportation means. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51775, there is known an apparatus configured to be divided into a plurality of units and configured to be assembled on site.

By the way, in the conventional device as described above, the structure itself can be easily completed by assembling the divided units on site, but electrical connection work is also performed so as to link the units. However, there is an inconvenience that the operation is complicated and requires a long time to complete the apparatus.

This point will be described based on the conventional example shown in FIG. 1 is a car washing apparatus main body, 2 is a conveyor. Car wash device body 1
Is configured to be able to be divided into a first cleaning unit a, a second cleaning unit b, a wax unit c, and a drying unit d.

The first cleaning unit a is provided with a rinse nozzle 3 for discharging fresh water, a detergent nozzle 4 for discharging detergent water, and a pair of side brushes 5.5. The second cleaning unit b has a pair of side brushes. Locker brushes 6 and a top brush 7 are provided. The wax unit c includes rinse nozzles 8 and 9 for discharging fresh water, a wax nozzle 10 for discharging wax water, and a pair of side brushes 11 and 11.
And a drying unit d provided with a top brush 12
Are provided with blowers 13, 13 and blower nozzles 14, 15, 15.

Each of the units a to d includes the liquid material discharge nozzles 3, 4,.
Various controlled devices such as solenoid valves for opening and closing the pipelines of 8.9, 10, motors for driving brushes and blowers, and air cylinders for moving brushes and blower nozzles are provided. Are provided.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a control unit that controls various controlled devices including the conveyor 2 in accordance with a predetermined sequence, and transmits control signals to each unit via the signal boards via the relay boards 16a to 16d.
Send to

Therefore, in the conventional apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration, upon assembling, after assembling the units and assembling the apparatus main body 1, the control unit 20 and the relay boards 16a and 16d are connected to the signal lines by the number of the controlled devices. It had to be connected in a complicated way. In addition to the connection with the relay board, the connection work with many sensors provided in each part of the device body such as the vehicle body detection device, the proximity switch, the overload detector, etc. must be performed, and the assembly of the structure is relatively difficult. Even if it is completed in a short time, it takes a long time to see the completion of the apparatus.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a conveyor for moving an automobile, and a device main body in which a liquid agent discharge nozzle, a cleaning brush, a blower nozzle, and the like are arranged along the conveyor. In a car wash device of a type that automatically cleans the vehicle body as it moves, the device main body can be divided into a plurality of units in a direction substantially orthogonal to the conveyor,
Each unit is provided with unit control means for controlling a controlled device such as the liquid discharge nozzle, the cleaning brush or the blower nozzle in each unit, and controls the entire apparatus according to operation inputs such as a car wash course designation and a vehicle type designation on an operation board. Central control means for performing the operation, the central control means and the unit control means are connected via a common system bus, and the central control means outputs the contents of the operation input to the operation board to the system bus,
Further, a vehicle body detector is provided at an entrance of the apparatus main body and detects entry of a vehicle into the main body, and a rotary encoder attached to the conveyor and outputting a pulse every movement of a unit distance is provided. It is connected to the unit control means or the central control means, and the entrance detection by the vehicle body detector and the movement distance based on the pulse output from the rotary encoder are output to the system bus, and the unit control means gives the information via the system bus. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a sequence program corresponding to the contents of the operation input is executed based on the given travel distance to control the controlled device.

Here, the system bus means a common line for serially transmitting various data and control signals.

[Operation] By connecting the divided units along the conveyor and connecting the central control means and the unit control means with a system bus, a control system of the entire car washing apparatus is constructed,
It is not necessary to connect the central control means and the controlled device by signal lines one by one as in the related art. In addition, the vehicle body detector and the rotary encoder are connected to the nearest unit control means or central control means, and the detection of the entrance of the vehicle and the moving distance are shared by the respective control means via the system bus, and are distributed to each unit. A controlled device such as a liquid agent discharge nozzle, a cleaning brush or a blower nozzle can be controlled at a controlled timing as one car wash device.

Embodiment The embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a car washing apparatus having a structure similar to that of FIG.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a central control unit, 31a to 31d denote unit control units provided in each unit, and 32 denotes an operation board connected to the central control unit 31. 33 is a cable connecting these control units.
It functions as a system bus for transmitting various data and control signals. Therefore, each of the unit control units 31a to 31d
A control signal is transmitted and received via the central control unit 30 and the system bus 33, and based on the control signal, the relay board 16a
To 16d to control the energization of the controlled equipment in that unit.

The conveyor 2 includes a drive motor 34 behind the apparatus main body 1 and is controlled by a unit controller 31d of the drying unit d. Reference numeral 35 denotes a rotary encoder attached to the transmission section of the drive motor 34, which outputs a pulse every time the conveyor 2 moves a unit distance. This pulse signal is counted by the unit control section 31d, and the pulse signal is counted by the unit control section 31d. Used for detection.

36 is a vehicle body detector provided at the entrance of the apparatus main body 1;
It consists of a well-known photoelectric switch, and detects entry into a device of an automobile.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the above embodiment.

Central control unit 30 includes a main board 30 ₁ for transmitting control between the unit controller 31 a to 31 d, which is from the sub-board 30 ₂ which for accepting an input of operation board 32. One unit controller 31a~31d the main board ₃₁₁ connected via the central control unit 30 and the system bus 33, the sense input and the like from the output board ₃₁₂ and each part sensor for signal output to the relay board 16a~16d the input board 31 ₃ to accept is equipped respectively.

A polling transmission is performed between the two via the system bus 33. That is, the central control unit 30
Normal polling sequence is sent to unit control unit 31
The transmission from a to 31d is prompted, and if there is transmission data from the central control unit 30, a selecting sequence is transmitted to transmit the data.

The central control unit 30
Mainly transmits data of key input on the operation board 32, and the unit control sections 31a to 31d transmit operation states of controlled devices provided in each unit and detection signals from sensors provided in each unit. In particular, the moving distance of the conveyor accompanying the pulse output of the rotary encoder 35 is transmitted from the drying unit 31d, and each unit control unit controls the operation of the controlled device based on the moving distance data.

The operation board 32 includes a display 37, a key input unit 38, and a coin / card reception unit 39. According to the guide display on the display 37, a coin or card is inserted to process a car wash fee, and a desired car wash is keyed. It is laid out to input. In the key input section 38, 38 ₁ is a car wash course designation key, 38 ₂ is a car type designation key, 38
₃ is a setting key, specify the car wash course you want in the car wash course specified key 38 _1, if the type of car you need to avoid behavior such as a brush specified in the model designation key 38 _2, last set key 38 ₃ You just have to press.

40 is a car wash monitor, a lamp is arranged for each controlled device in accordance with the layout in the apparatus main body, the operating devices are lit to display the progress of the car wash, and when an abnormality is detected by each sensor, The corresponding portion is displayed in a blinking manner to notify an abnormal location.

 Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

Prior to car washing, a car wash input is received on the operation board 32, and if there is an input, the central control unit 30 sends the contents of the input to the system bus 33.

Thereafter, when the car body detector 36 detects the entrance of the car, the central control unit 30 sends a signal notifying the start of car washing to the system bus 33.

Upon receiving this car wash start signal, the drying unit d
The unit control unit 31d starts counting the pulse signal from the rotary encoder 35, and sends out the count value to the system bus 33 every time the counting proceeds.

The unit control units 31a to 31d call the registered sequence programs in accordance with the contents of the received operation input, and execute the programs based on the count value of the pulse signal. The output board 31
System bus ₂ and the contents of each port of the input board 31 ₃
Send to 33.

On the other hand, the central control unit 30 displays the operation of each unit on the car wash monitor 40 based on the transmission data from each of the unit control units 31a to 31d. When the central control unit 30 detects the occurrence of an abnormality based on the transmission data, an abnormal stop signal is output to the system bus 33.
And the car wash monitor 40 displays the location where the abnormality has occurred.

According to the embodiment configured as described above, the units a to d constituting the car wash apparatus main body 1 are connected to each other by the system bus 33 so that necessary data can be exchanged. There is no need to connect them with many signal lines. Therefore, each of the units a to d is shipped in a state where the controlled devices of each unit and the unit control units 31a to 31d are connected, and the unit control units 31a to 31d are locally connected by a cable 33 functioning as a system bus. Just good.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention is configured as described above, and the contents of operation inputs such as car wash course designation and vehicle type designation on the operation board, as well as vehicle entrance detection and travel distance, are shared by each control means via the system bus. Therefore, the cleaning operation according to the content of the operation input is executed by controlling the controlled devices dispersed in each unit according to the movement of the vehicle,
It is possible to control a single car wash apparatus at a controlled timing, and as a result, the car wash apparatus can be completed by an extremely simple operation of connecting the central control means and the unit control means with a system bus, There is no need for complicated and time-consuming wiring work at the site where the device is installed as in the related art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a conventional example. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the embodiment. 1 is a car washing device main body, 2 is a conveyor, 30 is a central control means,
31a to 31d are unit control means, 32 is an operation board, 33 is a system bus, 35 is a rotary encoder, 36 is a vehicle body detector, and a to d are dividable units.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-61-135900 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A conveyer for moving an automobile, and an apparatus main body having a liquid agent discharge nozzle, a cleaning brush, a blower nozzle and the like disposed along the conveyor, and the vehicle body is automatically moved as the automobile moves in the apparatus main body. In a car washing apparatus of a washing type, the apparatus main body can be divided into a plurality of units in a direction substantially orthogonal to the conveyor, and a controlled device such as the liquid agent discharge nozzle, a cleaning brush or a blower nozzle in each unit is controlled. Unit control means is provided for each unit, and central control means for controlling the entire apparatus in accordance with operation inputs such as car wash course designation and vehicle type designation on an operation board is provided, and the central control means and the unit control means are shared. It is connected via the system bus, and the central control means inputs operation to the operation board A body detector which outputs the contents to the system bus and detects an entrance of a vehicle into the main body at an entrance of the apparatus main body; and a rotary which is attached to the conveyor and outputs a pulse for each movement of a unit distance. Encoders are connected to the nearest unit control means or central control means, respectively, and the detection of the entrance by the vehicle body detector and the moving distance based on the pulse output from the rotary encoder are output to the system bus. The means for controlling the controlled device by executing a sequence program corresponding to the content of the operation input given via the system bus based on the given moving distance.