JP2991022B2 - 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 car washer (hereinafter referred to as a "continuous car wash") for continuously washing a vehicle to be washed while being transported by a vehicle moving means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The configuration of a conventional continuous car washer is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-90456. That is, a tunnel type car washer body is installed on the floor, and a vehicle transport device for transporting a vehicle to be washed from an inlet to an outlet is installed in the car washer body, and a high-pressure spray nozzle, a front brush, A washer block formed from a rear brush and the like, a wax block formed from a wax nozzle, a side brush, a top brush, and the like, and a drive lock formed from a side (blow) nozzle, a top (blow) nozzle, and the like are provided. . Further, a start switch for inputting a start is provided at the entrance.

[0003] With the above configuration, the worker repeatedly carries the vehicle to be washed onto the vehicle transport device and repeatedly operates the start switch, so that the vehicle to be washed is sequentially carried into the car washer body by the vehicle transport device and washed. Out of the exit. When it is detected that the preceding vehicle to be cleaned cannot be carried out, the vehicle transport device is stopped, and the driving of all brushes, blows, and sprays is stopped.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional continuous car washer, when it is detected that the preceding vehicle to be washed cannot be carried out, the vehicle transport device is stopped. Since the driving of all brushes, blows, and sprays is stopped in the main body, the passenger in the vehicle to be cleaned sometimes tries to get out of the vehicle. In such a case, if the preceding vehicle to be cleaned is carried out, the driving of the vehicle transport device and the brush, blow, and spray is restarted, and there is a problem that a danger such as a customer being drawn into the brush may occur. Was.

The present invention solves the above problems,
The purpose is to provide a continuous car washer that incorporates customer safety measures.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a car washer according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a stationary car washer body,
A brush and a spray device for cleaning the vehicle to be cleaned are provided,
A vehicle moving means for carrying the vehicle to be washed into the main body from the front and a carry-out vehicle from the main body to the rear; and a distance detecting means for detecting a moving distance of the vehicle to be cleaned by the vehicle moving means. Near the rear end of the moving means
The presence / absence detection means of the preceding vehicle to be washed is provided, and the distance detection means is provided upstream of the presence / absence detection means.
When detecting that the vehicle to be cleaned has reached the set rear-end collision prevention area, if the preceding vehicle to be cleaned is detected by the presence / absence detection means, the vehicle moving means is stopped and the brush is cleaned. A control means for separating the vehicle from the vehicle and continuing spraying by the spray device is provided.

Further, the car washer according to the second invention is characterized in that a selection means for selecting whether or not to continue spraying when the vehicle moving means is temporarily stopped by the control means is provided.

[0008]

According to the structure of the first aspect of the invention, when the preceding vehicle to be cleaned arrives at the rear-end collision prevention area without carrying out the preceding vehicle to be cleaned, the vehicle moving means is stopped and the brush is separated from the vehicle to be cleaned. . However, the spray device continues spraying. Therefore, the customer of the succeeding vehicle to be washed left in the car wash machine body does not go out of the vehicle, and it is possible to avoid danger to the customer even if the car washing operation is started again.

Further, according to the configuration of the second aspect of the present invention, the operator selects whether or not to continue spraying during the temporary stop.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an internal configuration of a car wash in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of the car wash. As shown in the drawing, a stationary car wash machine main body 2 and a pair of left and right roller conveyors penetrating the car wash machine main body 2 from the front and reaching the rear (vehicle moving means) are provided on the floor surface 1.
3 are installed. The car wash machine body 2 is formed in a gate shape, and inside the car wash machine body 2, the washing units 4 are sequentially arranged from the front.
A wax application section 5 and a drying section 6 are formed. Also,
A sonic sensor 8 for detecting the height of the vehicle 7 to be washed is attached to the front end of the car washer body 2, and operation panels 9 and 10 having a start switch, a stop switch, and the like are provided on the front and rear surfaces, respectively. I have.

The roller conveyor 3a on the right side (abbreviated as right side) of the roller conveyor 3 in the transport direction of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned.
The right and left wheels 11a, 11b of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned are supported and transported. The roller conveyor 3b on the left side (abbreviated as left) in the transport direction of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned is front and rear left and right of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned. The wheels 11c and 11d are supported and transported. The width W1 of the conveying surface of the roller conveyor 3a on the right side is formed to be narrow, and the right side of the vehicle 7 to be washed is set to a substantially constant position regardless of the type of vehicle. Are constant, and the width W2 of the conveying surface of the right roller conveyor 3b is formed wide so as to be able to cope with various vehicle widths.

The washing unit 4 includes a pair of left and right washing side / rocker brushes 12 for washing the lower portions of both sides of the vehicle 7 to be washed and the side surfaces of the front and rear wheels 9, and a washing top for washing the upper surface of the vehicle 7 to be washed. A brush 13 and a pair of left and right side brushes 14 for cleaning the front, rear, and both sides of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned.
And a cleaning arch 15 for spraying cleaning water and a detergent arch 16 for spraying detergent. Also, as shown by the phantom line in FIG.
12a is fixed to the car washer body 2 and is swingable in the front-rear direction.
As shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 2, b is attached to the right cleaning side / rocker brush 12a via the swing arm 12c so as to be able to approach and separate from the right side, and is also swingable in the front-rear direction. Further, the right side brush 14a does not move, but cleans the right side of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned conveyed by the roller conveyor 3, and the left side brush 14b moves by the drive mechanism as shown by the phantom line. Vehicle 7 to be washed
Clean the front, left and rear sides of the

The wax application section 5 includes a wax top brush for applying wax to the upper surface of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned.
17, a pair of left and right side and rocker brushes 18 for applying wax to both sides of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned and the sides of the wheels 11, a wax base arch 19 for spraying a wax base material, and a liquid wax spray. Wax arch 20
Is formed from a fusco coat arch 21 for injecting a fusco coat agent.

The drying unit 6 includes a top nozzle 24 for drying the upper surface of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned, and a top nozzle 24 provided between the top nozzle 24 and the rocker brush 18 for wax to form an air curtain. 25
A pair of left and right side nozzles 26 provided on the rear side of the top nozzle 24 for drying both side surfaces of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned and a pair of left and right sub side nozzles 27 for drying the upper surface of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned, and the top nozzle 24 A pair of left and right first blower devices 28 for supplying air to the side nozzle 26 and the sub side nozzle 27
And a pair of left and right second
It is formed from a blower device 29.

The two roller conveyors 3a and 3b are respectively a pair of front conveyors (conveyor for carrying in) 31a and 31b into which the vehicle 7 to be washed is carried in, and a pair of intermediate conveyors provided over the washing section 4 respectively. The conveyors 32a and 32b are divided into three parts, and a pair of rear conveyors (conveyance conveyors) 33a and 33b from which the vehicle 7 to be cleaned is carried out. Independent drive units 34 to 36 are installed on these conveyors 31 to 33, respectively. A front slope 37 is provided at the starting end of the front conveyors 31a and 31b so as to allow the vehicle 7 to be washed in smoothly, and the vehicle 7 is smoothly discharged to the end of the rear conveyors 33a and 33b. A rear slope 38 is provided to allow for Also, the right front conveyor 31a
Is provided with an (in-vehicle) limit switch 39 for detecting entry of the vehicle 7 to be washed into a predetermined position. The right side of the rear conveyor (carry-out conveyor) 33a is provided with a limit switch 39 outside the rear end of the vehicle 7 to be washed. A rear-end collision prevention switch (presence / absence detection means of the preceding vehicle to be cleaned) 40 provided with a photoelectric switch for detecting the presence / absence is provided, and an encoder 41 is connected to the drive unit 36 of the rear conveyor 33.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system of the car washer according to the present embodiment. The control system of the car washer is large,
A control device 30 including a microcomputer having an input interface unit 30a, an output interface unit 30b, a memory unit 30c storing data and programs, and a control control unit 30d, an operation panel 9, 10,
Sensor system 42 including sonic sensor 8, on-board limit switch 39, rear-end collision prevention switch 40, encoder 41, etc., drive units 34 to 36 of conveyor 3, cleaning water in cleaning water arch 15 and injection of detergent in detergent arch 16 are turned on. Solenoid 43 of valve to be turned off, side and rocker brush 12 of cleaning unit 4
And the brush drive mechanism 44 of the top brush 13 and the side brush 14
The drive system 45 is composed of
Inputs and stores operation signals such as start and stop from the operation panels 9 and 10, and a detection signal of the sensor system 42, and controls the drive system 45 in accordance with the operation signal and the detection signal to control the car washing machine. The entire operation of the main body 2 is controlled.

Hereinafter, the control of the roller conveyor 3 of the control device 30 and the brush and spray of the cleaning unit, which are main parts of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. When the signals output to the drive units 34 to 36 and the brush drive mechanism 44 are on (Hi; high level), the drive command is
When it is off (Lo; low level), a stop command is transmitted,
When the signal output to the solenoid 43 is on (Hi; high level), the valve open command is off (Lo; low level)
In this case, the valve closing command is transmitted. In addition, the downstream side (upstream from the rear-end collision prevention switch 40) from the installation position of the cleaning water arch 15 at the end in the transport direction of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned is set as the rear-end collision prevention area A.

RS flip-flops 61 to 63 and 51 are provided corresponding to the drive units 34 to 36 and the brush drive mechanism 44 of each conveyor 3, respectively, and are activated by operating the start switch 64 of the operation panel 9 on the front. A relay (RY) 1 operated by a logical sum (OR) of the signal a and the start signal a ′ by operating the start switch 65 of the rear operation panel 10.
The stop switch 66 of the operation panel 9 on the front is provided.
The relay (RY) 2 is operated by the logical sum of the stop signal b by the operation of the stop signal b and the stop signal b 'by the operation of the stop switch 67 of the operation panel 10 on the rear side. In addition, a vehicle rear end detection unit 68 that detects the rear end of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned by detecting the floor surface after the vehicle 7 to be cleaned is detected by the vehicle height detection signal of the sonic sensor 8 is provided. When the vehicle rear end is detected from the vehicle rear end detection section 68, a pulse signal c is output. Further, a vehicle tip detector 52 is provided for detecting the tip of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned based on the vehicle height detection signal of the sonic sensor 8, and a pulse signal f is output from the vehicle tip detector 52 when the vehicle tip is detected. You. Also,
A counter 53 for counting the output pulses of the pulse encoder 41 using the pulse signal f as a reset signal is provided.
Is a set value α for detecting that the intermediate conveyor 32 has passed.
And a counter 57 for counting the output pulses of the pulse encoder 41 using the operation signal of the on-board limit switch 39 as a reset signal.
A comparator 55 of a set value β for detecting that the front wheel 11c has reached the rear-end collision prevention area A is provided. The above
The distance between the vehicle to be cleaned and the encoder 57
A detecting means is formed. Also, the logical product (A) of the detection signal q of the comparator 55 and the detection signal of the rear-end collision prevention switch 40 is obtained.
ND), and a relay (RY) 3 operated by ND) is provided.

In addition, for the RS flip-flop 61 for the drive unit 34 of the front conveyor 31, the above-mentioned start-up, in which the inverted (NOT) signal of the output signal x of the flip-flop 61 is set to the logical product (AND). A hold circuit for the signal a is provided, and the logical product of the output signal d of the hold circuit, the operation signal e of the in-vehicle limit switch 39, and the detection signal p of the comparator 54 is obtained. Start signal a 'of start switch 65 on panel 10
Are set to form a set circuit, and RY2
The logical sum of the operation signal h of the contact point, the output pulse signal c of the vehicle rear end detection unit 68, and the failure signal j of the front conveyor 31 is taken to form a reset circuit. The logical product of the output signal x of the RS flip-flop 61 and the inverted signal m of the operation signal of the contact point of RY3 is obtained and output to the drive unit 34 of the front conveyor 31.

The drive unit 35 of the intermediate conveyor 32
RY1 for the RS flip-flop 62 for
A set circuit is constituted by the operation signal k of the contact of
An OR operation of the operation signal h of the contact point No. 2 and the failure signal j 'of the intermediate conveyor 32 is performed to form a reset circuit. The output signal y of the RS flip-flop 62 and the operation signal of the contact point RY3 are obtained. The logical product with the inverted signal m is obtained and output to the drive unit 35 of the intermediate conveyor 32.

For the RS flip-flop 63 for the drive unit 36 of the rear conveyor 33, a set circuit is constituted by the operation signal k at the contact of RY1, and RY2
The operation signal h of the contact point and the failure signal j ″ of the intermediate conveyor 32
Are ORed to form a reset circuit, and the output signal z of the RS flip-flop 63 is output to the drive unit 36 of the rear conveyor 33.

A set circuit is configured for the RS flip-flop 51 for the brush driving mechanism 44 by the pulse signal f of the vehicle front end detecting section 52, and the operation signal h of the contact of RY2 and the brush driving mechanism 44 A logical sum of the failure signal j ″ ′ and the detection signal p of the comparator 54 is formed to form a reset circuit. The output signal r of the RS flip-flop 51 and the inverted signal m of the operation signal of the contact point of RY3 are output. Is obtained and output to the brush drive mechanism 44.

The output signal r of the RS flip-flop 51 is output to the solenoid 33. Next, the brush and spray operations of the roller conveyor 3 and the cleaning unit 4 according to the above block diagram will be described. (1) As shown in FIG.
Is passed through the intermediate conveyor 32 and the to-be-cleaned vehicle 7 enters a predetermined position of the subsequent front conveyor 31, whereby the on-vehicle limit switch 39 is operated, and then the start switch 64 of the front operation panel 9 is operated. Is operated, RY1 operates, and the RS flip-flops 61 to 63 operate.
Is set, a start command is output to the drive units 34 to 36, and the conveyors 31 to 33 are started. (2) In this state, the following vehicle 7 to be cleaned is moved to the front conveyor 31.
5 and transferred to the intermediate conveyor 32 and conveyed.
As shown in (b), when the sonic sensor 8 operates and the vehicle front end detecting unit 52 operates, the counter 53 is reset, and the detection signals p and q of the comparators 54 and 55 are turned off, and R
The -S flip-flop 51 is set, a drive command is output to the brush drive mechanism 44 and the solenoid 43, the brush drive mechanism 44 is activated, and the arches 15 and 16 spray cleaning water and detergent. (3) Subsequently, when the vehicle rear end detection unit 68 operates, the RS flip-flop 61 is reset, and a stop command is output to the drive unit 34 of the front conveyor 31, so that the front conveyor 31 stops. (4) When the front conveyor 31 stops, the vehicle-to-be-cleaned vehicle 7 enters the front conveyor 31, whereby the vehicle-mounted limit switch 39 operates again, and subsequently the start switch 64 of the front operation panel 9 is operated. Thus, the signal is held. Also, the intermediate conveyor 32
The vehicle 7 to be cleaned is washed in the cleaning section 4 while being conveyed, passes through the intermediate section conveyor 32, and passes through the comparator 54.
Operates, the RS flip-flop 61 is set again, an activation command is output to the drive unit 34, and the front conveyor 31 is activated. In addition, the RS flip-flop 51
Is reset, a stop command is output to the brush drive mechanism 44 and the solenoid 43, the brush drive mechanism 44 is stopped, the brush is separated from the vehicle 7 to be cleaned, and the spray of cleaning water and detergent from the arches 15 and 16 is performed. Stopped. (5) Also, the start switch 65 on the rear operation panel 10
Is operated, all the RS flip-flops 61 to 63
Is set, a start command is output to the drive units 34 to 36, the respective conveyors 31 to 33 are started, and when the stop switches 66 and 67 of the front or rear operation panels 9 and 10 are operated, all RS flip-flops 61 to 63, 51
Are reset, and a stop command is output to the drive units 34 to 36, the brush drive mechanism 44, and the solenoid 43, and each conveyor is
31-33, the brush driving mechanism 44 is stopped, the brush is separated from the vehicle 7 to be cleaned, and the spray of the cleaning water and the detergent from the arches 15 and 16 is stopped. (6) As shown in FIG. 5C, when the following vehicle 7 to be washed arrives at the rear-end collision prevention area A and the comparator 55 operates, the preceding vehicle 7 to be washed is unloaded from the rear conveyor 33. When the state in which the rear-end collision prevention switch 40 is operating occurs, the RY3 operates, and thus the drive unit
The output signals to 34, 35 and the brush drive mechanism 44 are turned off,
Front conveyor 31, intermediate conveyor 32, and brush drive mechanism 44
Stops, the subsequent vehicle 7 to be stopped is stopped, and the brush is separated from the vehicle 7 to be cleaned. The rear conveyor 33
Is driven as it is, and the spray of the washing water and the detergent from the arches 15 and 16 is continued. Also, when the preceding vehicle 7 to be cleaned is carried out of the rear conveyor 33 and the rear-end collision prevention switch 40 is turned off, the RY3 is turned off, and the output signals to the drive units 34 and 35 and the brush drive mechanism 44 are turned on again. Front conveyor 31 and intermediate conveyor 32
Then, the brush driving mechanism 44 resumes driving, the subsequent vehicle 7 to be cleaned resumes moving, and cleaning of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned by the brush is resumed.

The roller conveyor 3, which is controlled by the controller 30,
When the vehicle to be cleaned 7 is transferred from the front conveyor 31 to the intermediate conveyor 32 by the drive of the brush and spray of the cleaning unit 4 and the rear end of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned is detected, the start switch 64 is then operated. Since the front conveyor 31 is stopped until the front conveyor 31 is driven by the passage of the cleaning unit 4 of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned, the vehicle 7 to be cleaned enters the front conveyor 31. Can be easily and also intermediate conveyor
Even if a trouble occurs in 32, the rear conveyor 33 can be driven, and the problem that a plurality of vehicles 7 to be washed remain in the car washer body 2 can be solved. Further, while the preceding vehicle 7 to be cleaned is not carried out and the RY3 of the suspension is operating, the brushes of the front conveyor 31, the intermediate conveyor 32 and the cleaning unit 4 are stopped, so that the following vehicle to be cleaned is stopped. 7 can be prevented from colliding with the preceding vehicle 7 to be cleaned, and the brush of the cleaning unit 4 can be prevented from being scratched by continuously cleaning the same portion of the vehicle 7 to be cleaned, and spraying can be continued. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a customer in the following vehicle 7 to be washed out of the vehicle, and to prevent a danger to the customer due to restart of washing.

In this embodiment, the conveyor for transporting the vehicle 7 to be cleaned is a roller conveyor, but another type of conveyor may be used. Also, as shown in FIG.
The operation panel 9 on the front is paused (RY3 is on)
And a stop spray selection switch 56 for selecting whether to continue spraying, and an operation signal of a contact of RY3,
The logical product of the stop water spray selection switch 56 and the selection signal s is calculated, and the inverted signal t of this logical product output signal and R
A logical AND with the output signal r of the -S flip-flop 51 may be taken and output to the solenoid 33. At this time, when "not spray" is selected by the stopped water spray selection switch 56, the output signal to the solenoid 43 is turned off by the operation of RY3, and the arch 1 is turned off.
Cleaning water and detergent spray from 5, 16 is stopped.

[0026]

As described above, according to the first invention, when the preceding vehicle to be cleaned arrives at the rear-end collision prevention area without carrying out the preceding vehicle to be cleaned, the vehicle moving means stops, but the spray device is By continuing spraying as it is, the customer of the succeeding vehicle to be washed left in the car wash machine body does not go out of the vehicle, and it is possible to avoid danger to the customer even if the car washing operation is started again.

Further, according to the second aspect, the operator can freely select whether or not to continue spraying during the temporary stop.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an internal configuration of a car washer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of the car washer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the car washer.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conveyor control unit of the control device for the car washer.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the car washer.

FIG. 6 is another block diagram of the conveyor control unit of the control device for the car washer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Floor surface 2 Car wash machine body. 3 Roller conveyor (vehicle moving means) 4 Washing unit 5 Wax application unit 6 Drying unit 7 Vehicle to be washed 8 Sonic sensor 9 Front operation panel 10 Rear operation panel 12 Side / rocker brush 13 Top brush 14 Side brush 15 Wash water arch 16 Detergent Arch 30 Control device 31 Front conveyor (conveyor for carry-in) 32 Intermediate conveyor 33 Rear conveyor (conveyor for carry-out) 34-36 Drive unit 39 In-vehicle limit switch 40 Rear-end collision prevention switch (means for detecting the preceding vehicle to be cleaned) 41 Encoder (along with the counter 57, the distance of the vehicle to be cleaned)
Form separation detecting means. ) 43 distance of the object to be cleaned vehicle with solenoid 44 brush drive mechanism 56 stops water spray selection switch 57 counter (encoder 41 of the valve
Form separation detecting means . ) 64, 65 Start switch 66, 67 Stop switch A Rear-end collision prevention area

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B60S 3/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle for disposing a brush and a spray device for cleaning a vehicle to be cleaned in a stationary car washer body, and loading the vehicle to be cleaned into the body from the front and discharging the vehicle from the body to the rear. A moving means, a distance detecting means for detecting a moving distance of the vehicle to be cleaned by the vehicle moving means , and a presence / absence detecting means for the preceding vehicle to be cleaned provided near a rear end of the vehicle moving means; By the distance detecting means , upstream of the presence / absence detecting means
When it is detected that the vehicle to be cleaned has reached the rear-end collision prevention area set in the above, if the vehicle to be cleaned is detected by the presence / absence detection means, the vehicle moving means is stopped and the brush is covered. A car washing machine further comprising control means for separating from a washing vehicle and continuing spraying by the spray device. 2. The car washer according to claim 1, further comprising a selection means for selecting whether to continue spraying when the vehicle moving means is temporarily stopped by the control means.