JP3347849B2 - Vehicle upper surface cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning the upper surface of a vehicle, which brushes the body of the vehicle with a top brush.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle is provided with a guide rail swingably supported by a frame and a top brush movable up and down along the guide rail, and controls the elevation of the top brush based on the swing of the guide rail. Has been already proposed and is known, for example, from Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 47-968 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-96034.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional upper surface cleaning apparatus, the guide rail has its own weight.
Alternatively, since the guide rail is held at a vertical neutral position by a spring provided at the lower end, if the swing angle of the guide rail from the neutral position is the same, the top brush moves upward and approaches the fulcrum of the guide rail. The surface pressure at which the brush contacts the vehicle body increases. Therefore, there is a problem that the surface pressure of the top brush cannot be maintained at a desired level only by controlling the elevation of the top brush based on the swing angle of the guide rail.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to maintain the surface pressure of the top brush substantially constant regardless of the position at which the top brush is moved up and down.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guide rail which is swingably supported by a frame, and a top brush which can be moved up and down along the guide rail. Further, in the upper surface cleaning device for a vehicle, lifting and lowering drive means for vertically driving the top brush,
A swing angle detecting means, and the vertical position detecting means for detecting a vertical position of the top brush, swing angle detected by the swing angle detecting means set to detect the swing angle of the guide rail
Raise the top brush as the swing angle is exceeded
Bei and control means for controlling the lifting drive means so that
For example, control means, characterized in that changing the setting swing angle on the basis of the vertical position detected by the vertical position detecting means
According to the invention of claim 2, the frame is swingably supported.
And lifting the guide rails, the lift along the guide Doreru
A top cleaning device for vehicles with a possible top brush
Raising and lowering driving means for driving the top brush up and down
And a swing angle detecting means for detecting the swing angle of the guide rail.
Step and elevating position for detecting the elevating position of the top brush
Detecting means and the swing angle detected by the swing angle detecting means are set.
As the angle decreases below the constant swing angle, the top brush is
Control means for controlling the elevation drive means so as to be lowered
The control means detects the position by the elevating position detecting means.
The set swing angle is changed based on the raised / lowered position .

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a car washer, FIG. 2 is an overall side view thereof, and FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a car washer, two driving wheels 2, 2 and driven wheels 3, 3 are guided by a pair of left and right traveling rails 1, 1 laid on the floor. It has a gate-shaped traveling frame 4 for traveling. The drive wheels 2, 2 are connected to traveling motors 5, 5, whereby the traveling frame 4 can reciprocate in the front-rear direction along the traveling rails 1, 1.

On the upper part of the traveling frame 4, both ends of a single vertical drive shaft 6 arranged in the left-right direction are rotatably supported by a pair of bearings 7,7. A guide frame 9 for guiding the vertical movement of the top brush 8 for cleaning the upper surface of the vehicle includes a pair of left and right guide rails 10, 10 and a hollow guide frame swing shaft for integrally connecting the upper ends of the guide rails 10, 10. 11 is provided. The guide frame swinging shaft 11 is coaxially fitted to the outer periphery of the lifting drive shaft 6, and a pair of left and right bearings 12, 1.
2 supports the lifting drive shaft 6 so as to be relatively rotatable.
That is, the elevating drive shaft 6 is rotatably supported by the traveling frame 4 by the bearings 7, and the guide frame swing shaft 11 is supported by the elevating drive shaft 6 by the bearings 12.

The guide rails 10 are formed in a U-shaped cross section, and a guide plate 14 having an L-shaped cross section is fixed inside thereof. On the left and right guide rails 10, two guide rollers 15, 15 guided between the guide plate 14 and the inner wall of the guide rail 10 and one guide roller 16 guided on the inner wall of the guide rail 10 are provided. Are supported so that they can move up and down in synchronization with each other. Left and right ends of a top brush support shaft 18 are fixed to the left and right carriages 17A and 17B, and a sprocket 20 provided at one end of a top brush rotation shaft 19 rotatably fitted to the top brush support shaft 18 and one of the carriages. A sprocket 22 of a top brush rotating motor 21 provided on 17B is connected via a chain 23, whereby the top brush 8 is driven to rotate.

The traveling frame 4 is provided with an ascending and descending torque motor 24 whose torque can be adjusted by voltage changing means.
A sprocket 25 of the lifting torque motor 24 and a sprocket 26 provided at one end of the lifting drive shaft 6 are connected by a chain 27. In the guide rails 10, a chain 30 is provided between two sprockets 28 provided on the lifting drive shaft 6 and two sprockets 29 provided at the lower end of the guide rails 10.
The ends of the chains 30, 30 are connected to the carts 17A, 17B.

A chain 34 wound around a sprocket 32 provided at the other end of the lifting drive shaft 6 and a sprocket 33 provided at the lower part of the traveling frame 4 has a force for the top brush 8 to descend by gravity. Is fixed.

When the lifting torque motor 24 is driven, the lifting drive shaft 6 rotates, and the left and right carriages 17A, 17B supporting the top brush 8 are guided by the guide rails 10, 10 to move up and down.

At this time, the top brush 8 can be raised when the voltage is changed to, for example, 40 V by the voltage changing means and the elevating torque motor 24 is rotated forward. For example, the elevating and lowering torque motor 24 is rotated, for example, to a voltage of 15 V. Then, the top brush 8 can be lowered.

When the top brush 8 is lowered, a force F1 for lowering the top brush 8 due to the difference between the weight of the top brush 8 and the weight of the balance weight 35, and the torque motor 24 for raising and lowering lowers the top brush 8. The top brush 8 is lowered by the force F2. And
When the top brush 8 is in contact with the upper surface of the vehicle, the descending force obtained by adding the F1 and F2 and the reaction force F3 received from the vehicle by the rotation of the top brush 8 are balanced, and the descending of the top brush 8 stops. . Also, the reaction force F3 is F1 + F2
When it becomes larger, the top brush 8 rises.

On one guide rail 10 of the guide frame 9, a lower limit detection switch 36 and an upper limit detection switch 37 for detecting a lower limit position and an upper limit position of the top brush 8, respectively, are provided. It is actuated by the magnet 38 provided on the carriage 17A. Elevating drive shaft 6
A rotary encoder 39 is provided at one end of the top brush. The upper encoder 37 adds or subtracts the number of output pulses of the rotary encoder 39 from the time when the upper limit detection switch 37 changes from the operating state to the inactive state. 8 are detected.

The traveling frame 4 is provided with a pair of stoppers 40 and 41 for regulating the swinging end of the guide frame 9. A drive gear 45 rotatably supported at the other end of the lifting drive shaft 6 meshes with a driven gear 47 of a rotary encoder 46, and the drive gear 45 and the guide rail 10 are connected by pins 48. As a result, the swing of the guide frame 9 causes the drive gear 4
The rotation angle of the guide frame 9 can be detected by adding / subtracting the output pulse transmitted from the rotary encoder 46 via the gear 5 and the driven gear 47 as described later. This rotary encoder 46 constitutes the swing angle detecting means of the present invention.

Further, the traveling frame 4 has an opening / closing rail 4.
A pair of left and right side brushes 50 and 5 that open and close along 9
0, a top nozzle 52 which moves up and down along a pair of left and right lifting rails 51, 51 and a pair of left and right side nozzles 53, 5
3 is attached.

A control device 54 provided on the traveling frame 4
The lower limit detection switch 36 and the upper limit detection switch 3
7. Signals from detectors such as the rotary encoders 39 and 46 are input, and the traveling motors 5 and 5, the top brush rotating motor 21 and the elevating torque motor 24 are based on the signals and programs stored in advance. Are controlled.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described.

FIG. 3 in which the traveling frame 4 is stopped at the start position and the vehicle V to be washed is stopped at a predetermined position.
When the start switch (not shown) provided on the control device 54 is pressed in the state of (A), the top brush 8 rotates forward in the direction of the arrow, descends from the upper limit position (a), and reaches the lower limit position (b). Stop descending. At this time, the guide rail 10,
Numeral 10 is vertically suspended by gravity with respect to the floor, and the swing angle at the suspended position is set to 0 °. When the guide rails 10 and 10 swing clockwise in FIG. 2, the output pulses of the rotary encoder 46 are added. When the guide rails 10 and 10 swing counterclockwise in FIG. By subtracting the output pulse of the rotary encoder 46, the guide rail 1 based on the hanging position
The swing angles of 0 and 10 can be detected.

Next, the traveling frame 4 is moved forward. When the top brush 8 contacts the front end of the vehicle V, the guide rail 1
The swing angle in the direction of arrow b from the hanging position of 0, 10 is set swing
When the moving angle exceeds 3 °, the lifting torque motor 24
Is rotated forward to raise the top brush 8, and as a result ,
When the swing angle becomes 3 ° or less as the set swing angle, the up- and-down torque motor 24 is reversely rotated to lower the top brush 8. In this manner, while moving the top brush 8 up and down so that the swing angle is maintained at 3 ° or less, the vehicle V
The bonnet surface can be cleaned.

When the top brush 8 reaches the front end position (C) of the windshield surface and it is detected that the top brush 8 has risen to the height H based on the output pulse of the rotary encoder 39, the set swing is performed. 3 ° as an angle
Each is changed to 1.5 °, so that the guide rail 1
The swing angle in the direction of arrow b from the hanging position of 0, 10 is 1.5
When the rotation angle exceeds 1.5 °, the lifting / lowering torque motor 24 is rotated forward and the top brush 8 is raised. As a result , when the swing angle becomes 1.5 ° or less, the lifting / lowering torque motor 24 is reversely rotated and The brush 8 is lowered, so that the vehicle V
Clean the front, ceiling and rear glass surfaces of

The top brush 8 reaches the rear end position (e) of the rear glass surface via the position (d) on the ceiling surface, and based on the output pulse of the rotary encoder 39, the top brush 8
When it is detected that lowered to a height H, the set rocking
1.5 ° as the moving angle was changed to 3 °, respectively.
Thus, in the same manner as in the case of cleaning the bonnet surface described above, the ascending and descending torque motor 24 is rotated forward and reverse with respect to the position where the swing angle in the direction of the arrow b is 3 ° from the hanging position of the guide rails 10 and 10. The top brush 8 is moved up and down to clean the trunk surface of the vehicle V.

When the cleaning while moving the traveling frame 4 forward is completed, as shown in FIG.
Is rotated in the reverse direction to make the traveling frame 4 go backward. And
When the height of the top brush 8 is H or less, the swing angle in the direction of arrow a from the hanging position of the guide rails 10, 10 is 3 degrees.
The trunk surface and the bonnet surface of the vehicle V are cleaned while the top brush 8 is moved up and down by rotating the torque motor 24 forward and reverse so that the rotation angle is equal to or less than 0 °. When the height of the top brush 8 is H or more, the torque motor 24 is rotated forward and reverse so that the swing angle in the direction of arrow a from the hanging position of the guide rails 10 and 10 becomes 1.5 ° or less. Top brush 8
, The rear glass surface, the ceiling surface, and the front glass surface of the vehicle V are washed.

The surface pressure at which the top brush 8 comes into contact with the vehicle V is generated by the force of the guide rails 10, 10 swinging in the arrow a direction or the arrow b direction from the hanging position to return to the hanging position by gravity. I do. The magnitude of the surface pressure of the top brush 8 increases as the swing angle of the guide rails 10 increases, and at the same time, the top brush 8 rises to raise and lower the drive shaft that is the pivot of the guide rails 10. It increases as it approaches 6. Therefore, as described above, when the top brush 8 is raised (that is, when the height of the top brush 8 is H or more), the swing angle of the guide rails 10, 10 is reduced (that is, 1). .5
°) and when the top brush 8 descends (ie,
When the height of the top brush 8 is not more than H), the swing angle of the guide rails 10 and 10 is increased (ie, 3 °), thereby keeping the surface pressure of the top brush 8 at a substantially constant value. The upper surface of the vehicle V can be cleaned.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes can be made.

For example, in the embodiment, the height of the top brush 8 is divided into two types based on a predetermined height H.
The swing angle of the guide rails 10, 10 may be reduced as the top brush 8 is lifted by separating these into three or more types.

If the guide rails 10, 10 do not hang normally due to a failure, an appropriate surface pressure cannot be obtained. To prevent this, the guide rails 10, 10 are moved from the normal hang position to the arrow a. 1 each in the direction and the arrow b direction
A detector 44 and a proximity switch 42 for detecting the swing of more than 0 ° are provided (see FIG. 1), and when the swing angle is set to 0 ° (that is, the top brush 8 is in the position (B) of FIG. 3A). At some point), if the proximity switch 42 detects a swing angle of 1 ° or more, cleaning may be stopped and an abnormality may be displayed on a display device (not shown).

When the start switch is pressed, the swing angle may be set to 0 °, and then the top brush 8 may be rotated forward to be lowered.

Further, the cleaning device according to the present invention includes a polishing device for polishing the surface of a vehicle with a rotating buff.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
The swing angle of the guide rail detected by the swing angle detection means is set.
I will raise the top brush as the swing angle is exceeded
The control means for controlling the lifting drive means is a top brush
Since the set swing angle is changed based on the elevation position of
The surface pressure at which the top brush contacts the vehicle
And held substantially constant regardless of the vertical position, the cleaning effect or polishing effect can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the swing angle is detected.
The swing angle of the guide rail detected by the means is less than the set swing angle
Lower the top brush as it decreases
Control means for controlling the lifting drive means raises and lowers the top brush.
Since the set swing angle is changed based on the descending position,
The surface pressure at which the brush contacts the vehicle is raised and lowered by the top brush.
Maintains almost constant irrespective of the position, cleaning effect or gloss
The effect can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a car washer.

FIG. 2 is an overall side view of the car washer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 Running frame (frame) 8 Top brush 10 Guide rail 24 Elevating torque motor (elevating drive means) 39 Rotary encoder (elevating position detecting means) 46 Rotary encoder (oscillation angle detecting means) 54 Control device (control means)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An upper surface cleaning apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a guide rail swingably supported by a frame; and a top brush movable up and down along the guide rail. When the a swing angle detecting means for detecting the swing angle of the guide rail, and the vertical position detecting means for detecting a vertical position of the top brush, swing angle is set swinging detected by the swing angle detecting means Cross the corner
E Bei and control means for controlling the pre <br/> SL elevation driving means so as to raise the top brush according to obtain, the control means, based on the elevating position detected by the vertical position detecting means An upper surface cleaning device for a vehicle, wherein the set swing angle is changed . (2) Guide rail supported swingably on the frame
And a top block that can be moved up and down along the guide rail.
In a top surface cleaning device for a vehicle comprising a brush, Lifting drive means for lifting and lowering the top brush, Swing angle detecting means for detecting the swing angle of the guide rail
When, An ascending and descending position detecting means for detecting an ascending and descending position of the top brush
Steps and The swing angle detected by the swing angle detecting means is equal to or less than a set swing angle.
Lower the top brush as it decreases
Control means for controlling the lifting drive means, The control means includes a lift position detected by the lift position detection means.
Wherein the set swing angle is changed based on the position.
, A top surface cleaning device for vehicles.