JP5492665B2 - Car shape detection device and car wash machine equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes a vehicle shape detection device for detecting the shape of an automobile, and the same device, and cleaning the automobile body by operating a car wash processing device such as a cleaning brush and a drying nozzle according to the shape of the automobile body to be cleaned. The present invention relates to a car wash machine that performs processing such as drying.

  As this type of device, a vehicle shape detection device described in Patent Document 1 is proposed. This device includes a vehicle body detector in which a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit are arranged with a vehicle sandwiched in a width direction, traveling means for moving the vehicle body detector in the length direction of the vehicle, and movement for detecting a moving distance by the traveling unit. A distance detection means for detecting the vehicle body each time the vehicle body detector travels a unit distance and creating vehicle shape data.

  The vehicle body detector is composed of a light emitting section in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged above and below, and a light receiving section in which light receiving elements that are paired with the light emitting elements are arranged, and an optical axis formed between each light emitting element and the light receiving element. The presence / absence of the vehicle body is detected by the light transmission / light shielding. The light transmission / light-blocking of the optical axis is determined by whether or not the light-receiving level at the light-receiving element reaches a predetermined threshold value. The light-transmitting optical axis is “0” and the light-blocking optical axis is “1”. Value image data is created.

  By the way, in Patent Document 1, in the case of a car wash course in which the vehicle body detection operation and the car wash operation are performed in parallel, splashed water, steam, etc. are generated by the washing and enter between the vehicle body detectors. The signal was attenuated and a sufficient amount of light emission could not be obtained, and the light receiving element could not receive the light. This is the same even when the light emitting element and the light receiving element are dirty, and it is difficult to detect accurate vehicle shape data in both cases.

Japanese Patent No. 4047672

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle shape detection device capable of creating vehicle shape data even when the amount of light is insufficient due to generation of splashed water or steam due to washing, contamination of elements, or the like, and a car wash equipped with this device The machine is provided.

In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a light emitting unit in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged above and below, and a light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements opposed to the light emitting elements of the light emitting unit are arranged up and down. A vehicle body detection device opposed to each other across the width direction, and a vehicle shape control unit that detects the presence or absence of the vehicle body by translucency / light shielding of an optical axis formed between each element of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the vehicle body detection device; In the vehicle shape detection apparatus, the vehicle shape control unit lights up one light emitting element in the light emitting unit and transmits and receives an optical signal with a horizontally opposed light receiving element, and a light receiving element adjacent below A normal detection mode in which an optical axis for transmitting / receiving an optical signal and an optical axis for transmitting / receiving an optical signal by an adjacent light receiving element are formed, and the presence / absence of a vehicle body is determined by detecting light transmission / shading of each optical axis Two or more adjacent light emitting elements in the light emitting section are set as one set. Light that transmits and receives an optical signal by a light receiving element that is horizontally opposed to the other light emitting element, and an optical axis that transmits and receives an optical signal by a light receiving element that is horizontally opposed to one of the light emitting elements. Forming a shaft, a light receiving element horizontally facing one of the light emitting elements, and an optical axis for transmitting and receiving an optical signal by a light receiving element adjacent to the upper or lower side, and detecting the translucency / shading of each optical axis to detect the presence or absence of the vehicle body And a threshold value setting unit for setting a determination threshold value for determining light transmission / light shielding of each optical axis in each detection mode. The unit sets a threshold value between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element constituting the optical axis by multiplying a predetermined light-reception level before and after the light emission of the light-emitting element by a predetermined ratio, The strong light detection mode is made smaller than the detection mode.

  Further, in the car wash machine formed in a portal shape, the car wash processing apparatus including a washing brush, a drying nozzle, and the like, and washing the car by moving the car wash machine body and the car to be washed relative to each other, A car shape detection device and a car wash control unit for controlling the car wash processing device with respect to a vehicle body detected by the car shape detection device.

The car wash machine includes a car wash course that simultaneously executes the car shape detection operation and the washing operation, and when executing the car wash course, the strong light detection mode is executed to detect the vehicle body. The vehicle shape control unit determines that the light emission amount is insufficient when a plurality of light receiving elements whose differential light reception level is less than the predetermined value are consecutive in the threshold setting unit, and executes the strong light detection mode to perform vehicle body detection. May be. Further, the vehicle shape control unit may perform the vehicle body detection by alternately executing the normal detection mode and the strong light detection mode .

  According to the present invention, since the amount of light on the light emitting side can be increased by causing two or more light emitting elements to emit light simultaneously, even if the amount of light is insufficient due to generation of splashes or steam due to cleaning or contamination of the element. Car body detection becomes possible.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the example which used this invention for the gate type car wash machine. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration and a control system of a vehicle body detection device 5. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of each vehicle body detection mode. It is a flowchart which shows the threshold value setting process by normal mode. This is threshold data obtained by normal mode threshold setting processing. It is a flowchart which shows the threshold value setting operation | movement by a strong light mode. This is threshold data obtained by threshold setting processing in the strong light mode. It is a flowchart which shows a vehicle shape detection process. It is binary data by the vehicle shape detection processing operation in the normal mode. It is binary data by the vehicle shape detection processing operation in the strong light mode. It is a flowchart which shows a car wash processing operation.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an example in which the present invention is used in a gate type car wash machine.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a gate-type car wash machine that travels back and forth across the automobile A stopped between the rails 2 and 2. The car wash machine 1 includes an upper surface processing device 3 such as an upper surface brush, an upper surface drying nozzle, and an upper surface jet nozzle that mainly process the upper surface of the automobile, and a side surface processing device 4 that mainly processes the side surface of the automobile. The apparatus is operated along the shape of the automobile A to automatically clean the vehicle body.

  Reference numeral 5 denotes a vehicle body detection device, which is provided in front of the car wash machine 1 and has a plurality of light emitting elements and light receiving elements facing each other up and down across the vehicle A in the width direction, and light transmitted and received between the light emitting and light receiving elements. The vehicle body is detected based on whether the signal is blocked by the vehicle body of the automobile A or not. Reference numeral 6 denotes a travel encoder that detects the rotation of the traveling wheel 7 of the car wash machine 1. The car encoder 1 outputs a pulse signal every time the car wash machine 1 travels a unit distance, and counts the pulse signal to determine the travel distance of the car wash machine 1. Can be detected.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration and control system of the vehicle body detection device 5.
The vehicle body detection device 5 includes a light emitting unit 5a in which a plurality of light emitting elements L1 to Ln are arranged vertically, and a light receiving unit 5b in which a plurality of light receiving elements R1 to Rn paired with the light emitting elements L1 to Ln are arranged. Optical signals (infrared rays) are exchanged between the light emitting unit 5a and the light receiving unit 5b. In this vehicle body detection device 5, the light emitting elements of the light emitting section 5a and the light receiving elements of the light receiving section 5b are arranged so as to correspond one-to-one, and the optical axis is basically constituted by horizontally facing elements. However, since an optical signal from one light emitting element is diffused at a certain angle, an optical axis can be formed by another light receiving element adjacent to the corresponding light receiving element. A scanning drive unit 8 of the light emitting unit 5a sequentially turns on the light emitting elements from the top to the bottom (or from the bottom to the top) when detecting the vehicle body. Reference numeral 9 denotes a scanning drive unit of the light receiving unit 5b, which sequentially sets the light receiving elements corresponding to the scanning of the light emitting elements to a light receiving state.

  A vehicle shape control unit 10 including a microcomputer detects the upper surface shape of the automobile by periodically operating the scanning drive units 8 and 9. In the vehicle shape control unit 10, reference numeral 11 denotes a travel position detection unit that detects the travel position of the car wash machine 1 based on a pulse signal from the travel encoder 6. Reference numeral 12 denotes a light receiving detector that detects the light receiving level of each light receiving element. Reference numeral 13 denotes a threshold value setting unit for determining whether the optical axis is translucent / shielded based on the received light level received by each light receiving element in the absence of an automobile between the light emitting unit 5a and the light receiving unit 5b. Set the value. Reference numeral 14 denotes a vehicle body detection unit that operates the scanning driving units 8 and 9 at predetermined intervals, and the threshold value setting unit 13 sets the light reception level of each light receiving element detected by the light reception detection unit 12. The light transmission / light shielding of each optical axis is determined by comparison. Reference numeral 15 denotes a vehicle shape data detection unit, which creates binary image data from the travel position of the car wash machine 1 provided from the travel position detection unit 11 and the translucency / light shielding of each optical axis provided from the vehicle body detection unit 14. An image processing unit 16 analyzes the vehicle shape data created by the vehicle shape data detection unit 15 and creates car wash data. Reference numeral 17 denotes a data storage unit, which is a binary image created by the vehicle position data / detection unit 15 set by the vehicle position data / threshold setting unit 13 detected by the vehicle position detection unit 11. The car shape data for car washing extracted by the data / image processing unit 16 is stored.

  A car wash control unit 18 of the car wash machine 1 drives the upper surface washing device 3, the side surface washing device 4, the travel motor of the car wash machine 1 and the like through the car wash drive unit 19 in accordance with a car wash operation program, thereby causing the car wash machine 1 to run. Car wash processing such as washing and drying of the car body, while the upper surface cleaning device 3 is controlled to move up and down based on the car wash car shape data that is created, and these car wash treatment devices are operated to faithfully trace the car body surface. To do. Reference numeral 20 denotes an operation panel which is provided on the front surface of the car wash machine 1 and performs selection input of car wash contents and car wash start input.

  The operation panel 20 includes, as a car wash course, a one-way car wash course that performs cleaning and drying with one round trip of the car wash machine 1 and a two-way car wash course that performs cleaning and drying with two round trips of the car wash machine 1. You can choose. In the one-way car washing course, the car shape detection and washing are performed simultaneously in one go of the car wash machine 1, and drying is carried out in one go. In the two-way car wash course, the car shape is detected in one way of the car wash machine 1, the washing is performed in the first and second trips, and the drying is performed in the second trip. Note that a topping menu key for jet cleaning, water repellent treatment, etc., and an equipment key for designating equipment may be provided.

Next, the operation of the vehicle shape control unit 10 will be described.
In this apparatus, one-way car wash and two-way car wash can be selected. Among these, when the two-way car wash course is selected, the vehicle shape detection process is executed alone, and therefore the vehicle shape detection in the normal mode is performed on the assumption that the influence of splashes and steam is small. On the other hand, when one round-trip car wash course is selected, the car shape detection process and the car wash process are executed at the same time, so that the car shape detection in the strong light mode is performed on the assumption that the influence of splashes, steam, etc. is great.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of vehicle shape detection in each mode.
The normal mode is vehicle shape detection proposed in Japanese Patent No. 4047672. As shown in FIG. 3A, one light emitting element La is turned on and light is transmitted and received by a horizontally opposed light receiving element Ra. An optical axis Bb that transmits and receives an optical signal with the axis Ba, a light receiving element Ra + 1 adjacent to the lower side of the light receiving element Ra, and an optical axis Bc that transmits and receives an optical signal with the light receiving element Ra-1 adjacent to the upper side of the light receiving element Ra , And the presence / absence of the vehicle body at the height of the light emitting / receiving element and the vehicle body at the intermediate height of the light emitting / receiving element are determined by detecting light transmission / light shielding of each optical axis. Three optical axes are formed for one light emitting element, and the vehicle body can be detected with a resolution approximately twice the number of elements.

  The strong light mode is vehicle shape detection proposed in the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3B, the two light emitting elements La and La + 1 are simultaneously turned on, and the light receiving element facing the light emitting element La horizontally. An optical axis Bd for transmitting / receiving an optical signal by Ra, an optical axis Be for transmitting / receiving an optical signal by a light receiving element Ra + 1 horizontally facing the light emitting element La + 1, and a light receiving element Ra− adjacent to the light receiving element Ra−. 1 is used to form an optical axis Bf for transmitting and receiving an optical signal, and light transmission / shading of each optical axis is detected to determine whether the light emitting / receiving element is at the height of the vehicle body and whether the light emitting / receiving element is at an intermediate height. Judgment. Three optical axes are formed for the two light emitting elements, and the vehicle body can be detected with a resolution about 1.5 times the number of elements. In addition, since the two light emitting elements emit light at the same time, it is possible to detect the vehicle body with the light quantity doubled.

Hereinafter, specific operation of vehicle shape detection will be described for each mode.
In performing vehicle shape detection, a discrimination threshold value for each optical axis is set. This threshold value setting is a reference value for discriminating light transmission / light shielding according to the performance and accuracy of each light emitting element and light receiving element. It must be set for each optical axis.

<Threshold setting processing in normal mode>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing threshold setting processing in the normal mode.
First, the light receiving level of the light receiving element R1 before the light emitting element L1 emits light by driving the scanning drive unit 9 of the light receiving part 5b in a state where the automobile is not inserted between the light emitting part 5a and the light receiving part 5b of the vehicle body detection device 5. Lva is captured (1). Next, the scan drive unit 8 of the light emitting unit 5a and the scan drive unit 9 of the light receiving device 5b are driven to capture the light reception level Lvb of the light receiving element R1 when the light emitting element L1 emits light (2). Thereafter, a difference light reception level Lvc between the light reception level Lva captured in the process (1) and the light reception level Lvb captured in the process (2) is calculated (3), and a predetermined ratio p1 (= 30) with respect to the difference light reception level Lvc. %) Is set as a threshold value (4), and stored in the data storage unit 17 as the discrimination threshold value Sa1 of the optical axis Ba1 (5). Such basic operations (1) to (5) are repeated for the number of elements, and a discrimination threshold value Sa for the optical axis Ba is set (6).

  Similarly, the basic operations of the processes (1) to (5) are repeated to set the discrimination threshold value Sb for the optical axis Bb and the discrimination threshold value Sc for the optical axis Bc. At this time, since the light receiving level is captured by shifting the timing of the scanning drive unit 8 of the light emitting unit 5a and the scanning drive unit 9 of the light receiving device 5b, the optical axis Bc1 of the light emitting element L1 and the optical axis Bbn of the light emitting element Ln are not formed. Therefore, the threshold values are obtained by repeating the basic operations from the processes (1) to (5) for the number of elements n−1. As a result, the threshold shown in FIG. Value data is created.

<Threshold setting processing in strong light mode>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing threshold setting processing in the strong light mode.
First, the light receiving level Lva of the light receiving element R1 before driving the scanning drive unit 9 of the light receiving unit 5b and causing the light emitting element to emit light without a vehicle entering between the light emitting unit 5a and the light receiving unit 5b of the vehicle body detection device 5. (7). Next, the scanning driving unit 8 of the light emitting unit 5a and the scanning driving unit 9 of the light receiving device 5b are driven to capture the light reception level Lvb of the light receiving element R1 when the light emitting elements L1 and L2 are caused to emit light (8). Thereafter, a difference light reception level Lvc between the light reception level Lva captured in the process (7) and the light reception level Lvb captured in the process (8) is calculated (9), and a predetermined ratio p2 (= 5) with respect to the difference light reception level Lvc. %) Is set as a threshold value (10), and is stored in the data storage unit 18 as the discrimination threshold value Sd1 of the optical axis Bd1 (11). Such basic operations (7) to (11) are repeated to set the discrimination threshold value Sd of the optical axis Bd (12).

  Similarly, the basic operations of the processes (7) to (11) are repeated to set the determination threshold value Se for the optical axis Be and the determination threshold value Sf for the optical axis Bf. At this time, since the light receiving level is captured by shifting the timing of the scanning drive unit 8 of the light emitting unit 5a and the scanning drive unit 9 of the light receiving device 5b, the optical axis Bf1 of the light emitting element L1 is not formed. In the strong light mode, since two light emitting elements are turned on simultaneously and received by one corresponding light receiving element, the number of optical axes formed is a number corresponding to an odd number of the light emitting elements such as Bd1 and Bd3. . Therefore, the threshold values are obtained by repeating the basic operations from the processes (7) to (11) for the number of elements n / 2-1, and as a result, the data storage unit 17 has the configuration shown in FIG. Threshold data is created.

  Thus, the discrimination threshold value for each optical axis is set, and the total number of threshold values set is about three times the number of elements in the normal mode (298 elements if there are 100 pairs of elements). About 1.5 times the number (146 for 100 pairs of elements). In this way, setting the threshold value between each element to be detected individually has the problem of instrumental error of each element, but the light transmission between elements due to dirt on each element and its cover etc. Because the conditions are different, it is necessary for accurate car body detection.

  In addition, the light reception achievement rate in the normal mode is set to 30% as a predetermined ratio p1, and the predetermined ratio p2 in the strong light mode is set to 5%. This is because the influence of watering or steaming is small and the attenuation of the optical signal is small, while the car washing course in which the car shape detection is executed in parallel with the washing is concerned about the influence of watering or steaming and the optical signal is greatly attenuated.

Next, the vehicle shape detection process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The vehicle shape detection process is common to both the normal mode and the strong light mode. First, the difference light reception level Lvc of each optical axis B is determined in the same procedure as the threshold value setting processes (1) to (3). Calculate (13) and compare with the discrimination threshold S stored in the data storage unit 18 (14). Here, if the difference light reception level Lvc is higher than the stored determination threshold value S, it is determined that the light is transmitted, and binary data of “0” is given to the optical axis B (15). If it is lower, it is determined that the light is blocked, and binary data “1” is given to the optical axis B (16) and stored in the data storage unit 17 (17). Then, such processes (13) to (17) are executed for the optical axis Ba, the optical axis Bb, the optical axis Bc, or the optical axis Bd, the optical axis Be, and the optical axis Bf (18) to create binary data. I will do it.

  Here, the optical axis Ba in the normal mode is a criterion for determining whether or not a vehicle body exists between the light emitting and light receiving elements, and the optical axis Bb and the optical axis Bc are set at an intermediate height between the light emitting and light receiving elements. This is a criterion for determining whether or not it exists. That is, the detection result of the optical axis Bb is copied as binary data of the intermediate height between the light emitting / receiving elements above it, and the detection result of the optical axis Bc is the intermediate height between the light emitting / receiving elements below it. Are copied as binary data. For example, when the detection result of the optical axis Bb2 is “0”, the intermediate height between the light emitting element L1—the light receiving element R1 (optical axis Ba1) and the light emitting element L2—the light receiving element R2 (optical axis Ba2) is “0”. Is copied and the detection result of the optical axis Bc3 is “1”, the intermediate between the light emitting element L2—the light receiving element R2 (optical axis Ba2) and the light emitting element L3—the light receiving element R3 (optical axis Ba3). The binary data “1” is copied to the height. FIG. 9 is an example of binary data in the normal mode obtained by the vehicle body detection. As a result, the presence / absence of the vehicle body at the intermediate height of the light emitting / receiving elements actually provided is determined, so that the vehicle body can be detected at a resolution of about twice the number of elements at the height position of the element and its intermediate position.

  The optical axes Bd and Be in the strong light mode serve as a criterion for determining whether or not the vehicle body exists at an intermediate height between the light emitting / receiving elements and between the light emitting / receiving elements, and the optical axis Bf is the light emitting / receiving element. This is a criterion for determining whether or not the vehicle body exists at an intermediate height between them. That is, the detection result of the optical axis Bd is copied as binary data of the intermediate height between the light emitting and receiving elements below it, and the detection result of the optical axis Be is the intermediate height between the light emitting and receiving elements above it. The detection result of the optical axis Bf is copied as binary data of the intermediate height between the light emitting and receiving elements below. For example, when the detection result of the optical axis Bd1 is “0”, binary data of “0” is copied to the intermediate height between the light emitting element L1 and the light receiving element R1 and the light emitting element L2 and the light receiving element R2, and the optical axis When the detection result of Be4 is "0", binary data of "0" is copied to the intermediate height between the light emitting element L3-light receiving element R3 and the light emitting element L4-light receiving element R4, and the detection result of the optical axis Bf5 When “1” is “1”, binary data “1” is copied to an intermediate height between the light emitting element L4 and the light receiving element R4 and the light emitting element L5 and the light receiving element R5. FIG. 10 is an example of binary data in the strong light mode obtained by the vehicle body detection. As a result, the presence / absence of the vehicle body at the intermediate height of the light emitting / receiving element actually installed is determined, so the vehicle body detection is performed with a resolution of about 1.5 times the number of elements at the element height position and the intermediate position. it can.

  Such a vehicle shape detection process is continuously executed until the car wash machine 1 finishes traveling, thereby creating binary image data that has been binarized with light transmission “0” and light shielding “1”. The The created vehicle shape data is subjected to a logical filter in the image processing unit 17 to extract a contour line. This process uses the cell located at the bottom and leftmost of the connected components in which “1” is continuously present in the car shape data as the tracking start point, and is adjacent to and around this point. The eight cells are checked clockwise, and the cell that changes from “0” to “1” is detected, and the detected cell is used as the outline. Actually, the car body image data is sequentially sent and developed as the car wash machine 1 is tracked, and the contour line is tracked. Therefore, the entire contour line is extracted when the image data capturing of the entire car is completed. . From the outline of the automobile thus obtained, car wash data in which data of the car height y-axis direction with respect to the traveling x-axis direction of the car wash machine body is determined is created.

The operation of the car wash machine adopting the vehicle shape detection device configured as described above will be described.
When the vehicle A is stopped at a predetermined stop position that is not detected by the vehicle body detection device 5, a car wash course is selected on the operation panel 20 (20), and a car wash start is input, the car wash operation is started. When the car wash starts, a threshold setting process corresponding to the selected car wash course is performed (21), (22). When this threshold value setting operation is completed, the car wash machine body 1 is made to travel (23), and when the travel encoder 6 transmits a pulse signal (24), the travel position detector 11 detects the travel distance of the car wash machine 1 ( 25) Car shape detection processing is performed to create binary image data for one scan (26). Note that the timing of executing the vehicle shape detection process may be executed not only with the pulse signal of the traveling encoder as a trigger but also with a constant cycle.

  When a certain amount of binary image data (here, 5 scans) is accumulated as the car wash machine 1 travels (27), the car shape data is image-processed to create car wash data (28). The creation of the car wash data is continuously executed while the car wash machine 1 travels on the forward path (29), and a continuous top surface contour of the automobile is obtained.

  When the shape of the automobile is detected, a car washing operation is performed based on the detected outline of the automobile (30). As the car washing operation is performed, as the car wash machine 1 travels, brushing of the vehicle body with shampoo injection, coating with wax injection, blow by high-speed wind injection, and the like are executed. Among these, the upper surface brush and the upper surface nozzle are vertically controlled along the detected outline of the automobile. Thus, when the car wash operation is completed, the car A is prompted to leave and the car wash is finished.

  As described above, the present invention is provided with the normal mode and the strong light mode as the vehicle shape detection, and performs the vehicle shape detection in the strong light mode in a bad environment with a lot of splashes and steam. This high-light mode has a lower resolution than the normal mode, but is a mode in which the amount of light is increased by simultaneously emitting two light emitting elements, and a car wash course that mainly performs car shape detection in parallel with washing is selected. It is configured to be automatically set when it is done. This makes it possible to deal with splashes and dirt that could only be dealt with by changing the threshold value on the light receiving side. You can do it.

  As an embodiment other than the above, it is also possible to perform vehicle shape detection in the strong light mode when it is determined that a sufficient light reception level cannot be obtained due to contamination of the light emitting / receiving elements. In this case, in the normal mode threshold setting process in FIG. 4, if there are a plurality of light receiving elements whose differential light receiving level is less than the predetermined value continuously, the amount of light from the light emitting elements is insufficient due to dirt or the like. The vehicle is detected by switching to the strong light mode. Further, an outside air temperature sensor or the like may be provided, and when the outside air temperature is a temperature at which steam is likely to be generated, the vehicle body may be detected in the strong light mode regardless of the car wash course.

  Further, the normal mode with high resolution and the strong light mode with high light intensity may be alternately executed for each scan. In this case, since the vehicle shape data in the normal mode and the vehicle shape data in the strong light mode are alternately detected, the portion determined to be blocked by steam or the like in the normal mode is determined to be transparent in the strong light mode, etc. The vehicle shape data in the front-rear direction (that is, the length direction of the vehicle body) can be interpolated.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car wash machine main body 5 Car body detection apparatus 5a Light-emitting device 5b Light-receiving device 8, 9 Scanning drive part
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle shape control part 11 Traveling position detection part 12 Light reception detection part 13 Threshold value setting part 14 Vehicle body detection part 15 Vehicle shape data detection part 16 Image processing part 17 Data storage part

Claims (5)

A vehicle body detection device in which a light emitting unit in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged above and below, and a light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements opposed to the light emitting elements of the light emitting unit are arranged vertically are opposed to each other in the width direction of the automobile; In a vehicle shape detection device comprising: a vehicle shape control unit that detects the presence or absence of a vehicle body by translucency / light shielding of an optical axis formed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the vehicle body detection device;
The vehicle shape control unit turns on one light emitting element in the light emitting unit, and transmits and receives an optical signal with a horizontally opposed light receiving element; and an optical axis that transmits and receives an optical signal with a light receiving element adjacent to the lower side A normal detection mode for determining the presence or absence of the vehicle body by detecting light transmission / shading of each optical axis, and two adjacent ones in the light emitting unit. The above light emitting element is made into one set, and the two light emitting elements of this light emitting set are turned on at the same time, and an optical axis for transmitting and receiving an optical signal by a light receiving element horizontally facing one light emitting element, and the other light emitting element horizontally Each optical axis forms an optical axis that transmits and receives an optical signal with an opposing light receiving element, a light receiving element that is horizontally opposed to one light emitting element, and an optical axis that transmits and receives an optical signal with an adjacent light receiving element above or below. A strong light detection mode that detects the presence / absence of the vehicle body by detecting the light transmission / shielding of To enable line,
A threshold setting unit configured to set a discrimination threshold for determining light transmission / shading of each optical axis in each detection mode, and the threshold setting unit includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element constituting the optical axis The threshold value is set by multiplying the difference light reception level before and after the light emission of the light emitting element by a predetermined ratio, and the strong light detection mode is made smaller than the normal detection mode. A vehicle shape detection device. In the car wash machine which is equipped with a car wash processing device such as a washing brush and a drying nozzle in the car wash machine body formed in a gate shape, and moves the car wash machine and the car to be washed relative to each other,
A car wash machine comprising: the car shape detection apparatus according to claim 1; and a car wash control unit for controlling the car wash processing apparatus with respect to a vehicle body detected by the car shape detection apparatus. 3. The car wash machine according to claim 2, further comprising a car wash course that simultaneously executes a vehicle shape detection operation and a washing operation, and performing the strong light detection mode when the car wash course is executed. . The vehicle shape control unit determines that the light emission amount is insufficient when a plurality of light receiving elements whose differential light reception level is less than a predetermined value are consecutive in the threshold setting unit, and executes the strong light detection mode to detect the vehicle body. The car wash according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the car wash is performed. 3. The car wash machine according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle shape controller performs vehicle body detection by alternately executing a normal detection mode and a strong light detection mode.

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