JP6772043B2 - Car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention has a function of monitoring the contact with the car body by the load of the brush motor and causing the car wash brush to act on the car body with an appropriate contact pressure among the car wash machines for brushing and washing the car body with the car wash brush. Regarding car wash machines.

As shown in Patent Document 1, in a car wash machine in which a car wash brush is brought into contact with an automobile body to perform brushing washing, the contact state between the car wash brush and the automobile body is detected from the current value of the brush motor, and the set upper limit current threshold is set. A technique is known in which a car wash brush acts on an automobile body with an appropriate contact pressure by holding the current value of the brush motor between the lower limit current threshold. In Patent Document 1, the brush motor current value, which is an appropriate brush contact pressure, is stored in a memory for each vehicle type and vehicle body part, and the contact state of the car wash brush is changed according to the selected vehicle type.

With such a car wash machine, if the vehicle type is selected incorrectly, the vehicle body and the brush may be damaged due to the difference in brush control depending on the vehicle type. For example, when "bus" is selected when cleaning "truck", the box car is washed by the brush control of the bus, so the brush is caught by the step between the cabin part and the loading platform part of the truck, and the vehicle body And the brush may be damaged.

That is, in the brush control of the bus, the upper surface of the bus is relatively flat and the assumed step is about 20 cm. Therefore, the traveling speed of the main body is set to the normal speed, and the upper limit current threshold and the lower limit current threshold of the brush motor are increased. Is set to. On the other hand, in truck brush control, in anticipation of a large step between the cabin and the loading platform, when cleaning a predetermined range in front of the vehicle body, the main body speed is set to a low speed, and the upper limit current threshold of the brush motor is used. The lower limit current threshold is set low. Among them, when the truck is washed with the bus setting, after the brush moves in the cabin part at normal speed, the upper limit current threshold of the brush motor is reached at the step between the cabin part and the loading platform part, and the brush is raised. However, since this step is higher than the step expected in the bus, the brush may not be separated in time and the brush may be caught, resulting in damage to the vehicle body and the brush.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-126220

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a car wash machine in which the brush is not caught by the step between the cabin portion and the loading platform portion of the truck and the automobile body and the brush are not damaged.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention is a car wash machine in which the car wash machine main body and the automobile move relative to each other, and the car wash brush provided in the car wash machine main body acts on the automobile body to wash the car. Controls a traveling drive means for relative movement between the machine body and the automobile, a brush motor for rotationally driving the car wash brush, a brush moving means for bringing the car wash brush into contact with the automobile body, and a traveling drive means, a brush motor, and a brush moving means. In a car wash machine provided with a car wash control means, the car wash control means includes a travel control unit that controls the travel drive means, a load detection unit that detects the load of the brush motor, and a brush motor detected by the load detection unit. A movement control unit that controls the brush moving means so that the load of the car wash is within a predetermined range of the upper and lower thresholds is provided, and the car wash brush is separated from the automobile body by detecting that the load of the brush motor is out of the upper threshold. However, the car wash release operation is performed when the load of the brush motor does not fall below the upper threshold even when the car wash brush is moved by a predetermined distance.

The car wash release operation is characterized by stopping the driving of the traveling driving means and the brush motor, or stopping the driving of the traveling driving means and the brush motor, and then driving the traveling driving means in the direction in which the car wash brush and the vehicle body are separated from each other. And.

According to the present invention, even when a bus is selected when cleaning a truck, the brush is not caught by the step between the cabin portion and the loading platform portion of the truck, and the vehicle body and the brush are not damaged.

It is a front view which shows the car wash machine of this invention. It is a side view of the device. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the top surface cleaning brush 5. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the side cleaning brush 6 and 6. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of this apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the top surface cleaning operation of a truck and a bus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation of washing a truck in the conventional bus car wash course. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation of washing a truck in the bus car wash course in this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the car wash machine of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the same.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body frame, which is formed in a gate shape so as to straddle the vehicle body, and the wheels 2 and 2 are rotationally driven by the traveling motors 4 and 4 capable of forward and reverse rotation to reciprocate along the rails 3 and 3. .. Reference numeral 5 denotes a top surface cleaning brush, which moves up and down along the elevating rails provided on the legs of the main body frame 1 and mainly brushes the upper surface of the automobile. Reference numerals 6 and 6 are side cleaning brushes that open and close along the traveling rail provided in the upper width direction of the main body frame 1 and mainly brush the front and rear surfaces and the side surfaces of the automobile. Reference numeral 7 denotes a traveling limit switch, which is provided at the lower end of the leg portion of the main body frame 1 and contacts the dogs 3a and 3b installed near the front end and the rear end of the rail 3 to detect the forward and reverse limit positions of the main body frame 1. To do. Here, when the traveling limit switch 7 comes into contact with the dog 3a, the traveling rear end position is detected, and when the traveling limit switch 7 comes into contact with the dog 3b, the traveling front end position is detected.

8a and 8b are electrical boxes, which are attached to the front of the legs of the main body frame 1 in pairs on the left and right, and an operation panel 9 for receiving a car wash is provided on the front of the electrical boxes 8a and 8b located on the right side of the front view. 10 and 11 are photoelectric switches, and the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are arranged facing each other, and the light receiving portion is arranged at a position higher than the light emitting portion to form an inclined optical axis, and the light transmission of this inclined optical axis is formed. / The presence or absence of the vehicle body is detected by shading, and the electrical boxes 8a and 8b are installed at positions separated by a predetermined distance in the depth direction on the opposing inner surfaces.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the structure of the top surface cleaning brush 5.
The upper surface cleaning brush 5 is configured to move up and down on the elevating rails 14L and 14R vertically installed in the car wash machine main body 1 by carriers 13L and 13R directly connected to both ends of the brush shaft 12, and is fixed to one of the carriers 13R. It is driven forward and reverse by the brush motor 15. The carriers 13L / 13R include a chain 16 that connects the upper end and the lower end in an endless manner, a sprocket 17U / 17D on which the chain 16 is suspended, a rotating shaft 18 that connects the left and right upper sprockets 17U, and the rotating shaft 18. Is lifted and lowered by a lifting device including a lifting motor 19 that reverses forward and reverse. Reference numerals 20 and 21 are elevating limit switches, which are switched by contact with the carrier 13L to give an ascending limit and a descending limit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the structure of the side cleaning brushes 6 and 6.
The side cleaning brushes 6 and 6 are configured to be opened and closed by carriers 23L and 23R directly connected to the upper end of the brush shaft 22 along an opening / closing rail 24 horizontally laid horizontally on the upper rear portion in the car wash machine main body 1. It is driven forward and reverse by the motors 25 and 25. The carriers 23L / 23R are an opening / closing device including a chain 26 that connects the right end and the left end in an endless manner, a sprocket 27L / 27R on which the chain 26 is suspended, and an opening / closing motor 28 that reverses the one sprocket 27L / 27R. Is opened and closed by.

A car wash machine having such a configuration is mainly used for washing a large vehicle such as a truck or a bus. With the main body frame 1 standing by in the standby position, the car to be washed is entered to the stop position given by the photoelectric switches 10 and 11, and when an arbitrary car wash program is selected on the operation panel 9 and then started, the main body frame 1 is activated. The vehicle body is brushed and washed by each of the cleaning brushes 5 and 6 while advancing and spraying cleaning water from each watering nozzle.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system of the present invention.
Reference numeral 30 denotes a car wash control unit, which is a main body traveling motor 4, traveling limit switch 7, operation panel 9, photoelectric switch 10/11, brush motor 15 of the top surface cleaning brush 5, elevating motor 19, elevating limit switch 20, 21 of the main body frame 1. , The brush motor 25 of the side cleaning brushes 6 and 6 and the opening / closing motor 28 are connected.

The operation panel 9 is provided with a vehicle type selection key 31, a vehicle body size designation key 32, a car wash course key 33, a car wash start key 34, and a car wash stop key 35, so that a car wash form can be set according to the customer's wishes. There is. Of these, the vehicle type selection key 31 can be used to select a vehicle type such as a truck, trailer, or bus, the body size specification key 32 can be used to select a vehicle size such as 2 tons, 4 tons, or 10 tons, and the car wash course key 33 is water. You can choose a car wash course such as car wash, detergent car wash, and wax car wash.

The car wash control unit 30 includes a traveling position detecting unit 36 that detects the traveling position of the main body frame 1, a traveling control unit 37 that changes the traveling speed of the main body frame 1, and a current detection that detects the current value of the upper surface cleaning brush motor 15. Various data are stored in the unit 38, the elevating control unit 39 that controls the elevating motor 19, the current detecting unit 40 that detects the current value of the side cleaning brush motor 25, and the opening / closing control unit 41 that controls the opening / closing motor 28. A data storage unit 42 is provided.

The traveling position detection unit 36 counts the drive time of the main body traveling motor 4, estimates the moving position of the main body frame 1 from the traveling limit position detected by the traveling limit switch 7, and raises / lowers control unit 39 and open / close control unit 41. Output a command to. The travel control unit 37 switches the frequency of the main unit travel motor 4 to change the travel speed of the main body frame 1, stops the main unit travel motor 4 according to the current values detected by the current detection units 38 and 40, and a travel limit switch. The forward / reverse of the main body traveling motor 4 is switched by the input from 7.

The current detection units 38 and 40 detect the current values of the brush motors 15 and 25, determine the contact state between the brush and the vehicle body, and output a command to the elevating control unit 39 and the open / close control unit 41. The elevating control unit 39 moves the upper surface cleaning brush 5 up and down in response to commands from the traveling position detection unit 36 and the current detection unit 38. The open / close control unit 41 opens and closes the side cleaning brush 6 in response to commands from the traveling position detection unit 36 and the current detection unit 40.

The data storage unit 42 stores a current threshold value for determining the contact state between the vehicle body and the brush and a car wash program for each vehicle type, vehicle body size, and vehicle wash course selected on the operation panel 9. The current threshold is provided with a lower threshold Sl that brings the brush closer to the vehicle body, an upper threshold Sh that separates the brush from the vehicle body, and a stop threshold Sm that abnormally stops the car wash. It is desirable that these current thresholds be adjusted before the start of car washing in consideration of individual differences of the motor and the surrounding environment. This adjustment work is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-126220 previously proposed by the applicant. In the car wash program, the main body running speed, current threshold value, main body running range, etc. are stored for each vehicle type, body size, and car wash course.

With such a configuration, when brushing cleaning is performed with the top surface cleaning brush 5 and the side surface cleaning brush 6, the current value of each brush motor that rises when the brush is brought into contact with the vehicle body is stored in the data storage unit 42. Brushing cleaning is executed by moving the upper surface cleaning brush 5 up and down and opening and closing the side surface cleaning brush 6 so as to be between the lower threshold Sl and the upper threshold Sh. Then, when the current value of the brush motor exceeds the stop threshold value Sm, an abnormal stop operation such as stopping the brush rotation and the running of the main body is performed.

Subsequently, the car wash operation of the car wash machine of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the main body frame 1 is in a waiting state for a vehicle to be washed at a standby position where the traveling position switch 7 contacts the dog 3a. When a vehicle is entered and the photoelectric switches 10 and 11 provided between the electrical boxes 8a and 8b on the front surface of the main body frame 1 are light-shielded and the photoelectric switches 11 at the rear are transparent. , Judges the stop position of the vehicle and urges the stop. In this way, when the vehicle is stopped at the regular stop position, the car wash reception is permitted on the operation panel 9, the selection operation is performed with each key, and then the car wash start key 34 is input to start the car wash. ..

When the car wash starts, the car wash program according to the selected car wash course is executed. The details of this car wash program will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the operation of the top surface cleaning brush 5 of the truck car wash course and the bus car wash course will be described.

<Truck car wash> Fig. 6 (a)
When the car wash starts, the top surface cleaning brush 5 in the standby position is lowered to a predetermined height H (the height at which the top surface cleaning brush 5 reaches the upper surface position of the cabin of the truck), and then the brush motor 19 is rotated in the normal direction to rotate the main body frame. Move 1 forward at low speed. When the upper surface cleaning brush 5 comes into contact with the upper surface of the cabin and the current value of the brush motor 15 rises, the elevating motor 19 is controlled to perform brushing cleaning of the upper surface of the cabin so that this current value does not exceed the upper threshold value Sh.

When the top surface cleaning brush 5 reaches the boundary between the cabin and the loading platform, the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the upper threshold value Sh, so that the top surface cleaning brush 5 is raised. At this time, since the main body frame 1 travels at a low speed, the upper surface cleaning brush 5 can get over the boundary portion before the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the stop threshold value Sm. When the upper surface cleaning brush 5 gets over the boundary portion and the current value of the brush motor 15 falls below the upper threshold value Sh, brushing cleaning of the upper surface of the loading platform is performed.

On the upper surface of the loading platform, the traveling speed of the main body frame 1 is switched to a normal speed, and the elevating motor 19 is controlled to perform brushing cleaning so that the current value of the brush motor 15 does not exceed the upper threshold value Sh. After that, when the top surface cleaning brush 5 reaches the rear end position of the vehicle body detected by the photoelectric switch 11 shifting from shading to light transmission as the main body frame 1 travels, the top surface cleaning brush 5 is raised to the standby position to raise the main body. When the traveling limit switch 7 of the frame 1 detects the traveling front end position, the car wash is completed.

<Bus car wash> Fig. 6 (b)
When the main body frame 1 is advanced at a normal speed and the main body frame 1 travels a predetermined distance L (the distance that the upper surface cleaning brush 5 reaches the upper surface position of the bus) with the start of the car wash, the main body frame 1 stops traveling and the brush motor. The top surface cleaning brush 5 is lowered to the top surface of the bath by rotating 15 in the normal direction. When the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the lower threshold Sl, it is determined that the upper surface cleaning brush 5 has reached the upper surface of the bus, and the current value of the brush motor 15 sets the upper threshold Sh while advancing the main body frame 1 at a normal speed. The elevating motor 19 is controlled to brush and clean the upper surface of the bus so as not to exceed the limit.

Since equipment A such as an air conditioning system and a fuel system is attached to the upper surface of the bus, when the upper surface cleaning brush 5 comes into contact and the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the upper threshold Sh, the upper surface cleaning brush 5 is raised. When the current value of the brush motor 15 falls below the lower threshold Sl, the upper surface cleaning brush 5 is lowered to approach the vehicle body. After that, when the top surface cleaning brush 5 reaches the rear end position of the vehicle body detected by the photoelectric switch 11 shifting from shading to light transmission as the main body frame 1 travels, the top surface cleaning brush 5 is raised to the standby position to raise the main body. When the traveling limit switch 7 of the frame 1 detects the traveling front end position, the car wash is completed.

By the way, since the car wash program according to the vehicle type is as described above, if a vehicle type different from the actual vehicle type is mistakenly selected, there is a risk of damaging the vehicle body and the brush.

FIG. 7 shows a case where a truck is accidentally washed on a bus car wash course.
When the main body frame 1 travels a predetermined distance L according to the bus car wash course, the advance of the main body frame 1 is stopped and the brush motor 15 of the upper surface washing brush 5 is rotated. When the top surface cleaning brush 5 descends from the position a to the position b in contact with the upper surface of the cabin of the truck, the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the lower threshold Sl, so that the surface cleaning brush 5 stops descending and the main body frame 1 moves. Move forward at normal speed. When the top surface cleaning brush 5 reaches the position c as the main body frame 1 advances, the top surface cleaning brush 5 comes into contact with the boundary between the cabin and the loading platform so that the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the upper threshold Sh. Therefore, the top surface cleaning brush 5 is raised.

Here, in the case of a truck car wash course, when the upper surface of the cabin is washed, the main body frame 1 is moving forward at a low speed, so that the upper surface washing brush 5 is raised after the current value of the brush motor 15 exceeds the upper threshold Sh. Even if you can climb up the boundary between the cabin and the loading platform of the truck, if you accidentally select the bus car wash course, the main body frame 1 is moving forward at normal speed, so the top surface wash brush 5 The current value of the brush motor 15 reaches the stop threshold Sm while the upper surface cleaning brush 5 is at the position d before climbing up the boundary portion, resulting in an abnormal stop.

If the top surface cleaning brush 5 is further raised from this state, even though the rotation of the brush is stopped, the brush and the vehicle body are in an over-contact state, so that the brush and the vehicle body may be damaged. Moreover, since the main body frame 1 is moving forward at the normal speed, the braking distance until the main body frame 1 stops becomes long, so that the current value of the brush motor 15 stops when the top surface cleaning brush 5 comes to the position d. Even if the threshold value Sm is reached and a stop command is given to the main body frame 1, there is a risk that the over-contact state between the upper surface cleaning brush 5 and the vehicle body will become serious before the main body frame 1 actually stops, and the brush and the vehicle body will be damaged. Will increase.

Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, after the current value of the brush motor 15 of the top surface cleaning brush 5 exceeds the upper threshold Sh and the top surface cleaning brush 5 is raised, the top surface cleaning brush 5 is raised by a predetermined distance X. If the current value of the brush motor 15 does not fall below the upper threshold Sh even after reaching the position e, the main body frame 1 is stopped and the rotation and ascending of the brush are stopped as the car wash release operation. Further, the main body frame 1 is moved backward by a distance Y to move to the position f where the contact between the upper surface cleaning brush 5 and the vehicle body is released. As a result, over-contact between the brush and the vehicle body can be prevented, and damage to the brush and the vehicle body can be avoided.

By setting the predetermined distance X higher than the maximum value of the equipment A assumed on the upper surface of the bus, it can be determined that the truck is mistakenly washed on the bus car wash course, and the brush and the vehicle body are damaged. It is possible to take preventive measures. As a damage prevention measure, after the main body frame 1 is moved backward, an error in the vehicle type setting is notified, the main body frame 1 and the brush are returned to the start position, and the vehicle type is reset. In addition, after notifying the error and manually operating the staff to clear the error, the brush is raised to the loading platform position and the car wash is restarted from that position.

In the above embodiment, the load of the brush motor 15 is detected by the current value, but the load of the brush motor 15 may be detected from the voltage value, the torque value, the frequency value, and the like.

1 Main body frame 4 Traveling motor 5 Top surface cleaning brush 6/6 Side cleaning brush 8a / 8b Electrical box 9 Operation panel 15 Brush motor (top surface cleaning brush)
19 Lifting motor (top cleaning brush)
30 Car wash control unit 36 Travel position detection unit 37 Travel control unit 38 Current detection unit (load detection unit)
39 Lifting control unit 42 Data storage unit

Claims (3)

A car wash machine in which the car wash machine body and the car move relative to each other, and the car wash brush provided in the car wash machine body acts on the car body to wash the car.
A traveling drive means for moving the car wash machine body and the automobile relative to each other, a brush motor for rotating and driving the car wash brush, a brush moving means for bringing the car wash brush into contact with the automobile body, and a traveling drive means / brush motor / brush. In a car wash machine equipped with a car wash control means for controlling the means of transportation
The car wash control means includes a travel control unit that controls the travel drive means, a load detection unit that detects the load of the brush motor, and a brush motor load detected by the load detection unit within a predetermined vertical threshold range. It is provided with a movement control unit that controls the brush moving means so as to be inside.
When it is detected that the load of the brush motor deviates from the upper threshold value, the car wash brush is separated from the vehicle body, and the load of the brush motor does not fall below the upper threshold value even if the car wash brush is moved by a predetermined distance, the car wash release operation is performed. A car wash machine characterized by doing. The car wash machine according to claim 1, wherein the car wash release operation stops driving of the traveling driving means and the brush motor. The car wash release operation according to claim 1, wherein after stopping the driving of the traveling drive means and the brush motor, the traveling drive means is driven in a direction in which the car wash brush and the vehicle body are separated from each other. Car wash machine.

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