JP7154162B2 - car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car wash machine that runs in a gate-shaped car wash machine body that straddles an automobile to clean and dry the body of the automobile, and to a car wash machine that realizes car washing in a limited space. .

Conventionally known car wash machines reciprocate along the left and right running rails laid on the floor surface of the main body of the car washing machine formed in a gate shape, and wash and dry the body surface of the car stopped between the running rails. is applied. A car shape sensor, top nozzle, side nozzle, top brush, and side brush are arranged in order from the front to the back of the car wash machine body. While detecting the contour shape, the top brush and side brush are controlled along the detected top surface contour shape to perform the washing process to wash the car body. A drying process for drying the vehicle body is performed by controlling the top nozzle and side nozzle along the line.

In such a car wash machine, the vehicle shape sensor detects the shape of the vehicle. In order to cope with this, the travel range of the car wash machine itself would have been long, and the installation space due to the laying of the travel rails would have been large, so there were cases where the installation of the car wash machine was abandoned.

In order to solve this problem, Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration in which the vehicle is parked in the car wash machine body as much as possible to shorten the travel range of the car wash machine body. With this kind of support, it is possible to shorten the travel range of the car wash machine body, but in the case of a one-box car where the distance from the front end of the car to the driver's side door is short, if you get into the car wash machine body, the driver's seat side The problem arises that the door cannot be opened.

JP-A-10-16728

Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a car wash machine capable of washing a wide range of vehicle types while achieving space saving.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a car wash machine for washing and drying the body of a stopped automobile as the car wash machine body equipped with a car wash processing device runs, wherein the car wash machine body is set horizontally. The frame and the left and right leg frames are formed in a gate shape, and a door avoidance part is formed extending from the front surface to the inner surface of the left and right leg frames to enable the opening and closing operation of the door of the automobile.

The door avoidance part is formed on the side frame facing the driver's seat side door of the car driven into the car wash machine main body. This door avoidance part has a side nozzle that blows air to the side of the vehicle body, and the side nozzle has a function to advance and retreat toward the side of the vehicle body during drying operation.

According to the car wash machine of the present invention, since the car can be washed with the front part of the car being driven into the car wash machine, a long car can be washed in a limited space.

1 is an external view of a car wash machine; FIG. It is a top view of a car wash machine. It is a side view of a car wash machine. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a standard-sized car enters; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a one-box vehicle is driven; It is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the door avoidance part A. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the left side nozzle 6; FIG. It is an explanatory view showing a car wash operation of a light vehicle. It is explanatory drawing which shows car-washing operation|movement of a normal car. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the final car wash operation of the one-box car; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of creating virtual vehicle shape data; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of additional drying;

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is an external view of the car wash machine, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG. 3 is a side view.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body frame, which travels back and forth on a pair of left and right rails 2, 2, and moves so as to straddle an automobile C stopped between the rails 2, 2. 3, 4, and 4 are rotary brushes for cleaning the vehicle body, 3 is a top brush that moves up and down along the upper surface of the automobile C and mainly cleans the upper surface of the vehicle body, and 4 and 4 are opened and closed along the sides of the automobile C. A pair of left and right side brushes that operate to clean the side surfaces of the vehicle body and the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle body. 5, 6, 6 are blower nozzles for drying the car body, 5 is a top nozzle that moves up and down along the upper surface of the car C and mainly dries the upper surface of the car body, and 6, 6 is a left and right pair that mainly dries the side surface of the car body. is the side nozzle of

Reference numeral 7 denotes wheels of the body frame 1 that run on the rails 2.2, and is composed of four wheels including left and right front wheels 7a and rear wheels 7b. The left and right rear wheels 7b are driven wheels. A travel encoder 9 is provided on the output shaft of one of the travel motors 8, and outputs a pulse each time the body frame 1 travels a unit distance. The travel encoder 9 may be attached to a driven wheel or a wheel dedicated to measurement. Reference numeral 10 denotes a travel switch which switches between a dog 11a attached to the rear end of the rails 2 and a dog 11b attached to the front end thereof to detect the travel limit of the body frame 1. FIG.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a first vehicle shape detection device, which is arranged on the body frame 1 in front of the side nozzle 6, and has a light emitting portion 12a in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged vertically, and a plurality of light receiving elements paired with the light emitting element. The light-receiving portions 12b arranged vertically are opposed to each other across the width of the vehicle, and the position of the upper surface of the vehicle body is determined by detecting that the optical axis formed between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element is blocked by the vehicle body. to detect.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a second vehicle shape detection device, which is arranged on the body frame 1 between the top nozzle 5 and the top brush 3, and includes a light emitting portion 13a having a plurality of vertically arranged light emitting elements and a plurality of light emitting elements paired with the light emitting elements. The light-receiving part 13b, in which the light-receiving elements are arranged vertically, faces the vehicle across the width direction, and detects that the optical axis formed between the light-emitting elements and the light-receiving elements is blocked by the body of the vehicle. It detects the upper surface position of the vehicle body.

The layout inside the body frame 1 is such that the first vehicle shape detection device 12, the side nozzles 6, the top nozzle 5, the second vehicle shape detection device 13, the top brush 3, and the side brushes 4 are arranged in this order from the front to the rear. . As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the body frame 1 reciprocates in a travel range S from a position P1 where the travel switch 10 switches by the dog 11a to a position P2 where the travel switch 10 switches by the dog 11b. Then, the vehicle C stopped within the travel range S is washed.

In order to wash the car with this car wash machine, when the body frame 1 is at the position P1, the front end of the vehicle is ahead of the first vehicle shape detection device 12, and when the body frame 1 is at the position P2, the vehicle It is desirable to set a travel range S in which the rear end of the is behind the side brush 4 . On the other hand, when the body frame 1 is installed in a building space (width 4m x length 8m) defined by the certification and designation standards of the maintenance shop, to wash a vehicle with a length of 5m or more, the body frame 1 Since the travel range S is limited, it is necessary to drive the front end of the automobile into the body frame 1 before executing the car wash process. At this time, in the case of an ordinary car, as shown in FIG. 4, the door of the driver's seat does not interfere with the body frame 1 when the car is in, so there is no effect on getting in and out. If the vehicle does not have a bonnet, as shown in FIG. 5, the door of the driver's seat interferes with the body frame 1 when the vehicle is in, making it difficult to get in and out of the vehicle.

Therefore, in the car wash machine of the present invention, a door avoiding portion is chamfered or recessed at a corner portion extending from the front surface to the inner surface of the body frame 1 so that the driver can open the driver's seat door to get in and out of the vehicle. forms an A. The body frame 1 is formed in a gate shape by a horizontal frame 1a and left and right leg frames 1b and 1c. Part A is formed. As a result, the front width of the left leg frame 1b of the body frame 1 is narrower than the front width of the right leg frame 1c. An operation panel 14 that enables basic operations such as selection is provided, and a management panel 15 that enables car wash management operations such as tabulation/maintenance is provided on the front surface of the right leg frame 1c. Of course, the operation panel 14 can also have a management function.

The door avoidance part A is formed in a shape in which a corner part from the front surface to the inner surface of the left leg frame 1b facing the driver's seat door of a right-hand drive vehicle is notched in an L shape in plan view, and the vehicle has a short bonnet. It is possible to get on and off from the driver's seat when the In the door avoidance portion A, a cushioning material M is provided at a portion that may come into contact with the door when the driver's seat door is opened. The shape of the door avoidance portion A may be a chamfered shape (Fig. 6a) or a chamfered shape (Fig. 6b). Ensure a proper door opening angle θ (=30 to 40°). In an environment where there are many left-handed vehicles, the door avoidance part A can be provided on the right leg frame 1c side, and the door avoidance part A can be provided on both the left and right leg frames 1b and 1c. The operation panel 14 and the management panel 15 may be provided on the inner wall of the door avoidance section A.

The door avoidance section A is provided with a light emitting section 12 a of the first vehicle shape detection device 12 and the left side nozzle 6 . Since the left side nozzle 6 is provided at a position farther from the vehicle body than the right side nozzle 6, it has a function of advancing and retreating between the standby position and the drying position. Here, the standby position is the inner surface position of the door avoidance portion A, and the drying position is the inner surface position of the left leg frame 1b.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the left side nozzle 6. As shown in FIG.
The left side nozzle 6 includes a nozzle body 16 having an air blowing port, a nozzle advance/retreat device 17 for moving the nozzle body 16 toward and away from the side of the vehicle, and a nozzle body 16 for preventing contact between the nozzle body 16 and the vehicle body. and a vehicle body detection device 18 of.

The nozzle body 16 has a connection tube 20 to which a flexible duct hose 19 communicating with an air blower (not shown) is connected on the upper surface thereof, and an air blow port 21 is opened on the inner surface side of the body frame 1 along the length of the nozzle. there is As a result, the high-pressure air supplied from the blower 19 is blown from the blower port 21 to the side surface of the vehicle body.

The nozzle advance/retreat device 17 includes an air cylinder 22 whose tip is linked to the nozzle body 16 and a guide frame 23 for guiding the advance/retreat. do. Incidentally, the driving means for the nozzle body 16 is not limited to the air cylinder, and can be replaced by a motor or the like.

Although not shown in detail, the vehicle body detection device 18 includes an upper support arm horizontally attached to an upper bracket attached to the upper surface of the nozzle body 16 and a lower support arm horizontally attached to a lower bracket attached to the lower surface of the nozzle body 16 . a detection bar mounted with its upper and lower ends rotatably supported between the arm and an upper end support attached to the tip of the upper support arm and a lower end support attached to the tip of the lower support arm; It consists of an operating plate attached to the upper end support so as to be vertically parallel to the support arm, and a proximity switch attached to the upper bracket for detecting the approach/separation of the operating plate. The upper support arm and the lower support arm are made of an elastic member such as a spring, and the detection bar is positioned on the leading side of the side nozzle 6 in the forward/backward direction. moves away from the proximity switch to detect vehicle body contact. This is similar to Japanese Patent No. 5624483 proposed by the present applicant.

Reference numerals 24 and 25 denote tire stop plates, which are installed on the floor so as to serve as guides for stopping the automobile at a predetermined stop position when the body frame 1 is at the position P1. The tire stop plate 24 is provided on the back side with respect to the driving direction of the car, and mainly provides a stopping position for ordinary cars. The tire stop plate 25 is provided in front of the direction in which the vehicle enters, and mainly provides a stopping position for light vehicles and one-box vehicles. It should be noted that the reference lines may be displayed on the floor surface, or may be finely divided for each vehicle type. The tire stop plates 24 and 25 are set at positions where the top brush 3 can act from the front end of the parked automobile.

When the car is washed by such a car wash machine, the car is entered from the front of the body frame 1, and when the car is driven into a predetermined stop position, the car is alighted, and a desired car wash course is selected on the operation panel 14 and started. In an installation situation where the travel range S of the body frame 1 is restricted, the stopping position differs depending on the vehicle type.

If the vehicle to be washed is an ordinary vehicle, the vehicle is stopped at the stop position provided by the tire stop plate 24 as shown in FIG. In the case of an ordinary car, the front part of the car can be driven into the body frame 1 while the car is stopped at this stop position, but the door of the driver's seat does not enter the body frame 1, so there is no effect on getting off the car.

If the vehicle to be washed is a vehicle with a short vehicle length such as a light vehicle, the driver's door can be prevented from entering the body frame 1 by stopping the vehicle at the stop position given by the tire stop plate 25. Disembarkation is not affected.

On the other hand, if the vehicle to be washed is a vehicle with a long vehicle length and a short bonnet, such as a one-box vehicle, the vehicle is stopped at a stop position provided by the tire stop plate 25, as shown in FIG. In the case of a one-box car, when the front part of the car is driven into the body frame 1 while the car is parked at this stop position, the door of the driver's seat will enter the body frame 1, but the door avoidance part A. This allows the driver's door to be opened, making it possible to get off the vehicle.

Next, the car wash operation will be described. If, for example, one round trip car wash is selected as the car wash course, the body frame 1 is brushed and washed in the forward movement, and blow-dried in the reverse movement. When the car wash starts, the left side nozzle 6 is dried in order to detect whether the stopped car is within the car washable width range by the car body detector 18 of the left side nozzle 6 or whether the car is parked at one side. Extend to position.

The car washing operation for each vehicle type will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 shows the operation of washing a light car, FIG. 9 shows the operation of washing a normal car, and FIG. 10 shows the operation of washing a one-box car.

(Car wash treatment for light vehicles)
When a light car is to be washed, washing is started after the car is parked at a stop position given by the tire stop plate 25.例文帳に追加Since the front end of the automobile is ahead of the second vehicle shape detection device 13, the first vehicle shape detection device 12 and the second vehicle shape detection device 13 detect the upper surface shape of the vehicle as the body frame 1 moves forward. Then, the vehicle body surface is brushed and washed while controlling the vertical movement of the top brush 3 and the contact/separation of the side brushes 4, 4 along the detected vehicle body shape. Next, as the body frame 1 goes around, the top nozzle 5 is moved up and down along the detected vehicle shape, and together with the side nozzles 6, high-pressure air is blown to the vehicle body to blow dry the vehicle body surface. When the body frame 1 goes around to the position P1, the car wash ends.

In the blow drying, the left side nozzle 6 extends to a drying position at the same level as the inner surface position of the right leg frame 1a, which is the mounting position of the right side nozzle 6, through the nozzle advance/retreat device 17. There is no difference in the drying performance of As the left side nozzle 6 advances and retreats, it is equipped with a vehicle body detection device 18 in front of the blower port as a safety device for preventing contact with the vehicle body. , the main body frame 1 stops traveling and the side nozzles are retracted by the nozzle advancing/retreating device 17, thereby preventing contact between the vehicle body and the side nozzles 6 in advance.

(Car wash processing for ordinary cars)
When washing an ordinary car, the car is stopped at a stop position given by a tire stop plate 24.例文帳に追加Since the front end of the automobile can be driven into the main body frame 1 rather than the second vehicle shape detection device 13, there is a vehicle shape detection device 12 and the second vehicle shape detection device 13 that cannot detect the vehicle shape in the front portion of the vehicle. A non-detected portion D is generated. In order to apply the top brush 3 to the vehicle shape undetected portion D, virtual vehicle shape data for the vehicle body of the vehicle shape undetected portion D is created. The virtual vehicle shape data includes a vehicle shape non-detection portion D1 from the first vehicle shape detection device 12 to the second vehicle shape detection device 13, and a vehicle shape non-detection portion D2 from the second vehicle shape detection device 13 to the top brush 3. is created separately.

As shown in FIG. 11, the virtual vehicle shape data of the vehicle shape non-detection part D1 is obtained by the first vehicle shape detection device 12 without detecting the vehicle body while the vehicle is parked at the stop position. The light receiving element 12Rn at the bottom of the light receiving elements is connected to the light receiving element 13Rn at the bottom of the light receiving elements that transmit light without detecting the vehicle body in the second vehicle shape detection device 13. A straight line DL1 is stored as a virtual vehicle shape.

The virtual vehicle shape data of the vehicle shape non-detection part D2 is located at the bottom of the center vertical line YL of the top brush 3 and the light-receiving element of the second vehicle shape detection device 13 that does not detect the vehicle body and becomes transparent. A point Py at a predetermined height h below an intersection point Pi of a certain light receiving element 13Rn with the horizontal line XL, and a light receiving element which does not detect the vehicle body in the second vehicle shape detection device 13 and becomes transparent. A straight line DL2 connecting a certain light receiving element 13Rn is stored as a virtual vehicle shape.

As the main body frame 1 goes forward, the top brush 3 is lowered, and the elevation control is performed along the virtual vehicle shape data DL2 in the range of the vehicle shape non-detection portion D2, and the virtual vehicle shape data is controlled in the range of the vehicle shape non-detection portion D1. DL1, and behind the vehicle shape undetected portion D1, the side brushes 4 are controlled to follow the vehicle shape detected by the first vehicle shape detection device 12, and the side brushes 4 are controlled according to each vehicle shape data. The brushing of the vehicle body is executed by opening and closing control.

Next, along with the go-around of the body frame 1, the top nozzle 5 is raised and lowered along the detected vehicle shape, and the left side nozzle 6 is extended to the drying position to blow high-pressure air onto the vehicle body to blow-dry the vehicle body surface. do. When the body frame 1 reaches the standby position, the top nozzle 5 and the left side nozzle 6 are returned to the standby position to complete the car wash.

(Car wash processing for one-box cars)
When washing a one-box car, the car is stopped at a stop position given by a tire stop plate 25.例文帳に追加The vehicle is stopped by the tire stop plate 25 on the front side as a response to a vehicle type having a longer front overhang (a portion from the center of the tire to the front end of the vehicle body) than that of a normal vehicle among the one-box vehicles. Other than that, the car washing operation and the creation of the virtual vehicle shape data are the same as those for the ordinary car described above.

Now, in the case of a standard car or a one-box car, the front part of the car driven into the body frame is not sufficiently blown by the top nozzle 5 and the side nozzles 6, resulting in an insufficiently dry area W. As shown in FIG. As a countermeasure for the insufficiently dry area W, the vehicle is temporarily moved backward by a predetermined distance to get out of the body frame 1, and additionally dry the insufficiently dried area W, if desired.

Additional drying can be selected on the operation panel 14 after the operator reverses the vehicle to a position where the vehicle body is not detected by the first vehicle shape detection device 12, as shown in FIG. It is desirable to provide an indicator lamp 26 or the like for notifying that the first vehicle shape detection device 12 has not detected the vehicle body.

When the additional drying starts, the body frame 1 moves forward, and the first vehicle shape detection device 12 detects the upper surface shape of the automobile. When the roof start of the vehicle body is detected by the first vehicle shape detection device 12 as the vehicle goes out, the body frame 1 is driven until the top nozzle 5 reaches that point. When the top nozzle 5 reaches the roof start of the vehicle body, the main body frame 1 stops running, and the top nozzle 5 is lowered to the upper surface of the vehicle body based on the upper surface shape of the automobile detected by the first vehicle shape detection device 12. 1 goes around. Then, while the body frame 1 is returning to the standby position, the top nozzle 5 is moved up and down along the detected upper surface shape, and the left side nozzle 6 is extended to the drying position to blow high-pressure air to the vehicle body, thereby blowing the front of the vehicle. Blow dry part.

This additional drying may be integrally registered in each car wash course, temporarily stopped after the car wash process, and restarted after the car is reversed. In addition, additional drying is not performed when the body frame 1 is moving forward so as not to splash water droplets on the dried body surface. This is not the case when making two or more round trips in

Although the present invention is constructed as described above, the type of car washing treatment device installed in the body frame is not particularly limited. A width sensor may be provided. In addition to this one-way car wash, the car-washing machine can be moved two or three times to perform car-washing operations according to various needs.

1 body frame 3 top brush 4, 4 side brush 5 top nozzle 6, 6 side nozzle 12 first vehicle shape detection device 13 second vehicle shape detection device 17 nozzle advance/retreat device 24, 25 tire stop plate A door avoidance part

Claims (3)

A car wash machine that cleans and dries the body of a stopped car as the car wash machine main body equipped with the car wash processing device runs,
The car wash machine main body is formed into a gate shape by a horizontal frame and left and right leg frames, and a door avoidance part is formed extending from the front surface to the inner surface of the left and right leg frames to enable opening and closing operation of the automobile door. car wash.
2. The car wash machine according to claim 1, wherein said door avoidance portion is formed on a side frame facing a driver's side door of a car driven into the car wash machine main body.
3. The car wash machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door avoidance part has a side nozzle for blowing air to the side of the vehicle body, and the sand nozzle has a function of advancing and retreating toward the side of the vehicle body during the drying operation. .

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