JPH02162145A - Side brush control device for car washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the breakage of a door mirror by a side brush by detecting that the side brush approaches the door mirror of a car when a gate type frame is run and separating the side brush from the side face of the car. CONSTITUTION:When a side mirror 7 reaches the position 7A near a door mirror DM, a top brush 6 is rotated to be lifted in contact with the front glass F of a car V, a magnet 20 is faced to a contact element 21, and the detected signal is inputted to an electronic circuit in a control panel. When the detected signal is inputted or when the first set time T1 elapses and the side brush 7 reaches the position of 7B, the side brush 7 starts to be moved toward the outside and is separated from the side face of the car V. When the second set time T2 elapses after the movement start of the side brush 7 and a gate type frame 2 is moved by the second preset quantity, the side brush 7 again starts the approaching action toward the car V.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A1 Object of the Invention (1) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a side brush control device in a mobile car wash machine suitable for washing vehicles such as automobiles.

(2) Conventional technology A gate-shaped frame that can straddle the vehicle to be cleaned and travel back and forth along the front and rear directions of the vehicle has a top brush that can move up and down along the top surface of the vehicle, and a gate-shaped frame that straddles the top brush. A car wash machine is equipped with a pair of side brushes that are disposed on the rear side in a traveling direction and can move in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the top brush and the side brushes can be operated when the gate-shaped frame is traveling. It is conventionally known.

(3) Problems to be Solved by the Invention Conventionally, when using such a car wash machine to wash a vehicle equipped with a door mirror, a large surface pressure is applied from the side brush to the door mirror that protrudes to the side of the vehicle. So,
Door mirrors were sometimes damaged due to the side brushes.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above, and is capable of automatically separating the side brushes toward the outside of the vehicle when the side brushes pass the door mirrors, thereby preventing damage to the door mirrors caused by the side brushes. An object of the present invention is to provide a side brush control device for a car wash machine that prevents the above.

B1 Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a detection device capable of detecting the approach of a side brush to a door mirror of a vehicle when a portal frame is running; The first feature is that the detection device includes a control device that moves the side brush away from the side of the vehicle based on a detection signal from the detection device, and the detection device includes a top brush and a control device that moves the side brush away from the side of the vehicle based on a detection signal from the detection device. The second feature is that it includes a detection means that generates the detection signal when it comes into contact with the glass surface and rises to a predetermined height.

(2) Effect According to the first feature above, while the portal frame is running,
The detection device detects when the side brush approaches the door mirror of the vehicle and generates a detection signal, and based on this detection signal, the control device moves the side brush away from the side of the vehicle, so that the side brush approaches the door mirror. When passing through, the brush can be kept as far away from the door mirror as possible.

In particular, according to the second feature of WJ above, when the top brush is displaced upward to a predetermined height due to contact with the windshield surface while the portal frame is running, the detection means generates a detection signal, and based on this detection signal, the detection means generates a detection signal. The side brush can be moved away from the side of the vehicle.

(3) Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. First, in FIG. A pair of front and rear wheels 3 are placed on a rail 4' extending along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and one of the wheels 3 is
It is rotationally driven by a traveling drive device M. Therefore, the gate-shaped frame 2 can run along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The gate-shaped frame 2 is provided with a rotating brush device B, a drying device, and other processing devices (not shown). Control panel 5 installed on mold frame 2
The electronic circuit and the control panel 5 constitute the control device C of the present invention.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the rotating brush device B includes a top brush 6 that can be raised and lowered, and a pair of left and right side brushes 7 that can be moved in the left-right direction of the vehicle V. , is disposed on the rear side of the top brush 6 along the outgoing direction indicated by the arrow 8 of the portal frame 2 (see FIG. 1).

The top brush 6 is swingably supported via a swing arm 10 on a horizontal shaft 9 that is rotatably supported on the portal frame 2 . One of the swinging arms 10 is provided with a prime mover 11 at its upper portion, and the top brush 6 is rotationally driven from the prime mover 11 via a transmission mechanism within the swinging arm 10 . In addition, a sprocket 12 is attached to the horizontal shaft 9 that supports the other swing arm 10.
is fixed, and a drive shaft 13 is rotatably supported on the portal frame 2 on the side of the horizontal shaft 9.
3 is fixed to another subblock 14.

An endless chino 15 is suspended between both sprockets 12 and 14. A piston rod 18 of an air cylinder 17 whose lower end is supported by a portal frame is connected to the drive shaft 13 . Therefore, by driving the air cylinder 17 to extend, the top brush 6 can be held in the upper storage position as shown by the two-dot chain line. Furthermore, when the air cylinder 17 is inactivated, the top brush 6 is freely moved forward and backward in the portal frame 20 around the horizontal axis 9 between the upper retracted position and the lower limit position hanging from the horizontal axis 9. During the cleaning process, the top brush 6 comes into contact with the top surface of the vehicle and swings up and down depending on the shape of the top surface of the vehicle.

A small arm 19 is fixed in the middle of the horizontal shaft 9, and projects toward the traveling direction 8 when the top brush 6 is at the lower limit position, and a magnet 20 is fixed to the tip of this arm 19. . On the other hand, the gate-shaped frame 2 has a magnet 20
A contact element 21 is fixedly disposed that switches when facing the contact element 2.
1 is disposed at a position facing the magnet 20 when the top brush 6 is angularly displaced by a certain amount toward the rear along the traveling direction 8 from its hanging position. The magnet 20 and the contact element 21 are located at a position where the top brush 6 contacts the windshield surface F of the vehicle V (see FIG. 3.4) and rises to a predetermined height, that is, at a position substantially coincident with the windshield surface F. This is for detecting the approach of the side brush 7 to the door mirror DM located at the door mirror DM, and its detection signal is input to the electronic circuit in the control panel 5. The magnet 20 and the contact element 21 cooperate with each other to constitute the detection means of the present invention, and the detection means and the top brush 6 cooperate with each other to constitute the detection device S of the present invention.
It consists of

The rotating shafts 22 of the pair of side brushes 7 are held by holding joints 23 that extend up and down, and the holding tubes 23 are connected to the movable frame 24.
is fixed to. The moving frame 24 is slidably engaged with a guide rail 25 that extends horizontally on the gate-shaped frame 2, and is driven in the left-right direction of the rail 25 by a drive means (not shown). Further, both ends of the guide rail 25 are rotatably supported by the portal frame 2 via a support shaft 26, so that the guide rail 25, the moving frame 24, the holding tube 23, the rotating shaft 22, and the side brush 7 are The gate-shaped frame 2 can swing along the traveling direction using the support shaft 26 as a fulcrum. Also, the moving frame 24
A prime mover 27 is supported, and an endless chino 30 is suspended between a sprocket 28 fixed to the output shaft of the prime mover 27 and a sprocket 29 fixed to the end of the rotating shaft 22. Side brush 7 by prime mover 27
is driven to rotate.

The drying device consists of a pair of side air blowing nozzles 31 that open inward on both sides of the portal frame 2, and a top air blowing nozzle 32 that opens downward at the top, which are connected to a blower 33. The blower nozzle 32 is raised and lowered by a lifting means (not shown) in accordance with the height of the vehicle to be dried.

Next, the operation of the rotary brush device B in the cleaning process will be described. The brushing cleaning operation of the rotary brush device B is completed by one reciprocating movement of the portal frame 2. First, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the operation of the gate-shaped frame 2 when it moves back and forth will be explained.

When the gate-shaped frame 2 starts moving forward, both side brushes 7 are located at the innermost position, and when the gate-shaped frame 2 reaches the position where it comes into sliding contact with the front of the vehicle V as the gate-shaped frame 2 moves back and forth, the gate-shaped frame 2
The forward movement of the side brushes 7 temporarily stops, and the side brushes 7 temporarily move outward while cleaning the front surface of the vehicle V. Next, the forward movement of the gate-shaped frame 3 is resumed, and the side brush 7
moves inward to wash the sides of the vehicle V. A predetermined position 7 where this side brush 7 approaches the door mirror DM
When the top brush 6 reaches the position shown by A, the top brush 6 is at the position shown by 6A in FIG. The magnet 20 faces the magnet 21, and a detection signal is manually inputted to the electronic circuit in the control panel 5. The first set time T when this detection signal is input or from the input point
, when the gate-shaped frame 2 has moved by the first predetermined amount,
That is, when the side brush 7 comes to the position 7B, the side brush 7 starts moving outward and separates from the side surface of the vehicle V. Next, when the gate-shaped frame 2 has moved a second predetermined amount after a second set time T has elapsed since the start of the outward movement of the side brush 7, the side brush 7 performs an approach motion toward the vehicle V. Start again.

Here, the first set time T+ is determined depending on the positional deviation between the top brush 6 and the side brush 7. The time required for the door mirror 7 to come to a position close to the door mirror DM is set based on the traveling speed of the portal frame 20. Further, the second set time T is set in advance as a time sufficient for the side brush 7 to separate from and pass the door mirror DM.

After the second set time T2 has elapsed, the side brush 7 restarts its approach operation to the side of the vehicle and continuously cleans the side, and when the gate-shaped frame 2 passes the vehicle, , 7C, the gate-shaped frame 2 stops moving back and forth, and the cleaning process is completed. After the second set time T has elapsed, the time T to reach the position shown at position 7C is the time from when the side brush 7 resumes its approach to the side of the vehicle V until the portal frame 2 finishes moving forward. This corresponds to the amount of movement of the frame 2, which varies depending on the length of the vehicle V, and the time T3 is measured by an electronic circuit in the control panel 5.

In FIG. 5, when the gate-shaped frame 2 is going back, when the side brush 7 detects the rear surface of the vehicle V, the gate-shaped frame 2 temporarily stops the going-back operation, and the side brush 7 moves outward. Moving. The time T4 from when the portal frame 2 starts going back until it once stops is measured. Next, the gate-shaped frame 2 starts to go back again, and the side brush 7 moves close to the side of the vehicle V, and the time T5 from the time when the go-around resumes is also measured.

A time T obtained by subtracting a preset correction time T6 from the measurement time T3 during the outward movement is set, and the measurement time T1. The sum of T s is equal to T, (T, +Ts
=Tt), the side brush 7 is operated to move away from the side of the vehicle V. The correction time T6 is set based on the traveling speed of the portal frame 2 and the moving speed of the side brush 7. After the separation operation of the side brush 7 is started, when the second set time T has elapsed, the side brush 7 is moved close to the side surface of the vehicle V again, and from then on, the side brush 7 cleans the side surface of the vehicle V. move and return to the original position.

Thus, when the gate-shaped frame 2 moves back and forth, the top brush 6 is moved up to a predetermined height by contact with the windshield surface F, so that the top brush 6 is located at a position that substantially coincides with the windshield surface F. It is possible to detect that the side brush 7 approaches the door mirror DM, and when going back, it is detected that the side brush 7 approaches the door mirror DM based on the detection information and the measured amount during the going. Based on these detection results, the side brush 7 can be automatically moved away from the side of the vehicle, so when the side brush 7 passes the door mirror DM, the side brush 7 is kept as far away from the door mirror DM as possible. This prevents damage to the door mirror DM.

In addition, by appropriately setting the first set time T according to the deviation in the arrangement positions of the top brush 6 and the side brushes 7, the side brushes 7 can be
The start timing of the mirror avoidance operation can be delayed as much as possible within a range that does not interfere with achieving the effect of preventing damage to the door mirror as described above, and the cleaning effect of the side brush 7 on the side of the vehicle can be increased accordingly.

In the above embodiment, a car washer was described in which one washing process is completed by one reciprocating movement of the gate-shaped frame 2, but in the present invention, one washing process is completed by one more reciprocating movement of the gate-shaped frame 2. The present invention can also be implemented in connection with a car wash machine that completes the process, and in that case, the same operation control as in the first outgoing operation may be performed.

C1 Effects of the invention As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a detection device that can detect when a side brush approaches a door mirror of a vehicle when a portal frame is running, and a detection device that detects the side brush based on a detection signal from the detection device. and a control device that causes the side brush to move away from the side of the vehicle, so that when the detection device detects that the side brush approaches the door mirror of the vehicle and issues a detection signal while the portal frame is running, the control device responds to the detection signal. The above control device can automatically move the side brushes away from the side of the vehicle. Therefore, when the side brushes pass through the door mirrors, the brushes can be moved as far away from the door mirrors as possible, which is effective in preventing damage to the door mirrors. It is true.

Particularly, according to the second invention, the detection device includes a top brush and a detection means that generates the detection signal when the top brush comes into contact with the windshield surface of the vehicle and rises to a predetermined height. Therefore, by utilizing the fact that the top brush moves upward to a predetermined height due to contact with the windshield surface when the gate-shaped frame is running, the side brush approaches the door mirror located at a position that is approximately in line with the windshield surface. Therefore, the top brush can be used as a part of the side brush approach detection means, which contributes to simplifying the structure and reducing costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1 is a simplified vertical side view of a car wash machine, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the drive mechanism of the top brush, and Fig. 3 is a gate-shaped frame reciprocating view. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the locus of the side brush during forward travel, and FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the locus of the side brush during homeward travel. 1...Car wash machine, 2...Gate frame, 6...Top brush, 7...Side brush, 8...Going direction,
20; 21... Magnet as a detection means; Contact element, C... Control device, F... Windshield surface, S... Detection device, ■... Vehicle

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A pair of side brushes that can move in the left-right direction of the vehicle (V) are attached to a gate-shaped frame (2) that can straddle the vehicle (V) to be washed and run along the front-rear direction of the vehicle (V). (
7), in which the side brush (7) can be operated when the portal frame (2) is traveling, the vehicle (V
), a detection device (S) capable of detecting the approach of the side brush (7) to the door mirror (DM) of the vehicle;
A side brush control device for a car wash machine, comprising: a control device (C) that moves the side brush (7) away from a side surface of the vehicle (V) based on the detection signal of S). (2) A top brush (2) that can move up and down along the top surface of the vehicle (V) is attached to a gate-shaped frame (2) that can straddle the vehicle (V) to be washed and run along the front and back direction of the vehicle (V). 6)
and a pair of side brushes (7) that can move in the left-right direction of the vehicle (V), and the top brush (6) and side brushes (7) are provided when the portal frame (2) is running.
In the car wash machine, the door mirror (V) of the vehicle (V) is activated when the portal frame (2) is running.
a detection device (S) capable of detecting the approach of the side brush (7) to the vehicle (DM); and a detection device (S) capable of detecting the approach of the side brush (7) to the side brush (DM); and a control device (C) for operating the detection device (S), and the detection device (S) is configured to detect the top brush (6) and the top brush (6) in contact with the windshield surface (F) of the vehicle (V) in a predetermined manner. A side brush control device for a car wash machine, characterized in that it has detection means (20, 21) that generates the detection signal when the side brush reaches a height.