JPH0314754A - Top brush operating method for gate-shaped car washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make washing of a car without risk of damaging it by sensing the appropriate direction of top brush swinging, either fore or aft, prior to washing with the top brush, lifting the top brush in this direction, and sinking it again at the brushing start timing. CONSTITUTION:Washing with a top brush 4 shall be preceded by sensing whether or not the brush 4 is in the lower limit position, and if so, it shall be sensed in which direction a brush arm 3 is to be swung in the next process. If in the regular motion (as shown by arrow-b), the top brush 4 is rotated process. If in the regular motion (as shown by arrow-b), the top brush 4 is rotated regularly (as shown by arrow-a), and if in the reverse motion, rotated reversely. Then the time after rotation of the top brush is copunted, and an air cylinder 7 is driven after elapse of a specified time (approx. 1-2 sec) on the basis of the timing at which the swing of brush arm 3 due to start of a motor 5 maximizes, so as to lift the top brush 4. Then the air cylinder 7 is deactuated at the brushing start timing so as to allow the top brush 4 to fall by its own weight.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a so-called gate-shaped car wash machine in which brushes are disposed within a gate-shaped frame and automatically washes an automobile body as the gate-shaped frame moves. Concerning how the brush operates.

[Background of the Invention] An example of the operation of the top brush in this type of portal car wash machine will be explained with reference to FIG.

The top brush 4 is supported at both ends by a pair of rotatably supported brush arms 3, and is formed to be able to swing back and forth.
) and go-around (Fig. 1(b)), the robot performs planosing by swinging forward or backward, respectively. Normally, the top brush 4 is held at a predetermined upper standby position, and when a process involving brushing by the top brush 4 is started,
The top brush 4 is rotated and lowered to the position shown in FIG. 1A-D. When the top brush 4 comes into contact with the car body as the portal frame 1 travels, the brush arms 3 swing due to the contact, and as shown in the figure, the top plan 4 acts along the car body shape and Clean the top surface.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in this type of car wash machine, if there is an antenna, wiper, roof carrier, etc. on the car body being washed that may be damaged by contact with the brush, the top brush 4 must be raised. It is necessary to avoid this. If there is an object at the front or rear end of the vehicle that requires such avoidance, the top brush 4 will be raised from the position shown in FIG. 1A and D to avoid it. At this time, the top brush 4 must be raised in the direction in which it should be swung in the subsequent cleaning operation as shown in FIG. If the top brush 4 swings in the opposite direction to the respective swing directions shown in FIG. This is because the top brush 4 acts at an acute angle to the direction and strongly presses the vehicle body, which may cause serious damage to the vehicle.

However, although the conventional device can raise the top brush 4 to a predetermined upper standby position, it does not have a means for selectively raising and lowering it back and forth in anticipation of the avoidance operation of the front and rear ends of the vehicle as described above. This had the disadvantage of causing damage to cars, antennas, etc.

[Several Steps to Solve the Problems] This invention addresses these problems and, prior to a process involving brushing with the top brush, in which direction should the top brush be swung forward or backward in the same process? is detected and the top brush is temporarily raised in that direction, and the timing to start brushing in the step is detected and the top brush is lowered to ensure avoidance operation at the front and rear ends of the vehicle, and also to clean after avoidance. This paper proposes a top brush operation method that allows safe operation.

[Example] The example will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Figure 2 shows the main part of the embodiment tII! This is an explanatory diagram showing the top bracket, in which brush arms 3 are supported by bearings 2 fixed on both sides of the portal frame 1, and the top bracket is supported at both ends by one end of the brush arms 3. There are 4. The brush arms 3, 3 are supported at intermediate positions by integrally provided support shafts 6, 6, and are raised and lowered by an air cylinder 7 connected to one of the support shafts 6, 6. As a result, the top plastic 4 rises as the air cylinder 7 is activated, and when the air cylinder 7 is deactivated, it falls due to gravity balance. Further, one brush arm 3 has a sprocket on the side supporting the top brush 4 and the side opposite to the support shaft 6, which are connected to the normal brush 4 and the motor 5 that drive the top brush 4, respectively. It is equipped with a chain that runs over a sprocket. A weight 8 is attached to one brush arm 3 on the side opposite to the side supporting the top brush 4.
The swinging load of the Tonopu brush 4 is reduced.

Assume that in the above md, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the top brush 4 in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 2. motor 5
The rotating shaft of is driven in the same direction as the arrow a, and a force acts on the main body of the motor 5 to rotate the main body in the opposite direction to the arrow a.

Due to the moment of the force acting on the main body of the motor 5 on the support shaft 6, the brush arms 3 swing in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the top brush 4, that is, in the direction of arrow b. Also,
When the top brush 4 rotates in the direction of arrow a, the bristles of the brush open radially due to centrifugal force and act to scrape the air.
The moment of the reaction force from the air also exerts a force that causes the brush arms 3, 3 to swing in the direction of arrow b.

Therefore, when it is desired to raise the top brush 4 by swinging the brush arms 3 in the direction of arrow b in FIG.
All you have to do is activate it. As a result, brush arm 3.3
is always swung in the direction of arrow b and is pushed up by the air cylinder 7, ensuring that the intended operation is achieved. Furthermore, if it is desired to swing the brush arms 3 in the direction opposite to arrow b, the air cylinder 7 may be operated after rotating the top brush 4 in the direction opposite to arrow a.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main part of the above embodiment, and the operation of the embodiment will be explained below using this diagram. In addition,
In the following explanation, the rotation of the top brush 4 in the direction of arrow a in FIG.
Swinging in the direction of arrow b will be referred to as normal motion.

As shown in FIG. 1 A-B-C-D, it is detected whether or not the top brush 4 is at the lower limit position (1). Detect whether it is oscillated, that is, whether it is a forward or reverse operation (2)
. If the operation is normal, rotate the top brush 4 in the normal direction (3). If the operation is in the opposite direction, reverse the top brush 4 (4).

Count the time after rotating the top brush 4 (
5) After a predetermined time, operate the air cylinder 7 to raise the top brush 4 (6). The predetermined time is a short period of 1 to 2 seconds or less, and is set by grasping the timing at which the swinging of the brush arms 3, 3 due to the activation of the motor 5 is at its maximum.

After raising the top brush 4 in this way, it is detected whether the next process involves brushing by the top brush 4 (7), and if the process involves brushing, the timing to start the brushing is detected ( 8), the operation of the air cylinder 7 is released and the top brush 4 is allowed to fall by gravity (9).

In addition, if the next process is a process that does not involve brushing with the top brush 4, such as a drying process, the stencil (3) (
5) Execute (6) to raise the top plastic brush 4 to the upper standby position and hold it there.

According to the embodiment operated as described above, the Tosop brush 4 is raised in the direction in which it should be swung in the process prior to the process including brushing, and is lowered from the raised position at the timing to start brushing. Therefore, it swings in the normal direction and touches the car body without reaching the lower limit position, and prancing can be performed safely without swinging in the opposite direction. Even if there is an object that could cause damage, you can safely start brushing after avoiding that area.

In addition, in this embodiment, the Tonopu Plush 4 is always raised once before the process that involves brushing, and then lowered to perform brushing, so that avoidance operations at the front and rear ends of the vehicle can be performed smoothly with sufficient margin. However, it can be raised as described above only when evasive action is necessary. [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when there is a part at the front and rear ends of an automobile that should be avoided from being brushed, it is possible to determine in which direction the top brush should swing in the front and back directions during the brushing process. Since the vehicle is detected and the vehicle is evaded in the detected direction, the evasive action can be safely performed without causing any damage to the vehicle.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the gate-type car wash machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of main parts of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the main operations of the same embodiment. 1 is a gate-shaped frame, 3 and 3 are brush arms, 4 is a top brush, 5 is a motor, 6 is a support shaft, and 7 is an air cylinder that is a lifting device. Figure 1 (a) (b) 2nd wJ

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A pair of brush arms that are provided on both sides of the inside of a portal frame and are rotatably supported on an integrally provided support shaft, and both ends of the brush arms are supported by the brush arms and swing back and forth. A gate-type car wash machine comprising: a top brush that is configured to be movable; a motor that is attached to the brush arm and drives the top brush; and a lifting device that rotates a support shaft of the brush arm to raise and lower the top brush. In this step, prior to the step involving brushing with the top brush, it is detected in which direction the top brush should be swung forward or backward in the step, and the top brush is temporarily raised in that direction, and the brushing in the step is performed. A method for raising and lowering a top brush in a gate-type car wash machine, characterized in that the top brush is lowered by detecting the timing at which the top brush is started.