JPH035490Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to an apparatus for washing cars using liquid agents such as detergent and wax.

[Prior art and its problems] Generally, in this type of car washing device, the water used for washing is connected to a water source such as a tap and is automatically supplied, but the liquid needs to be periodically replenished into the tank. If you neglect this, the fluid will run out and you will not be able to wash your car as desired. Therefore, if the stored liquid agent decreases, measures should be taken to notify this and encourage replenishment.
This type of device is often installed at gas stations, and it is dangerous to install a liquid level switch, which is commonly used to detect the remaining amount of liquid, in terms of explosion prevention measures. It was true. In other words, in order to detect a drop in the level of the liquid, it is necessary to install a liquid level switch or the like below the tank, whereas at gas stations there are no contact points that could generate sparks within a certain height above the ground (60 cm under current law). For this reason, in order to detect a liquid shortage using a liquid level switch, it was necessary to install a large device with a liquid tank.

[Means for Solving the Problems] This invention addresses these problems and includes means for detecting whether the liquid level in the tank is at a first level or a second level higher than the first level, means for counting the time to wash the car using a display lamp; informing means for prompting replenishment of the liquid into the tank by means of an indicator lamp; and means for detecting when the liquid level changes from the second level to the first level. and control means for operating the notification means based on time data provided by the counting means.

In the following example, the tank for storing the liquid agent is the detergent tank 3, and the detection means is the liquid level switch 15.
In addition, the notification means corresponds to the lamps 36 and 37, and the control means corresponds to the control section 40, respectively.

[Function] As a result, once the detection means detects a relatively high liquid level that poses no problem in terms of explosion-proofing, it is possible to calculate the degree of decrease in the liquid based on the usage time of the liquid and issue a notification prompting replenishment.

[Example] Specific examples thereof will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a car washing device main body, inside of which there are a water storage tank 2, a detergent tank 3, a detergent water tank 4, and a pump 5.
A water nozzle 7 is connected to the outside of the main body 1 via a hose 6. The water storage tank 2 is connected to a water source 8 such as a tap via a ball tap 9, and stores cleaning water at a constant level. The detergent water tank 4 stores detergent water obtained by diluting the detergent liquid stored in the detergent tank 3 to a predetermined concentration. This detergent water is supplied through a conduit 12 that includes a solenoid valve 10 and a mixer 11 and communicates with the water source 8 . The solenoid valve 10 is opened and closed by a liquid level switch 13 provided in the detergent water tank 4, and water is supplied so that the inside of the tank 4 is maintained at a predetermined level. The mixer 11 communicates with the detergent tank 3 via a pipe line 14, and mixes the detergent liquid in the detergent tank 3 with the washing water sent to the pipe line 12 when the solenoid valve 10 is opened. A predetermined mixed concentration is set by a flow rate control valve provided at 14. Reference numeral 15 denotes a liquid level switch provided in the detergent tank 3, which detects the liquid level switch above the detergent tank, and will be described in detail later.

The pump 5 is connected to the water storage tank 2 and the detergent water tank 4 by pipes 16 and 17 via electromagnetic valves 18 and 19, respectively, and absorbs water or detergent water by opening and closing the electromagnetic valves 18 and 19, and discharges water. Force feed to nozzle 7. Therefore, this car washing device can perform water washing in which the water in the water storage tank 2 is discharged from the nozzle 7, and detergent washing in which the detergent water in the detergent water tank 4 is discharged from the nozzle 7.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the liquid level switch 15. The liquid level switch 15 is connected to the detergent tank 3.
A float 20 that follows the liquid level in the tank, and a cam 21 that rotates as the float 20 moves up and down.
It consists of micro switches 22 and 23 that are opened and closed according to the rotation of the cam 21.
Three levels of medium and low liquid levels are detected: Lh, Lm, and Ll. That is, at the high liquid level Lh level (third level), the micro switch 22 is pressed by the cam to close and open the switch 23, and at the intermediate Lm level (second level), both switches 22 and 23 are open. At the Ll level (first level), the switch 22 is open, the switch 23 is pressed and closed,
The outputs of these switches 22 and 23 are detected to detect each liquid level.

The liquid level switch 15 only needs to detect a liquid level relatively above the liquid level when replenishing the detergent tank 3, and can be installed above the tank 3, so there is no need to particularly set up the tank 3. It is possible to install it while satisfying the height regulations at the gas station.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the above embodiment. Reference numeral 30 denotes an operation section, which is provided on the front surface of the main body 1 and includes a switch panel 31, a display panel 32, and an alarm output section 33. switch panel 31
is equipped with a selection switch 34 for selecting a cleaning operation between "water cleaning" and "detergent cleaning", and a start switch 35 for starting the selected cleaning operation. In addition, "detergent cleaning" is set here.
The program is programmed so that after washing with detergent water, washing with water is performed continuously for a certain period of time for rinsing. The display panel 32 is provided with a detergent replenishment lamp 36 and a detergent out lamp 37, and the replenishment lamp 36 lights up to indicate that the detergent in the detergent tank 3 is low and needs to be refilled.
The detergent out lamp 37 lights up to indicate that the detergent tank 3 has run out of liquid and detergent cleaning is no longer possible.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a control unit, which consists of a microcomputer consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc.
0 switch panel 31 and the liquid level switch 1
Based on the signal from 5, pump 5 and solenoid valve 18,
19 and the display panel 32 and alarm output section 33 of the operation section 30 are driven by drive circuits 41, 42, and 43, respectively.
Control operation through. 44 and 45 are interfaces.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functions of the control section 40. A drive control section 50 drives the pump 5 and the electromagnetic valves 18 and 19 according to a program in accordance with the operation input on the switch panel 31. 5
1 is a detergent level detection section, and the liquid level switch 15
Based on the signals from the micro switches 22 and 23, it is detected whether the liquid level in the detergent tank 3 is high, medium, or low, that is, Lh, Lm, or Ll. 52 is a detergent cleaning time detection section, and a drive control section 5
Based on the signal from level detector 51, it is determined whether or not the operation being executed is detergent cleaning, and the time for detergent cleaning is counted and the cumulative time is given. The detergent level is updated every time the detergent level changes from one of Lh, Lm, and Ll to the other. That is, the time detection section 52 provides the detergent cleaning times Th, Tm, and Tl when the liquid level in the detergent tank 3 is in the respective states Lh, Lm, and Ll.
Reference numeral 53 denotes a detergent unit consumption amount setting section, which obtains the detergent washing time Tm while the detergent liquid level is Lm from the time detection section 52 and sets the detergent consumption amount r per unit time. The amount of detergent Qm (constant) during the given liquid level Lm is expressed as the above time
It is calculated by dividing by Tm. Reference numeral 54 denotes a detergent usage amount detection section which calculates the detergent usage amount Q when the level detection section 51 determines that the detergent level is Ll, based on the time data Tl given by the time detection section 52 and the unit consumption given by the setting section 53. It is calculated by multiplying by the quantity r. 55 is a detergent remaining amount detection unit, which detects the liquid level in the detergent tank 3.
The remaining amount R in the tank 3 is obtained by subtracting the usage amount Q given by the usage amount detection section 54 from the detergent amount Ql (constant) immediately after reaching Ll. The remaining amount R is updated when the level detection unit 51 confirms that the detergent tank 3 has been replenished with detergent liquid and the level has reached Lh. 56 is a monitoring unit that compares the remaining amount R provided by the remaining amount detecting portion 55 with reference values R ₁ and R ₂ (however, R ₁ > R ₂ ), and when the remaining amount R becomes less than R ₁ , the display panel 3
2 is turned on, and when R becomes less than _R2 , the detergent out lamp 37 on the display panel 32 is turned on, and a detergent washing operation prohibition signal is sent to the operation control section 50, and an alarm is outputted by the alarm output section 33. do.

Therefore, in the above embodiment, the amount of detergent consumed per unit time is set while the level in the detergent tank 3 is Lm, and when the level reaches Ll, the amount of detergent used is set based on the unit consumption and detergent washing time. The required remaining amount is calculated and control operations are performed according to the remaining amount.

The flowchart in FIG. 5 is a chronological summary of the above operations.

In this embodiment, a spray-type car wash machine that dispenses detergent by operating the nozzle 7 has been described as an example, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented without any problem in other types of car wash machines that spray detergent.

[Effects of the invention] This invention is configured as described above, and since it is possible to recognize and notify the remaining amount of liquid, it is possible to prompt replenishment of the liquid in advance and prevent the liquid from running out. In addition, since the remaining amount is calculated according to the time spent washing the car using the liquid, there is no need to install a remaining amount sensor particularly below the liquid tank, and it can be used safely at gas stations without increasing the size. Can be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control section of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functions of the control section. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment. 1 is a car wash device, 3 is a liquid tank, 15 is a detection means, 36 and 37 are lamps as a notification means, 40 is a control unit as a control means, Ll is a first level, Lm is a second level, and Lh is a third level. level.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] (1) In a car washing device that is equipped with a tank for storing a liquid agent such as a detergent and washes a car by spraying the liquid agent toward the car body, the liquid level in the tank is at a first level or not. means for detecting whether the liquid is at a second level higher than the first level; means for counting the time during which the car is washed using the liquid; a notification means for prompting replenishment of the liquid into the tank by means of an indicator lamp; and the detecting means. and control means for operating the notification means based on time data given by the counting means after the liquid level changes from the second level to the first level. (2) The car wash apparatus according to claim (1), further comprising means for detecting that the liquid level in the tank is a second level or a third level higher than the second level;
The control means sets the notification timing of the notification means based on the time data given by the counting means during the time period from when the third level changes to the second level until the second level is reached. Device.