JPH0717186B2 - How to operate a top brush in a gate car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called gate type car washing machine in which a brush is arranged in a gate type frame and the automobile body is automatically cleaned as the gate type frame travels, and more particularly to a method of operating a top brush thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of the structure and operation of a top brush in a conventionally known gate-type car wash machine of this type will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 2, the brush arms 3 and 3 are supported by bearings 2 and 2 fixed to the inner and outer sides of a reciprocating portal frame 1, and a top brush 4 is provided between one ends of the brush arms 3 and 3. It is rotatably supported. The brush arms 3 and 3 are respectively provided with support shafts 6 and 6 integrally.
Is rotatably supported by, and an air cylinder 7 is connected to one of the support shafts 6, 6. As a result, the top brush 4 moves up with the operation of the air cylinder 7, and moves down due to gravity balance when the operation of the air cylinder 7 is released.

In this way, the top brush 4 is formed so as to be swingable back and forth, and the top brush 4 is swung rearward as the portal frame 1 moves forward as shown in FIG. 1 (a). Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the top brush 4 is swung forward along with the backward movement of the gate-shaped frame 1 to perform brushing. Normally, the top brush 4 is held at a predetermined upper standby position, and when the step involving brushing by the top brush 4 is started, the top brush 4 is rotated to move the top brush 4 to the position shown in FIG.
Brushing is started after lowering to the lower limit position shown in A and D. In addition, when the brushing process is continuously performed in the forward and backward directions, the top brush 4 becomes the lower limit position when the brushing is completed in the preceding process. Therefore, in the next process, the top brush 4 is directly moved from the lower limit position. Start brushing. In the brushing process started in this way, the top brush 4 is moved along with the traveling of the portal frame 1.
Contacting the vehicle body, the brush arms 3 and 3 swing by the contact, and as shown in the drawing, the top brush 4
Acts along the shape of the vehicle body to clean the upper surface of the vehicle body.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, the top brush 4 is moved up and down by contact with the vehicle body from the lower limit position where the arms 3.3 are suspended as shown in A and D of FIG. It will be. At this time, if the top brush 4 swings from the lower limit position due to the influence of wind or the like, the top brush 4 swings in a direction opposite to the original operation direction as shown in FIG. 1 and brushing starts. In this case, as described above, the brush arms 3 and 3
Acts at an acute angle with respect to the traveling direction of the gate-shaped frame 1 and strongly presses the vehicle body with the top brush 4, which may seriously damage the automobile.

When the automobile has a protrusion such as an antenna or a roof carrier, it is necessary to retract the top brush upward so as not to damage the protrusion. When the protrusion is in the center of the vehicle body such as a roof carrier, the top brush 4 is in contact with the vehicle and is swinging. Therefore, in this state, simply operating the air cylinder 7 causes the top brush 4 to move. And raise it in the direction of rocking to retract it,
When the position of the protrusion is exceeded, the operation of the air cylinder 7 is released, the top brush is lowered, and the brushing can be continued. However, when the protrusions are located at the front and rear ends of the vehicle, the top brush 4 must be lifted from the lower limit position where the protrusion is not yet in contact with the vehicle. In this case, simply operating the air cylinder 7 causes the top brush 4 to move upward. The brush 4 may oscillate in a direction opposite to the original operating direction, and if the top brush 4 is lowered past the position of the protrusion from this state, the brush arms 3 and 3 are moved in the same manner as above. There was a risk of damaging the car by acting at an acute angle with respect to the traveling direction.

[0007]

In order to eliminate such inconveniences, the present invention provides a method of brushing with the top brush in the next step after the top brush descends to the lower limit position during car washing, Depending on the direction in which the top brush is swung forward or backward in accordance with the running direction of the gate-shaped frame, the top brush is temporarily raised in that detection direction, and at a predetermined timing after which brushing is started in the subsequent step. The present invention proposes a method of operating a top brush that allows the top brush to be lowered to always perform safe brushing.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example in which the present invention is applied to the portal car wash machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described below. The brush arms 3 are supported by bearings 2 which are fixed to the inner sides of the gate frame 1, and the top brush 4 is provided at one end of the brush arms 3 with both ends thereof supported. The brush arms 3 and 3 are supported at their intermediate positions by the support shafts 6 and 6 which are integrally provided, and are lifted and lowered by an air cylinder 7 connected to one of the support shafts 6 and 6. As a result, the top brush 4 moves up with the operation of the air cylinder 7, and moves down due to gravity balance when the operation of the air cylinder 7 is released. The top brush 4 is attached to one brush arm 3.
A motor 5 that drives the top brush 4 and that can rotate in the forward and reverse directions is attached to the side supporting the shaft and the side opposite to the support shaft 6. Although not shown in the drawing, inside the brush arm 3, there are provided sprockets that are connected to the top brush 4 and the motor 5, respectively, and a chain that is stretched over both sprockets. A weight 8 is attached to one of the brush arms 3 on the side opposite to the side supporting the top brush 4 to reduce the swing load of the top brush 4.

In the above structure, it is assumed that the motor 5 is driven to rotate the top brush 4 in the direction of arrow a in FIG. The rotating shaft of the motor 5 is driven in the same direction as the arrow a, while a force for rotating the main body of the motor 5 in the opposite direction of the arrow a acts on the main body of the motor 5. Due to the moment of the force acting on the main body of the motor 5 to the support shaft 6, the brush arms 3 and 3 swing in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the top brush 4, that is, in the direction of arrow b. When the top brush 4 rotates in the direction of the arrow a, the bristles of the brush radially open due to the centrifugal force and act to scratch the air, and the moment of the reaction force from the air causes the brush arms 3 and 3 to move in the direction of the arrow b. A force to swing in the direction of acts.

Therefore, the brush arms 3 and 3 are attached to the arrow b in FIG.
When it is desired to swing the top brush 4 upward by swinging it in the direction of, the air cylinder 7 may be operated after rotating the top brush 4 in the direction of arrow a. As a result, the brush arms 3 and 3 are always pushed up by the air cylinder 7 while being swung in the direction of the arrow b, so that the intended operation can be reliably obtained. Further, if it is desired to swing the brush arms 3 in the direction opposite to the arrow b, the air cylinder 7 may be operated after rotating the top brush 4 in the direction opposite to the arrow a.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the main part of the above embodiment, and the operation of the embodiment will be described below with reference to this figure. In the following description, the rotation of the top brush 4 in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 2 is called forward rotation, and the rotation in the opposite direction is called reverse rotation, and the brush arms 3 and 3 are moved in the direction of arrow b in FIG. Swinging to is called a forward operation, and swinging in the opposite direction is called a reverse operation.

As shown in A, B, C and D of FIG. 1, it is detected whether or not the top brush 4 is at the lower limit position (1). It is detected whether it is swung in the direction of (2), that is, whether it is a normal motion or a reverse motion. For normal operation, rotate the top brush 4 forward
(3) Reverse the top brush 4 if it is a reverse operation
(4).

The time after rotating the top brush 4 is counted (5), and after a predetermined time, the air cylinder 7 is operated to raise the top brush 4 (6). The predetermined time is 1
It is set by grasping the timing at which the swinging of the brush arms 3 and 3 due to the activation of the motor 5 is maximized in a short time of ˜2 seconds or less.

After raising the top brush 4 in this way,
It is detected whether or not the next step is a step involving brushing by the top brush 4 (7), and if it is a step involving brushing, the timing for starting the brushing is detected.
(8) Then, the operation of the air cylinder 7 is released to lower the top brush 4 by gravity (9).

If the next step is a step such as a drying step that does not involve brushing with the top brush 4, the steps (3), (5) and (6) are executed to raise the top brush 4 to the upper standby position. Hold.

According to the embodiment operated as described above,
The top 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 at the timing at which brushing is started from the raised position, so that the top brush 4 does not reach the lower limit position and moves in the normal direction. It swings and comes into contact with the vehicle body, so that brushing can be safely performed without swinging in the opposite direction, and even if there is an object such as an antenna at the front end or rear end of the vehicle body that may be damaged by brushing, After avoiding the part, you can start brushing with confidence.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It detects whether the top brush is swung back and forth according to the running direction of the gate frame, raises it once in this detection direction, and then lowers it at the timing when brushing starts, so that the top brush remains in the lower limit position on the car. Without touching, the top brush can act on the vehicle body by reliably rocking it in a direction that matches the running direction of the gate frame, and the top brush shakes in the direction opposite to the original movement direction as in the past. There is no risk of damaging the car by moving it. Also, even if there are protrusions or the like on the front and rear ends of the vehicle that should avoid brushing, the top brush is temporarily raised in the direction in which it should swing during the brushing process, so avoiding protrusions etc. in that raised state. By letting the top brush descend after that, the top brush can always swing in the correct direction to start brushing, and the brushing with avoidance can be safely performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main part of a portal car wash machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of a main part of the portal car wash machine in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a main part of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Gate frame 3.3 Brush arm 4 Top brush 5 Motor 6 Spindle 7 Air cylinder as lifting device

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Kurasaki 1287-2 Awamiya Miyako, Saranomiya-shi, Nagano Maruyama Industry Co., Ltd. Product Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Kazuo Shiromoto 1287 2287 Awasamiya Nishi, Kobo-shi, Nagano Maruyama Industry Co., Ltd. Product Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Hideto Koshi 1287-2, Awamiya, Sarahisa-shi, Nagano Maruyama Kogyo Co., Ltd. Product Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Koichi Murayama 1287-2, Awamiya, Nishinomiya-shi, Nagano Maruyama Industry Co., Ltd. Products In the Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Kazuharu Aoyagi 1287-2, Awamiya Miyanishi, Saranomiya-shi, Nagano Maruyama Industry Co., Ltd. Product Development Laboratory Examiner Nobuo Yoshikuni

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pair of brush arms, which are provided on both inner sides of a gate frame that reciprocates forward and backward, and are rotatably supported by integrally provided spindles, and both ends thereof are supported by the brush arms. A top brush that is swingable back and forth, a motor that is attached to the brush arm and drives the top brush, and a support shaft of the brush arm is rotated to move the top brush up and down in either direction. With the lifting device to obtain , the portal frame goes forward
When you do, swing the brush arm backwards
If the frame goes backward,
In a gate-type car wash machine that swings forward and brushes, the top brush moves down to the lower limit position during car wash.
Then, in the next step,
When performing lashing, adjust to the running direction of the portal frame.
Flip test whether rocking the top brush to one longitudinal direction
A method of raising and lowering a top brush in a gate type car washing machine, which comprises raising the top brush once in the detection direction and then lowering the top brush at a predetermined timing when brushing is started in the subsequent step.