JPH08175344A - Washing method of car washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a washing method of a car washing machine which can prevent the accident of causing damage to a vehicle to be washed as a result of delay in conveying by a conveyor when the vehicle to be washed is a station wagon or a jeep. CONSTITUTION: When a vehicle to be washed is a station wagon 5', the arm 31 of a top brush 12 is forcibly raised to an upper-limit position at the detection of the arm 31 by a middle-limit (intermediate) position detector 50; when the vehicle to be washed is a jeep 5", the arm 31 of the top brush 12 is forcibly raised to the upper limit position at the detection of the arm 31 by the middle- limit (intermediate) position detector 50 when the top brush 12 is temporarily raised at the timing for reaching a front windshield and then lowered. If the shift of the vehicle 5 to be washed has been retarded, the top brush 12 is forcibly raised so that the accident of causing damage by the top brush 12 to the vehicle 5 to be washed can be avoided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a car wash machine, in which a top brush cleans an upper surface of a vehicle to be cleaned while moving the vehicle to be cleaned by a conveyor, and more particularly to a method for cleaning a wagon car or a jeep car.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional method for cleaning a wagon car and a jeep car by a car wash machine will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the vehicle 61 to be cleaned is moved at a constant speed in the direction of arrow F by the conveyor 61 and the top surface of the vehicle 62 to be cleaned is cleaned by the top brush 63, as shown in FIG. When 62 is a wagon vehicle, a vehicle height detector 64 including a sonic sensor is used in advance to provide a ceiling portion 62 of the vehicle 62 to be cleaned.
When A is detected and the top brush 63 held at the upper limit position is lowered at the timing when the detected tip of the ceiling portion 62A passes, the ceiling portion 62A is washed, and as shown in FIG. When the washing vehicle 62 is a jeep vehicle, the vehicle height detector 63 detects the front portion 62B and the ceiling portion 62A, and when the cleaning of the front portion 62B by the top brush 63 is completed, the top brush 63 is once raised to the upper limit position. The ceiling portion 62A is cleaned by holding and holding it and lowering it at the timing when the detected tip end of the ceiling portion 62A passes.

[0004]

However, in this conventional method for cleaning a wagon vehicle, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), when the conveyance by the conveyor 61 of the vehicle 62 to be cleaned is delayed, the top brush 63 has a lower limit. There is a problem that the vehicle 62 to be cleaned is pushed down by the conveyor 61 and is pressed against the vehicle 62 to be cleaned, and the vehicle 62 to be cleaned is damaged by the top brush 63.

In the conventional method for cleaning a jeep car,
As shown in FIG. 11 (b), when conveyance of the vehicle 62 to be cleaned by the conveyor 61 is delayed, the top brush 63 descends and descends to the front window portion 62C, and the vehicle 62 to be cleaned moving on the conveyor 61 is pressed. Therefore, there is a problem that the vehicle to be cleaned 62 is damaged by the top brush 63.

The cause of delaying the transportation of the vehicle 62 to be cleaned includes abnormality of the conveyor 61, weak braking of the vehicle 62 to be cleaned, and the like. The present invention is to solve the above problems, when the vehicle to be cleaned is a wagon vehicle or a jeep vehicle,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for cleaning a car wash machine, which can prevent a damage accident of a vehicle to be cleaned due to a conveyance delay by a conveyor.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, a method of cleaning a car wash according to a first aspect of the present invention is to carry a vehicle to be cleaned into a main body of a stationary car wash machine from the front and to wash the car wash machine. A conveyor is provided to carry the product backward from the main body, and a top brush formed by attaching a rotating brush that rotates around a horizontal axis is provided at one end of an arm that can swing up and down, and the vehicle to be washed is moved by the conveyor. While the method of cleaning a car wash machine for cleaning the upper surface of a vehicle to be cleaned with a top brush, wherein the vehicle to be cleaned is a wagon vehicle,
When the arm of the top brush descends below the intermediate position, the arm is forcibly raised to the upper limit position.

In the method for cleaning a car washing machine according to the second aspect of the invention, a conveyor is provided in the main body of the stationary car washing machine to carry the vehicle to be cleaned into the car washing machine body from the front and to carry it out from the car washing machine body to the rear. A top brush formed by attaching a rotating brush that rotates around a horizontal axis is installed at one end of the vertically swingable arm, and the top brush cleans the top surface of the vehicle to be cleaned while moving the vehicle to be cleaned by the conveyor. When the vehicle to be washed is a jeep vehicle, when the top brush is once moved up and down when the top brush reaches the front window of the vehicle to be washed by the conveyor, When the arm of the top brush descends below the intermediate position, the arm is forcibly raised to the upper limit position.

[0009]

According to the cleaning method of the first aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle to be cleaned is a wagon, when the transportation of the vehicle to be cleaned is delayed due to an abnormality in the conveyor or the braking effect of the vehicle to be cleaned is weak, When the brush arm descends below the middle position, the top brush descends to the lower limit,
The arm is forcibly lifted to the upper limit position in order to avoid an accident in which the moving vehicle to be cleaned is pressed by the conveyor and the vehicle to be cleaned is damaged by the top brush. According to the cleaning method of the second aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle to be cleaned is a jeep vehicle, when the transportation of the vehicle to be cleaned is delayed due to an abnormality in the conveyor or weak braking of the vehicle to be cleaned, the top brush is When the top brush is once moved up and down when it reaches the front window of the vehicle to be cleaned by the conveyor, and the arm of the top brush descends below the intermediate position, the top brush is moving by the conveyor. The arm is forcibly lifted to the upper limit position in order to avoid an accident in which the vehicle to be washed is pressed against the front window of the vehicle and is damaged.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a continuous car washing machine using the car washing machine cleaning method of the present invention. As shown in the figure, on the floor 1, a stationary car wash main body 2 formed in a gate shape, and a pair of left and right roller conveyors (vehicle transfer device) 3 that penetrates the car wash main body 2 from the front to reach the rear And are installed.
Further, an operation panel 4 (details of which will be described later) is provided on the front surface of the car wash main body 2, and a sonic sensor 8 for detecting the presence or absence of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned and the vehicle height is provided at the upper center of the front surface.

Inside the car wash machine body 2, as a cleaning means for the vehicle to be cleaned 5, a pair of left and right cleaning side / rocker brushes 11 for cleaning lower side surfaces of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned and side surfaces of the front and rear wheels 6, A cleaning top brush 12 for cleaning the upper surface of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned, a pair of left and right side brushes 13 for cleaning the front surface, rear surface, and both side surfaces of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned, and an arch (not shown) for spraying cleaning water or detergent. And a top brush 14 for wax that applies wax to the upper surface of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned as wax applying means for the vehicle 5 to be cleaned.
And a pair of left and right wax side and rocker brushes 15 for applying wax to both side surfaces of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned and the side surface of the wheel 6, and an arch (not shown) for injecting a wax base agent, a liquid wax or a fluorine coating agent. Further, as a drying means of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned, a vertically movable top nozzle 16 for drying the upper surface of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned, and an air curtain provided between the top nozzle 16 and the rocker brush 15 for wax are provided. A sub-top nozzle 17 that can be raised and lowered,
A pair of left and right side nozzles 18 and the like provided behind the top nozzle 16 for drying both side surfaces of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned are provided.

A front slope 19 is provided on the starting end side of both roller conveyors 3 so that the vehicle 5 to be cleaned can be smoothly loaded.
Is installed, and a rear slope 20 for smoothly discharging the vehicle 5 to be cleaned is installed on the terminal side.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the operation panel 4, a car wash course selection switch 21 and special equipment for each vehicle type to be washed 5 are attached as a switch for inputting automatic car wash data in the lower left half thereof. Vehicle type / equipment input switch 22, setting completion lamp 23, car wash course and vehicle type / equipment setting confirmation switch 24, car wash course and vehicle type / equipment setting correction switch 25 are provided, and the upper left half and In the right half, as a device for paying the car wash fee and a display device for confirming the amount, a prepaid card reader / writer 26, a coin insertion machine 27, a digital display device 28 for displaying the number of prepaid cards or the coin insertion amount.
Is provided. The above switch is composed of a panel switch, and a corresponding lamp is attached to the switch.

Each device of the operation panel 4 is connected to a control device 30 installed in the car wash machine body 2 (described later). An example of the structure of the cleaning top brush 12 and its drive system is shown in FIG.

The top brush 12 has a brush 32 that rotates around a horizontal axis at one end of the arm 31 and a balance weight 33 at the other end, and the brush 32 is centered on the rotation fulcrum X of the arm 31.
Is moved up and down to wash the upper surface of the vehicle 5 to be washed with the brush 32. The brush 32 is a weight of the arm 31.
Rotational force of a motor 34 mounted between the rotation fulcrum X and 33 is transmitted by a chain 36 stretched between a sprocket 35 fixed to the horizontal shaft of the brush 32 and rotated.

The top brush 12 is raised and lowered by supplying and discharging oil from the first and second oil tanks 37 and 38 to the cylinder 39. When the top brush 12 is raised, a changeover switch is used. Both the solenoid A of 40 and the solenoid B of the changeover switch 41 are turned off, and the first oil tank is passed from the compressor 42 through the silencer 43.
When air is supplied to 37, the oil in the first oil tank 37 is pressure-extruded to supply the oil to the cylinder 39, and when the oil is held (locking up and down), the solenoid A is turned on,
When it is further lowered, the solenoid A is turned off and the solenoid B is turned on to discharge the air in the first oil tank 37 from the exhaust nozzle 46 through the check valve 44 and the silencer 45, and the cylinder 39 to the first oil tank. Returning oil to 37. Further, when the solenoid A is turned on and the ascending / descending state is locked, a check valve 47 is provided to suck the outside air and lighten the movement of the cylinder 39 when the force pushing the top brush 12 upward acts. Further brush 32
The torque detection device 48 is provided. The torque detecting device 48 of the brush 32 detects torque by the current of the motor 34 that drives the brush 32, and detects the weight of the brush 32 and the brush 32.
The repulsion balance with the cleaning surface of the vehicle to be cleaned 5 due to the rotation of is detected. Further, a lower limit position detecting device 49 for detecting a lower limit position of the arm 31 and an intermediate position detecting device 50 for detecting a (rotating) intermediate position (hereinafter, referred to as an intermediate position) of the arm 31.
And an upper limit position detection device 51 for detecting the upper limit position of the arm 31.
Is provided. These position detecting devices 49 to 51 are composed of, for example, proximity sensors and photoelectric switches.
Further, the torque detection signal of the torque detection device 48 and the position detection signals of the position detection devices 49 to 51 are input to the control device 30.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the control system of the car wash machine of this embodiment. The car wash machine has a large control system, and the car wash machine body 2
The control device 30, the operation panel 4, the sonic sensor 8 and the position detection devices 49 to 51, which is a microcomputer having a built-in I / O interface unit 30a, a storage unit 30b for storing data and programs, and a control unit 30c. A sensor system 54 including a pulse encoder 53 of a motor (conveyor motor) 52 for driving the conveyor 3, a solenoid A of the conveyor motor 52 and a changeover switch 40, a solenoid B of a changeover switch 41, a rotation motor 34 of a brush 32, and the like. The control device 30 includes a drive system 55, and the control device 30 operates signals such as start and stop from the operation panel 4 and a sensor system.
The detection signal of 54 is input and stored, and the brushes 11 to 15 are controlled by controlling the drive system 55 according to the operation signal and the detection signal.
The nozzles 16 to 18 and the roller conveyor 3 are driven to control the operation of the entire car wash machine body 2.

A method of driving the conveyor 3 and the top brush 12 by the control device 30 when the vehicle to be cleaned 5 is a wagon vehicle 5'will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. A car wash course selection switch 21 on the operation panel 4 sets a course accompanied by cleaning of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned, and a car type / equipment input switch 22 switch 22A.
It is assumed that the wagon wheel 5'is set as a vehicle type by the following, the confirmation switch 24 is subsequently operated, and the control device 30 recognizes that the wagon wheel 5'is cleaned by the top brush 12. Further, the top brush 12 is assumed to be at the upper limit position.

First, a rotation drive signal is output to the conveyor motor 52 to move the vehicle to be cleaned 5 forward (step-1), and a rotation drive signal is output to the motor 34 of the top brush 12 to rotate the brush 32 (step -2), when the tip of the ceiling 5A of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned (point Y in FIG. 8) is detected by the vehicle height detection signal of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned input from the sonic sensor 8 (step -3), the pulse encoder 53 Start counting pulses (step-4).

When the vehicle 5 to be cleaned advances by a distance L as shown in FIG. 8A and the count value of the pulse reaches the timing at which the brush 32 descends to the tip of the ceiling portion 5A (step-5). A constant torque control (described later) is executed so that the brush 32 comes into optimum contact with the ceiling surface of the wagon vehicle 5 '(step-6), and then it is confirmed whether the intermediate position detector 50 is operating. (Step-7). When the operation of the intermediate position detecting device 50 is confirmed, as shown in FIG. 1A, both the solenoid A and the solenoid B are turned off to raise the brush 32 (step-8), and a stop signal is output to the motor 34. Then, the brush 32 is stopped (step-9), and when the upper limit position detector 51 operates (step-10), the solenoid A is turned on to hold the position of the brush 32 (step-11), and the pulse count is counted. Reset (step-12) and finish. Step-6 to Step-11
The vehicle to be cleaned 5 advances further by a distance M (the length of the ceiling 5A) as shown in FIG. 8A, and the count value of the pulse is a value at which the brush 32 reaches the rear end of the ceiling 5A. Repeatedly until (step -13).

The brush 32 reaches the rear end of the ceiling portion 5A and descends along the rear window portion 5D.
When 49 operates (step-14), step-8 to step-12 are executed and the process ends.

The torque constant control method will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. That confirms the torque detection signal of the torque detection device 48 (step -S1), if torque J is within a certain range (J _A ≦ J ≦ J _B), retains the solenoid A as an on (to lift lock ) (step -S2), the torque J reduced (J <J _A),
The solenoid A is turned off and the solenoid B is turned on to lower the brush 32 so that the brush 32 is pressed against the upper surface of the wagon 5 '(step-S3). When the torque increases (J _B <J), the brush 32 is removed. Brushes 32 with both solenoids A and B turned off so that they are separated from the upper surface of the wagon vehicle 5 '.
Is increased (step-S4).

By driving the conveyor 3 and the top brush 12 by the controller 30, when the vehicle 5 to be cleaned is a wagon vehicle 5 ', the transportation of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned is delayed and the top brush
When the arm 31 of 12 descends below the intermediate position, FIG.
As shown in, the arm 31 is forcibly lifted to the upper limit position. Therefore, it is possible to avoid an accident in which the top brush 12 is lowered to the lower limit, the moving vehicle 5 to be cleaned is pressed by the conveyor 3, and the cleaning vehicle 5 is damaged by the top brush 12.

Next, a method of driving the conveyor 3 and the top brush 12 by the control device 30 when the vehicle to be cleaned 5 is a jeep vehicle 5 "will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. A car wash course selection switch 21 sets a course accompanied by cleaning of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned, and a switch 22B of the vehicle type / equipment input switch 22.
It is assumed that the Jeep wheel 5 ″ is set as a vehicle type by the following, the confirmation switch 24 is subsequently operated, and the control device 30 recognizes that the Jeep wheel 5 ″ is washed by the top brush 12. Further, the top brush 12 is assumed to be at the upper limit position.

First, a rotation drive signal is output to the conveyor motor 52 to move the vehicle to be cleaned 5 (step-1), and a rotation drive signal is output to the motor 34 of the top brush 12 to rotate the brush 32 (step 1). -2), when the tip of the front portion 5B of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned (point Z in FIG. 8) is detected by the vehicle height detection signal of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned input from the sonic sensor 8 (step-3), the pulse encoder 53 Start counting pulses (step-4).

The vehicle 5 to be cleaned advances by a distance L as shown in FIG. 8 (b), and the count value of the pulse is the front portion 5
When the timing at which the brush 32 descends to the tip of B is reached (step-5), the torque constant control of FIG. 7 described above is executed (step-6), and the distance F (length of the front portion 5B) is further advanced. When the count value of the pulse reaches the timing at which the brush 32 reaches the tip of the front window portion 5C (step-7), both the solenoid A and the solenoid B are turned off and the brush 32 is raised (step-8). When the upper limit position detecting device 51 operates (step-9), the solenoid A is turned on to hold the position of the brush 32 (step-10), and the distance G (the length of the front window portion 5C) is further advanced to the above pulse. When the count value of reaches the timing at which the brush 32 descends to the tip of the ceiling 5A (step-11), the constant torque control of FIG. 7 is executed (step). -12).

Then, it is confirmed whether the intermediate position detecting device 50 is operating (step-13). When the operation of the intermediate position detecting device 50 is confirmed, as shown in FIG. 1B, both the solenoid A and the solenoid B are turned off and the brush 32 is turned off.
Is raised (step-14), a stop signal is output to the motor 34 to stop the brush 32 (step-15), and the upper limit position detector 51 operates (step-16), the solenoid A is turned on and the brush 32 is turned on. Hold the position of (step-1
7) Reset the pulse count (step-1
8), end. The above Step-12 and Step-13 are
As shown in FIG. 8B, the vehicle 5 to be cleaned is further separated by a distance M.
(The length of the ceiling portion 5A) Moves forward and is repeatedly executed until the count value of the pulse reaches the timing at which the brush 32 reaches the rear end of the ceiling portion 5A (step-19).

When the brush 32 reaches the rear end of the ceiling portion 5A, the above steps -14 to -18 are executed and the process ends. When the vehicle to be cleaned 5 is a jeep vehicle 5 ", the top brush 12 is driven by the control device 30 as described above.
When the vehicle 12 to be cleaned is once raised and lowered at the timing of reaching the front window portion 5C of the vehicle 5 to be washed, the conveyance of the vehicle 5 to be washed is delayed, and the arm 31 of the top brush 12 is lowered to the intermediate position or below. As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the arm 31
Is forcibly raised to the upper limit position. Therefore, the top brush 12 is pressed against the front window portion 5C of the vehicle 5 to be cleaned which is being moved by the conveyor 3,
By 12, it is possible to avoid an accident in which the vehicle to be cleaned 5 is damaged.

In this way, when the conveyance of the vehicle to be cleaned 5 is delayed due to the abnormality of the conveyor 3 or the braking effect of the vehicle to be cleaned 5 is weak, the top brush is forcibly forced.
By raising 12 it is possible to avoid the accident of damage to the vehicle 5 to be washed by the top brush 12.

In the present embodiment, the method for cleaning the top brush 12 is applied to the continuous car wash machine, but it can also be applied to a car wash machine for cleaning the vehicle to be cleaned with the top brush while moving the car wash machine body. Further, although it is determined from the vehicle type input signal from the operation panel 9 that the vehicle type of the vehicle to be washed 5 is the wagon vehicle 5'or the jeep vehicle 5 ", the vehicle height detection signal of the sonic sensor 8 causes the vehicle to be washed to be washed. Determine whether the vehicle type of the vehicle 5 is a wagon vehicle 5'or a jeep vehicle 5 ",
It is also possible to perform the above control.

[0031]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle to be washed is a wagon vehicle, when the conveyance of the vehicle to be washed is delayed due to an abnormality in the conveyor or weak braking of the vehicle to be washed. When the arm of the top brush descends below the intermediate position, the arm is forcibly lifted to the upper limit position, so that the vehicle to be cleaned can be prevented from being damaged by the top brush.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the vehicle to be cleaned is a jeep vehicle, when the vehicle to be cleaned is delayed in transportation due to an abnormality in the conveyor or weak braking of the vehicle to be cleaned, the top brush is covered. Accidental damage to the vehicle to be washed by the top brush by forcibly raising the arm to the upper limit position when the arm of the top brush descends below the intermediate position when it is raised and lowered at the front window of the washed vehicle. Can be avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a locus diagram of a top brush at the time of cleaning a wagon car and a jeep car by a car washing machine using a car washing machine cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the car washing machine.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel of the car wash machine.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a structure of a top brush of the car wash machine and a drive system thereof.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system of the car wash machine.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram of top brush control at the time of washing the wagon by the control device of the car washing machine.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of top brush control by the control device of the car wash machine.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a washing operation of the vehicle to be washed of the car washing machine.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart diagram of top brush control during jeep car washing by the control device of the car washing machine.

FIG. 10 is a locus diagram of a top brush when cleaning a conventional wagon car.

FIG. 11 is a locus diagram of a top brush when cleaning a conventional jeep vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Floor surface 2 Car wash machine body 3 Roller conveyor 4 Operation panel 5 Vehicle to be washed 5'Wagon vehicle 5 "Jeep vehicle 8 Sonic sensor 12 Top brush 21 Car wash course selection switch 22 Vehicle type / equipment input switch 22A Wagon vehicle input switch 22B Jeep Vehicle input switch 30 Control device 31 Arm 32 Brush 33 Weight 34 Rotary motor 37, 38 Oil tank 39 Cylinder 40, 41 Changeover switch 42 Compressor 48 Torque detection device 49 Lower limit position detection device 50 Middle position detection device (intermediate position detection device) 51 Upper limit position detector 52 Conveyor motor 53 Pulse encoder

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A stationary car washer body is provided with a conveyor for loading a vehicle to be washed into the car wash body from the front and at the same time for carrying out the car wash body to the rear, and at one end of a vertically swingable arm, A method of cleaning a car washer in which a top brush formed by attaching a rotary brush rotating around a horizontal axis is disposed, and the top surface of the vehicle to be cleaned is cleaned by the top brush while moving the vehicle to be cleaned by the conveyor, When the vehicle to be cleaned is a wagon, when the arm of the top brush descends below an intermediate position, the arm is forcibly lifted to an upper limit position. 2. A stationary car washing machine main body is provided with a conveyor for carrying a vehicle to be washed into the car washing machine main body from the front and unloading the car washing machine rearward from the car washing machine main body, and at one end of a vertically swingable arm, A method of cleaning a car washer in which a top brush formed by attaching a rotary brush rotating around a horizontal axis is disposed, and the top surface of the vehicle to be cleaned is cleaned by the top brush while moving the vehicle to be cleaned by the conveyor, When the vehicle to be cleaned is a jeep vehicle, when the top brush reaches the front window portion of the vehicle to be cleaned by the conveyor, the top brush is temporarily moved up and down, and the arm of the top brush is at an intermediate position or less. A method for cleaning a car washing machine, which comprises forcibly raising the arm to an upper limit position when the arm is lowered.