JPH1035431A - Car washing machine and car washing method using it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To optimally regulate a distance between a side face of a vehicle and a side brush without using any vehicle width detecting sensor such as a sonic sensor. SOLUTION: Both side brush devices 8a, 8b are moved to the central side of a car washing main body by means of energizing means 24a, 24b, and when proximity switches 45 detect separation of pressing members 30 from the side brush devices 8a, 8b toward the central side of the car washing machine main body after the side brush devices 8a, 8b are brought into contact with the side faces of a vehicle 2, the pressing members 30 are moved in the directions B so as to be separated from the center of the car washing machine main body, and as a result, the side brush devices 8a, 8b are pressed and resumed by the predetermined distances T in the directions B so as to be separated from the center of the car washing machine main body. In this way, distances between the vehicle 2 and the side brush devices 8a, 8b can be regulated optimally.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a car washer provided with a side brush device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of car washer, for example, as shown in FIG.
A car washer 62 performs a car wash by reciprocating in the front-rear direction. The car washer body 62 is provided with a pair of left and right side brushes 63 for cleaning the side surface of the vehicle 61. Both side brushes 63 move in the left-right direction and approach and separate from each other. The car washer body 62 is provided with a vehicle width detecting sonic sensor 64 for detecting the width of the vehicle 61.

According to this, when the car washer body 62 approaches the vehicle 61, first, the vehicle width is detected by the vehicle width detecting sonic sensor 64, and the stop position of both side brushes 63 is set according to the detected vehicle width. Then, both side brushes 63 move to each stop position. Thereby, as shown by the phantom line, the interval between both side brushes 63 is optimally adjusted according to the vehicle width, and the vehicle 61
The distance between the side surface and the side brush 63 becomes appropriate.
Then, with the movement of the car wash machine main body 62, both side surfaces of the vehicle 61 are washed by both side brushes 63.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional type, when the vehicle width is detected by the vehicle width detecting sonic sensor 64, the vehicle width detecting sonic sensor 64 is detected by water splash.
Could be erroneously detected or malfunction.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to optimally adjust the distance between a side surface of a vehicle and a side brush without using a vehicle width detecting sensor such as a sonic sensor. It is.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the car washer is performed by relatively moving the car washer body and the vehicle in the front-rear direction. A car washer, wherein the car wash body includes a side brush device for cleaning a side surface of the vehicle and movable in the left-right direction; and an urging means for urging the side brush device toward the center of the car wash machine body. A pushing member that moves the side brush device in a direction away from the center of the car washer body against the urging force of the urging means in contact with the side brush device, and a driving device that moves the pushing member in the left-right direction. A detection device for detecting contact / separation of the pressing member with respect to the side brush device is provided on one of the pressing member and the side brush device. When the detecting device detects that the pressing member is separated to the side, a control device for controlling the driving device such that the pushing member moves a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the car washing machine body is provided in the car washing machine body. It is characterized by the following.

According to this, when the driving device is driven to move the pushing member toward the center of the car washer body, the side brush device is moved toward the center of the car washer body by the urging force of the urging means. Then, the side brush device comes into contact with the side surface of the vehicle and stops, but in this state, both side brush devices are too close to the vehicle side. For this reason, immediately after this, the detecting device detects that the pushing member has separated from the side brush device toward the center side of the car washer body, and the detecting device has detected that the pushing member has separated from the side brush device. The push member moves by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the car washer body. For this reason, the pushing member comes into contact with the side brush device, and moves the side brush device by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the car wash machine body against the urging force of the urging means. This makes it possible to optimally adjust the distance between the side brush and the side of the vehicle without using a conventional vehicle width detection sensor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a proximity switch is used as the detection device, and the proximity switch is mounted on the side brush device side. According to a third aspect of the present invention, a side brush device includes a movable body supported and guided by rails via rollers and movable in the left-right direction, and a side brush main body provided on the movable body. Are each composed of a pair of left and right wheels, an endless rotating member wound between these two wheels, and a motor for rotating one of the wheels, and a pushing member is provided on the endless rotating member. To contact the moving object,
A pulse encoder is connected to the motor, a counter is provided for counting the number of pulses of the pulse encoder, and the control device is configured to detect when the detection device detects that the pushing member has separated from the moving body to the center side of the car wash machine body. The motor is rotated in a direction away from the center of the car wash machine body by a predetermined number of pulses.

According to this, when the motor rotates and the pushing member moves toward the center of the car washer body, the side brush device moves toward the center of the car washer body by the urging force of the urging means. Then, the side brush main body comes into contact with the side surface of the vehicle and stops, but in this state, both the side brush devices are too close to the vehicle side. For this reason, immediately after this, the detecting device detects that the pushing member is separated from the moving body toward the center of the car washer body, and the detecting device detects that the pushing member is separated from the moving body. I do. For this reason, the pushing member moves by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the car washer body, so that the pushing member comes into contact with the moving body, and the side brush device is placed in the car washing machine against the urging force of the urging means. The body is moved a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the main body. Thus, the distance between the side brush and the side of the vehicle can be adjusted optimally.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle reaches the side of the side brush device, the driving device is driven to move the side brush device in a direction away from the center of the car washer body by the pushing member. By driving the driving device, the pushing member is moved to the center side of the car washer body, and the side brush device is moved to the center side of the car washer body by the urging force of the urging means, so that the side brush device abuts on the side of the vehicle. When the detecting device detects that the pushing member is separated from the side brush device toward the center of the car washer body, the driving device is driven to push the pushing member against the urging force of the urging means. And moving the side brush device back a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the car washer body.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,
A car wash machine 4 includes a stationary car wash machine body 1 and a pair of left and right roller conveyor devices 3 for carrying the vehicle 2 into the car wash machine body 1 from the front and carrying the vehicle 2 backward from the car wash machine body 1. It is installed on the floor 5.

Inside the car washer body 1, a pair of left and right rocker brush devices 6 for cleaning, a top brush device 7 for cleaning, and a pair of left and right side brush devices 8 for cleaning are provided.
a, 8b, a top brush device 9 for applying wax,
A pair of left and right rocker brush devices 10 for wax application,
A top nozzle device 11 for drying and a pair of left and right side nozzle devices 12 for drying are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the two side brush devices 8a and 8b are respectively provided with moving bodies 14a and 14b and a side brush body 15 provided below the moving bodies 14a and 14b.
a and 15b. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, each of the moving bodies 14a and 14b has a plurality of rollers.
It is supported and guided by a rail 17 via 16 and is movable in the left-right direction. The rail 17 is mounted on a gantry 18 provided on the upper part of the car wash machine main body 1. The side brush bodies 15a and 15b are provided on the moving bodies 14a and 14b so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 19. The moving bodies 14a and 14b are provided with a rotation motor 20 for rotating the side brush bodies 15a and 15b.
The rotating shafts 19 of the side brush bodies 15a, 15b are linked to each other via sprockets 21, 22 and a chain 23.

As shown in FIG. 2, the side brush devices 8a and 8b are urged toward the center A of the car washer body 1 by urging means 24a and 24b, respectively. The above urging means
24a and 24b are wires 25a connected to one moving body 14a and pulled out beyond the center of the car washer body 1 to the other side.
And a counter weight 26 suspended from the wire 25a.
a, a wire 25b connected to the other moving body 14b and pulled out to one side beyond the center of the car washer body 1, and a counterweight 26b suspended from the wire 25b. The wires 25a and 25b are guided from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction by guide wheels 27 provided on both right and left sides of the gantry 18, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gantry 18 abuts a passive member 29 provided on each of the moving bodies 14a and 14b, and has both side brushes against the urging force of the urging means 24a and 24b. Direction B in which the devices 8a and 8b are separated from the center of the car washer body 1
And a pair of left and right driving devices 31 for moving both the pressing members 30 in the left and right directions.

As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG.
31 is a pair of left and right sprockets 32 and 33 (an example of a wheel body) provided on the gantry 18;
A drive chain 34 (an example of an endless rotating body) wound between 2 and 33 and a drive motor 35 for rotating one of the sprockets 32 are provided. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the drive chain 34 is movably inserted into a through hole 36 formed in the passive member 29. Further, as shown in FIG.
The number of pulses generated from the pulse encoder 37 is counted by a counter 38.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
Is a rod body 39 integrated with the drive chain 34 (constituting a part of the drive chain 34), a cylindrical body 40 externally fitted to the rod body 39, and within a certain range of the two 39, 40. Notch 41 and bolt body 42 allowing relative movement of
And a pressing plate portion 44 fixed to the outer end of the cylindrical body 40. The passive member 29 is provided with a proximity switch 45 (an example of a detection device) for detecting the contact / separation of the pressing member 30.

As shown in FIG. 8, reference numeral 48 denotes each of the above driving motors.
The control device 48 controls the control unit 35.
When each proximity switch 45 detects that each push member 30 is separated from the passive member 29 to the center side A of the car washer body 1 as shown in FIG. Rotate in the direction B away from the center.

As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG.
It is supported and guided by a pair of left and right support rails 51 via a plurality of rollers 50, and is reciprocally movable in the front-rear direction by a moving device (not shown) such as a cylinder. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of left and right rocker brush devices 6 for cleaning are respectively attached to the free ends of a swing arm 53 provided in the car washer body 1, and the swing arm 53 swings in the left-right direction. It is movable. The pair of left and right rocker brush devices 10 for wax application are also movable in the left-right direction.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 8, after the vehicle 2 gets on the start end of the roller conveyor device 3 and stops, the vehicle 2 is conveyed toward the car washer body 1 by the roller conveyor device 3. And
The motor 20 for both rotations is driven to drive both side brush bodies 15a,
As 15b rotates, both drive motors 35 rotate forward, both drive chains 34 rotate to one side, and both push members 30 move to the center side A of the car washer body 1 respectively. This allows
Both side brush devices 8a and 8b are counterweights 26.
It moves to the center side A of the car washer body 1 by the urging forces of a and 26b. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, since each passive member 29 moves while being in contact with each pressing member 30, the proximity switch 45 is turned on.

The front side of the vehicle 2 that has passed between the two rocker brush devices 6 while being conveyed by the roller conveyor device 3 and has passed under the top brush device 7 as shown in FIG. 8b, a moving device (not shown) as shown by arrow C in FIG.
Is driven to move the gantry 18 from the front to the rear in accordance with the transport speed of the vehicle 2, the two side brush devices 8a and 8b move from the front to the rear, and the two driving motors 35 rotate in reverse to drive both the The chain 34 rotates to the other side, and the two pushing members 30 move in the direction B away from the center of the car wash machine body 1 respectively. As a result, the pushing member 30 is moved to the counterweight 26a,
The passive member 29 is pressed against the urging force of 26b, and both side brush devices 8a and 8b move in the direction B away from the center of the car washer body 1 as shown by the phantom line in FIG. As a result, the front surface of the vehicle 2 is cleaned by the two side brush devices 8a and 8b.

When the front of the vehicle 2 is washed in this way, the gantry 18 returns from the rear to the front as shown by the arrow D in FIG.
While moving from back to front, again
As the 35 rotates forward, both drive chains 34 rotate to one side, and both push members 30 move to the center side A of the car washer body 1 respectively.
Thereby, as shown in FIG.
a and 8b are moved to the center side A of the car washer body 1 by the urging force of the counter weights 26a and 26b, and stop by contacting the side surface of the vehicle 2;
15a and 15b are too close to the vehicle 2 side.

Immediately thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the pushing member 30 separates from the passive member 29 to the center side A of the car washer body 1, and the proximity switch 45 is turned off. Thereby, the control device 48 rotates the driving motor 35 in the reverse direction.
At this time, the counter 38 counts the number of pulses of the pulse encoder 37, and when the count value of the counter 38 reaches a predetermined value, the driving motor 35 is stopped. Therefore, the drive chain 34
Pivots to the other side, and the pushing member 30 moves by a predetermined distance in the direction B away from the center of the car washer body 1. This allows
As shown in FIG. 6, the pushing member 30 abuts on the passive member 29 and resists the urging force of the counterweights 26a and 26b.
, The two side brush devices 8 as shown in FIG.
a, 8b move a predetermined distance T in the direction B away from the center of the car wash machine body 1. Thus, both side brush bodies 15a and 15b can be used without using a conventional vehicle width detecting sensor.
The distance between b and the side of the vehicle 2 can be adjusted optimally. Further, as shown in FIG.
When the rod body 39 contacts the cylinder 40, the rod body 39
Since it relatively moves against 43, the shock at the time of contact is buffered.

When the vehicle 2 is conveyed to the left or right with respect to the center of the car washer body 1, one of the side brush bodies 15a abuts on one side of the vehicle 2 first and the car washer body 1 1 moves a predetermined distance T in a direction B away from the center of the vehicle 1, and with a slight delay, the other side brush body 15b contacts the other side of the vehicle 2 and moves a predetermined distance T in a direction B away from the center of the car wash machine body 1. Just move. In this way, even if the vehicle 2 is displaced to the left or right, the distance between each side brush main body 15a, 15b and the side surface of the vehicle 2 can be adjusted optimally.

When the cleaning of the side surface of the vehicle 2 is completed in this way, as shown in FIG.
a and 8b move to the center side A of the car washer body 1, respectively, and the moving device is driven, and the gantry 18 follows the vehicle 2 according to the transport speed of the vehicle 2 and moves from the front to the rear (in the direction of arrow E). The two side brush devices 8a, 8b move from the front to the rear to wash the rear surface of the vehicle 2 while moving.

When the rear surface of the vehicle 2 has been washed in this manner, the vehicle 2 is further coated with wax by a waxing top brush device 9 and a rocker brush device 10, as shown in FIG. Top nozzle equipment for drying
After drying by the side nozzle device 11 and the side nozzle device 12, it is conveyed to the end of both roller conveyor devices 3. Then, the vehicle 2 travels and exits from the terminal end of the roller conveyor device 3.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Although the gantry 18 can be moved in the front-rear direction, the two side brush devices 8a and 8b are also moved in the front-rear direction.
May be moved only in the left-right direction.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Although both side brush devices 8a and 8b can be moved in the left-right direction, one of the left and right side brush devices 8a and 8b can be moved.
a, 8b may be movable in the left-right direction, and the other side brush devices 8a, 8b may be fixed.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Although the proximity switch 45 is used as an example of the detection device, a limit switch or a photoelectric switch may be used. As shown in FIG. 8, the car washer of the above embodiment is of a type in which the car washer body 1 is installed and fixed on the floor surface and the car 2 is washed while being transported by the roller conveyor device 3. The present invention may be applied to a car washer in which the car washer is moved back and forth with respect to the vehicle 2 while the car 2 is stopped at a predetermined position.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the side brush device and the side surface of the vehicle are provided without using a vehicle width detecting sensor such as a sonic sensor as in the prior art. Can be adjusted optimally, and troubles due to erroneous detection or malfunction of the vehicle width detection sensor can be eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a side brush device of a car washer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the movement of the side brush device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an upper portion of one of the left and right side brush devices.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one of the left and right side brush devices.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the upper part of one of the left and right side brush devices.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the pressing member and the passive member in a state where they are in contact with each other.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the pushing member and the passive member in a state where they are separated from each other.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view of the entire car wash machine.

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway plan view of the entire car washer.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view illustrating a car washing procedure using both side brush devices.

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view illustrating a car washing procedure using both side brush devices.

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view illustrating a car washing procedure using both side brush devices.

FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view of a conventional car washer provided with a side brush.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car wash machine main body 2 Vehicle 4 Car wash machine 8a, 8b Side brush device 14a, 14b Moving body 15a, 15b Side brush main body 16 Roller 17 Rail 24a, 24b Urging means 30 Push member 31 Drive unit 32 Sprocket (wheel) 33 Sprocket (Wheel) 34 Drive chain (endless rotating body) 35 Drive motor 37 Pulse encoder 38 Counter 45 Proximity switch (detection device) 48 Control device A Center side of car washer body B Direction away from center of car washer body T predetermined distance

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A car washing machine for performing car washing by relatively moving a car washing machine main body and a vehicle in the front-rear direction, wherein the side of the car washing machine main body is capable of washing a side surface of the vehicle and moving in a left-right direction. A brush device, an urging means for urging the side brush device toward the center of the car washer body, and a brushing device for abutting the side brush device against the urging force of the urging means and for moving the side brush device to the car wash machine body. A push member for moving the push member in a direction away from the center thereof, and a drive device for moving the push member in the left-right direction, and contact of the push member with the side brush device with either the push member or the side brush device. A detection device for detecting separation is provided, and when the detection device detects that the pressing member has separated from the side brush device to the center side of the car wash machine main body, the push member separates from the center of the car wash machine main body. A car washing machine characterized in that a control device for controlling a driving device so as to move by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction is provided in a car washing machine main body. 2. The car washer according to claim 1, wherein a proximity switch is used as the detection device, and the proximity switch is mounted on the side brush device side. 3. A side brush device is supported and guided by rails via rollers, and is movable in the left-right direction.
Each of the driving devices includes a pair of left and right wheels, an endless rotating member wound between the two wheels, and one of the wheels. A pusher is provided on the endless rotating body, abuts against the moving body, a pulse encoder is connected to the motor, and a counter for counting the number of pulses of the pulse encoder is provided. When the detecting device detects that the pushing member is separated from the moving body to the center side of the car wash machine main body, the motor is rotated in a direction away from the center of the car wash machine main body by a predetermined number of pulses. The car washer according to 1. 4. The driving device is driven to move the side brush device in a direction away from the center of the car washer body by a pushing member. When the vehicle reaches the side of the side brush device, the driving device is driven. The pushing member is moved toward the center of the car washer body, and the side brush device is moved toward the center of the car washing machine body by the urging force of the urging means. When the detecting device detects that the brush device has moved away from the center of the car washer body, the driving device is driven to move the pushing member away from the center of the car wash machine body against the urging force of the urging means. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the side brush device is moved by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the center of the car washer body.