JPS60176851A - Car washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a uniform washing surface over the whole lot of ranges of the top of a car obtainable in time of car washing, by slowing, down a traveling rate of a running frame at a time when a lower positional surface of a car body is brushed clean. CONSTITUTION:A car washing machine is provided with a portal running frame 2 which is constituted of making it travelable along a traveling rail 3 laid down on the ground. A pair of symmetrical running motor RM are mounted on the running frame 2, and output of the running motor RM is designed so as to be decelerated by a speed reducer 40. A chain 44 is stretched over between a sprocket 41 locked to an output shaft of the speed reducer 40 and a sprocket 43 installed in a driving shaft 42 on the rail 3, thus travel driving device is constituted there. The motor RM is of speed conversion type motor in version, which is convertible to both high and low steps. Therefore, when a brushing position comes to a car body lower position, a traveling rate of the frame slows down automatically so that a uniform washing surface over the whole lot of the top of the car body is obtainable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a car wash machine, in particular, a gate-type traveling frame that straddles a vehicle, and a traveling drive means for driving the frame in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. An upper rotating brush for brushing the upper surface of the vehicle is rotatably supported at one end of a swinging arm that is swingably supported around an axis, and the other end of the swinging arm functions as a balance weight. This invention relates to a car wash machine to which heavy objects are fixed.

Conventionally, in such a car wash machine, the contact pressure of the upper rotating brush against the upper surface of the vehicle is obtained by the difference between the moment of the upper rotating brush about the swing axis of the swinging arm and the moment of the heavy object. However, the height of the top surface of a passenger car is different for the hood surface, ceiling surface, and trunk surface. Therefore, when brushing a low-level surface such as a bonnet surface or a trunk surface, the tilt angle of the swing arm is relatively small, and when brushing a high-level surface such as a ceiling surface, the tilt angle of the swing arm becomes large. For this reason, if the contact surface pressure of the upper surface rotating brush is set appropriately for the low surface, the contact surface pressure for the high surface will become too large, and conversely, if the contact surface pressure for the high surface is set appropriately, the contact surface pressure for the high surface will become too large. Contact surface pressure becomes too small.

In this way, the contact surface pressure of the upper rotating brush becomes uneven between the lower surface and the higher surface, and if the traveling speed of the traveling frame is kept constant as has been done in the past, the lower surface will have a lower pressure than the higher surface. The blurring effect will be inferior. That is, compared to the high-level surface, the low-level surface was inferior to the cleaning effect during cleaning, the polishing effect during wax application, and the scale-removing effect during scale removal, resulting in an uneven finish on the treated surface.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate such conventional drawbacks, and is a car wash that lowers the running speed of the traveling frame when brushing the lower surfaces so that a uniform treated surface can be obtained over the entire upper surface of the vehicle. The purpose is to provide a machine.

In order to achieve such an object, according to the present invention, the traveling drive means is configured to be able to switch the traveling speed into at least two levels, high and low, and the traveling frame is provided with a device that detects the height of the top surface of the vehicle and also detects the height of the top surface of the vehicle. A detector is provided for switching the traveling speed of the traveling drive means to a lower speed side when is smaller than a predetermined value.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, in FIG. The vehicle can travel along traveling rails 3 laid down, that is, can travel in the direction indicated by arrow 4 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

5 - The traveling frame 2 is cleaned, waxed, dried,
Rotating brush device B is used to perform processes such as removing limescale.
, drying device D, detergent spraying device C, wax coating device W,
Scale remover spraying devices M, AI, and rinsing water spraying devices R0 and R2 are provided, respectively. Further, the traveling frame 2 is equipped with a pair of left and right traveling prime movers RM, and the output of these traveling prime movers RΔf is decelerated by a speed reducer 40. Further, an endless chino 44 is suspended between a sprocket 41 fixed to the output shaft of the reducer 40 and a sprocket 43 provided on a drive wheel 42 on the rail 3. This constitutes the travel drive means 7. Moreover, the driving motor RM is of a rotational speed converting type, for example, using a pole number converting motor to convert from two poles at high speeds to four poles at low speeds, and can be switched to two stages of high and low speeds.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the rotating brush device B includes: 6- A top rotating brush 5 and a pair of side rotating brushes 6. The upper rotating brush 5 is swingably supported via a swing arm 9 on a horizontal horizontal shaft 8 that is rotatably supported on the traveling frame 2 . That is, the horizontal shafts 8 are rotatably supported on the traveling frame 2 in pairs on the left and right, and the upper rotating brush 5 is placed between one end of a pair of swinging arms 9 fixed at right angles to the tips of the horizontal shafts 8. is pivoted. A prime mover 10 as a heavy object that also functions as a balance weight is supported at the other end of one of the swinging arms 9. It is transmitted to the upper rotating brush 5 via a mechanism (not shown). Furthermore, a balance weight 50 is fixed to the other end of the other swing arm 9. In this way, the upper rotary brush 5 is pivotally supported between one end of both swinging arms 9, and the prime mover 10 as a heavy object is mounted at the other end of the swinging arm 9.
And by fixing the balance weight 50,
The upper rotating brush 5 comes into contact with the upper surface of the vehicle with a contact surface pressure corresponding to the difference between the moment on the upper rotating brush 5 side about the horizontal axis 8 and the moment on the heavy object side.

A sprocket 11 is fixed to one of the horizontal shafts 8, and an intermediate shaft 12 is rotatably supported on the traveling frame 2 below the horizontal shaft 8. Another sprocket 13 is fixed to this intermediate shaft 12. An endless chain 714 is suspended from both sprockets 11 and 13, and a piston rod of an air cylinder 16 whose lower end is supported by the traveling frame 2 is attached to a metal fitting 15 fixed in the middle of the chain 14. 17 are connected. Therefore, by reducing the air cylinder 16, the upper rotary brush 5 can be held in the upper retracted position as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Furthermore, when the air cylinder 16 is inactivated, the upper rotating brush 5
can freely swing back and forth around the traveling frame 20 about the horizontal shaft 8 in response to contact with the top surface of the vehicle.

In FIG. 3, a cam 51 is fixed in the middle of the other horizontal shaft 8, and a limit switch 52 as a detector is disposed on the traveling frame 2 corresponding to the cam 51. The cam 51 has a pair of inclined surfaces 53 and 54 extending in the radial direction from the center of the horizontal axis 8 at a central angle α, and a pair of abutments bent from the tips of the inclined surfaces and extending in directions away from each other. It has an outer circumferential surface consisting of a contact surface 55.56 and an arcuate surface 57 connecting the tips of both contact surfaces 55.56. This is Shikam 5
1 has a shape in which a disc is cut out between both inclined surfaces 53.54 and both contact surfaces 55.56 that form a central angle α, and when the upper surface rotating brush 5 is at the lowest position, the notched portion is cut out. It is fixed to the other horizontal shaft 8 so as to be located above. The limit switch 52 is supported by the traveling frame 2 above the cam 51 so that both contact surfaces 55 and 56 can come into contact with the actuator 58 thereof. Moreover, the limit switch 52 is
The actuator 58 is configured to change the switching mode depending on whether it is in a hanging state as shown by the solid line in FIG. There is. That is, the cam 51 rotates as shown by the arrow 59 in response to the swinging motion of the upper rotating brush 5, and is pressed by both contact surfaces 55 and 56, causing the actuator 58 to rotate. When the actuator 58 comes into contact with the arcuate surface 57 by exceeding .56, the switching mode of the limit switch 52 changes. Therefore, by setting the central angle α appropriately,
The limit switch 52 can detect that the top rotating brush 5 has reached a set height or higher.

The rotating shafts 18 of the pair of side rotating brushes 6 are held by holding tubes 10-19, and the holding tubes 19 are fixed to the movable frame 20 with their axes being vertical. The movable frame 20 is slidably engaged with a guide rail 21 horizontally mounted on the traveling frame 2, and the support shaft 22 of the 91 guide rail 21 is rotatably supported by the traveling frame 2.

Therefore, the guide rail 21. Moving frame 20. Holding tube 19
The two rotating shafts 18 and the side rotating brushes 6 are swingable in the traveling direction 4 about the supporting shafts 22 as fulcrums. A prime mover 23 is supported on the movable frame 20, and a sprocket 24 fixed to the output shaft of the prime mover 23 and a sprocket 25 fixed to the end of the rotating shaft 18 are connected to an endless chino 26.
is suspended, and the side rotating brush 6 is rotationally driven by the prime mover 23.

The drying device consists of a pair of side blower nozzles 27 that open inward on both sides of the traveling frame 20, and a top blower nozzle 28 that opens downwards at the top, which are connected to a blower 29. 28 is raised and lowered by a lifting means (not shown) in accordance with the height of the vehicle to be dried.

The detergent spraying device C includes a detergent supply header 4 provided in a gate shape.
6 is provided with a plurality of spray nozzles 47, and the wax application device W is provided with a plurality of spray nozzles 49 on a wax supply header 48 provided in a gate shape.

Such a drying device D, a detergent spraying device C, and a wax application device W are conventionally installed in car wash machines, and their configurations are also conventionally known.

The scale remover spraying devices AI, , M2 are installed on the traveling frame 2 before and after the rotating brush device B in the running direction 4, and these scale remover spraying devices M, , M2 and the rotating brush device B are connected to each other. Rinse water spray devices R, , R2 are provided between them.

In FIG. 4, the scale remover spraying devices M, , M2 are connected to a gate-shaped supply header 31 supported inside the traveling frame 2.
．． 32, a plurality of spray nozzles 33, 34 are attached to the vehicle (not shown). These spray nozzles 3
3 and 34 are respectively attached to supply headers 31 and 32 so that the direction of dispersion can be adjusted, and the opening area thereof is set to be relatively large. The rinse water spray devices R, , R2 are constructed by attaching a plurality of spray nozzles 37, 38 toward the vehicle to a gate-shaped supply header 35, 36 supported inside the traveling frame 2.

A water supply pump P, an air source A, a scale remover storage tank T1, and a base wax storage tank T2 are connected to the scale remover spraying devices AI, M2, respectively. That is, the water supply pump P is connected to the first solenoid valve S1 and the first ejector E1 in this order, and the air source A is connected to the second solenoid valve S.
2. The pressure reducing valve CV13- and the second ejector E2 are connected in this order, and the first ejector E1 is connected at right angles to the second ejector E2. A third solenoid valve S4 is connected to the scale remover storage tank T, and a fourth solenoid valve S4 is connected to the base wax storage tank T2.
are connected in parallel and at right angles to the first ejector E1. Further, the second ejector E2 is connected to the upper center of the supply header 31 in one scale remover spraying device M1 via a fifth solenoid valve S5, and is connected to the upper center of the supply header 31 in the other scale remover spraying device via a sixth solenoid valve S6. Connected to the supply at M2 at the top center of ladder 32.

The water supply pump P is also a rinse water spray device R1.

To supply water to R2, their supply headers 35°36
7th in the center of the top. They are connected via eighth solenoid valves S7 and S8, respectively.

As the scale remover 14- agent stored in the scale remover storage tank T1, a strong alkaline agent exhibiting p II 14 in its undiluted solution is used, which has been adjusted to a pH of about 12 to 14. This is the result of experiments conducted by the present inventor, and the conventional p II
Detergents with a pH of about 8 to 10 cannot remove limescale, and the scale remover with a pH of about 1.2 to 14 does not remove scale.
This is based on the discovery that water stains can be lifted and removed from painted surfaces of vehicles.

Such rotating brush device B, drying device D, detergent spraying device C, wax application device IF, IJ water spraying device R,
, R, and scale remover spraying device M.

The operation of M2 and the traveling operation of traveling frame 2
The forward travel N operation, that is, the operation of the travel motor RM is controlled by a control panel 39 (see FIG. 1) provided on the travel frame 2. Further, the detection signal of the limit switch 52 is input to the control panel 39, and when the height of the upper rotating brush 5, that is, the height of the top surface of the vehicle is lower than a preset value, the rotation speed of the driving motor RM is set to the low speed side. When the height exceeds a preset value, the rotational speed of the driving motor RM is set to the high speed side.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described, with particular attention paid to the scale removal process, and the operation of the upper rotating brush 5 and the traveling frame 2 will be explained in detail. In other words, in the descaling process, a descaling agent is sprayed in the form of foam onto the surface of the vehicle and the surface is brushed.However, if the low and high surfaces of the vehicle are brushed at the same speed as in the past, in the case of a passenger car, Since the contact surface pressure of the upper rotary brush 5 on the hood surface and trunk surface is smaller than that on the ceiling surface, the limescale removal effect is inferior. Particularly on the bonnet surface, water scale is firmly attached due to the heat radiated from the engine, so the effectiveness of removing water scale is poor. For this reason, especially in white-painted vehicles, dark water stains may remain on the bonnet surface, resulting in an uneven finish on the treated surface compared to the ceiling surface. Therefore, during plastering, the traveling frame 2 is run at a lower speed when applying to a lower surface than when applying to a higher surface to obtain an even treated surface over the entire upper surface of the vehicle. This will be explained with reference to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10. In addition, in FIGS. 5 to 5B, the upper part (a) shows a simplified side surface, and the lower part (Al) shows the simplified plane.

First, to remove limescale from the vehicle V, the rotating brush device B
1. The detergent spraying device C and the drying device D' perform plush washing and drying of the vehicle V in the same manner as in a conventional car wash machine.

Next, a start key (not shown) on the control panel 39 is pressed. As a result, the traveling frame 2 moves back and forth as shown by arrows in FIG. Along with this, 17-. Second. Third. Fifth solenoid valve S,, S2°S3.
S, opens, and the fourth. 6th. 7th. Eighth solenoid valve S4,
S6, S, and S8 are kept closed. Therefore, the water from the water pump P sucks up the descaling agent in the first ejector EI and reaches the second ejector E2, where it is foamed by the air from the air source A. The foamy scale remover reaches the supply header 31 of one scale remover spraying device M1, and is distributed to each spray nozzle 33.
It is sprayed towards the vehicle V in the form of foam. At this time, since the opening area of the spray nozzle 33 is set to be relatively large, the bubbles of the scale remover adhere to the surface of the vehicle V without being crushed. Spraying the scale remover in the form of foam in this way prevents the scale remover sprayed on the surface of the vehicle V from flowing down immediately, and is necessary for lifting the scale from the surface of the vehicle V. This is to ensure a sufficient reaction time and to obtain a uniformly treated surface. Also, according to experiments, by forming the foam into a foam, it was possible to obtain a superior scale removal effect compared to simply spraying the liquid. Furthermore, the brushing by the rotating brush device B achieves the same effect as the manual scrubbing operation 9, and also makes the limescale remover sprayed on the surface of the vehicle V more uniformly adhere to the entire surface of the vehicle V. .

The traveling speed of the traveling frame 20 during spraying and applying the scale remover will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. The actuator 58 of the switch 52 is not in contact with the cam 51. At this time, the rotational speed of the driving motor RM is set to the low speed side, and the upper rotating brush 5 brushes the bonnet surface BT of the vehicle V as the traveling frame 2 travels at a low speed. In addition, as the running frame 2 travels at a low speed, a relatively large amount of the scale remover from the scale remover spraying device M1 is also sprayed onto the bonnet surface BT.

Next, the upper rotating brush 5 passes over the bonnet surface BT and the front window surface 1? When the position P1 on W is reached, the cam 51 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the upper surface rotating bluff 50, the actuator 58 is pressed, and the switching mode of the limit switch 52 changes. As a result, the rotational speed of the traveling prime mover RM is set to the high speed side, and the traveling frame 2
runs at high speed. As a result, the scale remover spraying device M
A relatively small amount of the scale remover from 1 is scattered on the ceiling surface RF as the traveling frame 2 travels at high speed, and the upper surface rotating brush 5 brushes the ceiling surface RF in a relatively short period of time. .

When the upper rotary brush 5 passes over the ceiling surface RF and reaches position P2 on the rear window RF, the cam 51 rotates in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned direction, and the actuator 58 is released from the pressed state by the cam 51 and reaches the limit. The switching mode of switch 52 changes.

Thereby, the rotational speed of the driving motor RM is set to the low speed side, and the traveling frame 2 comes to travel at a low speed. Therefore, while the traveling frame 2 is running at a low speed, the scale remover spraying device M1 sprays the scale remover onto the trunk surface TK, and the top rotating brush 5 applies the scale remover.

Next, the traveling frame 2 is made to go back as shown by the arrow in FIG. Second. Third. 6th solenoid valve SI
, S2, S3, and S6 are opened, and the 4th and 5th valves are opened. 7th.
The eighth solenoid valves s, s5, s7, and s8 are closed. As a result, the other scale remover spraying device M2 also sprays the scale remover in the form of foam towards the vehicle V, and furthermore, the rotary brush device B performs brushing in the same manner as the brushing described above.

21- The change in the traveling speed of the traveling frame 20 at this time will be explained with reference to FIG.
When the upper rotating brush 5 passes over the trunk surface TK and reaches position P3 on the rear window RF, the actuator 58 is pressed by the cam 51 and rotates, and the switching mode of the limit switch 52 changes. As a result, the traveling speed of the traveling frame 20 is switched to high speed.

When the upper surface rotating brush 5 passes over the ceiling surface RF and reaches position P4 on the front window FW, the actuator 5
8 is released from the pressed state by the cam 51, and as the switching mode of the limit switch 52 changes, the traveling speed of the traveling frame 20 changes to a low speed. In this state, the upper rotating brush 5 passes over the bonnet surface BT and returns to its original position before starting to travel.

22- When the traveling frame 2 returns to the scale removal start position, it is paused for, for example, 5 to 10 minutes. As a result, vehicle V
The limescale adhering to the surface of the vehicle V is lifted off the surface of the vehicle V by the limescale remover. Also, during this period, the rotating brush device B
Manually touch up areas that are difficult to brush.

After the pause of about 5 to 10 minutes, a rinse start key (not shown) on the control panel 39 is pressed, and the traveling frame 2 is moved back and forth as indicated by the arrows in FIG. Along with this, the seventh and eighth solenoid valves S7.

Valve R8 is opened, and the first to sixth solenoid valves S, to S6 are closed. Therefore, from both rinse water spray devices R, , R2 to the vehicle V
Water is sprayed toward the area, and the rotating brush B performs a plucking operation. As a result, the floating scale and scale remover are washed from the surface of the vehicle V. At this time, by reducing the hole diameter of the spray nozzles 37.38 provided in the supply header 35.36 of each rinse water spray device R0°R2 and increasing the number of spray nozzles 37°38, it is possible to spread the water evenly over the surface of the vehicle V. You can spray water without using it.

In addition, in the water spray from one of the rinsing water spray devices R2, some of the water scales, etc. that have been once removed by the brushing of the rotary brush device B are propagated on the surface of the vehicle V by the centrifugal force of each of the rotary brushes 5 and 6. So it's meant to wash it away.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8th solenoid valve S7
, only R8 is opened, and the other solenoid valves 51 to S6 are closed. As a result, water is sprayed from both rinsing water spraying devices R, , R2, and the residue left in the rinsing process shown in FIG. 7 is washed away. At this time, the scale remover is not left on the surface of the vehicle V and the number of times of brushing is large, so the rotary brush device B remains inactive to avoid damaging the painted surface of the vehicle V.

In this way, the scale removal process is completed, but when the upper surface rotating brush 5 passes over the high surface of the vehicle V, that is, the ceiling surface RF, the traveling frame 20 travels at a high speed, and the low surface of the vehicle V, that is, the bonnet surface BT. Since the traveling speed of the traveling frame 20 is set to be low when the upper rotating brush 5 passes over the trunk surface TK, a uniformly finished treated surface can be obtained over the entire upper surface of the vehicle V.

Further, since there is no need to brush the ceiling surface RF more than necessary, the working time can be shortened.

Furthermore, on the bonnet surface BT where water scale has firmly adhered due to heat dissipation from the engine, the running frame 2 is moved at a low speed and a relatively large amount of water scale remover is sprayed, making it easier to remove water scale on the ceiling surface RF.
Since the traveling frame 2 is moved at a high speed and a relatively small amount of scale remover is sprayed, wasteful consumption of the scale remover can be avoided.

25- After the completion of such a lime scale removal process, the vehicle is polished using a vehicle polishing method developed by the applicant (Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-4657) using the wax application device W and the rinsing water spray device R2. Remove and dry. This makes it possible to obtain a glossier painted surface than before. At this time, the base wax liquid and the scale remover are distributed in the scale remover spraying device M2, but the effectiveness of the base wax liquid and the scale remover will not change even if a small amount of other substances are mixed in. , the scale remover spraying device can be shared.

In the above embodiments, only the brush blowing process in the scale removal process was described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the cleaning process. That is, even when performing brushing cleaning using the conventionally used cleaning water, the traveling speed of the traveling frame 20 is set to high speed corresponding to the high surface of the vehicle, and the traveling speed of the traveling frame 2 is set to high speed corresponding to the low surface 26- of the vehicle. Even if the processing speed is set at high speed, it is possible to obtain a uniformly finished treated surface over the entire upper surface of the vehicle V. Moreover, the effect of shortening the cleaning time can also be obtained.

As described above, according to the present invention, the traveling drive means is configured to be able to switch the traveling speed between at least two levels, high and low, and the traveling frame is provided with a device that detects the height of the top surface of the vehicle and sets the height to a predetermined value. Since a detector is provided to switch the traveling speed of the traveling drive means to a lower speed side when the speed is lower than This makes it possible to obtain a uniformly treated surface over the entire upper surface of the vehicle, thereby shortening the brushing time on the higher surfaces of the vehicle and shortening the overall treatment work time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall longitudinal sectional side view, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the upper rotating brush and its drive system, and FIG. 3 is a view taken along line ■-m in FIG. 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the piping system of the scale remover spraying device and the rinsing water spraying device, and Figures 5 to 8 sequentially show the operations during scale removal. side view, (5
+ is a simplified plan view thereof, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams for explaining changes in speed of the traveling frame during the operation of FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (11) A traveling drive means for driving the frame in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is mounted on a gate-type traveling frame that straddles the vehicle, and is supported by the traveling frame so as to be swingable around a horizontal axis. An upper rotating brush for brushing the upper surface of the vehicle is rotatably supported at one end of the swinging arm, and a heavy object functioning as a balance weight is fixed to the other end of the swinging arm. In the car wash machine, the travel drive means is configured to be able to switch the travel speed between at least two levels, high and low, and the travel frame detects the height of the top surface of the vehicle and detects the height when the height is smaller than a predetermined value. A car wash machine characterized in that a detector is provided for switching the traveling speed of the traveling drive means to a lower speed side. (2) A patent claim characterized in that the detector is a limit switch, and a cam for changing the switching function of the limit switch is arranged to rotate integrally with the upper rotating brush. A car wash machine according to scope (1).