JPH03159846A - Top brush elevating/sinking device of car washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to a type of car wash machine that is shaped like a gate and travels back and forth across the car to brush and dry the car body. This invention relates to a top brush lifting device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as this type of device, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-121
A device described in Japanese Patent No. 158 is known. That is,
The main body of the car wash machine is formed into a gate shape and moves back and forth across the car, and includes a pair of swinging arms that are swingably supported, and both ends of which are supported by the swinging arms so that the machine can swing back and forth. The top brush is equipped with a top brush and an air cylinder that raises and lowers the top brush.Normally, the air cylinder is operated to hold the top brush in an upper standby position, and when washing a car, the air cylinder is released and the main body of the car wash machine is moved. This device makes it possible to perform brushing while going back and forth, as well as brushing while going back.

In such devices, the top brush is formed to be able to swing back and forth, so when the top brush is raised from its lower limit position, it is not certain which side the swing arm will swing to by simply operating the air cylinder. there were. For this reason, countermeasures have been taken in which the top brush is rotated in a predetermined direction and the reaction force is used to raise it in the intended direction.

As a related art related to the present invention, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-9724, there is a device 3 that uses a double structure of a long air cylinder and a short air cylinder to lift and lower the top brush. − is known. However, as is clear from the drawing, the brush in this device is of a type that swings only in one direction, either forward or backward, so its purpose is different from that of the present invention.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention 1] Incidentally, in this type of apparatus, normally, after the brushing process is finished, the blowing device is operated to perform a drying process as the car wash machine returns. During this drying process, if the top brush is lowered, it will get in the way.
It is necessary to raise the top brush to a predetermined standby position. Therefore, as mentioned above, the top brush is raised while rotating in a predetermined direction, but before starting this drying process, the main body of the car wash machine is in the forward position after going back and forth, and when the brush is rotated here, the top brush is raised. There was an inconvenience in that water adhering to the equipment would scatter and wet the clothes of workers and customers waiting nearby.

[Means for Solving the Problems] This invention provides an air cylinder for raising and lowering the top brush by using a first air cylinder and a second air cylinder having shorter operating dimensions than the first air cylinder. It has a double structure connected in the axial direction, and each operates to raise the top brush, and in the brushing process accompanying the movement of the car wash machine body, which is performed immediately before the drying process by the blower device, the above-mentioned The first and second air cylinders are deactivated to lower the top brush to its lower limit position, and at a predetermined timing after the top brush starts brushing, the second air cylinder is activated to The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing means for controlling the first air cylinder to operate after brushing with the brush is completed.

[Function] As a result, in the brushing process accompanying the movement of the car wash machine, which is performed immediately before the drying process using the blower device, blanching is started with the top brush lowered to its lower end position, and then the top brush is lowered to its lower end position. The second air cylinder is activated while the brush is in contact with the automobile body and is tilted.
The top brush is held at a predetermined height or higher. Accordingly, brushing ends with the top brush held at a predetermined height, that is, with the swing arm tilted in a predetermined direction, and when the first air cylinder is activated, the swing arm is tilted. The top brush can be raised by always swinging it in a predetermined direction.

[Example] Examples thereof will be described below based on the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are explanatory front and side views showing essential parts of an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a car wash machine body formed in a circular shape, which runs back and forth on rails 2.
・Wash the car body by moving astride the car parked between the two. 3 and 3 are a pair of swinging arms that are pivotally supported on both sides of the car wash main body 1; 4 is a top brush that is supported at both ends by the swinging arms; and 5 is attached to one of the swinging arms 3. This is the motor that was installed. As a result, the top brush 4 is rotationally driven by the motor 5 and swings by contacting the vehicle body and tilting the swing arms 3. 6 is a weight attached to the other swing arm to which the motor 5 is attached.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an air cylinder for raising and lowering the top brush 4, and is connected to an arm 9 fixed to the end of the support shaft 8 of the swing arm 3. The air cylinder 7 has a double structure in which a first air cylinder 10 and a second air cylinder 11 having a shorter operating dimension than the first air cylinder 10 are connected in the axial direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, even if the top brush 4 is only swung backwards, the operation of the air cylinder 7 causes the first level A to actuate the first and second air cylinders 10 and 1l. The second level B operates only the first air cylinder 10, the second
The air cylinder 11 can be raised and lowered in four stages: a third level C, where the air cylinder 11 is activated, and a lower limit position D, where the first and second air cylinders 10 and 11 are deactivated.

12 is a proximity switch that detects when the top brush 4 swings in a certain direction to a predetermined height or higher;
When the magnet 13 attached to the arm 9 tilts and approaches the magnet 13, switching occurs.

This proximity switch 12 is set to detect when the top brush 4 reaches a third level C or higher at which only the second air cylinder 11 is activated.

Reference numerals 14 and 14 are blower devices installed on both sides of the upper part of the car wash machine main body 1, and the blower nozzles 15 and 14 communicate with each other as the blower device operates.
Air is blown towards the car body from 16/16 in order to dry the car body.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main control system of the above embodiment. Reference numeral 20 denotes a control means that controls the car wash to be executed according to a predetermined sequence in response to operation input on the operation panel 21.

The operation panel 21 is provided with a car wash course selection button 22 and a start button 23.
After specifying the desired car wash course with 2, press start button 2
Press 3 to execute the desired car wash. The car wash course selection button 22 has an A course in which the car wash main body 1 is made to reciprocate once to perform brushing cleaning and drying 8, and a B course in which the car wash main body 1 is made to reciprocate twice to perform brushing, waxing, and drying. is set.

24 and 25 are the first and second air cylinders 10 and 25;
The solenoid valves 11 are actuated to switch between two positions, one for supplying air from the air pressure source 26 and one for opening to the atmosphere, in response to a signal from the control means 20. As shown in the figure, the top brush 4 is normally located on the air supply side and operated to extend the air cylinders 10 and 11, and the top brush 4 is held at an upper standby position (the first level).

Figures 4(a)-(b) and 5(a)-(d)
is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the above embodiment, and the operation of the embodiment will be explained below using this diagram.

Fig. 4 shows an example of executing the above-mentioned course A, in which brushing cleaning is performed as the car wash machine main body 1 moves back and forth (Fig. 4 (a)
))． A drying process is performed as the car wash machine main body 1 returns (fourth
Figure (b)).

First, the operation of the first and second air cylinders 10 and 11 is released, the top brush 4 is lowered from the upper standby position 10 (first level A) to the lower limit position D, and the top brush 4 is rotated. The car wash machine main body 1 is moved back and forth while moving. As the car wash main body 1 moves back and forth, the top brush 4 comes into contact with the car body and moves from the top of the bumper to the bonnet and roof to perform brushing cleaning.

Here, when the top brush 4 reaches above the third level C and this is detected by the proximity switch 12, the solenoid valve 25 is switched to operate the second air cylinder 11, and the top brush 4 reaches below the third level. Hold it so it doesn't fall.

Although not particularly shown in the drawings, the car wash machine main body 1 is provided with a liquid spraying nozzle at a suitable location, which sprays detergent and water during the brushing process.

When the brushing is finished, the top brush 4 is separated from the vehicle body and stopped rotating while being held at the third level C, and the first air cylinder 10 is actuated to raise it to the upper standby position A. After this, car wash machine body 1
At the same time, the blower devices 14 are activated to carry out the drying process. FIG. Conduct (Figure 5 (a) and (b)).
During the second visit, waxing was applied by brushing (Figure 5 (C)). A drying process is performed during the second return trip (FIG. 5(d)).

First, the operation of the first and second air cylinders 10 and 11 is released, the top brush 4 is lowered from the upper standby position A to its lower limit position D, and the car wash main body 1 is moved back and forth while rotating the top brush 4. . As the car wash main body 1 moves back and forth, the top brush 4 comes into contact with the car body and moves from the top of the bumper to the bonnet and roof to brush the top surface of the car.

When the top brush 4 leaves the vehicle body after brushing for the first outgoing trip, the top brush 4 returns to the lower limit position D. Subsequently, the car wash main body 1 is moved back this time, and the top brush 4 is rotated to perform brushing cleaning again. Here, the top brush 4 is as shown in FIG. 5(b).
As shown in the figure, the contact with the vehicle body causes it to swing in the opposite direction from when it is traveling.

After finishing the brushing associated with the go-around, the Tiger Army aircraft main body 1 is again
At the same time, the top brush is rotated to perform waxing by brushing.

Here, the wax liquid is sprayed from the liquid spray nozzle (not shown).

Here, the top brush 4 swings due to contact with the vehicle body,
When the proximity switch 12 detects that the level has reached above the third level C, the solenoid valve 25 is switched to operate the second air cylinder 11 to keep it from falling below the third level.

When waxing is completed in this manner, the top brush 4 is separated from the vehicle body and stopped rotating while being held at the third level C, and the first air cylinder 10 is activated to rise to the upper standby position A.

After this, the car wash main body 1 is made to go back and the blower device 1 is
4. Activate 14 to perform the drying process.

As described above, in this embodiment, in the brushing process that is performed as the car wash machine moves back and forth before starting the drying process,
With the start of the brushing process, the first and second air cylinders 10 and 11 are deactivated to lower the top brush 4 to its lower limit position, and the proximity switch 12 is activated after the top brush 4 starts brushing. The second air cylinder 11 is operated at the given timing, and the first air cylinder IO is controlled to be operated after brushing by the top brush 4 is finished, so that the top brush 4 is always smoothly raised to a constant upper standby position. can be done.

Note that the timing for activating the second air cylinder 11 during the brushing operation is not limited to the proximity switch 12, but may be determined by, for example, counting the time since the car wash main body 1 started moving or counting the distance traveled by an encoder or the like. Alternatively, the timing may be determined based on a signal from a vehicle height sensor provided therein.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention is constructed as described above, and there is no need to rotate the top brush when raising it as in the past, and water adhering to the brush is scattered and the clothes of workers and customers are washed away. There are no inconveniences such as getting it wet. Further, after brushing is finished, the top brush can be raised in a predetermined direction simply by operating the first air cylinder, and the next drying process can be smoothly and quickly carried out.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory front view of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the same embodiment. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the operation of the same embodiment. 1 is the car wash machine main body, 3.3 is a swing arm, 4 is a top brush, 7 is an air cylinder, 10 is a first air cylinder, 1
1 is a second air cylinder, 14.14 is a blower device, 2
0 is a control means. Patent application Hito MK Seiko Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A pair of swinging arms are swingably supported in the main body of the car wash machine, which is formed into a gate shape and moves back and forth so as to straddle the car. The car body is equipped with a swingable top brush, an air cylinder for raising and lowering the top brush, and a blower device for drying the car body by blowing air onto the car body. In a car wash machine of the type that performs brushing of the car body and brushes or dries the car body as the car wash machine body goes back, the air cylinder has a first air cylinder and a shorter operating dimension than the first air cylinder. A double air cylinder is connected to the second air cylinder in the axial direction, and each operates to raise the top brush, and a brushing process is performed as the car wash main body moves back and forth, which is performed before the drying process by the blower device. At the start of the brushing process, the first and second air cylinders are deactivated to lower the top brush to its lower limit position, and at a predetermined timing after the top brush starts brushing, the second air cylinder is released. A top brush elevating device for a car wash machine, characterized in that the top brush lifting device for a car wash machine is provided with means for controlling the first air cylinder to operate after brushing by the top brush is completed.