JPH0438253A - Top brush device in car washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To wash the upper part of a windshield in a wagon-type vehicle fitted with a large-sized mirror, with a top brush by installing a stopping means in a cylinder lifting and driving the top brush to hold a support shaft of the top brush at the specified upper part. CONSTITUTION:In opposition to the front of a wagon-type vehicle V, a portal frame 1 is stopped at a start position S on a travel rail 39. At this time, a rocker shaft 6 is kept in an upper limit position 6c, and a three-port two-position selector valve 108 is opened, while a three-port two-position solenoid selector valve 106 is operated, driving a cylinder 19, and a top brush 7 is held in a left upper limit position (A). When a brush support shaft 8 is lowered up to height in and around the upper end of a large-sized mirror M, the said selector valve 108 is interrupted, locking the cylinder 19, and the top brush 7 is stopped at a position (B). When the top brush 7 comes into contact with the vehicle V at a position (C) and its rotational load has exceed the specified value, the said selector valve 108 is made into nonoperation, unlocking the cylinder 19. With this constitution, the top brush 7 is followed up with a top surface of the vehicle V, washing it clean.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention A1 Object of the Invention (1) Industrial Field of Application The present invention relates to a vehicle cleaning device that cleans an upper surface of a vehicle, in which an upper surface brush that is driven up and down by a cylinder is provided on a portal frame that moves relative to the vehicle. The present invention relates to a brush device.

(2) Prior Art Conventionally, among vehicle cleaning devices that clean vehicles using an upper brush provided on a gate-shaped frame, there is one known that is capable of cleaning wagon-type vehicles.
(See t11oe2 publication).

(3) Problem to be Solved by the Invention By the way, since a large mirror is generally attached to the front of a wagon type vehicle, when an attempt is made to clean the front of the vehicle with an upper surface brush, the upper surface brush is attached to the large mirror. There is a risk of interference.

For this reason, when cleaning a wagon-type vehicle with the conventional vehicle cleaning device, the top brush is held at the upper limit position and the gate-shaped frame is moved back and forth until the top brush reaches the ceiling of the vehicle. After that, the upper brush is lowered to follow the ceiling surface.

Therefore, the front of the vehicle must be cleaned manually, but in this case, there is a disadvantage that the upper part of the windshield, which is difficult to reach, cannot be cleaned.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is an upper surface brush device in a vehicle cleaning device that is capable of cleaning the upper portion of the windshield with an upper surface brush when cleaning a wagon-type vehicle equipped with a large mirror. The purpose is to provide

B9 Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the top brush device in the vehicle cleaning device of the present invention has a mirror on the front with the top brush provided on the gate-shaped frame so as to be movable up and down. In a vehicle washing device for washing a vehicle equipped with the device, a stop means is provided on a cylinder that drives the upper brush up and down in order to maintain the support shaft of the upper brush above the upper end of the mirror when cleaning the front of the vehicle. It is characterized by:

(2) Function According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, when washing a wagon-type vehicle equipped with a mirror, the stop means provided in the cylinder is activated and the support shaft of the upper brush is moved to the upper end of the mirror. is held at the top.

This allows you to avoid interference between the top brush and mirror while
The ceiling surface can be washed continuously from the top of the windshield above the mirror.

(3) Examples Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of the vehicle washing device, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, and 31
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lower side brush, and FIG. 4 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of left and right support shafts 2.2 are rotatably supported at the center of both measuring sections of the gate-shaped frame 1, and these support shafts 2.2 are equipped with sprockets. 3.3
A pair of support arms 4°4 to which are fixed are rotatably supported. At the tip of each support arm 4.4, a swing shaft 6,6 fixed to the middle part of a pair of swing arms 5.5 is rotatably supported. Both ends of a brush support shaft 8 to which the brush 7 is fixed are rotatably supported.

A balance weight 9 is fixed to the upper end of one of the swing arms 5, and a motor 10 with a speed reducer that also serves as a balance weight is fixed to the upper end of the other swing arm 5. The upper brush 7 is rotationally driven by connecting a sprocket 11 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 10 with a speed reducer and a sprocket 12 fixed to the brush support shaft 8 by a chino 13. At this time, the load detection means 74 provided in the motor 10 with a reduction gear detects the load on the motor 10 with a reduction gear based on the current.

Subrockets) 14 fixed to the outer ends of the swing shafts 6, 6
．． 14 and a subblock with the same number of teeth fixed in the middle of the support shaft 2.2) 15.15 are connected by a chino 16.16, and the cylinder arm 17 fixed to the outer end of one support shaft 2 has a gate-shaped Cylinder 1 with one end pivotally supported on frame 1
The other end of 9 is connected. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, by extending this cylinder 19, the support shaft 2 is rotated via the cylinder arm 17, and the rotation of this support shaft 20 is further transferred to the swing shaft 6 via the chino 16. As a result, the swinging arm 5 is rotated so that the upper brush 7 is raised. Further, when the cylinder 19 is made inactive, the upper brush 7 swings downward due to its own weight. At this time, the stopper arm 18 fixed to the opposite side of the cylinder arm 17 of the support shaft 2 is connected to the stopper arm 18 provided on the portal frame 1.
By abutting at 0°21, the vertical swing range of the swing arm 5 is limited.

Furthermore, a mounting plate 23 having a magnet 22 is attached to the other support shaft 2.
is fixed to the reed switch 2 provided on the gate-shaped frame 1.
4, it is detected that the upper brush 7 has reached the upper limit position. Furthermore, the outer end of this support shaft 2 is connected to a rotary encoder 25 that detects the rotation angle of the swing arm 5. This rotary encoder 25 and the reed switch 24 constitute a swing angle detection device H, 5.5 rotation angle is detected.

A synchronized shaft 2 rotatably supported on the top of a gate-shaped frame 1
A sprocket) 27.27 is fixed to both ends of the 60, and these sprockets) 27.27 are connected to an endless chino 28.28.
It is connected to a sprocket 3.3 which is integral with the swing arm 4.4. Further, the sprocket 29 fixed to one end of the synchronized shaft 26 is connected via a chino 31 to a sprocket 30 of a motor 32 with a self-braking worm reduction gear provided on the portal frame 1. Therefore, by driving the motor 32 with a speed reducer, the tuned shaft 26 is rotated, and the pair of support arms 4.4 connected to the tuned shaft 26 are rotated in synchronization with each other. At this time, the magnet 33 of the mounting plate 34 fixed to the outer end of the tuning shaft 26 and the gate-shaped frame 1
Three reed switches 35A, 35B, 3 arranged in
5C, the lower limit position (6a), intermediate position (6b), and upper limit position (6c) of the swing shaft 6 in FIG. 2 are detected.

As shown in FIG. 2.3, a pair of left and right lower side brush devices are provided on both sides of the portal frame 1, respectively. Since these pair of lower side brush devices have the same structure, only one of them will be described.

A vertical shaft 51 rotatably supported on the side of the gate-shaped frame 1
An opening/closing arm 52 is fixed to the opening/closing arm 52, and a lower side brush support shaft 54 to which a lower side brush 53 is fixed is rotatably supported at the tip of the opening/closing arm 52. A motor 55 with a reducer is fixed to the upper part of the opening/closing arm 52.
The lower side brush 53 is rotationally driven by connecting a sprocket 56 fixed to the output shaft of the brush and a sprocket 57 fixed to the brush support shaft 54 via a chino 58. A cylinder arm 59 and a spring arm 60 are fixed to the vertical shaft 51, and a cylinder 61 whose one end is pivotally supported by the portal frame 1 is connected to the cylinder arm 59. Further, a spring 62 whose one end is supported by the portal frame 1 is connected to the spring arm 60.

Therefore, when the cylinder 61 is operated, the lower side brush 5
3 moves away to the open position (53a) shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Furthermore, when the cylinder 61 becomes inactive, the left and right lower side brushes 53 move toward each other toward the closed position (53b) shown by the solid line by the elastic force of the spring 62, and come into contact with the lower side surfaces of the automobile.

The positional relationship between the above-mentioned top brush device and lower side brush device is such that when the swing shaft 6 of the top brush 7 is at the lower limit position (6a), the top brush 7 is 20 degrees forward from directly below the swing shaft 6.
If the lower side brush 53 is oscillated by more than 1°, the members of the lower side brush device and the upper brush device will not interfere with each other even if the lower side brush 53 moves closer to each other, and the lower side brush 53 will not interfere with the members of the upper side brush device.
When the upper brush 7 is at the position (53a), the structure is such that the members of both devices do not interfere even if the upper brush 7 descends to the lowest point.

A side brush device is provided at the rear of the portal frame 1. This side brush device has a pair of carts 72 that can move toward and away from each other on a guide rail 71 supported by a portal frame 1 so as to be able to swing around a shaft 70. The carts 72 are driven by a motor 73. A side brush 40 is rotatably supported. Further, the gate-shaped frame 1 is equipped with a side drying nozzle 41 and a top drying nozzle 42, and is reciprocated on a running rail 39, 39 by driving wheels 37, 37 rotated by a running drive device 36 and idlers 38, 38.

A control device 101 provided on the gate-shaped frame 1 is provided with a start button 102 that is pressed when starting to wash a vehicle, and a large mirror button 103 that is pressed when washing a wagon type vehicle equipped with a large mirror. .

FIG. 4 shows a hydraulic circuit for stopping means for the cylinder 19. The cylinder 19, which swings the swinging arm 5.5 up and down, is connected to a high-pressure air source 105 via a liquid tank 104 that converts air pressure into liquid pressure. and its liquid tank 10
A three-point/two-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is interposed between the liquid tank 104 and the air source 105, and a two-point/two-position switching valve 107 is interposed between the liquid tank 104 and the cylinder 190. This 2-point, 2-position switching valve 107 is operated by pilot pressure from another 3-point, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference mainly to FIG. 12.

A gate-shaped frame 1 is stopped at a starting position S at the left end of a travel rail 39, facing the front of a wagon-type vehicle V to be cleaned. At this time, the swing shaft 6 is at the upper limit position (6C
), the 3-point, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 is deactivated, the 2-point, 2-position switching valve 108 is opened, and the 3-point, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is operated to open the cylinder 19. By driving the upper brush 7, the upper brush 7 is held at the left upper limit position (a). From this state, the control device 10
When the large mirror button 103 of No. 1 and the start button 102 are pressed, the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 becomes inactive, and the upper brush 7 at the left upper limit position (A) starts to descend due to gravity. Then, the top brush 7 is in the position (b),
That is, when the swing angle detection device H detects that the brush support shaft 8 has descended to a height near the upper end of the large mirror M, it operates the 3-point, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 to switch the 2-point, 2-position. cylinder 1 by shutting off valve 108.
9 is locked, and the upper brush 7 is stopped at the position (b).

From this state, the gate-shaped frame 1 is moved rightward, and when the load detection means 74 detects that the upper brush 7 contacts the vehicle V at the position (c) and the rotational load exceeds a predetermined value,
The three-bottom, two-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 becomes inoperative, and the cylinder 19 is unlocked. As a result, the top brush 7 follows the top surface of the vehicle V due to gravity (c).
(d).

The vehicle V moves as shown in (e) and (f) to sequentially wash the upper part of the windshield, the ceiling surface, and the rear surface of the vehicle V. and,
When the upper surface brush 7 reaches the position (g), the forward movement of the portal frame 1 and the zero rotation of the upper surface bevel 2 are stopped.

In addition, in parallel with the cleaning of the upper surface of the vehicle V by the upper surface brush 7 mentioned above, the side brushes 40, 40 and the lower side brush 5
Of course, the side surface of the vehicle V is washed according to 3.53.

FIG. 5 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a stopping means showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a pilot-operated check valve 109 is provided in place of the 2-point/2-position switching valve 107 of the first embodiment, and a liquid tank is provided with the air side open to the rod 19 of the cylinder 19. The feature is that 110 are connected. Therefore, when the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 is inactive, the liquid flows through the check valve 109 to the liquid tank 104.
When the 3-point 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 is activated, the check valve 109 prevents the liquid from moving from the cylinder 19 to the liquid tank 104. is regulated.

The operation of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, but even when the 3-point 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 10g is operated to restrict the lowering of the upper brush 7, the upper brush 7
can be raised.

Therefore, the 3-point 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is operated at the position (c) in FIG. 12 to forcefully raise the upper brush 7 along the upper part of the windshield, and
After reaching the position d), the 3-bot 2-position solenoid switching valve 10
8 may be inactive and the upper brush 7 may be made to follow the ceiling surface. Furthermore, if the center of gravity of the upper brush 7 including the swinging arm 5.5 does not coincide with the swing axis 6°6, the upper brush 7
When it stops descending at the position (b) in Figure 2, it may vibrate up and down. However, cylinder 190 rod 1
9. By connecting the side to the liquid tank 110, vertical vibration of the upper brush 7 is prevented.

FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a stopping means showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment is characterized in that a throttle 111 and a check valve 112 connected in series are arranged in parallel with the two-point/two-position switching valve 107 of the first embodiment.

- In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, even when the 3-point 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 is activated to restrict the lowering of the upper brush 7, the reaction force from the vehicle body and the cylinder 19
The upper brush 7 can be raised by the operation.

In addition to the action of the liquid tank 110, the damping action of the liquid passing through the throttle 111 connected in series to the check valve 112 further effectively prevents vertical vibration of the upper brush 7.

71st! 1 to 9 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional views of the cylinder locking mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lower end of the cylinder 19 has a rod 19. A locking mechanism is provided to lock the top brush 7 and fix the position of the upper brush 7, and a 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 11 is provided between the locking mechanism and the air source 105.
3 is interposed. In addition, the cylinder 19 and the air source 105
The same 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 and liquid tank 104 as in the previous embodiment are interposed between the cylinder 19 and the rod 19. Liquid tank 1 for vibration prevention on the side
10 are connected.

Next, number 8! ! l and the 91st! To explain the structure of the locking mechanism based on I, the rod 191 of the cylinder 19
is surrounded by a cylindrical casing 114 fixed to the lower end of the cylinder 19, and the rod 19. is surrounded by a cylinder chamber 1141 formed therein. A brake piston 115 through which the brake piston 115 passes through and a stop ring 116 are arranged in an overlapping state. An air chamber 1143 to which high-pressure air is supplied through a port 1143 is defined at the upper part of the brake piston 115, and a fulcrum 117 projects from the upper part of the air chamber 114 on the opposite side from the port 114*. will be established. Further, a brake spring 118 is compressed on the lower surface of the retaining ring 116 on the opposite side from the fulcrum 117, and the brake piston 115 and the retaining ring swing around the fulcrum 117 due to its elastic force.

According to this embodiment, when high pressure air is supplied to the air chamber 1141 with the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 inactive, the brake piston 115 and the stop ring 116 are in the eighth position. In the horizontal position shown in the figure, the rod 19 of the cylinder 19 can freely expand and contract.

On the other hand, when the 3-point 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 is operated, the high-pressure air in the air chamber 114s is discharged, and the elastic force of the brake spring 118 moves the brake piston 115 and the retaining ring to the inclined position shown in FIG. to sway. As a result, even if the rod 191 tries to contract upward in order to lower the upper brush 7 by gravity, the frictional force acting between the rod 191 and the retaining ring 116 increases the inclination of the retaining ring 116, and the rod 19. is locked in that position. However, when the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is operated, the rod 19. If you try to extend it downward,
The frictional force received from the rod 191 reduces the inclination of the retaining ring 116, allowing the rod 191 to descend.

10 and 11 show a fifth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, and FIG.
The figure is a sectional view of the cylinder locking mechanism.

This embodiment is different from the fourth embodiment in the structure of the locking mechanism. That is, the cylindrical casing 11
The brake piston 12Ω that slides into the cylinder chamber 1191 formed inside the casing 119 is rotated by the brake spring 121 contracted between the brake piston 12Ω and the upper surface of the casing 119.
an air chamber 119 connected to the air source 105 via
．． is forced downward to reduce the volume of the Air chamber 119. A brake arm 122 is swingably supported inside the brake piston 120 around a fulcrum 1221 formed at its lower end, and a roller 123 provided at its upper end supports a cam surface 120 formed on the brake piston 120. comes into contact with. The brake arm 122 is attached to the outer periphery of the rod 191 of the cylinder 19.
A ring-shaped plaxi 5-124 is fixed to the inner surface of the ring.

According to this embodiment, the three-point and two-position electromagnetic switching valve 113
is in the inoperative position shown in FIG. 10, the air chamber 11
9. The brake piston 1 is
20 rises in the cylinder chamber 1191 against the brake spring 121, the brake arm 122 swings outward and separates from the brake shoe 124, allowing the rod 191 to move up and down freely. Therefore, when the 3-bottom, 2-position solenoid switching valve 113 is in the non-operating position shown in the figure, the upper brush 7 descends under its own weight, and when the 3-bottom, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is activated, high-pressure air is supplied to the cylinder 19. is driven, and the upper brush 7 rises. In addition, in order to fix the position of the upper brush 7, a 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 is provided.
When activated, air chamber 119. communicates with the atmosphere, and the brake piston 120 descends under the force of the brake spring 1210, and its cam surface 1201 presses the roller 123, causing the brake arm 122 to swing inward. As a result, the inner surface of the brake arm 122 is pressed against the brake shoe 115, the rod 19° of the cylinder 19 is locked, and the upper brush 7 is fixed in that position.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various small design changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims. It is possible.

For example, the load detection means 74 is not limited to the one that detects the current of the motor 10 with a reduction gear, but may be one that detects an increase in the electric power or a decrease in the rotational speed of the motor 10. Further, the throttle 111 in the third embodiment may be either a fixed throttle or a flow rate control valve. Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment,
When the rod 19I of the cylinder 19 is contracted upward to raise the upper brush 7, the locking mechanism may be installed upside down.

C1 Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, when washing a wagon-type vehicle equipped with a mirror on the front, the stop means provided in the cylinder is activated to restrict the lowering of the upper brush, and its support Since the axis stops at a position higher than the top of the mirror,
The ceiling surface can be continuously cleaned from the top of the windshield above the mirror while avoiding interference between the top brush and the mirror. This makes it possible to automatically clean the upper part of the windshield of a wagon-type vehicle, which is difficult to clean manually.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of the vehicle washing device, and FIG. 21! I is the same side view,
Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower side brush, number 45! 1 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, FIG. 5 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 to 9 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional views of the cylinder locking mechanism, and FIGS. 10 and 11. The drawings show a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 10 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the locking mechanism of the cylinder, and Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the operation. 1...Gate frame, 7 soil surface brushes, 8 river support shafts,
19...Cylinder, M...Mirror, ■...Vehicle Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A top brush (7
), the support shaft (8) of the upper brush (7) is attached to the mirror (M) when cleaning the front of the vehicle (V). ) A top brush device for a vehicle washing device, characterized in that a stop means is provided on a cylinder (19) that drives the top brush (7) up and down so as to hold it above the top end of the top brush (7).