JPH0439146A - Upper brush device for car washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To properly hold the contact face pressure of an upper brush regardless of the shape of the tip portion of a vehicle for washing by operating a stopping means in response to the rotary load of the upper brush detected by a load detecting means, and restricting or allowing the rise of the upper brush. CONSTITUTION:An upper brush 7 is rotated, the upper brush 7 is lowered to the lower limit position (b) by the rotation of a sway arm 5, and a gate type frame 1 is advanced to the right direction. When a load detecting means detects that the upper brush 7 is brought into contact with the front face of a vehicle V and the rotary load exceeds a preset value (a), a three-port two-position solenoid selector valve is made nonoperative, and the upper brush 7 is swayed and lifted by the reaction force applied by a vehicle body. When the load detecting means detects that the rotary load is made smaller than the preset value (a) by the rise of the upper brush 7, the three-port two-position solenoid selector valve is again operated, and the sway of the upper brush 7 is stopped. The contact face pressure of the upper brush 7 is kept nearly constant regardless of the front shape of the vehicle V.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION (1) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to an upper surface brush device in a vehicle cleaning device that cleans the upper surface of a vehicle with an upper surface brush supported at the tip of a swinging arm.

(2) Prior Art Conventionally, as a vehicle cleaning device that can apply an upper brush to the tip of a vehicle having a shape where the tip of the bonnet is greatly lowered, for example, the device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-190566 has been known. ing.

(3) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle washing device, the front end of the bonnet has a shape that is greatly lowered (V in Fig. 5).
(see a) can be cleaned with appropriate contact surface pressure.
When cleaning the front end of the vehicle where the front end of the hood is not lowered much (see vb in FIG. 5), there is a problem in that the contact surface pressure when the upper brush moves from the front of the vehicle to the bonnet surface becomes excessive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is capable of cleaning both the leading end of a vehicle where the front end of the bonnet is shaped to be significantly lowered, and the leading end of the vehicle where the front end of the bonnet is not lowered by an appropriate contact surface pressure. An object of the present invention is to provide an upper surface brush device in a vehicle washing device that can perform the following steps.

B3 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 the following features: A stopping means for stopping the swinging of the swinging arm and a load detecting means for detecting a rotational load on the upper brush are provided, and when the upper brush cleans the front end portion of the vehicle, the signal from the load detecting means is The first feature is that the stopping means is actuated based on the above.

Further, in the vehicle cleaning device of the present invention, in the vehicle cleaning device in which an upper brush is supported at the tip of a swing arm, when the top brush cleans the tip portion of the vehicle, the rod side of the cylinder that drives the swing arm is Alternatively, the second feature is that the opposite rod side is connected to the liquid tank via a flow rate control means.

(2) Effect According to the first feature of the present invention having the above-described configuration, when the top brush cleans the front end portion of the vehicle, the load detection means detects the rotational load of the top brush. The stop means is activated to restrict or allow the upper brush to rise.

As a result, the contact surface pressure of the upper brush is maintained appropriately regardless of the shape of the vehicle's leading end portion.

According to the second feature of the present invention, when the upper brush rises due to the reaction force received from the vehicle body when cleaning the front end of the vehicle, the cylinder connected to the swinging arm supporting the upper brush and the liquid tank The liquid moving through the flow control means passes through the flow control means. As a result, a predetermined load is generated in the upward movement of the upper brush, and the contact surface pressure is maintained appropriately regardless of the shape of the front end portion of the vehicle.

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

1 to 5 show a first embodiment corresponding to the invention set forth in claim 0, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of the vehicle washing device, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, Fig. 3 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, Fig. 4 is a flowchart explaining the action,
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the action.

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. is sprocket 3,3
A pair of support arms 4°4 to which are fixed are rotatably supported. A swing shaft 6.6 fixed to the middle of a pair of swing arms 5.5 is rotatably supported at the tip of each support arm 4.4. 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 101 provided in the motor 10 with a reduction gear detects the load of 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 sprocket 15.15 with the same number of teeth fixed in the middle of the support shaft 2.2 are connected by a chino 16.16, and a cylinder arm 17 fixed to the outer end of one support shaft 2 has a portal frame. A cylinder 1 with one end pivoted to 1
The other end of 9 is connected. As shown in FIG. 6, 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 fixed to the opposite side of the cylinder arm 17 of the support shaft 2.
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 50. This rotary encoder 25 and the reed switch 24 constitute a swing angle detection device H. Detects a rotation angle of .5.

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 sprocket 6, and these sprockets 27.27 are connected to the endless chain 2B, 2B.
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 l
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.

In addition, the gate-shaped frame l has a pair of side brushes 40.40
, a side drying nozzle 41, and a top drying nozzle 42, and a drive wheel 37 rotated by a traveling drive device 36.
．． 37 and the linked wheels 3B, 3B travel back and forth on the traveling rail 39.39.

FIG. 3 shows the stopping means 102 for the cylinder 19.
The cylinder 19 that swings the swinging arms 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 between the liquid tank 104 and the air source 105. is a 3-point 2-position solenoid switching valve 10
6 is interposed, and a two-point/two-position switching valve 107 is interposed between the liquid tank 104 and the cylinder 19.

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 mainly explained in FIG.
This will be explained with reference to FIG.

The gate-shaped frame 1 is stopped at the start position at the left end of the running rail 39, the upper brush 7 at the left upper limit position (A) is rotated, and the swing shaft 6 is moved to the upper limit position (6C) by the motor 32 with a reducer. ) to the lower limit position (6a), the two three-bottom two-position solenoid switching valves 106 and 108 are set to the positions shown in FIG. (Step Sl). When the swing angle detection device H detects that the upper brush 7 has descended to the lower limit position (b) due to the rotation of the swing arm 5 (step S2), the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 is activated. By setting the two-bottom, two-position switching valve 108 to the cutoff position, the swinging of the upper brush 7 is stopped, and the gate-shaped frame 1 is moved to the right (step 33.4).

When the load detection means 101 detects that the upper brush 7 comes into contact with the front surface of the vehicle V and the rotational load exceeds a predetermined value (
Step S5), the 3-point 2-position 萱 solenoid switching valve 108
becomes inoperative, and the upper brush 7 whose swinging stop is released swings and rises due to the reaction force received from the vehicle body. Top brush 7
When the load detection means 101 detects that the rotational load has become smaller than the predetermined value a due to an increase in the rotational load (step S3)
, the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 operates again, and the swinging of the upper brush 7 is stopped (step S4).

In this way, step S5. S6. S? ,
By repeating S3 and S4, the contact pressure of the upper brush 7 is maintained substantially constant regardless of the shape of the front portion of the vehicle V.

When the swing angle detection device detects that the upper brush 7 has swung to a predetermined height (for example, the position (c) 30 degrees ahead of the swivel axis 6) (step S7), the oscillation axis 6
is raised to the intermediate position (6b) (step S8). As a result, the upper surface brush 7 follows the upper surface of the vehicle V due to gravity (d).

Move as shown in (e) and (f), and at position (g), the vehicle V
leave. When the upper brush 7 reaches the position (H), the forward movement of the portal frame 1 is stopped, the swing shaft 6 is raised to the upper limit position (6c), and the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve is 106 is activated to drive the cylinder 19, the upper brush 7 is raised to the upper limit position, and rotation is stopped.

Of course, in parallel with the cleaning of the top surface of the vehicle V by the above-mentioned top brush 7, the side brushes 40 and 40 clean the side surfaces of the vehicle V.

6 and 7 show a second embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 0, FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means 102, and FIG. 7 is a cylinder locking mechanism. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, 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-bot 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
A three-point/two-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 and a liquid tank 104, which are the same as in the previous embodiment, are interposed between them.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lock mechanism includes a brake piston 120 that slides into a cylinder chamber 1191 formed inside a cylindrical casing 119, and the brake piston 120 is compressed between the upper surface of the casing 119 and An air chamber 119. which is connected to the air source 105 via bow) 119* is caused by the brake spring 121 which is connected to the air chamber 119. is forced downward to reduce the volume of the Inside the air chamber 119°, a brake arm 122 has a fulcrum 12 formed at the lower end.
21, and a roller 123 provided at its upper end abuts against a cam surface 1201 formed on the brake piston 120. A ring-shaped brake shoe 124 that comes into contact with the inner surface of the brake arm 122 is fixed to the outer periphery of the rod 191 of the cylinder 19.

According to this embodiment, the 3-bot 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 113
is in the inoperative position shown in FIG.
The brake piston 12 is
0 is the cylinder chamber 119. Since the inner portion rises against the brake spring 121, the brake arm 122 swings outward and separates from the brake shoe 124, and the rod 191 becomes in a state where it can freely move up and down. Therefore, when the 3-point, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 is in the non-operating position shown, the upper brush 7 descends under its own weight, and when the 3-point, 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. Also, the top brush 7
When the three-bottom, two-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 is operated to fix the position of the air chamber 119. communicates with the atmosphere, and the brake piston 120 descends due to the elastic force of the brake spring 121, 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.

8 to 10 show a third embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 0, and FIG. 8 shows the stopping means 1.
The hydraulic circuit diagram of No. 02, FIGS. 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the cylinder locking mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 8, the hydraulic circuit of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the second embodiment, and differs only in that another liquid tank 110 is connected to the rod 191 side of the cylinder 19. .

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, rod 19. of cylinder 19. is surrounded by a cylindrical casing 114 fixed to the lower end of the cylinder 19, and has a cylinder chamber 114 formed therein. Inside the rod 19.
A brake piston 115 and a stop ring 116 pass through.
are arranged in a superimposed state. An air chamber 114s is defined at the bottom of the brake piston 115 to which high-pressure air is supplied via a bow 11La, and the air chamber 114. A fulcrum 117 is protrudingly provided at the lower part of the opposite side of the bow 114a. Further, a brake spring 118 is compressed on the upper surface of the retaining ring 116 on the side opposite to 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 114 with the 3-bot 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 inactive, the brake piston 115 and the stop ring 116 are The rod 191 of the cylinder 19 can freely expand and contract in the horizontal position shown in FIG.

On the other hand, when the three-bottom, two-position electromagnetic switching valve 113 operates, 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 extend downward to raise the upper brush 7 due to the reaction force from the vehicle body, the rod 191
The frictional force acting between the stop ring 116 and the stop ring 116 increases the inclination of the stop ring 116, and the rod 191 is locked in that position. However, in order to lower the upper brush 7 by gravity, the rod 19. When attempting to contract upward, rod 19. Due to the frictional force received from the retaining ring 116
The slope of the rod 19. is allowed to rise.

Furthermore, if the center of gravity of the top brush 7 including the swing arm 5.5 does not coincide with the swing axes 6, 6, the top brush 7 will move as shown in FIG.
It may vibrate up and down when it stops descending at position b). However, by connecting the cylinder 190 and the rod 191 side to the liquid tank 110, vertical vibration of the upper brush 7 is prevented.

Next, a fourth embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 0 will be described based on FIGS. 11 and 12.

As is clear from FIG. 11, this embodiment has the advantage that a throttle 111 is provided in parallel to the two-bottom, two-position switching valve 107 in the stop means 102 (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment. It has characteristics.

Therefore, step S in the flowchart of FIG.
9 and step S10, when the upper brush 7 descends to the lower limit position (b) in FIG.
Activate the 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 to
The position switching valve 107 is closed, and the liquid is moved between the liquid tank 104 and the cylinder 19 via the throttle 111 (step 511). As a result, the upper brush 7 rises along the bonnet surface due to the reaction force from the vehicle body while maintaining a contact surface pressure commensurate with the opening degree of the aperture 111, and when the upper brush 7 rises to a predetermined position (step 512). , the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 becomes inactive, and the flow rate control by the throttle 111 is canceled (step 513).
. Thereafter, as in the first embodiment described above, cleaning is performed while the upper surface brush 7 is caused to follow the upper surface of the vehicle (2) as shown in (d) to (f) by gravity.

In this embodiment, it is possible to use a variable restrictor as the restrictor 111 or to use other means to increase or decrease the flow resistance. Also, the aperture 111 is connected to the opposite rod 19 of the cylinder 19. side, i.e. cylinder 19 and liquid tank 104
Instead of being provided between the rods 19. It is also possible to connect to the side.

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, when cleaning the front side of the vehicle V with the side brushes 40, 40, the gate-shaped frame l
If the 3-bottom, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 107 or 113 is activated, it is made inactive, and the 3-bottom, 2-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is activated.
Once raised to a height where it does not interfere with the side brush 40.40. After the side brushes 40 and 40 have finished cleaning the front of the vehicle and reached the open position, the three-bottom, two-position electromagnetic switching valve 106 is deactivated, and the upper brush 7 is lowered to a predetermined distance required for lowering. After a period of time has elapsed, the 3-point/2-position electromagnetic switching valve 108 or 113 may be operated to start moving the portal frame 1 back and forth.

Further, the load detection means 74 is not limited to one that detects the current of the motor 10 with a reduction gear, but may also detect an increase in the electric power or a decrease in the rotational speed of the motor 10. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the rod 19. of the cylinder 19. In order to raise the upper brush 7 by contracting it upward, the locking mechanism may be installed upside down.

C0 Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the first feature of the present invention, the stopping means operates in accordance with the rotational load of the upper brush detected by the load detection means, and the upward movement of the upper brush is regulated or permitted. , the contact surface pressure of the upper brush is maintained appropriately regardless of the shape of the front end portion of the vehicle.

According to the second feature of the present invention, when the upper brush moves up due to the reaction force received from the vehicle body, the flow rate of the liquid moving between the cylinder connected to the swinging arm that supports the upper brush and the liquid tank is controlled. Since the upper brush passes through the means, a predetermined load is generated in the upward movement of the upper brush, and the contact surface pressure is maintained appropriately regardless of the shape of the front end portion of the vehicle.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the first lever is a front view of the vehicle washing device, the second is a side view of the same, and the third is a front view of the vehicle washing device.
yA is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, FIG. 4 is a flow chart explaining the action, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the action, FIGS. 6 and 7 show the second embodiment of the present invention, and 7 is a sectional view of the locking mechanism, FIGS. 8 to 10 show a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, 9 and 10 are sectional views of the locking mechanism, FIGS. 11 and 12 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the stopping means, and FIG. 12 is an operational diagram. It is a flow chart explaining. 5... Rocking arm, 7... Top brush, 19... Cylinder, 101... Rocking angle detection device, 102... Stopping means, 111... Throttle (flow rate control means)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] [1] In a vehicle cleaning device in which an upper surface brush (7) is supported at the tip of a swinging arm (5), a stopping means (102) for stopping swinging of the swinging arm (5) is provided.
) and load detection means (101) for detecting the rotational load of the upper brush (7), and when the upper brush (7) cleans the front end portion of the vehicle, the load detection means (101) detects the rotational load of the upper brush (7).
An upper surface brush device in a vehicle washing device, characterized in that the stopping means (102) is activated based on the signal of 1). [2] In a vehicle cleaning device in which a top brush (7) is supported at the tip of a swinging arm (5), when the top brush (7) cleans the tip of the vehicle,
The rod side or the opposite rod side of the cylinder (19) that drives the swinging arm (5) is connected to the liquid tank (104) via a flow rate control means (111).
Top brush device in vehicle cleaning equipment.