JPH0450061A - car wash 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 is a type of car wash machine which is equipped with brushes and blower nozzles in a gate-shaped car wash machine body, and which washes and rubs the car body as the main body moves back and forth. Regarding car wash machines.

[Prior art and its problems] Conventionally, as this type of car wash machine, for example,
As described in Publication No. 09, there is a device equipped with a scattering prevention body (sheet-like curtain) that moves up and down to prevent washing water from scattering during car washing and wetting people and objects near the car washing machine. Are known.

However, in these conventional devices, in addition to the scattering prevention body, it is necessary to provide at least a means for raising and lowering the prevention body and a means for controlling it so as not to damage the car, making the structure of the car wash machine complicated and expensive. There was a problem.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention addresses these problems by providing a blower nozzle for drying the top surface that can move up and down, located in front of the brush, and one end of which is attached to the blower nozzle so that the nozzle a scattering preventive body that forms a screen for preventing washing water from scattering above the nozzle as the brush descends, and a means for controlling the blower nozzle to be lowered during cleaning by the brush, the scattering preventive body being raised and lowered by the blower nozzle. The aim is to provide a car wash machine with a simple structure and low cost.

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

FIG. 1 is an explanatory front view of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the same. Reference numeral 1 denotes the main body of the car wash machine, which is formed into a gate shape and runs back and forth on rails 2, 2 so as to straddle the car. 3.3
is a running motor of the car wash main body 1, which drives the wheels 4. Reference numeral 5 denotes a rotary encoder attached to the output shaft of the motors 3, 3, which outputs a pulse every predetermined rotation of the shaft, and is used to detect the traveling position of the car wash machine main body 1.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an upper surface cleaning brush, which is raised and lowered by an elevating device 7 and mainly brushes the upper surface of the automobile. Reference numerals 8 and 8 denote side cleaning brushes, which are provided in pairs at symmetrical positions and brush the front, rear, and both sides of the automobile. 9 to 13 are all spray nozzles, and nozzles 9 and 13 mainly spray cleaning water.
- Nozzle 12 sprays detergent and nozzle 11 sprays wax. 14 is a blower nozzle for drying the top surface, and 15 is a blower nozzle for drying the side surface of the vehicle, which injects air onto the surface of the car body to blow off wash water that has adhered to the car body during car washing.

16 is a scattering prevention body whose one end is attached to the blower nozzle 14 for drying the upper surface, and is made of a sheet of relatively flexible material, and is usually rolled up inside the casing 17.
As the blower nozzle 14 descends, the preventer 16 is extended to form a screen that prevents washing water from scattering. Although not particularly shown, the casing 17 is equipped with a known reel structure that always urges the anti-scattering body 16 in the winding direction.6 FIG. 3 explains the configuration of the blower nozzle 14 for drying the upper surface. The front view and FIG. 4 are sectional views taken along the line AA in FIG. 3.

The blower nozzle 14 has arms 18, 18 extending to the side, and carriers 19, 19 are provided at the ends of the arms, and the carriers 19, 19 engage with rails 20, 20 provided on both sides of the front of the car wash main body 1. match. Career 19.1
9 is connected to chains 22 and 21, and the chains 21 and 21 are connected to an air cylinder 23 via a sprocket 22. As a result, the blower nozzle 14 moves up and down along the rails 20 as the air cylinder 23 operates, and accordingly, a screen S for preventing scattering is formed above the blower nozzle 14 by the scattering preventer 16.

The air cylinder 23 has two boats P1 and 2 that introduce air.
Normally, air is introduced from Pl, P2 is opened to the atmosphere, and the rod R is contracted to hold the blower nozzle 14 at a predetermined upper position. If both boats P1 and P2 are opened to the atmosphere, the blower nozzle 14 will descend due to its own weight.
By introducing air into both boats P1 and P2, the blower nozzle 14 is held at a constant position. Note that when the blower nozzle 14 is held at a constant position, the pressure of the air introduced into the boat P2 is adjusted to the boat P1 taking into account the own weight of the blower nozzle 14.
It is necessary to set the pressure appropriately lower than the air introduced into the air.

24a-24b and 25a-25b are photoelectric switches that operate in pairs and detect the carriers 19 and 25a, respectively.
19, and the light emitters 24a and 2 are attached at different positions.
The beam signal X-Y output from 5a is sent to the receiver 24b.
25b, and outputs a detection signal when the beam signal is blocked by the vehicle body. As a result, when the blower nozzle 14 is lowered, when the vehicle body is detected by the photoelectric switches 24a and 24b located at the lower rear side, the blower nozzle 14 stops lowering and is held at a constant position, and the photoelectric switch located at the upper front side detects the vehicle body. When a vehicle body is detected by the switches 25a and 25b, the blower nozzle 14 is raised until the detection state is canceled.

A rotary encoder 27 is attached to one of the guide sprockets 28 of the chains 21, 21, and outputs a pulse every time the sprocket 28 rotates a predetermined amount, and is used to detect the vertical position of the blower nozzle 14.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the main part configuration of the control section of the embodiment. The control unit 30 has a microcontroller and provides a predetermined car wash operation in response to an operation input to an operation panel 29 provided on the front side of the car wash machine main body 1. The functions of the control unit 300 will be explained by dividing them into blocks as shown.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a car wash control unit which has a car wash program, executes this program in response to signals from the operation panel 29, and causes each part to function to provide a predetermined sequence of operations. Reference numeral 32 denotes a running position detection section, which counts pulse signals outputted from the rotary encoder 5 as the car wash main body 1 moves, and detects the running position of the car wash main body 1. Reference numeral 33 denotes an elevation position detection section, which counts pulse signals outputted from the rotary encoder 27 as the blower nozzle 14 moves up and down, and detects the elevation position of the blower nozzle 14. 34
is a vehicle shape detection section in the car wash control section 31, which detects the top shape of the automobile based on the traveling position and elevation position given by the above-mentioned A detection sections 32 and 33. That is, every time the traveling position detecting section 32 counts a pulse signal, the elevating position detecting section 3
The vertical position given by 3 is read, and the vertical position of the blower nozzle 14 corresponding to each traveling position is stored as vehicle shape data. 35 is the blower nozzle] 4 ascending IJ, ? 3, when the car wash machine main body 1 goes back and forth, the light receivers 24b and 25
Based on the detection signal from b, the air cylinder 23 is actuated to raise and lower the blower nozzle 14, and when the car wash machine main body 1 returns, the traveling position and the raising and lowering position are monitored, and the vehicle shape data stored in the vehicle shape detection unit 34 is monitored. The air cylinder 23 is operated to raise and lower the blower nozzle 14 in accordance with the above. 36
is a lifting/lowering operation unit for the top cleaning brush 6, which monitors the traveling position and the lifting/lowering position, and operates the lifting device 7 to raise/lower the top cleaning brush 6 so as to match the vehicle shape data stored in the vehicle shape detection unit 34. .

Next, the operation of the embodiment having the above configuration will be explained. Here, a two-way car wash operation including waxing will be described as an example.

When a car wash is started in response to an operation input to the operation panel 29, the car wash main body 1 first moves back and forth, and the blower nozzle 14 descends. Subsequently, washing water and detergent are sprayed from the spray nozzles 9, 10, and 13, and the brushes 6, 8, and 8 are driven to perform brushing. Here, the blower nozzle 14 moves up and down along the top shape of the vehicle based on detection signals from the photoelectric switches 24a-24b and 25a-25b.

The scattering prevention screen S formed above the nozzle 14 reliably prevents water from scattering during the brushing. Further, as the blower nozzle 14 moves up and down, the control section 30 detects the top surface shape of the vehicle, and moves the top surface cleaning brush 6 up and down in accordance with the detected vehicle shape data to perform brushing with uniform contact pressure.

When the cleaning process is completed, the main body 1 of the car wash machine returns to perform brushing again while spraying washing water and detergent from the spray nozzles 9, 12, and 13. Here too, the blower nozzle 14 descends to form a scattering prevention screen S. Here, the blower nozzle 14 and the upper surface cleaning brush 6 are raised and lowered based on the vehicle shape data detected when the vehicle is traveling as described above.

Subsequently, the car wash machine body 1 moves back and forth again, and the spray nozzles 9 and 1
From 1.13, plunging while spraying washing water and wax. Here again, the blower nozzle 14 descends and rises and falls in response to the vehicle body detection by the photoelectric switch to form the scattering prevention screen S.

Subsequently, the car wash main body 1 returns, and the blower nozzle 14.1
Air is injected from step 5 to dry the washed and waxed car. Here, too, the blower nozzle 14 is lowered and raised and lowered based on the vehicle shape data detected and stored when traveling.

This embodiment operates as described above, and uses the blower nozzle 14 to form the screen S with the anti-scattering body 16.
It is possible to reliably prevent water from scattering forward during spraying of washing water or brushing.

In addition, the shape of the vehicle is detected at the same time as the scattering prevention screen S is formed, and the upper surface cleaning brush can be subsequently raised and lowered, making it possible to perform brushing with smooth and uniform contact pressure.

In addition, since the blower nozzle 14 can be raised or lowered during a go-around without coming into contact with the vehicle body based on the vehicle shape data detected during the outbound trip, the minimum number of photoelectric switches that can detect the vehicle body during the outbound trip should be provided. It can be constructed easily and inexpensively.

Note that this invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various embodiments are possible. For example, in a process that involves brushing, the blower nozzle 14 is lowered to a certain position that does not touch the vehicle body to form a screen S to prevent scattering, and air is injected from the blower nozzle 14 to remove air from the space below the nozzle. It may also be designed to prevent water from scattering.

[Effects of the Invention] The beam of the present invention is configured as above, and the blower nozzle is lowered during washing with a brush, and a screen for preventing scattering is formed above the blower nozzle, so that it is possible to reliably prevent washing water from scattering during car washing. . In addition, since the blower nozzle originally provided in this type of car wash machine is used to raise and lower the scattering prevention body, there is no need to newly install a lifting device for the scattering prevention body, and a device with a simple structure and low cost can be obtained. .

[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 front view of the main parts of the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG. 2A, -A. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control section of the same embodiment. 1 is a car wash machine main body, 6, 8, and 8 are brushes, 14 is a blower nozzle, 16 is a scattering prevention body, 30 is a control unit, and S is a screen for scattering prevention. Figure 1 3vl: J

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A car wash machine body formed in a gate shape and reciprocating as if straddling the car is equipped with a brush and a drying blower nozzle that moves up and down along the upper surface of the car body to wash and dry the car body. In a type of car wash machine, the blower nozzle is located in front of the brush, and one end of the blower nozzle is attached to the blower nozzle to form a screen above the nozzle to prevent washing water from scattering as the nozzle descends. A car wash machine comprising: a scattering prevention body; and means for controlling the blower nozzle to descend during cleaning with the brush.