JP2925828B2 - Tire cleaning equipment in car washer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided in a car washer of the type in which the body of the car washer or the body of the car is automatically cleaned as the car is running. The present invention relates to a tire cleaning device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, an apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-225509 is known as this kind of car washer. That is, a spraying means and a tire detecting means are provided at the lower part of the car washer body, and when the tire is detected as the car washer runs, the tire is washed by spraying.

[0003] In this type of conventional apparatus, the cleaning operation is performed only during tire detection. For example, spraying is started when a tire is detected, and the spray is stopped when the detection is stopped. there were. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, since the tire portion located below the vehicle bottom surface is detected, only the hatched portion can be sprayed, and the front and rear portions of the tire are washed away. In addition, the start of cleaning and the detection of tires were delayed, and only the portion narrower than the hatched portion in FIG. 1 could be cleaned.

[0004] Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example, a part of the sprayed washing water is consumed for tire detection.
There is a disadvantage that not all of the washing water can be used for washing.
On the other hand, a method of detecting a tire by a photoelectric switch or the like having a light emitting element and a light receiving element can be considered, but has a disadvantage that water droplets scattered due to car washing are detected and erroneous detection is likely to occur.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle washing system capable of cleaning the entire tire without any remaining washing, and capable of detecting a tire without consuming cleaning water or causing erroneous detection. The point is whether a tire cleaning device for the machine can be obtained.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is provided in a car washer body or a car washer of the type in which a car body is automatically washed as the car travels, and a high-pressure spray of washing water onto a tire portion of the car. In a tire cleaning apparatus for performing priority cleaning of a tire portion, a means for outputting a signal every time the car wash machine body or the car travels a unit distance, and counting a signal from the signal output means to drive the car wash machine body or the car. Means for detecting the position, provided at a position lower than the bottom of a normal car in front of the high-pressure spraying means of the car washer body, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element are opposed to each other with the car interposed therebetween, and are transmitted and received between the two elements. Means for detecting that an optical signal has been interrupted, and detecting the object based on the travel position given by the travel position detection means. Means for calculating the distance between successive detections of the object by the object detection means based on the signal count from the signal output means or the position data of the object given by the storage means; and Means for recognizing the object detected by the object detecting means as a tire on the condition that the distance is equal to or more than a predetermined value; and Means for setting a start position and an end position for tire cleaning assuming that the tire is a long distance by a predetermined amount, and starting the tire cleaning when the traveling position given by the traveling position detecting means reaches the starting position given by the setting means. And means for controlling to end the tire cleaning when the tire reaches the end position, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view of the same, showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a self-propelled portal car washer. 1 is a gate-shaped rail 2 ・ 2
The main body of the car washer reciprocating on the upper side cleans the vehicle body while moving across the vehicle A stopped between the rails 2. Reference numerals 3.4.4 and 4 denote rotating brushes and 5.6.6 and 6 denote blower nozzles, all of which are provided in the car washer body 1 and operate in a predetermined order with respect to the body of the automobile A as the body 1 travels to clean the body. And measure drying. Reference numeral 7.7 denotes a forward / reverse rotatable motor for rotating the wheels 8.8 to drive the car washer body 1, and at least one of the motors has a rotary encoder 9 for detecting rotation of its output shaft and outputting a pulse. Installed. 27, 27, a boarding platform for driving the car A to a washing position slightly higher than the car washing machine installation surface;

[0010] Numerals 10 and 10 denote washing nozzles, which are usually located at lower positions on both sides of the car washer body 1 as shown in FIG. The cleaning nozzles 10, 10 are located in front of the main body 1 as shown in FIG. 3, and at least when the main body 1 goes forward, the cleaning by the nozzles 10, 10 precedes the brushes 3, 4, 4. It is in the position to be. The ejection directions of the left and right nozzles 10 are slightly changed in the front and rear directions when viewed from above, so that the sprays from the nozzles do not interfere with each other at the center of the bottom of the automobile.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a water supply device which stores washing water supplied from a water source such as tap water, and sends the water to the car washer body 1 via a water supply hose 13 when the pump 12 is driven. Water supply hose 1
The washing water sent by 3 is sprayed from a well-known spraying nozzle (not shown) provided in each part of the main body 1, and a part of the water is branched to a branch pipe 14 and communicated with a high-pressure pump 15 mounted on the main body 1. I do. When the high-pressure pump 15 is driven, the cleaning water sent from the pipe 14 is pressurized to pressurize the cleaning nozzle 10.
10 and perform high pressure spraying from the same nozzle. In addition,
Reference numeral 26 denotes an electromagnetic valve that opens the branch conduit 14 when the high-pressure pump 15 is driven.

Reference numerals 16 and 16 'denote object detecting means, which is a light emitting element 1 which is located further in front of the washing nozzles 10 and 10 at the front end of the car washing machine main body 1 and lower than a normal automobile bottom face.
6 and the light receiving element 16 ′ are opposed to each other, and detects that an optical signal transmitted and received between the two elements as the main body 1 travels is blocked by a tire or the like, and outputs a detection signal.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a main part of the embodiment. Reference numeral 17 denotes a swinging means for swinging the washing nozzle 10 up and down. The swinging means 17 supports the washing nozzle 10 at one end and is pivotally supported by the car wash machine main body 1. An arm 18 connected to the other end of the swing arm 18;
Air cylinder 19 for rotating the cylinder 8 and the cylinder 19
And a proximity switch 20 responsive to a magnet built in the piston. Normally, the air cylinder 19 is contracted to hold the cleaning nozzle 10 at the detection position of the proximity switch 20, that is, the normal position a, and the air cylinder 19 is periodically extended and contracted as necessary to move the air nozzle 19 from the normal position a to a predetermined upper position b. Rock over time.

The rocking means 17 can be constructed by combining a motor or a cam or a link with the motor in place of the air cylinders 19, 19, so that the motor is electrically controlled by known control means. The period and speed of movement can be adjusted more finely.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the cleaning nozzle 10. As shown, in this embodiment, a rotary direct-type nozzle is used as the cleaning nozzle 10. This nozzle 10
A substantially cylindrical rotor 22 having a water conduit P formed in an axial direction and a blade I provided on a part of a side circumference is accommodated in a casing 21 having a substantially shell-shaped outer shape and forming an internal space S having a substantially trapezoidal cross section. Do it. The casing 21 has a high pressure pump 15
Is connected to a high-pressure hose 24 communicating with the pump, and the washing water pumped from the pump 15 is jetted from the nozzle portion N into the internal space S. The jet water from the nozzle portion N acts on the blades I to rotate the rotor 22, whereby the rotor 22
1 and rolls around the inner wall of the rotor 21 to rotate around the tip of the rotor 21. The washing water filled in the casing 21 is discharged from the fountain port 25 through the water conduit P of the rotor 21.

As a result, the cleaning water discharged from the cleaning nozzle 10 is radiated in a divergent shape along a trajectory having a ring-shaped cross section in accordance with the rotation of the rotor 22. Here, the jet flow from the nozzle 10 is instantaneously discharged as a linear flow without diffusion, so that it is possible to apply the washing water at a high pressure with a small pressure loss even at a position away from the nozzle 10, and as a result As a result, high detergency can be exhibited over a wide range.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a control system of the embodiment. Reference numeral 30 denotes a control unit including a microcomputer, 31 denotes an operation panel provided on the front of the car washer body 1, and 32 denotes output devices such as the pumps 12 and 15. It is a relay board that performs the energizing operation of. The control unit 30 executes a required car wash program in accordance with an operation input on the operation panel 31, and gives a car wash operation via the relay board 32. 41 is the body 1
The running speed of the main body 1 can be changed in at least two levels by a speed variable circuit that changes the rotation speed of the running motors 7.

The operation panel 31 includes a course selection key 33 for selecting a desired course from a plurality of preset car washing courses A and B, and a tire cleaning using a high pressure spray by the cleaning nozzle 10 as an optional operation. Option key 34 to enter if you want to wash the bottom
And a start key 35 for starting a car wash of the contents set using the course selection key 33 and the option key 34.
And are provided. A display lamp 36 is attached to each of the course selection key 33 and the option key 34 to light up and display the course and the optional work input by the keys.

37 and 38 are the air cylinders 19.1
9 is a three-way solenoid valve having an open-to-atmosphere port.
When the solenoid valve 38 is opened to the air supply side, the air cylinders 19, 19 are contracted. [State 2] When the solenoid valve 37 is opened to the atmosphere open side and the solenoid valve 38 is opened to the air supply side, the air cylinder 19, 19 is opened. 19 can be extended. Therefore, if [State 1] and [State 2] are periodically and alternately given based on the signal from the control unit 30, the swing arm 18 can be rotated to swing the cleaning nozzle 10 up and down. . 39.4
Numeral 0 denotes a flow control valve connected to the atmosphere opening ports of the three-way solenoid valves 37 and 38.
The response speed of 19 can be adjusted, and the swing range and swing of the cleaning nozzles 10 are controlled by the flow rate adjustment and the switching cycle between [State 1] and [State 2] given by the control unit 30. Speed and are set.

Here, if the car wash course is selected on the operation panel 31 and the start key 35 is pressed, the car wash machine body 1 runs and the car wash course is executed.
If the optional work is set in 4, the tires or the lower part are washed by spraying from the washing nozzles 10 in parallel with the execution of the car wash course. The operation of this optional work will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a control operation executed when a pulse signal from the rotary encoder 9 is input to the control unit 30. The rotary encoder 9 moves the car wash machine body 1 by a predetermined unit distance in accordance with the driving of the motor 7. A pulse is output each time the vehicle runs.

In accordance with the pulse input, it is determined whether the pulse is associated with the forward or backward movement of the car washer body 1.
(1) The counter L which gives the traveling position of the main body 1 is incremented by 1 when the movement is accompanied by the going forward (2), and decremented by 1 when the movement is caused by the returning (3).

Subsequently, it is checked whether or not the currently executed car wash course involves the optional operation by the option key 34 (4). If the course involves the optional operation, firstly, it is determined whether or not the error flag FE is set. (6).
Here, if an error state is not recognized, the object detecting means 1
The signal from 6.16 'is checked to confirm whether or not the object is in the object detection state (6). If the object is in the object detection state, the counter LT which gives the distance during the object detection state is incremented by one (7). If the counter is LT = 1, that is, immediately after the transition to the object detection state (8), the value of the counter L at that time is stored in the memory P1 which gives the object detection start position (9).

Next, the value of the counter LT is detected by the detecting means 16.
When the object detected at 16 'reaches the minimum value Tmin required to determine the object as a tire (10), the detected object is determined as a tire and the tire flag FT is set to 1 (11), and step (9) A predetermined distance d from the object detection start position P1 stored in
The cleaning start point PS is set in consideration of the difference D between the installation positions of the detection means 16 and 16 'and the cleaning nozzles 10 and 10 (12) (see FIG. 8). Note that the washing start position PS is reset to a more accurate position after the tire detection end position P2 described later is set.
If the tire is large or there is an erroneous detection, the cleaning nozzle 10 may reach the tire position before detecting the tire detection end position P2. Cleaning is started.

When the value of the counter LT reaches the maximum value Tmax for tire detection (13), it is determined that a portion other than the tire has been erroneously detected, and the error flag FE is set to 1, and the tire flag FT is reset. At the same time as resetting, the corresponding display lamp 36 attached to the option key 34 of the operation panel 31 blinks (14). Further, a temporary cleaning end position PE is set in consideration of the distance given by the counter LT to the cleaning start position PS temporarily set in step (12), and the counter LT is reset (15). Thus, once the error flag FE is set, even if an object detection signal is subsequently generated by the processing of step (5), it is not recognized as a tire. The error flag FE is reset at the same time when one forward process or one return process is completed.

If it is determined in step (6) that the object is not detected, the tire flag FT is checked (16), and the flag F
If T is set, the value of the counter L at that time is stored in the memory P2 for providing the tire detection end position, and the flag FT is set.
Is reset (17). Further, the stored detection positions P1 and P
2. The cleaning start position PS and the cleaning end position PE are set based on the counted detection distance LT and the difference D between the installation positions (18), and the counter LT is reset (19).

When a series of processes are completed in this way, if the running car wash involves optional work, an optional routine is executed to perform tire washing or lower portion washing (20) and return. As described above, the traveling position of the main body 1 is detected based on the pulse signal from the encoder 9, and the tire position of the automobile being washed is detected based on the traveling position and the detection signals from the object detecting means 16 and 16 '. doing. Further, a cleaning start position PS and a cleaning end position PE are set based on the detected tire positions.

Next, a method of setting the start position PS and the end position PE in step (18) will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the radius of the tire is r, and the object detecting means 16.1.
Assuming that the detection height of 6 ′ is h, Equation 1 is derived from a right-angled triangle that is hatched, and a radius r is obtained as shown in Equation 2. Based on the radius r, a distance difference x between the detection start position P1 and the detection end position P2 and the front and rear end positions S and E of the tire is obtained by Expression 3. Therefore, a margin is provided before and after the distance difference x obtained from the detection start position P1 and the detection end position P2, and the cleaning start position PS and the cleaning end position P
E can be set. Note that the lower part of the tire is actually crushed due to the weight of the car, and the tire cannot maintain a perfect circular state as shown in FIG.
By calculating assuming a perfect circle, the tire can be regarded as a tire having a diameter larger than the actual one, and a cleaning range with a margin in front and rear can be set.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the contents of the optional routine, in which the tire portion is subjected to the priority cleaning based on the previously stored tire position given by the cleaning start position PS and the cleaning end position PE. When the optional work is lower washing, the high-pressure pump 15 is driven at the start of the car washing, and the washing nozzle 10 is at the normal position a (FIG. 3) and sprays washing water toward the bottom of the automobile.

First, the contents of the optional work are confirmed (21).
If the tires are to be washed, the traveling position L of the car washer body 1 is compared with a position (see FIG. 9) that allows for a delay e of the washing start predicted from the washing start position PS (22). The traveling speed of the main body 1 is reduced through the variable circuit 41,
The high-pressure pump 15 is driven and the oscillating means 17 is operated to start tire cleaning (23). If it is determined in step (22) that the vehicle is not at the cleaning start position, the traveling position L is compared with the cleaning end position PE (24). If the two are equal, the traveling speed of the main body 1 is increased to the standard speed, and the tire cleaning is performed. Stop (2
Five).

If the optional work is recognized as lower cleaning in step (21), the traveling position L and the cleaning start position PS
(26), and if both are equal, the swinging means 17 is operated to switch from washing the lower portion to washing the tire portion (27).
On the other hand, if it is determined in step (26) that the vehicle is not at the cleaning start position, the running position L is compared with the cleaning end position PE (28). Return to bottom wash (29).

This embodiment is configured as described above, and the tire cleaning and the lower part cleaning can be effectively performed by using the pair of cleaning nozzles 10. In particular, the object detecting means 16
-Since a wide range of cleaning can be performed before and after the detection position based on the detection signal from 16 ', the tire can be surely cleaned without any remaining washing. Further, at the cleaning start position where the pump 15 is started in the tire cleaning, the start operation is performed before the start position set in consideration of the delay e of the cleaning start, so that the entire tire can be spray-cleaned under the same conditions. Further, the object detecting means 16 ・ 16 ′
Is determined as a tire after the detection signal from the vehicle continues for a predetermined distance Tmin or more, so that even if the detection is performed for a short time due to water droplets scattered during car washing, the tire is not erroneously detected. The fountain from the nozzles 10 and 10 does not act on the bottom of the vehicle body because the fountain from the nozzles 10
The nozzles 10 are moved up and down to switch the operation so that the tire portion can be thoroughly washed, and the high-pressure spray is effectively used.

When the distance for continuously detecting a tire reaches a predetermined value Tmax or more, it is determined that a body other than the tire is detected, and the provisionally set start position PS and end position P
The cleaning is performed by E, and thereafter, an error flag FE is set to invalidate the tire detection, thereby preventing unnecessary spraying of the cleaning water. For example, if this error occurs in the front wheels at the time of going forward, the tires of the rear wheels are not detected and washing cannot be performed. However, since the error flag FE is reset after one outgoing process or one returning process, the following recovery is performed. In the process, the rear wheels can be cleaned, and if the tires are set to be reciprocated, the front and rear wheels can be reliably cleaned even if there is a tire detection error.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various car washing machines and embodiments can be considered without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, the present invention can be applied to a continuous automatic car washer in which a car is conveyed by a conveyor or the like and the car is washed.

[0033]

As described above, the position of the tire of the automobile to be cleaned is automatically detected by the object detecting means, and a range corresponding to the tire size wider by a predetermined amount before and after the position of the tire detected by the calculating means is obtained. Since the washing is performed, the entire tire can be washed according to the position and size of the tire without washing. Moreover, since the tire is recognized on the condition that the distance between successive detections of the object by the object detection means is equal to or longer than a predetermined value, the tire may be erroneously detected as a tire even if it is detected for a short time due to water droplets scattered during car washing. And reliable tire detection. In addition, this makes it possible to detect the tire by an optical signal from a photoelectric switch or the like, so that washing water is not wasted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional tire cleaning range.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a control system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of a control operation in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of the control operation in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car wash machine main body 3.4.4 Brush 5.6.6 Blower nozzle 7.7 Motor for running 9 Rotary encoder as signal output means 10.10 Washing nozzle as high pressure spray means 11 Water supply device 15 High pressure pump 16.16 'object Detection means 17 Washing nozzle swing means 30 Control unit 31 Operation panel 38 Speed variable circuit

(Equation 1)

(Equation 2)

(Equation 3)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle washing machine of the type in which the body of the vehicle or the vehicle body of the vehicle is automatically cleaned as the vehicle travels, comprising means for spraying high-pressure washing water to a tire portion of the vehicle, and performing a focused cleaning of the tire portion. A means for outputting a signal every time the car washer body or the car travels a unit distance, a means for counting a signal from the signal output means to detect a running position of the car washer body or the car, The light emitting element and the light receiving element were provided in front of the high-pressure spraying means of the machine body and lower than the bottom of a normal automobile, and the light signal transmitted and received between the two elements was blocked. Means for detecting an object by detecting the position of the object, means for storing the position of the object detected by the object detection means based on the travel position given by the travel position detection means, Means for calculating the position data of the object to provide a distance signal count or the Symbol <br/>憶means from said signal output means between successive detected an object with means, distances calculated by the calculated constant means a predetermined Means for recognizing the object detected by the object detection means as a tire on the condition that there is the above, and a predetermined distance before and after a distance given by the calculation means based on the position data given by the storage means when the tire is recognized by the tire recognition means. Means for setting the start position and the end position of the tire cleaning assuming that the tire is only a long distance, and starting the tire cleaning when the traveling position given by the traveling position detecting means reaches the starting position given by the setting means. Means for controlling the tire washing to be completed when the tire reaches a position.