JP3974871B2 - Car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a car wash machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the car wash machine, as described in Patent Document 1, in the drying process after the brushing process of the vehicle using a top brush or the like, air is blown from the drying nozzle such as the top nozzle to the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle to remove water droplets.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 4-76819 (1 page, Fig. 1)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art, in the brushing process, a part of the cleaning water droplets scattered around by the rotation of the top brush adheres to the outer periphery of the top nozzle. Then, the top nozzle enters the drying process with water droplets adhering to the outer periphery. For this reason, in the drying process, immediately after the water droplets on the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle are removed by the air blown from the air outlet of the top nozzle and the vehicle surface is dried, the water droplets adhering to the outer periphery of the top nozzle are dropped. And may re-adhere to the dried vehicle surface. Accordingly, the drying efficiency is low, and it is necessary to wipe off residual water droplets on the vehicle surface after the drying process.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to prevent water droplets adhering to the outer periphery of a drying nozzle during the drying process of a car wash machine from re-adhering to the vehicle surface, thereby improving the drying efficiency.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention of claim 1 is a car wash machine that supports the air blowing means on the car wash machine frame, and allows the drying nozzle connected to the air blowing means to swing around the nozzle axis. A wiper that contacts and extends in the longitudinal direction of the drying nozzle is disposed on the side of the blowing means.
[0007]
The invention of claim 2 further comprises nozzle swinging means for swinging the drying nozzle in the invention of claim 1, and is driven along the longitudinal direction of the outer periphery of the drying nozzle by driving the nozzle swinging means. Control means for controlling the direction of air blowing from the air outlet provided, and the control means drives the nozzle swinging means at the stage of starting the drying operation by the drying nozzle to rotate the drying nozzle relative to the wiper. It is made to move so that the outer periphery of the drying nozzle can be drained.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the air intake port of the drying nozzle is coupled to the blower port of the blower means so as to be swingable around the nozzle shaft.
[0009]
The invention of claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drying nozzle is a circular nozzle.
[0010]
[Action]
The inventions of claims 1 and 2 have the following effects (1) and (2).
(1) After the brushing process of the vehicle with a top brush, etc., before the start of the drying process, the drying nozzle is rotated relative to the wiper, and the water droplets adhered to the outer periphery of the drying nozzle by the draining action of the wiper Is scraped off. Therefore, in the subsequent drying process, immediately after the air blown from the air outlet of the drying nozzle removes the water droplets on the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle and dries the vehicle surface, the water droplets from the outer periphery of the drying nozzle are removed. There is no fall, and water droplets do not reattach to the dried vehicle surface.
[0011]
{Circle around (2)} The control means drives the nozzle swinging means at the stage before starting the drying operation by the drying nozzle, and automatically performs the draining action by the wiper described in the above {circle around (1)} at a timely timing after the brushing stroke.
[0012]
According to the invention of claim 3, there is the following effect (3).
{Circle around (3)} The drying nozzle can be freely rotated with respect to the air blowing port of the air blowing means, so that the maximum swinging width of the drying nozzle can be increased. Therefore, water droplets adhering to a wide circumferential range of the outer periphery of the drying nozzle can be scraped and removed by the wiper.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 4 has the following effect (4).
(4) By making the drying nozzle circular, the wiper can be drained by simply contacting the wiper with the outer periphery of the drying nozzle.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 is a front view showing a car wash machine, FIG. 2 is a schematic view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a front view showing a swinging means of a top nozzle, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the swing angle position of the top nozzle, and FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a drying process from the rear surface of the vehicle. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a drying process from the front of the vehicle.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the car wash machine 10 is a vehicle (automobile) 1 stopped on the floor surface between the rails 11 by reciprocating on the left and right rails 11 provided in the car wash place. It has the portal type driving | running | working flame | frame 12 which moves along. The car wash machine 10 includes a side brush 13, a top brush 14, a rocker brush 15, a top nozzle 16, and a side nozzle 17 in order from the front end side where the vehicle 1 enters the frame 12.
[0016]
The side brush 13, the top brush 14, and the rocker brush 15 constitute a cleaning rotary brush that brushes the vehicle, and are configured by flocking brushes around their rotation axes. The car wash machine 10 includes pipes such as a fresh water supply pipe and a wax supply pipe in the frame 12, and the side brush 13, the top brush 14, and the rocker brush 15 are moved from a standby position close to the frame 12 under the supply of fresh water and wax. Moving to the side of the vehicle 1, the side brush 13 is rotated to clean the side surface of the vehicle 1, the top brush 14 is rotated to clean the upper surface of the vehicle 1, and the rocker brush 15 is rotated to clean the lower part of the vehicle 1.
[0017]
The top nozzle 16 and the side nozzle 17 constitute a drying nozzle for drying the brushed vehicle 1, and the top nozzle 16 and the side nozzle 17 are moved from the standby position close to the frame 12 to the vehicle 1 side. The air outlet is tilted at an appropriate angle with respect to the surface of the vehicle 1, the compressed air blown out by the top nozzle 16 is blown onto the upper surface of the vehicle 1 to dry it, and the compressed air blown out from the side nozzle 17 is taken into the vehicle. Spray on the side of 1 and dry it.
[0018]
The car wash machine 10 is additionally provided with a vehicle shape detection device (not shown) that detects the vehicle shape of the vehicle 1. For example, the vehicle shape detection device is provided near the front end of the car wash machine 10 such that a light projecting sensor group and a light receiving sensor group are opposed to each other on the left and right sides of the car wash frame 12 sandwiching the car wash area, and the vertical direction of the light projecting sensor group is met. Whether the light emitted from the light projecting sensors arranged in tandem on the detection line is blocked by the vehicle 1 is detected by the light receiving sensors arranged in tandem on the detection line along the vertical direction of the light receiving sensor group. Thus, the presence / absence of the vehicle body on the detection line is detected, and the detection result is stored in the memory as vehicle shape data.
[0019]
The car wash machine 10 controls the cleaning liquid supply device, the side brush 13, the top brush 14, the rocker brush 15, the top nozzle 16, the side by the control means (not shown) based on the vehicle shape data that is the detection result of the vehicle shape detection device. The nozzle 17 is operated to wash the vehicle 1.
[0020]
Hereinafter, the drying device of the car wash machine 10 will be described in detail.
As a drying device, the car wash machine 10 fixedly supports left and right blowers 21 and 21 on both left and right sides of the car wash machine frame 12, and has a top nozzle 16 connected to each blower 21 via a duct hose 22. An air blower outlet 24 is provided along the longitudinal direction on the lower surface of the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16 so as to be movable up and down under the ceiling of the car wash machine frame 12. The car wash machine 10 supports side nozzles 17 connected to the blowers 21 via duct hoses 25 on both the left and right sides of the car wash machine frame 12.
[0021]
In the car wash machine 10, nozzle raising / lowering means 30 is installed in the car wash machine frame 12. The nozzle elevating means 30 is provided with left and right elevating rails 31 on both left and right sides of the car wash machine frame 12, and left and right elevating racks 32 are fitted to the respective elevating rails 31. 32 can be moved up and down.
[0022]
The car wash machine 10 supports the left and right air blowing means 40 on the left and right lifting racks 32 of the nozzle lifting means 30 installed in the car wash machine frame 12. The left and right blower means 40 are left and right blower pipes 41 such as duct joints connected to the left and right blowers 21 via the duct hose 22. The left and right ventilation pipes 41 are fixedly connected by a support frame 42 and supported by the left and right lifting racks 32 by left and right support arms 43.
[0023]
The car wash machine 10 uses the top nozzle 16 as a cylindrical circular nozzle, and is provided with air intakes 16A at both left and right ends in the longitudinal direction, and both the air intakes 16A are connected to the air outlets 41A of the left and right air supply pipes 41, respectively. The upper nozzle 16 is coupled so as to be able to swing (rotate) around the central axis of the top nozzle 16. At this time, a rotary joint 41B having a bearing and a seal portion is provided on the inner periphery of the blower port 41A of the left and right blower pipes 41, and the outer periphery of the left and right air intake ports 16A of the top nozzle 16 is connected to each rotary joint 41B. It is inserted in an airtight manner and is pivotally supported so as to be relatively rotatable. A support shaft that connects the left and right blower pipes 41 is provided on the central axis of the top nozzle 16, and bearings provided at both ends of the top nozzle 16 are supported by the support shaft, and left and right air intake ports of the top nozzle 16 are provided. 16A may be inserted into the blower openings 41A of the left and right blower pipes 41 so as to be airtight and relatively rotatable.
[0024]
Thus, in the car wash machine 10, both end portions of the top nozzle 16 are supported by the left and right lifting platforms 32 through the air blowing means 40, and the top nozzle 16 can be lifted and lowered by driving the lifting motor 33.
[0025]
In the car wash machine 10, as shown in FIG. 3, when air blown by the blower 1 is fed from the duct hose 22 to the top nozzle 16 via the blow pipe 41, the air flow is changed by 90 degrees in the blow pipe 41. The flow direction of the air entering the top nozzle 16 from the duct hose 22 side is directed in a direction along the central axis direction of the top nozzle 16.
[0026]
At this time, the car wash machine 10 is provided with a rectifying plate 44 at the center in the longitudinal direction in the air flow path 16 </ b> B of the top nozzle 16. The rectifying plate 44 includes curved rectifying portions 44A and 44A on both the left and right sides. The flow straightening portion 44A of the flow straightening plate 44 enters the air flow path 16B from the air intake ports 16A at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the top nozzle 16, and flows along the top nozzle 16 after reaching the central portion of the air flow path 16B. Is directed to the air outlet 24 side of the top nozzle 16.
[0027]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the car wash machine 10 supports the nozzle swinging means 50 on the support frame 42 of the blower pipe 41 constituting the blower means 40. The nozzle rocking means 50 has a rocking motor 51 fixed to the support frame 42, and a toothed belt 53 wound around a sprocket wheel 52 coupled to the rocking motor 51 is disposed at the center in the longitudinal direction of the top nozzle 16. The both ends of the toothed belt 53 are fixed to both sides of the air outlet 24 of the top nozzle 16. The swing angle detector 54 fixed to the support frame 42 faces the rotating plate 55 attached to the sprocket wheel 52 and detects the rotation angle of the sprocket wheel 52 and consequently the swing angle of the top nozzle 16. Reference numeral 56 denotes a cover. The nozzle swinging means 50 may be constituted by another mechanism such as driving the sprocket wheel 52 via a gear train by a cylinder supported by the support frame 42.
[0028]
In the car wash machine 10, the control means drives the nozzle rocking means 50 based on the vehicle shape data to rock the top nozzle 16 by an appropriate rocking angle, and from the air outlet 24 of the top nozzle 16. The air blowing angle which blows out is changed and the air blowing direction is controlled. In the present embodiment, the control means has an origin position at which the air outlet angle of the air outlet 24 of the top nozzle 16 faces the rear of the car wash machine 10 in the horizontal direction and a twelfth position at the front of the car wash machine 10 in the horizontal direction. The swing angle position of the top nozzle 16 is controlled so as to be positioned at each angular position having a multistage of 15 degrees between the tilt positions.
[0029]
In the drying process of the car wash machine 10, when the control means moves the car wash machine 10 relative to the vehicle 1, the vehicle shape data is fetched from the memory, and the nozzle lifting / lowering means 30 is controlled on the basis of the vehicle shape data to control the top. The nozzle 16 is moved up and down so as to follow the vehicle shape of the vehicle 1 and the nozzle swinging means 50 is controlled so that the air blowing direction from the air outlet 24 of the top nozzle 16 drives away water droplets on the surface of the vehicle 1. The swing angle position of the top nozzle 16 is controlled so as to be in a direction that can be removed.
[0030]
As a drying method of the car wash machine 10, there are a type that dries from the rear surface of the vehicle 1, a type that dries from the front face, and a type that dries both on the forward path and the return path of the car wash machine 10. FIG. 7 shows the movement trajectory of the top nozzle 16 and the transition of the air blowing direction in the car wash machine 10 drying from the rear surface. FIG. 8 shows the movement trajectory of the top nozzle 16 and the transition of the air blowing direction in the car wash machine 10 drying from the front. 7 and 8, even if only one side of the forward or return path of the car wash machine 10 is viewed, an angle close to 180 degrees is required as the swing angle width of the top nozzle 16. By setting the rocking angle width of the top nozzle 16 by the nozzle rocking means 50 to 180 degrees or more, the top nozzle 16 can be set to the optimum rocking angle in both the forward path and the return path.
[0031]
However, in the car wash machine 10, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to avoid the washing water droplets scattered around by the rotation of the top brush 14 and the like in the brushing process from spreading around the car wash machine 10, the splash prevention is performed. In order to suspend the wall 18 from the outer periphery of the frame 12 and avoid reaching the top nozzle 16 side, a partition plate 19 that partitions the standby region of the top nozzle 16 from the standby region of the top brush 14 is provided on the frame 12. It is suspended and installed. At the lower end of the lining facing the top brush 14 of the partition plate 19, a gutter 19 </ b> A is provided, and water droplets scattered and adhered to the lining of the partition plate 19 are drained outside the vehicle width of the vehicle 1. It avoids falling to the surface side of the vehicle 1.
[0032]
However, all of the cleaning water droplets scattered from the top brush 14 toward the top nozzle 16 cannot be shielded by the partition plate 19, and the water droplets adhere to the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16. In the present embodiment, the following configuration is provided in order to prevent water droplets adhering to the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16 from falling to the surface side of the vehicle 1 in the drying stroke following the brushing stroke.
[0033]
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the car wash machine 10 has a wiper holder 60 fixed to the support frame 42 of the air blowing means 40, and a wiper 61 made of a rubber plate or the like is provided on the wiper holder 60. The wiper 61 is in contact with the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16 and extends the entire length of the top nozzle 16 in the longitudinal direction. The wiper 61 is on the side of the top brush 14 with respect to the top nozzle 16 (the front side of the car wash machine 10), and does not interfere with the air outlet 24 of the top nozzle 16 positioned at the above-described twelfth tilt position. Placed in.
[0034]
The control means of the car wash machine 10 drives the nozzle swinging means 50 at the stage before the drying operation by the top nozzle 16 after the brushing stroke by the top brush 14 is completed, and the top nozzle 16 is moved to the original position and the twelfth tilt position, for example. Between the wiper 61 and the wiper 61, the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16 is drained by the wiper 61.
[0035]
According to this embodiment, there exist the following effects.
(1) After the brushing stroke of the vehicle 1 by the top brush 14 or the like, before the start of the drying stroke, the top nozzle 16 is rotated with respect to the wiper 61, and the wiper 61 drains and adheres to the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16. The water droplets that have been scraped off are removed. Therefore, in the subsequent drying process, immediately after the air blown from the air outlet 24 of the top nozzle 16 removes water droplets on the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle 1 and dries the surface of the vehicle 1, the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16. There is no drop of water from the water and the water does not reattach to the surface of the dried vehicle 1.
[0036]
(2) The control means drives the nozzle swinging means 50 at the stage before starting the drying operation by the top nozzle 16, and automatically executes the draining action by the wiper 61 of the above (1) at a timely timing after the brushing stroke. .
[0037]
{Circle around (3)} The top nozzle 16 can be freely coupled to the air blowing port 41 </ b> A of the air blowing means 40 to increase the maximum swing width of the top nozzle 16. Accordingly, water droplets adhering to a wide circumferential range of the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16 can be scraped and removed by the wiper 61.
[0038]
(4) By making the top nozzle 16 circular, the wiper 61 can be brought into contact with the outer periphery of the top nozzle 16 so that the wiper 61 can drain water.
[0039]
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Is included in the present invention. For example, the drying nozzle is not limited to a circular nozzle, and may be a rectangular nozzle having a rectangular tube shape. Moreover, not only the mobile type which drive | works a car wash machine with respect to a vehicle but the fixed type fixedly installed in a car wash place with respect to the moving vehicle may be sufficient.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can avoid that the water droplet adhering to the outer periphery of the nozzle for drying adheres to the vehicle surface again in the drying process of a car wash machine, and can improve drying efficiency.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a car wash machine.
FIG. 2 is a schematic arrow view taken along the line II-II in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the swinging means of the top nozzle.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a top brush and a top nozzle.
5 is an arrow view taken along the line VV in FIG. 3. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a swing angle position of a top nozzle.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a drying process from the rear surface of the vehicle.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a drying process from the front of the vehicle.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Car Wash Machine 12 Car Wash Machine Frame 16 Top Nozzle (Drying Nozzle)
16A Air intake port 24 Air outlet port 40 Blowing means 41A Blower port 50 Nozzle swinging means 61 Wiper

Claims (4)

A car wash machine that supports the air blowing means on the car wash machine frame and allows the drying nozzle connected to the air blowing means to swing around the nozzle axis,
A car wash machine in which a wiper that is in contact with the outer periphery of the drying nozzle and extends in the longitudinal direction of the drying nozzle is disposed on the side of the blowing means. Control that has nozzle swinging means for swinging the drying nozzle and that controls the air blowing direction from an air outlet provided along the longitudinal direction of the outer periphery of the drying nozzle by driving the nozzle swinging means Having means,
2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit drives the nozzle swinging unit at a stage of starting the drying operation by the drying nozzle, and rotates the drying nozzle with respect to the wiper so that the outer periphery of the drying nozzle can be drained. Car wash machine. The car wash machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an air intake port of the drying nozzle is coupled to a blower port of a blower unit so as to be swingable around the nozzle axis. The car wash machine according to claim 1, wherein the drying nozzle is a circular nozzle.

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