JP7714985B2 - Car wash machine and method for controlling the car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a car wash machine that washes vehicles and a method for controlling the car wash machine.

Patent Document 1 discloses a car wash that applies wax to the surface of a vehicle using a brush included in the car wash body that moves relative to the vehicle to wash it.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-332927

One example of a wax that can be applied to a vehicle surface is tire wax, which is applied to the sidewalls of tires. The brush included in the car wash body of the car wash described in Patent Document 1 is designed to clean the side and top surfaces of a vehicle, including the sidewalls of the tires. Therefore, when using the brush to apply tire wax to a tire, it is difficult to prevent the tire wax from being applied to surfaces of the vehicle other than the tire. Instead of applying tire wax using a brush, spraying the tire wax onto the sidewalls of the tire is another possible method of applying tire wax to a tire. However, in order to form a tire wax coating on the sidewalls of the tire simply by spraying the tire wax onto the tire, the concentration of the tire wax used must be increased, and there is also the problem of excess tire wax being scattered around the tire.

A car wash according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a car wash main body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, and a brush and a tire wax nozzle attached to the car wash main body. The brush contacts the vehicle's tire while rotating about an axis of rotation that is approximately perpendicular to the side of the tire and moves between a standby position and a cleaning position. The tire wax nozzle dispenses tire wax onto the brush. The car wash main body includes an abutting member that contacts the bristles of the brush in the standby position. At the standby position, the brush is cleaned by rotating with the abutting member and the bristles in contact. At the cleaning position, the brush applies the tire wax to the tire by rotating with the tire wax attached to the brush and in contact with the tire.

A method for controlling a car wash machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a car wash machine main body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, and a brush, a tire wax nozzle, and a contact member attached to the car wash machine main body, wherein the brush moves between a standby position and a washing position, and includes a dispensing step of dispensing tire wax from the tire wax nozzle to the brush, an application step of applying the tire wax to the tire by bringing the brush, with the tire wax adhered thereto, at the washing position, into contact with the tire of the vehicle and rotating the brush around a rotation axis that is approximately perpendicular to the side of the tire, and a brush cleaning step of cleaning the brush by rotating the brush around the rotation axis while bringing the contact member into contact with the bristles of the brush at the standby position.

This allows tire wax to be applied to the tire more reliably while reducing the concentration of tire wax. It also reduces the amount of tire wax that scatters around the tire when applying tire wax to the tire.

1 is a schematic side view of a part of a car wash machine body, showing an enlarged view of a wheel brush and its vicinity according to a first embodiment. 1A and 1B are a schematic side view and a schematic front view showing a car wash machine according to a first embodiment. 1 is a schematic front view of a foil brush according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a car washing method according to the first embodiment. 4 is a flowchart showing a part of a car washing process in the car washing method according to the first embodiment. 1 is a front view of a car wash machine showing a part of a car wash process according to a first embodiment. 10 is a front view of the car wash machine showing a part of the car wash process according to the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is a front view of the car wash machine showing a part of the car wash process according to the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is a front view of the car wash machine showing a part of the car wash process according to the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a part of the car wash machine body, showing an enlarged view of a wheel brush and its vicinity according to a second embodiment. FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of a foil brush according to a second embodiment.

[Embodiment 1]
<Car wash machine overview>
2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine main body 4 and the remote panel 6 provided in the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment, and a schematic front view 4F of the car wash machine main body 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment includes the car wash machine main body 4 that washes the vehicle X to be washed. The car wash machine 2 may also include a remote panel 6 that acquires the car wash conditions of the vehicle X by the car wash machine main body 4. In the schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine 2 in FIG. 2, the outline of the vehicle X is indicated by a dotted line to indicate that the vehicle X is located further back than the remote panel 6 toward the plane of the page.

As shown in the schematic front view 4F of the car wash machine main body 4 in Figure 2, the car wash machine main body 4 includes, for example, two frames 8 and a ceiling portion 10 connecting the upper ends of the two frames 8. The car wash machine main body 4 is structured so that a vehicle X can pass through a space 4S surrounded by the frames 8 and ceiling portion 10 along the approach direction DA of the vehicle X, as shown in the schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine 2 in Figure 2. Note that in this specification, the approach direction DA is defined as the direction from the front to the back of the car wash machine main body 4.

The car wash machine main body 4 has, for example, wheels 12 on the bottom of each frame 8, and by rotating the wheels 12 using a drive unit (not shown), it moves in the longitudinal direction relative to the vehicle X along rails R arranged on the ground G. The rails R are formed, for example, along the approach direction DA. Here, the car wash machine main body 4 moves relative to the vehicle X while washing the vehicle X in the space 4S.

The car wash machine main body 4 is equipped with multiple rotating brushes that slide over and brush the vehicle X as one of the cleaning sections. For example, the rotating brushes provided in the car wash machine main body 4 include a top brush 14, side brushes 16, and rocker brushes 18, each of which is rotated by a rotary motor (not shown). The top brush 14 moves along the top surface of the vehicle X and cleans it. The side brushes 16 and rocker brushes 18 clean both sides of the vehicle X. In particular, the rocker brush 18 cleans the lower part of the side of the vehicle X, including the part of the side of the vehicle X that is below the part that the side brush 16 can clean.

A tank storage section 20 is located on the side of the car wash machine main body 4, housing multiple storage tanks (not shown) that store various liquids, including detergents and waxes. Above the tank storage section 20 is a distribution piping section 22 that distributes water, including city water, or liquids from each storage tank. The first water purification nozzle 24, second water purification nozzle 26, first detergent nozzle 28, second detergent nozzle 30, water-repellent coating nozzle 32, and wax nozzle 34, all of which are included in the cleaning section, are each routed through solenoid valves (not shown) to the distribution piping section 22.

The first water purification nozzle 24 and the second water purification nozzle 26 are arranged at the front and rear sides, respectively, of the car wash machine main body 4, and spray water including city water onto the vehicle X. The first detergent nozzle 28 and the second detergent nozzle 30 are arranged at the front and rear sides, respectively, of the car wash machine main body 4, and spray cleaning liquid including shampoo, etc. onto the vehicle X. The water-repellent coating nozzle 32 and the wax nozzle 34 are arranged on the rear surface of the car wash machine main body 4. The water-repellent coating nozzle 32 sprays a water-repellent coating liquid onto the vehicle X. The wax nozzle 34 sprays wax onto the vehicle X.

The car wash machine main body 4 is also equipped with a blower 36 that generates airflow to dry the vehicle X. A top air blowing nozzle 38 and a side air blowing nozzle 40 are connected to the blower 36. The top air blowing nozzle 38 is located at the top center of the car wash machine main body 4 and blows air toward the ceiling surface of the vehicle X. The side air blowing nozzles 40 are located on both sides of the car wash machine main body 4 and blow air toward the sides of the vehicle X. The car wash machine main body 4 dries the vehicle X after washing by blowing air from the top air blowing nozzle 38 and side air blowing nozzles 40.

The car wash machine main body 4 may further include an area sensor AS for measuring the external shape of the vehicle X to be washed. For example, multiple area sensors AS may be formed in the vertical direction on the front side of each of the frames 8 of the car wash machine main body 4 and on the side of the space 4S.

The area sensor AS may include, for example, multiple pairs of optical elements formed on one frame 8 and optical sensors formed on the other frame 8. In this case, the area sensor AS may determine whether a vehicle is present between a certain optical element and an optical sensor by determining whether the optical sensor corresponding to that optical element detects electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays emitted from that optical element.

The area sensor AS may, for example, check whether or not the vehicle X is detected while the car wash machine main body 4 moves relatively from the front to the rear of the vehicle X. As a result, the car wash machine main body 4 may determine the outer shape of the vehicle X for each position in a plan view. The control unit 44 may control each part of the cleaning unit to wash the vehicle X based on the outer shape of the vehicle X determined by the area sensor AS.

Note that in Figure 2, for simplicity of illustration, the various devices for washing vehicle X that are provided in the car wash machine main body 4 as described above may be omitted. Furthermore, the various devices provided in the car wash machine main body 4 shown in Figure 2 are merely examples, and in addition to the devices described above, the car wash machine main body 4 may also be provided with devices for washing vehicle X and devices that assist in said washing, including conventionally known configurations, on the frame 8 or ceiling portion 10.

An operation panel 42 is located on the front of one of the frames 8 of the car wash machine main body 4. The operation panel 42 has operation buttons (not shown) for setting the car wash conditions, and is operated by a user who has exited vehicle X to accept the car wash or set the car wash conditions.

The car wash machine 2 further includes a control unit 44 that controls the car wash machine main body 4. In particular, the control unit 44 controls the movement of the car wash machine main body 4 along the rail R and the operation of each component of the cleaning unit, thereby controlling the washing of the vehicle X by the car wash machine main body 4. The control unit 44 may be provided in the car wash machine main body 4 as shown in FIG. 2, or may be located outside the car wash machine main body 4. The control unit 44 may control the car wash machine main body 4 by sending and receiving information between the car wash machine main body 4 or the remote panel 6 (described below) via a communication device (not shown) or the like. The control unit 44 is composed of a processor such as a CPU, for example, and each control is realized by executing a control program stored in memory on the processor.

The remote panel 6 is located, for example, on the front side of the car wash machine main body 4, and is arranged roughly along the direction of movement of the car wash machine main body 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the remote panel 6 is arranged so that its front surface faces the vehicle X before it is washed by the car wash machine main body 4, in other words, before it enters the interior of the car wash machine main body 4. For this reason, the rear surface of the remote panel 6 is shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the remote panel 6 includes a housing 46 and a support column 48 that is erected on the ground G and supports the housing 46. The remote panel 6 may acquire at least some of the car wash conditions for the vehicle X to be washed by the car wash machine main body 4 through operation of a touch panel or buttons (not shown) provided on the housing 46. The control unit 44 may control the car wash machine main body 4 and wash the vehicle X based on at least some of the car wash conditions acquired by the remote panel 6.

<Foil brush>
2, the car wash machine main body 4 according to this embodiment is equipped with a pair of left and right wheel brushes 50 located on each frame 8 as one of the rotating brushes of the cleaning unit. Each wheel brush 50 is located further back and lower than the side brushes 16 on the car wash machine main body 4, as shown in the schematic side surface 2S of the car wash machine 2 in FIG.

The wheel brush 50 is a rotating brush that cleans the side surface of the tire XT, which is equipped on the vehicle X, by sliding over and brushing the side surface of the tire XT. The wheel brush 50 according to this embodiment also applies wax to the side surface of the tire XT by sliding over and brushing the side surface of the tire XT when the tire wax described below is adhered to the tire. The wheel brush 50 according to this embodiment may also clean the side surface of the tire wheel on which the tire XT is mounted.

Details of the wheel brush 50 will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a portion of the car wash machine main body 4, enlarging the wheel brush 50 and its vicinity according to this embodiment, and is particularly an enlarged view of area A shown on the schematic front surface 4F of the car wash machine main body 4 in Figure 2. Figure 1 shows the wheel brush 50 in each of the standby state WS, extended state ES, and contact state CS, which will be described in detail later.

In Figure 1, in order to more clearly illustrate the wheel brush 50 and the components located in its vicinity, each component is shown through the frame 8 of the car wash machine main body 4. Also, for simplicity of illustration, Figure 1 omits the illustration of various components of the car wash machine main body 4, including other rotating brushes not directly related to the wheel brush 50, such as the side brush 16 and rocker brush 18.

The foil brush 50 will be described in more detail with further reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the foil brush 50, showing an enlarged view of the foil brush 50 and its vicinity. In particular, Figure 3 shows a schematic view of the foil brush 50 in the standby state WS, viewed from direction B1 shown in Figure 1, and a schematic view of the foil brush 50 in the abutting state CS, viewed from direction B2 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows only the foil brush 50, the members supporting the foil brush 50, and members associated with the foil brush 50, such as the nozzle.

The foil brush 50 includes a plurality of bristles 52 and an attachment portion 54. Each of the bristles 52 is attached, for example, by being implanted into the attachment portion 54. For example, the attachment portion 54 may have a plurality of recesses formed therein, and a bundle of a plurality of bristles 52 may be implanted in each of the recesses. The bristles 52 include a material that is flexible and has a certain degree of elasticity, and may include, for example, polypropylene or polyethylene.

Each of the bristles 52 extends in a direction approximately normal to the surface of the attachment portion 54 to which the bristles 52 are attached. As a result, the tips of the bristles 52 form the cleaning surface 50F of the foil brush 50 shown in Figure 1. The cleaning surface 50F may be, for example, a surface approximately horizontal to the surface to which the bristles 52 of the attachment portion 54 are attached.

For example, each of the bristles 52 may have approximately the same length, or at least one of the bristles may have a different length than any of the others. Therefore, the cleaning surface 50F may be approximately flush, or one portion may be at a different height from the mounting portion 54 than any other portion. Furthermore, each of the bristles 52 is attached radially from the center of the mounting portion 54. The bristles 52 located closest to the peripheral edge of the mounting portion 54 form the side surface 50S of the foil brush 50 shown in FIG. 1.

Furthermore, the foil brush 50 includes a center nozzle 56 and a peripheral nozzle 58. The center nozzle 56 and the peripheral nozzle 58 are nozzles that spray the liquid supplied to them, respectively. The center nozzle 56 and the peripheral nozzle 58 are positioned, for example, on the surface of the mounting portion 54 to which the bristles 52 are attached, and are configured to spray the liquid in a direction approximately normal to the surface. The center nozzle 56 is positioned near the center of the mounting portion 54, and the peripheral nozzle 58 is positioned closer to the periphery of the mounting portion 54 than the center nozzle 56. Note that in Figure 1, the center nozzle 56 and the peripheral nozzle 58 are shown through the bristles 52.

<Brush support part>
In this embodiment, the car wash machine main body 4 further includes a pair of left and right brush support portions 60 on each frame 8. Each brush support portion 60 supports a corresponding one of the wheel brushes 50 relative to the frame 8. The brush support portion 60 includes a rotating portion 62 and a brush shaft 64. For example, the rotating portion 62 has an opening into which the brush shaft 64 is inserted. When the brush shaft 64 is inserted into the opening, the rotating portion 62 rotates around the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64 as an axis. For example, the brush shaft 64 has a longitudinal direction that is approximately horizontal with the ground surface G and approximately perpendicular to the approach direction DA. The rotating portion 62 rotates around the brush shaft 64 by, for example, a power unit such as a motor (not shown).

The brush support portion 60 further includes multiple bolts 66. The bolts 66 tighten and secure the mounting portion 54 and the rotating portion 62 to each other. As a result, as the rotating portion 62 rotates around the brush shaft 64, the mounting portion 54 also rotates around the brush shaft 64. As a result, the foil brush 50 rotates around the rotation axis 50A, which is aligned in approximately the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64.

The power unit that rotates the foil brush 50 around the brush shaft 64 may be capable of switching the speed at which the foil brush 50 rotates. For example, the power unit may include a variable voltage variable frequency inverter or the like. In this case, when the foil brush 50 rotates in one direction around the brush shaft 64, the control unit 44 may change the rotation speed through control of the power unit.

As the foil brush 50 rotates, the center nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzles 58 rotate. Here, the rotation axis 50A passes through, for example, the center of the mounting portion 54. Therefore, although the center nozzle 56 rotates as the foil brush 50 rotates, its position does not change significantly. On the other hand, the peripheral nozzles 58 rotate around the center nozzle 56 as the foil brush 50 rotates.

In this embodiment, the mounting portion 54 is fixed to the rotating portion 62 so that the longitudinal direction of the bristles 52 is approximately the same as the longitudinal axis of the brush shaft 64. Therefore, the cleaning surface 50F of the foil brush 50 is formed so that the rotation axis 50A is approximately normal to the surface.

The brush support portion 60 further includes an arm 68. The arm 68 includes a beam portion 70, a first shaft 72 formed at one end of the beam portion 70, and a second shaft 74 formed at the other end of the beam portion 70. The first shaft 72 and the second shaft 74 have their longitudinal directions, for example, in approximately the same direction as the approach direction DA, and each supports the beam portion 70 rotatably with its longitudinal direction as its rotation axis.

The first shaft 72, for example, passes through a brush shaft support portion 76 formed on the brush shaft 64, and rotatably supports the brush shaft 64. The second shaft 74 is fixed to the frame 8 of the car wash machine main body 4. Therefore, when the beam portion 70 rotates around the second shaft 74, the wheel brush 50 rotates around the second shaft 74. In particular, as the beam portion 70 rotates around the second shaft 74, the distance of the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 from the frame 8 changes.

For example, in the standby state WS shown in FIG. 1, the beam portion 70 is rotated around the second shaft 74, and the first shaft 72 is moved from the frame 8 toward the space 4S. In this case, as shown in the extended state ES in FIG. 1, the wheel brush 50 moves closer to the space 4S than the frame 8, compared to the standby state WS. As a result, the wheel brush 50 moves between a standby position in the standby state WS, where the wheel brush 50 waits to clean the tire XT, and a cleaning position in the extended state ES, where the wheel brush 50 cleans the tire XT.

Here, the brush shaft 64 rotates around the first shaft 72 so that its longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the ground surface G, regardless of the rotation of the beam section 70 around the second shaft 74. Therefore, the rotation axis 50A of the foil brush 50 is approximately parallel to the ground surface G, regardless of the position of the foil brush 50.

Each brush support 60 supports a foil brush 50 so that the cleaning surface 50F of one foil brush 50 faces the cleaning surface 50F of the other foil brush 50. Therefore, the liquid spray direction from the central nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzle 58 included in one foil brush 50 is directed toward the cleaning surface 50F of the other foil brush 50.

The control unit 44 controls the rotation of the foil brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A and the position of the foil brush 50 relative to the frame 8 of the cleaning surface 50F by controlling the operation of each part of the brush support unit 60. The operation of each part of the brush support unit 60 located on one frame 8 may be linked to the operation of each part of the brush support unit 60 located on the other frame 8, or they may operate individually. The control unit 44 also controls the positions of the two foil brushes 50 by controlling each arm 68. In other words, the control unit 44 controls the distance between the pair of left and right foil brushes 50.

<Hose and auxiliary nozzle>
In this embodiment, the car wash machine main body 4 further includes a pair of left and right first hoses 78 and second hoses 80, and an auxiliary nozzle 82. In addition, the car wash machine main body 4 includes an arch 84 formed in a gate shape across the two frames 8 and the ceiling portion 10, for example, in which the first hose 78 and the second hose 80 are arranged.

The first hose 78 and the second hose 80 are cylindrical members through which liquid can flow. The first hose 78 and the second hose 80 are connected to an arch 84. For example, the car wash machine main body 4 supplies liquid from a liquid tank to each of the first hose 78 and the second hose 80 via the arch 84. The amount of liquid supplied to each of the first hose 78 and the second hose 80 may be controlled by a valve (not shown) formed on the arch 84 or on either of the hoses.

The first hose 78 communicates with the brush shaft 64 and the interior of the mounting portion 54, and communicates with each of the central nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzles 58 via liquid flow paths (not shown) formed inside the mounting portion 54. As a result, the car wash machine main body 4 supplies liquid to each of the central nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzles 58 via the first hose 78, thereby spraying liquid onto each of the central nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzles 58.

The amount of liquid supplied to each of the central nozzle 56 and the peripheral nozzle 58 may be approximately the same, or may be controlled by opening and closing a valve (not shown). Furthermore, the first hose 78 has sufficient length and flexibility to follow changes in the distance between the brush shaft 64 and the arch 84 as the foil brush 50 moves.

The auxiliary nozzle 82 is connected to the second hose 80 and sprays liquid supplied via the second hose 80. The auxiliary nozzle 82 is fixed to the frame 8 of the car wash machine main body 4 above the wheel brush 50, which is in standby state WS. In other words, the auxiliary nozzle 82 is located around the side of the wheel brush 50. Therefore, when the wheel brush 50 is in standby state WS, the auxiliary nozzle 82 sprays liquid onto the side surface 50S of the wheel brush 50.

<Type of liquid ejected from the nozzle>
The supply of liquid to each nozzle via the first hose 78 and the second hose 80 is controlled by the control unit 44. In other words, the control unit 44 controls the spraying of liquid from each of the center nozzle 56, the peripheral nozzles 58, and the auxiliary nozzles 82.

Here, the control unit 44 switches the type of liquid dispensed by each nozzle by changing the type of liquid supplied to each of the central nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82. For example, the car wash machine main body 4 may have an individual arch 84 for each type of liquid dispensed by each nozzle, and hoses may extend from each arch 84 to each nozzle. In this case, the control unit 44 may switch the type of liquid dispensed by each nozzle by controlling the opening and closing of valves formed on each hose. In this case, the liquid storage tank housed in the tank storage unit 20 may store multiple types of liquid.

The center nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82 of this embodiment spray tire cleaning fluid. The tire cleaning fluid may include, for example, tap water or a conventional cleaning fluid known to those skilled in the art for cleaning tires, including detergent. Therefore, the center nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82 of this embodiment function as first cleaning nozzles that spray tire cleaning fluid onto the wheel brush 50.

The auxiliary nozzle 82 according to this embodiment also dispenses tire wax. The tire wax may include conventional tire waxes, such as oil-based wax in which silicon is dissolved in a petroleum-based solvent, or water-based wax in which silicon microparticles are emulsified and dispersed in city water. Therefore, the auxiliary nozzle 82 according to this embodiment also functions as a tire wax nozzle that dispenses tire wax onto the foil brush 50.

In this embodiment, the center nozzle 56 or the peripheral nozzle 58 may dispense tire wax. From the perspective of adhering tire wax to the cleaning surface 50F of the foil brush 50, it is preferable to dispense the tire wax near the tips of the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50. Therefore, to dispense the tire wax near the tips of the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50, it is preferable to dispense the tire wax from the periphery of the foil brush 50 rather than from the center of the foil brush 50 or from the inside of the bristles 52. Therefore, dispensing tire wax from the auxiliary nozzle 82 is preferable from the perspective of more efficiently applying tire wax to the tire XT of the vehicle X using the foil brush 50, compared to when the center nozzle 56 or the peripheral nozzle 58 dispenses tire wax. The auxiliary nozzle 82 may dispense tire wax, for example, approximately 5 cm from the tips of the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50.

The center nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82 of this embodiment spray brush cleaning liquid. The brush cleaning liquid is a cleaning liquid that is applied to the foil brush 50 to make it easier to remove foreign matter and other substances that have adhered to the foil brush 50. The brush cleaning liquid may contain a conventional cleaning liquid used to clean brushes, such as city water or detergent. In particular, the brush cleaning liquid may contain a solvent in which the tire wax described above is soluble. Therefore, the center nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82 of this embodiment also function as a second cleaning nozzle that sprays brush cleaning liquid onto the foil brush 50.

In this embodiment, the car wash machine main body 4 may be provided with individual nozzles for spraying tire cleaning fluid, tire wax, and brush cleaning fluid. In this case, the car wash machine main body 4 may be provided with multiple arches 84 for supplying tire cleaning fluid, tire wax, and brush cleaning fluid to the nozzles, respectively. The car wash machine main body 4 may also be provided with hoses for transporting liquid from each arch 84 to each nozzle, one for each type of liquid to be transported. Furthermore, the control unit 44 may individually control valves formed on each nozzle or each hose to switch between nozzles that spray liquid, thereby switchably changing the type of liquid sprayed by the nozzle.

<Contacting member>
Furthermore, the car wash machine main body 4 according to this embodiment includes an abutment member 86. The abutment member 86 is, for example, a cylindrical member having a bent portion and a straight portion. The abutment member 86 is at least stiffer than the bristles 52 of the wheel brush 50 and includes, for example, a material such as metal. The abutment member 86 is, for example, rotatably supported by an abutment member shaft 88 whose longitudinal direction is substantially the same as the traveling direction DA. The abutment member shaft 88 is formed in the car wash machine main body 4 and rotatably supports the abutment member 86 with the longitudinal direction as a rotation axis.

When the wheel brush 50 is in the standby state WS or the extended state ES, the abutment member 86 is retracted toward the periphery of the car wash machine main body 4 relative to the space 4S. In this case, the abutment member 86 does not abut against the wheel brush 50 and does not overlap with the wheel brush 50 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64. Therefore, the wheel brush 50 can move between a standby position in the standby state WS and a cleaning position in the extended state ES.

When the wheel brush 50 is in standby state WS, the abutment member 86 rotates around the abutment member shaft 88, causing the abutment member 86 to move toward the space 4S of the car wash machine main body 4. As a result, as shown in abutment state CS in Figures 1 and 3, the abutment member 86 abuts against the bristles 52 of the wheel brush 50. More specifically, in abutment state CS, the abutment member 86 penetrates from the side surface 50S of the wheel brush 50 toward the center of the wheel brush 50.

When the foil brush 50 is in the contact state CS, it rotates around the rotation axis 50A, causing the bristles 52 to successively contact the contact member 86. This causes the contact member 86 to scrape off any liquid or foreign matter adhering to the bristles 52.

The control unit 44 controls the rotation of the abutment member 86 around the abutment member shaft 88 to switch between abutment between the bristles 52 and the abutment member 86. For example, the control unit 44 may control the rotation of the abutment member 86 around the abutment member shaft 88 by controlling the extension and contraction of a jack (not shown) connected to the abutment member 86.

<Overview of car wash method and reception process>
A method for washing a vehicle X using the car wash machine 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the method for washing a vehicle X using the car wash machine 2. In the car wash method according to this embodiment, first, as a reception process, the car wash machine 2 receives a request for washing from a user of the vehicle X or the like (step S2). The reception of the car wash request may be performed, for example, by the user operating the remote panel 6 or the operation panel 42 or the like to set the car wash conditions for the vehicle X and pay the car wash fee.

After the car wash reception is completed, the control unit 44 controls each part of the car wash machine main body 4 to cause the car wash machine 2 to wash the vehicle X (step S4). For example, in the car wash process, the control unit 44 moves the car wash machine main body 4 in the forward/backward direction relative to the vehicle X while operating the cleaning unit of the car wash machine main body 4 to wash the vehicle X. Here, while the control unit 44 moves the car wash machine main body 4 and passes the vehicle X through the space 4S, it may obtain information about the external shape of the vehicle X from whether or not the vehicle X is detected by each sensor of the area sensor AS, and wash the vehicle X based on that information.

<Tire cleaning>
A portion of the car washing process will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 9. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a portion of the car washing process in the car washing method using the car wash machine 2. Figures 6 to 9 are front views showing a portion of the car washing process shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment, with particular reference to Figures 5 to 9, a method for washing the tire TX using the wheel brush 50, a method for applying tire wax to the tire TX, and a method for cleaning the wheel brush 50 will be described.

As described above, in the car wash process, the control unit 44 first controls the cleaning unit while moving the car wash machine main body 4 relative to the vehicle X from the front to the rear, thereby washing the vehicle X. Here, in the car wash process, the control unit 44 sprays tire cleaning fluid from the first cleaning nozzle onto the wheel brush 50 in parallel with the relative movement of the car wash machine main body 4 relative to the vehicle X (step S4-2).

In particular, in step S4-2, the control unit 44 controls the valves corresponding to the center nozzle 56, the peripheral nozzle 58, and the auxiliary nozzle 82. As a result, the control unit 44 causes the center nozzle 56, the peripheral nozzle 58, and the auxiliary nozzle 82 to spray tire cleaning liquid onto the foil brush 50. For example, as shown in step S4-2 of FIG. 6, tire cleaning liquid L1 is sprayed from the auxiliary nozzle 82 onto the side surface 50S of the foil brush 50.

In step S4-2, tire cleaning liquid L1 adheres to the foil brush 50. In particular, in step S4-2, the control unit 44 may spray tire cleaning liquid onto the foil brush 50 from each of the center nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82 so that the tire cleaning liquid L1 adheres to the cleaning surface 50F of the foil brush 50. Note that in step S4-2, the control unit 44 may spray tire cleaning liquid directly onto the tire XT from each of the center nozzle 56, peripheral nozzle 58, and auxiliary nozzle 82.

Step S4-2 is executed, for example, from the start of step S4 until the car wash machine main body 4 moves relative to the vehicle X to a position where the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 overlaps the side surface of the tire XT when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64. For example, the control unit 44 may determine the position of the tire XT in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle X by detecting the tire XT using a sensor provided in the car wash machine main body 4 while moving the car wash machine main body 4 relative to the vehicle X. The sensor that detects the tire XT may be the area sensor AS described above. Alternatively, the car wash machine main body 4 may further be provided with a separate sensor for detecting the tire XT.

In step S4-2, the control unit 44 maintains the wheel brushes 50 in the standby state WS. For example, the control unit 44 may control each brush support unit 60 to move each wheel brush 50 toward the corresponding frame 8 before the start of the car wash process. As shown in step S4-2 of FIG. 6, the distance W1 between the cleaning surfaces 50F of the two wheel brushes 50 in the standby state WS is longer than the distance WX between the outer surfaces of the left and right tires XT of the vehicle X. The wheel brushes 50 are maintained in the standby state WS during the car wash process, including step S4-2, by the control unit 44 controlling the brush support unit 60. As a result, the distance between the cleaning surfaces 50F of the two wheel brushes 50 becomes W1, which is longer than the distance WX, ensuring space between the wheel brushes 50 and the vehicle X during relative movement of the car wash machine main body 4 with respect to the vehicle X.

Next, the tire XT is cleaned using the wheel brush 50 (step S4-4). Step S4-4 is executed after step S4-2 is completed, when the car wash machine main body 4 has moved to a position where the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 overlaps the side surface of the tire XT when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64. Note that after the start of step S4-4, the control unit 44 may temporarily stop the relative movement of the car wash machine main body 4 with respect to the vehicle X.

In step S4-4, first, as shown in step S4-4 in FIG. 6, the control unit 44 controls the brush support unit 60 to move the wheel brush 50 toward the vehicle X and bring it into contact with the vehicle X. As a result, the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 comes into contact with the outer surface of the tire XT of the vehicle X. The distance between the two wheel brushes is W2, which is shorter than W1. Distance W2 is approximately the same as WX.

In step S4-4, the control unit 44 further rotates the wheel brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A while the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 is in contact with the outer surface of the front tire XT of the vehicle X. In particular, during step S4-4, the control unit 44 rotates the wheel brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A while maintaining the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the side surface of the tire XT. In this way, the control unit 44 cleans the tire XT using the wheel brush 50.

While the wheel brush 50 is cleaning the tire XT, the control unit 44 may rotate the wheel brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A and spray tire cleaning liquid L1 from each of the central nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzle 58 of the wheel brush 50. Note that in step S4-4, when the wheel brush 50 rotates in one direction around the rotation axis 50A, the rotation speed may be, for example, 140 rotations per minute.

In the process of bringing the cleaning surface 50F of the foil brush 50 into contact with the outer surface of the tire XT, including step S4-4, the control unit 44 may appropriately change the pressing pressure of the foil brush 50 against the tire XT depending on the diameter of the tire XT. For example, the control unit 44 may increase the pressing pressure of the foil brush 50 against the tire XT as the diameter of the tire XT increases. Furthermore, the foil brush 50 may be designed so that the tips of the bristles 52 spread out toward the periphery of the outer surface of the tire XT as the pressing pressure against the tire XT increases. This allows the control unit 44 to more reliably bring the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50 into contact with the tire XT up to the vicinity of the outer periphery, and also reduces the protrusion of the tips of the bristles 52 from the outer surface of the tire XT.

The control unit 44 may measure the diameter of the tire XT, for example, by detecting the outer shape of the tire XT using a sensor provided in the car wash machine main body 4. Alternatively, the control unit 44 may measure the diameter of the tire XT, for example, by detecting the height of the top of the tire XT using a sensor provided in the car wash machine main body 4. The sensor for measuring the diameter of the tire XT may be the area sensor AS described above. Alternatively, the car wash machine main body 4 may further be provided with a separate sensor for measuring the diameter of the tire XT.

<Dehydration and tire wax application>
After the wheel brush 50 has cleaned the tire XT, the control unit 44 controls the wheel brush 50 to dehydrate the wheel brush 50 (step S4-6). In step S4-6, as shown in step S4-6 in FIG. 7 , the control unit 44 first controls the brush support unit 60 to move the wheel brush 50 toward the frame 8 and place the wheel brush 50 in a standby state WS. Next, the control unit 44 rotates the wheel brush 50 in the standby state WS around the rotation shaft 50A. In other words, the control unit 44 rotates the wheel brush 50 around the rotation shaft 50A with the wheel brush 50 separated from the vehicle X.

As a result, the control unit 44 dehydrates the foil brush 50 by centrifuging the liquid containing the tire cleaning liquid L1 adhering to the foil brush 50 to remove it from the foil brush 50. In this specification, "dehydration" refers to the removal of at least a portion of the liquid containing the tire cleaning liquid L1, etc., as described above, from the foil brush 50, in addition to water such as city water. Note that in step S4-6, foreign matter, etc., adhering to the foil brush 50 in step S4-4 may also be removed from the foil brush 50.

Note that in step S4-6, when the wheel brush 50 rotates in one direction around the rotation shaft 50A, the rotation speed may be, for example, 190 rotations per minute. Also, for example, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-6 may be faster than the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-4. In other words, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 may be faster when dewatering the wheel brush 50 than when washing the tire XT. In this case, the car wash machine 2 can dewater the brush more efficiently in step S4-6.

Following the dehydration of the foil brush 50, the control unit 44 causes the tire wax nozzle to dispense tire wax onto the foil brush 50 (step S4-8, dispensing process). In particular, in step S4-8, the control unit 44 controls the valve corresponding to the auxiliary nozzle 82 to change the liquid supplied to the auxiliary nozzle 82 from tire cleaning fluid to tire wax. This causes the control unit 44 to dispense tire wax from the auxiliary nozzle 82 onto the foil brush 50. For example, as shown in step S4-8 of FIG. 7, tire wax TW is dispensed from the auxiliary nozzle 82 onto the side surface 50S of the foil brush 50. Note that in step S4-8, tire wax TW may also be dispensed from the center nozzle 56 or the peripheral nozzle 58.

Note that in step S4-8, when the wheel brush 50 rotates in one direction around the rotation shaft 50A, the rotation speed may be, for example, 50 rotations per minute. Also, for example, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-8 may be slower than the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-4. In other words, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 may be slower when discharging tire wax TW onto the wheel brush 50 than when cleaning the tire XT. In this case, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the scattering of tire wax TW around the wheel brush 50 in step S4-8.

In step S4-8, the range over which the tire wax TW is sprayed from each tire wax nozzle may be narrower than the range over which the tire cleaning liquid L1 is sprayed from each first cleaning nozzle. Furthermore, the force with which the tire wax TW is sprayed from each tire wax nozzle may be weaker than the force with which the tire cleaning liquid L1 is sprayed from each first cleaning nozzle. This allows the car wash machine 2 to reduce the scattering of tire wax TW around the wheel brush 50.

In step S4-8, tire wax TW is applied to the foil brush 50. In particular, in step S4-8, the control unit 44 may cause the auxiliary nozzle 82 to eject tire wax TW near the tips of the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50 so that the tire wax TW adheres to the cleaning surface 50F of the foil brush 50.

In this embodiment, before tire wax TW is dispensed onto the wheel brush 50 in step S4-8, the wheel brush 50 is dehydrated in step S4-6. Therefore, the car wash machine 2 reduces the dilution of the tire wax TW dispensed onto the wheel brush 50 by tire cleaning fluid L1 and other substances already attached to the wheel brush 50. The car wash machine 2 also reduces the contamination of the tire wax TW with foreign matter attached to the wheel brush 50. This configuration allows the car wash machine 2 to apply tire wax TW of a more appropriate concentration to the tire XT and also reduces the adhesion of foreign matter to the tire XT when applying tire wax TW to the tire XT.

Following step S4-8, the control unit 44 applies tire wax TW to the tire XT through control of the wheel brush 50 (step S4-10, application process). In step S4-10, as shown in step S4-10 of FIG. 8, the control unit 44 first controls the brush support unit 60 to move the wheel brush 50 toward the vehicle X and bring it into contact with the vehicle X. As a result, the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 comes into contact with the outer surface of the tire XT of the vehicle X. The distance between the two wheel brushes is the distance W2 described above.

In step S4-10, the control unit 44 further rotates the wheel brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A while the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 is in contact with the outer surface of the tire XT on the front side of the vehicle X. In particular, during step S4-10, the control unit 44 rotates the wheel brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A while maintaining the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the side of the tire XT. This causes the control unit 44 to apply tire wax TW to the tire XT using the wheel brush 50.

In step S4-8 described above, more tire wax TW may be applied to the bristles 52 of the wheel brush 50 that are closer to the side surface 50S than to the center of the attachment portion 54. In this case, in step S4-10, it becomes easier to apply tire wax TW only to the side surface of the tire XT; in other words, it becomes less likely that tire wax TW will be applied to the side surface of the tire wheel on which the tire XT is mounted.

For example, in step S4-8, tire wax may be ejected onto the foil brush 50 only from the auxiliary nozzle 82, and the ejection of tire wax TW from the center nozzle 56 and peripheral nozzle 58 may be stopped. This makes it easier for the tire wax TW to adhere to the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50 that are closer to the side surface 50S than to the center of the attachment portion 54.

In this embodiment, the tire XT is cleaned in step S4-4 before the tire wax TW is applied to the tire XT in step S4-10. This reduces the chance of the tire wax TW being applied over foreign matter adhering to the tire XT. Therefore, with the above configuration, the car wash machine 2 can more efficiently apply the tire wax TW to the tire XT.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the brush used to wash the tire XT in step S4-4 and to apply the tire wax TW to the tire XT in step S4-10 is the same wheel brush 50. Therefore, the car wash machine 2 does not need to have separate brushes for washing the tire XT and applying the tire wax TW to the tire XT, simplifying the configuration of the car wash machine main body 4.

Note that in step S4-10, when the wheel brush 50 rotates in one direction around the rotation shaft 50A, the rotation speed may be, for example, 35 rotations per minute. Also, for example, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-10 may be slower than the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-4. In other words, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 may be slower when applying tire wax TW to the tire XT than when cleaning the tire XT. In this case, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the scattering of tire wax TW around the tire in step S4-10.

<Washing the wheel brush>
After the wheel brushes 50 apply the tire wax TW to the tire XT, the control unit 44 injects the brush cleaning liquid from the second cleaning nozzle onto the wheel brushes 50 (step S4-12). In step S4-12, as shown in step S4-12 of FIG. 8 , the control unit 44 first controls the brush support unit 60 to move the wheel brushes 50 toward the frame 8 and place the wheel brushes 50 in a standby state WS. Here, after each wheel brush 50 has entered the standby state WS in step S4-12, the control unit 44 may control the car wash machine main body 4 to resume relative movement of the car wash machine main body 4 with respect to the vehicle X and to resume washing of the vehicle X by the cleaning unit.

Next, for example, the control unit 44 controls the valves corresponding to the center nozzle 56, the peripheral nozzle 58, and the auxiliary nozzle 82 to change the liquid supplied to each nozzle from tire wax to brush cleaning liquid. As a result, the control unit 44 causes the center nozzle 56, the peripheral nozzle 58, and the auxiliary nozzle 82 to spray brush cleaning liquid onto the foil brush 50. For example, as shown in step S4-12 of FIG. 8, the auxiliary nozzle 82 ejects brush cleaning liquid L2 onto the side surface 50S of the foil brush 50.

Following step S4-12, the control unit 44 cleans the foil brush 50 (step S4-14, brush cleaning process). In step S4-14, the control unit 44 first rotates the abutment member 86 around the abutment member shaft 88. As a result, the control unit 44 transitions the state of the foil brush 50 from the standby state WS to the abutment state CS in which the abutment member 86 and the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50 abut, as shown in step S4-14 of Figure 9.

In step S4-14, the control unit 44 further rotates the foil brush 50, which is in the abutment state CS, around the rotation axis 50A. As a result, in step S4-14, any liquid or foreign matter adhering to the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50 is scraped off by the abutment member 86. As a result, in step S4-14, the control unit 44 cleans the foil brush 50 through control of the foil brush 50 and the abutment member 86.

In this embodiment, the brush cleaning liquid L2 sprayed from the second cleaning nozzle in step S4-12 adheres to the foil brush 50 in step S4-14. Therefore, in step S4-14, the foil brush 50 is also cleaned with the brush cleaning liquid L2. For example, in step S4-14, the tire wax TW released from the foil brush 50 by the brush cleaning liquid L2 may be removed from the foil brush 50 by scrubbing it off with the abutment member 86.

Note that in step S4-14, when the wheel brush 50 rotates in one direction around the rotation shaft 50A, the rotation speed may be, for example, 80 rotations per minute. Also, for example, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-14 may be slower than the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 in step S4-4. In other words, the rotation speed of the wheel brush 50 may be slower when cleaning the wheel brush 50 than when cleaning the tire XT. In this case, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the scattering of the brush cleaning liquid L2 and tire wax TW around the wheel brush 50 in step S4-14.

The car wash machine 2 completes the washing process for vehicle X when the car wash machine main body 4 has washed the parts of vehicle X excluding tire XT and when steps S4-2 to S4-14 described above are completed.

The car wash machine 2 moves the car wash machine main body 4 relative to the vehicle X and completes at least steps S4-2 to S4-12 described above until all parts of the vehicle X except the tire XT have been washed. Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 completes step S4-14, for example, until it has completed accepting orders for washing the next vehicle X.

In particular, the car wash machine 2 may complete step S4-14 while moving the car wash machine main body 4 relative to the vehicle X until washing of all parts of the vehicle X except for the tire XT is completed. This reduces the time it takes for the car wash machine 2 to wash the next vehicle X.

In this embodiment, steps S4-14 are passed through before the vehicle washing process is completed, so after the car wash machine 2 has finished washing one vehicle X, the wheel brush 50 is already in a washed state when the car wash machine 2 begins washing another vehicle X. Therefore, when the car wash machine 2 sequentially washes multiple vehicles X, it can reduce the likelihood of liquids or foreign matter, such as tire wax TW, adhering to the wheel brush 50 while washing one vehicle X adhering to the other vehicles X.

During the washing process, the control unit 44 may execute each step shown in FIG. 6 by controlling the car wash machine 2 using the control method described for each of steps S4-2 to S4-14 shown in FIG. 6. The control method for the car wash machine 2 by the control unit 44 may be determined in accordance with the car wash conditions, including the car wash conditions for vehicle X obtained in the reception process, for example.

<Washing and waxing multiple tires>
Generally, two or more pairs of left and right tires XT are aligned in the front-rear direction on a vehicle X. Therefore, the above-described steps S4-2 to S4-14 may be repeatedly executed for each pair of left and right tires XT of the vehicle X. In this case, after completing step S4-12, the control unit 44 may move the car wash machine main body 4 to a position where the cleaning surface 50F of the wheel brush 50 overlaps with the side surface of another tire XT when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64.

In addition, after completing step S4-12, the control unit 44 may execute steps S4-14 and S4-2 before moving the car wash machine main body 4 to the above-mentioned position. Note that between the start of step S4-14 and the completion of step S4-2, the control unit 44 may retract the abutment member 86 toward the frame 8 and transition the wheel brush 50 from the abutment state CS to the standby state WS. Next, after moving the car wash machine main body 4 to the above-mentioned position, the control unit 44 may continue to execute steps S4-4 through S4-14.

This allows the car wash machine 2 to wash and apply tire wax TW to each of multiple pairs of left and right tires XT. Furthermore, in the above method, the wheel brush 50 is washed between the application of tire wax TW to one pair of tires XT and the spraying of tire washing liquid L1 onto the wheel brush 50 for washing another pair of tires XT. This allows the car wash machine 2 to reduce mixing of the tire washing liquid L1 and tire wax TW on the wheel brush 50. Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 reduces adhesion of tire wax TW or foreign matter adhering to the wheel brush 50 when washing the other pair of tires XT to the tire XT.

In step S4-14, the wheel brush 50 is cleaned while the brush cleaning liquid L2 is attached to the wheel brush 50. This allows the car wash machine 2 to clean the wheel brush 50 more efficiently. Furthermore, if the brush cleaning liquid L2 contains a solvent in which the tire wax TW is soluble, the car wash machine 2 can more efficiently remove the tire wax TW attached to the wheel brush 50 in step S4-14. This allows the car wash machine 2 to further reduce the adhesion of tire wax TW or foreign matter attached to the wheel brush 50 when cleaning another set of tires XT to the tire XT.

As described above, in this embodiment, steps S4-2 to S4-14 are performed simultaneously while the car wash machine main body 4 moves relative to the vehicle X while the cleaning unit is washing the vehicle X. Here, the car wash machine main body 4 may move relative to the vehicle X not only from the front to the rear of the vehicle X, but also from the rear to the front of the vehicle X. For example, the car wash machine main body 4 may move from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle X while the cleaning unit is washing the vehicle X, and then move from the rear end to the front end of the vehicle X. After this, the car wash machine main body 4 may again move from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle X. In this case, while the car wash machine main body 4 moves from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle X for the second time, the control unit 44 may control the blower 36 of the car wash machine main body 4 to dry the vehicle X. Upon completion of drying of the vehicle X, the car wash machine 2 may complete the washing process.

Here, in the cleaning process according to this embodiment, an example has been given in which steps S4-2 to S4-14 are performed in sequence for each pair of left and right tires XT, but the cleaning process according to this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, during the cleaning process, as the car wash machine main body 4 moves relatively from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle X, the control unit 44 sprays tire cleaning liquid L1 onto the wheel brush 50 and cleans each tire XT. After cleaning all tires XT is complete, the control unit 44 dehydrates the wheel brush 50 and dispenses tire wax TW onto the wheel brush 50. Next, as the car wash machine main body 4 moves relatively from the rear end to the front end of the vehicle X, the control unit 44 applies tire wax TW to each tire XT. Next, the control unit 44 sprays brush cleaning liquid L2 onto the wheel brush 50 and cleans the wheel brush 50.

When the vehicle X has multiple pairs of left and right tires XT, the above method reduces the number of times steps S4-2 to S4-14 are switched, allowing the car wash machine 2 to simplify the control of each part by the control unit 44. Furthermore, the above method allows the car wash machine 2 to reduce mixing of the tire cleaning fluid L1, tire wax TW, and brush cleaning fluid L2 on the wheel brush 50.

<Effects of car wash machines>
The car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment applies the tire wax TW to the tire XT by rotating the wheel brush 50 while bringing the wheel brush 50, to which the tire wax TW is attached, into contact with the tire XT. Therefore, compared to a case where the tire wax TW is sprayed onto the tire XT, the car wash machine 2 can more reliably form a coating of the tire wax TW on the side surface of the tire XT, thereby reducing the amount of tire wax TW used and the oil concentration. Therefore, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the cost of applying the tire wax TW to the tire XT and can also reduce the amount of tire wax TW that is discarded.

Furthermore, compared to spraying tire wax TW onto the tire XT, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the scattering of tire wax TW to areas where tire wax TW is not intended to be applied, including the ground or the surface of the vehicle X around the tire XT. This reduces the amount of dirt that the car wash machine 2 itself, the vehicle X, and their surroundings are soiled with tire wax TW. Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 can simplify or omit steps such as wiping off tire wax TW that has scattered onto areas where tire wax TW is not intended to be applied.

As a result of the above, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment can reduce the concentration of tire wax TW contained in the waste liquid generated during the car wash process. Generally, tire wax TW often contains oil, and therefore can place a greater burden on the environment when disposed of than city water, cleaning fluid, and other liquids. Therefore, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the burden on the environment that occurs when disposing of waste liquid.

Furthermore, in step S4-14, cleaning of the wheel brush 50 is achieved by rotating the wheel brush 50 around the rotation axis 50A while the abutment member 86 is in contact with the bristles 52 of the wheel brush 50. With the above configuration, the car wash machine 2 can scrub off tire wax TW adhering to the wheel brush 50 using the abutment member 86. This allows the car wash machine 2 to reduce the scattering of tire wax TW onto the wheel brush 50 compared to when tire wax TW adhering to the wheel brush 50 is removed by centrifugation or the like. Furthermore, with the above configuration, the car wash machine 2 further reduces the adhesion of tire wax TW or foreign matter adhering to the wheel brush 50 when washing another set of tires XT to the tire XT.

In addition, by dewatering the wheel brush 50 in step S4-6, the car wash machine 2 reduces the amount of tire wax TW dispensed onto the wheel brush 50 that flows out of the wheel brush 50 due to tire washing liquid L1 and the like in step S4-8 and thereafter. As a result, the car wash machine 2 can further reduce the concentration of tire wax TW contained in the waste liquid generated during the washing process. Therefore, the car wash machine 2 can further reduce the environmental impact caused by disposing of the waste liquid from the washing process.

The car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment can reduce the burden on the environment when disposing of wastewater, thereby contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 14, "Life below water," and Goal 15, "Life on land." Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 can simplify wastewater treatment or reduce the amount of water required for wastewater treatment, thereby contributing to the achievement of SDG Goal 6, "Clean water and sanitation." Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the amount of tire wax TW used and disposed of, thereby contributing to the achievement of SDG Goal 12, "Responsible Consumption and Production."

[Embodiment 2]
<Modification of Contact Member>
Another embodiment will be described below. The car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the car wash machine 2 according to the previous embodiment, except that it includes a car wash machine main body 90 instead of the car wash machine main body 4.

The car wash machine main body 90 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is a schematic front view of a portion of the car wash machine main body 90, enlarging the wheel brush 50 according to this embodiment and its vicinity, particularly a view enlarging a position corresponding to the schematic front view shown in Figure 1. Figure 11 is a schematic front view of the wheel brush 50, enlarging the wheel brush 50 and its vicinity. In particular, Figure 11 shows a schematic view of the wheel brush 50 in the standby state WS, viewed from direction B1 shown in Figure 10, and a schematic view of the wheel brush 50 in the abutting state CS, viewed from direction B2 shown in Figure 10. In Figures 10 and 11, the wheel brush 50, the members supporting the wheel brush 50, and members associated with the wheel brush 50, such as nozzles, may not be shown.

The car wash machine body 90 according to this embodiment differs in configuration from the car wash machine body 4 according to the previous embodiment only in that it includes an abutment member 92 and an abutment member shaft 94 instead of the abutment member 86 and the abutment member shaft 88.

The abutment member 92 is, for example, a cylindrical member consisting only of a straight rod portion and is at least stiffer than the bristles 52 of the wheel brush 50. The abutment member 92 may, for example, contain the same material as the abutment member 86. The abutment member shaft 94 is formed in the car wash machine main body 4 and rotatably supports the abutment member 92 with its longitudinal direction as the axis of rotation. However, the abutment member shaft 94 differs from the abutment member shaft 88 in that, for example, its longitudinal direction is approximately the same as the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64 of the wheel brush 50. The abutment member shaft 94 is located, for example, near the side surface 50S of the wheel brush 50 when in the standby state WS.

As a result, when the abutment member 92 rotates around the abutment member shaft 94, the abutment member 92 moves in the front-to-rear and up-down directions relative to the car wash machine main body 90. For example, the abutment member 92 does not need to move left-to-right relative to the car wash machine main body 90. Therefore, when the vehicle X is located within the space 4S, such as while the vehicle X is being washed by the car wash machine main body 90, the abutment member 92 moves in the front-to-rear and up-down directions relative to the vehicle X.

When the foil brush 50 is in the standby state WS or the extended state ES, the abutment member 92 is retracted toward the periphery rather than toward the center of the attachment portion 54 of the foil brush 50. In this case, the abutment member 92 does not abut against the foil brush 50 and does not overlap with the foil brush 50 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the brush shaft 64. Therefore, the foil brush 50 can move between a standby position in the standby state WS and a cleaning position in the extended state ES.

When the foil brush 50 is in standby state WS, the abutment member 92 rotates around the abutment member shaft 94, causing the abutment member 92 to move from the side surface 50S of the foil brush 50 toward the center of the mounting portion 54. As a result, as shown in abutment state CS in Figures 10 and 11, the abutment member 92 moves from the side surface 50S of the foil brush 50 between the bristles 52 and abuts against the bristles 52 of the foil brush 50. As the foil brush 50 rotates around the rotation axis 50A in the abutment state CS, the multiple bristles 52 sequentially abut against the abutment member 92. As a result, the abutment member 92 scrapes off liquid or foreign matter adhering to the bristles 52.

The control unit 44 controls the rotation of the abutment member 92 around the abutment member shaft 94, thereby switching between the presence and absence of abutment between the bristles 52 and the abutment member 92. For example, the control unit 44 may control the rotation of the abutment member 92 around the abutment member shaft 94 by controlling a power unit such as a motor (not shown) connected to the abutment member shaft 94.

The method for washing vehicle X using the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment is achieved in the same manner as the method for washing vehicle X using the car wash machine 2 according to the previous embodiment, except for the operation of each component in step S4-14. In this embodiment, in step S4-14, the abutment member 92 rotates around the abutment member shaft 94, transitioning the state of the wheel brush 50 from the standby state WS to the abutment state CS. Therefore, in step S4-14, the abutment member 92 moves in the front-to-rear and up-and-down directions relative to vehicle X.

The car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment also applies the tire wax TW to the tire XT by rotating the wheel brush 50 while bringing the wheel brush 50, to which the tire wax TW has been applied, into contact with the tire XT. Therefore, for the same reasons as those described in the previous embodiment, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the cost of applying the tire wax TW to the tire XT and can also reduce the amount of tire wax TW that is discarded.

Furthermore, for the same reasons as those described in the previous embodiment, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment reduces the contamination of the car wash machine 2 itself, the vehicle X, and their surroundings with tire wax TW. Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 can simplify or omit the process of wiping off tire wax TW that has scattered to areas where tire wax TW is not intended to be applied. In addition, the car wash machine 2 can reduce the environmental impact caused by the disposal of waste liquid.

In step S4-14 according to this embodiment, the abutment member 92 moves in the front-to-rear and up-and-down directions relative to the vehicle X. Therefore, in this embodiment, the movement of the abutment member 92 can be achieved by simple control, such as by rotating it around the abutment member shaft 94.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, there is no need to move the abutment member 92 in the left-right direction relative to the vehicle X in order to bring the bristles 52 of the wheel brush 50 into contact with the abutment member 92. Therefore, the car wash machine main body 4 according to this embodiment can further increase the space between the vehicle X and the abutment member 92. Furthermore, because the car wash machine main body 4 does not need to move the abutment member 92 in the left-right direction within the frame 8, the space inside the frame 8 can be more effectively utilized.

In this embodiment, the abutment member 92 rotates around the abutment member shaft 94 to switch between contact and non-contact between the bristles 52 and the abutment member 92, but this is not limited to this. For example, the abutment member 92 may move back and forth along the longitudinal direction to switch between contact and non-contact between the bristles 52 and the abutment member 92. Furthermore, the abutment member 92 may move only in either the front-to-rear direction or the up-to-down direction relative to the car wash machine main body 90.

This disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure.

2 Car wash machine 4, 90 Car wash machine body 50 Wheel brush 56 Center nozzle 58 Peripheral nozzle 82 Auxiliary nozzle 86, 92 Contact member L1 Tire cleaning liquid L2 Brush cleaning liquid TW Tire wax X Vehicle

Claims (8)

a car wash machine body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction;
a brush and a tire wax nozzle attached to the car wash machine body,
The brush rotates about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the side surface of the tire while contacting the tire of the vehicle, and moves between a standby position and a cleaning position;
The tire wax nozzle dispenses tire wax onto the brush,
The car wash machine body includes an abutment member that abuts against bristles of the brush when the brush is in the standby position,
The brush is cleaned by rotating at the standby position with the abutting member and the bristles in contact with each other, and at the cleaning position, the brush rotates with the tire wax attached to the brush and in contact with the tire, thereby applying the tire wax to the tire;
The abutment member is configured to be movable in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction relative to the vehicle, thereby allowing the abutment member to be selectively changed between abutting and not abutting with the bristles of the brush in the standby position. a car wash machine body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction;
a brush and a tire wax nozzle attached to the car wash machine body,
The brush rotates about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the side surface of the tire while contacting the tire of the vehicle, and moves between a standby position and a cleaning position;
The tire wax nozzle dispenses tire wax onto the brush,
The car wash machine body includes an abutment member that abuts against bristles of the brush when the brush is in the standby position,
The brush is cleaned by rotating at the standby position with the abutting member and the bristles in contact with each other, and at the cleaning position, the brush rotates with the tire wax attached to the brush and in contact with the tire, thereby applying the tire wax to the tire;
the brush rotates around the rotation shaft while in contact with the tire, thereby cleaning the tire;
The car wash machine has a slower rotation speed of the brush around the rotation axis when applying the tire wax to the tire than when cleaning the tire. a car wash machine body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction;
a brush and a tire wax nozzle attached to the car wash machine body,
The brush rotates about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the side surface of the tire while contacting the tire of the vehicle, and moves between a standby position and a cleaning position;
The tire wax nozzle dispenses tire wax onto the brush,
The car wash machine body includes an abutment member that abuts against bristles of the brush when the brush is in the standby position,
The brush is cleaned by rotating at the standby position with the abutting member and the bristles in contact with each other, and at the cleaning position, the brush rotates with the tire wax attached to the brush and in contact with the tire, thereby applying the tire wax to the tire;
the brush rotates around the rotation shaft while in contact with the tire, thereby cleaning the tire;
The car wash machine body includes a second washing nozzle that sprays brush washing liquid,
the second cleaning nozzle injects the brush cleaning liquid onto the brush;
the brush rotates around the rotation shaft while the brush cleaning liquid is sprayed from the second cleaning nozzle, thereby cleaning the brush;
The car wash machine has a slower rotation speed of the brush around the rotation axis when cleaning the brush than when cleaning the tire. The car wash machine body includes a first cleaning nozzle that sprays tire cleaning liquid,
the first cleaning nozzle injects the tire cleaning liquid onto at least one of the brush and the tire;
3. The car wash machine according to claim 1 , wherein the brush washes the tire in a state where the tire washing liquid is attached to at least one of the brush and the tire. The car wash machine body includes a second washing nozzle that sprays brush washing liquid,
the second cleaning nozzle injects the brush cleaning liquid onto the brush;
The car wash machine according to claim 4 , wherein the brush rotates around the rotation shaft while the brush cleaning liquid is being sprayed from the second cleaning nozzle, thereby cleaning the brush. a car wash machine body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction;
A method for controlling a car wash machine including a brush, a tire wax nozzle, and an abutment member attached to the car wash machine body, comprising:
The brush moves between a standby position and a cleaning position;
a discharging step of discharging tire wax from the tire wax nozzle to the brush;
an application step of applying the tire wax to the tire by rotating the brush at the cleaning position with the tire wax attached thereto, while contacting the brush with the tire of the vehicle, and rotating the brush about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the side surface of the tire;
a brush cleaning process in which the abutment member is moved in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction relative to the vehicle to bring the abutment member into contact with the bristles of the brush in the standby position, while rotating the brush around the rotation axis to clean the brush. a car wash machine body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction;
A method for controlling a car wash machine including a brush, a tire wax nozzle, and an abutment member attached to the car wash machine body, comprising:
The brush moves between a standby position and a cleaning position in which the brush abuts against the tire of the vehicle;
a tire cleaning process in which the brush at the cleaning position is rotated about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to a side surface of the tire to clean the tire;
a discharging step of discharging tire wax from the tire wax nozzle to the brush;
an application step of applying the tire wax to the tire by rotating the brush around the rotation shaft while bringing the brush in the cleaning position with the tire wax attached thereto into contact with the tire;
a brush cleaning step of cleaning the brush by rotating the brush around the rotation shaft while the abutting member is in contact with the bristles of the brush at the standby position,
A method for controlling a car wash machine, wherein the rotation speed of the brush around the rotation axis in the application step is slower than the rotation speed of the brush around the rotation axis in the tire cleaning step. a car wash machine body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction;
A method for controlling a car wash machine including a brush, a tire wax nozzle, a second washing nozzle, and an abutment member attached to the car wash machine body, comprising:
The brush moves between a standby position and a cleaning position in which the brush abuts against the tire of the vehicle;
a tire cleaning process in which the brush at the cleaning position is rotated about a rotation axis that is substantially perpendicular to a side surface of the tire to clean the tire;
a discharging step of discharging tire wax from the tire wax nozzle to the brush;
an application step of applying the tire wax to the tire by rotating the brush around the rotation shaft while bringing the brush in the cleaning position with the tire wax attached thereto into contact with the tire;
a brush cleaning liquid spraying step of spraying a brush cleaning liquid onto the brush from the second cleaning nozzle;
a brush cleaning step of cleaning the brush by rotating the brush around the rotation shaft while the abutting member abuts against the bristles of the brush at the standby position in a state where the brush cleaning liquid is attached to the brush ,
A method for controlling a car wash machine, wherein the rotation speed of the brush around the rotation shaft in the brush cleaning step is slower than the rotation speed of the brush around the rotation shaft in the tire cleaning step.