JP7841556B2 - car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a car wash machine.

Patent Document 1 describes a car wash machine equipped with a water-draining member for discharging water droplets scattered from the top brush or side brushes and adhering to the gate-type frame to both sides of the vehicle. The water-draining member is mounted below a cover provided on the front of the gate-type frame. The water-draining member has guide grooves formed therein that gently slope downward from the center toward both the left and right sides.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 07-205770

In car washes, it is undesirable for liquid to drip onto vehicles after washing. Furthermore, reducing the labor costs for workers who manufacture car wash machines is desirable.

One aspect of the present invention aims to reduce the risk of liquid dripping onto the vehicle from the drainage section and to reduce the workload of the operator.

To solve the above problems, a car wash machine according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a pair of first frames positioned at intervals for vehicle passage and extending vertically, a second frame connecting the pair of first frames at their upper parts, and a cover member located in front of the second frame. The cover member includes a cover body portion covering the second frame, and a water drain portion continuously provided from the left end to the right end of the cover body portion and extending downward from the lower end of the cover body portion. The cover body portion and the water drain portion are integrally formed.

According to the above configuration, the drainage section is continuously provided across the area from the left end to the right end of the cover member, so no gap is formed in the central part of the drainage section. Therefore, it becomes difficult for liquid to drip downwards from the drainage section. This reduces the risk of liquid dripping onto the vehicle from the drainage section. Furthermore, the cover body and the drainage section are formed integrally. Therefore, there is no need to attach a separately prepared drainage section to the cover member. This reduces the labor required of the worker.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the risk of liquid dripping from the central portion of the drainage section of the cover member is reduced, and the amount of work required for the operator is also reduced.

This diagram shows a schematic side view of the car wash machine body and remote panel, and a schematic front view of the car wash machine body, as provided by this embodiment. This is a front view of the cover component. This is a right side view of the cover component. This is a rear view of the cover component. This is a plan view of the cover component. This is a bottom view of the cover component.

[Embodiment]
<Overview of the car wash machine>
First, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine body 4 and remote panel 6, and a schematic front view 4F of the car wash machine body 4, which are included in the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment. For the sake of explanation, the vertical, vertical, front-rear, and left-right directions are defined with respect to the car wash machine body 4, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, etc. The front direction is the direction in which the vehicle X to be washed is parked relative to the car wash machine body 4, which is positioned in the waiting position before washing. The left-right direction is also based on the front direction of the car wash machine body 4. That is, the left direction indicates the left side of the car wash machine body 4, and the right direction indicates the right side of the car wash machine body 4. The front-rear direction is the length direction of the vehicle X, the left-right direction is the width direction of the vehicle X, and the vertical direction is the height direction of the vehicle X. In this embodiment, the vertical direction is perpendicular to the front-rear and left-right directions, and the front-rear direction is perpendicular to the left-right direction.

As shown in Figure 1, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment includes a car wash machine 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 for the vehicle X by the car wash machine body 4. In the schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine 2 in Figure 1, the outline of the vehicle X is shown with a dotted line to indicate that the vehicle X is located to the left (further back from the page) of the remote panel 6.

As shown in the schematic front view 4F of the car wash machine body 4 in Figure 1, the car wash machine body 4 has a pair of first frames 8 and a second frame 10. Each of the first frames 8 is a frame that extends in the vertical direction. The pair of first frames 8 are positioned with a gap in the left-right direction that allows a vehicle X to pass through. A cover member (not shown) is attached to each of the first frames 8.

The second frame 10 connects the pair of first frames 8 at their upper ends. More specifically, the second frame 10 connects the upper ends of the pair of first frames 8. Note that the second frame 10 is not limited to being installed across the upper ends of the pair of first frames 8; it can also connect the pair of first frames 8 at their upper ends. The second frame 10 is a frame extending in the left-right direction. A cover member 50 is attached to the front of the second frame 10. Details of the cover member 50 will be described later.

The car wash machine body 4 has a structure that allows a vehicle X to pass through the space 4S enclosed by the first frame 8 and the second frame 10, along the vehicle X's entry direction DA, as shown in the schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine 2 in Figure 1. In this specification, the entry direction DA is defined as the direction from the front to the rear of the car wash machine body 4.

The car wash machine body 4, for example, has wheels 12 at the lower part of each of the first frames 8, and rotates these wheels 12 by a drive unit (not shown), thereby moving relative to the vehicle X in the longitudinal direction along rails R arranged on the ground G. The rails R are formed, for example, along the entry direction DA. While moving relative to the vehicle X, the car wash machine body 4 performs washing on the vehicle X in the space 4S.

The car wash machine body 4 is equipped with multiple rotating brushes that slide and brush the vehicle X as one of its cleaning components. For example, the rotating brushes attached to the car wash machine body 4 include a top brush 14, side brushes 16, and rocker brushes 18, each rotated by a rotary motor (not shown). The top brush 14 moves along the top surface of the vehicle X, cleaning the top surface of the vehicle X. The side brushes 16 and rocker brushes 18 clean both sides of the vehicle X. In particular, the rocker brushes 18 are positioned below the side brushes 16 and clean the lower sides of the vehicle X.

The car wash machine body 4 has a tank storage section 20 on its side that houses multiple storage tanks (not shown) containing various liquids, including detergents and waxes. Above the tank storage section 20 is a distribution piping section 22 for distributing water, including city water, or liquids from each storage tank. The first water purification nozzle 24, the second water purification nozzle 26, the first detergent nozzle 28, the second detergent nozzle 30, the water-repellent coating nozzle 32, and the wax nozzle 34, all included in the cleaning unit, are routed to the distribution piping section 22 via solenoid valves (not shown).

The first water purification nozzle 24 and the second water purification nozzle 26 are positioned on the front and rear sides of the car wash machine body 4, respectively, and spray water containing tap water onto the vehicle X. The first detergent nozzle 28 and the second detergent nozzle 30 are positioned on the front and rear sides of the car wash machine body 4, respectively, and spray a cleaning solution containing shampoo, etc., onto the vehicle X. The water-repellent coating nozzle 32 and the wax nozzle 34 are positioned on the rear side of the car wash machine body 4. The water-repellent coating nozzle 32 sprays a water-repellent coating agent onto the vehicle X. The wax nozzle 34 sprays wax onto the vehicle X.

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

Note that in Figure 1, for the sake of simplicity, the illustration of the various devices for washing the vehicle X provided by the car wash machine body 4, as described above, may be omitted. Furthermore, the devices provided by the car wash machine body 4 shown in Figure 1 are merely examples; the car wash machine body 4 may also include, in addition to the devices described above, devices for washing the vehicle X, and devices to assist in said washing, including conventionally known configurations, on the first frame 8 or the second frame 10.

An operation panel 42 is located on the front of one of the first frames 8 of the car wash machine body 4. The operation panel 42 is equipped with operation buttons (not shown) for setting car wash conditions, allowing users, such as those who have disembarked from the vehicle X, to accept the car wash request or set the car wash conditions.

Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 includes a control unit 44 that controls the car wash machine body 4. In particular, the control unit 44 controls the washing of the vehicle X by the car wash machine body 4 by controlling the movement of the car wash machine body 4 along the rail R and the operation of each part of the washing section. The control unit 44 may be located on the car wash machine body 4, as shown in Figure 1, or it may be located outside the car wash machine body 4. The control unit 44 may also control the car wash machine body 4 by transmitting and receiving information between the car wash machine body 4 and the remote panel 6 (described later) using a communication device (not shown). The control unit 44 is, for example, composed of a processor such as a CPU, 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 body 4, and is positioned roughly along the direction of movement of the car wash machine body 4. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the front of the remote panel 6 is positioned to face the vehicle X before it is washed by the car wash machine body 4, in other words, before it enters the interior of the car wash machine body 4. Therefore, Figure 1 shows the rear view of the remote panel 6.

As shown in Figure 1, the remote panel 6 comprises a housing 46 and support columns 48 erected on the ground G to support the housing 46. The remote panel 6 may acquire at least some of the car wash conditions for the vehicle X by operating a touch panel or buttons (not shown) provided on the housing 46. The control unit 44 may control the car wash unit 4 and wash the vehicle X based on at least some of the car wash conditions acquired by the remote panel 6.

<Cover component>
The details of the cover member 50 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a front view of the cover member 50. Figure 3 is a right side view of the cover member 50. Note that the right side view and the left side view of the cover member 50 are symmetrical. The cover member 50 is located in front of the second frame 10 and is a cover that covers the second frame 10. As shown in Figure 2, the cover member 50 is a cover whose longitudinal direction is in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 3, the cover member 50 is a single plate-like member and is manufactured by bending or other processes. The cover member 50 is, for example, a metallic plate member. The front surface of the cover member 50 constitutes a design surface. The cover member 50 includes a cover body portion 51 and a water drain portion 52.

The cover body portion 51 constitutes the main part of the cover member 50. The cover body portion 51 covers the second frame 10 from the left end to the right end. The cover body portion 51 is formed in a U shape when viewed from the side. The cover body portion 51 has a main wall portion 511 that extends in the vertical direction. The main wall portion 511 covers the front of the second frame 10. The main wall portion 511 may be a flat plate, or it may be convex toward the front as shown in Figure 3. More specifically, the main wall portion 511 may have a V-shape or U-shape when viewed from the side. The cover body portion 51 has an upper wall portion 512 that extends toward the rear from the upper part of the main wall portion 511. The upper wall portion 512 covers a part of the upper part of the second frame 10. The cover body portion 51 has a lower wall portion 513 that extends toward the rear from the lower part of the main wall portion 511. The lower wall portion 513 covers a part of the lower part of the second frame 10.

The drain portion 52 prevents liquids splashed from the rear to the front, such as liquids splashed forward from a rotating brush attached to the car wash machine body 4, from adhering to the lower surface 513A of the lower wall portion 513. The drain portion 52 and the cover body portion 51 are integrally formed. The drain portion 52 extends downward from the lower end of the cover body portion 51. More specifically, the drain portion 52 has a hanging wall portion 521 that extends downward from the rear end of the lower wall portion 513. As shown in Figure 2, the hanging wall portion 521 has a substantially constant width in the vertical direction across the left-right direction.

As shown in Figure 2, the drainage section 52 is continuously provided across the area from the left end to the right end of the cover body 51 in the left-right direction. That is, the drainage section 52 is provided on the cover body 51 so as to straddle the central position of the cover body 51 in the left-right direction. There are no discontinuous sections (separated sections) in the drainage section 52 from the left end 52A to the right end 52B. Therefore, there are no gaps in the drainage section 52.

The length L2 of the water drain section 52 from its left end 52A to its right end 52B in the left-right direction is shorter than the length L1 of the cover body 51 from its left end 51A to its right end 51B. Also, as shown in Figure 1, the length L2 of the water drain section 52 is shorter than the left-right spacing L4 between the pair of first frames 8. More specifically, the spacing L4 is the left-right spacing from the right end of the left first frame 8 to the left end of the right first frame 8. Alternatively, the length L2 of the water drain section 52 from its left end 52A to its right end 52B in the left-right direction is substantially the same as, or longer than, the left-right length L3 of the top brush 14 (see Figure 1). The length L3 is longer than the maximum vehicle width that can be washed by the car wash machine 2.

As shown in Figure 3, a bent portion 522 is formed at the lower part of the drain portion 52, where the drain portion 52 is bent backward and upward. By forming the bent portion 522 in the drain portion 52, the lower end 50A of the cover member 50 is located above the bent portion 522. That is, the drain portion 52 has a vertical wall portion 523 that extends upward. The hanging wall portion 521 and the vertical wall portion 523 form a V-shape when viewed from the side, and a groove portion 53 is formed between the hanging wall portion 521 and the vertical wall portion 523. The groove portion 53 receives liquid flowing from the upper surface 513B of the lower wall portion 513 along the hanging wall portion 521. The groove portion 53 prevents liquid flowing downward along the rear surface of the cover member 50 from falling downward. Furthermore, the groove portion 53 discharges the liquid that has flowed into the groove portion 53 to the outside from both the left and right sides of the groove portion 53.

Furthermore, the water drainage section 52 is not limited to a configuration where the hanging wall section 521 and the vertical wall section 523 form a V-shape when viewed from the side. For example, the water drainage section 52 may have a configuration where the hanging wall section 521 and the vertical wall section 523 form a U-shape when viewed from the side. That is, there may be a wall section extending in the front-rear direction between the hanging wall section 521 and the vertical wall section 523.

The cover member 50 may have a notch 54, as shown in Figure 2. The notch 54 is formed on both ends of the drainage portion 52 in the left-right direction. That is, both ends of the drainage portion 52 in the left-right direction are notched. The length of the drainage portion 52 in the left-right direction is shorter than the length of the cover body portion 51 in the left-right direction. By having the notch 54 in the cover member 50, both ends 51A and 51B of the cover body portion 51 in the left-right direction can be inserted into the insertion holes formed in the cover member attached to the corresponding first frame 8. This makes it less likely for the cover member 50 to fall downwards.

In conventional car washes, such as the one described in Patent Document 1, a gate-shaped frame was provided, and in addition to the cover member attached to the front of the frame located above, a water-draining member was provided to prevent liquid from adhering to the underside of the cover member. This water-draining member was formed in a mountain shape when viewed from the front in order to form an inclined guide groove. That is, the width of the water-draining member in the vertical direction was narrowed in the central part of the car wash, and gradually widened towards the left and right ends of the car wash. However, such a water-draining member is difficult to construct from a single member, and was constructed by combining two members whose width in the vertical direction gradually increased. When the water-draining member is constructed from two members, a boundary (dividing portion) is created between the two water-draining members at the central position in the left-right direction of the car wash. Since a gap exists at this boundary, it is conceivable that water droplets adhering to the water-draining member could travel through this gap and fall onto the vehicle after washing. Furthermore, conventionally, the drainage component and the cover were separate parts, requiring workers to attach the drainage component to the cover separately.

With the cover member 50 described above, since multiple water-draining members are not used, no gap is formed in the central part of the water-draining section 52. Therefore, liquid is less likely to drip downwards from the water-draining section 52. This reduces the risk of liquid dripping onto the vehicle from the water-draining section 52. Furthermore, the cover body 51 and the water-draining section 52 are integrally formed. Therefore, there is no need to attach a separately prepared water-draining member to the cover member 50. This reduces the labor required of the worker. Also, because the cover member 50 has an integral form with the cover body 51 and the water-draining section 52, it has a unified appearance, resulting in a higher aesthetic appeal compared to cases where a separate water-draining member is attached to the cover member 50. Furthermore, the manufacturing cost of the cover member 50 can be reduced.

Furthermore, by forming a bent portion 522 at the lower part of the drain portion 52, a groove portion 53 is formed that can receive liquid flowing from the rear surface of the cover member 50. This allows for a simple configuration that prevents liquid from dripping downwards.

Furthermore, the hanging wall portion 521 has a substantially constant width in the vertical direction across the left-right direction. Therefore, compared to a case where the vertical width of the drainage portion 52 is narrowed in the central part of the drainage portion 52 in the left-right direction, and gradually widened towards the left and right ends 52A and 52B of the drainage portion 52, the vertical width of the hanging wall portion 521 can be made narrower.

Furthermore, the length L2 of the drainage section 52 is shorter than the left-right spacing L4 between the pair of first frames 8. Therefore, a gap is formed between each first frame 8 and each end 52A, 52B of the drainage section 52. This allows the liquid flowing through the groove 53 to be discharged to the outside through the gap between each first frame 8 and each end 52A, 52B. By discharging the liquid flowing through the groove 53 to the outside, the liquid does not overflow from the groove 53. Also, the length L2 of the drainage section 52 is longer than the maximum vehicle width that can be washed by the car wash machine 2. Therefore, the risk of liquid discharged to the outside from each end 52A, 52B of the drainage section 52 falling onto the vehicle X is reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, 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 within the technical scope of the present invention.

2 Car wash machine 4 Car wash machine body 8 First frame 10 Second frame 50 Cover member 51 Cover body 52 Water drainage section 521 Hanging wall section 522 Bent section

Claims (1)

A pair of first frames are positioned at intervals for the passage of vehicles and extend vertically,
A second frame connecting the pair of first frames at the upper part of the pair of first frames,
The system comprises a cover member located in front of the second frame,
The cover member is
The cover body portion that covers the second frame,
The cover body is provided continuously over an area from the left end to the right end, and includes a drainage portion that extends downward from the lower end of the cover body,
A car wash machine in which the cover body and the drainage portion are integrally formed.