JP7849006B2 - Vehicle washing device and vehicle washing method - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vehicle body washing device and a vehicle body washing method that are advantageous for washing the outer surface of the body of large vehicles such as trailers, trucks, and buses.

Conventionally, for washing small vehicles such as passenger cars, a gantry-type washing device, such as the one shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-7643 (Patent Document 1), has been used. Such a gantry-type washing device comprises a gantry-type frame that reciprocates on left and right rails laid in the car wash area. This gantry frame supports a pair of vertical brushes and a single horizontal brush. As the gantry-type frame, spanning the small vehicle, moves from front to rear, the pair of vertical brushes move closer to and further apart from each other in the left-right direction to wash the outer surface of the vehicle, from the front to both sides and the rear. The single horizontal brush moves up and down to wash the upper surface of the vehicle, such as the hood and roof.

However, such gantry-type washing systems are not suitable for washing large vehicles such as trailers, trucks, and buses. This is because applying a gantry-type washing system to large vehicles would result in a significantly larger overall system, unavoidable high costs, and difficulty in securing installation space. Even if installation is possible, it would become wasted dead space when not in use, making it space-inefficient. Furthermore, because gantry-type washing systems are installed as structures in specific locations, large vehicles such as trailers must be moved to that specific location each time they are washed, and then precisely positioned and parked in the designated spot on the washing system. This makes driving the large vehicle before washing cumbersome, requiring even more surrounding space for maneuvering and turning.

Therefore, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-64024 (Patent Document 2), the applicant proposed an innovative self-propelled vehicle washing device equipped with vertical car wash brushes that moves without tracks. This self-propelled vehicle washing device can be used to wash the outer surfaces of various large vehicles by steering, and can be moved to any desired location under its own power, thus avoiding the space problems associated with gantry-type washing devices. Furthermore, considering the characteristics of large vehicles, such as their high height and the difficulty in visually inspecting the upper surface where dirt is less of a problem, this self-propelled vehicle washing device specializes in washing the outer surfaces, achieving both high practicality and compactness.

However, upon further investigation by the inventors of the conventional self-propelled vehicle washing device described in Patent Document 2, it was found that there is still room for improvement.

For example, in the conventional device described in Patent Document 2, if simply driving around the vehicle once is insufficient to achieve a sufficient cleaning effect, it becomes necessary to drive around the vehicle more than once, requiring repeated steering operations. This results in a relatively large burden of time and effort.

Furthermore, the conventional device described in Patent Document 2 is equipped with a rotating brush that rotates around a central axis extending in the vertical direction (approximately vertical direction). There was a concern that the rotational drive reaction force of this rotating brush, as well as the resistance reaction force from the rotating brush contacting the vehicle body surface, could negatively affect the device's stability.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-7643 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-64024

In this context, the present invention has been made against the background described above, and its objective is to provide a novel vehicle washing device and vehicle washing method that offer further performance improvements compared to the conventional self-propelled vehicle washing device described in Patent Document 2, and that can be suitably used for washing large vehicles.

More specifically, in the present invention, it is desirable that, compared to the conventional self-propelled vehicle washing device described in Patent Document 2, the washing capacity be improved, thereby reducing the time and effort required for vehicle washing. Furthermore, in the present invention, it is desirable that, compared to the conventional self-propelled vehicle washing device described in Patent Document 2, the effects of factors such as the rotational drive reaction force of the rotating brush and the vehicle body contact resistance reaction force are reduced, thereby improving the stability of the device.

The present invention can be suitably implemented in the various embodiments listed below in order to solve the problems described above, or the problems that can be grasped from the entire description and drawings of this specification. Furthermore, each embodiment and each component described therein can be adopted in any combination, provided there are no technical impediments. It should be understood that the embodiments and technical features of the present invention are not limited in any way to those described below, but can be recognized based on the inventive concept disclosed in the entire specification and drawings.

A first aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing device is as follows:
A vehicle body washing device that self-propels around the vehicle body without tracks to wash the outer surface of the vehicle body,
A machine base with running wheels,
A self-propelled means that drives the running wheels to propel the machine base without tracks,
A steering means for steering the movement of the machine base which is self-propelled by the self-propelled means,
A first cleaning brush and a second cleaning brush are supported in a fixed position by the machine base, in a state in which they are rotatable around their respective central axes that extend vertically, while being separated horizontally by a certain distance from each other in the front and rear of the direction of travel,
A car body washing device comprising a brush rotating means for driving the first washing brush and the second washing brush to rotate around their respective central axes in opposite directions.

In this embodiment of the vehicle body washing device, since two washing brushes (a first washing brush and a second washing brush) are arranged side by side, the washing action on the vehicle body is improved compared to conventional devices equipped with a single washing brush, as described in Patent Document 2.

Furthermore, because these two cleaning brushes rotate in opposite directions, a superior and more stable cleaning action can be achieved against various types of dirt on the vehicle's surface. For example, dirt that is difficult to wipe away with a one-way approach can be effectively cleaned by the presence of the cleaning brush approaching from the opposite direction. Also, even when the cleaning brush is unable to make contact with uneven surfaces such as door handles, locking mechanisms, or rearview mirrors that are obscured by shadows when approaching from one direction, the presence of the cleaning brush approaching from the opposite direction ensures contact and allows for effective cleaning.

Furthermore, by having the two cleaning brushes rotate in opposite directions, the driving reaction force of each cleaning brush and the contact resistance reaction force of each cleaning brush against the vehicle body surface can be easily canceled out or reduced. Therefore, compared to conventional devices equipped with a single cleaning brush, as described in Patent Document 2, the stability of the device during rotational drive of the cleaning brushes and during car washing, as well as driving stability, can be easily improved.

A second aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing device is, in the vehicle body washing device according to the first aspect,
The brush rotating means
In the cleaning surface that contacts the outer surface of the vehicle body, the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are driven to rotate in a direction that causes them to wrap around each other.

In this embodiment of the car washing device, even when washing water is supplied to the surface of the car being washed, the rotation of the first and second washing brushes entrains the washing water, thus suppressing splashing of the washing water into the surrounding area. Therefore, even if the operator is nearby, splashing of washing water onto the operator is minimized.

A third aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing device is, in the vehicle body washing device according to the first or second aspect,
The machine base is equipped with a nozzle for discharging water for car washing.
The car wash water discharged from the discharge nozzle is sprayed onto the outer surface of the vehicle body at a point forward in the direction of travel from the contact points of the first and second washing brushes with the outer surface of the vehicle body.

In this embodiment of the vehicle washing device, the washing water is sprayed onto the vehicle surface from a position forward of the contact point (washing area) of the first or second washing brush that first contacts the vehicle surface in the direction the device travels during washing. Therefore, the contact point (washing area) of the washing brush can be pre-wetted with the washing water, loosening dust and debris adhering to the vehicle surface and improving the cleaning action of the washing brush.

A fourth aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing device is a vehicle body washing device relating to any of the first to third aspects described above,
The distance between the outer surfaces of the first and second cleaning brushes at their respective maximum outer diameter states is set to be within the range of 0 to 30 cm.

In this embodiment of the vehicle washing device, even when each washing brush is fully open and has its largest diameter due to centrifugal force during rotation, mutual interference between the first and second washing brushes is prevented. Furthermore, by positioning the first and second washing brushes appropriately close together, the overall device can be made more compact. Additionally, for example, when washing a vehicle by spraying washing water onto the vehicle surface, the amount of washing water used can be reduced by sharing the washing water across the areas washed by each washing brush.

A first aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing method is as follows:
When cleaning the outer surface of a vehicle body by having a vehicle body washing device equipped with a washing brush that is driven to rotate around a central axis extending in the vertical direction, and which is trackless and self- propelled along the outer surface of the vehicle body,
The cleaning brushes consist of a first cleaning brush and a second cleaning brush, which are horizontally separated by a certain distance from each other in the forward and backward directions of travel, and are rotated around the central axis and supported in a fixed position .
A method for cleaning a vehicle body, wherein the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are driven to rotate in opposite directions around their respective central axes, thereby simultaneously cleaning the outer surface of the vehicle body with the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush.

According to the present invention, compared to conventional self-propelled cleaning methods using a single cleaning brush, simply employing two cleaning brushes physically improves the cleaning efficiency and action on the vehicle body. Furthermore, by simultaneously using the first and second cleaning brushes, which rotate in opposite directions, an even superior cleaning action can be achieved against various types of dirt on the vehicle body surface.

Furthermore, by having the two cleaning brushes rotate in opposite directions, it becomes easier to cancel out and reduce the driving reaction force of each cleaning brush and the contact resistance reaction force of each cleaning brush against the vehicle body surface, which can also improve the stability of the vehicle washing device during washing.

A second aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing method is the vehicle body washing method according to the first aspect,
The first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are rotated in a direction that causes them to wrap around each other on the cleaning surface that is in contact with the outer surface of the vehicle body.

A third aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing method is a vehicle body washing method relating to the first or second aspect,
The car wash water is sprayed onto the outer surface of the vehicle body at a point forward in the direction of travel from the contact points of the first and second washing brushes with the outer surface of the vehicle body, while the outer surface of the vehicle body is washed with the first and second washing brushes.

A fourth aspect of the present invention relating to a vehicle body washing method is a vehicle body washing method relating to any of the first to third aspects described above,
The vehicle body washing device is steered by an operator so that it moves along the outer surface of the vehicle body, while the first and second washing brushes wash the outer surface of the vehicle body.

According to the present invention, compared to conventional self-propelled cleaning devices or methods using a single cleaning brush as described in Patent Document 2, the use of two cleaning brushes not only improves cleaning efficiency and effectiveness on the vehicle body, but also provides even better cleaning performance against various types of dirt on the vehicle body surface by simultaneously using the first and second cleaning brushes, which rotate in opposite directions.

Furthermore, by having the two cleaning brushes rotate in opposite directions, it becomes easy to cancel out and reduce the driving reaction force of each cleaning brush and the contact resistance reaction force of each cleaning brush against the vehicle body surface, thus easily ensuring the stability of the vehicle washing device during washing.

This is a front explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of a vehicle body washing device according to the present invention. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the left side of the vehicle washing device. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the top view of the vehicle washing device. Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating one aspect of vehicle body washing using the vehicle body washing device shown.

To further clarify the present invention, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, Figures 1 to 3 schematically show a self-propelled car wash machine used for washing automobiles, as an embodiment of a car body washing device with a structure according to the present invention, which can be suitably used to carry out the method of the present invention. The front, side, and top views are shown, respectively. As is clear from these figures, the self-propelled washing machine 10 of this embodiment has a frame 12 as a machine base that rises up with a skeletal structure. The first washing brush 14 and the second washing brush 16 are supported by this frame 12 and are rotated. Furthermore, running wheels 18 are attached to the lower part of the frame 12, allowing it to travel trackless on any location on a substantially flat surface.

More specifically, the frame 12 has a base portion 20 with a roughly rectangular grid structure that extends roughly horizontally at its lowest point, and the running wheels 18 are mounted protruding downward from this base portion 20. The running wheels 18 are composed of multiple drive wheels 18a to which the driving force is applied, and driven wheels 18b that can rotate freely. In this embodiment, the drive wheels 18a are provided in pairs, one on each side, positioned roughly in the center in the front-to-back direction of travel (which corresponds to the left-to-right direction in Figure 1). The driven wheels 18b are provided in pairs, one on each side, for a total of four, positioned near both sides in the front-to-back direction of travel.

The drive wheels 18a, 18a are connected to drive shafts 22a, 22b that extend in the left-right direction of travel as shown in Figure 2. The rotational force of the drive motors 24a, 24b is applied via the drive shafts 22a, 22b, causing each drive wheel 18a, 18a to rotate. Furthermore, during forward and backward travel, steering is possible by the rotational difference between the pair of drive wheels 18a, 18a.

On the other hand, the four driven wheels 18b arranged on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the base 20 are all freely rotating wheels, and are driven casters that can rotate around an axis extending vertically. Preferably, they are equipped with a compression coil spring or the like to provide a cushioning function against road surface irregularities during travel. Note that in the side view of Figure 2, the flaps and driven wheels 18b are omitted from the illustration in order to clearly show the structure of the drive wheels 18a, 18a.

Furthermore, a water tank 26 for storing cleaning water and a generator 28 for supplying power to each motor and control system are mounted and fixedly attached to the base 20. The capacity, size, and shape of the water tank 26 are not limited, nor are the engine type or output performance of the generator 28; a battery can also be used as a substitute.

Furthermore, while the mounting positions of the water tank 26 and generator 28 are not limited, in this embodiment, the water tank 26 is mounted on one side in the front-rear direction of travel (the left side in Figure 1), and the generator 28 is mounted on the other side (the right side in Figure 1). Since the weight of the water tank 26 changes with the use of cleaning water, a weight may be added to the base 20 on the side where the water tank 26 is mounted, considering, for example, the weight balance (device stability) when the water level is almost depleted.

The frame 12 includes, in addition to the base portion 20 described above, a vertical frame portion 30 of the skeletal structure that rises upward from the base portion 20. The vertical frame portion 30 is integrally constructed, for example, by connecting multiple extruded profiles (steel materials). In this embodiment, a grid-like portion 30a is located midway along the left-right direction (left-right direction in Figure 2) of the base portion 20 and extends in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in Figure 1). One side of this grid-like portion 30a (right side in Figure 2) is designated as the mounting space for the water tank 26 and the generator 28.

Furthermore, the other side of the grid-like portion 30a (the left side in Figure 2) is designated as the mounting space for the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16.

These first and second cleaning brushes 14 and 16 can be various types of rotating brushes for car washing. For example, a rotating brush is preferably constructed by attaching numerous brush materials, such as synthetic fibers, nonwoven fabrics, or sponges, to a rotating shaft at one end, with the other end being a free end. Such a rotating brush for car washing rotates around the central axis of the rotating shaft, causing the brush materials to spread out due to centrifugal force, contact the vehicle surface, and exert a cleaning effect.

While the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 could be made of different materials or sizes, in this embodiment, identical rotating brushes are used. The rotating shafts 32 of each cleaning brush 14 and 16 extend in a substantially vertical direction, and their upper and lower ends are rotatably supported by the frame 12 via bearings. Specifically, the lower end of each rotating shaft 32 is supported by the side surface of the base portion 20 of the frame 12 via bearings, while the upper end of each rotating shaft 32 is supported by an upper end support portion 30b protruding from the upper end of the lattice-shaped portion 30a of the frame 12 via bearings.

Furthermore, the upper end support portion 30b, which supports the upper ends of the rotating shafts 32, 32 of the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16, is equipped with brush motors 34a, 34b that exert rotational driving force on each rotating shaft 32, 32 around the central axis 36. The vertical frame portion 30 of the frame 12 is provided with bracing support portions 30c that rise vertically from the grid-like portion 30a on the opposite side from the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16, thereby improving the rigidity of the frame 12. Additionally, a cover plate can be placed in the grid window portion of the grid-like portion 30a to suppress the scattering of car wash water due to the rotation of the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16. However, considering the strong winds during outdoor car washing, it is desirable not to place a cover plate at a position of 2/3 or more of the height from the ground, preferably 1/2 or more, allowing wind to pass through the grid portion of the grid-like portion 30a.

Furthermore, the rotation axes 32, 32 of the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16 are supported by the frame 12 in a state where they rise upward on the outer circumference of the base portion 20. As a result, the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16 rotate with approximately half their circumference protruding from the frame 12 to one side (the left side in Figure 2). This ensures that even when the frame 12 moves away from the vehicle, the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16 remain in contact with the vehicle body surface, allowing the cleaning action to be performed.

In each figure, the centrifugal force due to rotation is shown for the first and second cleaning brushes 14 and 16 when the brush material is at its maximum outer diameter. Furthermore, in this embodiment, each cleaning brush 14 and 16 has a brush structure that can be divided into multiple parts in the vertical axis direction, but this is not limited to this configuration.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, only the outer diameter of the brush in the uppermost section (maximum expanded outer diameter = φA) is larger than the outer diameter of the brush in the middle and lower sections (maximum expanded outer diameter = φB). This allows for, for example, effective cleaning of corners connecting the outer circumferential surface of the vehicle body to the ceiling surface, or, even in the upper part of the brush where it is difficult to obtain effective contact pressure with the vehicle body due to its greatest upward distance from the mounting surface of the running wheel 18 (which serves as a support point), the brush can be efficiently brought into contact with the vehicle body for cleaning. Alternatively, if the entire cleaning brush 14, 16 tilts away from the vehicle body at its upper end due to the contact reaction force during washing, the upper part of the brush, where the separation distance is greatest, can be maintained in contact with the vehicle body, thereby stabilizing the cleaning action.

The specific size of the self-propelled washing machine 10, including the first and second washing brushes 14 and 16, is not limited and can be appropriately set considering the size of the vehicle to be washed. For example, when washing the body of a typical large van-type truck, the size of the first and second washing brushes 14 and 16 is preferably about 3.5 m to 4.0 m in height, and the maximum extended outer diameter of the brushes is preferably about 500 mm to 1000 mm.

Furthermore, from the perspective of handling and storage, it is desirable that the planar size of the frame 12 be compact. Therefore, it is desirable that the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 are not unnecessarily separated, with both rotation axes 32, 32 parallel. However, if the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 interfere with each other during rotational operation, not only noise and vibration may be a concern, but there is also a risk of wear and damage. Therefore, it is desirable that the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 be set so that the separation distance D between the two rotational centers equals the maximum expanded outer diameter A. Note that the requirement that D = A is not mandatory for the separation distance between the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16.

Furthermore, the frame 12 is equipped with discharge nozzles 38 for spraying and supplying car wash water to the washing area of the vehicle body. While the number, position, and discharge direction of the discharge nozzles 38 are not limited, in this embodiment, multiple (e.g., 6 to 10) discharge nozzles 38 are installed vertically and spaced apart on both sides of the grid-like portion 30a of the frame 12 in the forward and backward directions of travel. Each discharge nozzle 38 is installed on a water passage pipe 40 extending from the water tank 26 and discharges car wash water supplied from the water tank 26 via a pump 42. The discharged car wash water may be sprayed towards the first and second cleaning brushes 14 and 16, but preferably, the discharge direction of the discharge nozzles 38 is adjusted so that the water is sprayed directly onto the vehicle body surface from the outer circumference of each cleaning brush 14 and 16.

In addition, the self-propelled car wash machine 10 of this embodiment is equipped with lighting devices 44, 44 using LEDs or the like for illuminating the car wash area, as well as a sensor device 46 for preventing interference with the vehicle body.

The vehicle body interference prevention sensor device 46 is not limited to a specific mechanism; for example, it may stop the drive wheels 18a, 18a if it detects excessive proximity to the vehicle body by measuring the distance to the vehicle body surface using infrared or ultrasonic waves. In this embodiment, a contact-type sensor device is used due to concerns about malfunctions caused by car wash water during car washing. Specifically, sensor brackets 48, 48 are provided on both sides of the grid-like portion 30a of the frame 12 in the front-rear direction of travel, and contact-type sensors 50, 50 are supported by each sensor bracket 48.

These contact-type sensors 50, 50 are equipped with contact elements that protrude toward the vehicle body from the grid-like portion 30a at positions separated in the forward and backward directions on the outer circumference of the first and second cleaning brushes 14, 16. They detect when these contact elements come into contact with the vehicle body surface and output an electrical signal. Therefore, for example, if the frame 12 approaches the vehicle body at an abnormally large angle, the detection signal from the contact-type sensor 50 can be used to stop the drive of the drive wheels 18a, 18a, or to emit an audible or visual warning to alert the operator, thereby preventing the frame 12 from striking the vehicle body.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the position of the contact sensor 50 and the position of the discharge nozzle 38 be appropriately adjusted and modified according to the size of the vehicle being washed. For example, the position of the contact sensor 50 can be adjusted vertically on the sensor bracket 48, or the position of the protruding tip of the contact sensor 50 can be adjusted, and the number of contact sensors 50 is not limited. In addition, as the discharge nozzle 38, for example, one that directly discharges car wash water to the first and second washing brushes 14 and 16 may be added, or one that discharges water from the gap between the first washing brush 14 and the second washing brush 16 toward the vehicle surface may be adopted.

When cleaning the outer surface of a vehicle body using the self-propelled washing machine 10 described above, for example, as shown in Figure 4, the first and second washing brushes 14 and 16 are kept rotating, and the drive wheels 18a, 18a are driven to move the machine around the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body 52 being washed. This allows the first and second washing brushes 14 and 16 to clean the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body.

In this configuration, the self-propelled washing machine 10 is equipped with a control panel 58 that controls the power supply from the generator 28 to various motors, pumps, lighting devices, and other components.

The control panel 58 includes a travel control device that controls the drive motors 24a and 24b of a pair of left and right drive wheels 18a, 18a. That is, the travel control device controls the power supply to the pair of left and right drive motors 24a and 24b based on control signals externally input from the operator via a wireless or wired controller, thereby controlling the operation of the pair of left and right drive wheels 18a, 18a. Even if the control panel 58 has a separate controller, it is desirable that it also directly includes switches for operation control that can be directly input, such as an emergency stop button.

The operation of the pair of drive wheels 18a, 18a by this driving control device allows the frame 12 to stop and start, and also steer in accordance with the differential between the left and right pair of drive wheels 18a, 18a, enabling the frame 12 to perform linear forward/backward travel and right/left turns in the longitudinal direction of travel.

Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 4, when aligning the self-propelled washing machine 10 with the front end P1 of the left side 54a of the vehicle body 52 to start washing, the washing machine is steered to move linearly to the rear of the vehicle body along the left side 54a, then rotate approximately 90 degrees at the rear end to reach the rear surface 54b, move linearly in the width direction along the rear surface 54b, rotate approximately 90 degrees at the right end to reach the right side 54c, and then move linearly forward along the right side 54c to reach the front end P2. This allows the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body 52 to be washed.

Furthermore, during the car washing operation, the control panel 58 controls the operation of the pump 42, and the car washing water stored in the water tank 26 is discharged from each discharge nozzle 38. The discharge of this car washing water may be continuous or intermittent during the car washing operation, taking into consideration factors such as the degree of dirt on the vehicle being washed and the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body. The amount of water discharged per unit time can also be adjusted. Moreover, considering the car washing environment, the lighting of the car washing area by the lighting device 44 can also be turned ON/OFF by the control panel 58.

Furthermore, the control panel 58 includes a brush control device that drives and controls the motors 34a and 34b for the first and second cleaning brushes 14 and 16, respectively. This brush control device controls the operation of the first and second cleaning brushes 14 and 16, including their rotation ON/OFF, rotation direction, and rotation speed, allowing for setting and adjustment of the operating state as needed.

The first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 are designed to be independently rotated by their respective brush motors 34a and 34b. However, the brush control device can control the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 to rotate in opposite directions during the car washing operation. Particularly preferable, as shown in Figure 3, the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 are configured to rotate in a direction that wraps around each other at the cleaning surface in contact with the outer circumferential surface 54 of the vehicle body.

As a result, by simply moving the self-propelled washing machine 10 along the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body from P1 to P2, as shown in Figure 4, the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body can receive substantially two brush washes from the first washing brush 14 and the second washing brush 16.

Furthermore, since the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 rotate in opposite directions, a further improvement in cleaning performance is achieved compared to simply washing the car with two brushes. This is because the rotation direction of the cleaning brushes corresponds to the wiping direction of the brush material in contact with the outer surface of the vehicle body. Therefore, wiping various types of dirt adhering to the outer surface of the vehicle body by sequentially applying the brush material from both directions is more efficient and provides a more stable cleaning performance than wiping by applying the brush material from only one direction. In particular, when there are specific irregularities such as mirrors or lock bars on the outer surface of the vehicle body, attempting to wipe by applying the brush material from only one direction often results in areas where the brush material is difficult to contact due to shadows. However, by sequentially applying the brush material from both directions, these shadowed areas caused by the irregularities can be reduced or eliminated, enabling the stable expression of superior cleaning performance.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 rotate in opposite directions on the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body in a direction that wraps around each other, the cleaning brush that is located on the front side in the direction of travel of the self-propelled washing machine 10 and is the first to contact the vehicle body has its brush material in contact with the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body from the front to the rear in the washing direction (the direction of travel of the self-propelled washing machine 10). This allows for efficient removal of dirt adhering to the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body toward the rear (avoiding an operation that would cause dirt to accumulate toward the front), and also allows for further improvement of the washing action by efficiently drawing in the washing water sprayed onto the surface of the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body toward the washing area. Furthermore, since the first and second cleaning brushes 14 and 16 rotate in opposite directions on the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body, the car wash water sprayed onto the vehicle body surface can be drawn inward in the direction of rotation of both cleaning brushes 14 and 16, thereby suppressing the amount of car wash water scattered outward in the forward and backward direction of travel from both cleaning brushes 14 and 16.

Furthermore, since the first cleaning brush 14 and the second cleaning brush 16 rotate in opposite directions, compared to driving a single cleaning brush or rotating both cleaning brushes 14 and 16 in the same direction, it is possible to mutually cancel out rotational driving reaction forces and mutually cancel out contact resistance reaction forces associated with the rotational contact of each cleaning brush with the outer surface of the vehicle body. As a result, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the reaction force acting on the self-propelled washing machine 10 during car washing, and the stability of the operation, including the movement of the self-propelled washing machine 10, can also be improved.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not intended to be limited by the above specific descriptions. For example, in addition to manual control by an operator, the movement control of the frame 12 can also be achieved by automatically steering it using control means such as those described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-264676, thereby achieving movement control along the outer surface 54 of the vehicle body.

Furthermore, depending on the object being cleaned and the circumstances, a cleaning detergent may be used as cleaning water or separately. The cleaning detergent may, for example, be dissolved in the cleaning water and discharged from the discharge nozzle 38, or it may be discharged separately from the cleaning water to the cleaning areas on the outer surface of the vehicle body or supplied to the cleaning brush.

Furthermore, the drive mechanism employed in a self-propelled car wash machine is not limited. For example, in addition to using two drive wheels as in the embodiment, it is also possible to use one, three, or four drive wheels. Similarly, as a steering mechanism, in addition to differential control of the left and right drive wheels as in the embodiment, it is also possible to employ a steering wheel that can rotate left and right around its axis in a swivel-like manner to actively or directly control the direction of travel.

Furthermore, if the intended normal car washing operation cannot be expected for any reason, such as the driving resistance of the drive wheels exceeding a predetermined threshold, the rotational resistance of the washing brush exceeding a predetermined threshold, or the car washing water running out, an emergency fail-safe mechanism may be provided to stop the car washing operation or issue an alarm to an external source.

Furthermore, although not listed individually, the present invention can be implemented in various forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, incorporating various modifications, alterations, and improvements. It goes without saying that such embodiments, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention, are all included within the scope of the present invention.

10 Self-propelled washing machine 12 Frame 14 First washing brush 16 Second washing brush 18 Driving wheel 18a Drive wheel 18b Driven wheel 20 Base section 22 (a, b) Drive shaft 24 (a, b) Drive motor 26 Water tank 28 Generator 30 Vertical frame section 30a Grid section 30b Upper end support section 30c Retaining support section 32 Rotating shaft 34 (a, b) Brush motor 36 Center shaft (brush)
38 Discharge nozzle 40 Water pipe 42 Pump 44 Lighting device 46 Sensor device for preventing interference with vehicle body 48 Sensor bracket 50 Contact type sensor 52 Vehicle body 54 (a, b, c) Outer surface of vehicle body 58 Control panel

Claims (8)

A vehicle body washing device that self-propels around the vehicle body without tracks to wash the outer surface of the vehicle body,
A machine base with running wheels,
A self-propelled means that drives the running wheels to propel the machine base without tracks,
A steering means for steering the movement of the machine base which is self-propelled by the self-propelled means,
A first cleaning brush and a second cleaning brush are supported in a fixed position by the machine base, in a state in which they are rotatable around their respective central axes that extend vertically, while being separated horizontally by a certain distance from each other in the front and rear of the direction of travel,
A car body washing device comprising a brush rotating means for driving the first washing brush and the second washing brush to rotate around their respective central axes in opposite directions. The brush rotating means
The vehicle body washing device according to claim 1, wherein the first washing brush and the second washing brush are rotated in a direction that causes them to wrap around each other on the washing surface in contact with the outer surface of the vehicle body. The machine base is equipped with a nozzle for discharging water for car washing.
The car washing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the car washing water discharged from the discharge nozzle is sprayed onto the outer surface of the vehicle body at a point forward in the direction of travel from the contact points of the first washing brush and the second washing brush with the outer surface of the vehicle body. The vehicle body washing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mutual separation distance between the outer surfaces of the first and second washing brushes at their respective maximum outer diameter states is set within the range of 0 to 30 cm. When cleaning the outer surface of a vehicle body by having a vehicle body washing device equipped with a washing brush that is driven to rotate around a central axis extending in the vertical direction, and which is trackless and self- propelled along the outer surface of the vehicle body,
The cleaning brushes consist of a first cleaning brush and a second cleaning brush, which are horizontally separated by a certain distance from each other in the forward and backward directions of travel, and are rotated around the central axis and supported in a fixed position .
A method for cleaning a vehicle body, wherein the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are driven to rotate in opposite directions around their respective central axes, thereby simultaneously cleaning the outer surface of the vehicle body with the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush. The vehicle body cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are rotated in a direction that causes them to wrap around each other on the cleaning surface in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the vehicle body. A vehicle body cleaning method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein washing water is sprayed onto the outer surface of the vehicle body at a point forward in the direction of travel from the contact points of the first and second washing brushes with the outer surface of the vehicle body, while the outer surface of the vehicle body is cleaned with the first and second washing brushes. The vehicle body cleaning method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the operator steers the vehicle body cleaning device so that it moves along the outer surface of the vehicle body, while cleaning the outer surface of the vehicle body with the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush.