JPH0377095B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a car wash machine having a sonic sensor.

Conventional technology In conventional car wash machines, a sonic sensor installed above the front of the car wash machine detects the vehicle length and vehicle height and controls the washing water. The side brushes are controlled by detecting the front of the vehicle.

An example of a conventional car wash machine will be described below with reference to FIG. In Fig. 5, 1 is a car wash machine;
A sonic sensor 2 is provided at the upper front of the car wash machine 1. When the vehicle 3 is placed in a predetermined position in the car wash 1 and the car wash 1 begins to wash the car, the sonic sensor 2 detects the vehicle height, identifies the vehicle type, and activates the side brush 3 and upper brush (not shown). , determines the operation of a large number of water sprays (not shown), and moves the car wash 1 forward (rightward in FIG. 5) until the vehicle 3 is no longer detected by the sonic sensor 2. 1 forward distance l ₁ and the forward distance of the car wash machine until the front of the vehicle 3 is detected by the front body sensor 5 attached to the side brush 3
l ₂ , fixed Sonic sensor 2 and side brush 4
The vehicle length L is detected from the distance l ₀ as L = l ₁ + (l ₀ - l ₂ ), and the wax is sprayed from the detected vehicle length L when the car washer 1 is moving backwards (leftward in Figure 5). The time period for spraying wax from the wax arch 6 is determined. Further, when the front part of the vehicle 3 is detected by the vehicle body front part sensor 5, the forward movement of the car washer 1 is temporarily stopped after a certain period of time, and the front part of the vehicle 3 is washed by the side brush 4.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when washing a car without using the upper brush or the side brush 4, so-called non-brush car washing, the front sensor 5 of the car body does not operate, so the distance _l2 cannot be detected, and the vehicle length L is estimated. It had become the length of . Therefore, even if the length of the front part of the vehicle 3 differs as shown by the dashed line in FIG. It was being sprayed. Further, since the vehicle body front sensor 5 is a contact type sensor that is turned on when the side brush 4 comes into contact with the vehicle 3 and is pressed, there have been problems with rust formation and mechanical durability.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a car wash machine that can detect the vehicle length using a non-contact sensor even during non-brush car washes.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes a first sonic sensor disposed above the front portion for detecting the type of vehicle to be washed, a wax arch for spraying wax onto the vehicle, and a wax arch for spraying wax onto the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with side brushes for cleaning the front and both sides and the rear of the vehicle in order from the front, and a second sonic sensor is provided above the rear side of the wax arch to detect the presence or absence of the vehicle.

Effect With the above configuration, when the car wash machine moves forward or backward, the second
By detecting the vehicle with the Sonic sensor, the length of the vehicle can be detected even during non-brush cleaning.
Wax is sprayed onto the vehicle by the wax arch accurately according to the detected length of the vehicle.
In addition, by detecting the vehicle using the second sonic sensor, the side brush can be used to position the car wash machine in the optimal position to clean the front or rear of the vehicle. Cleaning is done by brush contact.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a car wash machine showing an embodiment of the present invention. Components that are the same as those in the conventional example are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted. In Figure 1, 7
9 is a second sonic sensor newly added to the car wash 8 above between the conventional wax arch 6 and the side brush 4, and 9 is a running device 9 that makes the car wash 8 move in the front and back direction. The side brush 4, the wax arch 6, and the running device 9 of the car wash machine are controlled by the control unit 1 in response to the signal from the input unit 10 that receives the signal from the second sonic sensor 7, as shown in FIG.
1, and output parts 12, 13, 14
controlled via.

Next, the operation of the control section 11 in the cleaning and waxing process of the traveling device 9, side brush 4, and wax arch 4 of the car wash machine of this embodiment will be explained based on the control flowchart shown in FIG. In the following explanation, v is the constant running speed of the car wash machine 8, distance _l3 is the distance between the fixed wax arch 6 and the second sonic sensor 7, and distance _l4 is the distance between the second sonic sensor 7 and the fixed wax arch 6. The distance l ₅ is the distance between the side brush 4 and the position suitable for cleaning the front of the vehicle 3.
The sonic sensor 7 and side brush 4 of the vehicle 4
The rear of the machine is at a suitable location and distance for cleaning.

When the type of vehicle 3 is detected by the first sonic sensor 8 and car washing is started, the car washer 8 starts to move forward (to the right in Fig. 1) using the traveling device 9, and the side brushes 4 stop rotating. Start (Step 21). next,
It is determined whether the second sonic sensor 7 detects the vehicle 3 (step 22), and when the vehicle 3 is detected, a time counter _t1 is started (step 23).
It is determined whether the car wash machine 8 has moved forward by the distance _l4 , that is, whether the time counter _t1 has reached _l4 /v (step 24). When t ₁ = l ₄ /v, the forward movement of the car washer 8 is temporarily stopped, the time counter t ₁ is stopped (step 25), and the front part of the vehicle 3 is washed by the side brush 4 (step 26). When the side brush 4 completes washing the front of the vehicle 3, the car washer 8 moves forward again (step 27), and at the same time as it moves forward, the time counter _t2 is started (step 28), and from then on the car washer 8 moves forward. Then, the side portion of the vehicle 3 is cleaned by the side brush 4 (step 29). Then the second
It is determined whether or not the sonic sensor 7 no longer detects the vehicle 3 (step 30), and at the same time as the sonic sensor 7 no longer detects the vehicle 3, the time counter _t2 is stopped and the time counter _t3 is started (step 31). Using this time _t2 , the vehicle length L is calculated and detected as L=( _t1 + _t2 )v (step 32). Furthermore, it is determined whether the car wash machine 8 has moved forward by the distance _l5 since the second sonic sensor 7 no longer detects the vehicle 3, that is, whether the time counter _t3 has reached _l5 /v (step 33). ), when t ₃ =l ₅ /v, the forward movement of the car washer 8 is stopped, the time counter t ₃ is stopped (step 34), and the rear part of the vehicle 3 is washed by the side brush 4 (step 35). When the side brush 4 finishes cleaning the rear of the vehicle 3, the side brush 4
The rotation of the car is stopped, the car is moved to a position where it does not come in contact with the vehicle 3 (step 36), and the car wash machine 8 is moved by the traveling device 9.
The vehicle starts moving backward (to the left in FIG. 1) (step 37). It is again determined whether the second sonic sensor 7 detects the vehicle 3 (step 38), and the time counter t4 is started at the same time as the vehicle 3 is detected as shown in FIG. ₄ (step 39). ), the car wash machine 8 has moved backwards by the distance l ₃ , i.e. if t ₄ is
Determine whether l ₃ /v has been reached (step 40),
When t ₄ = l ₃ /v, wax spraying from the wax arch 6 to the vehicle 3 is started (step 41),
Stop time counter _t4 and start time counter _t5 (step 42). Next, whether the car wash machine 8 has moved backward by vehicle length L since the start of wax spraying, that is, t ₅
Determine whether or not becomes L/V (step
43), when t ₅ =L/v, the wax spraying is stopped (step 44) and the time counter t ₅ is stopped (step 45). The backward movement of the car wash machine 8 is stopped at the rest position of the car wash machine 8 (step 46), and the wax washing is completed.

In this way, when the car wash machine 8 is moved forward and the second sonic sensor 7 detects the vehicle 3, the distance traveled by the car wash machine 8 from the time when the second sonic sensor 7 detects the vehicle 3 to the time when the second sonic sensor 7 stops detecting the vehicle 3 can be reached without contact even during non-brush cleaning. The vehicle length L can be detected, and when the car wash machine 8 is moving backward, the second sonic sensor 7 detects the vehicle 3 again, and then the fixed second sonic sensor When the car wash machine 8 moves backward by the distance l ₃ between the wax arch 7 and the wax arch 6, the wax arch 7 causes the vehicle 3 to
Wax can be applied accurately without waste by starting the spraying of wax onto the vehicle and stopping the wax spraying when the car wash machine 8 moves backward a distance of the vehicle length L. Also, even without using a contact type sensor, after the car wash machine 8 moves forward and the second sonic sensor 7 detects the vehicle 3, the fixed second sonic sensor 7 and the side brush 4 detect the vehicle 3. When the car washer 8 moves forward a distance l ₄ from a position suitable for cleaning the front of the vehicle 3, the car washer 8 is temporarily stopped and the front of the vehicle 3 is cleaned with the side brush 4 in optimal brush contact. After the car wash machine 8 moves forward and the second sonic sensor 7 no longer detects the vehicle 3, the fixed second sonic sensor 7 and the side brush 4 move to the rear of the vehicle 3. When the car has moved forward a distance _l5 from a position suitable for washing, the car washer 8 is stopped, and the rear part of the car 3 can be washed with the side brushes 4 in optimal brush contact.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, by newly providing a second sonic sensor in a conventional car wash machine, even during non-brush washing, the second sonic sensor detects the vehicle and then detects the vehicle. The vehicle length of the vehicle can be detected based on the distance that the car wash machine moves forward before the car wash runs out, and wax spraying on the vehicle due to the wax arch when the car wash machine runs backwards can also be accurately detected by the vehicle length. In addition, by detecting the vehicle with a non-contact type second sonic sensor, the side brushes of the car wash can be placed in the optimal position to wash the front or rear of the vehicle, without using a contact type sensor. The side brushes allow cleaning of the front or rear of the vehicle with optimal brush contact.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a car wash machine that is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the control device of the car wash machine, Fig. 3 is a control flowchart of the car wash machine, and Fig. 4 is the same. An explanatory diagram showing the position of the second sonic sensor and wax arch when the car wash machine moves backwards;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a conventional car wash machine. 2... (first) sonic sensor, 3... vehicle, 4... side brush, 6... wax arch, 7... second sonic sensor, 8... car wash machine.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first sonic sensor for detecting the type of vehicle to be washed above the front, a wax arch for spraying wax onto the vehicle, and side surfaces for washing the front, both sides, and the rear of the vehicle. The car wash machine is provided with brushes in order from the front, and a second sonic sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the vehicle above the rear side of the wax arch. 2. A first sonic sensor for detecting the type of vehicle to be washed at the top of the front, a wax arch for spraying wax on the vehicle, and side brushes for cleaning the front, both sides, and rear of the vehicle, in order from the front. A second sonic sensor is provided above the rear side of the wax arch to detect the presence or absence of the vehicle, and the first sonic sensor detects the type of vehicle, starts car washing, and moves the car wash machine forward. when the second sonic sensor detects the vehicle and stops detecting the vehicle, detecting the vehicle length of the vehicle based on the distance the car wash machine has moved forward;
After the second sonic sensor detects the vehicle again when the car wash machine is reversing, the distance between the second sonic sensor and the wax arch is changed from when the car wash is reversing to the wax arch. A car washing method of a car washing machine, wherein spraying of wax onto the vehicle is started by a car wash machine, and further, when the car wash machine moves backward by a distance of the detected vehicle length, spraying of wax by the wax arch is ended. 3. A first sonic sensor for detecting the type of vehicle to be washed at the top of the front, a wax arch for spraying wax on the vehicle, and side brushes for cleaning the front, both sides and rear of the vehicle, in order from the front. A second sonic sensor is provided behind the wax arch and above the front side of the side brush to detect the presence or absence of the vehicle, and the first sonic sensor detects the model of the vehicle and starts car washing. When the car wash machine moves forward, the second sonic sensor detects the vehicle, and then the car wash machine uses the second sonic sensor and the side brush to wash the front part of the vehicle. when the car has moved forward a distance to a position suitable for the car, the car wash machine is temporarily stopped and the front part of the car is washed with the side brush;
Further, after the car wash machine moves forward and the second sonic sensor no longer detects the vehicle, the second sonic sensor and the side brush are placed in a position suitable for washing the rear part of the vehicle. A car washing method using a car wash machine, wherein the car wash machine is stopped when the vehicle has moved forward a distance, and the rear part of the vehicle is washed with the side brush.