JPH0637161B2 - Vehicle edge shape detection device in car wash machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention A. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of Industrial Use The present invention relates to a car wash machine for washing a car body of an automobile, and more particularly to a car wash machine that relatively moves a frame and a vehicle in a front-rear direction of the car and uses a processing device provided on the frame. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle end shape detecting device in a car wash machine of a type adapted to wash a vehicle body.

(2) Conventional Technology The upper surface brush device of the vehicle body cleaning device of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-6868 (Actual No. 1-111062) already proposed by the present applicant is a gate type traveling frame that can freely reciprocate along a rail. Further, a motor supports a support arm that can be rotated up and down, and a base end of a swing arm having an upper surface brush for cleaning the upper surface of the vehicle body is pivotally supported at the tip of the support arm. According to this top brush device, when cleaning a wagon with a high vehicle height, the support arm is rotated upward to raise the position of the top brush,
When washing a passenger car or a van-type car having a low vehicle height, the support arm is pivoted downward to lower the position of the upper surface brush, so that vehicles of various vehicle body shapes can be efficiently washed.

(3) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, even for vehicles having the same low vehicle height, the shape of the rear part of the vehicle body greatly differs between a passenger car having a trunk portion and a van type vehicle having no trunk portion. For this reason, even if the above-mentioned upper surface brush device can be used to efficiently wash the passenger car, the van-type vehicle can be cleaned in the course of the return travel of the gate-type traveling frame when the van-type car is washed. In some cases, the top brush was caught in the rear window portion of the model car, which stood up vertically, which hindered smooth cleaning. The same problem also occurs when cleaning a one-box type vehicle that does not have a hood part.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is necessary to control the position of the support arm separately according to the shape of the end of the vehicle to be cleaned and change the movement path of the upper surface brush. For this purpose, it is necessary to accurately detect the difference in the end shape of the vehicle to be cleaned and perform the control suitable for each case.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a car wash of the above type, detects the end shape of a vehicle in order to accurately move a processing device such as an upper surface brush along the end shape of the vehicle body. The purpose is to provide a device.

B. Means for Solving the Problems (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to relative movement of a frame and a vehicle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a vehicle body is washed by a processing device provided in the frame. In a car washing machine configured to perform the above, a relative position detecting means for detecting a relative position between the frame and the vehicle, a vehicle height detecting means for detecting a vehicle height of the vehicle, and a vehicle for detecting one longitudinal end of the vehicle. An end portion that outputs an end portion shape signal according to the shape of the end portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle based on the end detection means and the detection signals of the vehicle end detection means, the relative position detection means, and the vehicle height detection means. A first feature is that the vehicle is equipped with a shape signal output means, and the frame and the vehicle are moved relative to each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle body is washed by a processing device provided in the frame. In the frame Relative position detecting means for detecting the relative position between the vehicle and the vehicle, vehicle height detecting means for detecting the vehicle height of the vehicle, and the vehicle height detecting means corresponding to the detected relative position of the relative position detecting means. A memory for sequentially storing a vehicle height signal to be output, a vehicle end detecting means for sequentially reading out the vehicle height signals stored in the memory to obtain an address of the memory corresponding to one end in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle end detecting means. The vehicle height at the end of the vehicle in the front-rear direction is obtained from the vehicle height signal stored at the address shifted by a predetermined number from the address output by
The second feature is that the apparatus is provided with an end shape signal output unit that outputs an end shape signal according to the end shape.

(2) Operation According to the first feature, the relative position detecting means for detecting the relative position between the frame and the vehicle, the vehicle height detecting means for detecting the vehicle height of the vehicle, and one end in the front-rear direction of the vehicle are detected. Based on each detection signal of the vehicle end detection means, the end shape signal output means can output the end shape signal according to the shape of the front-rear end of the vehicle.

Further, in particular, according to the second feature, the memory sequentially stores the vehicle height signal output by the vehicle height detecting means in correspondence with the detected relative position of the relative position detecting means, and the vehicle end detecting means is the memory. The vehicle height signal stored in is sequentially read to obtain the memory address corresponding to one end of the vehicle in the front-rear direction. The end shape signal output means obtains the vehicle height at the front and rear ends of the vehicle from the vehicle height signal stored at the address shifted by a predetermined number from the address output by the vehicle end detection means, and determines the end shape. It is possible to output an end shape signal corresponding to

Therefore, by using the edge shape signal, the processing devices such as the upper surface brush and the drying nozzle can always be accurately controlled in accordance with the edge shape of each vehicle.

(3) Embodiment Hereinafter, one embodiment of the vehicle rear shape detecting device in the car wash machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the apparatus, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of support shafts 2, 2 are rotatably supported at the center of both sides of a gate type traveling frame 1 as a frame, and the sprocket 3 is supported on the support shafts 2, 2. A pair of support arms 4 and 4 to which 3 and 3 are fixed are rotatably supported. Swing shafts 6, 6 fixed to the intermediate portions of a pair of swing arms 5, 5 are rotatably supported at the tips of the support arms 4, 4, and the tip ends of the swing arms 5, 5 are Both ends of a brush support shaft 8 to which an upper surface brush 7 as a processing device is fixed are rotatably supported.

A balance weight 9 is fixed to the upper end of one swing arm 5, and a motor 10 with a reducer that also functions as a balance weight is fixed to the upper end of the other swing arm 5. Then, the sprocket 11 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 10 with a reduction gear and the sprocket 12 fixed to the brush supporting arm 8 are connected by a chain 13 so that the upper surface brush 7 is rotationally driven.

A sprocket 1 fixed to the outer ends of the swing shafts 6 and 6.
4, 14 and the sprocket 15, 15 having the same number of teeth fixed to the middle of the support shafts 2, 2 are connected by chains 16, 16 to a cylinder arm 17 fixed to the outer end of one of the support shafts 2. Is connected to the other end of a cylinder 19, one end of which is pivotally supported on the gate type traveling frame 1. Therefore,
As shown in FIG. 3, by extending the cylinder 19, the support shaft 2 is rotated via the cylinder arm 17, and the rotation of the support shaft 2 is transmitted to the swing shaft 6 via the chain 16. Then, the swing arm 5 is rotated so that the upper surface brush 7 is located above. When the cylinder 19 is deactivated, the upper surface brush 7 swings downward due to its own weight. At this time, the cylinder arm 1 of the support shaft 2
The stopper arm 18 fixed to the opposite side of 7 comes into contact with the stoppers 20 and 21 provided on the gate type traveling frame 1 to limit the vertical swing range of the swing arm 5.

The other support shaft 2 has a mounting plate 2 having a magnet 22.
3 is fixed, and the reed switch 24 provided on the gate type traveling frame 1 detects that the upper surface brush 7 has reached the upper limit position. Further, the outer end of the support shaft 2 is connected to a rotary encoder 25 for detecting the rotation angle of the swing arm 5, and the rotary encoder 25 and the reed switch 24 serve as a swing angle detecting device as vehicle height detecting means. H is configured so that the rotation angle of the swing arms 5, 5 from the upper limit position, that is, the vehicle height can be detected.

Sprockets 27, 27 are fixed to both ends of a tuning shaft 26 which is rotatably supported on the upper portion of the gate type traveling frame 1. These sprockets 27, 27 are supported by endless chains 28, 28. It is connected to sprockets 3 and 3 which are integrated with 4 and 4. A sprocket 29 fixed to one end of the tuning shaft 26 is connected via a chain 31 to a sprocket 30 of a motor 32 with a worm gear reducer provided on the gate type traveling frame 1 for self-braking. Therefore, the tuning shaft 26 is rotated by driving the speed reducer motor 32, and the pair of support arms 4 and 4 connected to the tuning shaft 26 are rotated in synchronization with each other. At this time, the magnet 33 of the mounting plate 34 fixed to the outer end of the tuning shaft 26 and the action of the three reed switches 35A, 35B, 35C arranged on the gate type traveling frame 1 cause the third movement.
The lower limit position 6a, the intermediate position 6b, and the upper limit position 6c of the swing shaft 6 in the figure are detected.

The gate type traveling frame 1 described above further includes a side brush 40, a side drying nozzle 41, and an upper surface drying nozzle 4 as a processing device.
2 is provided, and drive wheels 37, 37 rotated by a traveling drive device 36 and idle wheels 38, 38 can reciprocate on traveling rails 39, 39.

Further, at the upper right end of the gate type traveling frame 1, there is provided a rear end detecting means R including an ultrasonic detecting device for detecting the rear end of the vehicle body by utilizing the reflection of ultrasonic waves. Constitutes the vehicle end detection means of the present invention. Thus, the rear end detecting means R emits ultrasonic waves downward and outputs a signal when the vehicle body as a reflecting surface exists at a position higher than the installation surface of the car wash machine. . Therefore,
The rear end of the vehicle body is detected when the rear end detection means R stops detecting the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave while the gate type traveling frame 1 is traveling.

Next, the operation of one embodiment of the vehicle body cleaning apparatus according to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

4 to 7 show a vehicle cleaning process and its flowchart. In FIG. 4, the gate-type traveling frame 1 is located at the left end of the traveling rail 39, and the swing shafts 6 and 6 are at intermediate positions (6b). ), The upper surface brush 7 is in the standby position (a) at the upper left position. In the state where the vehicle is stopped, the upper surface brush 7 is rotated counterclockwise, the motor 32 is driven to rotate the support arm 4 clockwise, and the swing shafts 6 are set to the lower limit position from the intermediate position (6b). Rotate to (6a). At the same time, when the cylinder 19 is deactivated and the upper surface brush 7 is lowered to the lower limit position (b) and the portal traveling frame 1 is moved forward to the right, the upper surface brush 7 cleans the upper surface of the vehicle by brushing. When the swing angle detecting device H detects that the support shafts 2 and 2 are in the position of (c) and the swing arms 5 and 5 swing at a preset angle, the motor 32 is driven to drive the swing shaft. 6 and 6 are rotated counterclockwise from the lower limit position (6a) to the intermediate position (6b). When the gate type traveling frame 1 travels forward, the upper surface brush 7 brushes the upper surfaces of the bonnet, roof and trunk in the order of (d), (e) and (f) and moves away from the vehicle. The moving shaft 6 becomes the lower limit position (g) at the intermediate position (6b). Further, when the gate type traveling frame 1 reaches the position (h), the outward traveling is stopped and the cleaning in the outward traveling is completed.

In the flowchart of FIG. 7, the first count is started in step S1 at the same time when the forward travel of the portal travel frame 1 is started, and when the upper surface brush 7 reaches the roof position (e), the first count is started in step S2. The count of 1 counts up. Then, in step S3, the second count is reset, and at the same time, in step S4, reading of the output signal of the trailing edge detection means R is started. Gate type traveling frame 1 is 1
When the trailing edge detecting means R stops detecting the reflected wave from the vehicle body after reaching the position of (A) (FIG. 4), the second step is performed in step S6.
Starts counting, and the gate type traveling frame 1 is 1 (B)
When the position (Fig. 4) is reached, in step S9 the second
Count up. The second counting means from step S6 to step S9 constitutes the relative position detecting means P of the present invention for detecting the relative position between the frame 1 and the vehicle.

When the second count is incremented in step S9, the upper surface brush 7 is located at the rear end portion of the vehicle body shown in (f), and in the case of a passenger car having a trunk portion with a low vehicle height, the upper surface brush 7 is 7 is lowered by its own weight to the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line, and in the case of a van type vehicle having no trunk, the upper surface brush 7 is kept at the position indicated by the chained one-dot chain line. Then, in step S10, the swing angle detection device H as vehicle height detection means detects the angle of the swing arms 5, 5 due to the difference in the shape of the vehicle body end portion, and in step S11, when the angle is equal to or larger than the predetermined angle. In step S12, the first end shape signal corresponding to the rear end shape of the passenger vehicle is determined. If the angle is less than or equal to the predetermined angle, in step S14, the second end shape signal corresponding to the rear end shape of the van type vehicle. The edge shape signals are output and these edge shape signals are temporarily stored.

The edge shape signal is output from the rear shape signal output means S as the edge shape signal output means in the block diagram of FIG. That is, the rear shape signal output means S stores the reference angles of the swing arms 5 and 5 which serve as a reference for determining whether the vehicle is a passenger car or a van type vehicle, and the timing is adjusted in accordance with the output signal from the rear end detection means R. The end shape signal is obtained by comparing the vehicle height signal output from the swing angle detecting device H as the vehicle height detecting means at the time when the upper surface brush 7 is located at the rear end portion of the vehicle with the reference angle. ing.

When the end shape signal is stored as described above, the vehicle is washed back for traveling in step S13 or step S15.

In the steps S7 and S8 in the above-described flowchart, when the output of the rear end detecting means R is read in step S4, the detection of erroneously recognizing the break of the ultrasonic reflected wave in the rear window portion of the passenger car as the rear end of the vehicle. It is provided to prevent mistakes, and when the reflected wave is detected again in step S8, the process from step S3 is repeated.

FIG. 5 shows a cleaning process in the backward traveling when the vehicle is judged to be the passenger vehicle Vp in the forward traveling.

First, the top brush 7 is rotated clockwise, and the motor 32 is driven to rotate the support arms 4 and 4 clockwise to set the swing shafts 6 and 6 to the lower limit position (6a). Drive back to the left. The gate type traveling frame 1 moves from the position (i) to (n), where the upper surface brush 7 comes into contact with the trunk portion of the passenger vehicle Vp and the swing arms 5 and 5 swing to a predetermined angle set in advance. When the swing angle detecting device H detects that, the motor 32 is driven based on the stored first end shape signal, and the swing shafts 6 are moved from the lower limit position (6a) to the intermediate position (6b). ) Is rotated counterclockwise. As a result, as the gate type traveling frame 1 travels, the upper surface brush 7 moves in the order of (L), (E), and (W) in the order of the passenger vehicle Vp.
The upper surface is cleaned by brushing, and the backward traveling and the rotation of the upper brush are stopped at the position (f), the cylinder 19 is operated, and the cleaning at the backward traveling is completed with the upper surface brush as the standby position of (a).

FIG. 6 shows a cleaning process in the backward traveling when it is determined that the vehicle is the van type vehicle Vb in the forward traveling.

The gate type traveling frame 1 moves from the position (R) to the position (A), and the upper surface brush 7 comes into contact with the rear end of the van type vehicle Vb, and the swing arms 5 and 5 are moved to a predetermined angle set in advance. When the swing angle detecting device H detects the swing, the motor 32 is driven based on the stored second end portion shape signal, and the swing shafts 6, 6 move from the lower limit position 6a to the upper limit position 6c. Is rotated counterclockwise. At the same time, the traveling speed of the gate-type traveling frame 1 becomes low between the position (nu A) and the position (nu B), whereby the upper surface brush 7 moves up while brushing and cleaning the rear surface of the van-shaped vehicle Vb, and Along the roof, the position (C) reaches the position (E). Here, the swing shafts 6 are rotated clockwise from the upper limit position (6c) to the intermediate position (6b), and the upper surface brush 7 brushes the upper surface of the van type vehicle Vb in the order of (wa) and (f). Wash and finish washing on the return trip.

9 to 11 show another embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 9, a vehicle height detecting means H, a traveling position detecting means P as a relative position detecting means, a memory M, a rear end detecting means R as a vehicle end detecting means,
And rear shape signal output means S as the end shape signal output means. As the vehicle height detecting means H, the swing angle detecting device is used as in the previous embodiment, and the traveling position detecting means P is pulsed at predetermined time intervals in association with the traveling of the portal traveling frame 1. A rotary encoder that outputs is used. Further, the memory M, the rear end detection means R, and the rear shape signal output means S are realized by using a microcomputer MC.

In the flowchart of FIG. 11, when the gate-type traveling frame 1 starts traveling in step S20, step S20 is performed.
At 21, the traveling position detecting means P constituted by a rotary encoder that rotates in conjunction with traveling of the portal traveling frame 1 outputs pulses at predetermined time intervals. When the output signal of the swing angle detecting device H is read every time the pulse is output in step S22, the result is stored in the X address of the memory M in step S23. The vehicle height signal output from the swing angle detecting device H is sequentially stored in the address obtained by adding 1 to the X address each time a pulse is output.

Subsequently, in step S24, the trailing edge detection means R determines whether or not the gate type traveling frame 1 is on the forward path, and the steps S21 to 24 are repeated while the trailing frame 1 is on the forward path. This judgment is made by opening and closing the side brush 40, for example. When the outward traveling of the gate type traveling frame 1 is completed, step S25
Then, the trailing edge detecting means R reads out the vehicle height signal stored in the address obtained by subtracting 1 from the last address X in the memory M, and in step S
At 26, it is determined whether the upper surface brush 7 is at the lower limit position, that is, whether the upper surface brush 7 is detached from or in contact with the rear portion of the vehicle body. This judgment is repeated up and down the address X successively until the upper surface brush 7 is no longer at the lower limit position, and the upper surface brush 7 reaches the address X corresponding to the X position in FIG. When finished. Then, in step S27, the vehicle height signal stored in the address which goes up Y from the address X is read. This vehicle height signal corresponds to the position (f) in FIG. 10, that is, the height of the upper surface brush 7 at the vehicle rear portion on the left side of the X position by the distance Y. Therefore, in step 28, the rear shape signal output means S determines whether or not the stored vehicle height signal is equal to or less than the predetermined angle, thereby identifying whether the vehicle is a passenger vehicle or a van type vehicle, and step S29. , S31, the corresponding end shape signal is output from the rear shape signal output means S.

When the end shape of the vehicle is identified as described above, the backward traveling of the gate type traveling frame 1 is started in steps S30 and S32, and the backward traveling according to the rear shape of the vehicle is performed as in the previous embodiment. Car wash is performed.

Although both of the above-described embodiments are directed to the car wash machine in which the base ends of the swing arms 5 and 5 provided with the upper surface brushes 7 are pivotally supported at the tips of the support arms 4 and 4 which are vertically rotatable. , JP-A-6
It is also possible to apply the present invention to a car washing machine in which an upper surface brush is directly attached to the tip of a vertically rotatable support arm as described in JP-A-3-78851.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various small design changes can be made without departing from the present invention described in the claims. It is possible to do.

For example, the trailing edge detecting means R in the first embodiment is not limited to that of the above embodiment, and a photoelectric detector or an ultrasonic detector may be mounted between both side walls of the gate type traveling frame 1 or a side brush may be closed. It can also be done by confirmation. Further, the vehicle height detecting means H is not limited to that of the above embodiment, and it is possible to use a photoelectric detector or an ultrasonic detector provided between the both side walls of the gate type traveling frame 1.

Further, the traveling position detecting means P in the second embodiment is not limited to that of the above embodiment, but can be realized by a timer that outputs a pulse at a predetermined time interval.

The present invention can be applied not only to the elevation control of the upper surface brush 7 but also to the control of the upper surface drying nozzle 40 of the car wash machine, whereby the drying processing of any vehicle having a different end shape can be performed. It can be done effectively.

C. As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically identify the shape of the vehicle end portion and output the end portion shape signal corresponding to the end portion shape. Based on the above, it is possible to always precisely control the processing devices such as the upper surface brush and the drying nozzle according to the end shape of each vehicle, and thus it is possible to efficiently perform the vehicle cleaning work by the car wash machine. Become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a car washing machine equipped with a vehicle rear end shape detecting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. Example side views, Figures 4-6
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the washing process of the vehicle, FIG. 7 is a flow chart thereof, FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing its configuration, and FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 0 is a diagram showing the vehicle cleaning process, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart thereof. 1 ... Gate-type traveling frame as a frame, 7; 40;
41; 42 ... Top brush as processing device; Side brush; Side drying nozzle; Top drying nozzle, H ... Vehicle height detecting means, R ... Rear end detecting means as vehicle end detecting means, S ...
... rear shape signal output means as end shape signal output means, P ... traveling position detection means as relative position detection means, M ... memory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A car wash in which a frame (1) and a vehicle are moved relative to each other in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a vehicle is washed by processing devices (7, 40 to 42) provided in the frame (1). In the machine, a relative position detecting means (P) for detecting the relative position of the frame (1) and the vehicle, a vehicle height detecting means (H) for detecting the vehicle height of the vehicle, and one end in the front-rear direction of the vehicle are provided. Based on the vehicle end detection means (R) for detecting, and the detection signals of the vehicle end detection means (R), the relative position detection means (P), and the vehicle height detection means (H), the front-rear direction end of the vehicle An edge shape signal output device (S) for outputting an edge shape signal according to a shape of a part, the edge shape detecting device for a vehicle in a car wash machine. 2. A car wash in which a frame (1) and a vehicle are moved relative to each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle is washed by processing devices (7, 40 to 42) provided in the frame (1). In the machine, a relative position detecting means (P) for detecting a relative position between the frame (1) and the vehicle, a vehicle height detecting means (H) for detecting a vehicle height of the vehicle, and a relative position detecting means (P). ) Corresponding to the detected relative position, the memory (M) for sequentially storing the vehicle height signals output by the vehicle height detecting means (H) and the vehicle height signals stored in the memory (M) are sequentially read out. , A vehicle end detection means (R) for obtaining an address of a memory (M) corresponding to one end of the vehicle in the front-rear direction, and a vehicle stored at an address shifted by a predetermined number from the address output by the vehicle end detection means (R) The vehicle height at the front and rear ends of the vehicle is calculated from the high signal, and the end shape is calculated. End characterized by comprising an end shaped signal output means for outputting a shape signal (S), an end portion shape detection apparatus for a vehicle in car wash according to the.