Cleaning apparatus and cleaning method

Abstract

To improve a technique related to cleaning of a painted surface of a vehicle.SOLUTION: The washing device 1 includes a heating sheet 10 which has a surface layer 12 made of a flexible material and a linear heating element 11 which is provided inside the surface layer 12 in a wavy form and generates heat when supplied with an electric current, and supplies an electric current to the heating element 11 when the heating sheet 10 is mounted in a state where a predetermined surface of the heating sheet 10 is brought into close contact with a painted surface of a vehicle. And a temperature controller 20 that controls the temperature of the predetermined surface measured by using a thermocouple 21A attached to the warming sheet 10 by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies a current to the heating element 11, wherein the temperature controller 20 holds the temperature of the predetermined surface at a temperature range equal to or higher than the first threshold value and lower than a second threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value when the measured temperature of the predetermined surface rises to a temperature exceeding the first threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, techniques for cleaning the painted surfaces of vehicles have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for removing stains caused by pollen adhering to the exterior panels of a vehicle by spraying hot water on the surface using a car wash. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-145794 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When pollen adheres to the exterior panels of a vehicle, the pectin contained in the pollen causes wrinkles (hereinafter referred to as spots) on the vehicle's painted surface. To remove these spots, the vehicle's painted surface must be heated. At car dealerships, after washing the car, workers manually remove the spots by pouring hot water over the vehicle's painted surface or by blowing hot air with a heat gun. However, such manual work requires a lot of labor from the worker. On the other hand, using the car wash machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 can reduce the labor required by workers, but installing an expensive car wash machine not only places a heavy financial burden on the car dealership, but also requires installation space. Therefore, there is room for improvement in technology related to cleaning vehicle painted surfaces.

[0005] The present disclosure was made in consideration of the above circumstances and aims to improve the technology relating to cleaning the painted surfaces of vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a cleaning device for removing pollen stains adhering to the painted surface of a vehicle, and comprises a heating sheet having a surface layer made of a flexible material and a linear heating element that is corrugatedly arranged on the inside of the surface layer and generates heat when an electric current is supplied to it; and a temperature controller that supplies electric current to the heating element when the heating sheet is attached with a predetermined surface of the heating sheet in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, and controls the temperature of the predetermined surface measured using a thermocouple attached to the heating sheet by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies electric current to the heating element; when the measured temperature of the predetermined surface rises to a temperature exceeding a first threshold, the temperature controller maintains the temperature of the predetermined surface within a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

[0007] A cleaning method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a cleaning method performed by a cleaning device that removes pollen stains adhering to the painted surface of a vehicle, and the cleaning device performs the following steps when a heating sheet is attached with a predetermined surface of the heating sheet in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle: supplies current to a linear heating element that is arranged in a wave-like pattern on the inside of the surface of the heating sheet; measures the temperature of the predetermined surface using a thermocouple attached to the heating sheet; and, when the measured temperature of the predetermined surface rises above a first threshold, controls the temperature of the predetermined surface to a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies current to the heating element; and maintains the temperature of the predetermined surface within the temperature range for a predetermined period of time or longer.

[0008] A cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a cleaning device for removing pollen stains adhering to the painted surface of a vehicle, and comprises a heating sheet having a surface layer made of a flexible material and a linear heating element that is woven in a corrugated pattern on the inside of the surface layer and generates heat when an electric current is supplied to it; and a temperature controller that supplies electric current to the heating element when the heating sheet is attached with a predetermined surface thereof in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, and controls the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle measured using a temperature sensor attached to the painted surface of the vehicle by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies electric current to the heating element, wherein when the measured temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle rises to a temperature exceeding a first threshold, the temperature controller maintains the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle within a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

[0009] A cleaning method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a cleaning method performed by a cleaning device that removes pollen stains adhering to the painted surface of a vehicle, the cleaning device performing the following steps: when a heating sheet is attached with a predetermined surface thereof in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, supplying current to a linear heating element that is arranged in a wave-like pattern on the inside of the surface of the heating sheet; measuring the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle using a temperature sensor attached to the painted surface of the vehicle; when the measured temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle rises above a first threshold, switching on and off an electrical circuit that supplies current to the heating element, thereby controlling the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle to a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold; and maintaining the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle within the temperature range for a predetermined period of time or longer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] One embodiment of the present disclosure improves the technology for cleaning vehicle paintwork by eliminating the need for workers to manually remove stains and by eliminating the need for expensive, space-consuming car washes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view showing an example of a heating sheet. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a heating sheet. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a heating sheet. [Figure 3C] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a heating sheet. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a heating sheet attached to a painted surface of a vehicle. FIG. [Figure 6] This is experimental data showing the relationship between the temperature of a vehicle's painted surface and the removal status of pollen stains. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0013] (Outline of the embodiment) An overview of a cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The cleaning device 1 includes a heating sheet 10 and a temperature controller 20. The heating sheet 10 and the temperature controller 20 are connected by a power cable. The temperature controller 20 receives a current supply by inserting its power plug (attachment plug) into an AC 100V outlet. A thermocouple 21A attached to the heating sheet 10 is connected to the temperature controller 20.

[0014] The warming sheet 10 is a sheet-shaped device that heats the painted surface of a vehicle. The warming sheet 10 is attached with a predetermined surface (a heating surface described below) in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle.

[0015] The temperature controller 20 is a controller that controls the supply of current to the warming sheet 10 by switching on and off an opening / closing unit 22 (electrical circuit).

[0016] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be provided later. The cleaning device 1 includes a heating sheet 10 having a surface layer 12 made of a flexible material and a linear heating element 11 that is corrugatedly stretched inside the surface layer 12 and generates heat when an electric current is supplied to it. The heating sheet 10 is attached with a predetermined surface of the heating sheet 10 in close contact with the painted surface of a vehicle. The heating sheet 10 also supplies an electric current to the heating element 11, and controls the temperature of the predetermined surface measured using a thermocouple 21A attached to the heating sheet 10 by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies an electric current to the heating element 11. When the measured temperature of the predetermined surface rises above a first threshold, the temperature controller 20 maintains the temperature of the predetermined surface within a temperature range equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

[0017] Thus, according to this embodiment, when the heating sheet 10 is attached with a predetermined surface of the heating sheet 10 in close contact with the painted surface of a vehicle, the cleaning device 1 can heat the heating sheet 10 and maintain the temperature of the predetermined surface in a temperature range equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold. This eliminates the need for workers to manually remove pollen stains from the painted surface of a vehicle, and improves the likelihood that work time will be reduced through automation, thereby improving technology for cleaning painted vehicle surfaces.

[0018] Next, each component of the cleaning device 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2, 3A, 3B, and 3C.

[0019] (Heating sheet configuration) 1 and 2, the heating sheet 10 comprises a heating element 11 arranged in a corrugated pattern inside the heating sheet 10, a surface layer 12, and a protective member 13 embedded inside the surface layer 12. The surface layer 12 is made of a flexible material and covers the outer surface of the heating sheet 10. The outer surface refers to the surface that forms the outside of the heating sheet 10.

[0020] The heating element 11 is a thermoelectric wire that generates heat when current flows through it, raising the temperature of a predetermined surface (the heating surface described below) of the heating sheet 10. As shown in Figure 2, the heating element 11 is a linear heating element that is laid out in a corrugated pattern inside the surface layer 12 of the heating sheet 10. The heating element 11 receives a current supply from an AC 100V outlet via the temperature controller 20.

[0021] The surface layer 12 is made of a flexible material. For example, this material is flame-retardant polyester cloth. Flame-retardant polyester cloth is a flame-retardant fiber material that is less likely to ignite when heated. However, this material is not limited to fiber materials. It can also be a non-fibrous material, such as heat-resistant silicone rubber. Furthermore, by covering the heating sheet 10 with the surface layer 12, it is possible to prevent damage to the painted surface of the vehicle. Furthermore, because the surface layer 12 is flexible, the heating sheet 10 can be rolled up into a cylindrical shape and stored when not in use. However, care must be taken not to fold the heating sheet 10 toward the designated surface (heating surface) when stored, so as not to apply excessive load to the heating element 11 provided inside the heating sheet 10.

[0022] 2 and 3A to 3C, the protective member 13 is a heat insulating material 131, a fixing fabric 132, and a fixing tool 133. However, the protective member 13 is not limited to these. Note that in FIGS. 2 and 3A to 3C, for example, the description "heat insulating material 131 (13)" means that the heat insulating material 131 is the protective member 13.

[0023] The heat insulating material 131 is a member embedded between the surface layer 12 and the fixing fabric 132. The heat insulating material 131 blocks the transfer of heat generated by the heat generating element 11 to the insulating surface, which will be described later.

[0024] The fixing fabric 132 fixes the heating element 11 and the fixing tool 133 inside the warming sheet 10.

[0025] Fixing devices 133 are magnets attached to the four corners of the heating surface side of warming sheet 10. Fixing devices 133 fix the heating surface (described below) of unfolded warming sheet 10 in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle. Fixing warming sheet 10 to the painted surface of the vehicle with fixing devices 133 makes it possible to prevent warming sheet 10 from slipping off the vehicle.

[0026] (Temperature controller configuration) As shown in FIG. 1, the temperature controller 20 includes a measuring unit 21, an opening / closing unit 22, and a control unit .

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the measurement unit 21 measures the temperature of the heating surface of the heating sheet 10 using a thermocouple 21A attached to the heating sheet 10. However, the position at which the thermocouple 21A is attached is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 2. The measurement unit 21 outputs the temperature of the heating surface measured by the thermocouple 21A to the control unit 23. The thermocouple 21A may be embedded inside the surface layer 12 of the heating sheet 10. The measurement unit 21 also includes a temperature sensor 21B that measures the temperature of the vehicle's painted surface. The measurement unit 21 outputs the temperature of the vehicle's painted surface measured by the temperature sensor 21B to the control unit 23. The measurement unit 21 may also include a timer that measures the time for which the temperature of the heating surface or the vehicle's painted surface is controlled. The measurement unit 21 notifies the control unit 23 when the time set in the timer has elapsed.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the opening / closing unit 22 is a power switch that switches on and off an electric circuit that supplies current to the warming sheet 10 (heat generating element 11) in response to a command from the control unit 23.

[0029] The control unit 23 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 23 controls the overall operation of the temperature controller 20.

[0030] (Operation flow of cleaning equipment) The operation of the cleaning device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. As described above, pectin, a pollen component, can cause stains on the painted surface of a vehicle. To remove such stains, the painted surface of the vehicle must be heated. This operation relates to removing stains caused by pollen adhering to the painted surface of the vehicle.

[0031] S101: The warming sheet 10 is attached with its predetermined surface in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle.

[0032] 2, the warming sheet 10 has, on one side, a heated surface S2 to which heat generated by the heat generating element 11 is transferred, and, on the other side, an insulating surface S1 to which the heat generated by the heat generating element 11 is blocked and not transferred by an insulating material 131 embedded inside the surface layer 12. Referring to FIG. 3A, the predetermined surface is the heated surface S2 to which the heat generated by the heat generating element 11 is transferred.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the heating sheet 10 attached to the painted surface of a vehicle. Before operating the cleaning device 1, for example, a car dealership worker unfolds the heating sheet 10 and attaches one side of the unfolded heating sheet 10, the heating surface S2, to the painted surface of the vehicle, including the area with pollen stains. To prevent the heating sheet 10 from slipping off the vehicle body during operation, the heating sheet 10 is attached by fastening it to a metal plate such as the vehicle hood using fasteners 133 (magnets) provided at the four corners. The worker then connects the heating sheet 10 to the temperature controller 20 with a power cable, attaches the thermocouple 21A to the heating sheet 10, and plugs the temperature controller 20 into an AC 100V outlet. With these preliminary steps, the cleaning device 1 is ready for operation.

[0034] Examples of painted surfaces of a vehicle include the engine hood, roof, trunk hood, back door, front door, and sliding door. The size (external dimensions) of the heating sheet 10 is selected depending on the area of ​​the vehicle body from which pollen stains are to be removed. Examples of sizes of the heating sheet 10 include, but are not limited to, 2 m x 1 m, 2 m x 0.5 m, and 1 m x 1 m.

[0035] S102: The control unit 23 supplies current to the linear heating elements 11 that are laid out in a wave-like pattern on the inside of the surface layer 12 of the heating sheet.

[0036] The control unit 23 supplies current to the heating element 11 by closing the opening / closing unit 22, i.e., by turning on the power switch. As shown in Figures 2 and 3A to 3C, the heating element 11 is stretched in a corrugated pattern between the insulating material 131 embedded inside the surface layer 12 and the fixing fabric 132. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, current is supplied to the heating element 11 of the warming sheet 10 from an AC 100V outlet via the temperature controller 20. The rated voltage / power of the power supply is, for example, AC 100V / 1300W for a size of 2m x 1m, AC 100V / 522W for a size of 2m x 0.5m, and AC 100V / 690W for a size of 1m x 1m, but is not limited to these.

[0037] When the heating sheet 10 is attached in such a manner that the heating surface S2 is in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, the heat generated by the heating element 11 supplied with current is transferred to the painted surface of the vehicle via the heating surface S2.

[0038] S103: The measurement unit 21 uses the thermocouple 21A attached to the heating sheet 10 to measure the temperature T1 of the heating surface S2.

[0039] The heating surface S2 is a temperature measurement surface where temperature measurement is performed using a thermocouple 21A. The thermocouple 21A may be embedded in a position where it can measure the temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 of the heating sheet 10. The measurement unit 21 outputs the measured temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 to the control unit 23.

[0040] S104: The control unit 23 determines whether the measured temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 has risen to a temperature exceeding the first threshold value α1. If the temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 has risen to a temperature exceeding the first threshold value α1, the control unit 23 proceeds to S105 and executes temperature control. If the temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 has not risen to a temperature exceeding the first threshold value α1, the control unit 23 returns to S102 and continues supplying current to the heating element 11.

[0041] The control unit 23 controls the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 to maintain the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface within a predetermined temperature range. Figure 6 shows experimental data illustrating the relationship between the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface and the removal status of pollen stains. The first threshold value α1 is calculated by adding a predetermined temperature difference ΔT to 80°C, the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface at which pollen stains adhering to the vehicle's painted surface can be removed, derived from the experimental results shown in Figure 6. The predetermined temperature difference ΔT is the temperature difference obtained by subtracting the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface from the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2, which is the temperature measurement surface. In the present disclosure, when current is supplied to the heating element 11, the temperature of the heated surface S2 is measured using a thermocouple 21A and the temperature of the vehicle's painted surface is measured using a temperature sensor 21B. The measurement result shows that the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface is 10°C lower than the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2. For this reason, the predetermined temperature difference ΔT is set to 10°C. However, the predetermined temperature difference ΔT is not limited to 10°C.

[0042] S105: The control unit 23 controls the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 to a temperature range TR that is greater than or equal to the first threshold value α1 and less than a second threshold value α2 that is higher than the first threshold value α1 by switching on and off the electrical circuit that supplies current to the heating element 11.

[0043] In this disclosure, taking into consideration the experimental data of Figure 6, the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 is controlled to a temperature range TR that is equal to or greater than a first threshold value α1 and less than a second threshold value α2 in order to maintain the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface at 80°C or higher and lower than 100°C. The second threshold value α2 is a temperature obtained by adding 10°C, which is the predetermined temperature difference ΔT, to 100°C, which is the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface.

[0044] S106: If the temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 is maintained within a temperature range TR that is equal to or greater than the first threshold value α1 and less than the second threshold value α2 for a predetermined time t or longer, the control unit 23 ends the temperature control. On the other hand, if the temperature T1 of the heating surface S2 is not maintained within the temperature range TR for a predetermined time t or longer, the control unit 23 returns to S102 and continues the temperature control.

[0045] The measuring unit 21 may have a timer that measures a predetermined time t. When the predetermined time t has elapsed, the control unit 23 receives a notification from the measuring unit 21 and can stop the supply of current to the heating element 11. Furthermore, the operator who has measured the predetermined time t may end the temperature control by opening the opening / closing unit 22, i.e., by turning off the power switch.

[0046] When the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 rises to a temperature equal to or greater than the first threshold value α1, the control unit 23 controls the opening / closing unit 22 to switch the electric circuit on and off to control the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 within a temperature range TR equal to or greater than the first threshold value α1 and less than the second threshold value α2. Specifically, when the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 rises to a temperature equal to or greater than the second threshold value α2, the control unit 23 cuts off the supply of current from the power source. Thereafter, when the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 falls below the first threshold value α1, the control unit 23 resumes the supply of current from the power source. When the supply of current is interrupted, the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 drops. On the other hand, when the supply of current is resumed, the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 rises. In this way, by repeatedly opening and closing the opening / closing unit 22, the control unit 23 maintains the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 within a temperature range TR equal to or greater than the first threshold value α1 and less than the second threshold value α2.

[0047] The control unit 23 removes pollen stains adhering to the painted surface of the vehicle by maintaining the temperature T1 of the heated surface S2 within a temperature range TR that is equal to or greater than a first threshold value α1 and less than a second threshold value α2 that is higher than the first threshold value α1 for a predetermined time t or more.

[0048] Referring again to FIG. 6, the measurement timing in FIG. 6 is the time elapsed since the temperature controller 20 was powered on. According to the experimental data, when the temperature T2 was 60°C, large stains remained. On the other hand, when the temperature T2 reached 80°C or higher, the stains were completely removed 20 minutes after powering on. The cleaning device 1 of the present disclosure can raise the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface to approximately 80°C or higher in approximately 15 minutes. Therefore, it was concluded that pollen stains adhering to the vehicle's painted surface can be removed by maintaining the temperature T2 at 80°C or higher for 5 minutes or more. Therefore, based on the experimental results of FIG. 6, the first threshold α1 was set to 90°C, which is the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface, plus a predetermined temperature difference ΔT of 10°C. The predetermined time t was set to 5 minutes. Furthermore, in this disclosure, in consideration of the experimental data of FIG. 6, the second threshold value α2 is set to 110°C, which is the sum of 10°C, the predetermined temperature difference ΔT, and 10°C, to maintain the temperature T2 at or above 80°C and below 100°C. However, the second threshold value α2 is not limited to 110°C. For example, in consideration of preventing deformation due to high temperatures of plastic parts of the vehicle that may come into contact with the heated surface S2, the second threshold value α2 may be set to any temperature higher than the first threshold value α1 (90°C) and lower than the second threshold value α2 (110°C).

[0049] In this way, with the cleaning device 1, it is possible to reduce the work time per vehicle, which previously required a car dealer's worker to pour boiling water on the vehicle's painted surface to remove pollen stains, from two hours to about 30 minutes. In this case, the total time for attaching and detaching the cleaning device 1 to the vehicle's painted surface was about 10 minutes, adding the 20 minutes shown in Figure 6 to make it 30 minutes.

[0050] Additionally, the worker can perform other tasks while using the cleaning device 1, improving the worker's work efficiency. Furthermore, the cleaning device 1 is sized to be attached to the painted surface of a vehicle when in use, and when not in use, the heating sheet 10 can be rolled up into a cylindrical shape and stored. Therefore, the cleaning device 1 does not require the installation or storage space of an expensive or space-consuming car wash machine at an automobile dealership or the like.

[0051] As described above, the cleaning device 1 of this embodiment comprises a heating sheet 10 having a surface layer 12 made of a flexible material and a linear heating element 11 that is corrugatedly laid inside the surface layer 12 and generates heat when an electric current is supplied to it, and a temperature controller 20 that supplies an electric current to the heating element 11 when the heating sheet 10 is attached with a predetermined surface of the heating sheet 10 in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, and controls the temperature of the predetermined surface measured using a thermocouple 21A attached to the heating sheet 10 by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies an electric current to the heating element 11, and when the measured temperature of the predetermined surface rises to a temperature that exceeds a first threshold, the temperature controller 20 maintains the temperature of the predetermined surface within a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

[0052] With this configuration, when the predetermined surface of the heating sheet 10 is attached in close contact with the painted surface of a vehicle, the cleaning device 1 can heat the heating sheet 10 and maintain the temperature of the predetermined surface in a temperature range equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold. This eliminates the need for workers to manually remove pollen stains from the painted surface of a vehicle, and improves the likelihood that work time will be reduced through automation, thereby improving technology for cleaning painted vehicle surfaces.

[0053] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple components or steps can be combined or divided into one.

[0054] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration and operation of the temperature controller 20 may be distributed among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. Also, for example, an embodiment in which some or all of the components of the temperature controller 20 are provided in the warming sheet 10 is possible. For example, the warming sheet 10 may be equipped with a processor or the like, thereby providing some or all of the components of the temperature controller 20.

[0055] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the cleaning device 1 is configured to control the temperature T1 of the heating surface S. However, the cleaning device 1 may also directly control the temperature T2 of the painted surface of the vehicle.

[0056] When directly controlling the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface, the temperature controller 20 supplies current to the heating element 11 when the heating sheet 10 is attached with the heating surface S2 in close contact with the vehicle's painted surface. The temperature controller 20 controls the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface, measured using a temperature sensor 21B attached to the vehicle's painted surface, by switching on and off the electrical circuit that supplies current to the heating element 11. When the measured temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface exceeds a first threshold value α1, the temperature controller 20 maintains the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface within a temperature range equal to or greater than the first threshold value α1 and less than a second threshold value α2 that is higher than the first threshold value α1. Here, the vehicle's painted surface is the temperature measurement surface whose temperature is measured directly. In this case, since the temperature measurement surface and the vehicle's painted surface are the same, the predetermined temperature difference ΔT is 0°C. Therefore, based on the experimental results shown in FIG. 6, the first threshold value α1 is set to 80°C and the second threshold value α2 is set to 100°C. Therefore, by maintaining the temperature T2 of the vehicle's painted surface in the temperature range of 80°C or higher and lower than 100°C for a predetermined time t (5 minutes) or longer, pollen stains adhering to the vehicle's painted surface are removed.

[0057] Also, an embodiment is possible in which, for example, a general-purpose computer functions as the temperature controller 20 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the temperature controller 20 according to the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executable by a processor or a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Cleaning equipment 10. Heating Sheet 11 Heating element (thermal wire) 12 Surface layer 13 Protective materials 20 Temperature Controller 21 Measurement section 21A thermocouple 21B Temperature Sensor 22 Opening and closing part (power switch) 23 Control Unit 131 Insulation 132 Fixed fabric 133 Fixing device (magnet)

Claims

1. A cleaning device for removing stains caused by pollen adhering to the painted surface of a vehicle, A heating sheet having a surface layer made of a flexible material and a linear heating element that is wavy and stretched around the inside of the surface layer and generates heat when an electric current is supplied; a temperature controller that supplies current to the heating element when the heating sheet is attached with its predetermined surface in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, and controls the temperature of the predetermined surface measured using a thermocouple attached to the heating sheet by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies current to the heating element; Equipped with The temperature controller maintains the temperature of the specified surface within a temperature range equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold when the measured temperature of the specified surface rises above a first threshold.

2. A cleaning method performed by a cleaning device that removes stains caused by pollen adhering to a painted surface of a vehicle, comprising: The cleaning device When the heating sheet is attached with its predetermined surface in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, supplying current to a linear heating element that is wavy and stretched inside the surface layer of the heating sheet; Measuring the temperature of the predetermined surface using a thermocouple attached to the heating sheet; When the measured temperature of the predetermined surface rises to a temperature exceeding a first threshold, an electric circuit that supplies current to the heating element is turned on and off to control the temperature of the predetermined surface to a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold; maintaining the temperature of the predetermined surface within the temperature range for a predetermined period of time or longer; To perform the cleaning method.

3. A cleaning device for removing stains caused by pollen adhering to the painted surface of a vehicle, A heating sheet having a surface layer made of a flexible material and a linear heating element that is wavy and stretched around the inside of the surface layer and generates heat when an electric current is supplied; a temperature controller that supplies current to the heating element when the heating sheet is attached with its predetermined surface in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, and controls the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle measured using a temperature sensor attached to the painted surface of the vehicle by switching on and off an electric circuit that supplies current to the heating element; Equipped with The temperature controller maintains the temperature of the vehicle's painted surface within a temperature range equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold when the measured temperature of the vehicle's painted surface rises above a first threshold.

4. A cleaning method performed by a cleaning device that removes stains caused by pollen adhering to a painted surface of a vehicle, comprising: The cleaning device When the heating sheet is attached with its predetermined surface in close contact with the painted surface of the vehicle, supplying current to a linear heating element that is wavy and stretched inside the surface layer of the heating sheet; measuring the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle using a temperature sensor attached to the painted surface of the vehicle; When the measured temperature of the vehicle's painted surface rises to a temperature exceeding a first threshold, an electric circuit that supplies current to the heating element is switched on and off to control the temperature of the vehicle's painted surface to a temperature range that is equal to or greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold; maintaining the temperature of the painted surface of the vehicle within the temperature range for a predetermined period of time or longer; To perform the cleaning method.

5. 3. The cleaning method according to claim 2, the first threshold is a temperature obtained by adding a predetermined temperature difference to 80°C, the second threshold is a temperature obtained by adding the predetermined temperature difference to 100°C, A cleaning method wherein the predetermined time is 5 minutes.

Images