Platform door cleaning method

Abstract

This invention provides a method for cleaning platform screen doors that ensures good pedestrian access on the platform after cleaning. [Solution] The platform door cleaning method is a method of cleaning platform doors 200 installed on a station platform 400 using a self-propelled cleaning device 100, and includes a step of cleaning the platform doors 200 while the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is driven along the platform doors 200 on the platform 400, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is used which has a water sweeping unit 40 that sweeps up water accumulated on the floor 410 of the platform 400, and the cleaning process is performed while sweeping up the water on the floor 410 with the water sweeping unit 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a platform door.

Background Art

[0002] As a method for cleaning a platform door installed on a station platform, for example, the platform door cleaning method described in Patent Document 1 can be cited. In the platform door cleaning method described in Patent Document 1, the platform door is cleaned while a self-propelled cleaning device travels along the platform door on the platform.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, according to the study by the inventors of the present application, the self-propelled cleaning device described in Patent Document 1 still has room for improvement from the viewpoint of ensuring good walkability on the platform after cleaning.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and relates to a platform door cleaning method capable of ensuring good walkability on the platform after cleaning.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a platform door cleaning method for cleaning a platform door installed on a station platform with a self-propelled cleaning device, the method comprising a step of cleaning the platform door while causing the self-propelled cleaning device to travel along the platform door on the platform, A method for cleaning platform doors is provided, which uses a self-propelled cleaning device having a water sweeping unit for sweeping up water accumulated on the floor, and performs the cleaning process while sweeping the water on the floor with the water sweeping unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, good walkability in the home after cleaning can be ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figures 1(a) and 1(b) are side views of the platform screen doors, with Figure 1(a) showing the closed state of the doors and Figure 1(b) showing the open state of the doors. [Figure 2] This is a left side view of a self-propelled washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a right side view of a self-propelled washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of a self-propelled washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic plan view illustrating the operation of the water sweeping section in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a front view of the wiper blade of the water sweeping section in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram of a self-propelled washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a schematic plan view illustrating the operation of a self-propelled washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a side view of a self-propelled cleaning device according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] Figures 10(a) and 10(b) show the water sweeping section and its surrounding structure in the second embodiment, with Figure 10(a) being a right side view and Figure 10(b) being a top view. [Figure 11] This is a schematic plan view illustrating the operation of the water sweeping section in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a plan view of a self-propelled washing device according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate. In the following explanation, directions such as front, back, left, and right may be defined to make the positional relationships of each component easier to understand. However, these directional definitions are for convenience only and do not limit the direction in which the self-propelled cleaning device 100 used in this invention is manufactured or used. In Figure 4, the left side is referred to as the front or forward, and the opposite side is referred to as the rear or rear. In a plan view, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is called the width direction. Within the width direction, one side is referred to as the right and the other as the left. The direction perpendicular to both the front-to-back and left-to-right directions is called the up-and-down direction. These directions are shown in each figure.

[0010] [First Embodiment] First, the first embodiment will be described using Figures 1 to 8.

[0011] A station (railway station) is provided with tracks (not shown) on which trains 300 run, and a platform 400 that extends along the direction in which the tracks are laid. As shown in Figures 1(a), 1(b), and 8, multiple platform doors 200 are installed in a row, standing vertically along the direction in which the platform 400 extends (the direction in which the tracks are laid). These multiple platform doors 200 separate the platform 400 side (for example, the right side shown in Figure 8) from the track side (for example, the left side shown in Figure 8). The platform screen doors 200 remain closed (see Figure 1(a)) until the train 300 enters platform 400, restricting passenger movement from platform 400 to the tracks. When the train 300 stops at platform 400, the platform screen doors 200 open (see Figure 1(b)), allowing passengers to board and alight from the train 300. The platform screen door 200 comprises an opening and closing door 210 and a door pocket 220 that houses the opening and closing door 210 in a retractable manner. The opening / closing door 210 is a part that opens and closes in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the door of the train 300. The opening / closing door 210 is a double-sliding door that opens and closes in opposite directions (directions of moving away from each other and approaching each other). The opening / closing door 210 is supported by a door pocket 220 so as to be slidable in the opening / closing direction. Before the train 300 arrives at the platform 400 and until the door of the train 300 that has arrived at the platform 400 opens, the movement of passengers from the platform 400 side to the track side is restricted by the opening / closing door 210 in the closed state. When the train 300 stops at the platform 400, the opening / closing door 210 opens, and passengers can board and alight from the train 300. When the boarding and alighting of passengers from the train 300 are completed and the door of the train 300 closes, the opening / closing door 210 returns to the closed state again, and the movement of passengers from the platform 400 side to the track side is restricted.

[0012] Since dirt accumulates on the surfaces of the opening / closing door 210 and the door pocket 220 of the platform door 200, it is necessary to regularly clean each surface of these opening / closing door 210 and door pocket 220 respectively.

[0013] Here, the platform door cleaning method according to the present embodiment (hereinafter may be referred to as this method) cleans the platform door 200 installed on the platform 400 of the station by a self-propelled cleaning device 100 (see FIGS. 2 to 4, etc.). This method includes a step of cleaning the platform door 200 while running the self-propelled cleaning device 100 along the platform door 200 on the platform 400. Furthermore, as the self-propelled cleaning device 100, one having a water sweeping part 40 (see FIG. 5) that sweeps the water accumulated on the floor 410 of the platform 400 is used, and the cleaning step is performed while sweeping the water on the floor 410 by the water sweeping part 40. The water accumulated on the floor 410 mentioned here is, for example, the cleaning water used for cleaning the platform door 200 such as a cleaning liquid containing a chemical solution or raw water, or rainwater.

[0014] According to such a method, the opening / closing door 210 and the door pocket 220 of the platform door 200 can be efficiently and safely cleaned by the self-propelled cleaning device 100. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the cleaning water used to clean the platform doors 200 and rainwater from accumulating on the platform floor 410 of the platform 400, thereby ensuring good pedestrian access on the platform 400 after cleaning.

[0015] The self-propelled cleaning device 100 includes, in addition to the water sweeping unit 40, a water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84 that causes the water sweeping unit 40 to move back and forth, a rotating brush 21 that scrubs the platform door 200, a rotating brush drive mechanism 82 that rotates the rotating brush 21, a spray unit 30 that sprays cleaning liquid toward the platform door 200, and a control unit 80 that controls the operation of the water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84, the rotating brush drive mechanism 82, and the spray unit 30. Furthermore, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 includes a housing 10, a plurality of wheels 12 supporting the housing 10, and a wheel drive mechanism 83 that rotates at least one of the plurality of wheels 12, and the control unit 80 also controls the operation of the wheel drive mechanism 83. The housing 10 is equipped with a water sweeping unit 40, a water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84, a rotating brush 21, a rotating brush drive mechanism 82, a spray unit 30, and a wheel drive mechanism 83. With this configuration, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 can clean the opening and closing doors 210 and door pockets 220 while traveling along the platform doors 200, under the operational control of the control unit 80. It can also sweep away water (cleaning water) accumulated on the platform floor 410 (for example, toward the tracks). In this invention, the operation of sweeping water by the water sweeping unit 40 may be performed simultaneously with the cleaning operation by the self-propelled cleaning device 100, or it may be performed at a different time from the cleaning operation (for example, after the completion of the cleaning operation).

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the housing 10 is formed in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the front-to-back direction. Wheels 12 are provided at each of the four corners on the front, back, left, and right of the bottom surface of the housing 10. In this embodiment, of the four wheels 12, each of the front pair of wheels 13 is a swivel caster that is rotatably mounted to the housing 10. Furthermore, of the four wheels 12, each of the rear pair of wheels 14 is a drive wheel that is rotated by a wheel drive mechanism 83. The wheel drive mechanism 83 includes a pair of wheel drive motors 83a (see Figure 7) and a drive transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits the power of the pair of wheel drive motors 83a to the corresponding wheels 14. The pair of wheel drive motors 83a drives the rear left and right wheels 14 to rotate individually. The thrust generated by the rotation of the rear left and right wheels 14 also rotates the front left and right wheels 13, causing the self-propelled washing device 100 to move in the direction of travel. More specifically, when the wheel drive motor 83a rotates in one direction, the pair of rear left and right wheels 14 each rotate in one direction around the axle, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves forward. On the other hand, when the wheel drive motor 83a rotates in another direction, the pair of rear left and right wheels 14 each rotate in the other direction around the axle, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves backward. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the pair of wheel drive motors 83a are each individually controlled by the control unit 80, so that the rotation direction and rotation speed of each of the left and right rear wheels 14 can be controlled individually. This allows the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to move in a straight line, for example, by rotating the left and right rear wheels 14 at the same speed. Alternatively, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 can be driven while turning in a desired direction, for example, by rotating the left and right rear wheels 14 at different speeds.

[0017] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the rotating brush 21 is positioned in a recess 15 formed on the right side of the housing 10 and is detachable from the housing 10. The rotating brush 21 cleans the inner surface of the platform door 200 (the side facing the platform 400). In a plan view, at least a portion of the rotating brush 21 protrudes to the right of the right side of the housing 10. The rotating brush 21 has a brush shaft 21a that is rotatably mounted to the housing 10, and a brush body 21b provided on the outer circumference of the brush shaft 21a. The brush shaft 21a extends in the vertical direction. The brush shaft 21a constitutes the rotation axis of the rotating brush 21 and rotates around its axis by the rotating brush drive mechanism 82. The brush body 21b is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape with a vertically elongated length, composed of numerous strip-shaped cloth pieces or brush bristles. Due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the brush shaft 21a, the brush body 21b spreads radially outward to scrub the inner surface of the platform door 200. In Figure 3, the brush body 21b is schematically shown by a dashed line, and the cloth pieces or brush bristles of the brush body 21b are not shown. The rotary brush drive mechanism 82 includes a rotary brush drive motor 82a (see Figure 7) and a drive transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits the driving force of the rotary brush drive motor 82a to the brush shaft 21a. The mechanism is configured such that the drive of the rotary brush drive motor 82a can rotate the brush shaft 21a and, consequently, the entire rotary brush 21 around its axis. The power source for the rotary brush drive mechanism 82 is not particularly limited, and an actuator other than the rotary brush drive motor 82a may be used as the power source.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the spray unit 30 has, for example, a plurality of spray nozzle sections 31, and cleaning liquid is sprayed from the spray opening 32 of each spray nozzle section 31. More specifically, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 includes a cleaning fluid supply unit (not shown) that supplies cleaning fluid to the spray unit 30. The operation of the cleaning fluid supply unit is also controlled, for example, by a control unit 80. The cleaning fluid supply unit includes a storage tank for storing cleaning fluid (in this embodiment, a chemical solution tank and a water tank, described later), a cleaning fluid supply pipe for supplying cleaning fluid from the storage tank to the nozzle 32, and a liquid pump (in this embodiment, a chemical solution pump and a water pump, described later) for pressurizing the cleaning fluid from the storage tank to the nozzle 32. The liquid pump is electrically driven by an electric motor (not shown). The cleaning fluid supplied from the storage tank via the cleaning fluid supply pipe by the liquid pump is sprayed from the nozzle 32 of each spray nozzle 31. By spraying the cleaning fluid towards the platform doors 200, the platform doors 200 can be cleaned. In this embodiment, a plurality of spray nozzle sections 31 are provided on the right side of the housing 10. More specifically, a pair of upper and lower spray nozzle sections 31 are provided on the front and rear sides of the right side of the housing 10. In the direction of travel of the self-propelled cleaning device 100, the rotating brush 21 is positioned between the pair of upper and lower spray nozzle sections 31 on the front side and the pair of upper and lower spray nozzle sections 31 on the rear side.

[0019] As an example, the cleaning solution is obtained by mixing a chemical solution containing a chemical with water. More specifically, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 includes a chemical solution tank (not shown) for storing the chemical solution, a chemical solution pump (not shown) for pumping the chemical solution from the chemical solution tank (not shown) towards the nozzle 32, a chemical solution supply pipe for supplying the chemical solution pumped by the chemical solution pump to the cleaning solution supply pipe, a water tank (not shown) for storing water (raw water), a water pump (not shown) for pumping water from the water tank towards the nozzle 32, and a water supply pipe (not shown) for supplying the water pumped by the water pump to the cleaning solution supply pipe. The cleaning solution is obtained by mixing the chemical solution supplied through the chemical solution supply pipe with the water supplied through the water supply pipe. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cleaning solution (a mixture of chemical solution and water) and water (raw water without chemical solution) are configured to be sprayed separately. For example, the cleaning solution is sprayed from a pair of upper and lower spray nozzles 31 at the front, and water is sprayed from a pair of upper and lower spray nozzles 31 at the rear. With this configuration, the platform door 200 can be thoroughly cleaned by the cleaning solution and the rotating brush 21, and any dirt adhering to the surface of the platform door 200 and scraped off by the rotating brush 21 can be rinsed off with water. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and only cleaning liquid or water may be selectively sprayed from the pair of upper and lower spray nozzles 31 at the front and the pair of upper and lower spray nozzles 31 at the rear. In this embodiment, for example, the water tank and the chemical tank are each housed inside the housing 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and as shown in the modified examples described later, the water tank may be provided outside the housing 10.

[0020] Furthermore, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 may be configured to spray a coating liquid onto the platform door 200 in addition to cleaning liquid and water. In this case, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 may include a spraying unit (not shown) for spraying the coating liquid and a coating liquid supply unit (not shown) for supplying the coating liquid to the spraying unit.

[0021] As described above, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 has a water sweeping unit 40 that sweeps away water accumulated on the floor 400. This prevents the cleaning liquid or water sprayed by the spraying unit 30 from accumulating on the floor 400. As shown in Figure 6, the water sweeping section 40 is, for example, a vertically standing plate-shaped structure. In this embodiment, the vertically standing plate-shaped water sweeping section 40 is configured to reciprocate horizontally along the floor surface 410a (details to be described later). As a result, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 can travel while effectively sweeping the water from the floor 400. However, in the present invention, as in the third embodiment described later, the vertically standing plate-shaped water sweeping section 40 may be fixed to the housing 10 such that the plate surface is kept inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. Furthermore, in the present invention, the configuration of the water sweeping section 40 is not limited to this example, and the water sweeping section 40 may be, for example, a brush having a bundle of bristles at its tip. If the water sweeping section 40 is a brush, the brush may be, for example, provided on the bottom surface of the housing 10 and configured to rotate axially in the front-rear direction.

[0022] More specifically, in this embodiment, the water sweeping unit 40 includes a wiper blade 41 and a wiper arm 42 that holds the wiper blade 41. The wiper blade 41 is driven by a water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84. The water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84 includes a water sweeping unit drive motor 84a (see Figure 7) and a drive transmission mechanism (not shown) that converts the rotational motion of the water sweeping unit drive motor 84a into reciprocating motion and transmits it to the wiper arm 42. Driven by the water sweeping unit drive motor 84a, the wiper blade 41 performs a reciprocating motion (see Figure 5) in which it alternates between swinging from the platform 400 side to the track side and swinging from the track side to the platform 400 side. In Figure 5, the direction of the reciprocating motion of the wiper blade 41 is indicated by arrow A, and the movement trajectory of the wiper blade 41 is shown by a dashed line. With this configuration, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 can efficiently sweep water (cleaning fluid or water) accumulated on the floor 400 towards the tracks using the water sweeping unit 40 while it is in motion. The drive source for the water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84 is not particularly limited, and an actuator other than the water sweeping unit drive motor 84a may be used as the drive source. Furthermore, since various known drive transmission mechanisms, such as link mechanisms, can be used as the drive transmission mechanism that converts rotational motion into reciprocating motion, a detailed explanation is omitted in this specification.

[0023] The reciprocating speed of the water sweeping unit 40 is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately according to the travel speed of the self-propelled cleaning device 100. More specifically, as an example, the reciprocating speed of the water sweeping unit 40 is set so that the wiper blade 41 makes 2 to 5 reciprocating motions while the front of the housing 10 reaches a point in the direction of travel and the rear of the housing 10 passes over that point. Furthermore, in the present invention, the speed at which the water sweeping unit 40 is swung from the platform 400 side to the track side and the speed at which the water sweeping unit 40 is swung from the track side to the platform 400 side may be different from each other. In this case, for example, the speed at which the water sweeping unit 40 is swung from the track side to the platform 400 side may be set to be faster than the speed at which the water sweeping unit 40 is swung from the platform 400 side to the track side. With such a configuration, the water sweeping unit 40 can be quickly returned to the platform 400 side before water accumulates in the area where water has been swept from the platform 400 side to the track side, thereby reducing the amount of water swept to the platform 400 side. Furthermore, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 may be equipped with, for example, a water sweeping section lifting mechanism (not shown) that can raise and lower the water sweeping section 40 in the vertical direction. In this case, for example, when the water sweeping unit lifting mechanism swings the water sweeping unit 40 from the platform 400 side towards the track side, the water sweeping unit 40 can be lowered to a position where it contacts the floor surface 410a, and when the water sweeping unit 40 swings from the track side towards the platform 400 side, the water sweeping unit 40 can be raised to a position where it is separated from the floor surface 410a. This configuration also reduces the amount of water swept towards the platform 400 side. Therefore, good walkability on the platform 400 after cleaning can be ensured. The water sweeping unit lifting mechanism (not shown) is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be configured to raise and lower the wiper arm 42 of the water sweeping unit 40 in the vertical direction, thereby bringing the wiper blade 41 of the water sweeping unit 40 into contact with or away from the floor surface 410a. Furthermore, various known lifting mechanisms can be used as the water sweeping section lifting mechanism that allows the water sweeping section 40 to move up and down in the vertical direction.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, as an example, water sweeping sections 40 are provided at the front and rear of the bottom surface of the housing 10. The front water sweeping section 40 is positioned between the pair of front left and right wheels 13, and the rear water sweeping section 40 is positioned between the pair of rear left and right wheels 14. With this configuration, the water accumulated on the floor 400 can be efficiently swept out towards the tracks by the water sweeping unit 40 on both the side in the direction of travel and the side opposite to the direction of travel of the self-propelled washing device 100. For example, when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves forward, the water sweeping unit lifting mechanism described above may be used to move the front water sweeping unit 40 away from the floor surface 410a while selectively bringing the rear water sweeping unit into contact with the floor surface 410a. Similarly, for example, when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves backward, the water sweeping unit lifting mechanism described above may be used to selectively bring the front water sweeping unit 40 into contact with the floor surface 410a while moving the rear water sweeping unit away from the floor surface 410a. The front water sweeping section 40 and the rear water sweeping section 40 are, for example, formed to be the same shape as each other and arranged symmetrically front to back. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 only needs to be equipped with at least one water sweeping unit 40. If the number of water sweeping units 40 equipped with the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is one, it is preferable that the water sweeping unit 40 is located on the rear side of the housing 10. With this configuration, when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves forward, the water sweeping unit 40 is located behind the spray unit 30 and the rotating brush 21 (on the opposite side of the direction of travel). Therefore, the cleaning liquid and water sprayed from the spray unit 30 can be effectively swept towards the tracks. Furthermore, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 may include, for example, a plurality of (e.g., two) water sweeping units 40 provided on the front side of the housing 10, and a plurality of (e.g., two) water sweeping units 40 provided on the rear side of the housing 10, or both. In this case, it is preferable that the self-propelled cleaning device 100 includes at least a plurality of water sweeping units 40 provided on the rear side of the housing 10. With such a configuration, the plurality of water sweeping units 40 are located behind the spray unit 30 and the rotating brush 21 (on the opposite side of the direction of travel), so that the cleaning liquid and water sprayed from the spray unit 30 can be effectively swept towards the tracks. The multiple water sweeping units 40 may be configured to reciprocate in conjunction (synchronized) with each other, or they may be configured to reciprocate at different timings. Furthermore, the multiple water sweeping units 40 may be arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction, side-by-side in the front-back direction, or side-by-side in both the left-right and front-back directions. Additionally, the multiple water sweeping units 40 may be positioned at offset locations relative to each other in their respective directions, or they may be positioned at the same location relative to each other in that direction. Furthermore, the front water sweeping section 40 and the rear water sweeping section 40 may be formed in different shapes from each other.

[0025] The wiper arm 42 is formed in a long, plate-like or rod-like shape in one direction. The wiper blade 41 is rotatably fixed to one end of the wiper arm 42 in the longitudinal direction. The other end of the wiper arm 42 in the longitudinal direction is pivotably fixed to the housing 10. As shown in Figure 5, the wiper arm 42 and thus the wiper blade 41 reciprocate horizontally with the other end of the wiper arm 42 in the longitudinal direction as the pivot axis AX1. The wiper blade 41 has, for example, a main body portion 41a made of an elastic material and a support portion 41b that supports the main body portion 41a. While the lower edge of the main body 41a remains in contact with the floor surface 410a, the wiper blade 41 reciprocates horizontally, thereby sweeping away water with the wiper blade 41. The main body portion 41a is configured, for example, as a roughly flat plate that is elongated in one direction. As shown in Figure 6, the wiper blade 41 is held by the wiper arm 42 such that the main body portion 41a is in contact with the floor surface 410a and stands upright. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the lower edge of the main body 41a gradually decreases in thickness downwards. More specifically, the right side of the lower edge of the main body 41a (the side facing the platform door 200) is an inclined surface that gradually shifts to the left downwards. On the other hand, the left side of the lower edge of the main body 41a (the side facing the platform 400) is a vertically upright surface. With this configuration, the lower edge of the main body 41a can make line contact with the floor surface 410a, so that the pressing force is concentrated on the lower edge and water can be scraped off more effectively. In addition, the lower edge of the main body 41a can bend well to follow the unevenness of the floor 410 of the platform 400. Furthermore, the right side of the lower edge of the main body 41a can effectively sweep water from the floor 400 towards the tracks. In this invention, the water sweeping unit 40 may be configured to move vertically relative to the housing 10, for example. In this case, the water sweeping unit 40 may be configured to move vertically by manual operation by an operator, or it may be configured to move vertically by the control unit 80 controlling the operation of a drive mechanism (not shown). With this configuration, before using the water sweeping section 40, the water sweeping section 40 can be raised relative to the housing 10, so that the main body 41a is separated from the floor surface 410a. Therefore, when transporting the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to the platform 400, interference between the main body 41a and the floor surface 410a can be suppressed, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 can be moved smoothly.

[0026] The elastic material constituting the main body 41a is not particularly limited, but examples include silicone rubber and elastomer. The support portion 41b is made of, for example, a hard resin material or a metal material. The present invention is not limited to this example, and the wiper blade 41 may, for example, be integrally molded as a whole from an elastic material. Furthermore, in the present invention, the shape and structure of the wiper arm 42 and wiper blade 41 are not limited to the examples shown in Figures 2 to 6, and other widely known shapes and structures can be applied as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0027] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 further includes, for example, a distance sensor 86 for measuring the distance between the platform door 200 and the self-propelled cleaning device 100, and an obstacle sensor 87 for detecting when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 comes into contact with an obstacle such as a person or a pillar. The control unit 80 determines, based on the measurement results from the distance sensor 86, whether the distance between the platform door 200 and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is a preset value. If the distance is not a preset value, the control unit moves the self-propelled cleaning device 100 by controlling the operation of the wheel drive motor 83a. This adjusts the distance between the platform door 200 and the self-propelled cleaning device 100. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, vertically standing safety bars 18 are attached to the front left corner and front right corner of the housing 10, respectively, and the safety bars 18 are configured to swing when they come into contact with an obstacle. The obstacle sensor 87 is capable of detecting the swinging of these safety bars 18. Based on the detection results from the obstacle sensor 87, the control unit 80 determines whether or not the self-propelled cleaning device 100 has come into contact with an obstacle such as a person or a pillar. If it is determined that the self-propelled cleaning device 100 has come into contact with an obstacle, the control unit 80 stops the self-propelled cleaning device 100 by controlling the operation of the wheel drive motor 83a. The distance sensor 86 and the obstacle sensor 87 are not particularly limited, and various known sensors such as optical sensors and ultrasonic sensors can be used as appropriate.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is equipped with an operation unit 88 that receives input operations from an operator. The control unit 80 performs various control operations in response to the input operations to the operation unit 88. More specifically, in this embodiment, various operations such as turning the power of the self-propelled cleaning device 100 ON / OFF, starting / stopping the cleaning operation, starting / stopping the movement of the self-propelled cleaning device 100, setting the direction of movement of the self-propelled cleaning device 100, starting / stopping the driving of the rotating brush 21, and starting / stopping the operation of the water sweeping unit 40 can be performed using the control unit 88. The operation unit 88 is a terminal device having a touch panel display and multiple switches. Furthermore, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is equipped with an emergency stop switch (not shown) for stopping the operation of the self-propelled cleaning device 100 in an emergency.

[0029] In this embodiment, the operating unit 88 is detachably attached to the housing 10 and also serves as a remote control for remotely controlling the movement of the self-propelled cleaning device 100. The worker can move the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to the desired position by operating the control unit 88 (remote control) while walking alongside the self-propelled cleaning device 100. The control unit 88 (remote control) may be wired or wireless.

[0030] As described above, the control unit 80 controls the operation of the rotary brush drive motor 82a, the wheel drive motor 83a, and the water sweeping unit drive motor 84a. The rotary brush 21 rotates when the control unit 80 controls the operation of the rotary brush drive motor 82a. Similarly, the pair of rear left and right wheels 14 (drive wheels) rotate individually when the control unit 80 controls the operation of the pair of wheel drive motors 83a, and the water sweeping unit 40 reciprocates when the control unit 80 controls the operation of the water sweeping unit drive motor 84a. Furthermore, the control unit 80 also controls the operation of the cleaning fluid supply unit described above. For example, the control unit 80 is an electronic control unit (ECU).

[0031] Next, an example of a platform door cleaning method using the self-propelled cleaning device 100 will be explained using Figure 8. Note that Figure 8 shows the self-propelled cleaning device 100 schematically, and some components are not shown. Also, the direction of travel of the self-propelled cleaning device 100 shown in Figure 8 (direction of arrow A) is for convenience only, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 can travel in directions intersecting the direction of travel shown in Figure 8, or in directions opposite to that direction of travel.

[0032] First, prior to cleaning the platform doors 200, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is transported to the platform 400. If it is necessary to transport the self-propelled cleaning device 100 into an elevator, the rotating brush 21 can be appropriately attached to and detached from the housing 10 depending on the size of the elevator. This allows the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to be easily disassembled and transported to the platform 400 using the small elevator, even if the elevator is small.

[0033] Next, the operator switches the power to the self-propelled cleaning device 100 ON by operating the control unit 88, and starts the movement of the self-propelled cleaning device 100. More specifically, with the opening and closing doors 210 in the closed position, protruding from the door pocket 220, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is moved along the platform door 200 on the platform 400.

[0034] Next, the operator moves the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to the cleaning start position by operating the control unit 88. At this time, the distance sensor 86 detects the distance between the self-propelled cleaning device 100 and the platform door 200. In accordance with the detection result from the distance sensor 86, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is moved appropriately so that the distance between the self-propelled cleaning device 100 and the platform door 200 becomes a preset value. This ensures that the rotating brush 21 is pressed against the inner surface of the platform door 200 with a constant pressure and makes contact. The distance between the self-propelled cleaning device 100 and the platform door 200 may be adjusted manually, for example, by an operator operating the control unit 88.

[0035] Next, after moving the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to the cleaning start position, the operator starts the cleaning work by operating the control unit 88. As an example, the cleaning start position is defined as the position corresponding to the platform door 200 installed at the end (one end in the direction of extension of the platform 400) of the multiple platform doors 200 installed in a row along the extending direction of the platform 400, and the cleaning end position is defined as the position corresponding to the platform door 200 installed at the other end (the other end in the direction of extension of the platform 400). When the cleaning operation begins, the control unit 80 drives the wheel drive motor 83a to move the self-propelled cleaning device 100 at a low speed in the direction of travel (in the direction of arrow A shown in Figure 8), and drives the rotary brush drive motor 82a to rotate the rotary brush 21 while pressurizing the cleaning fluid from the storage tank toward the spray nozzle 32. As a result, as the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves, the cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the inner surface (the side facing the platform 400) of the platform door 200 (opening / closing door 210 and door pocket 220), and the inner surface of the platform door 200 is scrubbed clean by the rotary brush 21. More specifically, as described above, cleaning fluid is sprayed from a pair of upper and lower spray nozzles 31 at the front to clean the platform door 200 with the cleaning fluid and rotating brush 21, while water is sprayed from a pair of upper and lower spray nozzles 31 at the rear to rinse off the cleaning fluid and dirt that has been scrubbed off by the rotating brush 21 from the surface of the platform door 200. Furthermore, during the cleaning operation of the self-propelled cleaning device 100, the control unit 80 drives the water sweeping unit drive motor 84a to cause the water sweeping unit 40 to reciprocate in the direction of arrow B shown in Figure 8, thereby sweeping the cleaning liquid and water sprayed by the spraying unit 30 from the floor 400 towards the tracks. In this way, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves along the platform doors 200 that are installed in a row, and scrubs each opening / closing door 210 and door pocket 220 with the rotating brush 21. Furthermore, the water sweeping unit 40 prevents the cleaning water and other water used to clean the platform doors 200 from accumulating on the platform floor 410 of the platform 400.

[0036] Next, when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves to the cleaning completion position, the self-propelled cleaning device 100 completes the cleaning operation and stops moving. In this invention, the completion of the cleaning operation and the stopping of travel of the self-propelled cleaning device 100 may be performed automatically by the control unit 80, or by operation of the operation unit 88. Similarly, the reciprocating motion of the water sweeping unit 40 may be configured to be stopped automatically by the control unit 80, or by operation of the operation unit 88. In this embodiment, as an example, the completion of the cleaning operation, the stopping of travel, and the stopping of the reciprocating motion of the water sweeping unit 40 of the self-propelled cleaning device 100 are performed automatically by the control unit 80 based on the detection result of a sensor (not shown).

[0037] Thus, this method includes a step of cleaning the platform doors 200 while moving a self-propelled cleaning device 100 along the platform doors 200 on the platform 400. The self-propelled cleaning device 100 is equipped with a water sweeping unit 40 that sweeps away water accumulated on the floor 410 of the platform 400, and the cleaning process is performed while sweeping away the water on the floor 410 with the water sweeping unit 40. This allows the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to efficiently and safely clean the opening and closing doors 210 and door pockets 220 of the platform doors 200. Furthermore, it prevents the cleaning water used to clean the platform doors 200 from accumulating on the platform floor 410 of the platform 400, thus ensuring good pedestrian access on the platform 400 after cleaning.

[0038] <Modified form of the first embodiment> Next, a modified example of the first embodiment will be described using Figure 9. The self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to this modified example differs from the self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to the first embodiment described above in the respects described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0039] In this modified example, the water tank 51 for storing water in the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is located outside the housing 10. With this configuration, the capacity of the water tank 51 can be sufficiently secured, allowing the self-propelled cleaning device 100 to perform cleaning operations continuously for a longer period of time.

[0040] As shown in Figure 9, the self-propelled washing device 100 further includes a trolley 52 connected to the rear of the housing 10, and the water tank 51 is positioned on the trolley 52. The rear water sweeping section 40 is located, for example, at the rear of the trolley 52, rather than at the rear of the housing 10. As a result, the water accumulated on the floor 400 can be efficiently swept out towards the tracks by the water sweeping unit 40 on both the side in the direction of travel and the side opposite to the direction of travel of the self-propelled washing device 100.

[0041] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described using Figures 10(a), 10(b), and 11. The self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to this embodiment differs from the self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to the first embodiment described above in the points described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0042] In this embodiment, the water sweeping section 40 is integrally provided with the wheel 12, not with respect to the housing 10, and swings horizontally (swinging from the platform 400 side to the track side, and swinging from the track side to the platform 400 side) with respect to the pivoting motion of the wheel 12, using the pivot axis AX2 of the wheel 12 as the pivot axis (see Figure 11). As shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the wheel 12 has a base portion 12a attached to the housing 10, a yoke 12b rotatably mounted on the base portion 12a, and a wheel body 12d rotatably held between a pair of left and right support pieces 12c of the yoke 12b. In Figure 10(b), the pair of left and right support pieces 12c, the wheel body 12d, and the water sweeping portion 40 are selectively shown. The water sweeping section 40 is attached, for example, along the right side surface of the right support piece 12c of a pair of left and right support pieces 12c. The water sweeping section 40 does not have a wiper arm 42, but it has a wiper blade 41 similar to that of the first embodiment. For example, the wiper blade 41 is integrally fixed to the right side surface of the right support piece 12c. The wiper blade 41 stands vertically relative to the floor surface 410a. The water sweeping section 40 swings in conjunction with the rotational movement of the wheels 12 while maintaining the state in which the wiper blade 41 stands vertically relative to the floor surface 410a. With this configuration, even if the self-propelled cleaning device 100 does not have a water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84, it can efficiently sweep water (cleaning fluid or water) accumulated on the floor 400 towards the tracks using the water sweeping unit 40 while it is in motion. The rotational movement of the wheels 12 (and consequently the oscillation of the water sweeping unit 40) may also be the movement of the wheels 12 when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 changes direction from the direction of travel shown in Figure 8 to a direction intersecting that direction of travel. Alternatively, the control unit 80 may be configured to temporarily suspend the rotational movement of the wheels 14 (drive wheels) at regular time intervals and rotate the drive wheels, thereby causing the water sweeping unit 40 to oscillate horizontally (as above) in conjunction with the movement. The water sweeping section 40 may be attached to all four wheels 12, or it may be selectively attached to the two wheels 12 located on the right side of the housing 10. Furthermore, in the present invention, the shape and structure of the wheel 12 are not limited to the examples shown in Figures 10(a) to 11, and other widely known shapes and structures can be applied as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0043] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described using Figure 12. The self-propelled cleaning device 100 according to this embodiment differs from the self-propelled cleaning devices 100 according to the first and second embodiments described above in the respects described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the self-propelled cleaning devices 100 according to the first and second embodiments described above.

[0044] As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment as well, the water sweeping section 40 has a wiper blade 41 similar to that of the first embodiment, and is provided at the front and rear of the housing 10, respectively. However, in this embodiment, the water sweeping unit 40 is configured not to reciprocate, and is fixed to the housing 10 such that the plate surface of the wiper blade 41 of the water sweeping unit 40 is maintained inclined with respect to the front-rear direction while the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is running. More specifically, each surface of the wiper blade 41 of the front water sweeping section 40 is inclined to gradually shift to the right toward the front in a plan view. Similarly, each surface of the wiper blade 41 of the rear water sweeping section 40 is inclined to gradually shift to the right toward the rear in a plan view.

[0045] With this configuration, even if the self-propelled cleaning device 100 does not have a water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84, it can efficiently sweep water (cleaning fluid or water) accumulated on the floor 400 towards the tracks using the water sweeping unit 40 while it is in motion. More specifically, when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves forward, the front water sweeping section 40 restricts the spread of water in front of the self-propelled cleaning device 100, while the rear water sweeping section 40 pushes the water accumulated on the floor towards the tracks. On the other hand, when the self-propelled cleaning device 100 moves backward, the rear water sweeping section 40 restricts the spread of water behind the self-propelled cleaning device 100, while the front water sweeping section 40 pushes the water accumulated on the floor towards the tracks. In this invention, the mounting position of the water sweeping section 40 to the housing 10 is not limited to the example shown in Figure 12, and is not limited to any position that does not obstruct the rotational movement of each wheel 12. Furthermore, in the present invention, the inclination angle of the water sweeping unit 40 relative to the housing 10 may be adjustable. The inclination angle of the water sweeping unit 40 may be changed manually, or it may be changed by the control unit 80 controlling the operation of a drive mechanism (not shown). Furthermore, in the present invention, the inclination direction of the water sweeping section 40 may be switchable. The inclination direction of the water sweeping section 40 may be switched manually, or it may be switched by the control unit 80 controlling the operation of a drive mechanism (not shown).

[0046] Although each embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted.

[0047] For example, in each of the above embodiments, an example was described in which the self-propelled cleaning device 100 is equipped only with a rotating brush 21 for cleaning the inner surface (the surface facing the platform 400) of the platform door 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the self-propelled cleaning device 100 may further be equipped with, for example, a rotating brush 21 for cleaning the outer surface (the surface facing the tracks) of the platform door 200.

[0048] Furthermore, the various components of the self-propelled cleaning device 100 do not need to be independent entities; it is permissible for multiple components to be formed as a single member, for one component to be formed from multiple members, for one component to be part of another component, for a part of one component to overlap with a part of another component, and so on.

[0049] This embodiment encompasses the following technical concepts. (1) A method for cleaning platform doors installed on station platforms using a self-propelled cleaning device, The process includes moving the self-propelled cleaning device along the platform doors on the platform while cleaning the platform doors, A method for cleaning platform doors, using a self-propelled cleaning device having a water sweeping unit for sweeping water accumulated on the floor, and performing the cleaning process while sweeping the water on the floor with the water sweeping unit. (2) The method for cleaning platform doors as described in (1), wherein the water sweeping section is a vertically standing plate-shaped section. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 10 cabinets 12, 13, 14 wheels 12a Base 12b York 12c support piece 12d Wheel body 15 recesses 18 Safety Bar 21 Rotating Brushes 21a Brush shaft 21b Brush body 22 Rotation axis 30 injection units 31 Spray nozzle section 32 Nozzle 40 Water sweeping section 41 Wiper Blades 41a Main body 41b Support part 42 Wiper Arm 51 Water Tank 52 bogies 80 Control Unit 82 Rotating brush drive mechanism 82a Rotary brush drive motor 83 Wheel drive mechanism 83a Wheel drive motor 84 Water sweeping unit drive mechanism 84a Water sweeping unit drive motor 86 Distance Sensor 87 Obstacle Sensor 88 Control section 100 Self-propelled washing machine 200 platform doors 210 Opening and closing doors 220 Door pocket 300 trains 400 Home 410 beds 410a Floor surface AX1 Oscillating axis AX2 Swivel axis

Claims

1. A method for cleaning platform doors installed on station platforms using a self-propelled cleaning device, The process includes moving the self-propelled cleaning device along the platform doors on the platform while cleaning the platform doors, A method for cleaning platform doors, using a self-propelled cleaning device having a water sweeping unit for sweeping water accumulated on the floor, and performing the cleaning step while sweeping the water on the floor with the water sweeping unit.

2. The method for cleaning platform doors according to claim 1, wherein the water sweeping section is a vertically standing plate-shaped section.

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