Platform door cleaning device and platform door cleaning method

Abstract

To provide a technology that allows platform screen doors to be cleaned quickly, efficiently, and safely without requiring a large workforce. [Solution] The platform door cleaning device comprises a trolley 2 that travels along the platform and a cleaning brush that moves together with the trolley 2, and is a device for cleaning platform doors 100 erected on the station platform. The platform door cleaning device comprises an arm and a camera 58 attached to the arm. The trolley 2 is equipped with a frame that supports the cleaning brush. The arm is positioned to extend further toward the platform door 100 than the frame, and the camera 58 is positioned on the arm at a location closer to the platform door 100 than the frame, and the camera 58 takes an image of the platform door 100.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a platform door cleaning device for cleaning a platform door installed on a platform of a station, and a platform door cleaning method using the same.

Background Art

[0002] On the platform of a station, platform doors for preventing passengers waiting for trains from falling onto the track are installed in a vertically standing state. These platform doors are installed along the longitudinal direction of the platform (the direction in which the rails are laid) at a position 20 to 30 cm inside the platform edge, and include an opening / closing door that slides open and closed outside the door portion of the train, and a vertical wall that functions as a pocket for storing the opened opening / closing door.

[0003] By the way, since the opening / closing door that constitutes the platform door is made of a transparent glass plate or resin plate, after a predetermined period (for example, about half a year) has passed, dirt accumulates on the surface and it becomes cloudy, so it is necessary to periodically clean this dirty surface. Cleaning of this opening / closing door needs to be performed during a limited time period when the train is not in operation in consideration of safety. In the cleaning of this platform door, the surface on the platform side of the opening / closing door can be easily cleaned by an operator from the platform side, but on the opposite side, the track side, the operator cannot enter, so it is difficult to clean the surface on the track side of the opening / closing door.

[0004] Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a cleaning device that can safely clean the surface on the track side of the opening / closing door of the platform door has been proposed. This cleaning device includes a slide portion that can slide horizontally along the upper edge portion of the platform door, a cleaning portion that cleans the surface of the opening / closing door of the platform door while moving horizontally together with the slide portion, and a fixing portion that fixes the cleaning portion. Cleaning of the surface on the track side (restricted access area side) of the opening / closing door of the platform door by such a cleaning device is performed as follows.

[0005] In other words, by having an operator horizontally attach the sliding part of the cleaning device to the upper edge of the opening / closing door, rotating this sliding part to move it from a horizontal to a vertical position together with the cleaning part, and sliding the sliding part horizontally along the surface of the opening / closing door together with the cleaning part, the track-side surface of the opening / closing door can be safely cleaned without the operator having to enter the track side (restricted access area). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5946175 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, the cleaning device proposed in Patent Document 1 relies on manual labor by workers, resulting in poor work efficiency and requiring a lot of time and manpower. Furthermore, this cleaning device is only for cleaning the opening and closing doors of the platform screen doors, and cleaning the vertical walls of the platform screen doors relies entirely on manual labor by workers, making it time-consuming and labor-intensive to clean the entire platform screen door system. Similarly, cleaning the boundaries (corners) between the opening and closing doors of the platform screen doors and the vertical walls also relies on manual labor by workers, resulting in the same problem.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide a platform door cleaning device and a platform door cleaning method that can clean platform doors efficiently, safely, and in a short amount of time without requiring a large workforce. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the first invention is a platform door cleaning device for cleaning platform doors erected on station platforms, characterized in that it is configured by installing a cleaning brush rotatably supported by a vertical brush shaft on a self-propelled trolley, a drive source for rotating the cleaning brush, and a control means for controlling the drive of the drive source.

[0010] The second invention is characterized in that, in addition to the first feature, the cleaning brush is detachably mounted to the trolley.

[0011] The third invention is characterized in that, in addition to the first or second features, the cleaning brush comprises a first cleaning brush for cleaning the inside of the platform door and a movable second cleaning brush that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the bogie and for cleaning the outside of the platform door.

[0012] The fourth invention is characterized in that, in addition to any of the features of the first to third inventions, the cleaning brush is supported so as to be able to swing horizontally within a predetermined angular range and / or to move toward and away from the inner surface of the platform door, and a biasing means for biasing the cleaning brush to a neutral position in the swinging direction and a moving-away mechanism for moving the cleaning brush toward and away from the platform door are provided.

[0013] The fifth invention is characterized in that, in addition to any of the first to fourth features described above, the trolley is equipped with a safety bar and a contact detection means for detecting human contact with the safety bar, and when the contact detection means detects human contact with the safety bar, the control means is configured to stop the trolley from moving and the cleaning brush from rotating.

[0014] The sixth invention is characterized in that, in addition to any of the features of the first to fifth inventions, the trolley is provided with an operating lever, and the control means controls the trolley's movement / stopping and / or the rotation / stopping of the cleaning brush by the ON / OFF operation of the operating lever.

[0015] The seventh invention is a method for cleaning platform doors using a platform door cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cleaning brush is rotated while the trolley is run along the inside of the platform door on the station platform, thereby cleaning the platform door with the cleaning brush.

[0016] The eighth invention, in addition to the seventh feature, is characterized in that, after opening the opening / closing door of the platform door and positioning the second cleaning brush on the outside of the platform door, the opening / closing door is closed and the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are pressed against the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door with a predetermined surface pressure, respectively, while the trolley is moved along the platform door on the platform, the first cleaning brush and the second cleaning brush are rotated, respectively, to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door simultaneously.

[0017] The ninth invention is characterized in that, in addition to the seventh or eighth feature, the control means adjusts the surface pressure of the cleaning brush against the cleaning surface of the platform door in accordance with the current supplied to the drive source.

[0018] The tenth invention, in addition to any of the features of the seventh to ninth inventions, is characterized in that the control means slows down the travel speed of the trolley or automatically stops the trolley's self-propulsion and the rotation of the cleaning brush when the sensor detects the corner portion of the platform door.

[0019] The eleventh invention, in addition to any of the features of the seventh to tenth inventions, is characterized in that the platform door cleaning device is disassembled into multiple parts, transported to the platform by the platform elevator, and then assembled and driven towards the platform door at a speed faster than the cleaning speed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the first and seventh inventions, the opening / closing door and the vertical wall of the home door are cleaned by the rotation of the cleaning brush that moves along with the cart that runs automatically along the home door of the station. Therefore, the entire home door can be cleaned efficiently, safely, and in a short time without requiring a lot of manpower.

[0021] According to the second invention, after cleaning the home door with the cleaning brush, the cleaning brush is replaced with a drying brush for wiping, and the cart is made to run automatically along the home door while rotating the drying brush, so that the cleaning agent remaining on the cleaned surface of the home door can be wiped off with the drying brush to dry the cleaned surface.

[0022] According to the third and eighth inventions, the inside of the home door can be cleaned by the first cleaning brush and the outside of the home door can be cleaned by the second cleaning brush. Therefore, the inside and outside of the home door can be cleaned simultaneously, and the entire home door can be cleaned more efficiently, in a short time, and safely.

[0023] According to the fourth invention, the cleaning brush is supported so that it can swing horizontally within a predetermined angle range and can be moved away from and towards the inner surface of the home door. Therefore, when an excessive load acts on the cleaning brush when it crosses the step of the home door (the corner part which is the boundary between the opening / closing door and the vertical wall), the excessive load acting on the cleaning brush is relieved by the cleaning brush swinging horizontally or moving relative to the home door. For this reason, the occurrence of problems such as damage due to the overload of the cleaning brush is prevented.

[0024] According to the fifth invention, when a person or an object touches the safety bar installed on the cart during the cleaning operation, this is detected by the sensor and the automatic running of the cart and the rotation of the cleaning brush stop, so the safety of people is ensured.

[0025] According to the sixth invention, the operator can easily control the running / stopping of the cart by operating the ON / OFF of the operation lever provided on the cart, and no high level of skill is required for the cleaning operation.

[0026] According to the ninth invention, since the surface pressure of the cleaning surface of the home door with respect to the cleaning brush is optimally adjusted according to the supply current to the drive source, the cleaning surface of the home door is effectively cleaned by the cleaning brush.

[0027] According to the tenth invention, when the sensor detects the corner part of the home door, the control means slows down the traveling speed of the carriage or automatically stops the self-running of the carriage and the rotation of the cleaning brush, so that the load received by the cleaning brush from the corner part of the home door can be suppressed to a small level and damage to the cleaning brush can be prevented in advance.

[0028] According to the eleventh invention, when transporting the home door cleaning device to the platform of the station, it can be disassembled into a plurality of parts and easily transported to the platform, which is the cleaning site, using the home elevator. Then, the home door cleaning device is assembled from the plurality of parts transported to the platform, and this home door cleaning device can be made to travel (self-run) to the home door in a short time at a speed higher than the speed during cleaning and be used for cleaning the home door.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a partial perspective view of the platform showing the state where the opening / closing door of the home door is closed. [Figure 2] It is a partial perspective view of the platform showing the state where the opening / closing door of the home door is open. [Figure 3] It is a front view of the home door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a plan view of the home door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a side view of the home door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention (view in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 3). [Figure 6] It is a side view of the home door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention (view in the direction of arrow 6 in FIG. 3). [Figure 7] It is an enlarged detailed view of part 7 in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] (a) and (b) are enlarged and detailed views of part 8 of Figure 5. [Figure 9] This is a detailed enlarged view of part 9 of Figure 6. [Figure 10] This is a 10-part enlarged detail view of Figure 3. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart showing the process sequence for cleaning platform doors according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart showing the cleaning process in the platform door cleaning method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, in the order of steps. [Figure 14] This is a schematic plan view showing the movement trajectory of the cleaning brush in the platform door cleaning method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a front view of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a plan view of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a diagram showing the view in the direction of arrow 17 in Figure 15. [Figure 18] This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 19] This is a flowchart showing the process sequence for cleaning platform doors according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 20] This is a flowchart showing the cleaning process in the platform door cleaning method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, in the order of steps. [Figure 21] This is a plan view of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, corresponding to Figure 4 of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 22] This is a schematic plan view showing a method for completing the cleaning of platform screen doors according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] [Platform doors] First, the platform door 100, which is the target of cleaning by the platform door cleaning device 1 (see Figures 3 to 7) according to the present invention, will be described below based on Figures 1 and 2.

[0032] Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of the platform showing the platform doors in the closed position, and Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the platform showing the platform doors in the open position. As shown in these figures, platform doors 100 are installed on the station platform in a vertically upright position.

[0033] The above-mentioned platform screen doors 100 are intended to prevent passengers waiting for train 200 (see Figure 2) from falling onto the tracks. They are installed 20-30 cm inside the edge of the platform, standing vertically along the longitudinal direction of the platform (the direction in which the rails are laid). They consist of a pair of sliding doors 100A that open and close on the outside of the door section of the train 200, and vertical walls 100B that function as door pockets for storing each opened door 100A.

[0034] The above-mentioned opening and closing doors 100A are a pair of rectangular plate-shaped members that open and close a rectangular space (space for passengers to get on and off) S (see Figure 2) between two adjacent vertical walls 100B, and are made of transparent glass or resin plates. Each pair of opening and closing doors 100A slides toward each other to close the space S (see Figure 1) and slides toward each other to open the space S as shown in Figure 2. However, before the train 200 (see Figure 2) arrives at the platform and before the doors of the train 200 that have arrived at the platform open, the space S is closed as shown in Figure 1 to prevent passengers from falling onto the tracks. Then, as shown in Figure 2, each opening and closing door 100A slides to open the space S before the train 200 arrives at the platform and the doors of the train 200 open, and then, when the doors of the train 200 open, it allows passengers to board and alight from the train 200. Once passengers have finished boarding and alighting from train 200, the doors of train 200 are closed, then each opening and closing door 100A slides open to close space S again, and then train 200 departs.

[0035] Incidentally, the multiple opening and closing doors 100A and vertical walls 100B that make up the platform door 100 accumulate dirt on their surfaces after a predetermined period (for example, about six months), so it is necessary to periodically clean each surface of these opening and closing doors 100A and vertical walls 100B. This cleaning can be done efficiently and safely by the platform door cleaning device according to the present invention.

[0036] <Embodiment 1> [Platform door cleaning device] Next, the details of the configuration of the platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below based on Figures 3 to 11.

[0037] Figure 3 is a front view of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, Figure 4 is a plan view of the same platform door cleaning device, Figure 5 is a side view of the same platform door cleaning device (viewed in direction 5 of the arrow in Figure 3), Figure 6 is a side view of the same platform door cleaning device (viewed in direction 6 of the arrow in Figure 3), Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view of part 7 of Figure 5, Figures 8(a) and (b) are enlarged detail views of part 8 of Figure 5, Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view of part 9 of Figure 6, Figure 10 is an enlarged detail view of part 10 of Figure 3, and Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the same platform door cleaning device.

[0038] The platform door cleaning device 1 according to this embodiment is for cleaning platform doors 100 erected on station platforms as shown in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, it is configured by installing a self-propelled trolley 2, a first cleaning brush 3 and a second cleaning brush 4, which are rotatably supported by vertical brush shafts 3A and 4A respectively, electric motors 5 and 6 as drive sources for rotating the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 respectively, an electronic control unit (hereinafter abbreviated as ECU (Electronic Control Unit)) 7 which is a control means for controlling the driving of these electric motors 5 and 6, a spraying means 8 for spraying a cleaning agent (cleaning liquid or coating liquid) onto the cleaning surface of the platform door 100 while the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are rotating and cleaning the platform door 100 as described later, and batteries 9 as power sources for supplying power to the electric motors 5 and 6 respectively.

[0039] (Cart) The self-propelled trolley 2 is equipped with a rectangular frame 2A, and rotatable casters 10 are attached to each of the four corners (front, rear, left, and right) of the lower part of this frame 2A so as to be able to turn. The trolley 2, that is, the platform door cleaning device 1, is supported by the four casters 10 so as to be able to move along the station platform. Here, as shown in Figure 4, the direction of travel of the trolley 2 is defined as the "front and rear" direction (left and right direction in Figure 4), and the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the trolley 2 (up and down direction in Figure 4) is defined as the "left and right" direction.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a pair of left and right drive wheels 11 are rotatably supported at the center of the lower part of the frame 2A in the front-rear direction, and these drive wheels 11 are independently rotated by a pair of travel motors 12 shown in Figure 11. Here, as shown in Figure 11, each travel motor 12 is electrically connected to the battery 9 via an ECU 7, and the ECU 7 individually controls the power supply from the battery 9 to the left and right travel motors 12. As a result, the rotation direction and rotation speed of the left and right drive wheels 11 are independently controlled. For example, if the left and right drive wheels 11 are rotated forward or backward at the same speed, the bogie 2 (platform door cleaning device 1) can be moved straight forward or backward, and by rotating the left and right drive wheels 11 with a speed difference, the bogie 2 (platform door cleaning device 1) can be moved forward or backward while turning in a desired direction.

[0041] (First cleaning brush) The first cleaning brush 3 is for cleaning the inner surface (platform-side surface) of the platform door 100 (see Figures 1 and 2) and is detachably mounted on the bogie 2. The first cleaning brush 3 consists of a vertical brush shaft 3A rotatably supported on the inner surface (platform-side) of the platform door 100 at the front end of the frame 2A of the bogie 2, and a brush body 3B attached to the brush shaft 3A. The brush body 3B is cylindrical in shape as a whole, composed of numerous strip-shaped cloth pieces or brush bristles, and as it rotates, it spreads radially outward by centrifugal force to clean the inner surface of the platform door 100 as described later.

[0042] The first cleaning brush 3 is rotationally driven by an electric motor 5, which is fixed to the upper part of the brush arm 18. As shown in detail in Figure 7, a sprocket 13 is attached to the output shaft 5a of the electric motor 5, which extends vertically downward. The brush shaft 3A is rotatably supported at its upper end by upper and lower pillow blocks 14 and 15, and a sprocket 16 is attached between the upper and lower pillow blocks 14 and 15 of the brush shaft 3A. An endless chain 17 is wound around this sprocket 16 and the sprocket 13 attached to the output shaft 5a of the electric motor 5. The two sprockets 13 and 16 and the chain 17 constitute a chain drive mechanism as a power transmission mechanism.

[0043] Therefore, the rotation of the output shaft 5a of the electric motor 5 is transmitted to the brush shaft 3A via the chain transmission mechanism, thereby driving the first cleaning brush 3 to rotate at a predetermined speed for cleaning the inner surface of the platform door 100 (opening / closing door 100A and vertical wall 100B). As shown in Figure 11, the electric motor 5 is electrically connected to the battery 9 via the ECU 7, and the power (supply current) supplied from the battery 9 to the electric motor 5 is controlled by the ECU 7, thereby controlling the rotation speed of the first cleaning brush 3. The first cleaning brush 3 is capable of cleaning the upper and inner surfaces of the vertical wall 100B (see Figures 1 and 2), and the length of the cloth pieces and brush bristles constituting the brush body 3B is longer at the upper part than at the lower part.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the first cleaning brush 3 is supported by a brush arm 18 so as to be able to swing horizontally within a predetermined angular range about a rotation axis 19 and to move toward and away from the inner surface of the platform door 100. Here, a swing axis 20 extends to the left from the brush arm 18, and neutral springs 21 and 22, which constitute biasing means for biasing the first cleaning brush 3 to a neutral position in the swing direction, are arranged on both the front and rear sides of this swing axis 20. Therefore, when no load (external force) is acting on the first cleaning brush 3, it is held in the neutral position in the swing direction shown in Figure 4 by the neutral springs 21 and 22. As shown in Figure 4, a vibration safety switch 23 for detecting vibration of the first cleaning brush 3 is provided near the neutral springs 21 and 22. This vibration safety switch 23 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, as shown in Figure 11.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in detail in Figure 8, a telescopic cylinder 24, which constitutes the contact and separation mechanism for the first cleaning brush 3, is interposed between the end of the brush arm 18 and the frame 2A of the bogie 2. By displacing this telescopic cylinder 24 within the range of the stroke x shown in the figure, between the compressed state shown in Figure 8(a) and the extended state shown in Figure 8(b), the first cleaning brush 3 is supported so that it can move toward and away from the inner surface of the platform door 100 as described above. The telescopic cylinder 24 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, as shown in Figure 11.

[0046] (Second cleaning brush) The second cleaning brush 4 is for cleaning the outer surface (track-side surface) of the platform door 100 (see Figures 1 and 2) and is detachably mounted on the bogie 2. This second cleaning brush 4 is rotatably positioned at the rear end of the frame 2A of the bogie 2 and consists of a vertical brush shaft 4A and a brush body 4B attached to the brush shaft 4A. Here, the brush body 4B, like the brush body 3B of the first cleaning brush 3, is cylindrical in shape as a whole, composed of numerous strip-shaped cloth pieces or brush bristles, and when it rotates, it spreads radially outward by centrifugal force to clean the outer surface of the platform door 100 as described later. This second cleaning brush 4 can clean the upper and outer surfaces of the vertical wall 100B (see Figures 1 and 2) of the platform door 100, and the length of the upper part of the cloth pieces or brush bristles constituting the brush body 4B is longer than the length of the lower part.

[0047] The second cleaning brush 4 is rotationally driven by an electric motor 6, which is fixed to the upper part of the link 30A of the long brush arm 30. As shown in detail in Figure 9, a sprocket 25 is attached to the output shaft 6a of the electric motor 6, which extends vertically downward. The brush shaft 4A is rotatably supported at its upper end by upper and lower pillow blocks 26 and 27, and a sprocket 28 is attached between the upper and lower pillow blocks 26 and 27 of the brush shaft 4A. An endless chain 29 is wound around this sprocket 28 and the sprocket 25 attached to the output shaft 6a of the electric motor 6. The two sprockets 25 and 28 and the chain 29 constitute a chain drive mechanism, which is a power transmission mechanism.

[0048] Therefore, the rotation of the output shaft 6a of the electric motor 6 is transmitted to the brush shaft 4A via the chain transmission mechanism, thereby driving the second cleaning brush 4 to rotate at a predetermined speed for cleaning the outer surface of the platform door 100 (opening / closing door 100A and vertical wall 100B). Here, as shown in Figure 11, the electric motor 6 is electrically connected to the battery 9 via the ECU 7, and the power (supply current) supplied from the battery 9 to the electric motor 6 is controlled by the ECU 7, thereby controlling the rotation speed of the second cleaning brush 4.

[0049] As shown in Figure 4, the second cleaning brush 4 is movable in the left-right direction and can move from the initial position shown by the dashed line to the solid line position outside the platform door 100. That is, the second cleaning brush 4 is supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction by a long brush arm 30 that can be bent in a V-shape. Here, the long brush arm 30 is composed of two links 30A and 30B that are pivotally connected by an axle 31, and the second cleaning brush 4 is rotatably supported at the tip of one link 30A. A sprocket 33 is attached to an axle 32 that is connected to the end of the other link 30B (see Figure 4).

[0050] Furthermore, a pivot shaft 34 extends to the left from one link 30A of the long brush arm 30, and neutral springs 35 and 36, which constitute biasing means for biasing the second cleaning brush 4 to the neutral position in the swing direction, are arranged on both the front and rear sides of this pivot shaft 34. Therefore, when no load (external force) is acting on the second cleaning brush 4, it is held in the neutral position in the swing direction by the neutral springs 35 and 36. As shown in Figure 4, a vibration safety switch 37 for detecting vibration of the second cleaning brush 4 is provided near the neutral springs 35 and 36. This vibration safety switch 37 is electrically connected to the ECU 7, as shown in Figure 11.

[0051] The long brush arm 30 is bent (opened and closed) by an opening / closing motor 38 shown in Figure 6. A sprocket 39 is attached to the upper end of the vertically standing output shaft 38a of this opening / closing motor 38. An endless chain 41 is wound between this sprocket 39 and a sprocket 40 attached to one end of link 30B. These sprockets 39, 40 and chain 41 constitute a chain drive mechanism, which is a power transmission mechanism. Here, as shown in Figure 11, the opening / closing motor 38 is electrically connected to the battery 9 via an ECU 7. When the ECU 7 controls the forward / reverse rotation and amount of rotation of the opening / closing motor 38, the rotation of the opening / closing motor 38 is transmitted to the link 30B of the long brush arm 30 via the chain drive mechanism. As a result, the long brush arm 30 is displaced from the initial position shown by the dashed line in Figure 4 to the cleaning position shown by the solid line, and the second cleaning brush 4, which was in the initial position shown by the dashed line in Figure 4 before cleaning, moves to the right to the cleaning position shown by the solid line, and the second cleaning brush 4 comes into contact with the upper and outer surfaces of the platform door 100 and is used to clean these upper and outer surfaces. As shown in Figure 4, a closing confirmation switch 42 is provided near the opening / closing motor 38, and this closing confirmation switch 42 is electrically connected to the ECU 7 as shown in Figure 11.

[0052] (Injection means) The spraying means 8 sprays a cleaning agent onto the cleaning surface of the platform door 100 while the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are rotating to simultaneously clean the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100. The cleaning agent consists of a cleaning liquid and a coating liquid, which are stored separately in tanks 43 (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0053] The spraying means 8 comprises a tank 43, two pairs of cleaning fluid spray tubes 44, 45 for spraying cleaning fluid, two pairs of shorter coating fluid spray tubes 46, 47 for spraying coating fluid, a cleaning fluid pump 48 for pumping the cleaning fluid stored in the tank 43 to the two pairs of cleaning fluid spray tubes 44, 45, and a coating fluid pump 49 for pumping the coating fluid, which is stored in the tank 43 separately from the cleaning fluid, to the two pairs of coating fluid spray tubes 46, 47. The cleaning fluid pump 48 and the coating fluid pump 49 are electrically driven by electric motors (not shown).

[0054] Although not shown in the diagram, a single hose extends from the tank 43, and four hoses branch off from this hose. Each branched hose is connected to a pair of cleaning fluid injection pipes 44 and 45 and a pair of coating fluid injection pipes, respectively. A flow path switching solenoid valve 50 (see Figure 11) is provided at the branching point of the single hose extending from the tank 43. The cleaning fluid pump 48 drives the cleaning fluid and sends it out of the tank 43, and the flow path is switched by the flow path switching solenoid valve 50 before it is supplied to the pair of cleaning fluid injection pipes 44 and 45. Similarly, the coating fluid pump 49 drives the coating fluid and sends it out of the tank 43, and the flow path is switched by the flow path switching solenoid valve 50 before it is supplied to the pair of coating fluid injection pipes 46 and 47. As shown in Figure 11, the cleaning fluid pump 48, the coating fluid pump 49, and the flow path switching solenoid valve 50 are electrically connected to the ECU 7.

[0055] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, each pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 44 and each pair of coating fluid spray pipes 46 in one set are erected vertically in front of and behind the first cleaning brush 3. Each cleaning fluid spray pipe 44 has multiple (five in the illustrated example) circular nozzles 44a that open towards the inner surface of the platform door 100 at equal intervals in the vertical direction, and each coating fluid spray pipe 46 has one elongated rectangular nozzle 46a (see Figure 3) that opens in the vertical direction. The other pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 45 and each pair of coating fluid spray pipes 47 in the other set are erected vertically in front of and behind the second cleaning brush 4. Each cleaning fluid spray pipe 45 has multiple (five in the illustrated example) circular nozzles 45a that open towards the outer surface of the platform door 100 at equal intervals in the vertical direction, and each coating fluid spray pipe 47 has one elongated rectangular nozzle 47a (see Figure 3) that opens in the vertical direction.

[0056] (ECU) The ECU7 controls the following: a pair of drive motors 12 (see Figure 11) that independently rotate a pair of left and right drive wheels 11 (see Figure 3); electric motors 5 and 6 that are the drive sources for the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4; a telescopic cylinder 24 that is a means of connecting and separating; an opening / closing motor 38 for swinging the long brush arm 30; a cleaning fluid pump 48 for pressurizing cleaning fluid to each pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 44 and 45; a coating fluid pump 49 for pressurizing coating fluid to each pair of coating fluid spray pipes 46 and 47; and a flow path switching solenoid valve 50 (see Figure 11). Specifically, it receives signals from the ON / OFF switch 53, safety bar switch 55, distance sensor 56, etc., located on the operating lever 52 described later, as well as from vibration safety switches 23, 37, closed confirmation switch 42, camera 58, etc., and controls the current supplied from the battery 9 to the travel motor 12, electric motors 5, 6, telescopic cylinder 24, opening / closing motor 38, cleaning fluid pump 48, coating fluid pump 49, and flow path switching control valve 50.

[0057] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, round bar-shaped handles 51 extending in the left-right direction are attached to the front and rear of the frame 2A of the trolley 2 at intermediate height positions, and each handle 51 is provided with an operating lever 52 that can be rotated up and down. Each operating lever 52 is provided with an ON / OFF switch 53 (see Figure 11) that can be turned ON / OFF by rotating it, and these ON / OFF switches 53 are electrically connected to the ECU 7 as shown in Figure 11.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, four vertically standing safety bars 54 are attached to the front, rear, left, and right sides of the frame 2A of the bogie 2. Each safety bar 54 is equipped with a safety bar switch 55 that detects contact between the safety bar 54 and a person or an unexpected object. Additionally, distance sensors 56 are installed on the lower right side (the side facing the platform door 100 during cleaning) of the frame 2A of the bogie 2 to detect the distance to the platform door 100 during cleaning. Each safety bar switch 55 and each distance sensor 56 are electrically connected to the ECU 7, as shown in Figure 11.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, arms 57 are provided on the upper front and rear of the frame 2A of the bogie 2, slightly to the left of the center in the left-right direction. These arms stand vertically, then bend at a right angle, extending horizontally diagonally forward and diagonally backward to the right (downward in Figure 4). A camera 58 is attached to the tip of each arm 57. Here, each camera 58 captures images of the ends of the platform doors 100 and the boundary between the opening / closing doors 100A of the platform doors 100 and the vertical wall 100B. These cameras 58 are electrically connected to the ECU 7, as shown in Figure 11.

[0060] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ECU 7 is provided with an operating unit 59 equipped with multiple switches for manual operation. This operating unit 59 is provided with various operation keys that can be arbitrarily operated by the operator. Examples of these operation keys include an ON / OFF key for the power, a key to start / stop cleaning, a key to start / stop the movement of the platform door cleaning device 1, a key to set the direction of movement, a key to set automatic / semi-automatic operation, and keys to drive / stop the brush arm 18 and the long brush arm 30.

[0061] Furthermore, the ECU 7 is detachably equipped with a remote control 60 (see Figure 11) for remotely controlling the movement of the platform door cleaning device 1. This remote control 60 is equipped with an operation input section for controlling the forward and backward movement and direction change of the platform door cleaning device 1 by individually driving a pair of left and right travel motors 12 (see Figure 11). An operator can move the platform door cleaning device 1 to the desired position by operating the remote control 60 while walking alongside the device. This remote control 60 may be either wired or wireless.

[0062] [Platform Door Cleaning Method] Next, a method for cleaning platform doors according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, using the platform door cleaning device 1 configured as described above, will be explained below with reference to Figures 12 to 14.

[0063] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the steps of a platform door cleaning method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the steps of the cleaning operation in the same platform door cleaning method, and Figure 14 is a schematic plan view showing the movement trajectory of the cleaning brush in the same platform door cleaning method.

[0064] First, prior to cleaning the platform doors 100, the platform door cleaning device 1 is transported to the station platform by a pedestrian elevator (not shown) installed on the platform (step S1 in Figure 12). In this case, if the elevator is small, the platform door cleaning device 1 is disassembled for transport by, for example, removing the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 from the trolley 2. Here, since the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are detachably installed on the trolley 2 as described above, they can be easily removed from the trolley 2.

[0065] As described above, when the platform door cleaning device 1 is transported to the station platform, "Power ON" is selected on the operation unit 59 (see Figures 5 and 6) installed on the platform door cleaning device 1 (step S2). For example, if the platform door cleaning device 1 is transported to the platform with the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 removed, the removed first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are attached to the trolley 2 to reassemble the platform door cleaning device 1. By disassembling the platform door cleaning device 1 in this way, even if the elevator is small, the platform door cleaning device 1 can be easily transported to the platform using this small elevator.

[0066] Next, select "Move" on the control unit 59 (step S3). Then, the left and right pair of travel motors 12 (see Figure 11) of the platform door cleaning device 1 are activated, and these travel motors 12 rotate the left and right pair of drive wheels 11, causing the platform door cleaning device 1 to travel along the platform. In this case, the travel speed of the platform door cleaning device 1 can be set to be faster than the cleaning speed.

[0067] At the same time, the operator selects the "direction of movement" in the control unit 59 (step S4). This "direction of movement" can also be selected using the remote control 60 (see Figure 11). A speed difference is then created between the rotation of the left and right travel motors 12, setting the direction of movement for the platform door cleaning device 1, which then moves autonomously toward the platform door 100 to be cleaned. Once the platform door cleaning device 1 has moved toward the platform door 100, the operator opens the opening / closing door 100A of the platform door 100 by pressing a button (step S5).

[0068] Next, the operator selects "Prepare for cleaning" on the control unit 59 (step S6), and then selects "Long brush arm" (step S7). The opening / closing motor 38 (see Figures 4 and 6) is then activated, and its rotation is transmitted to the link 30B of the long brush arm 30 via the chain transmission mechanism. As a result, the long brush arm 30 extends from the initial state shown by the dashed line in Figure 4 to the cleaning state shown by the solid line, and the second cleaning brush 4, which is rotatably supported by the long brush arm 30, passes through the open opening / closing door 100A of the platform door 100 and moves to the outside (track side) of the platform door 100. In other words, the second cleaning brush 4 moves from the initial position shown in Figure 4 to the cleaning position shown by the solid line. After that, the operator closes the opening / closing door 100A of the platform door 100 by operating a button (step S8). After that, the operator selects "Brush arm" (step S9). Then, the brush arm 18 (see Figure 4) approaches the platform door 100, and the first cleaning brush 3, which is rotatably supported by the brush arm 18, is pressed against the inner surface of the platform door 100 with a predetermined pressure and comes into contact with it.

[0069] Subsequently, the platform door cleaning device 1 is moved to the cleaning start position of the platform door 100 (step S10), and the cleaning start position is recognized (step S11). In recognizing this cleaning start position, the distance between the platform door cleaning device 1 and the platform door 100 is recognized by a distance sensor 56 installed on the platform door cleaning device 1, and the cleaning start position is recognized by an image captured by a camera 58. Here, as shown in Figure 14, for example, the boundary between the opening / closing door 100A of the platform door 100 and the vertical wall 100B is recognized by the camera 58.

[0070] If the image recognition indicates that the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are in the cleaning start position, "OK" is displayed on the control unit 59 (step S12). From this state, the operator selects "Cleaning" or "Coating" on the control unit 59 (step S13), and selects "Semi-automatic" or "Fully automatic" as the cleaning mode (step S14). Then, the operator selects "Start Cleaning" on the control unit 59 (step S15).

[0071] Subsequently, in step S14, it is determined whether "semi-automatic" or "fully automatic" has been selected as the cleaning mode (step S16). If "semi-automatic" is selected, the operator grasps the handle 51 and rotates the operating lever 52 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 10 (counterclockwise) from the solid line position to the dashed line position to turn it ON (step S17). This turns ON the ON / OFF switch 53 (see Figure 11) on the operating lever 52, and when this ON signal is transmitted to the ECU 7, the ECU 7 executes the cleaning operation (step S18).

[0072] On the other hand, if "fully automatic" is selected in step S14 as a result of the determination in step S16, the cleaning operation is performed without turning on the operating lever 52 (step S17) (step S18).

[0073] The flow of the cleaning process in step S18 will be explained below based on Figure 13.

[0074] When the cleaning operation begins, the long brush arm 30 is retracted to bring the second cleaning brush 4 into contact with the outer surface of the platform door 100 on the track side at a predetermined pressure, the running motor 12 is driven to move the cleaning device 1 at a low speed, and the electric motors 5 and 6 are driven to rotate the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 respectively, while the cleaning fluid pump 48 is driven to supply cleaning fluid from the tank 43 to each pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 44 and 45 (step S18-1). In this case, the distance between the platform door cleaning device 1 and the platform door 100 is detected by the distance sensor 56 installed on the platform door cleaning device 1, and the platform door cleaning device 1 moves at a low speed while maintaining a constant distance between the two.

[0075] As a result, cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100 from multiple nozzles 44a, 45a (see Figure 3) opening in each pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 44, 45, while the rotating first and second cleaning brushes 3, 4 simultaneously clean the inner, outer, and top surfaces of the platform door 100 (opening / closing door 100A and vertical wall 100B), removing dirt. Here, the movement trajectory of the first cleaning brush 3 during the cleaning operation is shown by a dashed line in Figure 14. As mentioned above, the first cleaning brush 3 can swing horizontally within a predetermined angular range, and can also move toward and away from the platform door 100 by a stroke x as shown in Figure 8 by the telescopic cylinder 24. Therefore, as shown in Figure 14, the first cleaning brush 3 is displaced by the difference in step at the boundary portion (corner portion) between the opening / closing door 100A and the vertical wall 100B of the platform door 100, and moves along the trajectory shown. Therefore, the first cleaning brush 3 can easily overcome steps, preventing overload from acting on it and causing overcurrent in the electric motor 5, thus preventing damage to the first cleaning brush 3 and the electric motor 5. Alternatively, the load acting on the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 can be detected by the current supplied to the electric motors 5 and 6 that rotate these cleaning brushes 3 and 4. By controlling the current supplied to the electric motors 5 and 6, the surface pressure of the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 against the cleaning surface of the platform door 100 can be optimally adjusted. As a result, the cleaning surface of the platform door 100 can be effectively cleaned by the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4.

[0076] In the above cleaning operation, it is determined whether "semi-automatic" or "fully automatic" is selected as the cleaning mode (step S18-2). If "semi-automatic" is selected, the current values ​​of the electric motors 5 and 6 that rotate the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4, respectively, are monitored (step S18-3), the vibration of the brush arm 18 and the long brush arm 30 is monitored (step S18-4), and the safety bar 54 is monitored (step S18-5). In contrast, if "fully automatic" is selected as the cleaning mode, only the safety bar 54 is monitored (step S18-5).

[0077] Then, in step S18-6, it is determined whether the current values ​​of the electric motors 5 and 6 monitored in step S18-3 are appropriate. For example, if the current value of electric motor 5 is an overcurrent exceeding the appropriate value (step S18-6: No), the brush arm 18 is retracted to move the first cleaning brush 3 away from the inner surface of the platform door 100 and reduce the contact pressure of the first cleaning brush 3 on the inner surface of the platform door 100 (step S18-7). Also, if the current value of electric motor 6 is an overcurrent exceeding the appropriate value (step S18-6: No), the long brush arm 30 is extended to move the second cleaning brush 4 away from the outer surface of the platform door 100 and reduce the contact pressure of the second cleaning brush 4 on the outer surface of the platform door 100 (step S18-7). Then, it is determined whether or not the cleaning operation is completed (step S18-8). If the cleaning operation is not completed (step S18-8: No), the process from steps S18-6 to S18-8 is repeated. If the cleaning operation is completed (step S18-8: Yes), the series of processes ends (step S18-9). The completion of the cleaning operation is determined by the operator visually when the cleaning mode is set to "semi-automatic," and by the camera 58 automatically when the operation mode is set to "fully automatic."

[0078] On the other hand, if the current values ​​of both electric motors 5 and 6 are within the specified range (Step S18-6: Yes), it is determined whether the cleaning operation is complete or not (Step S18-8).

[0079] Furthermore, in step S18-10, it is determined whether or not a swing of the brush arm 18 or the long brush arm 30 was detected in step S18-4 (step S18-10). If a swing of at least one of these brush arms 18 and the long brush arm 30 is detected (step S18-10: Yes), the movement of the platform door cleaning device 1 is stopped (step S18-11). For example, if a swing of the brush arm 18 is detected, the brush arm 18 is retracted to move the first cleaning brush 3 away from the inner surface of the platform door 100 and reduce the contact pressure of the first cleaning brush 3 on the inner surface of the platform door 100 (step S18-12). Also, if a swing of the long brush 30 is detected, the long brush arm 30 is extended to move the second cleaning brush 4 away from the outer surface of the platform door 100 and reduce the contact pressure of the second cleaning brush 4 on the outer surface of the platform door 100 (step S18-12).

[0080] As described above, after detecting the vibration of the brush arm 18 or the long brush arm 30 and reducing the surface pressure of at least one of the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4, the movement of the platform door cleaning device 1 is resumed (step S18-13). After that, it is determined whether or not the cleaning work is completed (step S18-14), and if the cleaning work is completed (step S18-14: Yes), the series of processes ends (step S18-9). On the other hand, if the cleaning work is not yet completed (step S18-14: No), steps S18-10 to S18-14 are repeated.

[0081] On the other hand, if no vibration is detected in either the brush arm 18 or the long brush arm 30 (step S18-10: No), the process proceeds to step S18-14, where it is determined whether or not the cleaning operation is complete.

[0082] Furthermore, in step S18-15, the monitoring of the safety bar 54 in step S18-5 determines whether or not a person or object has come into contact with the safety bar 54. If, as a result of this determination, a person or object has come into contact with the safety bar 54 (step S18-15: Yes), the platform door cleaning device 1 is temporarily stopped for safety reasons (step S18-16). During this temporary stop, if the safety bar switch 55 (see Figure 11) provided on the safety bar 54 detects that a person has come into contact with the safety bar 54, the ECU 7, upon receiving the detection signal, temporarily stops the operation of the platform door cleaning device 1 (such as travel, rotation of the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4, and spraying of cleaning fluid).

[0083] Then, it is determined whether or not safety has been confirmed (step S18-17). If safety has been confirmed (step S18-17: Yes), the operator selects "Restart" on the control unit 59 (step S18-18), and the cleaning of the platform doors 100 by the platform door cleaning device 1 resumes. The process returns to step S18-1, and thereafter the series of processes described above are repeated. On the other hand, if safety has not been confirmed (step S18-17: No), the platform door cleaning device 1 remains temporarily suspended (step S18-16).

[0084] On the other hand, if no person or object comes into contact with the safety bar 54 (step S18-15: No), it is determined whether the cleaning operation is complete or not (step S18-19). If the operation is complete (step S18-19: Yes), the series of processes ends (step S18-9). Conversely, if the cleaning operation is not yet complete (step S18-19: No), the process returns to step S18-15, and thereafter the same process as described above is performed.

[0085] Now, let's return to the flowchart shown in Figure 12 and explain it.

[0086] Once the cleaning operation described in Figure 13 is completed, the platform door cleaning device 1 stops moving (step S19). This stopping of the platform door cleaning device 1 is performed by an operator gripping and operating the operating lever 52 provided on the handle 51 when the travel mode is set to "semi-automatic," and is performed automatically by a command from the ECU 7 when the cleaning mode is set to "fully automatic."

[0087] As described above, when the platform door cleaning device 1 stops moving, it is determined whether or not dirt is found on the platform door 100 after cleaning (step S20). This confirmation of dirt is done by visual inspection by an operator.

[0088] If, as a result of the above determination, dirt is found on the platform door 100 after cleaning (step S20: Yes), the cleaning operation in step S18 is performed again. In this case, if the first cleaning operation was performed with the platform door cleaning device 1 moving forward, the cleaning operation will be performed with the platform door cleaning device 1 moving backward. In this case, the travel speed of the platform door cleaning device 1 may be reduced to clean the dirty parts of the platform door 100 slowly and carefully. Alternatively, the dirty parts may be cleaned by moving the platform door cleaning device 1 forward and backward multiple times.

[0089] Furthermore, once the cleaning of the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100 while spraying the cleaning solution is complete, the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 that were previously used may be replaced with a drying brush (not shown) for wiping, and while spraying the coating solution onto the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100, the remaining cleaning solution may be wiped off with the drying brush, and the coating solution may be sprayed onto the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100. That is, while the platform door cleaning device 1 moves along the platform door 100, the two drying brushes are rotated on the inside and outside of the platform door 100 by electric motors 5 and 6, respectively, and the coating solution pump 49 is driven to pump the coating solution stored in the tank 43 to each pair of coating solution spray pipes 46 and 47, respectively, and the coating solution is sprayed onto the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100 from the spray nozzles 46a and 47a opening in these coating solution spray pipes 46 and 47, respectively. As a result, the coating liquid sprayed onto the cleaned surface of the platform door 100 after the cleaning solution has been wiped off and dried suppresses the adhesion of dirt to the cleaned surface of the platform door 100, keeping the clean surface clean for a long period of time. After cleaning with cleaning brushes 3 and 4 while spraying the cleaning solution is completed, the coating liquid may be sprayed onto the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100 and the work may be completed as is, or the cleaning brushes 3 and 4 may be replaced with drying brushes as described above and the drying process may be performed.

[0090] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S20 is that no dirt is found on the cleaning surface of the platform door 100 (step S20: No), then "Cleaning Complete" is selected on the operation unit 59 (step S21), and then "Brush Arm" is selected on the operation unit 59 (step S22). Then, the brush arm 18 retracts and the first cleaning brush 3, which is rotatably supported by the brush arm 18, returns to its initial position (position before cleaning).

[0091] Next, the platform door cleaning device 1 is moved to the location of the opening / closing door 100A of the platform door 100. Then, the opening / closing door 100A of the platform door 100 is opened by the operator pressing a button (step S23), and "long brush arm" is selected on the operation unit 59 (step S24). As a result, the long brush arm 30 bends, and the second cleaning brush 4, which is rotatably supported by the long brush arm 30, returns from the cleaning position shown by the solid line in Figure 4 to the standby position shown by the dashed line.

[0092] Subsequently, the operator selects "Move" on the control unit 59 (step S25), operates the control lever 52 provided on the handle 51 to drive the pair of travel motors 12 of the platform door cleaning device 1, and moves the platform door cleaning device 1 away from the platform door 100, thereby completing the entire series of cleaning operations on the platform door 100.

[0093] As described above, in this embodiment, the rotation of the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4, which move together with the trolley 2 that moves along the station platform along the platform door 100, simultaneously cleans the inner and outer surfaces and the top surface of the opening and closing doors 100A and the vertical wall 100B of the platform door 100. Therefore, the entire platform door 100 can be cleaned quickly, efficiently, and safely without requiring a large workforce.

[0094] In this embodiment, the first cleaning brush 3 is supported so that it can swing horizontally within a predetermined angular range and move toward and away from the inner surface of the platform door 100. Therefore, if an excessive load is applied to the first cleaning brush 3 when it crosses the step of the platform door 100 (the corner portion which is the boundary between the opening / closing door 100A and the vertical wall 100B), the excessive load on the first cleaning brush 3 is alleviated by swinging horizontally or moving toward the inner surface of the platform door 100. This prevents malfunctions such as damage to the first cleaning brush 3 or the electric motor 5 that rotates it due to overload.

[0095] Furthermore, after cleaning the platform door 100 with the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4, the cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are replaced with a drying brush for wiping, and the trolley 2 is moved along the platform door 100 while the drying brush is rotated, thereby wiping off any remaining cleaning solution on the cleaned surface of the platform door 100 with the drying brush and drying the cleaned surface.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if a person or object comes into contact with the safety bar 54 installed on the trolley 2 during the cleaning operation, this is detected by the safety bar switch 55, and the trolley 2 stops moving and the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 stop rotating, thus ensuring the safety of people.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the travel mode is set to "semi-automatic," the operator can easily start / stop the trolley 2 (platform door cleaning device 1) by turning the operation lever 52 provided on the trolley 2 ON / OFF, eliminating the need for highly skilled operators to perform the cleaning work. Note that even when the trolley 2 is stopped, the rotation of the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 may continue.

[0098] In this embodiment, the first and second cleaning brushes 3 and 4 are cylindrical in shape, consisting of brush shafts 3A and 4A and brush bodies 3B and 4B attached to these brush shafts 3A and 4A, respectively. However, a rotating brush constructed by arranging a belt conveyor vertically may be used instead.

[0099] In this embodiment, two cleaning agents, a cleaning solution and a coating solution, were used, but rinse water may also be used in addition to these cleaning and coating solutions.

[0100] <Embodiment 2> [Platform door cleaning device] Next, the details of the configuration of the platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 15 to 18.

[0101] Figure 15 is a front view of a platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, Figure 16 is a plan view of the same platform door cleaning device, Figure 17 is a view in the direction of arrow 17 in Figure 15, and Figure 18 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the same platform door cleaning device.

[0102] The platform door cleaning device 1' according to this embodiment cleans only the inner surface of the platform door 100 (see Figures 1 and 2). Its basic configuration is the same as that of the platform door cleaning device 1 according to Embodiment 1, except that it is equipped with one cleaning brush 3 (the first cleaning brush 3 in Embodiment 1). Therefore, in Figures 15 to 18, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements as those shown in Figures 3 to 11, and further explanation of them will be omitted below.

[0103] As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the platform door cleaning device 1' according to this embodiment is configured by installing a cleaning brush 3 on a self-propelled trolley 2, an electric motor 5 as a drive source for rotating the cleaning brush 3, an ECU 7 which is a control means for controlling the drive of the electric motor 5, a spraying means 8 for spraying cleaning agents (cleaning liquid and coating liquid) onto the cleaning surface (inner surface) of the platform door 100 while the cleaning brush 3 is rotating and cleaning the platform door 100, and a battery 9 which is a power source for supplying power to the electric motor 5, etc.

[0104] As shown in Figure 18, the input side of the ECU7 is electrically connected to a remote control 60, an ON / OFF switch 53, a safety bar switch 55, a distance sensor 56, a camera 58, and a vibration safety switch 23, while the output side is electrically connected to a travel motor 12, an electric motor 5, a telescopic cylinder 24, a flow path switching solenoid valve 50, a cleaning fluid pump 48, and a coating fluid pump 49.

[0105] [Platform Door Cleaning Method] Next, a method for cleaning platform doors according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, using the platform door cleaning device 1' configured as described above, will be explained below with reference to Figures 19 and 20.

[0106] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the steps of a platform door cleaning method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and Figure 20 is a flowchart showing the cleaning work in the same platform door cleaning method in order of steps.

[0107] First, prior to cleaning the platform doors 100, the platform door cleaning device 1' is transported to the station platform using a pedestrian elevator (not shown) installed on the platform (step S31 in Figure 19). In this case, if the elevator is small, for example, the cleaning brush 3 is removed from the trolley 2 and the platform door cleaning device 1' is disassembled for transport. In this case, since the cleaning brush 3 is detachably installed on the trolley 2, it can be easily removed from the trolley 2.

[0108] As described above, when the platform door cleaning device 1' is transported to the station platform, the operator selects "Power ON" on the control unit 59 (see Figure 17) installed on the platform door cleaning device 1' (step S32). If the platform door cleaning device 1' is transported to the platform with the cleaning brush 3 removed, the removed cleaning brush 3 is attached to the trolley 2 and the platform door cleaning device 1' is assembled.

[0109] Next, select "Move" on the control unit 59 (step S33). Then, the left and right pair of travel motors 12 (see Figure 18) of the platform door cleaning device 1' are activated, and these travel motors 12 rotate the left and right pair of drive wheels 11, causing the platform door cleaning device 1' to travel along the platform. In this case, the travel speed of the platform door cleaning device 1' can be set to be faster than the speed during cleaning.

[0110] At the same time, the operator selects the "direction of movement" on the control unit 59 (step S34). This "direction of movement" can also be selected using the remote control 60 (see Figure 18). This creates a speed difference between the rotation of the left and right pair of travel motors 12, setting the direction of movement for the platform door cleaning device 1', which then moves under its own power towards the platform door 100 to be cleaned. Once the platform door cleaning device 1' has moved towards the platform door 100, the operator selects "prepare for cleaning" on the control unit 59 (step S35), and then selects "brush arm" (step S36). The brush arm 18 (see Figure 16) then approaches the platform door 100, and the cleaning brush 3, which is rotatably supported by the brush arm 18, is pressed against the inner surface of the platform door 100 with a predetermined pressure and makes contact.

[0111] Subsequently, the platform door cleaning device 1' is moved to the cleaning start position of the platform door 100 (step S37), and the cleaning start position is recognized (step S38). In recognizing this cleaning start position, the distance between the platform door cleaning device 1' and the platform door 100 is recognized by a distance sensor 56 installed on the platform door cleaning device 1', and the cleaning start position is recognized by an image captured by a camera 58.

[0112] If the cleaning brush 3 is in the cleaning start position based on the image recognition described above, "OK" is displayed on the control unit 59 (step S39). From this state, the operator selects "Cleaning" or "Coating" on the control unit 59 (step S40), and selects "Semi-automatic" or "Fully automatic" as the cleaning mode (step S41). Then, the operator selects "Start Cleaning" on the control unit 59 (step S42).

[0113] Subsequently, in step S41, it is determined whether "semi-automatic" or "fully automatic" is selected as the cleaning mode (step S43). If "semi-automatic" is selected, the operator grasps the handle 51 and turns the operating lever 52 ON (step S44). This turns on the ON / OFF switch 53 (see Figure 18) on the operating lever 52, and when this ON signal is sent to the ECU 7, the ECU 7 executes the cleaning operation (step S45).

[0114] On the other hand, if "fully automatic" is selected in step S41 as a result of the determination in step S43, the cleaning operation is performed without operating the operating lever 52 (step S44) (step S45).

[0115] The flow of the cleaning process in step S45 will be explained below based on Figure 20.

[0116] When the cleaning operation begins, the travel motor 12 is driven to move the platform door cleaning device 1' at a low speed, and the electric motor 5 is driven to rotate the cleaning brush 3, while the cleaning fluid pump 48 is driven to supply cleaning fluid from the tank 43 to a pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 44 (step S45-1). In this case, the distance between the platform door cleaning device 1' and the platform door 100 is detected by the distance sensor 56 installed on the platform door cleaning device 1', and the platform door cleaning device 1' moves at a low speed while maintaining a constant distance between the two.

[0117] As a result, cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the inner surface of the platform door 100 from multiple nozzles 44a (see Figure 15) opening into each of the pair of cleaning fluid spray pipes 44, while the rotating cleaning brush 3 simultaneously cleans the inner surface and top surface of the platform door 100 (opening / closing door 100A and vertical wall 100B), removing dirt.

[0118] In the above cleaning operation, it is determined whether "semi-automatic" or "fully automatic" is selected as the cleaning mode (step S45-2). If "semi-automatic" is selected, the current value of the electric motor 5 that rotates the cleaning brush 3 is monitored (step S45-3), the vibration of the brush arm 18 is monitored (step S45-4), and the safety bar 54 is monitored (step S45-5). In contrast, if "fully automatic" is selected as the cleaning mode, only the safety bar 54 is monitored (step S45-5).

[0119] Then, in step S45-6, it is determined whether the current value of the electric motor 5 monitored in step S45-3 is appropriate. If the current of the electric motor 5 is an overcurrent exceeding the appropriate value (step S45-6: No), the brush arm 18 is retracted to move the cleaning brush 3 away from the inner surface of the platform door 100 and reduce the contact pressure of the cleaning brush 3 on the inner surface of the platform door 100 (step S45-7).

[0120] Subsequently, it is determined whether the cleaning operation is complete or not (step S45-8). If the cleaning operation is not complete (step S45-8: No), the processes from S45-6 to S45-8 are repeated. If the cleaning operation is complete (step S45-8: Yes), the series of processes ends (step S45-9). The completion of the cleaning operation is determined by the operator visually when the cleaning mode is set to "semi-automatic," and by the camera 58 automatically when the operation mode is set to "fully automatic."

[0121] On the other hand, if the current of the electric motor 5 shows an appropriate value below a predetermined value (step S45-6: Yes), it is determined whether or not the cleaning operation is completed (step S45-8).

[0122] Furthermore, in step S45-10, it is determined whether or not the brush arm 18 was detected to be vibrating in step S45-4. If the brush arm 18 is detected to be vibrating (step S45-10: Yes), the movement of the platform door cleaning device 1' is stopped (step S45-11). When the brush arm 18 is detected to be vibrating, the brush arm 18 is retracted to move the cleaning brush 3 away from the inner surface of the platform door 100 and reduce the contact pressure of the cleaning brush 3 on the inner surface of the platform door 100 (step S45-12).

[0123] As described above, after detecting the vibration of the brush arm 18 and reducing the surface pressure of the cleaning brush 3, the movement of the platform door cleaning device 1 is resumed (step S45-13). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the cleaning work is completed (step S45-14). If the cleaning work is completed (step S45-14: Yes), the series of processes ends (step S45-9). On the other hand, if the cleaning work is not yet completed (step S45-14: No), the processes in steps S45-10 to S45-14 are repeated.

[0124] On the other hand, if no vibration of the brush arm 18 is detected (step S45-10: No), the process proceeds to step S45-14, where it is determined whether or not the cleaning operation is completed.

[0125] Furthermore, in step S45-15, it is determined whether a person or object has come into contact with the safety bar 54, as monitored in step S45-5. If, as a result of this determination, a person or object has come into contact with the safety bar 54 (step S45-15: Yes), the platform door cleaning device 1' is temporarily stopped for safety reasons (step S45-16). During this temporary stop, if the safety bar switch 55 (see Figure 18) provided on the safety bar 54 detects that a person or object has come into contact with the safety bar 54, the ECU 7, upon receiving the detection signal, temporarily stops the operation of the platform door cleaning device 1' (such as travel, rotation of the cleaning brush 3, and spraying of cleaning fluid).

[0126] Then, it is determined whether or not safety has been confirmed (step S45-17). If safety has been confirmed (step S45-17: Yes), the operator selects "Restart" on the control unit 59 (step S45-18), and the cleaning of the platform door 100 by the platform door cleaning device 1' resumes. The process returns to step S45-1, and thereafter the series of processes described above are repeated. On the other hand, if safety has not been confirmed (step S45-17: No), the platform door cleaning device 1' remains temporarily suspended (step S45-16).

[0127] On the other hand, if no person or object comes into contact with the safety bar 54 (step S45-15: No), it is determined whether the cleaning operation is complete (step S45-19). If the operation is complete (step S45-19: Yes), the series of processes ends (step S45-9). Conversely, if the cleaning operation is not yet complete (step S45-19: No), the process returns to step S45-15, and thereafter the same process as described above is performed.

[0128] Now, let's return to the flowchart shown in Figure 19 and explain it.

[0129] When the cleaning operation described in Figure 20 is completed, the platform door cleaning device 1' stops moving (step S46). This stopping of the platform door cleaning device 1' is performed by an operator gripping and operating the operating lever 52 provided on the handle 51 when the travel mode is set to "semi-automatic," and is performed automatically by a command from the ECU 7 when the cleaning mode is set to "fully automatic."

[0130] As described above, when the platform door cleaning device 1' stops moving, it is determined whether or not dirt is found on the platform door 100 after cleaning (step S47). This confirmation of dirt is done by visual inspection by an operator.

[0131] If, as a result of the above determination, dirt is found on the platform door 100 after cleaning (step S47: Yes), the cleaning operation in step S45 is performed again. In this case, if the first cleaning operation was performed with the platform door cleaning device 1' moving forward, the cleaning operation is performed with the platform door cleaning device 1' moving backward. In this case, the travel speed of the platform door cleaning device 1' may be reduced to clean the dirty parts of the platform door 100 slowly and carefully. Alternatively, the dirty parts may be cleaned repeatedly by moving the platform door cleaning device 1' forward and backward multiple times.

[0132] Alternatively, once the cleaning of the inner surface of the platform door 100 while spraying the cleaning solution is complete, the cleaning brush 3 that was previously used can be replaced with a drying brush (not shown) for wiping. The cleaning solution remaining on the inner surface of the platform door 100 can then be wiped off with the drying brush while spraying the coating solution onto the inner surface of the platform door 100, and the coating solution can also be sprayed onto the inner surface of the platform door 100. Specifically, the platform door cleaning device 1' is moved along the platform door 100 while the drying brush is rotated by the electric motor 5, and the coating solution pump 49 is driven to pump the coating solution stored in the tank 43 into a pair of coating solution spray pipes 46. The coating solution is then sprayed onto the inner surface of the platform door 100 from the nozzles 46a (see Figure 15) opening into the coating solution spray pipes 46. As a result, the coating solution sprayed onto the cleaned surface (inner surface) of the platform door 100, after the cleaning solution has been wiped off and dried, suppresses the adhesion of dirt to the cleaned surface (inner surface) of the platform door 100, and the cleaned surface (inner surface) is kept clean for a long period of time. After cleaning with the cleaning brush 3 while spraying the cleaning solution is completed, the coating solution may be sprayed onto the inner and outer surfaces of the platform door 100 and the work may be completed thereafter, or the cleaning brush 3 may be replaced with a drying brush as described above and the drying process may be performed.

[0133] On the other hand, if the determination in step S47 does not reveal any dirt on the cleaning surface (inner surface) of the platform door 100 (step S47: No), then the operator selects "Cleaning Complete" on the control unit 59 (step S48), and then selects "Brush Arm" on the control unit 59 (step S49). As a result, the brush arm 18 retracts, and the cleaning brush 3, which is rotatably supported by the brush arm 18, returns to its initial position (pre-cleaning position).

[0134] Next, the operator selects "Move" on the control unit 59 (step S50), operates the control lever 52 on the handle 51 to drive the pair of travel motors 12 of the platform door cleaning device 1', and moves the platform door cleaning device 1' away from the platform door 100, thus completing the entire series of cleaning operations on the platform door 100.

[0135] As described above, in this embodiment, the inner surfaces and top surfaces of the opening and closing doors 100A and vertical walls 100B of the platform door 100 are cleaned by the rotation of the cleaning brush 3, which moves together with the trolley 2 that moves along the station platform along the platform door 100. Therefore, the inner surfaces and top surfaces of the platform door 100 can be cleaned quickly, efficiently, and safely without requiring a large amount of manpower.

[0136] Furthermore, after cleaning the platform door 100 with the cleaning brush 3, the cleaning brush 3 is replaced with a drying brush for wiping, and the trolley 2 is moved along the platform door 100 while the drying brush is rotated. This allows the cleaning agent remaining on the cleaned surface of the platform door 100 to be wiped off with the drying brush, thereby drying the cleaned surface. In addition, the same effects as those obtained in Embodiment 1 can be obtained in this embodiment as well.

[0137] In this embodiment, the cleaning brush 3 is a cylindrical brush consisting of a brush shaft 3A and a brush body 3B attached to the brush shaft 3A. However, a rotating brush, which is constructed by arranging a belt conveyor vertically, may be used instead of this cleaning brush 3.

[0138] <Embodiment 3> Next, the details of the configuration of the platform door cleaning device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 21 and 22.

[0139] The platform door cleaning device 1″ of this third embodiment omits the arm 57 and camera 58 from the platform door cleaning devices 1 and 1′ of embodiments 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 21, which corresponds to Figure 4 of embodiment 1, the basic configuration of the platform door cleaning device 1″ is the same as that of the platform door cleaning devices 1 and 1′ of embodiments 1 and 2, except that the arm 57 and camera 58 are absent. Therefore, in Figures 21 and 22, the same reference numerals are used for elements that are the same as those shown in Figures 3 to 14 and Figures 15 to 20, and further explanation of these elements is omitted below.

[0140] In embodiments 1 and 2, the platform door cleaning device 1, 1' has a camera 58, and the cleaning start position after moving the platform door cleaning device 1, 1' to the cleaning start position of the platform door 100 is recognized by the image captured by the camera 58. However, in embodiment 3, the cleaning start position after moving the platform door cleaning device 1'' to the cleaning start position of the platform door 100 is recognized by the operator's visual inspection.

[0141] Then, with the cleaning start position recognized, the operator selects "cleaning" or "coating" on the control unit 59, and then selects either "fully automatic" or "semi-automatic" cleaning mode, and then selects "start cleaning" to start cleaning the platform door 100. The cleaning of the platform door 100 is performed in the same procedure as in embodiments 1 and 2, but embodiment 3 differs from embodiments 1 and 2 in that the cleaning is completed as follows.

[0142] Specifically, as shown in the schematic plan view of Figure 22 illustrating the method for completing the cleaning of the platform door 100 in this embodiment 3, in this embodiment 3, a cleaning completion board Bo is positioned at the cleaning completion location where the platform door 100 is being cleaned. As the cleaning of the platform door 100 progresses, when the distance sensor 56' installed in the platform door cleaning device 1″ recognizes a specific distance from the cleaning completion board Bo, or when the safety bar 54 of the platform door cleaning device 1″ comes into contact with the cleaning completion board Bo, the ECU 7 determines that the cleaning work is complete. Note that the distance sensor 56' may be the same as the distance sensor 56 in embodiments 1 and 2, used in a configuration that allows for simultaneous measurement of the distance to the platform door and the distance to an object in the direction along the platform door, or a distance sensor separate from the distance sensor 56 in embodiments 1 and 2 may be used.

[0143] Furthermore, as an alternative method for completing the cleaning or coating work, the cleaning distance of the platform door cleaning device 1'' can be arbitrarily set on the control panel. When the platform door cleaning device 1'' is moved to the cleaning start position, the cleaning distance can be set, and when the set distance is reached, the device will temporarily stop moving. If further cleaning is needed, the distance can be reset, allowing the cleaning to continue or to be performed to completion under manual control.

[0144] In this embodiment, since the cleaning of the platform doors 100 can be completed automatically without using the camera 58, the number of parts can be reduced, and it becomes possible to perform "fully automatic" or "semi-automatic" cleaning at a low cost.

[0145] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, specification, and drawings. Furthermore, it is also possible to perform manual cleaning by an operator using the cleaning device of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0146] 1,1′,1″ Platform door cleaning device 2 carts 3. First cleaning brush 3A Brush shaft of the first cleaning brush 4. Second cleaning brush 4A Second cleaning brush shaft 5,6 Electric motor (drive source) 7. ECU (Control Unit) 8 Injection means 9 batteries 11 drive wheels 18 Brush Arms 21,22 Neutral spring (biasing means) 24. Telescopic cylinder (contact / separation mechanism) 30 Long Brush Arm 35,36 Neutral spring (biasing means) 38 Opening / closing motor 43 tanks 44,45 Cleaning fluid spray tube 46,47 Coating liquid spray tube 48 Pump for cleaning solution 49. Pump for coating liquid 51 Handle 52 Operating lever 53 ON / OFF switch 54 Safety Bar 55 Safety bar switch (contact detection means) 56,56′ Distance sensor 58 Cameras 59 Operation section 60 Remote Controls 100 platform doors 100A Platform door opening and closing mechanism 100B Platform screen doors vertical wall

Claims

1. A trolley running on the platform, A cleaning brush that moves together with the aforementioned trolley, It has, A platform door cleaning device configured to be self-propelled and for cleaning platform doors erected on station platforms, Arm and A camera attached to the aforementioned arm, It has, The trolley comprises a frame that supports the cleaning brush, The arm is positioned to extend further toward the platform door than the frame, and the camera is mounted on the arm at a position closer to the platform door than the frame, and the camera is used to image the platform door. Platform screen door cleaning device.

2. A self-propelled platform door cleaning device for cleaning platform doors installed on station platforms, having a sliding door that opens and closes and a vertical wall that functions as a door pocket for storing the sliding door, A trolley running on the platform, A cleaning brush that moves together with the aforementioned trolley, A camera for imaging the aforementioned platform doors, It has, A platform door cleaning device in which the camera captures images of the end of the platform door, or the boundary between the opening / closing door and the vertical wall.

3. A self-propelled platform door cleaning device for cleaning platform doors installed on station platforms, having a sliding door that opens and closes and a vertical wall that functions as a door pocket for storing the sliding door, A trolley running on the platform, A cleaning brush that moves together with the aforementioned trolley, A camera for imaging the aforementioned platform doors, It has, The maximum image range captured by the aforementioned camera spans both the platform-side surface and the track-side surface of the platform door. Platform screen door cleaning device.

4. A trolley running on the platform, A cleaning brush that moves together with the aforementioned trolley, It has, A platform door cleaning device configured to be self-propelled and for cleaning platform doors erected on station platforms, The system includes a camera that images the platform doors, The aforementioned camera captures images of the platform door from above. Platform screen door cleaning device.

5. A trolley running on the platform, A cleaning brush that moves together with the aforementioned trolley, It has, A platform door cleaning device configured to be self-propelled and for cleaning platform doors erected on station platforms, The system includes a camera that images the platform doors, The camera captures an image that allows the cleaning start position to be recognized. Platform screen door cleaning device.

6. The platform door has a sliding door and a vertical wall that functions as a door pocket for storing the sliding door. The boundary between the opening / closing door and the vertical wall is image-recognized by the camera. A platform door cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images