Car wash machine

Abstract

To improve the accuracy of detection by sensors used in car wash machines. [Solution] The car wash machine is equipped with a detection device (51) that detects an obstruction by detecting light emitted by a light-emitting element (522) with a light-receiving element (523). When there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, the intensity of the light detected by the light-receiving element is acquired, and the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element is adjusted according to the intensity of the light.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a car washer for washing vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] In a sensor that detects a vehicle or the like by receiving light emitted by a light-emitting element with a light-receiving element, if there is dirt or the like on the sensor and its surrounding environment, appropriate detection may not be performed.

[0003] In Prior Art Document 1, a vehicle shape detection device or the like is disclosed, which aims to allow for variations in each light-emitting and light-receiving element and the influence of ambient brightness, and to enable determination of light transmission / light blocking by the light-receiving element.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] For example, in a sensor that detects a vehicle, if there is dirt or the like, the intensity of the light received by the light-receiving element decreases, and the sensitivity of the sensor decreases. In a configuration where the detection sensitivity of the light-receiving element is simply increased, the light-receiving element can detect the light even if the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element is insufficient to detect the vehicle. Therefore, there is a risk that the vehicle cannot be accurately detected. In a sensor used in a car washer, it is desirable to improve the accuracy of detection by the sensor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A car wash machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one pair of light-emitting elements and a light-receiving element, and is equipped with a detection device that detects an obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element by detecting light emitted by the light-emitting element with the light-receiving element, the detection device being equipped with an acquisition unit that acquires the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving element when there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, and an adjustment unit that adjusts the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element according to the intensity of light acquired by the acquisition unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the detection accuracy of the sensor can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] These are schematic side views and schematic front views showing a car wash machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the main components of a detection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow performed by the detection device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Embodiment] <Summary of this embodiment> In car washes, sensors can be used that detect vehicles by receiving light emitted from light-emitting elements. For example, such sensors may include sensors that detect the shape of a vehicle, i.e., sensors that detect the vehicle's outer casing. As the car wash operates repeatedly, water droplets and dirt may adhere to the sensor's cover surface. Such deposits reduce the amount of light received by the light-receiving element, thereby reducing the sensor's sensitivity. As a result, the car wash may mistakenly detect water splashes and detergent foam as part of the vehicle, making it impossible to properly determine the vehicle's outer casing shape. This can lead to inadequate washing and drying.

[0010] For example, increasing the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element improves the sensor's resistance to deposits on the cover surface. The light intensity mentioned above refers to, for example, the amount of light irradiated per unit area. On the other hand, simply increasing the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element may prevent the vehicle's outer shape from being properly detected. For example, if the light emitted by the light-emitting element is too strong, it may penetrate the curved side of the windshield of the vehicle being detected, potentially preventing the glass edge from being properly detected.

[0011] The following describes a car wash machine configuration that can achieve both accurate detection of the vehicle's exterior shape using sensors and improvement of sensor sensitivity, that is, a car wash machine configuration that can improve the detection accuracy of sensors.

[0012] A car wash machine according to one aspect of this disclosure will be described. This car wash machine according to one aspect of this disclosure is installed as a set in gas stations, automobile repair shops, etc.

[0013] In this specification and the drawings, the xyz coordinates are defined such that the xz plane is the horizontal plane. The positive direction of the x-axis is referred to as the forward direction, and the negative direction of the x-axis is referred to as the backward direction, because in the car wash machine body, which will be described later, the side from which the vehicle enters is the front and the side from which the vehicle exits is the rear. The positive direction of the z-axis is referred to as the right direction, and the negative direction of the z-axis is referred to as the left direction. The positive direction of the y-axis, which is parallel to the vertical direction, is referred to as the upward direction, and the negative direction of the y-axis is referred to as the downward direction.

[0014] Furthermore, in drawings, for configurations that are symmetrical vertically or horizontally with respect to a certain axis, a reference numeral may be assigned to only one of the symmetrical configurations, while the reference numeral is omitted for the other configuration.

[0015] <Overview of the car wash machine> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general side view 2S and a general front view 4F of the car wash machine body 4, which are included in the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment includes a car wash machine body 4 that washes a vehicle X, which is the vehicle to be washed.

[0016] In addition, in this specification, a sedan-type vehicle is taken as an example of the vehicle X for explanation. For example, the vehicle X includes a bonnet, a front glass, a roof, a rear glass, and a trunk in this order from the front side on its upper surface. However, in this specification, the type and shape of the vehicle X are not particularly limited as long as it can be washed by the car wash machine main body 4.

[0017] As shown in the schematic front view 4F, the car wash machine main body 4 includes, for example, two frames 8 and a ceiling portion 10 that connects the upper ends of the two frames 8. The car wash machine main body 4 has a structure in which the vehicle X can pass through a space 4S surrounded by the frame 8 and the ceiling portion 10 along the entry direction DA of the vehicle X shown in the schematic side view 2S. In this specification, the entry direction DA is defined as the direction from the front surface 4A to the rear surface 4B of the car wash machine main body 4. In this embodiment, the front surface 4A is, for example, the surface provided with an operation panel 42 described later.

[0018] <Car wash machine main body> The car wash machine main body 4 has wheels 12 at the lower parts of the respective frames 8, and by rotationally driving the wheels 12 by a driving part (not shown), it relatively moves in the front-rear direction with respect to the vehicle X along a rail R arranged on the ground G. The rail R is formed, for example, along the entry direction DA. Here, while the car wash machine main body 4 relatively moves with respect to the vehicle X, it performs washing on the vehicle X in the space 4S.

[0019] A plurality of rotating brushes that slide on the vehicle X and perform brushing are provided in the car wash machine main body 4 as one of the cleaning parts. For example, the rotating brushes included in the car wash machine main body 4 include a top brush 14, a side brush 16, and a rocker brush 18 that are each rotated by a rotation motor (not shown). The top brush 14 slides along the upper surface of the vehicle X and washes the upper surface of the vehicle X. The side brush 16 and the rocker brush 18 wash both side surfaces of the vehicle X.

[0020] On the side of the car washer main body 4, a tank storage part 20 for storing a plurality of liquid storage tanks (not shown) storing various liquid agents including detergents or waxes is arranged. Above the tank storage part 20, a distribution pipe part 22 for distributing water containing city water or the liquid agent from each liquid storage tank is provided. From the distribution pipe part 22, a first clean water nozzle 24, a second clean water nozzle 26, a first detergent nozzle 28, a second detergent nozzle 30, a water repellent coating nozzle 32, and a wax nozzle 34 included in the cleaning part are respectively led out via electromagnetic valves (not shown).

[0021] The first clean water nozzle 24 and the second clean water nozzle 26 are respectively arranged on the front surface 4A side and the rear surface 4B side of each frame 8 of the car washer main body 4, and spray water containing city water onto the vehicle X. The first detergent nozzle 28 and the second detergent nozzle 30 are respectively arranged on the front surface 4A side and the rear surface 4B side of each frame 8, and spray a cleaning liquid containing shampoo or the like onto the vehicle X. The water repellent coating nozzle 32 and the wax nozzle 34 are arranged on the rear surface 4B of the car washer main body 4. The water repellent coating nozzle 32 sprays a liquid agent of a water repellent coating agent onto the vehicle X. The wax nozzle 34 sprays wax onto the vehicle X.

[0022] Also, a blower 36 for generating an air flow to dry the vehicle X is provided in the car washer main body 4. A top blowing nozzle 38 and a side blowing nozzle 40 are connected to the blower 36. The top blowing nozzle 38 is provided at the upper center of the car washer main body 4 and blows air toward the ceiling surface of the vehicle X. The side blowing nozzle 40 is provided on both sides of the car washer main body 4 and blows air toward the side surface of the vehicle X. The car washer main body 4 dries the washed vehicle X by the blowing of the top blowing nozzle 38 and the side blowing nozzle 40.

[0023] In addition, in FIG. 1, for the sake of simplicity of illustration, the illustration of each device for washing the vehicle X provided in the car washer main body 4 described above may be omitted. Also, each device provided in the car washer main body 4 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the car washer main body 4 may include, in addition to the above-described devices, devices for washing the vehicle X including conventionally known configurations and devices for assisting the washing on the frame 8 or the ceiling part 10.

[0024] An operation panel 42 is located on the front of one frame 8 of the car wash machine body 4. The operation panel 42 is equipped with operation buttons (not shown) for setting car wash conditions. For example, a user who has gotten out of vehicle X, or another technician, may operate the operation buttons to set car wash conditions, etc.

[0025] <Department Head> Furthermore, the car wash machine 2 includes a control unit 44 that controls the car wash machine body 4. In particular, the control unit 44 controls the washing of the vehicle X by the car wash machine body 4 by controlling the movement of the car wash machine body 4 along the rail R and the operation of each part of the cleaning unit.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the control unit 44 may be located in the car wash machine body 4, or it may be located outside the car wash machine body 4. The control unit 44 is composed of a processor such as a CPU, and each control is realized by executing a control program stored in memory on the processor.

[0027] <Sensor> The car wash machine body 4 is further equipped with an outlet sensor 50 and a vehicle shape sensor 52 as sensors. The outlet sensor 50 is located on the rear side 4B of the car wash machine body 4, which is closer to the side brush 16 than described above, and the vehicle shape sensor 52 is located on the front side 4A of the car wash machine body 4, which is closer to the side brush 16.

[0028] In general, when a vehicle X enters and stops in the car wash area where the car wash machine 2 is located, as shown in Figure 1, the vehicle X stops in front of the car wash machine body 4, with its front facing the car wash machine body 4. Therefore, generally, the vehicle X is washed by the car wash machine body 4 with its front facing from the front 4A to the rear 4B of the car wash machine body 4. Consequently, during the washing of the vehicle X by the car wash machine body 4, as shown in Figure 1, the outlet sensor 50 is located in front of the side brush 16 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle X, and the vehicle shape sensor 52 is located in rear of the side brush 16 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle X.

[0029] The exit sensor 50 is a sensor that detects whether or not vehicle X has left the car wash after the car wash machine body 4 has finished washing the vehicle X. The exit sensor 50 may be, for example, an optical axis sensor. In other words, the exit sensor 50 may be a sensor that determines whether or not an object exists between an optical element and an optical sensor by determining whether or not an optical sensor corresponding to an optical element detects electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays emitted from an optical element. In this case, the exit sensor 50 may determine that vehicle X is present between the optical element and the optical sensor if electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays from the optical element are not detected by the optical sensor.

[0030] For example, after the car wash machine body 4 has finished washing the vehicle X, the control unit 44 may move the car wash machine body 4 to the vicinity of the rear of the vehicle X, and then guide the user inside the vehicle X to exit using voice from the speaker of the car wash machine body 4 or video from the monitor of the car wash machine body 4. Here, the position of the car wash machine body 4 after the washing of the vehicle X is completed may be the position where the exit sensor 50 detects the vehicle X. In this case, if the user moves the vehicle X outside the car wash area, the exit sensor 50 will no longer detect the vehicle X. The vehicle X may also exit the car wash area by moving forward and passing through the space 4S on the rear side 4B of the car wash machine body 4. Alternatively, the vehicle X may exit the car wash area by moving backward and exiting the space 4S toward the front side 4A of the car wash machine body 4.

[0031] Therefore, the exit sensor 50 may detect the departure of vehicle X from the car wash area when it no longer detects vehicle X after the washing of vehicle X is complete. After the exit sensor 50 detects the departure of vehicle X from the car wash area, the control unit 44 may perform control of various parts, including the movement of the car wash machine body 4, in order to accept the washing of the next vehicle X.

[0032] The vehicle shape sensor 52 is a sensor for measuring the external shape of the vehicle X to be washed. In particular, the vehicle shape sensor 52 detects the height of the vehicle X as it crosses a predetermined point. For example, the car wash machine body 4 may be equipped with a detection device 51 having the vehicle shape sensor 52. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the main components of the detection device 51. For example, the vehicle shape sensor 52 may be composed of a multi-axis optical axis sensor 520 in which a pair of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged on two frames 8 on the front side and space 4S side of the frame 8 of the car wash machine body 4. That is, the detection device 51 may include at least a pair of light-emitting elements 522 and light-receiving elements 523, and the light-receiving elements 523 may detect an obstruction between the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523 by detecting the light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. In the multi-axis optical axis sensor 520, individual optical axis sensors 521 are arranged so that multiple optical axes are aligned in the vertical direction, and each optical axis is on a substantially horizontal plane. Therefore, each optical axis sensor 521 in the multi-axis optical axis sensor 520 is configured to detect the presence or absence of a vehicle at different heights. In this case, the multi-axis optical axis sensor 520 may detect the height of the vehicle X by, for example, checking the number of optical axis sensors 521 that detect the vehicle X while the car wash machine body 4 moves relative to the vehicle X from the front to the rear.

[0033] As a result, the detection device 51 can estimate the height of vehicle X for each position in a plan view from the change in the number of optical axis sensors 521 that detect vehicle X among the multi-axis optical axis sensors 520. In other words, the vehicle shape sensor 52 generates information for estimating at least a part of the shape of vehicle X. As a result, the detection device 51 may determine at least a part of the outer shape of vehicle X for each position in a plan view. Based on the determined outer shape of vehicle X, the control unit 44 may control each part of the cleaning unit to clean vehicle X.

[0034] <Configuration of the detection device 51 for adjusting the light-emitting element 522> The detection device 51 has a function to adjust the light intensity in order to improve the accuracy of detecting the vehicle's outer shape. The following describes the light intensity adjustment performed by the detection device 51 to adjust the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. Figure 2 shows an example of the main components of the detection device 51. As shown in Figure 2, the detection device 51 includes a multi-axis optical axis sensor 520, a control unit 44, and a storage unit 53. The light intensity adjustment may be performed each time before the car wash by the car wash machine 2 starts or after the car wash is completed. Alternatively, the light intensity adjustment may be performed after the car wash machine 2 has performed a predetermined number of washes. The configuration of each part of the detection device 51 will be described in detail below.

[0035] <Multi-axis optical sensor 520> The multi-axis optical sensor 520 comprises a plurality of optical axis sensors 521. Each optical axis sensor 521 comprises a pair of light-emitting elements 522 and a light-receiving element 523. In the light intensity adjustment process, the light-receiving element 523 receives light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 when there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523, and detects the intensity of the received light. The light-receiving element 523 outputs received light data indicating the intensity of the light detected in the absence of obstructions to the acquisition unit 441.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, we will describe an example in which the detection device 51 is equipped with a multi-axis optical sensor 520.

[0037] <Control Unit 44> In addition to the processing related to the movement of the car wash machine body 4 and the operation of each part of the cleaning unit described above, the control unit 44 also adjusts the light intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. Here, the configuration of the control unit 44 for performing the light intensity adjustment process will be described. The control unit 44 includes an acquisition unit 441, a calculation unit 442, a determination unit 443, and an adjustment unit 444.

[0038] <Acquisition part 441> The acquisition unit 441 acquires light reception data indicating the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving element 523, provided there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523.

[0039] When the acquisition unit 441 acquires light reception data, it stores light reception intensity information 531, which indicates the light reception data of the light receiving elements 523 provided by each optical axis sensor 521, in the storage unit 53.

[0040] <Calculation Unit 442> The calculation unit 442 calculates the difference between the value indicated by the light-receiving data of each light-receiving element 523 provided by each optical axis sensor 521 and a reference value, which is a reference light intensity. The calculation unit 442 may calculate the difference by referring to the light-receiving intensity information 531 and the reference value information 532 indicating the reference value, which are stored in the storage unit 53. An example of the difference calculated by the calculation unit 442 is a percentage of the reference value. For example, the calculation unit 442 may calculate a value indicating an increase or decrease relative to the reference value, such as a 20% increase or a 20% decrease relative to the reference value. Once the calculation unit 442 has calculated the difference for each light-receiving element 523, it stores the difference information 533 indicating the difference in the storage unit 53.

[0041] The above-mentioned reference value may also be the light intensity indicated by the light reception data of each light-receiving element 523 immediately after the most recent light intensity adjustment process has been performed. For example, the light reception data indicated by the light reception intensity information 531 acquired immediately after the most recent light intensity adjustment process may be used. The above-mentioned reference value may also be a preset value. Here, the light intensity indicated by the light reception data is the light intensity detected by the light-receiving element 523 when there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523. The above-mentioned reference value should be a value that indicates an appropriate light intensity for detecting the shape of the vehicle being washed.

[0042] <Judgment unit 443> The determination unit 443 determines whether the maximum value of the difference calculated by the calculation unit 442 exceeds a preset threshold. The maximum value of the difference mentioned above can be rephrased as the maximum value among the differences calculated from the light-receiving data of each light-receiving element 523. Furthermore, this difference may be a difference indicating a decrease or an increase relative to the reference value.

[0043] The determination unit 443 may perform the determination by referring to the difference information 533 and threshold information 534 indicating a threshold value stored in the storage unit 53. For example, the threshold value may be a value indicating a threshold for an increase or decrease of a predetermined percentage relative to the reference value.

[0044] <Adjustment section 444> The adjustment unit 444 adjusts the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 according to the light intensity indicated by the light-receiving data acquired by the acquisition unit 441. More specifically, if the maximum value of the difference calculated by the calculation unit 442 exceeds a preset threshold, the adjustment unit 444 adjusts the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. In this adjustment, the adjustment unit 444 may perform the adjustment on the light-emitting elements 522 of all optical axis sensors 521 that are provided in the multi-axis optical axis sensor 520. For example, in a multi-axis optical axis sensor 520 that is provided with multiple optical axis sensors 521, the light-emitting elements 522 may be adjusted as follows: If the difference between the value indicated by the light-receiving data of a light-receiving element 523 provided in one optical axis sensor 521 and a reference value which is a reference light intensity exceeds a threshold, the light-emitting elements 522 of all optical axis sensors 521 provided in the multi-axis optical axis sensor 520 may be adjusted.

[0045] The adjustment unit 444 may adjust the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 using the difference indicated by the difference information 533 calculated based on the light intensity indicated by the received light data. For example, the adjustment unit 444 may adjust the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 according to the difference indicated by the difference information 533. Specifically, for example, if the difference is a 30% decrease from the reference value, the adjustment unit 444 may adjust the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 to be 30% stronger. Also, if the difference is a 30% increase from the reference value, the adjustment unit may adjust the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element to be 30% weaker.

[0046] <Storage section 53> The memory unit 53 stores light reception intensity information 531, reference value information 532, difference information 533, and threshold information 534.

[0047] For example, when there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523, and no water droplets or dirt are adhering to the sensor cover surfaces of the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523, the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 detected by the light-receiving element 523 is defined as the reference light-receiving intensity. If water droplets or dirt adhere to the sensor cover surface, the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 detected by the light-receiving element 523 decreases relative to the reference light-receiving intensity. According to the configuration of this disclosure, the decrease in the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 detected by the light-receiving element 523 due to dirt on the multi-axis optical axis sensor 520 and its surroundings can be reduced by adjusting the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. Therefore, the decrease in the detection sensitivity of the detection device 51 (detection failure) can be reduced.

[0048] Furthermore, the increase in the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 detected by the light-receiving element 523, caused by factors such as the removal of dirt around the multi-axis optical sensor 520, can be reduced by adjusting the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. Therefore, the decrease in detection accuracy (false detection) in the detection device 51 caused by excessively high-intensity light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 can be reduced. An example of this decrease in detection accuracy is that excessively high-intensity light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 may pass through the vehicle's windshield, making it impossible to accurately detect the edge of the windshield. Such a decrease in detection accuracy may make it difficult to accurately grasp the vehicle's outline, potentially preventing the car wash machine 2 from properly cleaning the vehicle.

[0049] For example, when this disclosure is used in a vehicle shape sensor for detecting the shape of a vehicle, the following becomes possible. That is, the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 is adjusted according to the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving element 523. Therefore, the adjustment unit 444 can adjust the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522 to maintain an intensity of light appropriate for accurate detection of the vehicle's outer shape (especially curved windshields, etc.). Thus, accurate detection of the vehicle's outer shape and improvement of the sensitivity of the detection device 51 can be achieved simultaneously.

[0050] Furthermore, the configuration of this disclosure allows for more accurate detection of the vehicle's outer shape compared to a configuration that simply increases the detection sensitivity of the light-receiving element 523 to enable detection of weak light intensity. In a configuration that simply increases the detection sensitivity of the light-receiving element, the light-receiving element 523 can detect light even if the light intensity emitted by the light-emitting element 522 is insufficient to detect the vehicle's outer shape. Therefore, there is a risk that the vehicle's outer shape may not be accurately detected. Thus, a configuration that adjusts the light intensity emitted by the light-emitting element 522 allows for more accurate detection of the vehicle's outer shape compared to a configuration that adjusts the detection sensitivity of the light-receiving element 523.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the configuration of this disclosure, if there is a difference in the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving elements 523 of the multiple optical axis sensors 521 that exceeds a threshold value from a reference value, the adjustment unit 444 adjusts the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. In other words, the adjustment unit 444 can perform the adjustment at the timing when it becomes necessary to adjust the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element 522. Therefore, the unnecessary execution of such adjustments can be reduced.

[0052] <Flowchart for adjusting the intensity of light emitted by a light-emitting element> Next, with reference to Figure 3, an example of the processing flow for light intensity adjustment performed by the control unit 44 will be described. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow for light intensity adjustment performed by the control unit 44. This processing may be performed before the start of each car wash by the car wash machine 2 or after the completion of each car wash. As another example, this processing may be performed after a predetermined number of car washes have been performed by the car wash machine 2.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, first, the acquisition unit 441 acquires the light intensity, which indicates the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving elements 523 (S1). Next, the calculation unit 442 calculates the difference between the value indicated by the light-receiving data of each light-receiving element 523 and a reference value (S2). Next, the determination unit 443 determines whether the maximum value of the difference exceeds a threshold (S3). If the determination unit 443 determines that the maximum value of the difference exceeds a threshold (YES in S3), the adjustment unit 444 adjusts the intensity of light emitted by each light-emitting element 522 (S4). If the determination unit 443 determines that the maximum value of the difference does not exceed a threshold (NO in S3), the process ends.

[0054] (Another example of a car wash machine 2) As another example of car wash machine 2, car wash machine 2 may be equipped with only one optical axis sensor 521 and a detection device 51 that detects the presence of an obstruction between the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523. In this case, the light-emitting element 522 and the light-receiving element 523 may be attached not to the car wash machine body, but to an externally erected pole or to car wash equipment other than the car wash machine body.

[0055] 〔summary〕 A car wash machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure includes at least one pair of light-emitting elements and a light-receiving element, and is equipped with a detection device that detects an obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element by detecting light emitted by the light-emitting element with the light-receiving element, the detection device being equipped with an acquisition unit that acquires the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving element when there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, and an adjustment unit that adjusts the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element according to the intensity of light acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0056] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 2 car wash machine 51 Detection device 441 Acquisition Department 444 Adjustment section 522 Light-emitting element 523 Photodetector

Claims

[Claim 1] The device includes at least one pair of light-emitting elements and a light-receiving element, and the light-receiving element detects an obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element by detecting the light emitted by the light-emitting element. The detection device is An acquisition unit that acquires the intensity of light detected by the light-receiving element when there is no obstruction between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, An adjustment unit adjusts the intensity of light emitted by the light-emitting element according to the intensity of the light acquired by the acquisition unit. A car wash machine characterized by having the following features.

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