Vehicle entry assistance device and car wash machine

Abstract

To enable a car to be washed to be placed at a center as seen in a width direction of a washer body easily.SOLUTION: A vehicle entry assist device (7) includes: a surface material (74) provided at the outer side of an outlet opening of a washer body (4) which moves in an anteroposterior direction relative to a vehicle (X) to wash the vehicle (X); a lifting mechanism (72) for moving the surface material (74) in a vertical direction; a mirror (75) attached to an inner side of the washer body (4) of the surface material (74); and a control unit (71) which controls the lifting mechanism (72).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle entry assistance device and a car wash machine equipped with the vehicle entry assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a car wash machine that washes cars by having the main body of the car wash machine travel on an installation surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-120307 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When washing a car using a car wash machine such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, the driver parks the vehicle to be washed at a predetermined parking position in front of the car wash machine body before washing. In this case, it is preferable that the vehicle to be washed at the parking position is centered in the width direction of the opening of the car wash machine. However, in conventional car washes, it is not easy for the driver to center the vehicle to be washed in the width direction of the car wash machine body.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure aims to facilitate positioning a vehicle to be washed in the center in the width direction of the car wash machine body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle entry assistance device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a panel provided on the outside of an outlet opening of a car wash machine main body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, a lifting mechanism for moving the panel in the up-and-down direction, a mirror attached to the inside side of the car wash machine main body of the panel, and a control unit that controls the lifting mechanism. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to easily position the vehicle to be washed in the center in the width direction of the car wash machine main body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a car wash equipped with a vehicle entry assistance device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is an example of a functional block diagram of a car wash machine including a vehicle entry assistance device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic front view of a car wash machine according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of control by a control unit regarding a vehicle entry assistance operation by the vehicle entry assistance device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 2 is a front view showing an example of a remote panel provided in the car wash machine shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of a car wash machine according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 11 is a schematic front view of a vehicle entry assistance device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [Embodiment 1] On the ground on which the car wash machine 2 is installed, an entry guide is usually provided to allow the driver to enter the space of the car wash machine main body 4 at an appropriate position. However, it is difficult to grasp the left and right positions only with the entry guide provided on the ground. In addition, depending on the entry position and vehicle height of the vehicle, the entry guide provided on the ground may be difficult for the driver to see.

[0010] The vehicle entry assist device according to the present embodiment is a device that assists the driver in moving the vehicle to a predetermined stopping position so that the vehicle can enter the car wash machine while being positioned approximately at the center in the width direction of the car wash machine. In the first embodiment, an example in which the vehicle entry assist device 7 is attached to the car wash machine main body 4 will be described.

[0011] Hereinafter, a vehicle entry assistance device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure and a car wash machine including the vehicle entry assistance device will be described in detail. In this specification, 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 rearward direction. The positive direction of the Y-axis is referred to as the upward direction, and the negative direction of the Y-axis is referred to as the downward direction. The positive direction of the Z-axis is referred to as the rightward direction, and the negative direction of the Z-axis is referred to as the leftward direction. In addition, in Figures 1 to 7, for configurations that are vertically symmetrical or horizontally symmetrical with respect to a certain axis, a reference symbol may be attached to only one of the symmetrical configurations, and the reference symbol may be omitted for the other configuration.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle entry assistance device 7 according to embodiment 1 and a car wash machine 2 equipped with the vehicle entry assistance device 7. More specifically, Fig. 1 shows the vehicle entry assistance device 7 according to this embodiment, a schematic side view 2S of a car wash machine main body 4 and a remote panel 6, and a schematic front view 4F of the car wash machine main body 4. Fig. 2 is an example of a functional block diagram of the car wash machine 2 equipped with the vehicle entry assistance device 7.

[0013] <Car wash machine overview> As shown in Fig. 1, the car wash machine 2 according to this embodiment includes a car wash machine main body 4 that washes a vehicle X, which is a vehicle to be washed. The car wash machine 2 may include a remote panel 6 that acquires the car wash conditions for the vehicle X by the car wash machine main body 4, selected by operation by the driver. In the schematic side surface 2S of the car wash machine 2 in Fig. 1, the outline of the vehicle X is indicated by a dotted line to indicate that the vehicle X is located further back than the remote panel 6 toward the page.

[0014] As shown in a schematic front view 4F of the car wash machine main body 4 in Fig. 1, the car wash machine main body 4 includes, for example, two frames 8 and a ceiling portion 10 connecting the upper ends of the two frames 8. The car wash machine main body 4 has a structure that allows the vehicle X to pass through a space 4S surrounded by the frames 8 and the ceiling portion 10 along the approach direction DA of the vehicle X, shown in a schematic side view 2S of the car wash machine 2 in Fig. 1. In this specification, the approach direction DA is defined as the direction from the front to the back of the car wash machine main body 4. In this specification, the opening at the front of the car wash machine main body 4 may be referred to as an entrance opening, and the opening at the back may be referred to as an exit opening.

[0015] The car wash machine body 4 has wheels 12 on the lower part of each of the frames 8, and moves in the front-rear direction relative to the vehicle X along rails R arranged on the ground G by rotating the wheels 12 using a drive unit 4A (not shown in FIG. 1). The rails R are formed along the approach direction DA, for example. The car wash machine body 4 washes the vehicle X in the space 4S while moving relative to the vehicle X.

[0016] The car wash machine main body 4 is provided with a plurality of rotating brushes that slide over and brush the vehicle X as one of the cleaning units 4B. For example, the rotating brushes provided in the car wash machine main body 4 include a top brush 14, a side brush 16, and a rocker brush 18, each of which is rotated by a rotary motor (not shown). The top brush 14 moves along the top surface of the vehicle X and cleans the top surface of the vehicle X. The side brush 16 and the rocker brush 18 clean both side surfaces of the vehicle X. In particular, the rocker brush 18 cleans the lower part of the side surface of the vehicle X, including the part of the side surface of the vehicle X that is below the part that the side brush 16 can clean.

[0017] A tank storage section 20 is disposed on the side of the car wash machine main body 4, and stores a plurality of storage tanks (not shown) that store various liquid agents including detergent or wax. A distribution piping section 22 is provided above the tank storage section 20, and distributes water including city water or liquid agents from each storage tank. A first water purification nozzle 24, a second water purification nozzle 26, a first detergent nozzle 28, a second detergent nozzle 30, a water-repellent coating nozzle 32, and a wax nozzle 34, which are included in the cleaning section 4B, are each led out to the distribution piping section 22 via an electromagnetic valve (not shown).

[0018] The first water purification nozzle 24 and the second water purification nozzle 26 are arranged on the front and rear sides, respectively, of the car wash machine main body 4, and spray water including city water onto the vehicle X. The first detergent nozzle 28 and the second detergent nozzle 30 are arranged on the front and rear sides, respectively, of the car wash machine main body 4, and spray cleaning liquid including shampoo etc. onto the vehicle X. The water-repellent coating nozzle 32 and the wax nozzle 34 are arranged on the rear surface of the car wash machine main body 4. The water-repellent coating nozzle 32 sprays a liquid water-repellent coating agent onto the vehicle X. The wax nozzle 34 sprays wax onto the vehicle X.

[0019] The car wash machine main body 4 is also provided with a blower 36 that generates an air current to dry the vehicle X. A top air blowing nozzle 38 and a side air blowing nozzle 40 are connected to the blower 36. The top air blowing nozzle 38 is provided at the upper center of the car wash machine main body 4 and blows air toward the ceiling surface of the vehicle X. The side air blowing nozzle 40 is provided on both sides of the car wash machine main body 4 and blows air toward the sides of the vehicle X. The car wash machine main body 4 dries the vehicle X after washing by blowing air from the top air blowing nozzle 38 and the side air blowing nozzle 40.

[0020] An operation panel 42 is disposed on the front of one of the frames 8 of the car wash machine main body 4. The operation panel 42 includes operation buttons (not shown) for setting the car wash conditions, and is operated by a user who has exited the vehicle X to accept a car wash or to set the car wash conditions.

[0021] Further, the car wash machine 2 includes a car wash control unit 44 that controls the car wash machine main body 4. The car wash control unit 44 controls the driving unit 4A to rotate the wheels 12 and move the car wash machine main body 4 along the rail R. The car wash control unit 44 also controls the operation of each unit of the cleaning unit 4B to control the washing of the vehicle X by the car wash machine main body 4. The car wash control unit 44 may be provided in the car wash machine main body 4 as shown in FIG. 1, or may be located outside the car wash machine main body 4. The car wash control unit 44 may transmit and receive information to and from the car wash machine main body 4 or a remote panel 6 described later via the communication unit 44A, and may control the car wash machine main body 4. The car wash control unit 44 may also transmit and receive information to and from the vehicle entry assistance device 7 via the communication unit 44A. The car wash control unit 44 is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and each control is realized by executing a control program stored in a memory on the processor.

[0022] The remote panel 6 is, for example, located on the front side of the car wash machine main body 4, and is disposed approximately along the moving direction of the car wash machine main body 4. As shown in Fig. 1, the remote panel 6 is disposed so that its front surface faces the vehicle X before it is washed by the car wash machine main body 4, in other words, before it enters the inside of the car wash machine main body 4. For this reason, the rear surface of the remote panel 6 is illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0023] 1, the remote panel 6 includes a housing 46 and a support 48 that is erected on the ground G and supports the housing 46. The remote panel 6 may acquire at least a portion of the car wash conditions for the vehicle X to be washed by the car wash machine main body 4 through the operation of a touch panel or buttons (not shown) provided on the housing 46. The car wash control unit 44 may control the car wash machine main body 4 to wash the vehicle X based on at least a portion of the car wash conditions acquired by the remote panel 6.

[0024] In addition, in Fig. 1, for simplicity of illustration, the illustration of each device for washing the vehicle X provided in the car wash machine main body 4 may be omitted. Also, each device provided in the car wash machine main body 4 shown in Fig. 1 is merely an example, and the car wash machine main body 4 may include, in addition to the above-mentioned devices, a device for washing the vehicle X and a device for assisting the washing, including a conventionally known configuration, on the frame 8 or the ceiling part 10.

[0025] <Vehicle entry assistance device> The vehicle entry assistance device 7 includes a control unit 71, a lifting mechanism 72, a pair of left and right guide rails 73, a shutter 74, and a mirror 75. The vehicle entry assistance device 7 includes a housing capable of housing the control unit 71, the lifting mechanism 72, and the shutter 74 when stored. The housing is attached, for example, to the back side of the ceiling portion 10 of the car wash machine main body 4.

[0026] The guide rails 73 are rails for guiding the shutter 74 and assisting it in ascending and descending. The guide rails 73 are attached to each of the two frames 8 of the car wash machine main body 4. More specifically, the guide rails 73 are provided on both the left and right sides of the exit opening (exit) of the car wash machine main body 4 with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction.

[0027] The shutter 74 is an example of a surface material that is provided on the outside of the exit opening of the car wash machine main body 4 and can be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism 72. The shutter 74 also functions as a support member for mounting the mirror 75. The shutter 74 may be, for example, an aluminum shutter. A shutter similar to the shutter 74 may be provided on the entrance opening side of the car wash machine main body 4 together with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the shutter. In this case, the inside of the car wash machine main body 4 can be generally shielded from the outside (outside air) by lowering the two shutters provided on the entrance opening side and the exit opening side of the car wash machine main body 4. In other words, the shutter 74 may also have a function of reducing the possibility that the car wash device in the car wash machine main body 4 will freeze when the outside air at the car wash site is low.

[0028] The mirror 75 is attached to the inside of the car wash machine body of the shutter 74. For example, a mirror sheet can be used as the mirror 75. By using the mirror sheet, the possibility that the mirror 75 will be damaged due to impact or the like is reduced. In addition, the mirror sheet is easy to process and can be easily attached to the shutter 74. The mirror 75 may be divided to match the slits of the shutter 74.

[0029] When the shutter 74 is lowered (when the exit opening 35 is closed), the mirror 75 may be located in the entire area of ​​the exit opening 35 when the shutter 74 is viewed from the entrance side of the car wash machine main body 4. In this case, even if the control unit 71 does not move the shutter 74 up and down using the lifting mechanism 72 based on the vehicle height information of the vehicle X, the user can easily align the left and right positions when the vehicle enters the parking position, regardless of the size of the vehicle X.

[0030] The mirror 75 may be located in the lower half of the exit opening when the shutter 74 is viewed from the entrance side of the car wash machine main body 4 with the shutter 74 lowered. The area of ​​the mirror 75 may be 40% to 60% of the area of ​​the shutter 74 seen from the entrance side of the car wash machine main body 4 with the shutter 74 lowered. The mirror 75 may be configured, for example, with a width (left-right width) of 1.8 m to 2.2 m and a height (top-bottom width) of 1 m to 1.5 m. By limiting the area of ​​the mirror 75 attached to the shutter 74, it is possible to reduce the effort required for cleaning the mirror 75 when it becomes dirty. Furthermore, since the area of ​​the mirror 75 is limited, it is possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing the vehicle entry assistance device 7.

[0031] The lifting mechanism 72 is a winding type lifting mechanism that moves the shutter 74 up and down by winding or unwinding the shutter 74. The lifting mechanism 72 is equipped with a motor that winds or unwinds the shutter 74. By providing the lifting mechanism 72, when the mirror 75 is not required, such as during alignment, the shutter 74 can be moved upward, so that the shutter 74 does not interfere with the car wash or the passage of the vehicle X. In addition, since the lifting mechanism 72 is of the winding type, the shutter 74 can be housed compactly within the housing. In other words, a compact vehicle entry assistance device 7 can be realized.

[0032] The control unit 71 controls the vehicle entry assistance device 7. The control unit 71 is composed of a processor such as a CPU, and various controls are realized by executing a control program stored in a memory on the processor. The control unit 71 raises and lowers the shutter 74 and adjusts the vertical position by, for example, controlling the lifting mechanism 72. In other words, the control unit 71 controls the degree of movement of the shutter 74 in the vertical direction by controlling the lifting mechanism 72.

[0033] <Various sensors> 1 and 2, the vehicle entry assistance device 7 according to this embodiment further includes an entry position detection sensor 81 and a vehicle height sensor 82. The entry position detection sensor 81 and the vehicle height sensor 82 can be controlled by the control unit 71 of the vehicle entry assistance device 7, for example.

[0034] The entry position detection sensor 81 is a sensor that detects the entry position of the vehicle X. The entry position detection sensor 81 may be, for example, a plurality of photoelectric sensors that form an optical axis by opposing a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit in the vehicle width direction, and detect the presence or absence of a vehicle body by transmitting / blocking light of the optical axis. As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of photoelectric sensors are supported by brackets 80 that are provided so as to protrude forward from frames 8 on both sides of the car wash machine main body 4, and are arranged in the entry direction of the vehicle X. Alternatively, the entry position detection sensor 81 may be composed of a plurality of sensors provided, for example, on the ground G of the car wash between the remote panel 6 and the car wash machine main body 4. When the entry position detection sensor 81 is provided on the ground G of the car wash, it is necessary to provide the entry position detection sensor 81 with explosion-proofing treatment.

[0035] The control unit 71 can determine that the vehicle X has reached a specified stopping position P based on information acquired from a plurality of sensors. The control unit 71 can receive entry position information from the entry position detection sensor 81 via the communication unit 71A. The entry position information is information related to the entry position of the vehicle X, and may indicate, for example, the distance between the car wash machine main body 4 and the vehicle X.

[0036] The entry position detection sensor 81 may be configured to be able to communicate with the car wash control unit 44 of the car wash machine 2. When the presence of the vehicle X cannot be detected by one of the multiple sensors, the car wash control unit 44 may determine that the vehicle X is located behind the specified stopping position P in the traveling direction DA, and may provide guidance to the user to move the vehicle X forward. Alternatively, when the presence of the vehicle X is detected by another sensor, the car wash control unit 44 may determine that the vehicle X has passed the specified stopping position forward in the traveling direction DA, and may provide guidance to the user to move the vehicle X backward.

[0037] The vehicle height sensor 82 is a sensor that detects the vehicle height of the vehicle X. The vehicle height sensor 82 may be, for example, an area sensor including a plurality of photoelectric sensors aligned in the vertical direction and attached to the front side of the remote panel 6. Alternatively, in the case where a vehicle height gate for preventing the entry of a vehicle X higher than a predetermined vehicle height is installed in front of the remote panel 6, the vehicle height sensor 82 may be an ultrasonic sensor attached downward from the upper side of the vehicle height gate. In this case, the vehicle height can be measured by measuring the distance between the ultrasonic sensor and the body surface of the vehicle X. The position of the vehicle height sensor 82 is not limited to the vicinity of the remote panel 6, and may be, for example, independently provided on the ground G in the car wash in front of the remote panel 6. The vehicle height sensor 82 acquires vehicle height information, which is information related to the vehicle height of the vehicle X. When the control unit 71 receives information indicating that the car wash has been accepted from the car wash control unit 44 via the remote panel 6, the control unit 71 may cause the vehicle height sensor 82 to acquire the vehicle height information. The control unit 71 may receive the vehicle height information acquired by the vehicle height sensor 82 via the communication unit 71A.

[0038] <Vehicle entry assistance device control> Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the car wash machine 2. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 301 in Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a first state of the vehicle entry assistance device 7. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 302 in Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a second state of the vehicle entry assistance device 7. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control by the control unit 71 regarding the vehicle entry assistance operation by the vehicle entry assistance device 7.

[0039] The first state of the vehicle entry assistance device 7 is a state in which the shutter 74 closes part or all of the exit opening of the car wash machine main body 4 (closed state), and the mirror 75 is positioned ahead in the traveling direction of the vehicle X. In the first state, the shutter 74 covers at least a part of the exit opening of the car wash machine main body 4. In the "closed state", the shutter 74 only needs to cover at least a part of the exit opening of the car wash machine main body 4, and does not have to cover the entirety of the exit opening. The second state of the vehicle entry assistance device 7 is a state in which the shutter 74 is rolled up and the exit opening of the car wash machine main body 4 is open.

[0040] (Step S1) When information is received from the car wash control unit 44 of the car wash machine 2 indicating that the car wash of the vehicle that was being washed before vehicle X has been completed and that vehicle has exited the car wash machine 2, the control unit 71 of the vehicle entry assistance device 7 controls the lifting mechanism 72 to lower the shutter 74 (step S1). By executing step S1, the vehicle entry assistance device 7 enters the first state. The vertical position of the shutter 74 in the first state may be a position where the shutter 74 is lowered to the vicinity of the ground G. Alternatively, the shutter 74 may be lowered to a predetermined height above the ground G.

[0041] 3, in the first state, the mirror 75 can reflect the vehicle X. The driver can use the mirror 75 attached to the shutter 74 to check, for example, the distance between the side mirror of the vehicle X and the car wash machine main body 4, thereby adjusting the left-right position.

[0042] The trigger for the control unit 71 to execute step S1 is not limited to the above example. For example, the control unit 71 may execute step S1 when it receives information from the car wash control unit 44 indicating that the user of the vehicle X has started operating the remote panel 6.

[0043] In step S1, the control unit 71 may adjust the vertical position of the shutter 74 in the first state based on the vehicle height information of the vehicle X acquired from the vehicle height sensor 82. More specifically, the control unit 71 may determine the initial position of the first state based on the vehicle height information of the vehicle X acquired from the vehicle height sensor 82. The control unit 71 may maintain the initial position of the first state while the vehicle X is proceeding to a predetermined stopping position before washing the vehicle X. That is, the control unit 71 may control the vertical position of the shutter 74 while the vehicle X is proceeding to a predetermined stopping position before washing the vehicle X. This allows the position of the mirror 75 to be adjusted to an appropriate position according to the vehicle height of the vehicle X.

[0044] Furthermore, in step S1, the control unit 71 may change the vertical position of the shutter 74 while the vehicle X is proceeding to a predetermined stopping position before washing the vehicle X. Specifically, the control unit 71 may control the lifting mechanism 72 to adjust the vertical position of the shutter 74 in the first state according to the distance between the car wash machine main body 4 and the vehicle X indicated by the entry position information acquired from the entry position detection sensor 81. For example, the control unit 71 may control the lifting mechanism 72 to move the shutter 74 upward as the distance between the car wash machine main body 4 and the vehicle X becomes closer.

[0045] As the vehicle X approaches the car wash machine main body, the area of ​​the mirror that the driver can see gradually moves upward. By gradually moving the shutter 74 upward as the vehicle X approaches the stopping position, the time required to wind up the shutter 74 after the vehicle X stops at the stopping position can be shortened. Also, if the position where the mirror 75 is attached on the shutter 74 is limited, the mirror 75 can be adjusted to a position appropriate for the driver depending on the distance between the vehicle X and the car wash machine main body 4.

[0046] (Step 2) After lowering the shutter 74 to the first state, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the vehicle X has reached the stop position P (step S2). Specifically, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the vehicle X has reached the stop position P based on the entry position information received from the entry position detection sensor 81.

[0047] The control unit 71 controls the lifting mechanism 72 to maintain the first state while the vehicle X proceeds to the stopping position P. Since the mirror 75 is maintained in a state in front of the vehicle X until the vehicle X moves to the stopping position P, the driver can easily align the left and right positions.

[0048] (Step 3) When the control unit 71 determines that the vehicle X has reached the stop position (S2: YES), the control unit 71 controls the lifting mechanism 72 to raise the shutter 74. This puts the vehicle entry assistance device 7 into the second state (step S3).

[0049] As shown by the symbol 302 in Figure 3, by setting the vehicle entry assistance device 7 to the second state and opening the opening before the car wash is started by the car wash machine main body 4, the possibility of the car wash operation being interfered with can be reduced.

[0050] When step S3 is completed, the control unit 71 ends the series of controls.

[0051] When the vehicle entry assist operation of steps S1 to S3 described above is completed, the control unit 71 may transmit information indicating that the vehicle entry assist operation is completed to the car wash control unit 44 of the car wash machine 2. When the car wash control unit 44 receives the information, it may control each unit to perform a car wash.

[0052] By providing the vehicle entry assistance device 7, the car wash machine 2 can be realized in such a way that the vehicle X can be easily positioned in the center of the car wash machine main body 4 in the width direction.

[0053] (Modification 1: Modification regarding acquisition of vehicle height information) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the initial position of the first state is determined based on vehicle height information acquired by the vehicle height sensor 82. In Modification 1, an example will be described in which the vehicle height information is input by a user of the vehicle via the remote panel 6. The user includes the driver.

[0054] The user of the vehicle may input the vehicle height information of the vehicle X via the remote panel 6.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a front view showing an example of the operation panel type remote panel 6 provided in the car wash machine 2 shown in FIG.

[0056] For example, the remote panel 6 may have a configuration in which the housing 46 is mounted on a support 48 so as to be movable up and down, as shown in Fig. 5. The remote panel 6 has an elevation device (not shown) built into the support 48, and is configured to be able to move up and down between a lowering end H0 and an upper end H1 by pressing an up button 62a or a down button 62b. The up button 62a and the down button 62b are collectively referred to as the up and down button 62.

[0057] When the lift button 62 is pressed, it may operate in simple lift or in inching lift. In simple lift, pressing the lift button lifts or lowers between the lower end and the upper end. That is, in the case of simple lift, when the lift button 62 is pressed, the remote panel 6 moves to the upper or lower end even if the lift button 62 is released. Even if the lift button 62 is released, the remote panel 6 continues to move until it reaches the upper or lower end, but the height of the remote panel 6 cannot be finely adjusted.

[0058] On the other hand, inching lifting / lowering moves the remote panel 6 between the lower end and the upper end only while the lift button 62 is being pressed. That is, in the case of inching lifting / lowering, the remote panel 6 moves up and down only while the lift button 62 is being pressed. This allows subtle adjustment of the height of the remote panel 6.

[0059] The control unit 71 may obtain information based on the height H of the remote panel 6, which is adjusted by pressing the lift button 62, as vehicle height information.

[0060] Note that the input of vehicle height information by the user is not limited to the above-mentioned input based on pressing the lift button 62. For example, the user may select from a range of options related to the vehicle height.

[0061] The control unit 71 controls the vertical position of the shutter 74 while the vehicle X is moving to a predetermined stopping position before washing the vehicle X, based on the vehicle height information of the vehicle X input by the user via the remote panel 6. This allows the position of the mirror 75 to be adjusted to an appropriate position according to the vehicle height of the vehicle X.

[0062] (Modification 2: Modification of surface material) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the surface material provided on the outside of the outlet opening of the car wash machine main body 4 is the shutter 74, but the surface material is not limited to a shutter. For example, the surface material may be a vinyl curtain. When the surface material is a vinyl curtain, a mirror 75 is attached to the curtain on the inside side of the car wash machine main body 4, as in the above embodiment 1. The mirror 75 may be, for example, a mirror tape.

[0063] (Variation 3: Cleaning of mirror 75 with side brush) The car wash machine main body 4 includes a side brush 16. The car wash control unit 44 of the car wash machine 2 may control the side brush 16 to cause the side brush 16 to wash the mirror 75.

[0064] The upper end of the side brush 16 is supported by the car wash machine body 4 via a support mechanism (not shown), and the side brush 16 can swing in the front-rear direction. The side brush 16 may also be provided with a holding mechanism (not shown) that can hold the rotation axis (e.g., an axis along the up-down direction) of the side brush 16 at a predetermined swing angle. The holding mechanism holds the side brush 16 in a position (swing angle) that allows the side brush 16 to wash the mirror 75, and the mirror 75 can be washed.

[0065] If the car wash machine 2 is not provided with a holding mechanism, the side brush 16 may be disposed near the outlet opening.

[0066] By cleaning the mirror 75 with the side brush 16, visibility for the driver can be improved.

[0067] [Embodiment 2] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals will be given to members having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0068] Fig. 6 is a schematic side view of a car wash machine 2A according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 7 is a schematic front view of a vehicle entry assistance device 7A according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] 6 and 7, in the car wash machine 2A, the vehicle entry assistance device 7A is different from the first embodiment in that the lifting mechanism 72 is not attached to the car wash machine main body 4. The lifting mechanism 72 is installed on the ground G and is attached to a frame 76 through which the vehicle X can pass. This makes it easy to perform maintenance of the vehicle entry assistance device 7.

[0070] The frame body 76 includes a pair of frame portions 76A standing in the vertical direction, and a ceiling portion 76B connecting the upper portions of the pair of frame portions 76 A. The space formed by the pair of frame portions 76A and the ceiling portion 76B is rectangular in front view, but is not limited thereto as long as the vehicle X can pass through.

[0071] In the car wash machine 2A, the lifting mechanism 72 is attached to the frame 76. Therefore, even when the control unit 71 determines that the vehicle X has reached the stopping position P (step S2: YES in the first embodiment), it is not necessary for the control unit 71 to control the lifting mechanism 72 to move the shutter 74 from the first state to the second state. The control unit 71 may control the lifting mechanism 72 to move the shutter 74 from the first state to the second state after the washing of the vehicle X is completed. This allows the vehicle X that has finished washing to pass through the frame 76.

[0072] [Additional Notes] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, 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 the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 2, 2A car wash machine 4 Car wash machine body 44 Car wash control unit 44A Communications Department 6 Remote Panel 7, 7A Vehicle approach aid device 71 Control Unit 71A Communications Department 72 Lifting mechanism 73 Guide Rail 74 Shutter (surface material) 75 Mirror 76 Frame 81 Entry position detection sensor 82 Vehicle height sensor

Claims

1. A surface material provided on the outside of an outlet opening of a car wash body that washes a vehicle by moving relative to the vehicle in a forward / rearward direction; A lifting mechanism for moving the surface material in a vertical direction; A mirror attached to the inner side of the car wash machine body of the surface material; A control unit that controls the lifting mechanism.

2. When a state in which the panel covers at least a portion of the exit opening and the mirror is positioned forward in the traveling direction of the vehicle is defined as a first state, The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the lifting mechanism so that the first state is maintained while the vehicle is moving until the vehicle reaches a predetermined stopping position before the vehicle is washed.

3. 3. The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 2, wherein when the vehicle stops at the stopping position, the control unit controls the lifting mechanism to move the panel upward from the first state to a second state in which the exit opening is open.

4. 2. The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the mirror is located in a lower half area of ​​the exit opening when the panel is viewed from the entrance side of the car wash machine body while the exit opening is closed by the panel.

5. The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit controls the lifting mechanism to adjust the vertical position of the panel in the first state in accordance with a distance between the vehicle and the car wash machine body.

6. 2. The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the panel is a shutter or a curtain, and the lifting mechanism is a winding type lifting mechanism.

7. The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism is attached to the car wash machine body.

8. The vehicle entry assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism is attached to a frame that is installed on the ground and allows the vehicle to pass through.

9. A car wash comprising a vehicle entry assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A remote panel is provided for operation by a user of the vehicle. The car wash machine according to claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the vertical position of the surface material while the vehicle is moving to a predetermined stopping position before washing the vehicle, based on vehicle height information of the vehicle input by the user via the remote panel.

11. The vehicle includes a remote panel operated by a user of the vehicle, and a vehicle height sensor. When a request for a car wash is received via the remote panel, vehicle height information of the vehicle is acquired by the vehicle height sensor, The car wash machine according to claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the vertical position of the surface material while the vehicle is moving until it reaches a predetermined stopping position before the vehicle is washed, based on the vehicle height information.

12. A car wash control unit that controls the car wash machine body, The car wash machine body includes a pair of left and right side brushes for cleaning the sides of the vehicle, The car wash machine according to claim 9 , wherein the car wash control unit causes the side brush to wash the mirror.

Images