Cleaning equipment

Abstract

To materialize cleaning equipment that may reduce water splash to the surroundings.SOLUTION: Cleaning equipment comprises: a first sensor (2) that acquires first information related to a vehicle width of a vehicle; a cleaning equipment main body (3) including a plurality of nozzles; and a control unit (4). The cleaning equipment main body (3) includes a pole (32) and a horizontal portion (33). The plurality of nozzles (31) are arrayed in a horizontal direction in a horizontal portion (33), and a jet direction of outside nozzles (31A) located in at least both ends is adjustable with respect to a width direction of the vehicle. The control unit (4) determines the jet direction of an outside nozzle (31A) on the basis of the first information from the first sensor (2).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing device for washing a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Various washing devices have been developed for washing specialized vehicles such as trucks, compactors, and construction vehicles. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a car washing device primarily for washing the tracks of construction vehicles such as hydraulic excavators and bulldozers. The car washing device described in Patent Document 1 washes the vehicle by a car washing robot having a spray nozzle that can be raised and lowered and swiveled, spraying water while reciprocating along a track surrounding the vehicle. The car washing device described in Patent Document 1 also discloses a configuration in which the spray range from the spray nozzle is changed based on data related to the dimensions of the hydraulic excavator's traveling gear, which is input into an operation control device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-127344 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can reduce water splashing to the surrounding area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, a cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first sensor that acquires first information regarding the width of a vehicle, a cleaning device main body having a plurality of nozzles that spray cleaning liquid onto the vehicle from the front or rear, and a control unit, wherein the cleaning device main body includes a support and a horizontal portion supported by the support, the plurality of nozzles are arranged horizontally on the horizontal portion, and the spray direction of at least the outer nozzles located at both ends is configured to be adjustable in the width direction of the vehicle, and the control unit determines the spray direction of the outer nozzles based on the first information from the first sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a cleaning device capable of reducing water splashing to the surroundings can be realized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic top view of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic front view of a cleaning device main body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The vehicle to be cleaned by the cleaning device according to the present disclosure may be a specialized vehicle such as a truck or a garbage truck. Such specialized vehicles are available in a variety of capacities, and their widths vary greatly depending on the capacity. If a cleaning device is designed to be suitable for large vehicles in order to be versatile for such specialized vehicles, when cleaning a small vehicle, a large amount of cleaning liquid will splash around without hitting the vehicle directly.

[0009] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0010] <Overview of cleaning equipment> In this embodiment, a washing apparatus 100 for washing a vehicle X will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the washing apparatus 100. FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the washing apparatus 100. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the washing apparatus main body 3 of the washing apparatus 100. In this specification and drawings, the xyz coordinate system is defined so that the xy plane is a horizontal plane. The x-axis direction is the traveling direction of the vehicle X, and the y-axis direction is the width direction of the vehicle X. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the washing apparatus 100. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the vehicle X is a truck, but the vehicle X is not limited to a truck and may be a compactor truck.

[0011] The washing device 100 of this embodiment includes a vehicle width sensor 2, a washing device main body 3, and a control unit 4. The control unit 4 controls each component of the washing device main body 3. The control unit 4 may be provided in the washing device main body 3, or may be located outside the washing device main body 3. The control unit 4 may control the washing device main body 3 by transmitting and receiving information between the washing device main body 3 and various sensors described below using a communication device (not shown) or the like. The control unit 4 is configured with a processor such as a CPU, for example, and each control is realized by executing a control program stored in memory on the processor.

[0012] The vehicle width sensor 2 is an example of a first sensor according to the present disclosure. The vehicle width sensor 2 is a sensor that acquires first information related to the vehicle width of the vehicle X. The vehicle width sensor 2 may include two sensors 21. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two sensors 21 included in the vehicle width sensor 2 may be respectively attached to support bases 20 installed on both sides of the vehicle X in the width direction. Each of the sensors 21 may be a reflective optical sensor that is capable of measuring the distance from the sensor 21 to the side of the vehicle X. In other words, the sensor 21 may be capable of acquiring distance information related to the distance between the sensor 21 and the vehicle X. The distance information is an example of first information according to the present disclosure.

[0013] The washing device main body 3 is equipped with a plurality of nozzles 31 that spray washing liquid onto the vehicle X from the front or rear of the vehicle X. By spraying washing liquid from the plurality of nozzles 31, the washing device main body 3 can wash the front or rear of the vehicle X that is parked facing forward or backward relative to the washing device main body 3. Furthermore, if the vehicle X is a compactor truck, the washing device main body 3 can wash the interior of the compactor truck with its rear lid open. The washing device main body 3 includes a support 32 and a horizontal portion 33 supported by the support 32, and the plurality of nozzles 31 are arranged horizontally on the horizontal portion 33. The plurality of nozzles 31 include two outer nozzles 31A located on both sides in the horizontal direction and at least one inner nozzle 31B sandwiched between the two outer nozzles 31A.

[0014] The outer nozzle 31A is configured so that the spray direction can be adjusted in the width direction of the vehicle X. The outer nozzle 31A may also be swingable in the horizontal direction.

[0015] The spray direction of the inner nozzle 31B may be fixed or may be configured to be adjustable in the width direction of the vehicle X. The inner nozzle 31B may also be swiveled horizontally. If the spray direction of the inner nozzle 31B is fixed, nozzles with a simple structure in which the spray direction is fixed can be used for the multiple nozzles 31 included in the washer main body 3, except for the outer nozzle 31A. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the washer. The swiveling inner nozzle 31B enables higher quality car washing.

[0016] 2 and 3, the support pillars 32 may be a pair of support pillars erected on both sides in the width direction of the vehicle X. Furthermore, the horizontal portion 33 may be installed between the pair of two support pillars 32.

[0017] The horizontal section 33 may be supported by the support column 32 so as to be movable up and down. The washing device main body 3 may include a drive mechanism (not shown) that moves the horizontal section 33 up and down along the Z-axis direction. The drive mechanism may be controlled by the control unit 4. The control unit 4 controls the drive mechanism so that the horizontal section 33 moves up and down in the Z-axis direction. Washing the vehicle X while the horizontal section 33 moves up and down enables higher quality car washing.

[0018] (Regarding control of the control unit) The control unit 4 determines the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A based on first information regarding the width of the vehicle X from the vehicle width sensor 2. The outer nozzle 31A is located on the outside of the multiple nozzles arranged in the width direction, and is therefore the nozzle that has the greatest impact on splashing water onto the surroundings when washing a vehicle with a narrow width. By being able to adjust the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A based on the first information regarding the vehicle width, it is possible to perform control to reduce splashing water onto the surroundings depending on the vehicle width. If the vehicle X is a compactor truck, reducing splashing water onto the surroundings when washing the back or interior, which are often soiled, also reduces contamination of the surroundings.

[0019] More specifically, the control unit 4 may control the outer nozzle 31A based on the first information from the vehicle width sensor 2 so that the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A is directed toward the surface to be washed of the vehicle X. By controlling the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A so that it is directed toward the surface to be washed of the vehicle X, splashing of the cleaning liquid sprayed from the cleaning device 100 to the surrounding area can be significantly reduced.

[0020] The control unit 4 may include a vehicle width calculation unit 41 as shown in FIG. 4, as needed. The vehicle width calculation unit 41 may calculate the vehicle width of the vehicle X from the distance information acquired from the two sensors 21. The distance information is an example of the first information according to the present disclosure. The control unit 4 may control the outer nozzle 31A based on the calculated vehicle width so that the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A is directed toward the surface to be cleaned of the vehicle X. In this specification, the spray direction refers to the main spray direction of the nozzle. To explain the outer nozzle 31A more specifically, if the outer nozzle 31A is a nozzle having a spray angle θ as shown in FIG. 2 when viewed from above, the spray direction refers to the direction of a line that bisects the spray angle θ.

[0021] The control unit 4 controls the jet direction of the outer nozzle 31A based on the width of the vehicle X so that it is directed toward the surface to be cleaned of the vehicle X, thereby significantly reducing water splashing to the surrounding area.

[0022] The control unit 4 may include a vehicle position deriving unit 42 as needed. The vehicle position deriving unit 42 can derive the position of the vehicle X relative to the washing device main body 3 from the distance information from the two sensors 21. The control unit 4 may control the outer nozzle 31A so that the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A is directed toward the surface of the vehicle X to be washed, based on the calculated vehicle width and / or position of the vehicle X. This configuration makes it possible to more accurately grasp the position of the vehicle X in the width direction relative to the washing device 100. This allows for more accurate control of the spray direction of the outer nozzle 31A, significantly reducing water splashing to the surrounding area.

[0023] The control unit 4 may include a swing angle determination unit 43 as needed. The swing angle determination unit 43 may determine a horizontal swing angle A of the outer nozzle 31A based on the vehicle width calculated by the vehicle width calculation unit 41 and / or the position of the vehicle X calculated by the vehicle position derivation unit 42. The horizontal swing angle refers to the angle formed between the outermost jetting direction and the innermost jetting direction of the outer nozzle 31A performing a swing operation when viewed from above. Specifically, the swing angle determination unit 43 may determine the swing angle A so that the jetting direction when the outer nozzle 31A is jetting most outward during the swing operation is directed toward the surface to be cleaned of the vehicle X.

[0024] The control unit 4 may control the horizontal swinging motion of the outer nozzle 31A based on the swing angle A determined by the swing angle determination unit 43. By controlling the swinging motion of the outer nozzle 31A based on the swing angle A determined by the swing angle determination unit 43, the washing device 100 can wash the vehicle X while swinging and spraying the washing liquid in accordance with the width of the vehicle X. This enables car washing with improved washing performance while reducing water splashing to the surrounding area.

[0025] The swing angle determination unit 43 may determine the horizontal swing angle B of the inner nozzle 31B based on the vehicle width calculated by the vehicle width calculation unit 41 and / or the position of the vehicle X calculated by the vehicle position derivation unit 42. The control unit 4 may control the horizontal swing operation of the inner nozzle 31B based on the swing angle B determined by the swing angle determination unit 43. By controlling the operation of the outer nozzle 31A and the inner nozzle 31B based on the swing angle A of the outer nozzle 31A and the swing angle B of the inner nozzle 31B, higher quality washing is possible.

[0026] The washing device 100 may include a vehicle height sensor 5. The vehicle height sensor 5 is an example of a second sensor according to the present disclosure. The vehicle height sensor 5 is a sensor that acquires second information related to the vehicle height of the vehicle X. The type and installation location of the vehicle height sensor 5 are not particularly limited as long as the sensor is capable of acquiring the second information related to the vehicle height of the vehicle X. For example, the vehicle height sensor 5 may be a sensor that can acquire vehicle height data of the vehicle X. The vehicle height data is an example of the second information. The vehicle height sensor 5 may be attached to the upper part of the support pillar 32.

[0027] The control unit 4 may determine the lifting / lowering operation range of the horizontal unit 33 based on vehicle height data from the vehicle height sensor 5. Specifically, the control unit 4 may include a lifting / lowering operation control unit 44. The lifting / lowering operation control unit 44 may lift / lower the horizontal unit 33 within the vehicle height range of the vehicle X by controlling the drive mechanism based on the vehicle height data from the vehicle height sensor 5.

[0028] The washing device 100 moves the horizontal section 33 up and down within a range according to the height of the vehicle X, thereby achieving high-quality car washing with reduced splashing of water to the surrounding area.

[0029] 〔summary〕 (1) A cleaning device according to aspect 1 of the present disclosure includes a first sensor that acquires first information regarding the width of a vehicle, a cleaning device main body having a plurality of nozzles that spray cleaning liquid onto the vehicle from the front or rear, and a control unit, wherein the cleaning device main body includes a support and a horizontal portion supported by the support, the plurality of nozzles are arranged horizontally on the horizontal portion, and the spray direction of at least the outer nozzles located at both ends is configured to be adjustable in the width direction of the vehicle, and the control unit determines the spray direction of the outer nozzles based on the first information from the first sensor.

[0030] With this configuration, the spray direction of the cleaning liquid sprayed from the outer nozzle, which has the greatest impact on splashing water to the surrounding area, can be adjusted according to the vehicle width.

[0031] (2) In a cleaning device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure, in the first aspect, the control unit determines the spray direction of the outer nozzle so that the spray direction is directed toward the surface of the vehicle to be cleaned.

[0032] This configuration can reduce splashing of cleaning liquid onto the surroundings regardless of the width of the vehicle being washed. If vehicle X is a compactor truck, splashing of water onto the surroundings can be reduced when cleaning the back or interior, which are often soiled, thereby reducing contamination of the surroundings.

[0033] (3) A cleaning device according to aspect 3 of the present disclosure is the cleaning device of aspect 1 or 2 above, wherein the outer nozzle is oscillating horizontally, and the control unit determines the angle of the horizontal oscillation based on the first information.

[0034] This configuration allows the swing angle of the swingable outer nozzle to be determined taking into account the width of the vehicle, enabling car washing with improved cleaning performance while reducing water splashing to the surrounding area.

[0035] (4) A cleaning device according to aspect 4 of the present disclosure is, in any of aspects 1 to 3 above, further provided with a second sensor that acquires second information regarding the height of the vehicle, the horizontal section being supported on the support so that it can be raised and lowered, and the control section determining the range of lifting and lowering operation of the horizontal section based on the second information from the second sensor.

[0036] This configuration allows the horizontal section to be raised and lowered within a range according to the vehicle height, enabling high-quality car washing with reduced splashing of water to the surrounding area.

[0037] (5) A washing device according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the washing device of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the support pillars are a pair of support pillars erected on both sides in the width direction of the vehicle. This configuration makes it possible to realize a washing device that can reduce splashing of water to the surrounding area with a simple structure.

[0038] (6) A washing device according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the vehicle is a compactor or truck. This makes it possible to wash vehicles such as compactors and trucks, whose widths vary greatly depending on their size, with reduced splashing of water.

[0039] The present invention 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 invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 100 Cleaning equipment 2. Vehicle width sensor (first sensor) 3. Cleaning device body 4. Control section 5. Vehicle height sensor (second sensor) 31 Nozzle 31A...Outer nozzle 31B...Inner nozzle 32...post 33...Horizontal part

Claims

1. a first sensor configured to acquire first information related to a vehicle width; a cleaning device body having a plurality of nozzles for spraying cleaning liquid onto the vehicle from the front or rear; a control unit; The cleaning device body includes: a support column and a horizontal portion supported by the support column, the plurality of nozzles are arranged in a horizontal direction in the horizontal portion, and the spray direction of at least the outer nozzles located at both ends is configured to be adjustable in the width direction of the vehicle, The control unit determines a spray direction of the outer nozzle based on the first information from the first sensor.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines the spray direction such that the spray direction of the outer nozzle is directed toward the surface of the vehicle to be cleaned.

3. The outer nozzle is horizontally pivotable, The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines an angle of the horizontal swing based on the first information.

4. a second sensor configured to acquire second information regarding the height of the vehicle; The horizontal portion is supported on the support column so as to be movable up and down, The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines a lifting and lowering operation range of the horizontal unit based on the second information from the second sensor.

5. The washing device according to claim 1 , wherein the support pillars are a pair of support pillars provided on both sides in the width direction of the vehicle.

6. The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle is a garbage truck or a truck.

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