Method of automatically washing vehicles and apparatus for the same

While a portal frame is reciprocated longitudinally of a vehicle body to be washed, a lifting/lowering drum is lifted/lowered to allow an upper nozzle to follow the outer surface of the vehicle body with a predetermined distance and the upper nozzle is laterally moved to inject a washing liquid therefrom, side nozzles are lifted/lowered to inject a washing liquid on the side surfaces of the vehicle body therefrom. In the first going operation of the portal frame, a plurality of photo-sensors disposed vertically which are provided on the front portion of the portal frame detects the vehicle body and information from the photo-sensors is stored in time sequence to perform a comparative operation with the previously set information, thereby controlling the movement of the portal frame, lifting/lowering of the lifting/lowering drum, the lateral movement of the upper nozzle and lifting/lowering of the side nozzles according to each portion of the vehicle body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED STATEMENT 
The present invention relates to a method of automatically washing vehicles 
wherein a vehicle body is washed without a brush, and an apparatus for the 
same. 
There have been known techniques of washing a vehicle body using water 
jetted on the vehicle body in place of a rotary brush, for example, those 
disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Nos. HEI 1-178051 and 
HEI 3-220050. 
This related technique includes the steps of reciprocating a portal frame 
in front of and behind a vehicle body to be washed and simultaneously 
lifting/lowering a lifting/lowering drum disposed on the upper portion of 
the portal frame for allowing an upper nozzle provided on the 
lifting/lowering drum to follow the outer surface of the vehicle body to 
be separated from the vehicle body with a specified interval, moving the 
upper nozzle laterally and jetting washing liquid composed of water, 
detergent, wax or the combination thereof from the upper nozzle; 
meanwhile, lifting/lowering side nozzles disposed on the right and left 
side portions of the portal frame, and jetting washing liquid on the side 
surfaces of the vehicle body from the side nozzles. The above vehicle 
washing steps include scattering of detergent, water washing (containing 
wax), water washing, drying and the like. Various courses are set by the 
combination of these steps, and the portal frame is reciprocated one time 
for the short course, and is reciprocated two times for the long course. 
In the vehicle washing actions in each course, the outer surface of a 
vehicle body is detected by sensors for controlling the orientation of 
each nozzle, so that the upper nozzle, the side nozzles and the like are 
usually disposed at the optimal positions with respect to the vehicle body 
for effectively performing the work. 
As the above sensor, in place of a contact type which has the fear of 
damaging a vehicle body, a non-contact type such as a photo-sensor is 
adopted. The detection signal from the photo-sensor is delayed for a 
specified time, and a control command is transmitted to a drive system 
including the upper nozzle, side nozzles and the like. Moreover, the 
detection for the vehicle body is made for each going or returning 
operation of the portal frame. 
The lateral movement distance of the upper nozzle provided on the 
lifting/lowering drum is usually constant; accordingly, in an automatic 
vehicle washing apparatus for an automobile, the movement distance is set 
to correspond to a large-sized vehicle, and also to be applicable for a 
light four-wheel vehicle. 
The upper nozzle has two types in terms of the jetting fixture: one type 
has one jetting fixture usually taken in a downward posture; and the other 
type has three jetting fixtures taken in a downward posture, a forwardly 
and downwardly inclined posture, and a rearwardly and downwardly posture, 
which are selectively used one after another. Water used in the upper 
nozzle and the side nozzles is supplied from a water tank disposed outside 
the portal frame by way of a water jetting hose and a high pressure hose. 
Moreover, the maintenance for the equipments disposed within the right and 
left side portions of the portal frame is carried out through doors 
provided on the outer surfaces of the side portions. 
In the above-described related technique, since the portal frame is 
required to detect a vehicle body at the time of the going and returning 
operations, it must be provided with the sensors used for each of the 
going and returning operations; and further, since the sensors are 
separated from the nozzles, it is difficult to accurately detect a vehicle 
body. Moreover, in the case that the sensors for detecting a vehicle body 
are broken down, the detection for a vehicle body becomes impossible, 
which causes the fear that the lifting/lowering drum or moving base 
collides with the vehicle body. The side nozzles are lifted/lowered 
usually at a constant speed; accordingly, when the height of the portion 
of a vehicle body to be washed is high and the moving stroke is long, 
there is generated the portion in which the supply of a washing liquid is 
insufficient, resulting in the nonuniformity of the washing. 
The lateral moving distance of the upper nozzle is made usually constant, 
and accordingly, in the case of washing for a small-sized vehicle such as 
a light four-wheel vehicle, there occurs the waste of washing liquid and 
each action. Moreover, one upper nozzle directed downwardly makes it 
difficult to jet water on the inclined portion of a vehicle body with the 
optimal angle; and three of the upper nozzles complicate the structure and 
cause an inconvenience that there remains a portion in which the washing 
liquid is not supplied upon switching thereof. 
Additionally, water is easily supplied to the water tank; however, since it 
must be supplied to the portal frame by way of the high pressure hose, 
there occurs leakage of water, reduction in pressure and the like, which 
makes it difficult to optimally supply water to the nozzles, so that it is 
required to ensure a space where the water tank is disposed outside the 
portal frame. Moreover, spaces where the doors are opened/closed and a 
person goes in and out is required to be provided outside the right and 
left side portions of the portal frame, which excessively increases the 
whole installation area necessary for the automatic vehicle washing 
apparatus. 
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An important object of the present invention is to detect the information 
on a vehicle body in time sequence by means of a vehicle detecting means 
disposed on a portal frame to be extended long in the vertical direction, 
and recognize the vehicle-type of a vehicle body during only one 
reciprocation of the portal frame and hence to accurately move an upper 
nozzle, side nozzles and the like with respect to the vehicle body on the 
basis of the recognized vehicle-type in the midway or after the detection. 
Another important object of the present invention is to lift/lower side 
nozzles according to the height of a portion of a vehicle body to be 
washed, that is, lift/lower the side nozzles at a high speed when the 
portion to be washed is high, and lift/lower the side nozzles when the 
portion is low, and hence to eliminate the nonuniformity of washing by 
changing the lifting/lowering speed of the side nozzles even when the 
height of the portion of the vehicle body to be washed is changed and the 
lifting/lowering stroke is varied. 
A further important object of the present invention is to dispose a vehicle 
detecting means composed of photo-sensors arranged long in the vertical 
direction on a portal frame for detecting the information on the vehicle 
body in time sequence, and recognize the vehicle-type during only one 
reciprocation of the portal frame, and hence to accurately move an upper 
nozzle, side nozzles and the like with respect to the vehicle body on the 
basis of the recognized vehicle-type in the midway or after the detection. 
A specific object of the present invention is to provide a collision 
preventive means on a moving base for avoiding the collision of a 
lifting/lowering drum, the moving base, an upper nozzle and the like with 
the vehicle body by detecting the vehicle body even when a vehicle 
detecting means is broken out for any reason or part of the vehicle body 
is difficult to be detected. 
Another specific object of the present invention is to set a plurality of 
the right and left moving distances of an upper nozzle to be selected, and 
hence to lower the waste of a washing agent and each action by changing 
the moving distance of the upper nozzle according to the magnitude of the 
width of the vehicle body. 
A further specific object of the present invention is to continuously 
inject a washing liquid on each portion of a vehicle body with a suitable 
angle by rotating the main body of an upper nozzle having one injecting 
fixture around a lateral shaft for changing the posture of the upper 
nozzle using the injecting fixture. 
Still a further specific object of the present invention is to dispose 
water tanks and water injecting pumps in both side portions of a portal 
frame and provide doors for maintenance within the side portions of the 
portal frame, and hence to reduce the whole installation area necessary 
for the apparatus and suppress the leakage of water, reduction in pressure 
and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with 
reference to the drawings. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an automatic vehicle washing apparatus 1 has a 
portal frame 3 which is formed in a portal shape having both side portions 
and an upper portion connecting the above side portions to each other. The 
portal frame 3 is movable relative to a vehicle body 2 to be washed in 
such a manner as to be laid across and cover the vehicle body 2, and which 
mounts all of equipments necessary for vehicle washing. The portal frame 3 
is capable of running along rails 23 at a specified speed by drive of 
wheels 25 using running mechanisms 22 provided on the bottoms of both side 
portions. The portal frame 3 is provided with a vehicle detecting means 4 
for detecting the outer surface of the vehicle body 2, a lifting/lowering 
drum 6 liftably provided, a moving base 7 provided on the lifting/lowering 
drum 6 so as to be laterally movable, an upper nozzle 8 for washing which 
is provided on the moving base 7, a pair of both side nozzles 9 for 
washing which are liftably provided on the both side portions of the 
portal frame 3, various drive equipments, tanks and the like. Moreover, an 
operating panel 21 is provided on one front side surface of the portal 
frame 3. The vehicle detecting means 4 has a plurality of photo-sensors 11 
which are vertically arranged. The photo-sensors 11 are so constructed 
that light emitting devices 11A are provided on one of both side portions 
of the portal frame 3 and light receiving devices 11B are provided on the 
other side portion of the portal frame 3 for detecting the presence of the 
vehicle body 2 using the linearity of light. 
In FIG. 1 and FIGS. 6 to 8, as for the photo-sensors 11, 24 pieces of the 
light emitting devices 11A are vertically arranged, and the light 
receiving devices 11B are changed from the on-state to the off-state when 
the lights from the light emitting devices 11A are shielded by the vehicle 
body 2. In this case, the boundary between the on-state and off-state of 
the photo-sensors 11 vertically provided corresponds to the height of the 
upper surface of the vehicle body 2. Moreover, along with the running of 
the portal frame 3 to the vehicle body 2, one of the light receiving 
devices 11B is changed with time from the on-state to the off-state. Thus, 
the time sequential change in the boundary between the on-state and the 
off-state of the photo-sensors 11 corresponds to the front or reap surface 
of the vehicle body 2, and the vertical and time-sequential change in the 
boundary between the on-state and off-state of the photo-sensors 11 
corresponds to the inclined surface of vehicle body. FIG. 6 shows an 
example of reading-out the vehicle-type for a passenger car; and FIG. 7 
shows an example of reading-out of the vehicle-type for a truck. 
The information from the photo-sensors 11 is stored in a memory unit A of a 
computer 30 in time sequence. The computer 30 has a set information unit B 
in which the set information on vehicle washing is programmed, a 
processing unit C for reading-out the information from the memory unit A 
on the basis of the set information programmed in the set information unit 
B and supplying a control signal to each equipment of the automatic 
vehicle washing apparatus 1, and an error memory unit L. These units A, B 
and C constitute a vehicle-type recognizing means 5. Additionally, the 
memory in the memory unit A is reset by pushing of a start button. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIGS. 9 and 10, the lifting/lowering drum 6 is 
formed in a square box shape, which is connected at the right and left end 
portions to chains 32 of drum lifting/lowering mechanisms 31 disposed 
within both side portions of the portal frame 3, and which is 
lifted/lowered by drive of motors 33. Numerals 34U and 34D indicate upper 
and lower sensors for setting the lifting/lowering range of the 
lifting/lowering drum 6. 
The moving base 7 is provided within the lifting/lowering drum 6 in such a 
manner as to be movable laterally (widthwise to the vehicle body 2) 
through guide rails 35. Numeral 36 indicates a timing belt connected to 
the moving base 7, which is wound around a pulley and intended to be 
driven by a motor 37 or the like. A pair of right and left sensors 14, 
which are provided within the lifting/lowering drum 6, are operated to 
reverse the rotation of the motor 37 directly or after an elapse of a 
specified time since the operation of the sensors 14. The above timing 
belt 36, sensors 14 and the motor 37 constitute a drive mechanism 15 for 
smoothly reciprocating the moving base 7 at a high speed. 
In the above moving base drive mechanism 15, when the motor 37 is reversed 
directly after the operation of the sensors 14, the moving range of the 
moving base 7, that is, the moving distance of the upper nozzle 8 becomes 
a range J shown in FIG. 1; meanwhile, when the motor 37 is reversed after 
an elapse of a specified time since the operation of the sensors 14 by way 
of a timer or a delay circuit, the moving distance of the upper nozzle 8 
becomes a range L longer than the above range J by a specified value. 
Thus, for the upper nozzle 8, two types of the moving distances can be set 
to correspond to the widths of the two types of vehicular bodies 2. 
The selection of the moving range of the moving base 7 by the moving base 
drive mechanism 15 may be manually inputted in the set information unit B 
at the time of setting the vehicle washing course. However, as shown in 
FIG. 1, it is desirable that a pair of right and left contact or 
non-contact type body width sensors 39 are provided on the front portion 
of the lower surface of the lifting/lowering drum 6, whereby the body 
width is automatically detected and the detection signal is inputted into 
the set information unit B, and when the vehicle width is more than a 
specified value, the moving base is set to be reciprocated within the 
range K. In addition, by provision of a plurality of pairs of right and 
left sensors 14 and 39, three or more kinds of the moving distances can be 
set for the upper nozzle 8. 
In the moving base 7, a motor 41 and a supporting case 42 are fixed on a 
supporting base 40, and the lower portion of the supporting case 42 passes 
through a groove 38 formed on the lifting/lowering drum 6 and projects 
downwardly for rotatably supporting the upper nozzle 8. 
In FIGS. 11 and 12, upper and lower shafts 43 and 44 are supported on the 
supporting case 42, and a timing belt 47 is wound around gears 45 and 46 
respectively fixed on the shafts 43 and 44. The upper shaft 43 is directly 
connected to an output shaft 41A of the motor 41, and a main body 12 of 
the upper nozzle 8 is fixed on the lower shaft 44. Accordingly, when the 
motor 41 is driven, the upper shaft 43 is rotated and the upper nozzle 8 
is rotated about the lateral shaft through the timing belt 47 and the 
lower shaft 44. 
The upper nozzle 8 has one injecting fixture 13 projecting downwardly from 
the lateral main body 12, and a hose connection fixture 48 positioned in 
the diameter direction of the injecting fixture 13. The injecting fixture 
13, while being not fully shown in the figure, can be changed in its 
injecting manner between the state of spraying a detergent and the state 
of injecting water in a spatulate shape. 
Three proximity switches 49 are provided on the supporting base 40, which 
is operable by an operating piece 50 provided on the output shaft 41A. The 
proximity switches 49 are intended to control the motor 41 for stopping 
the upper nozzle 8 at three turning positions. 
Namely, by rotation of the upper nozzle 8, as shown in FIG. 2, the 
injecting fixture 13 can be changed in its posture among a downward 
posture E, a forwardly and downwardly inclined posture F, and a rearwardly 
and downwardly inclined posture G. These postures E, F and G are set by 
the proximity switches 49. Thus, the proximity switches 49, the motor 41 
and a transmitting means within the supporting case 42 constitute a nozzle 
posture changing mechanism 51 for changing the posture of the upper nozzle 
8. 
The above nozzle posture changing mechanism 51 is operated on the basis of 
a command signal from the vehicle-type recognizing means 5, which changes 
the posture of the upper nozzles 8 into the downward posture E for the 
bon-net, roof and trunk lid of the vehicle body 2; into the forwardly and 
downwardly inclined posture F for the front surface and front glass of the 
vehicle body 2; and into the rearwardly and downwardly inclined posture G 
for the rear glass and rear surface of the vehicle body 2, so that the 
upper nozzle 8 injects a washing liquid to the surface of each portion to 
be washed at right angles or at about right angles, to make the washing 
effect as large as possible. Furthermore, even when being changed in the 
posture by rotating, the upper nozzle 8 continuously injects a washing 
liquid, to certainly supply the washing liquid to any portion to be 
washed. 
The above nozzle posture changing mechanism 51 may be altered in design by 
changing the positions of the proximity switches 49 such that the upper 
nozzle 8 is rotatable before and after from the downward posture for each 
90.degree. to be thus changed in its posture between the forward 
horizontal posture and the rearward horizontal posture. 
The hose connection fixture 48 is connected to an injecting pump by way of 
the hose 52, an electromagnetic switching valve and the like. The 
injecting pump is connected to the detergent tank 16, water tank 17, wax 
tank 53 and the like (see FIGS. 1 and 4) so that a washing liquid such as 
a detergent, water and water containing wax is suitable jetted from one 
upper nozzle 8. 
A drum collision preventive means 54 is provided on the moving base 7. The 
drum collision preventive means 54 has a first sensor for detecting the 
longitudinal movement of a hair contact piece 55 projecting in front of 
and behind the groove 38, and a second sensor 58 for detecting the 
vertical movement of a hair contact piece 57 projecting downwardly from 
the groove 38. 
When the upper nozzle 8 of the lifting/lowering drum 6 excessively 
approaches the vehicle body 2 in the longitudinal and vertical directions 
because of the failure of the vehicle-type recognizing means 5, the drum 
collision preventive means 54 is operated by the contact of the contact 
pieces 55 and 57 with the vehicle body 2, to output the detection signal 
to the computer 30. Namely, the first sensor 56 detects the excessive 
approach in the longitudinal direction, and the second sensor 58 detects 
the excessive approach in the vertical direction, to stop the 
lifting/lowering of the lifting/lowering drum 6 and the running of the 
portal frame 3. 
Additionally, the contact piece 55 may be modified in design such that the 
central supporting portion thereof is supported ported by a spherical 
member, so that the longitudinal and lateral rocking motions of the 
contact piece 55 are detected by the first sensor 56. With this 
arrangement, the whole length and the whole width of the vehicle body 2 
can be detected only by one sensor by the relative movement of the sensor 
to the vehicle body 2 in the longitudinal and lateral directions. It is 
considered to provide the first sensor 56 at the lateral center of the 
lifting/lowering drum 6; however, in this case, the first sensor 56 is 
difficult to detect the reap view mirror, roof rails and the like. 
Accordingly, the first sensor 56 is preferably provided on the moving base 
7. The detected information from the drum collision preventive means as an 
error detecting means is transmitted to the processing unit C of the 
computer 30. As shown in FIG. 8, the detected information is stored in the 
error storing unit L, and is displayed on an existing error display unit M 
of the operating panel 21 as an error. 
In FIGS. 1 to 5, each of both side nozzles 9 is divided into a detergent 
nozzle 9A and a water nozzle 9B. The nozzles 9A and 9B are connected to 
timing belts 60 of nozzle lifting/lowering mechanisms 59 within both side 
portions of the portal frame 3, and are lifted/lowered by drive of motors 
61. Numeral 62U and 62D indicate upper and lower sensors for setting the 
maximum lifting/lowering range of the lifting/lowering drum 6. The side 
nozzle 9 is changed in its lifting/lowering stroke from a lifting height P 
to a lifting height Q according to the height of a portion of the vehicle 
body 2 to be washed on the basis of the command control by the 
vehicle-type recognizing means 5, and thereby supplies a washing liquid 
only to the portion required to be washed, thus eliminating the waste of 
the detergent and water. 
The lifting/lowering speed of the side nozzle 9 of the nozzle 
lifting/lowering mechanism 59 is variable, and a time required for its 
reciprocating operation is set to be substantially constant even when the 
lifting height thereof is changed. Namely, in the case that the height of 
the upper surface of the vehicle body 2 to which the side nozzle 9 is 
opposed is low, for example, in the case of the height P, the 
lifting/lowering speed of the side nozzle 9 is slow. Meanwhile, in the 
case that it is high, for example, in the case of the height Q, the 
lifting/lowering speed of the side nozzle 9 is high. Accordingly, even in 
the case of the lifting height Q, the moving density of the side nozzle 9 
in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 2 becomes dense, to make 
substantially constant the supply amount of the washing liquid over the 
whole length of the vehicle body 2 in the vertical direction, thereby 
eliminating the nonuniformity of the washing. In addition, the side nozzle 
9, which is high in the lifting/lowering speed, is driven not by the 
chain, but by the timing belt to prevent the generation of noise. 
A projecting groove 63 of the side nozzle 9 provided on the portal frame 3 
is opened not inwardly but forwardly, and the side nozzle 9 is so 
constructed that the base portion is bent and the leading edge is directed 
inwardly, to preferably prevent the permeation of water from the 
projecting groove 83 into the portal frame 3. Each of the detergent nozzle 
9A and the water nozzle 9B is connected to a injecting pump by way of a 
hose, electromagnetic switching valve and the like. Each injecting pump is 
connected to the detergent tank 16, water tank 17 and the wax tank 53 and 
the like, so that the detergent nozzle 9A jets only a detergent, and water 
nozzle 9B jets water or water containing wax. 
The detergent injecting pumps 20, water injecting pumps 18, detergent tanks 
16, water tanks 17 and wax tanks 53 for the upper nozzle 8 and side 
nozzles 9 are disposed in both side portions of the portal frame 3. The 
nozzles 8 and 9 are connected to the pumps 20 and 18 through high pressure 
hoses. The water tank 17 is connected to an external water line pipe by 
way of a hose. By arrangement of the water tanks 17 within the portal 
frame 3, it is possible to extremely shorten the distance between the 
water injecting pumps 18 and the upper nozzle 8 and the side nozzles 9, to 
obtain the desired water pressure with small pumps and motors just as in 
the detergent tanks and wax tanks, and to reduce the leakage of water. 
As shown in Fig, 2, doors 19 for maintenance are provided within both side 
portions of the portal frame 3 for maintaining and checking the various 
injecting pumps, power distribution equipment and the like, and for 
supplying detergent and wax to various tanks. By the provision of the 
doors 19 within the right and left side portions of the portal frame 3, it 
is possible to eliminate the space around the portal frame 3 for entrance 
and exit through the doors 19, and hence to lower the whole installation 
space of the automatic vehicle washing apparatus 1. 
In FIGS. 1 to 5, and FIG. 13, numeral 10 indicates a blower injecting means 
for drying the vehicle body 2, which has an upper blower injecting means 
10A and a pair of right and left lateral blower injecting means 10B. A 
pair of lateral blower injecting means 10B are provided in both side 
portions of the portal frame 3, and wind jetting ports are directed 
inwardly, which are fixed in this embodiment; however they may be 
vertically moved. 
The upper blower injecting means 10A is so constructed that a blower 
injecting body 24 having a pair of right and left wind injecting chambers 
66 is connected to a lifting/lowering body 68 through supporting members 
67 formed of a plurality of bar materials, and the lifting/lowering body 
68 is intended to be freely lifted/lowered by a blower drive mechanism 69 
composed of a chain, motor or the like, and further a blower fan 72 driven 
by a blower motor 71 is connected to the blower injecting body 24 through 
a pair of right and light accordion type hoses 70. Numeral 73U and 73D 
indicate upper and lower sensors for setting the lifting/lowering range of 
the blower injecting body 24. 
A blower collision preventive means 74 is provided at the lateral center 
portion of the blower injecting body 24. As shown in FIG. 13, the blower 
collision preventive means 74 is so constructed that a hair contact piece 
77 projecting in the longitudinal direction and an operating piece 78 are 
provided on a shaft 76 pivotally supported on a bearing body 75, and 
rotation of the operating piece 78 is detected by a proximity switch 79. 
The contact piece 78 is rocked by the contact with the vehicle body 2, to 
rotate the operating piece 78, so that the excessive approach of the 
blower injecting body 24 to the vehicle body 2 is detected to thereby stop 
the lowering of the blower injecting body 24 or the running of the portal 
frame 3. 
The detection information from the blower collision preventive means 74 as 
an error detecting means is transmitted to the processing unit C of the 
computer 30, and is stored in the error memory unit L and simultaneously 
displayed on the existing error display unit M as an error. 
The error detecting means include a device for detecting the washing 
position failure of the vehicle body 2 by the vehicle-type recognizing 
means 5, a device for detecting the operation failure of each drive 
mechanism, and a device for detecting the operation failure of the jetting 
pump, other than the drum collision preventive means 54 and the blower 
collision preventive means 74. The information of the action failures of 
the vehicle washing detected by the above devices is transmitted to the 
processing unit C of the computer 30, and is stored in the error memory 
unit L and simultaneously displayed on the existing error display unit as 
an error, and further, the previous errors before by several times can be 
displayed on a previous error display unit N. The existing error display 
unit M and the previous error display unit N are provided on the operating 
panel 21 mounted on the front surface of the portal frame 3. 
Inverters are used for the drive equipments such as the above running 
mechanism 22, drum lifting/lowering mechanism 31, moving base drive 
mechanism 15, nozzle posture changing mechanism 51, blower drive mechanism 
69 and the like, and a serve-driver is used for the nozzle 
lifting/lowering mechanism 
Next, the vehicle washing method in the automatic vehicle washing apparatus 
1 shown in the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 
8, 14 and 15. 
The vehicle body 2 is stopped at a specified washing position with respect 
to the portal frame 3, and the operation panel 21 is operated to select 
either of a water washing-drying course, a detergent scattering-water 
washing (containing wax)-drying course, a detergent scattering-water 
washing (containing wax)-water washing-drying course, and the like. Thus, 
the start button is pushed to start the vehicle washing. At this time, the 
previous information stored in the memory unit A of the vehicle-type 
recognizing means 5 is reset. 
As the portal frame 3 is moved forward to go along the rails 23 by the 
running mechanism 22, the photo-sensors 11 of the vehicle detecting means 
4 disposed on the front surface of the portal frame 3 detect the vehicle 
body 2 from the end portion (front portion), and the change with time in 
the presence or absence of the vehicle body 2 is inputted in the memory 
unit A of the vehicle-type recognizing means 5 as the external 
information. Thus, the vehicle-type of the vehicle body 2 is recognized by 
the detection of the whole length of the vehicle body 2 during the 
movement of the portal frame 3. 
After the vehicle detecting means 5 starts to recognize the vehicle-type of 
the vehicle body 2, the processing unit C of the vehicle-type recognizing 
means 5 reads out the information from the memory unit A on the basis of 
the set information of the set information unit B in which the set 
information on the washing is programmed, and supplies the output signal 
to the portal frame 3, lifting/lowering drum 6, moving base 7, side 
nozzles 9, the blower jetting means 10 and the like, to control them. When 
the vehicle body 2 is shifted from the specified vehicle stopping range in 
the longitudinal direction, the vehicle-type recognition by the vehicle 
detecting means 4 cannot be normally carried out, and an error is detected 
to stop the running of the portal frame 
In the selection of the detergent scattering-water washing (containing 
wax)-water washing-drying course, a detergent scattering step is performed 
in the first going operation of the portal frame 3; the water washing 
(containing wax) step is performed in the first returning operation; the 
water washing step is performed in the second going operation; and the 
drying step is performed in the second returning operation. In the above 
course, washing liquids are suitably selected for each step. 
As shown by the solid line of FIG. 14 the step of scattering a detergent on 
the upper portion of the vehicle body 2 is made by lowering the 
lifting/lowering drum 6 once for disposing the drum 6 at a position where 
it is separated from the vehicle body 2 with a specified interval, 
simultaneously allowing the upper nozzle 8 to taken in the forwardly and 
downwardly inclined posture to be opposed to the lower position of the end 
portion of the vehicle body 2 and scattering the detergent thereon in a 
spray state; and further, after completion of the scattering of the 
detergent on the front surface of the vehicle body 2, changing the posture 
of the upper nozzle 8 for sequentially scattering the detergent while 
lifting the lifting/lowering drum 6: in the down posture E for the upper 
surface of the bon-net; in the forwardly and downwardly inclined posture F 
for the front glass; downward posture E for the roof; in the rearwardly 
and downwardly inclined posture G for the rear glass; in the downward 
posture E for the trunk lid; and in the rearwardly and downwardly inclined 
posture G for the rear bumper. The step of scattering a detergent on the 
side portions of the vehicle body 2 is made substantially at the same time 
of the above step of scattering a detergent on the upper portion of the 
vehicle body 2. As shown by the two-dot chain line of FIG. 14, the side 
nozzles 9 fully scatter a detergent in a spray state on the side surfaces 
of the vehicle body 2 to be washed without any nonuniformity while being 
reciprocated to be lifted/lowered from the lower position. The height of 
the upper surface of the vehicle body 2 differs at each longitudinal 
position, that is, it is low at the bon-net, being high at the roof, and 
is intermediate at the portion of the glass surface. The moving speed of 
the side nozzles 9 is slow at the portion where the upper surface height 
of the vehicle body 2 is low, being high at the portion where the upper 
surface height is high, and is intermediate at the portion having the 
intermediate height; and the side nozzles 9 are reciprocated once for a 
substantially constant time. 
In the above detergent scattering step, the contamination stuck on the 
surface of the vehicle body 2 is floated by spraying the detergent. 
Additionally, in the detergent scattering step for the upper portion of 
the vehicle body 2, since the detergent is sprayed, the nozzles are 
disposed to be separated from the vehicle body 2 more than in the washing 
step. 
As shown by the chain line of FIG. 14, after the detergent scattering step 
is completed, the step of washing the upper portion of the vehicle body 2 
is carried out while returning the portal frame 3. The lifting/lowering 
drum 6 is once lowered, and is disposed to be separated from the vehicle 
body 2 with a specified interval (at the position closer to the vehicle 
body 2 than in the detergent scattering step). At the same time, the upper 
nozzle 8 is taken in the rearwardly and downwardly inclined posture G to 
be opposed to the lower position of the end portion of the vehicle body 2, 
thus jetting water containing wax for fully spraying the jet with the high 
water pressure in the spatulate shape broadened in the longitudinal 
direction on the surface to be washed without any nonuniformity. 
Like the detergent scattering step, water containing wax is jetted on the 
whole upper surface and the front/rear surfaces of the vehicle body 2 
while changing the posture of the upper nozzle 8, to cut-off the 
contaminated layer with the high pressure water including micro-particles 
of wax, and also to extend and join the wax content on the portion to be 
washed, thereby obtaining the brightness and the rust preventive effect. 
The washing step for the side portions of the vehicle body 2 is carried out 
substantially at the same time of the washing step for the upper portion 
of the vehicle body 2. Water containing wax is jetted from the water 
nozzles 9B of the side nozzles 9. In this case, the moving speed of the 
side nozzles 9 is changed according to the height of the upper surface of 
the vehicle body 2, and the side nozzles 9 are reciprocated once for a 
substantially constant time. 
Next, in the second going operation (solid line of FIG. 14) of the portal 
frame 3, the upper portion water washing step and the side portion washing 
step are carried out from the front side of the vehicle body 2. These 
upper portion water washing step and the side portion water washing step 
are substantially the same as those made in the first returning operation, 
except that the moving direction of the portal frame S is reversed, and 
water not containing wax is used. In these steps, the detergent and wax 
are cleaned with high pressure water, to finish the washing. 
In each washing step, irrespective of the presence of projections such as a 
rear view mirror and an antenna, the washing is performed without the 
generation of the winding of brush and damage on the coated surface of the 
vehicle body. The water pressure is controlled by the computer. Moreover, 
in the upper portion washing step and the side portion washing step, when 
the width of the vehicle body is small, on the basis of the signal from 
the operation panel, the movement distance of the moving base 7 becomes a 
short distance interval J within the sensors 14; while when the width is 
large, it becomes the long distance interval K in which the moving base 7 
is moved for a specified distance over the sensors 14. 
The drying step is made as follows. After the rinsing is completed, the 
portal frame 3 is moved up to the rearmost end of the vehicle body 2 and 
stopped thereat, and the step is automatically switched into a blower step 
for drying. Thus, the upper blower jetting means 10A is operated such that 
the blower jetting body 24 is reciprocated to be lifted/lowered just as 
the upper nozzles 8 while passing through the dotted line orbit of FIG. 
14, and jet wind from the upper portion of the vehicle body 2, to blow off 
the water drop on the vehicle body 2 for drying during the portal frame 3 
is moved up to the original position. After the vehicle body 2 is dried up 
to the lower portion on the front surface thereof, the blower jetting body 
24 is stopped, and lifted up to the uppermost portion and is stopped. 
Additionally, in the selection of the water washing-drying course, the 
portal frame 3 is reciprocated one time; and in the selection of the 
detergent scattering-water washing (containing wax)-drying course, the 
portal frame 3 is returned without any work after the detergent scattering 
step is completed (shown by the chain line), and in the next one 
reciprocation, the water washing (containing wax) and the drying 
operations are carried out. 
In each of the detergent scattering step, water washing (containing wax) 
step, water washing step and drying step when the drum collision 
preventive means 54, the blower collision preventive means 74 or the like 
is operated for any reason, an error is detected to stop the 
lifting/lowering of the lifting/lowering drum 6, the Punning of the portal 
frame 3 or the like, and further, as shown in FIG. 3, the information is 
inputted in the processing unit C and is displayed on the existing error 
display unit M. In addition, the previous errors before by several times 
may be outputted from the error memory unit L and displayed on the 
previous error display unit N. 
In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above described 
embodiments, and various modification and design changes are possible.