ES2343233B1 - SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION OF OBSTACLES IN VEHICLES, APPLIED TO WASHING MACHINES. - Google Patents

Abstract

Obstacle detection system in vehicles, applied to washing machines.

It includes a sending element (1) and another receiver (2) coupled to the mobile washing bridge. The emitting element (1) is defined by a laser pointer (7) mounted on a body (6) coupled to the movable bridge (4) and that has an axial hole (9) of exit of the laser beam (5). From the front face of the pointer (7) to the exit hole (9) a chamber (10) is formed initially cylindrical and then conical until reaching said hole (9) of laser beam output (5).

There is a pressurized air inlet from a external conduction (11) through a radial hole (12) of the body (6) open to the chamber (10), leaving this air by said axial hole (9) and radial hole (13) located in a position delayed with respect to the radial orifice (12) of entry.

The receiving element (2) is coupled to another body (15) facing the previous one (6) and provided with a hole axial (17) laser beam input (5).

Description

Obstacle detection system in vehicles, applied to washing machines.

Object of the invention

The present invention, as expressed by the statement of this specification refers to a system for obstacle detection in vehicles, applied to machines washing, with which significant advantages are provided in this sector of the industry, being able to detect very little automobile elements thickness, such as antennas.

Background of the invention

Currently, obstacle detection in the contour of vehicles, such as data reception antennas, bacas, packages placed in the bacas, etc., is done by use of photocells, although these devices cannot detect objects of minimum thickness such as certain types of antennas

Description of the invention

In general, the system for obstacle detection in vehicles, applied to washing machines,  object of the present invention, gives solution to said problem by incorporate laser cells as emitter and receiver element, thus being detected perpendicular to the direction of advancement of the vehicle, elements or obstacles of very small dimension in the direction of vehicle advance, of the order of one millimeter or less, due to the accuracy achieved with the laser beam.

This laser beam detection system has not been used by any washing machine manufacturer of vehicles, for the mere fact that the laser emitter is very susceptible of "masking" by the action of water, and by both in this application you are continually working with water to pressure, soapy products, etc., and ultimately it operates in a medium not recommended for the use of such devices, except that a series of measures be taken that are precisely the object of The present invention.

For this, the emitting element defined by a laser pointer is mounted on an enveloping body that protects, arranged in a supportive support of the mobile bridge of the washing station, leaving the laser beam through an axial hole of small caliber

The receiving element of the laser beam is coupled to another body facing the previous one and subject in a similar way to washing bridge, also presenting a small axial hole caliber by which the emitter signal enters at the same time as Calibrate the size of the object to be detected.

This body of the emitting element offers a inner chamber due to its tubular configuration pressurized air through a radial hole, the air coming out of the hole passage of the beam, sweeping the small drops of liquid that could have hindered the beam exit To be. This camera through which the laser beam passes is closed by the front face of the emitter pointer itself threaded at the mouth posterior of the body, starts cylindrically and then conically until reaching the exit hole. In a middle zone of this conical surface is the entrance hole of the Pressurized air to perform a perfect sweep.

Also, to perfectly clean the camera, there is a radial hole through which the air also comes out to pressure, practiced precisely at the bottom of the initial cylindrical surface of the chamber, which has very little amplitude and forms an annular stop flange for introducing the laser emitter pointer, linking this cylindrical surface with The conical

The radial orifice of pressurized air outlet therefore occupies a delayed position with respect to the orthogonal plane through the radial inlet orifice of the pressurized air that accessed from an external conduit, said radial orifice being of output in a position adjacent to the front face of the emitter pointer and also in the lower part of the body.

The source of pressurized air works continuously, at least during the entire washing cycle performed by the machine, to prevent the entry of water that would prevent the correct transmitter operation.

To facilitate the understanding of characteristics of the invention and forming an integral part of this Descriptive report, accompanying some sheets of plans in whose figures, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature has been represented the next:

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1. - It is a partial perspective view of a car wash cabin that has the system attached for the detection of obstacles, according to the invention.

Figure 2, - It is a longitudinal section view of the emitting element of the laser beam and which also corresponds to a section along the line A-A of the figure 3.

Figure 3.- It is a front elevation view of the shown in figure 2.

Figure 4.- It is a longitudinal section view of the receiving element of the laser beam.

Description of the preferred embodiment

Referring to the numbering adopted in the figures we can see how the system for the detection of obstacles in vehicles, applied to washing machines, that the invention proposes, as seen in figure 1, consists of locating laser cells constituting the emitting element (1) of the laser beam and the receiving element (2) thereof, in two supports (3) solidary to the bridge (4) of washing.

This detection system commands the vertical movements of the bridge (4) to overcome obstacles although are of very small dimension in the sense of relative progress of vehicle and bridge (4), of the order of 1 mm or even less as we have previously mentioned.

This is possible by protecting from water. mainly to the emitting element (1) so that the beam comes out clean laser (5), since the receiving body (2) captures this beam although interpose any drop of water or other substance that may deposit outside its catchment area.

The emitting element (1) as seen more clearly in figure 1, it is formed by the body (6) in general conical and tubular trunk, which coaxially receives the emitter pointer proper (7) to the introduction stop that defines a ring flange (8) of low amplitude, from which it narrows conically until reaching the axial hole (9) of the beam exit laser (5). A camera (10) traveled by the laser beam (5) is formed Until it goes outside.

To save the problem of the water that could enter or deposit in the axial hole (9), the body (6) preferably constructed of a polymeric material or the like, has an external conduit (11) attached to inject air into pressure inside the chamber (10) through a radial hole (12) of the same. This pressurized air exits through the same axial hole (9) laser beam output (5) sweeping perfectly the mouth of out of this one.

In addition, another radial hole is provided (13) also air outlet that accesses the chamber (10), located at a lower point of the cylindrical surface of the flange annular (8), thus being close to the front surface. The air injected sweeps and removes any droplets inside of the camera (10).

In figure 4 the element is represented receiver (2) defined by the receiver tube (14) of the laser beam (5) coupled to the body (15) installed in another support (3) integral with the wash bridge (4). The body (15) has a camera (16) that communicates with the axial hole (17) of the laser beam inlet (5).

The bodies (6) and (15) of the emitter elements (1) and receiver (2) respectively, are conventionally held in form adjustable to the supports (3) by screws (18) and coaxial springs (19).

Claims (3)

1. System for the detection of obstacles in vehicles, applied to washing machines, in order to detect obstacles or other objects of minimum thickness, such as antennas, characterized in that it includes laser cells [emitting element (1) - receiving element ( 2)] that detect obstacles up to 1 mm thick in the direction of travel of the vehicle, the emitting element (1) being arranged in a body (6) coupled to the mobile washing bridge (4), and provided with an axial bore ( 9) Laser beam output (5), there is a continuous entry of pressurized air through an external conduit (11) connected to a radial hole (12) of the body (6) that flows into an axial passage chamber (10) from the laser (5), the air exiting through said axial orifice (9) and through another radial (13) that crosses the wall of the body (6) and which is located in a delayed position with respect to the orthogonal plane passing through said radial orifice ( 12) input and adjacent to the front face of the sending pointer (7). 2. System for detecting obstacles in vehicles, applied to washing machines, according to claim 1, characterized in that the radial air outlet (13) of the axial chamber (10) is located at a lower point of the cylindrical surface of low amplitude, of an annular flange (8) of stopper of assembly of the emitting pointer (7), from which the chamber (10) is conical until reaching the axial hole (9) of exit of the laser beam (5) . 3. System for detecting obstacles in vehicles, applied to washing machines, according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving element (2) of the laser beam (5) is coupled to another body (15) facing the previous one (6) and on the other side of the washing bridge (4), with an axial hole (17) for the laser beam inlet (5).