CAR SHAPE DETECTING DEVICE AND CAR WASHER PROVIDED WITH THIS DEVICE

Japanese Patent JP3802195

B2

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To positively detect protrusions protruded from an automobile body such as a front mirror and a rear view mirror by image processing. SOLUTION: A frame and an automobile body are relatively moved to detect the automobile body, and body data is stored as a binary image. The image is processed to extract a body outline and protrusions to compared them, and parts which are not the automobile body are extracted and processed by contraction and labeling technique of image processing to detect the presence of objects having an area larger than the specified area within a range with the possibility of the protrusions existing. When the objects are detected, the objects are judged to be the protrusions such as a front mirror and a rear view mirror in correspondence with each reference point and address. This car shape detecting device is provided at a car washer, and a car washing device with a cleaning brush, drying nozzles and the like is controlled to act upon the automobile body to clean it.