Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090250001 | AUTOMOTIVE TIRE DRESSING APPLICATOR - A tire dressing applicator comprises a support shaft mounted between the ends of a bracket and a plurality of tire dressing applicator foam rollers mounted on the shaft for rotation both with the shaft and in unison with one another and, as necessary when contacting a tire sidewall, relative to the shalt itself to prevent and/or reduce unnecessary roller wear. A drizzle-type system of dressing dispensers pipes drizzles dressing onto the outside surfaces of the rollers and a felt flap spreads the dressing and prevents waste which is characteristic of spray type systems. A quick-release mechanism associated with one end of the roller shaft where it is connected to the bracket permits the shaft to be released for the purpose of replacing worn rollers. Individual rollers are constructed using hard plastic cages which are adhesively bonded in toroidal foam volumes to prevent lateral scrunching or distortion of rollers during use. | 10-08-2009 |
20090250002 | Automotive Tire Dressing Applicator - A tire dressing applicator comprises a support and one or more foam plastic elements mounted on the support so as to contact a tire sidewall and transfer dressing onto the tire sidewall. A distribution system drips or drizzles dressing onto the element(s) after which it is spread over and into the element(s) surface. The elements can be toroidal or rectangular and have anti-distortion pins embedded therein. | 10-08-2009 |
20090250084 | PENDULUM-TYPE WHEEL WASHER - A vehicle wheel washer comprising a pair of spaced-apart, mirror image, depending spray arms with spray heads mounted at the lower ends and directed inwardly toward the wheels of a vehicle which passes between the spray heads. The spray arms are mounted pendulum-type from an overhead pivotal support to move in unison between angular displacement positions thereby to follow the wheels of the vehicle being washed for a considerable linear distance to increase the effectiveness of the wheel cleaning operation. A bi-directional hydraulic actuator controls the positions of the pendulum arms in combination with gravitational force. | 10-08-2009 |
20090250086 | Control system for vehicle washing system - A vehicle washing system. The vehicle washing system includes a vehicle washing system component. Also, provided is an apparatus for moving the vehicle relative to vehicle washing system component. The speed of the relative motor of the vehicle is selected either by an operator automatically or may be varied to vary the vehicle throughput through the vehicle wash. A control unit is provided. The control unit senses the speed of movement of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle washing system. The control unit adjusts the vehicle washing system component for coordinating the vehicle washing system component in accordance with the speed of the vehicle. | 10-08-2009 |
20090252882 | Automotive Tire Dressing Applicator - A tire dressing applicator comprises a support and one or more foam plastic elements mounted on the support so as to contact a tire sidewall and transfer dressing onto the tire sidewall. A distribution system drips or drizzles dressing onto the element(s) after which it is spread over and into the element(s) surface. The elements can be toroidal or rectangular and have anti-distortion pins embedded therein. | 10-08-2009 |
20090308417 | Rollover Car Wash for Large Vehicles - A vehicle washer of the rollover type especially suitable for washing large vehicles such as buses and trucks. The washer includes an overhead carriage moving along an overhead guide rail structure and including opposed L-shaped spray arms adapted to wash top and side surfaces of the vehicle as the carriage moves along the guide rail and move in butterfly fashion as the carriage reaches a respective end of the vehicle whereby to wash that end of the vehicle. A recirculating arrangement insures that the hot water arriving at the carriage from the equipment room is at a predetermined hot temperature; a flexible carrier folds and unfolds in a trough along the rail structure and threadably receives the various supply conduits to provide effective transport of the required wash elements to the carriage; a compound bearing structure on the carriage efficiently journals the pivotal ends of the very large and heavy spray arms required to process large vehicles; a unique splicing arrangement allows the provision of a long guide rail structure having an uninterrupted upper surface to allow smooth carriage movements; and a customized windshield washer assembly on the carriage allows effective washing of even the recessed windshields of large vehicles having long hoods. | 12-17-2009 |
20100192991 | Speed Coaching System for Drive-Through Vehicle Wash Tunnel - A vehicle wash system using a light ribbon running along an adjacent wall to coach vehicle drivers as to the speed they should when transiting a multistation wash system. The light ribbon is made up of one or more rows of LED's and can be operated in any of several modes including multicolored displays as well as a “rabbit” mode. Sensors, timers, and digital processors are used to monitor vehicle location and speed and cause appropriate activation of the lighting system. An event log is maintained. | 08-05-2010 |
20100326467 | Tire Treatment Device with Shock Absorption and Vehicle Misalignment Tolerance - A tire dressing applicator station for use in car wash installations wherein the applicators are tolerant of large degrees of vehicle misalignment, misorientation and entry contact shock. In each applicator structure, an additional pivot or “knuckle” is placed in one of two support arms which are pivotally connected between floor anchors and an elongate mounting carriage to which the dressing applicator elements are attached. Flared tire guides are located on the entry ends of the applicator structures to make contact with the tires of approaching vehicles whereby one or both of the two applicator structures is/are reoriented as necessary to accommodate the actual location of the vehicle, whether it be on the intended path of travel or off to one side and/or angularly misoriented relative to die intended path of vehicle travel. | 12-30-2010 |
20110197924 | TOUCHLESS CAR WASH SYSTEM - A carwash system is disclosed wherein a spray arm dependingly mounted to an overhead longitudinally movable carriage for dispensing fluids onto the exterior surfaces of a vehicle in a wash bay unidirectionally circumnavigates the vehicle for multiple circuits while performing one or more wash functions by coordinating longitudinal and rotational movements of the arm through the selective operation of two independent motor drives. Electrical power and/or data is carried to and from electrical devices on the arm by way of a slip ring conductor which is mounted coaxially with the arm pivot on the bottom side of the carriage. The fluid supply conduit also passes concentrically through this pivot. | 08-18-2011 |
20110197935 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE TO CENTER THE VEHICLE IN A WASH BAY - A vehicle washing system associated with a bay in which a vehicle is parked during the washing operation is equipped with a centering target which can be selectively deployed upon entry of a vehicle to assist the driver in placing the vehicle on the longitudinal centerline of the effective washing area in the bay. The target may be provided by a vertically-depending spray arm having internal LEDs which are illuminated in a flashing effect during vehicle entry and in constant colors during the washing program. Several alternative target arrangements are described. | 08-18-2011 |
20110277797 | SPRAY-TYPE CAR WASH SYSTEM WITH BREAKAWAY SPRAY ARMS - A car wash system comprising at least one rotatable spray arm depending from an overhead carriage. The arm is equipped with a detent-type compound breakaway knuckle which permits the arm to be displaced upwardly from a lowest potential energy orientation by disengaging the detent but thereafter permitting a smooth essentially unresisted movement whereby when the force tending to cause angular displacement and the arm is removed, the arm returns to the normal operating, low potential energy position. A shaker function or a high pressure spray burst may be used to complement the gravitational resetting function as needed. | 11-17-2011 |
20120090540 | AUTOMOTIVE TIRE DRESSING APPLICATOR - A tire dressing applicator assembly comprises a linearly arranged series of toroidally-shaped plastic rollers having one or more beveled edges and reinforced for shape retaining purposes by pins which extend axially through the bodies of the elements outboard of a center opening which is adapted to receive a support shaft. | 04-19-2012 |
20120318194 | TIRE DRESSING ELEMENT - A tire dressing applicator comprises a support and one or more foam plastic elements mounted on the support so as to contact a tire sidewall and transfer dressing onto the tire sidewall. A distribution system drips or drizzles dressing onto the element(s) after which it is spread over and into the element(s) surface. The elements can be toroidal or rectangular and have anti-distortion pins embedded therein. | 12-20-2012 |
20130032183 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE TO CENTER THE VEHICLE IN A WASH BAY - A vehicle washing system associated with a bay in which a vehicle is parked during the washing operation is equipped with a centering target which can be selectively deployed upon entry of a vehicle to assist the driver in placing the vehicle on the longitudinal centerline of the effective washing area in the bay. The target may be provided by a vertically-depending spray arm having internal LEDs which are illuminated in a flashing effect during vehicle entry and in constant colors during the washing program. Several alternative target arrangements are described. | 02-07-2013 |
20140053885 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE WASHING SYSTEM - A vehicle washing system. The vehicle washing system includes a vehicle washing system component. Also, provided is an apparatus for moving the vehicle relative to vehicle washing system component. The speed of the relative motor of the vehicle is selected either by an operator automatically or may be varied to vary the vehicle throughput through the vehicle wash. A control unit is provided. The control unit senses the speed of movement of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle washing system. The control unit adjusts the vehicle washing system component for coordinating the vehicle washing system component in accordance with the speed of the vehicle. | 02-27-2014 |