Pendulum rocker brush assembly for a vehicle wash system

A pendulum rocker brush assembly for use in a vehicle wash, including a vehicle pathway along which a vehicle being washed moves and a support structure extending above the vehicle pathway, the pendulum rocker brush assembly comprising:

• a fixed coupler fixedly joined with the support structure in an immovable manner;
• a rocker arm extending between a first end and a lower, second end, the first end fixedly joined with the fixed coupler so that the rocker arm projects downward in a vertical orientation and is laterally offset from the vehicle pathway along which the vehicle moves in a conveyor direction, the lower, second end being disposed closer to the vehicle pathway than the first end;
• a rotatable coupler joined with the second end of the rocker arm, the rotatable coupler including a pivot bushing defining an aperture and a projection rotatably disposed in the aperture, the rotatable coupler including a first pivot axis, the rotatable coupler including a coupling surface, the coupling surface free to rotate in an unbiased manner about the first pivot axis;
• a motor assembly fixedly joined with the coupling surface, the motor assembly including a motor and a motor shaft, the motor assembly suspended by gravity below the coupling surface;
• and
• a rocker brush head including a brush core joined with the motor shaft, the brush core including a brush core axis and a plurality of flexible bristles joined with the brush core,
• wherein the motor rotatably actuates the rocker brush head when the motor is powered so that the plurality of flexible bristles move from a first orientation to a different, second orientation,
• wherein the rocker brush head and the motor assembly joined with the coupling surface are pivotable about the first pivot axis from a substantially vertical orientation, where the brush core axis is substantially vertical, to a deployed orientation where the brush core axis is disposed at a swing angle of between 5 degrees and 30 degrees, inclusive, from vertical, when the rocker brush head rotates and engages the vehicle moving along the vehicle pathway in the conveyor direction;
• wherein the rocker arm extends along a curvilinear axis from the first end to the lower, second end,
• wherein the curvilinear axis lays along a circle having at least one radius,
• wherein the at least one radius is 1 foot to 8 feet, inclusive,
• wherein the curvilinear axis curves away from the vehicle pathway,
• whereby the rocker arm extending along the curvilinear axis is configured to provide clearance for a mirror of the vehicle projecting from the vehicle as the vehicle moves along the vehicle pathway.

A pendulum rocker brush assembly for use in a vehicle wash, including a vehicle pathway along which a vehicle being washed moves and a support structure extending above the vehicle pathway, the pendulum rocker brush assembly comprising:

• a rocker arm having a first end and a second end, the rocker arm fixedly joined with and suspended by the support structure at the first end, the rocker arm extending downward from the first end to the second end in a fixed, static orientation;
• a motor assembly including a motor and a motor shaft, the motor assembly being rotatably joined with the rocker arm adjacent the second end of the rocker arm in an unbiased manner;
• and
• a rocker brush head joined with the motor shaft,
• wherein the rocker brush head and the motor assembly are configured to pivot outward, when the rocker brush head encounters an opposing force due to the vehicle moving along a conveyor direction, to a swing angle between 10 degrees and 30 degrees, inclusive, offset from a vertical reference line;
• wherein the rocker arm is curved and extends along a curvilinear axis from the first end to the second end.