Vehicle wash apparatus with an adjustable boom

A vehicle washing system comprising:

• a gantry;
• one or more sensors attached to the gantry for detecting a front end, a rear end and a height profile for a vehicle;
• a motor operationally coupled with the gantry for moving the gantry relative to the vehicle along a path generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at a plurality of speeds;
• and
• a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the one or more sensors, the controller adapted to (i) determine one or more locations along the vehicle based on signals from the one or more sensors concerning the height profile, and (ii) change the speed of the gantry as the gantry passes the one or more locations while moving from one of a position in front of the front end and a position behind the rear end to the other of the position in front of the front end and the position behind the rear end.

A method for washing a vehicle using an automated vehicle washing system, the vehicle having a rear end, a front end and a length, the method comprising:

• moving a gantry relative to the vehicle;
• spraying cleaning solution from one or more nozzles of a plurality of nozzles, the plurality of nozzles being attached with the gantry, the plurality of nozzles being fluidly coupled to a source of cleaning solution;
• and
• varying the pressure of the cleaning solution sprayed from one or more nozzles of the plurality of nozzles based on one or more positions of the gantry.

A washing system for cleaning a vehicle with a front end, a rear end, side surfaces, top surfaces and a height profile, the washing system comprising:

• a gantry;
• a first set of one or more nozzles, the first set being configured to a spray cleaning solution substantially on lower portions of the side surfaces of the vehicle, the first set being attached with the gantry;
• a second set of one or more nozzles, the second set being configured to spray cleaning solution substantially on upper portions of the side surfaces of the vehicle, the upper portions of the side surfaces being located vertically above the lower portions of the side surfaces, the second set being attached with the gantry;
• a third set of one or more nozzles, the third set being configured to spray cleaning solution substantially on top surfaces of the vehicle, the third set being attached with the gantry;
• a source of pressurized cleaning solution fluidly coupled with the first, second and third sets of nozzles through a plurality of fluid passageways;
• a plurality of fluid control flow valves coupled with the fluid passageways for controlling the flow of cleaning solution through the passageways and the first, second and third sets of nozzles;
• and
• a controller operationally coupled with the plurality of fluid flow control valves for selectively opening or closing one or more fluid flow control valves of the plurality of fluid flow control valves to cause the vehicle wash system to (i) spray cleaning solution from the first, second and third sets simultaneously during at least a first segment of a wash cycle, (ii) spray cleaning solution from the first set and not the second set or third set during at least a second segment of the wash cycle, and (iii) spray cleaning solution from the first and third sets but not the second set during a third segment of the wash cycle.

A vehicle washing system for cleaning a vehicle with a front end, a rear end and a length, the vehicle washing system comprising:

• a gantry, the gantry including an elevated section, the elevated section being located vertically above the vehicle;
• one or more nozzles, the one or more nozzles being attached to the elevated section
• one or more fluid conduits coupling the one or more nozzles to a source of cleaning solution;
• and
• a dump valve, the dump valve being located vertically below the one or more nozzles in between the source of cleaning solution and the one or more nozzles on a conduit of the one or more conduits, the dump valve having at least a first position and second position, the first position preventing the cleaning solution from draining from the dump valve, the second position permitting a substantial portion of the cleaning solution in the one or more conduits and the one or more nozzles to drain therefrom through the dump valve.