Variable speed automatic car wash
AssigneeRyko Manufacturing Company
InventorRichard M. Grier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of operating an automatic car wash system has been developed. The automatic car wash system includes a car wash unit and a central processing unit (CPU) that controls operation of the car wash unit. The method includes programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of wash modes into the CPU and switching among a plurality of pre-programmed wash modes based on a rate of customer use of the car wash, a number of vehicles waiting in line to use the car wash, environmental conditions, and/or an operator's preference.
Claims54
A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
- storing wash mode parameters for a plurality of wash modes in the control system, said wash modes being based on levels of customer demand;
- executing the wash modes based on the wash mode parameters;
- determining when to switch among wash modes based on the levels of customer demand;
- and
- switching among the plurality of wash modes based on said determining step.
A variable speed automatic vehicle washing system comprising:
- an automated car wash;
- a control system for operating said automated car wash, said control system storing first wash mode operating instructions to be used at a first customer frequency and second wash mode operating instructions to be used at a second customer frequency, said control system operating said automated car wash for a first length of time according to said first wash mode operating instructions when said control system determines said first customer frequency, and said control system operating said automated car wash for a second length of time according to said second wash mode operating instructions when said control system determines said second customer frequency.
A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
- storing a first set of instructions for a first wash mode having a first temporal length in the CPU;
- storing a second set of instructions for a second wash mode having a second temporal length in the CPU;
- determining customer use of the car wash unit;
- automatically operating the car wash unit according to the first set of instructions when the customer use exceeds a pre-selected value;
- and
- automatically operating the car wash unit according to the second set of instructions when the customer use is less than or equal to the pre-selected value.
A variable speed automatic vehicle washing system comprising:
- an automated car wash;
- a car wash control system comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU);
- an operator interface unit electronically connected to said CPU, said operator interface unit being used for inputting first and second sets of wash mode parameters into said CPU, said CPU storing said first and second sets of wash mode parameters;
- and
- a customer sensor electronically connected to said CPU, said CPU determining a first and second customer rate through data received from said customer sensor, said CPU operating said automated car wash for a first length of time according to said first wash mode parameters when said CPU determines said first customer rate, and said CPU operating said automated car wash for a second length of time according to said second wash mode parameters when said CPU determines said second customer rate.
A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
- switching among a plurality of pre-programmed wash modes based on at least one of customer use of the car wash, environmental conditions and operator preference.
A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
- programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of environmentally-based wash modes, which are based on environmental conditions, into the control system;
- and
- programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of customer use wash modes, which are based on rates of customer use of the car wash unit, into the control system.
A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
- programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of wash modes into the control system;
- storing wash mode parameters for a given wash mode;
- executing a wash mode based on the wash mode parameters;
- determining at least one of a rate at which customers use the car wash unit, a number of vehicles waiting in line to be washed, or environmental conditions;
- and
- switching among the plurality of wash modes based on at least one of the rate determined in said determining step, the number determined in said determining step, or the environmental conditions determined in said determining step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.