Automatic car wash system
OwnerMichael MacDowellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic car wash system is provided for processing multiple vehicles simultaneously. The system according to one embodiment includes an elongate path, a plurality of stations for processing the vehicle, at least two detectors for indicating the presence of the vehicles. The system provides instructions to the drivers of the vehicles so that the vehicles travel through the system under their own power, and thus conveyor systems can be avoided, yet throughput remains high. In one embodiment, the system includes a radio transmitter that is operable to direct specific information to each of the vehicles via radio signals.
Claims32
An automatic car wash system designed to process multiple vehicles simultaneously, the system comprising:
- an elongate path extending at least 20 feet;
- a plurality of stations spaced along the elongate path, at least one of the plurality of stations including a spray assembly operable to direct a pressurized and/or high velocity fluid onto a vehicle at the station;
- a control device operatively connected to the plurality of stations;
- at least two detectors spaced along the elongate path and operatively connected to the control device, the at least two detectors designed to indicate the presence of at least one of the multiple vehicles to the control device;
- at least one proximity device operatively connected to the control device for detecting a relative distance between multiple vehicles;
- and
- a radio transmitter operatively connected to the control device, the radio transmitter operable to transmit information to the multiple vehicles via radio signals.
An automatic car wash system designed to concurrently process a plurality of vehicles including at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, the system comprising:
- an elongate path that defines a path of travel for the vehicles traveling along the path under their own power;
- a first station positioned along the elongate path, the first station including a detector for detecting the presence of the first vehicle, and further including a spray assembly operable to direct pressurized and/or high velocity fluid against the first vehicle that is in a stationary position;
- a second station positioned downstream of the first station along the path of travel, the second station including a detector for detecting the presence of the second vehicle, and further including at least one assembly selected from the group consisting of a brush assembly, a spray assembly, and a dryer assembly;
- a control device operable to direct instructions to a driver of the first vehicle to proceed from the stationary position at the first station towards the second station;
- at least one proximity device operatively connected to the control device for detecting the relative distance between the vehicles;
- and
- a communication device operatively connected to the control device for providing information to a driver of at least one of the vehicles regarding the relative distance therebetween.
A method of processing a plurality of vehicles through an automatic car wash having an entrance and exit, the method comprising:
- directing a first vehicle to travel into the entrance and to a first station under the first vehicle's own power;
- directing the first vehicle to stop at the first station;
- directing the first vehicle to move forward under the first vehicle's own power to a second station;
- and
- directing a second vehicle to travel into the entrance and towards the first station under the second vehicle's own power before the first vehicle has traveled past the exit of the automatic car wash under the first vehicle's own power.
A method of processing a plurality of vehicles through an automatic car wash having an entrance and exit, the method comprising:
- directing a plurality of vehicles through the automatic car wash concurrently so that the vehicles travel through the automatic car wash under their own power between the entrance and exit of the automatic car wash;
- detecting the relative distance between at least two vehicles of the plurality of vehicles;
- sending information to at least one vehicle's driver relating to the relative distance between the at least one vehicle and an adjacent vehicle in order to effect a desired spacing between the at least one vehicle and the adjacent vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.