Carwash dryer apparatus and method
AssigneeGallop Brush LLC
InventorTheodore Yamin, Sr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention, a carwash dryer apparatus and method, is detailed. The apparatus uses a plurality of drying scoop assemblies to remove water from a wet vehicle through contact. The drying scoops are made from 10-lb foam or felt. The apparatus is then dried by spinning until it has released the absorbed water. The scoop shape facilitates both quick drying of vehicles and the rapid elimination of moisture from the scoops, themselves. The method allows for the sensing of the water retained in the plurality of drying scoop assemblies and adjusts the voltage in order to eliminate the water.
Claims27
A carwash dryer apparatus comprising:
- a voltage-controlled motor;
- a motor controller, controlling the voltage delivered to the motor;
- a drive-shaft coupled to the output of the motor;
- a cylindrical rotational core;
- a top plate for attaching the cylindrical rotational core to the drive shaft;
- a bottom plate having an outer diameter and fitted to the bottom of the cylindrical rotational core;
- a plurality of drying scoops;
- a smaller, integer plurality of cloth rings, having an inner diameter and an outer diameter;
- and a smaller, integer plurality of foam disc spacers, having an inner diameter and an outer diameter;
- wherein the plurality of drying scoops are constructed from rectangles of an absorbent material, having a centerline, two long edges, a fixed short edge, and a rounded short edge;
- wherein, in order to make a scoop, the rectangles are folded, the long edges are sewn together in proximity of the fixed short end, and the folded halves are also sewn together in proximity to, and parallel with, the centerline;
- wherein the long edges are not sewn together in proximity of the rounded short edge;
- wherein the number in the plurality of drying scoops is divided by the number of the smaller, integer plurality of cloth rings to produce an assembly integer;
- wherein the assembly integer dictates how many drying scoops are sewn to a single cloth ring, creating a drying scoop assembly;
- wherein the fixed end of the drying scoops are sewn to the single cloth ring;
- and
- wherein the drying scoop assemblies and the foam disc spacers are alternated axially along the cylindrical rotational core.
A method for removing water from the exterior of a vehicle comprising the steps of
- creating a first plurality of drying scoops out of rectangular sections of absorbent material, each drying scoop having an open direction;
- arranging the first plurality of drying scoops into a second plurality of drying scoop assemblies, so that the open direction of each of the drying scoops is pointed in the same rotational direction;
- orienting the second plurality of drying scoop assemblies on a cylindrical rotational core so that the open direction of all of the drying scoops coincides with the direction of rotation;
- attaching a drive shaft to the cylindrical core;
- attaching the drive shaft to the output of a voltage-controlled motor assembly having an integrated controller;
- triggering the voltage-controlled motor when a vehicle to be dried is present;
- selecting a voltage for drying the vehicle;
- applying voltage to the motor, causing the cylindrical core to rotate;
- contacting the exterior of a wet vehicle and absorbing water therefrom;
- and
- finishing drying the exterior of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.