# US 7,744,021 B2 · Carwash spray nozzle and washing system using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,021 B2 - Document ID: US7744021B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/371,484 - Filed: 2006-03-09 - Published: 2007-09-27 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-09 - Assignees: Belanger, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas E. Weyandt; Barry S. Turner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744021B2 ## CPC - B60S 3/04: for exteriors of land vehicles {(B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006)} - B05B 1/00: Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means (B05B3/00, B05B5/00, B05B7/00 take precedence; devices for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by contact B05C; nozzles for ink-jet printing mechanisms B41J2/135; nozzles for liquid-dispensing, e.g. in vehicle service stations, B67D7/42) - B05B 1/14: with multiple outlet openings (B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence); with strainers in or outside the outlet opening - B05B 1/1421: {the multiple outlet openings arranged in plural groups or rows (for roses or shower heads B05B1/1821)} - A62C 31/05: with two or more outlets - B05B 13/0278: {Arrangement or mounting of spray heads (B05B13/0207 takes precedence)} - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - A62C: FIRE-FIGHTING (fire-extinguishing compositions, use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires A62D1/00; spraying, applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarms actuated by smoke or gases G08B17/10) ## Abstract A high velocity, multiple-jet spray nozzle for use in carwash systems. Each nozzle comprises the axial unitary combination of a base, a nozzle carrier and a face plate. An inlet and a chamber are formed in the body and axially aligned flow passages are formed in the nozzle carrier and face plate so that when the components are assembled, five parallel jets arranged in a circular pattern are defined between the chamber and the outer surface of the face plate. Stainless steel nozzle inserts are press fit into the flow passages of the nozzle carrier and are held in place by the face plate. Screws hold the assembly together. The nozzles are preferably used in multiples to define a wide stream of washing fluid which can be used to attach mud, ice and other debris on the surfaces of a vehicle as well as on wheels and undercarriage. Each nozzle has an alignment axis marked on the face plate along which the spacing between adjacent nozzle outlets is uniform. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A high-velocity, multiple jet spray nozzle for car wash applications comprising: a base having a fluid inlet in one side and a chamber opening to an opposite side and in fluid communication with the inlet; a nozzle carrier having a first side and a second side and a plurality of parallel straight sided fluid passages formed therein between the first and second sides, each of said fluid passages having an end portion of greater diameter than the rest of the passage so as to define an internal shoulder, the first side of the nozzle carrier being sealingly attached to the opposite side of the base around the open chamber such that the fluid passages are in fluid communication with the chamber; plurality of inelastic nozzle inserts disposed in the end portions of the nozzle carrier fluid passages adjacent the second side and abutting said shoulders and having straight sided passages formed internally therein of substantially smaller internal diameter than the internal diameters of the fluid passages in the nozzle carrier; said inserts having a length which is smaller as compared to the overall length of said passages; and a cover plate sealingly attached to the second side of the nozzle carrier and having a plurality of straight sided fluid passages formed therein in alignment with and in fluid communication with said nozzle inserts; the cover plate fluid passages having diameters which are substantially larger than the inside diameters of the insert fluid passages, but smaller than the outside diameter of the inserts thereby to trap the inserts between said cover plate and said shoulders. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nozzle described in claim 1 wherein indicia is placed on said cover plate to define a mounting orientation, said passages being arranged to lie exclusively in a circular pattern around said cover plate and extending into both sides of a diameter through said pattern, said passages being individually progressively spaced in relation to said diameter and on opposite alternate sides thereof in relatively uniform increments of distance measured along said diameter such that a vehicle passing said nozzle at right angles to said diameter encounters a substantially continuous curtain of spray. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the inserts are metal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the carrier is made of plastic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1 further including gaskets sealingly disposed between the opposite surfaces of the nozzle carrier and the base and cover plates respectively. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1 further including a plurality of axially arranged parallel screws securing together and passing through each of the base, nozzle carrier and cover plate. ### Claim 7 A high velocity multiple jet spray nozzle array for car wash applications comprising: a support; a plurality of high velocity multiple jet spray nozzles mounted on the support for directing parallel adjacent and incrementally spaced streams of water toward a vehicle to be washed, each of said nozzles comprising: a base having a fluid inlet in one side and a chamber opening to an opposite side and in fluid communication with the inlet; a nozzle carrier having a first side and a second side and a plurality of parallel internally straight sided fluid passages formed therein between the first and second sides, the first side of the nozzle carrier being sealingly attached to the opposite side of the base around the open chamber such that the fluid passages are in fluid communication with the chamber, said passages having end portions of a greater diameter than the straight sided fluid passages in which they are formed thereby to define a shoulder in each passage; a plurality of inelastic nozzle inserts disposed in said larger diameter end portions and abutting said shoulders in the carrier fluid passages adjacent the second side and having straight sided passages formed therein of substantially smaller internal diameter than the internal diameter of the fluid passages in the nozzle carrier; and a cover plate sealingly attached to the second side of the nozzle carrier to trap the inserts between the cover plate and the shoulders and having a plurality of fluid passages formed therein in alignment with and in fluid communication with said nozzle inserts; the cover plate fluid passages having diameters which are substantially and uniformly larger than the diameters of the insert fluid passages. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein the flow passages of the nozzle carrier are arranged along a circumference of a circle with non-uniform circumferential spacing between the flow passages such that the distances between the nozzle inserts along a diameter of the cover plate are incrementally uniform; said diameter being shown by indicia on the cover plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the inserts are stainless steel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the nozzle carriers are made of plastic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 further including gaskets sealingly disposed between the base, nozzle carrier and cover plates of the respective nozzles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 further including for each nozzle a parallel axial arrangement of screws securing the components of the nozzles together in a unitary fashion.