# US 8,783,191 B2 · Drive in aid and vehicle treatment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,191 B2 - Document ID: US8783191B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/635,461 - Filed: 2011-02-07 - Published: 2013-09-05 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-22 - Assignees: WashTec Holding GmbH - Applicants: Robert Auer - Inventors: Robert Auer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783191B2 ## CPC - B60S 3/004: {Conveyors for vehicle cleaning apparatus} - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The invention provides a drive-in aid for a conveying device provided for transporting a vehicle to be treated in a transport direction through a vehicle treatment system, having a lane running in the transport direction for tires of the vehicle, a base plate movable transversely to the transport direction and two guide elements converging at least partially above the movable base plate in the transport direction, and a corresponding vehicle treatment system. The drive-in aid and vehicle treatment system allow the tires of the vehicle to be treated to be positioned without damage and centrally with respect to the desired lane of the conveying device. The drive-in aid is characterized in that the guide elements are movable to and fro between an approach position, in which they converge in the transport direction and extend into the lane and a drive-through position, in which they define the lane laterally. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive-in aid for a conveying device for a vehicle treatment system, the conveying device for transporting a vehicle to be treated in a transport direction through the vehicle treatment system, the drive-in aid comprising: a lane for tires of the vehicle to be treated, the lane running in the transporting direction; a base plate movable in a direction transverse to the transporting direction; and two guide elements at least partially converging above the base plate in the transporting direction, the guide elements movable back and forth between an approach position and a drive-through position, wherein in the approach position the guide elements extend into the lane and converge in the transporting direction and in the drive-through position the guide elements laterally define the lane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive-in aid according to claim 1, wherein the drive-in aid is located in the drive-in area of the conveying device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drive-in aid according to claim 1, further comprising two restoring drives, each restoring drive operably-correlated with each guide element, the restoring drives moving the guide elements into the approach position, wherein a restoring force applied by the restoring drives on the guide elements increases with increasing deflection of the guide elements from the approach position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drive-in aid according to claim 3, wherein the restoring force is adjustable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The drive-in aid according to claim 3, wherein each restoring drive includes a restoring spring which presses the guide element into the approach position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The drive-in aid according to claim 3, wherein each restoring drive includes a pneumatically or a hydraulically-actuatable restoring cylinder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The drive-in aid according to claim 6, wherein each guide element is articulated on a front end on a rotating axis in the transporting direction, the rotating axis running perpendicular to the base plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drive-in aid according to claim 7, wherein each guide element includes a rotating leg, the rotating leg having a rotating axis perpendicular to the base plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The drive-in aid according to claim 8, further comprising an approach stop lying before each rotating leg in the transporting direction, the approach stops operably-correlated with the guide elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The drive-in aid according to claim 8, further comprising a drive-through stop lying behind each rotating leg in the transporting direction, the drive-through stops operably-correlated with the guide elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The drive-in aid according to claim 10, wherein the guide elements further comprise approach rollers, the approach rollers rotating around a rotating axis parallel to the base plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The drive-in aid according to claim 10, wherein the guide elements further comprise back rolling stops on back ends in a transporting direction, the back rolling stops extending into the lane in the approach position of the guide elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The drive-in aid according to claim 12, wherein the back rolling stops run transverse to the transporting direction. ### Claim 14 A vehicle treatment system comprising: a conveying device to transport a vehicle to be treated through the vehicle treatment system in a transporting direction; and a drive-in aid arranged before the conveying device in the transporting direction, the drive-in aid comprising: a lane for tires of the vehicle to be treated, the lane running in the transporting direction; a base plate movable in a direction transverse to the transporting direction; and two guide elements at least partially converging above the base plate in the transporting direction, the guide elements movable back and forth between an approach position and a drive-through position, wherein in the approach position the guide elements extend into the lane and converge in the transporting direction and in the drive-through position the guide elements laterally define the lane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle treatment system according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle treatment system is a vehicle washing system. ### Claim 16 A drive-in aid for a conveying device for a vehicle treatment system, the conveying device for transporting a vehicle to be treated in a transport direction through the vehicle treatment system, the drive-in aid comprising: a lane for tires of the vehicle to be treated, the lane running in the transporting direction; a plurality of longitudinal rollers having rotating axes running in the transporting direction adjacent one another, the plurality of longitudinal rollers for shifting tires of the vehicle to be treated laterally; and two guide elements at least partially converging above the plurality of longitudinal rollers in the transporting direction, the guide elements movable back and forth between an approach position and a drive-through position, wherein in the approach position the guide elements extend into the lane and converge in the transporting direction and in the drive-through position the guide elements laterally define the lane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The drive-in aid according to claim 16, further comprising a base plate movable in a direction transverse to the transporting direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The drive-in aid according to claim 16, wherein the drive-in aid is located in the drive-in area of the conveying device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) A vehicle treatment system comprising the drive-in aid according to claim 16.