Lighted vehicle wash component

A vehicle wash component, comprising:

• a rotatable hub portion having an outer surface and an axis of rotation;
• a plurality of discrete groupings of wash media retention mechanisms disposed on the outer surface of the hub portion;
• each of the plurality of groupings of wash media retention mechanisms including at least a first wash media retention mechanism and a second wash media retention mechanism located rearwardly of the first wash media retention mechanism with respect to a direction of rotation of the hub portion;
• each of the wash media retention mechanisms having a center that defines a radial reference line through the axis of rotation;
• a plurality of clearance zones disposed on the hub portion defined between adjacent groupings of wash media retaining mechanisms;
• the plurality of clearance zones having a distance defined between a radial reference line of the last wash media retention mechanism located immediately forward of the clearance zone and a radial reference line of the first wash media retention mechanism located immediately rearward of the clearance zone;
• at least one illumination element disposed in each of the plurality of clearance zones;
• wherein the clearance zone distance is greater than a distance between radial reference lines of adjacent wash media retention mechanisms such that light emitted from the illumination elements is visible substantially throughout the entire clearance zone during operation of the device.

A rotary brush for a vehicle wash system, comprising:

• a hub portion having an axis of rotation, the hub portion consisting of a plurality of individual extruded metal skin elements;
• a plurality of wash media element retaining grooves integrally formed in an outer surface of the hub portion, the plurality of media element retaining grooves arranged in separate and discrete groupings, with each grouping consisting of a plurality of wash media element retaining grooves;
• at least one wash media element disposed in the plurality of media element retaining grooves, the plurality of media element retaining grooves configured to retain the plurality of media elements therein while the extruded hub portion rotates about the axis of rotation;
• a plurality of clearance zone areas separating adjacent groupings of the plurality of media element retaining grooves;
• an illumination element retaining channel formed in the outer surface of the hub portion in each of the clearance zone areas;
• at least one light source disposed in the plurality of illumination element retaining channels, the plurality of illumination element retaining channels being configured to retain the light sources while the extruded hub portion rotates about the axis of rotation;
• wherein the plurality of illumination element retaining channels are disposed between adjacent groupings of media elements.