초록 ▼

A vehicle washing apparatus includes a side track extending along a washing bay. A gantry is supported for reciprocal motion along the side track by a gantry motor. Sensors detect the front and rear ends of the vehicle to control movement of the gantry. A retractable carriage extends from the gantry

A vehicle washing apparatus includes a side track extending along a washing bay. A gantry is supported for reciprocal motion along the side track by a gantry motor. Sensors detect the front and rear ends of the vehicle to control movement of the gantry. A retractable carriage extends from the gantry across the washing bay under the control of a carriage motor and a vehicle width sensor. The carriage rotatably supports a spray bar for discharging cleaning fluid. A motor rotates the spray bar to sweep around corners of the vehicle. A cam plate and engagement roller index the spray bar orientation, while limiting spray bar rotation to a single direction. A wheel guide receives the front left vehicle wheel. Treadle switches in the wheel guide, in conjunction with an illuminated display, indicate to the user when the vehicle is properly indexed in the washing bay.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising in combination: a. a vehicle washing bay for accommodating a vehicle to be washed, the vehicle washing bay having a longitudinal axis extending from a rear end of the vehicle washing bay to an opposing front end of the vehicle wash

The invention claimed is: 1. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising in combination: a. a vehicle washing bay for accommodating a vehicle to be washed, the vehicle washing bay having a longitudinal axis extending from a rear end of the vehicle washing bay to an opposing front end of the vehicle washing bay, the vehicle washing bay also having opposing left and right sides; b. a side track extending along one side of the vehicle washing bay; c. a gantry movably supported by the side track for reciprocal forward and backward movement along one side of the vehicle washing bay, the gantry being movable in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle washing bay, the gantry including opposing lower and upper ends; d. a gantry motor for selectively propelling the gantry forward and backward along the side track; e. a lateral support having a first end secured to the gantry in cantilevered fashion proximate the upper end of the gantry and having an opposing second free end, the lateral support extending above the vehicle washing bay and at least partially across the vehicle washing bay; f. a generally inverted L-shaped washing arm having a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion, the generally vertical portion including spray nozzles for directing cleaning fluid at vertical surfaces of the vehicle to be washed, the washing arm being rotatably supported relative to the lateral support for rotation about a substantially vertical axis; and g. a wash arm motor for selectively rotating the washing arm to sweep the spray nozzles around corners of the vehicle to be washed. 2. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 1 wherein: a. the side track includes upper and lower guide rails, and b. the gantry includes at least one upper rail wheel for rolling along the upper guide rail of the side track, and at least one lower rail wheel for rolling along the lower guide rail of the side track. 3. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 1 including at least one cleaning fluid pump supported by the gantry for movement therewith for pumping cleaning fluid to the washing arm. 4. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 3 including at least one reservoir of cleaning fluid supported by the gantry for movement therewith and coupled to the cleaning fluid pump. 5. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 1 including a rear end sensor element mounted for reciprocal forward and rearward movement with the gantry to sense that the gantry is disposed proximate the rear end of the vehicle to be washed. 6. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 5 including a front end sensor element mounted for reciprocal forward and rearward movement with the gantry to sense that the gantry is disposed proximate the front end of the vehicle to be washed. 7. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 1 including a carriage movably supported by the lateral support for side-to-side movement therealong, the washing arm being rotatably supported by the carriage for rotation about the substantially vertical axis, and the wash arm motor being supported by the carriage. 8. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 7 including a drive belt coupled between the wash arm motor and the washing arm. 9. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 7 including a carriage motor for selectively moving the carnage between retracted and extended positions along the lateral support. 10. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 9 including a limit sensor for sensing that the carnage has been moved to a fully retracted position, and for preventing the carnage motor from further retracting the carriage. 11. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 10 wherein the generally horizontal portion of the washing arm includes a second spray nozzle for directing cleaning fluid at horizontal surfaces of the vehicle to be washed, and wherein the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle are located on opposite sides of the washing arm's vertical axis of rotation. 12. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 7 including a vehicle width sensor element mounted for reciprocal side-to-side movement with the carriage to sense the relative width of the vehicle to be washed. 13. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 12 including a limit sensor for sensing that the carriage has been moved to a fully extended position, and for preventing the carriage motor from further extending the carriage. 14. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 1 wherein the generally horizontal portion of the washing arm includes at least a first spray nozzle for directing cleaning fluid at horizontal surfaces of the vehicle to be washed. 15. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising in combination: a. a vehicle washing bay for accommodating a vehicle to be washed; b. a generally inverted L-shaped washing arm having a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion, the generally vertical portion including spray nozzles for directing cleaning fluid at vertical surfaces of the vehicle to be washed; c. a movable support member for supporting the washing arm above the vehicle washing bay, the movable support member being adapted to be moved generally between the rear end and the front end of the washing bay for positioning the washing arm at different points within the vehicle washing bay; d. a bearing for rotatably supporting the washing arm relative to the movable support member about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; e. a generally circular index plate secured to the washing arm, the circular index plate having four index positions formed respectively at ninety degree intervals; f. a washing arm motor supported by the movable support member for movement therewith, the washing arm motor being coupled to the washing arm for selectively rotating the washing arm and the index plate secured thereto for selectively rotating the washing arm to sweep the spray nozzles around a corner of the vehicle to be washed and g. a position sensor secured to the movable support member proximate to the index plate and responsive to the four index positions for indexing the washing arm at one of four orientations. 16. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 15, wherein the washing arm motor is responsive to the position sensor for discontinuing further rotation of the washing arm. 17. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 16 wherein the position sensor is a proximity switch for sensing the relative rotational position of the index plate. 18. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 15 wherein the generally circular index plate has an outer periphery, the outer periphery having four grooves formed respectively at ninety degree intervals; and the vehicle washing apparatus further including a roller in contact with the outer periphery of the index plate, and engaging one of the four grooves, for indexing the washing arm at one of four orientations. 19. The vehicle washing apparatus recited by claim 18 wherein the index plate outer periphery has a flattened region adjacent each of the four grooves formed therein, and wherein the roller may be displaced from a groove of the index plate onto the corresponding adjacent flat for allowing the washing arm to rotate in a first direction while resisting rotation of the washing arm in an opposite direction. 20. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising in combination: a. a vehicle washing bay for accommodating a vehicle to be washed; b. a generally inverted L-shaped washing arm having a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion, the generally vertical portion including spray nozzles for directing cleaning fluid at vertical surfaces of the vehicle to be washed; c. a movable support member for supporting the washing arm above the vehicle washing bay, the movable support member being adapted to be moved generally between the rear end and the front end of the washing bay for positioning the washing arm at different points within the vehicle washing bay; d. a bearing for rotatably supporting the washing arm relative to the movable support member about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; e. a generally circular index plate secured to the washing arm, the circular index plate having four index positions formed respectively at ninety degree intervals; f. a position sensor secured to the movable support member proximate to the index plate and responsive to the four index positions for indexing the washing arm at one of four orientations; and g. a coupling joint for joining the vertical portion of the washing arm to the horizontal portion thereof, the coupling joint including a spring-biased detent for ordinarily maintaining the vertical and horizontal portions of the washing arm at a predetermined angle relative to one another during operation of the vehicle washing apparatus, the spring-biased detent yielding under applied force to permit the vertical and horizontal portions of the washing arm to deviate from said predetermined angle should the vertical portion of the washing arm contact the vehicle to be washed. 21. A vehicle washing apparatus comprising in combination: a. a vehicle washing bay for accommodating a vehicle to be washed; b. a generally inverted L-shaped washing arm having a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion, the generally vertical portion including spray nozzles for directing cleaning fluid at vertical surfaces of the vehicle to be washed; c. a movable support member for supporting the washing arm above the vehicle washing bay, the movable support member being adapted to be moved generally between the rear end and the front end of the washing bay for positioning the washing arm at different points within the vehicle washing bay; d. a bearing for rotatably supporting the washing arm relative to the movable support member about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; e. a generally circular index plate secured to the washing arm, the circular index plate having four index positions formed respectively at ninety degree intervals; f. a position sensor secured to the movable support member proximate to the index plate and responsive to the four index positions for indexing the washing arm at one of four orientations; and g. a coupling joint for joining the vertical portion of the washing arm to the horizontal portion thereof, the coupling joint including a spring-biased detent for ordinarily maintaining the vertical portion of the washing arm substantially parallel to the vertical axis of rotation during operation of the vehicle washing apparatus, the spring-biased detent yielding under applied force to permit the vertical portion of the washing arm to extend at an angle relative to the vertical axis of rotation should the vertical portion of the washing arm contact the vehicle to be washed.