A cart sanitizing system is disclosed for applying a sanitizing fluid to sanitize a shopping cart. A pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid is applied to the cart contained within a cart enclosure through a series of spray nozzles mounted along a spray arch. The pressurized sanitizing fluid is suppl
A cart sanitizing system is disclosed for applying a sanitizing fluid to sanitize a shopping cart. A pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid is applied to the cart contained within a cart enclosure through a series of spray nozzles mounted along a spray arch. The pressurized sanitizing fluid is supplied to the spray arch from a pressure tank, which is fed with the supply of sanitizing fluid from a chemical make-down system. The chemical make-down system creates the sanitizing fluid, which preferably includes a sanitizing agent and a surfactant mixed within fresh water. The sanitizing fluid is created by a mixing device by flowing the fresh water over inlet tubes for both the sanitizing agent and the surfactant. The mixture of the surfactant and sanitizing agent allows the sanitizing fluid to be applied to the shopping carts and eliminates the requirement for drying.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A mobile sanitizing system for applying a sanitizing fluid to a shopping cart to sanitize the shopping cart, comprising: a cart enclosure for receiving the shopping cart, the cart enclosure including a floor, a pair of spaced side walls, an entrance and an exit; a single spra
What is claimed is: 1. A mobile sanitizing system for applying a sanitizing fluid to a shopping cart to sanitize the shopping cart, comprising: a cart enclosure for receiving the shopping cart, the cart enclosure including a floor, a pair of spaced side walls, an entrance and an exit; a single spray arch positioned in the enclosure between the entrance and the exit, the single spray arch having a plurality of spray nozzles positioned to direct the sanitizing fluid onto the shopping cart when the shopping cart is within the cart enclosure; a pressure tank coupled to the single spray arch, the pressure tank being operable to provide a pressurized supply of the sanitizing fluid to the single spray arch; a chemical make-down system coupled to the pressure tank to create the sanitizing fluid and supply the sanitizing fluid to the pressure tank, the chemical make-down system comprising: a surfactant tank including a supply of a surfactant; a chemical tank including a supply of a sanitizing agent; and a mixing device in fluid communication with a supply of water, the surfactant tank and the chemical tank and operable to mix a desired amount of the surfactant and a desired amount of the sanitizing agent into the supply of water to create the sanitizing fluid; and a drain positioned to receive the sanitizing fluid after the sanitizing fluid has been applied to the shopping cart, wherein the drain is coupled to a discharge tube to dispose of the sanitizing fluid. 2. The sanitizing system of claim 1 wherein the mixing device includes a surfactant tube coupled to the surfactant tank and a chemical tube coupled to the chemical tank wherein the supply of water passes over an inlet opening of the surfactant tube and an inlet opening of the chemical tube to draw the surfactant and the sanitizing agent into the flow of water. 3. The sanitizing system of claim 1 further comprising a manual wand coupled to the pressure tank by a selection valve, wherein the selection valve is operable to divert the pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid between the manual wand and the spray arch. 4. The sanitizing system of claim 1 wherein the cart enclosure further comprises: a pair of rear wheels positioned near the entrance; a pair of non-skid pads positioned near the exit, wherein the floor slopes downward from the entrance to the exit; an entrance ramp movable between a storage position and a loading position in which the entrance ramp extends between the floor and the ground, the entrance ramp having a pair of adjustable guide rails to guide the shopping cart toward the entrance; and an exit ramp movable between a storage position and a loading position in which the entrance ramp extends between the floor and the ground, the entrance ramp having a pair of guide rails to guide the shopping cart from the exit toward the ground. 5. The sanitizing system of claim 2 wherein the inlet openings for both the surfactant tube and the chemical tube are selectable to vary the concentration of the sanitizing fluid. 6. The sanitizing system of claim 2 further comprising a storage tank positioned to receive the sanitizing fluid from the mixing device, the storage tank being in fluid communication with the pressure tank to provide the sanitizing fluid to the pressure tank, the storage tank having a fill sensor to detect when the level of the sanitizing fluid in the storage tank falls below a lower level, wherein the fill sensor activates a water fill valve to provide the supply of water to the mixing device. 7. The sanitizing system of claim 6 further comprising a pressure pump positioned to pump the sanitizing fluid from the storage tank to the pressure tank, wherein the pressure pump is activated to charge the pressure tank when the pressure in the pressure tank falls below a minimum pressure. 8. A mobile sanitizing system for applying a sanitizing fluid to a shopping cart to sanitize the shopping cart, comprising: a cart enclosure for receiving the shopping cart, the cart enclosure including a floor, a pair of spaced side walls, an entrance and an exit; a single spray arch positioned in the enclosure between the entrance and the exit, the single spray arch having a plurality of spray nozzles positioned to direct the sanitizing fluid onto the shopping cart when the shopping cart is within the cart enclosure; a pressure tank coupled to the single spray arch, the pressure tank being operable to provide a pressurized supply of the sanitizing fluid to the single spray arch; a detector mounted within the enclosure to detect the entrance of a shopping cart into the cart enclosure, wherein the pressure tank provides the pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid to the single spray arch upon detection of the shopping cart; a chemical make-down system coupled to the pressure tank to create the sanitizing fluid and supply the sanitizing fluid to the pressure tank, the chemical make-down system comprising: a surfactant tank including a supply of a surfactant; a chemical tank including a supply of a sanitizing agent; and a mixing device in fluid communication with a supply of water, the surfactant tank and the chemical tank and operable to mix a desired amount of the surfactant and a desired amount of the sanitizing agent into the supply of water to create the sanitizing fluid; and a drain positioned to receive the sanitizing fluid after the sanitizing fluid has been applied to the shopping cart, wherein the drain is coupled to a discharge tube to dispose of the sanitizing fluid. 9. The sanitizing system of claim 8 wherein the mixing device includes a surfactant tube coupled to the surfactant tank and a chemical tube coupled to the chemical tank, wherein the supply of water passes over an inlet opening of the surfactant tube and an inlet opening of the chemical tube to draw the surfactant and the chemical agent into the flow of water. 10. The sanitizing system of claim 8 further comprising a storage tank positioned to receive the sanitizing fluid from the mixing device, the storage tank being in fluid communication with the pressure tank to provide a sanitizing fluid to the pressure tank, the storage tank having a fill sensor operable to detect when the level of the sanitizing fluid in the storage tanks falls below a lower level, wherein the fill sensor activates a water fill valve to provide the supply of water to the mixing device to create an additional supply of sanitizing fluid to fill the storage tank. 11. The sanitizing system of claim 8 wherein the cart enclosure further comprises: a pair of rear wheels positioned near the entrance; a pair of non-skid pads positioned near the exit, wherein the floor slopes downward from the entrance to the exit; an entrance ramp movable between a storage position and a loading position in which the entrance ramp extends between the floor and the ground, the entrance ramp having a pair of adjustable guide rails to guide the shopping cart toward the entrance; and an exit ramp movable between a storage position and a loading position in which the entrance ramp extends between the floor and the ground, the entrance ramp having a pair of guide rails to guide the shopping cart from the exit toward the ground. 12. The sanitizing system of claim 9 wherein the inlet openings for both the surfactant tube and the chemical tube are selectable to vary the concentration of the sanitizing fluid. 13. The sanitizing system of claim 10 further comprising a pressure pump positioned to pump the sanitizing fluid from the storage tank to the pressure tank, wherein the pressure pump is activated to charge the pressure tank when the pressure within the pressure tank falls below a minimum pressure. 14. The sanitizing system of claim 13 wherein the spray nozzles positioned on the spray arch each include a diaphragm check valve that opens to provide a spray pattern of the sanitizing fluid only when the pressure of the sanitizing fluid exceeds a threshold pressure. 15. A method of sanitizing a shopping cart, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cart enclosure having an entrance, an exit, a drain coupled to a discharge tube and a single spray arch positioned between the entrance and the exit, the single spray arch having a plurality of spray nozzles; moving at least one shopping cart through the entrance; creating a supply of a sanitizing fluid, including the steps of: passing a flow of water through a mixing device; drawing a selected amount of a surfactant into the flow of water; drawing a selected amount of a sanitizing agent into the water such that the mixture of the water, sanitizing agent and surfactant creates the sanitizing fluid having the selected amount of the surfactant and the sanitizing agent; providing a pressurized supply of the sanitizing fluid to the single spray arch such that each of the nozzles directs a spray of the sanitizing fluid onto the shopping cart; and draining the sanitize fluid away from the cart enclosure through the drain and discharge tube such that the sanitizing fluid is only applied to the shopping carts a single time. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein a plurality of shopping carts are pushed through the entrance opening nested together. 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of removing the cart from the enclosure and allowing the cart to dry without rinsing. 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the spray nozzles direct the spray of sanitizing fluid onto the shopping cart only when the pressure of the sanitizing fluid exceeds a threshold pressure.
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