A water rinsing apparatus is disclosed for spraying water upwardly against the underbody of a vehicle to rinse and clean the surfaces thereof. The water rinsing apparatus includes a water delivery tube connectable at its inlet end to a garden hose, and at its outlet end to a manifold which distributes water to a plurality of upwardly directed water spray nozzles mounted in the body of the manifold. Wheels are rotatably mounted on fixed axle members projecting longitudinally from opposite sides of the body of the manifold, and provide maneuverability for the apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to water spraying devices, and more specifically to such a device for spraying water to rinse the underbody of a vehicle.

Vehicles will accumulate debris such as dirt, road salt, chemicals and other types of corrosive materials on their underbodies as a result of driving on roads. Over time, such debris may result in corrosion or damage to various components of the vehicle. Therefore, it is desirable to periodically clean the underbody of a vehicle to remove such undesirable debris, and thereby avoid costly repairs.

Retail washing facilities, such as roadside car washes and truck washes, are available to provide for the cleaning of vehicles. However, such facilities are relatively expensive, especially if one desires to clean a vehicle on a regular basis. Also, such facilities are not always convenient for vehicle owners due to their limited number, and sometimes remote, locations. Further, such retail washing facilities are not always available to many commercial vehicles and municipal owner vehicles, such as fire trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, ambulances, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), and the like due to their size or local municipal regulations.

In view of such issues, a device for rinsing and cleaning debris from the underbody of a vehicle is desired. Preferably, such a device should be portable, lightweight, relatively inexpensive, effective, easy to use, and connectable to a conventional water source such as a garden hose spigot of a residential dwelling or other building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a water rinsing apparatus for spraying water upwardly against the underbody of a vehicle to rinse and clean the surfaces thereof. The water rinsing apparatus includes a water delivery tube connectable at its inlet end to a garden hose, and at its outlet end to a manifold which distributes water to a plurality of upwardly directed water spray nozzles mounted in the body of the manifold. Wheels are rotatably mounted on fixed axle members projecting longitudinally from opposite sides of the body of the manifold, and provide maneuverability for the apparatus.

The body of the manifold extends longitudinally in a generally normal or crosswise direction with respect to the outlet end of the water delivery tube, and is preferably in the shape of a cylinder. A longitudinal bore is formed in the body of the manifold, and extends entirely therethrough and opens to both of the opposite sides of the body. The longitudinal bore is in fluid communication with the water delivery tube as well as with a plurality of spray nozzles which direct water upwardly against the underbody of a vehicle. The fixed axle members are mounted to the body of the manifold to not only provide a bearing surface for the wheels but also to provide for closing or sealing the opposite open ends of the longitudinal bore so that water from the water delivery tube which enters the longitudinal bore is forced to flow upwardly and through the spray nozzles.

The present invention is thus not only portable, lightweight and relatively inexpensive, but also is effective and easy to use. This apparatus eliminates the cumbersome chore of trying to rinse and clean the underbody of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now toFIGS. 1-5, a water rinsing apparatus is illustrated, generally designated by the numeral10, for spraying water against the underbody of a vehicle, such as a car, sport utility vehicle, truck, ambulance, fire truck, dump truck, garbage truck, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), and the like. The water rinsing apparatus10includes a water delivery tube12connectable to a garden hose (not shown) at one end, a manifold14connected to the other end of tube12for distributing water to a plurality of water spray nozzles16,18,20,22and24, and a pair of wheels26and28rotatably mounted on axle members30and32, respectively, to provide maneuverability for apparatus10.

The water delivery tube12comprises a longitudinally extending angular segment34terminating at a water inlet end36, and a generally horizontal segment38terminating at a water outlet end40. The overall length of tube12is about 75 inches to about 80 inches long, preferably about 78 inches long for ease of use, and with segment38being longer (about 48 inches) than segment34(about 30 inches) to ensure segment38can extend beneath a vehicle's underbody a sufficient distance so as to rinse at least about one-half the width of the vehicle. Again, for ease of use, segment34is disposed at an obtuse angle42with respect to segment38so that a user can readily grasp inlet end36and stand upright during use of apparatus10. The obtuse angle42is preferably between about 140 degrees to about 150 degrees, but is most preferably about 145 degrees as indicated inFIG. 2.

Water delivery tube12may be composed of iron, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, polyvinylchloride (PVC), or any other suitable material, and is preferably a 0.5 inch nominal steel pipe that defines a central water conveying passageway44running its entire length from inlet end36to its outlet end40. Tube12may preferably be of a one-piece construction, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2bent to provide the obtuse angle42between segments34and38, or of a two-piece construction with segment34connected to segment38via an appropriate pipe elbow fitting.

As shown inFIG. 1, a standard garden hose connector46is located at the water inlet end36of delivery tube12. Connector46is a conventional 0.5 inch NPT female to 0.75 inch female threaded hose adapter that enables a standard garden hose (not shown) to be connected to one end. Connector's other end threadedly receives one side of a 0.5 inch close nipple fitting48which in turn has its other side threadedly connected to the female end of a 45 degree 0.5 inch street elbow fitting50. The male end of elbow50in turn is threaded into the housing of a conventional 0.5 inch one quarter turn ball valve52which in turn is threaded onto the inlet end36of tube12. Valve52is thus located between the water inlet end36of tube12and the garden hose connector46to control6the flow of water into the water conveying passageway44of tube12.

Manifold14is connected to the outlet end40of the water delivery tube12, and extends longitudinally in a generally normal or crosswise direction with respect to horizontal segment38of tube12. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, manifold14comprises a longitudinal body54having an upper surface56extending between opposite left and right planar sides58and60. Preferably, body54is in the shape of a cylinder, and sides58and60are the opposite bases of the cylinder. However, body54may be other shapes, such as oval, rectangular, hexagonal or the like, as long as it accomplishes its function of distributing water from the water conveying passageway44of tube12therethrough to spray water upwardly against the underbody of a vehicle.

For ease of manufacturing, and to reduce the overall cost of producing manifold14, and thereby also that of apparatus190, body54of manifold14has a longitudinal bore62formed therethrough extending its entire length, and opening to both of the opposite sides58and60. When body54is a cylinder, bore62is located centrally therein and extends along the body's longitudinal axis. Although water conveying passageway44of tube12has a diameter of 0.5 inch, bore62has a diameter of 0.25 inch. This reduction in diameter increases the pressure of the water as it enters bore62from passageway44to aid in the spraying process.

Body54includes a plurality of water outlet apertures64,66,68,70and72extending between the upper surface56and the bore62. Apertures64-72are equally spaced apart along surface56, and when body54is a cylinder, apertures64-72extend radially from bore62to upper surface56, as shown inFIG. 5.

Apertures64-72are tapped at surface56to form female threads which enable each aperture64-72to threadedly receive one of the spray nozzles16-24, respectively. Each spray nozzle16-24is a conventional size 10, 25 degree, PVDF spray nozzle, such as those available from United States Plastic Corp. as part number 62658. Nozzles16-24are designed to spray water in a substantially fan-like profile, preferably with a spread of 25 degrees, and are orientated within apertures64-72so that one or more of nozzles16-24spray water upwardly from body54in a direction perpendicular to bore62, and one or more of the nozzles16-24are orientated to spray water upwardly from body54in a direction parallel to bore62. Preferably, nozzles16-24alternate between perpendicular and parallel orientations so that the fan-like profiles of water sprayed from nozzles16,20and24are orientated in a parallel manner to bore62, and the fan-like profiles of water sprayed from nozzles18and22are orientated in a perpendicular manner to bore62.

Body54further includes an inlet opening74communicating between the water conveying passageway44of tube12and the longitudinal bore62. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, inlet opening74is located midway between sides58and60, and when body54is a cylinder, extends radially therein, and is disposed at a 90 degree angle76with respect to aperture68. The outer end of inlet opening74is tapped to form female threads which enable body54to be threaded onto the outlet end40of the horizontal segment38of water delivery tube12.

Axle members30and32are fixed to, and extend longitudinally from, the opposite sides58and60, respectively, of the body54of manifold14. Axle members30and32close and seal off the opposite ends of bore62, which would otherwise be open, at sides58and60so that water is forced to flow into apertures64-72and through nozzles16-24. Preferably, axle members30and32are in the form of conventional shoulder bolts which have collars at their outer ends, male threads at their inner ends, and smooth shanks extending therebetween. The opposite open ends of bore62are tapped to form female threads so that axle members30and32may be threadedly received therein, and thereby provide a water-tight seal.

Wheels26and28are rotatably mounted on the axle members30and32, respectively, to provide mobility for the water rinsing apparatus10. While the diameter of body54of manifold14is preferably about 2.25 inches, the diameter of each wheel26and28is preferably about 3 inches so that manifold14will ride comfortably above the ground in operation. Also, wheels26and28are preferably composed of nylon, which is substantially self-lubricating, so that rotation on axle members30and32is not inhibited.

In operation, one end of a garden hose is threaded onto connector46while the other end of the garden hose is connected to a source of water such as an outdoor house spigot. With valve52closed, the spigot is then opened, and the manifold14of the water rinsing apparatus10is positioned to be beneath the underbody of a vehicle. Once manifold14is positioned beneath a vehicle, valve52at the inlet end36of tube12is opened, and water begins spraying upwardly from nozzles16-24. Manifold14may then be simultaneously reciprocated back and forth beneath a vehicle until the desired amount of rinsing and cleaning is performed. Once rinsing is completed, valve52is closed. This operation may then be repeated with another vehicle, or the spigot may be turned off and the garden hose disconnected from tube12of apparatus10.