Flexible coupling for a brush assembly of a vehicle washing apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

A flexible coupling device for connecting a motor to a shaft having a rotary brush mounted thereon in a vehicle washing apparatus includes a rubber sleeve, a metal cable embedded in the sleeve and a coil spring mounted around an outside of the sleeve. Connecting means are mounted at each end of the sleeve for connecting the flexible coupling to the motor and the shaft on which the brush is mounted. A retainer ring is mounted adjacent each end of the sleeve for retaining the metal coil spring in place. Safety clips are attached to the retainer rings to hold the ends of the metal coil spring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a vehicle washing apparatus and, more particularly, to an improved flexible coupling for connecting a rotating brush to a motor in a vehicle washing apparatus.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Numerous devices are known in the art for washing vehicles by employing rotating brush assemblies for cleaning one or more of the front, sides and rear of a vehicle. Many such devices are known as wrap-around brush assembly vehicle washing devices. Many such wrap-around brush assembly devices use hydraulic power control systems and other means to move the brushes along the front, sides and back of the vehicle. Such control systems require close supervision and extensive maintenance and adjustment in order to operate properly. Other such devices are complex in construction.

Various solutions to the above problems have been proposed such as installing a flexible connection between the motor for rotating a brush and a shaft upon which the brush is mounted. Such flexible connections or coupling devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,198,722 and 4,225,995. Another type of flexible connection or coupling device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,291 wherein a metal coil spring is used to couple a shaft from a motor to another shaft on which a rotary brush is mounted. It also has been known to use a rubber cylinder or sleeve having a cable embedded therein in a coupling device for coupling a motor to a brush. While many of these prior art devices have generally been satisfactory, there still is a need for an improved flexible coupling device for a vehicle washing apparatus which is simple and economical in construction while still being reliable and safe in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible coupling device for connecting a motor to a shaft on which a brush is mounted in a vehicle washing apparatus wherein the flexible coupling device includes a rubber sleeve, a metal cable embedded in the sleeve, and a metal coil spring mounted around the outside of the sleeve.

A further object of the invention is provide a flexible coupling device in a vehicle washing apparatus which provides better control of and helps modulate the flexibility of the coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible coupling device in a vehicle washing apparatus which improves the safety and reliability thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible coupling device in a vehicle washing apparatus wherein the flexible coupling device absorbs torque and thereby decreases the starting torque on a motor/gear box, due to the flexibility of the coupling.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a flexible coupling device in a vehicle washing apparatus which is simple and economical in construction.

The present invention achieves the above and other objects by providing in a vehicle washing apparatus having a frame, a rotary brush mounted on a shaft supported by the frame and a motor for rotating the shaft and the brush, a flexible coupling device for connecting the motor/gear box to the shaft which includes a rubber sleeve, a metal cable embedded centrally in the sleeve, a metal coil spring mounted around the sleeve and connecting means mounted at each end of the sleeve for connecting the flexible coupling to the motor and the shaft on which the brush is mounted. The flexible coupling is particularly adapted for use in connection with a wrap-around brush for washing the front, sides and rear of a vehicle whereby the flexible coupling permits the brush to flex in any direction to tilt the brush as it moves around outer surfaces of the vehicle and to return the brush to its normal position through the restoring forces of the flexible coupling.

The metal cable is wound in a clockwise direction for use in connection with a brush which is rotated in a clockwise direction and the metal cable is wound in a counter clockwise direction for use in connection with a brush which is rotated in a counter clock-wise direction. Each connecting means further includes a hub at each end of the sleeve having one end mounted inside of the sleeve and the other end extending out from the sleeve. The flexible coupling device further includes a retainer ring or plate mounted at each end of the sleeve for retaining the coil spring in place as well as at least one safety clip attached to each retainer ring to hold an end of the coil spring in place. If the cable and rubber sleeve break or otherwise fail, the safety clips will at least temporarily hold the brush and shaft on which the brush is mounted, in place.

The present invention further includes a method of manufacturing a flexible coupling device for a vehicle washing apparatus having a frame, a rotary brush mounted on a shaft supported by the frame and a motor for rotating the shaft and the brush wherein the flexible coupling device connects the motor/gear box and the brush shaft. The method includes the steps of attaching a connecting hub to each end of a wire cable, molding a rubber sleeve around the cable and at least a portion of each hub to embed the cable and the portion of each hub therein, mounting a metal coil spring around the sleeve and mounting a retainer ring adjacent the outer end of each of the hubs to retain the metal coil spring in place. The method further may include the step of attaching at least one safety clip to each retainer ring to hold an end of the metal coil spring in place.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the following description of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1of the drawings, a vehicle washing apparatus, generally referred to by the numeral10, includes a supporting frame12having a swing arm14pivotally attached thereto. A rotary brush assembly, generally indicated by the numeral16, is rotably attached to the outer end of the swing arm14.

The rotary brush assembly includes a rotary brush20having a shaft22connected to the top thereof. The brush shaft22is connected to a drive shaft24by a flexible coupling device26. The drive shaft24may be connected to a motor28through a gear box30. The motor28is mounted adjacent the outer end of the swing arm14. The motor may be an electric motor, a hydraulic motor or any other suitable type of motor. If a hydraulic motor is used, it is not necessary to also have a separate gear box. The rotary brush assembly16is a wrap-around brush assembly whereby as the brush washes a vehicle, and the flexible coupling26permits the brush to flex in any direction and tilt when it contacts a vehicle while rotating.

In the washing apparatus shown inFIG. 1, only a single brush is shown but the vehicle washing apparatus may include a pair of oppositely disposed brush assemblies mounted to the frame on swing arms which rotate or swing in opposite directions to wash the front, both sides and the back of a vehicle.

The vehicle washing apparatus as shown inFIG. 1illustrates a brush which is designed to wash the driver's side of a car whereby the car moves into front of the brush rotating in a counter clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow A. The counter clockwise rotation causes the brush to walk along the front, one side and the back of a vehicle. During the washing of the car, the brush20may flex in any direction as shown by the arrow B. A brush assembly for washing the passenger side of the car opposite to the driver's side is constructed similar to the brush assembly for washing the driver's side except that the brush for washing the passenger side is rotated in a clockwise direction whereby the brush walks across the front, along the opposite side to the driver's side and the back of the vehicle.

In the brush assembly16as just described, the flexible coupling device26allows the brush to tilt or swing in any direction and also creates a restoring force to urge the brush back toward its normal vertical position. Moreover, the flexible coupling device absorbs torque and thus functions to decrease the starting torque on the motor/gear box, due to the flexibility of the coupling.

With reference toFIGS. 2–4,FIG. 2is an exploded view showing various parts of the flexible coupling device26,FIG. 3is a view partially broken away of a portion of the flexible coupling device andFIG. 4is a view showing the flexible coupling device assembled in an operative state.

The flexible coupling device26includes a rubber cylinder or sleeve32having embedded centrally therein a wound wire cable34. An upper collar36is attached to an upper end of the cable34and a lower collar38is attached to the lower end of the wire cable by any suitable means such as welding or crimping. The upper collar36is mounted in a central opening of an upper hub40by any suitable means such as welding while the lower collar38is similarly mounted in a central opening of a lower hub42. The inner end portions of both hub40and hub42are embedded in the rubber sleeve so that the outer end portions of the hubs extend outwardly from the rubber sleeve. The inner end portion of upper hub40is provided with a ridge or rib44and the inner end portion of the lower hub42also is provided with a similar ridge46. The ridges44and46function to help secure the hubs in the rubber sleeve and prevent them from slipping out.

As further shown inFIG. 3, the top end portion of the upper hub40may be provided with identification means or indicia48to identify the hub as one to be installed in the upper end of the rubber sleeve for connection to a motor and to further identify the hub as containing a cable which is wound in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. In the rubber sleeve device shown inFIG. 3, the metal cable is wound in a counter clockwise direction for use in connection with a brush which is also to be rotated in a counter clockwise direction so that the metal cable does not tend to unwind but rather tends to wind tighter through rotation in the same direction as the metal cable is wound. The identification means or indicia42may include stripes, lines, grooves or any other suitable form of identification.

To effectively walk the brush around the front, side and rear of a vehicle, the brush which contacts the driver's side of the car is rotated in a counter clockwise direction while the brush which contacts the passenger side of the car rotates in a clockwise direction.

As best shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, a metal coil spring52is mounted around the outside of the rubber sleeve32. An upper retainer ring54is mounted at the upper end of the rubber sleeve32while a lower retainer ring56is mounted at the lower end of the rubber sleeve. The retainer rings retain the ends of the coil spring to help maintain the spring in position around the rubber sleeve. Bolts58extend through openings60in the retainer rings and through holes62in the hubs to fasten the retainer rings at the upper and lower ends of the rubber sleeve.

Safety clips66having an L-shaped configuration are mounted to the outside of the retainer rings54and56to further hold the ends of the metal coil spring52. As shown inFIG. 2preferably two safety clips are used at each end of the coil spring. The safety clips are held in place by bolts68which pass through holes in the safety clips, holes in the retainer rings and corresponding holes in the hubs40and42. The safety clips function as safety connecting means to assist in holding the ends of coil spring in place. In addition, if the metal cable and/or the rubber sleeve break or otherwise fail, the safety clips will at least temporarily hold the brush and the shaft on which the brush is mounted, in place so that the brush does not damage a vehicle being washed.

As shown inFIG. 1, the upper hub40is connected to the drive shaft24extending from the gear box30and the lower hub42is connected to the shaft22on which the brush20is mounted.

In the method of manufacturing the flexible coupling device, the collars36and38are mounted on the ends of the metal cable34and hubs40and42are secured to the collars. The metal cable, collars and inner ends of the hubs are embedded in the rubber sleeve32by molding the rubber therearound or by other suitable methods. The metal coil spring52is then mounted around the rubber sleeve32and the retainer rings54and56and the safety clips66are mounted to ends of the spring and the rubber sleeve. The assembled flexible coupling device is then ready for mounting to the drive shaft and the shaft on which the brush is mounted in a vehicle washing apparatus.

The flexible coupling device of the present invention has many advantages. The metal coil spring, in combination with the rubber sleeve and cable connections, provide a strong, safe and reliable means for connecting the motor to the brush shaft. The spring provides additional control of the rigidity and helps modulate the flexibility of the coupling device while providing a further safety feature in case of a breakage of any other part of the coupling device. The rubber sleeve and cable together absorb torque of the rotation forces while the spring helps stabilize and modulate the flexibility and provides an excellent safe connection between the motor means and the shaft brush.

Numerous other modifications and adaptations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and thus, it is intended by following claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.