Abstract:
An assembly for spraying a fluid along an orbital path generally consisting of a support member, an elongated member universally connected to the support member intermediate the ends thereof, a drive shaft having a crank arm mounted thereon for rotational movement therewith, a universal connection between the crank arm and the end of the elongated member and an opposite end of the elongated member having a fluid passageway provided with an inlet connectable to a fluid supply line and at least one outlet.

Description:
This invention relates to a spray assembly and particularly to a spray assembly suitable for use in the car wash industry. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the car wash industry, spray assemblies commonly are used to apply cleaning and waxing solutions to the bodies of vehicles, and rinsing such bodies with high velocity streams of water. In the past, such assemblies have been deployed along the path of a vehicle advanced through a car wash system, and mounted in fixed positions or arranged to oscillate. More recently, such spray assemblies have been designed to provide high velocity streams of fluid in orbital patterns. Such orbital spray assemblies have been found to be particularly effective in not only providing a larger area of coverage but reaching previously, not easily accessible areas such as wheel wells and the underbodies of vehicles. While such recently developed spray assemblies have been found to be highly advantageous in providing an improved cleaning performance, they further have been found to have a number of disadvantages. They often have been found to be complicated in design, expensive to manufacture and often require constant maintenance, principally due to leakage. It thus is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved orbital spray assembly which is comparatively simple in design, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, highly effective in performance and relatively maintenance free. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In achieving the aforementioned objective of the invention, the present invention generally provides an assembly for spraying a fluid in an orbital pattern generally consisting of a support member, an elongated member universally connected to the support member intermediate the ends thereof, a drive shaft having a crank arm mounted thereon for rotational movement therewith, a universal connection between the crank arm and an end of the elongated member and the opposite end of the elongated member having a fluid passageway provided with an inlet connectable to a fluid supply line and at least one outlet. Preferably, a number of circumferentially spaced outlets are provided, each of which includes a nozzle disposed at an angle to the longitudinal centerline of the elongated member to provide a large area coverage as the dispensing end of the elongated member is moved along an orbital path. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an orbital spray assembly embodying the present invention, having a portion thereof broken away; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the spray unit of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, illustrating a portion thereof in vertical cross-section; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the unit shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIGS. 4A through 4D are front views of the unit shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrating the unit in sequential positions along an orbital path; and 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the unit shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrating the components in exploded relation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated an orbital spray assembly  10  suitable for use in a car wash system of the type in which a vehicle is advanced through a tunnel type of structure, which generally includes a support housing  11 , a spray unit  12  mounted on the support housing and a motor unit  13  also mounted on the support housing and operatively connected to the spray unit for rotating the ends of the spray unit along orbital paths. Support housing  11  consists of a generally box beam type of structural member including front and rear walls  14  and  15  and a pair of side walls  16  and  17 . It may consist of a single, standalone structural member or a component of a larger unit provided with a number of spray units and may be vertically, horizontally or diagonally oriented. In a standalone configuration, it may consist of a short, vertical member supporting one or more spray units for directing streams of fluid to the wheels, wheel wells and underbodies of vehicles. In a more expansive arrangement, it may consist of a U-shape structure supporting a plurality of spray units for directing streams of fluid to the side, upper and end portions of a vehicle advanced through the support structure. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, front wall  14  of the support housing includes an opening through which spray unit  12  extends and an annular bearing seat  18  mounted on the front wall, in alignment with the opening in front wall  14 . As best seen in FIG. 2, bearing  18  is provided with an annular bearing seat  19 . 
     Spray unit  12  generally includes an elongated rod member  20 , a bearing  21  mounted on the rod member intermediate the ends thereof, a universal connection  22  disposed at an inner end thereof and a spray head  23  mounted on an outer end thereof. Rod member  20  has a cylindrical configuration and includes a threaded, axial bore  24  in the rear end thereof and a threaded front end  25 . Bearing member  21  may consist of a separate member having an opening therethrough to permit it to be mounted on rod member  20  and secured thereto by a suitable fastener or may be formed integrally therewith. An outer, bearing surface  26  of the bearing is curved transversely in a plane disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of rod member  20  and further curved in a plane passing through the longitudinal centerline of the rod member when the bearing member is mounted on the rod, as shown in FIG. 2, to provide a partially spherical bearing surface seated on bearing surface  19 . Such partially spherical bearing surface  26  has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of bearing seat  19  to provide an essentially universal connection between rod member  20  and annular member  18  mounted on the support housing. 
     Universal connection unit  22  is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 and will be seen to consist of a housing  30 , a first bearing seat section  31 , a ball bearing  32 , a second bearing seat section  33 , a spacer  34  and a retainer ring  35 . Housing member  30  has a substantially cup shaped configuration provided with a cylindrical inner wall surface  30   a  provided with an annular recess  30   b  adjacent the open end thereof, a threaded opening  30   c  in the base end thereof disposed coaxially relative to inner surface  30   a  and a beveled rear surface  30   d  at the rear end thereof. Bearing seat section  31  has an annular outer surface  31   a  allowing it to be inserted in housing  21 , and a spherical section surface  31   b . Ball bearing  32  consist of a spherical section  32   a  received within housing  21  and seated on spherical section surface  31   b , and a radially disposed, threaded portion  32   b . Bearing seat section  32  is somewhat similar to bearing seat section  31 , is received in housing  30  and includes a cylindrical outer surface  33   a , a spherical section surface  33   b  adapted to engage spherical portion  32   a  of the ball bearing and axially disposed opening  33   c  through which threaded portion  32   b  of the ball bearing projects when unit  21  is in the assembled condition as shown in FIG.  2 . Spacer  34  has a substantially annular configuration and is adapted to be received within housing  30  and bear against bearing seat section  31  where it is held in place by retainer ring  35  received within annular slot  30   b  in the interior annular surface of housing  30 . Threaded portion  32   b  of ball bearing  32  is threaded into threaded opening  24  at the rear end of the rod member to permit universal displacement of the rod member relative to housing  30 . 
     Motor assembly  13  consists of an electric motor  40  having a housing mounted on the outer side of housing wall  15 , and a gear reduction unit  41  having an output drive shaft extending through an opening in housing wall  15  and disposed substantially coaxially with inner bearing seat surface  19  of bearing seat  18 . Mounted on the drive shaft is a crank arm  42  having an opening  43  at a lower end thereof for mounting the crank arm on the outer end of the drive shaft within housing  11 , and an opening in the outer end thereof through which a bolt  44  extends and is threaded into the threaded opening in housing  30  to rigidly connect housing  30  on the free end of the crank arm. Crank arm  42  is disposed substantially radially relative to the axis of the drive shaft but is angularly displaced a small angle from a plane disposed perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft. As best shown in FIG. 2, fastening bolt  44  is disposed substantially coaxially relative to rod member  20  when the assembly is in the assembled condition. As best shown in FIG. 5, the upper, forward side of crank arm  42  is recessed as at  45  to accommodate the rear, beveled end of housing member  30 . 
     Spray head member  23  has a cylindrical outer surface  50 , a bore  51  in a rear wall  52  thereof disposed coaxially relative to outer wall surface  23 , which is partially threaded to receive the threaded end  25  of the rod member therein to mount the spray head on the front end of the rod member, and a plurality of outlets  53  in the front face  54  thereof, spaced circumferentially relative to the axis of bore  51 . Intercommunicating bore  51  with outlets  53  is a plurality of passageways  55 . Bore  51  also is provided with an inlet  56  to which a fluid supply line (not shown) is connected to supply various fluids under pressure such as cleaning and wax solutions and rinsing water as in car washing applications. Mounted in each of outlets  53  is a nozzle  57  through which fluid under pressure supplied to the spray head is ejected. As best seen in FIG. 2, each of outlets  53  is disposed at a small angle to the longitudinal centerline of the spray unit so that each of the nozzles will eject a stream having a conical configuration with a centerline disposed at a slight angle relative to the longitudinal centerline of the spray unit. 
     The assembly as described may be quickly and easily assembled by first mounting motor unit  13  on the rear wall of housing  11  with the output shaft thereof extending through an opening in the rear wall, mounting bearing  18  on the front wall of the housing aligned with the opening in the front wall and mounting housing  30  along with bearing seat section  31  inserted therein, on crank arm  42  by means of bolt  44 . The crank arm with housing  30  mounted thereon may then be inserted into housing  11  and secured to the output shaft of the motor assembly. Spray unit  12  then may be pre-assembled by threading the nozzles on the spray head, threading the spray head onto the front end of the rod member, sliding bearing  26  onto the free end of the rod member and securing it thereto with a threaded fastener, loosely placing retainer ring  35 , spacer  34  and bearing seat section  33  on the rear end of the rod member and then threading the ball member on the end of the rod member. With the spray unit thus pre-assembled, the entire assembly may be completed by extending the unit through bearing  18 , allowing bearing  26  to seat on bearing surface  19  and spherical portion  32  of the ball bearing to engage bearing surface  31   b , sliding bearing section  31  into housing  30  into engagement with ball portion  32 , inserting spacer  34  into housing  21  and then securing the ball bearing in housing  21  by means of inserting retainer ring  35  in annular slot  30   b . Finally, a flexible fluid supply line is attached to the spray head to provide a fluid under pressure through inlet  56 , closed bore  51 , passageways  55 , outlets  53  and nozzles  57  to eject the fluid in a spray pattern. 
     With the spray assembly assembled as described, the motor assembly may be energized to rotate the arm member. The universal connection of the rear end of the spray unit with the crank arm and the universal connection of the intermediate portion of the rod member with the front housing wall will cause the rotational motion of the crank arm to be translated into an orbital motion of the spray head to provide an orbital spray pattern. 
     The various components of the assembly may be constructed of any suitable materials. Preferably, the rod member, the ball bearings and the crank arm are formed of sturdy materials such as steel. The various bearing seats and the spray head may be formed of any materials including metallic and plastic materials. The bearings further may be formed of self lubricating materials. The motor assembly may consist of either an electric or hydraulic motor assembly. 
     The spray assembly as described is simple in design, containing a relatively small number of components, and is easily and quickly assembled. The various components can be either purchased or easily fabricated. Rod member  20 , spray head  23 , housing  30  and crank arm  42  may be easily machined. Bearing  26  may be formed integrally with the rod member, formed independently or purchased and mounted on the rod member. Bearing seat  18  may be formed or purchased. Nozzles  57  and ball bearing  32  are readily available components that may be purchased. The motor assembly also may be purchased. 
     As previously indicated, the support structure on which the spray assemblies may be mounted may be of any configuration and the number of spray units mounted thereon may vary. Such units may be deployed in a system such as a car wash system to direct fluid sprays in a plurality of desired patterns. By supplying fluid under pressure directly to the spray head by means of a flexible fluid supply line, leakage of such fluid is minimized if not completely eliminated. Little maintenance of the assembly is required. When it is desired to repair or replace any of the components of any such assembly, such assembly may be readily disassembled, replacement parts may be provided and the components reassembled easily, requiring a small amount of time that a system would be taken out of service. 
     From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention, which come within the province of those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the aforementioned invention pertains. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.