Abstract:
An automatic vehicle washing apparatus wash strip having at least one magnet that adheres the wash strip to the vehicle being washed.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/971,137, filed Sep. 10, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is expressly and fully incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates to automatic vehicle washing, and particularly to a wash strip and method of using the wash strip in an apparatus for automatically washing the exterior of an automobile or other similar vehicles. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0004]    Automatic vehicle washing apparatus is well known. The apparatus typically takes one of two generic forms. In one form, an automobile is moved by a conveyor through successive stations at which various washing operations take place, such as wetting, scrubbing and rinsing. The second approach is to automatically perform these same operations upon a stationary vehicle. The present invention is adaptable to both forms of washing apparatus. 
         [0005]    In automatic car washes having wash strips, i.e. strips of material that contact the vehicle being washed, contact between the wash strips and vehicle being washed is necessary to dislodge dirt and grime from the vehicle. Unfortunately, because of different size vehicles, often one or more of the strips either fail to make contact with the vehicle or only briefly contact the vehicle before falling away. As a result the vehicle being washed does not receive a thorough cleaning. Therefore, a need exists for an automatic vehicle washing apparatus wash strip that maintains contact with the vehicle for extended periods during a wash cycle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides an automatic vehicle washing apparatus wash strip that magnetically adheres to a vehicle being washed. 
         [0007]    A general objective of the present invention is to provide an automatic vehicle washing apparatus wash strip that adheres to a vehicle being washed. This objective is accomplished by providing wash strips having one or more magnets fixed thereto. The magnets adhere the wash strip to the vehicle being washed to provide a thorough cleaning. 
         [0008]    The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle wash apparatus incorporating the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the wash strips of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the wash strip of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the vehicle wash apparatus  10  includes a frame  12  supporting a vehicle wash mechanism  14  which washes a vehicle  16 , such as a car, truck, and the like, containing a magnetically attracted metal. In the embodiment disclosed herein, the vehicle  16  moves along the frame  12  and is washed using elongated wash strips  18  and water. The vehicle wash mechanism  14  horizontally reciprocates the water soaked absorbent wash strips  18  using methods known in the art, such as a motor driving a cam shaft and the like. Water sprayed toward the vehicle  16  being washed from nozzles  22  in fluid communication with water supply lines  24  urges the wash strips  18  against the vehicle  16 . The water in cooperation with the reciprocating action of the wash strips  18 , dislodges and rinses away dirt and grime on the vehicle  16 . 
         [0013]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a first set  20  of the wash strips  18  is interposed between the nozzles  22  spraying water toward the vehicle  16  and the vehicle  16  to urge the wash strips  18  against the vehicle  16 . Advantageously, magnets  32  fixed to the wash strips  18  adhere the wash strips  18  to the vehicle  16 . As a result, once attached to the vehicle  16 , the individual wash strips  18  do not fall away from the vehicle  16  until the vehicle  16  has passed the reach of the individual wash strips  18 . 
         [0014]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , each wash strip  18  is an elongated strip of material  34 , such as described below, hung from the frame  12  and includes a plurality of the magnets  32  fixed to the strip of material  34 . Preferably, each wash strip  18  includes a plurality of individual magnets  32  spaced along the length of the wash strip  18 . Although a plurality of spaced magnets  32  is preferred, a magnetic strip extending a portion of the length of the wash strip  18 , can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, although nine magnets  32  in each wash strip  18  is shown, one or more magnets can be used without departing from the scope of the inventions. 
         [0015]    The magnets  32  are fixed to the wash strip  18  using any methods known in the art. In one embodiment, each magnet  32  is sewn to the wash strip  18  using thread. Alternatively, pockets can be formed in the wash strip  18  that receive and hold the magnets  32 . Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 2 , seams  36  sewn through the wash strip  18  are spaced along the length of the wash strip  18  and form hollow sections  38  in the wash strip  18 . A magnet  32  disposed in each section  38  is prevented from passing into adjacent sections  38  by the seams  36  to maintain spacing between the magnets  32 . Preferably, each magnet is encapsulated or coated with a material, such as plastic, to prevent the magnet from rusting. 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , each wash strip  18  preferably includes an external cover  42  formed from elongated lengths of a microfiber fabric. The multi-filament fibers of the microfiber fabric have a diameter of less than 1.0 denier per filament to provide a nonabrasive fabric which does not damage a vehicle finish. Preferably, the wash strips  18  used in the present invention include fabric containing between approximately 70% and 80% polyester and between approximately 20% and 30% polyamide which resists stretching and is nonabrasive, such as available from Edge Tech Industries, San Diego, Calif. Most preferably, the fabric is woven using a waffle weave which inhibits the strip from stretching and coiling during using. 
         [0017]    Sponges  44  are enclosed in the cover  42  to provide self cleaning wash strips  18 . The sponges  44  are fixed to the cover  42  using methods known in the art, such as sewing, and the like. Water penetrates both the microfiber fabric cover  42  and the sponges  44  to saturate the sponges  44  with the water. When the sponges  44  enclosed in the microfiber fabric cover  42  become saturated, as the sponges are compressed during the washing operation, water flows outwardly from the saturated sponges  44  enclosed within the wash strip  18 . The outwardly flowing water forces out the dirt that collects on the microfiber fabric cover  42 . This outflow of water from the sponges  44  reverse cleans the wash strip  18  to prevent buildup of dirt on the microfiber fabric cover  42 . 
         [0018]    A filter material  46 , such as a nylon filter cloth, interposed between the sponge  44  and external cover  42  filters the water absorbed by the sponge  44  to prevent the sponge  44  from fouling. Although a wash strip material  34  including an external microfiber external cover  42 , filter material  46 , and sponge  44  is preferred, the wash strip material  34  can be a single strip of material, such as fabric, foam, and the like without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0019]    The wash strips  18  shown in  FIG. 1  engage one side of the vehicle  16 . A second set of wash strips  18 , provided on the other side of the vehicle  16  adheres to the other side of the vehicle  16 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a third set  30  of wash strips  18  is also hung from the frame  12  in the path of the vehicle  16 . This third set of wash strips  18  drapes over the front, back, and top of the vehicle  16  as the vehicle  16  passes beneath the third set of wash strips  18 . Preferably, the wash strips  18  comprising this third set of wash strips  18  are substantially identical to the wash strips  18  adhering to the vehicle sides. However, the third set of wash strips  18  can comprise non-magnetic wash strips without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0020]    In use, the vehicle  16  moves along a vehicle path adjacent the first and second set of wash strips  18  and below the third set of wash strips  18 . The nozzles  22  direct water toward the vehicle  16  to urge the wash strips  18  interposed between the nozzles  22  and vehicle  16  against the vehicle  16 . The third set of wash strips  18  engage the vehicle  16  as the vehicle  16  passes beneath the third set of wash strips  18 . Subsequent wash stations can be provided to wax and dry the vehicle  16 , if desired. Preferably, water from a high pressure pump is directed at the vehicle  16  to remove any large deposits of mud or snow prior to engaging the vehicle  16  with the wash strips  18 . 
         [0021]    While there has been shown and described what are at present considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.