Abstract:
In the present invention a car wash system is provided with a plurality of additive supplies, often referred to as solutions in the car wash industry, each supply feeding to a manifold including a common meter that has a value associated with each of the separate additive supplies for controlling flow from each of the supplies. A single variable speed pump under control of the computer pumps water through the meter and against the vehicle to be washed. The flow of the water through the meter aspirates additives from the supplies that mix with the water stream in the meter. Opening and closing of the valves to admit one or more of the additives to the water stream is responsive to a pre selected car wash cycle that is controllable by a controller.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Design patent application No. 29/153,567 entitled SUPPORT STAND FOR SELF-SERVICE VEHICLE WASHING PUMP CONSOLE, filed Jan. 9, 2002. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to automatic car washes and more particularly to an improved car wash system wherein the flow of water and the drawing of various additives, such as detergent and conditioners, among others, and the subsequent application to a vehicle is accomplished with a single pump.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Automatic car wash systems are known. In a common application, such as a self serve automatic car wash, the vehicle is driven into the wash bay, coins, tokens, credit cards or other methods that confirm payment, such as a number entered on a keypad, initiate car wash activity. The user then selects a desired car wash option/service from a menu. The car wash will then start and the user can manually sequence through various wash services/options until time runs out.  
           [0004]    A standard car wash sequence involves directing water under pressure against the vehicle. Soap or detergent, hereafter used as a general term that includes soaps, surfactants, and other cleaning additives that are used in the car wash industry, is applied together with the water spray or as a separate application. The selected operational sequence also may involve the application of various other additives, such as surfactants, waxes, and the like often referred to as solutions in the car wash industry, together with the water spray. In operations known to one skilled in the art, the system for applying the detergent and the other additives each employ a dedicated pump separate and apart from the water pump used to direct water at the vehicle. Thus, in a conventional car wash operation, the drawing of additives from a supply requires controlling the operation of several pumps and valves.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, the need exists for an automatic car wash system that simplifies the plumbing by eliminating the need for separate pumps for the water supply and each of the additives that may be used in any of the selected car wash options and automating the operation.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In accordance with the present invention a car wash system is provided with a plurality of additive supplies, often referred to as solutions in the car wash industry, each supply feeding to a manifold including a common meter that has a valve associated with each of the separate additive supplies for controlling flow from each of the supplies. A single variable speed pump under control of the computer pumps water through the meter and against the vehicle to be washed. The flow of the water through the meter aspirates additives from the supplies that mix with the water stream in the meter. Opening and closing of the valves to admit one or more of the additives to the water stream is responsive to a pre selected car wash cycle that is controllable by a controller.  
           [0007]    Accordingly, the present invention may be characterized by a car wash system comprising:  
           [0008]    a) separate water and additive supplies;  
           [0009]    b) a meter having a plurality of inlets for connection to each of the water and additive supplies and having an outlet;  
           [0010]    c) a variable speed pump having a suction side connected to the meter outlet such that the pump is common to each of the separate water and additive supplies and the pump having an output side;  
           [0011]    d) applicators connected to the pump output side for applying water and additives to an adjacent vehicle; and  
           [0012]    e) a controller acting responsive to selected inputs to select the speed of the pump and control the entry of water and additives into the meter, whereby a single pump accounts for the drawing of water and additives from each of the supplies and the application of water and additives to a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing components of the car wash system.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the car wash system.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the frame.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the frame.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the frame.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the manifold.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of one channel of the manifold.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a top view of the manifold.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom manifold.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10 is an end view of the manifold.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the mixing solution storage container.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 12 is a partial cut away of the top view of the mixing solution storage container.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 13 is partial cut away side view of the mixing solution storage container.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the view of the mixing solution storage container.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]    Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a car wash system generally indicated at  10  including a fluid circuit for delivering water and selected additives, often referred to as solutions in the car wash industry, against the vehicle to be washed and an electrical circuit controlling the operation of the system.  
         [0029]    The fluid circuit includes pipes  12  and  14  connected to a source of hot and cold water  16  and  18  respectively. Generally a hot water heater (not shown) supplies the hot water to a temperature higher than the tap water which can supply the cold water pipe. The hot water can be around 110 degrees but could vary significantly in temperature as is well known in the art. The water pipes connect to inlets on a three-way valve  20 , which could be a hot-cold water valve, with the outlet  22  of the valve being connected to a mixing manifold  24  that includes a chemical circuit board  25 . Also connected to the mixing manifold are additive supplies, the additive supplies being collectively identified at  26  include, but are not limited to detergents (a term meant to include such additives such as soaps, surfactants, etc.), water, conditioners and waxes, among others. The additives are selectively introduced into the water stream as further set out hereinbelow.  
         [0030]    Additive supply lines  28  extend from the individual additive supplies  26  to the mixing manifold  24 . Metering valves  30  within the mixing manifold control flow through each of the additive supply lines  28 . In the mixing manifold  24 , the various additive valves  30  are selectively opened to mix a desired amount of the selected additive with the water entering the manifold. The mixture then leave the mixing manifold through a delivery line  32  that connects to the suction side  34  of a variable speed pump  36 . A variable speed motor  38  drives the pump and pressure side  40  of the pump connects through a line  42  to a selected applicator  44 . The applicator can be any one of a brush or spray gun applicator or other type of applicator suitable for a car wash application as is known in the art.  
         [0031]    A controller  46 , which can vary from hard-wired relays to a computer, as needed, controls operation of the car wash system. The controller initially receives input from a data source  48  such as a computer, voice recognition device, touch pad, credit card reader, expense press, electronic locking device, token, coin or bill acceptor or the like. The input represents a selection of a given car wash cycle together with confirmation of payment. Outputs from the controller  46  operate the three-way valve  20 , the metering valves  30  and sets the operational speed of the motor  38  for driving the pump  36 . Since the suction side  34  of the pump is connected to the mixing manifold, the operation of the pump acts to draw one or more additives from the supply  26  through any of the valves  30  that are open.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the car wash system including the mixing manifold  24 , and one or more motors  38 , and one or more delivery lines  32  held on a frame  50 . The motor  38  drives the pump and pressure side  40  of the pump connects through line  42  to the selected applicator  44 . The applicator can be any one of a brush or spray gun applicator or other type of applicator suitable for a car wash application as is known in the art which can be connected to line  42  and transports or operates in conjunction with the fluid transported from the pump  40 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the frame  50  including an upright portion  52 , a lower portion  54  to support the frame and various cross frame members  56  supported on the upright portions  52 . There is also a top portion  58 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a frame  60  including an upright portion  62 , a lower portion  64  to support the frame and various cross frame members  66 , of which there are three in this embodiment, supported on the upright portions  62 . There is also a top portion  68 . FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a frame  70  including an upright portion  72 , a lower portion  74  to support the frame and various cross frame members  76 , of which there are four in this embodiment, supported on the upright portions  72 . There is also a top portion  78 . This frame  50  is in one embodiment the actual plumbing. All of the above frame portions, which are aluminum extrusions, can be fluid conduits for the air, cold water and hot water. These conduits are capable of communication fluids, including fluid from the additive supplies to the manifold  24 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the manifold  24  with the chemical circuit board  25  showing the three-way valve  20  in the lower left hand corner of FIG. 6 connected to the manifold via the valve outlet  22 . The mixing manifold  24  can have one or more metering valves connected to the inlet valve  20  and an outlet port  79 . In this example there are two rows of five metering valves  30  for a total of ten metering valves, for a first bay  81 , connected to the chemical circuit board  25  which is used to convey the user-selected commands as to the cleaning additives necessary. Another embodiment has two sets of three metering valves for a total of six metering valves.  
         [0035]    Also shown in FIG. 6 is a spot-free valve  80  that can be used to transport other fluids such as spot-free water, for mixing with the additives. This additional fluid could be the only fluid carrier or mixed in appropriate proportions with the other fluids(s) such as the hot and cold water. Note that there can be more than one mixing manifold  24  in the operating system, each for a different vehicle washing bay. These manifolds could operate independently or be piped together.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a longitudinal channel  82  of the manifold  24  showing four smaller bores  84  that intersect the longitudinal channel  82 . There are also two end bores  86  that are adjacent and coincident with the longitudinal channel  82  and three tap holes  88  that do not intersect the longitudinal channel  82 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 is shows the top view of the manifold  24  with six longitudinal channels  82  and a number of tap holes  88  that do not intersect the longitudinal channels  82 . Below the six longitudinal channels  82  is a base longitudinal channel  90  with four intersecting large bores  92 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of the manifold  24  with the base channel  90  that has the four large bores  92  and four horizontal channels  94  that intersect the longitudinal channel  90 . There are also two end bores  96  that are coincident with the longitudinal channel  90  and a plurality of pulsating solenoids  98  in the four large bores  92  that are adjacent the longitudinal channels.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 10 shows the end view of a portion of the manifold  24  showing the tap holes  88  that are used to mount the chemical circuit board  25 , containing the solenoids and valves used to select the solution called for by the operator to the manifold shown in FIG. 6. The large bore  96 , shown in FIG. 10, is capable of receiving the three-way valve  20 , which could be a three-way hot-cold valve, with the outlet  22  of the valve being connected to a mixing manifold  24 . At least one of the end bores  86  is capable of receiving the spot-free valve  80  or other fluid valve and the other longitudinal channels  82  are capable of receiving the metering valves  30  to control flow through each of the additive supply lines  28 .  
         [0040]    In the mixing manifold  24  the longitudinal channels  82  contain one or more additive valves  30  that are selectively opened to mix a desired amount of the selected additive with the water entering the manifold. The mixture then leaves the mixing manifold through a delivery line  32  that connects to the suction side  34  of a variable speed pump  36  to supply the mixture to various end.  
         [0041]    The longitudinal channels are arranged such that there can be two additive valves  30  in each longitudinal channel  82 . Thus it is possible to add ten additives to the above-described embodiment with five longitudinal channels. The sixth longitudinal channel is used to add a fluid, such as spot-free water that can also be mixed with the hot and cold water and the additives as discussed above. In the mixing manifold  24 , the various additive valves  30  are selectively opened to mix a desired amount of the selected additive with the water entering the manifold. These additives come from the additive supplies  26  via additive supply lines  28 . The additives are in ten containers for the above embodiment, which also have ten additive valves, ten chemical floats, and ten chemicals fill valves in the ten additive containers.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a mixing solution storage container  100  that mixes the additives  26  and water before sending them to the applicator  44 . The mixing solution storage container  100  has a stainless steel cover  101  that supports a water solenoid  102  in communication with the water inlet  104  that is protected by a custom suction cap  106 . The lid  101  also supports chemical meter tip suction  108  and a PC board  110  for controlling the mixing. The cover could be made of other materials appropriate to the use and chemicals involved, as is well know in the art. The cover attaches, such as with screws, to a mixing container  112 , in this case a clear plastic but that could be made of a variety of materials appropriate to the application. The mixing container  112  defines a cavity  114  that can contain chemical probes  116  for detecting the chemical additive  26  and acts as mixed solution storage.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 12 shows a partial cut away of the top view of the mixing solution storage container cover  106  showing the water supply inlet  104  that is adjacent a fluid solenoid  120  and a metered chemical intake  122 . The intake is in communication with a venturi device  124  that is in communication with a water supply through the water supply inlet  104 . A water supply line  126  can be an integral part of the cover  106  or adjacent the cover  106 . The mixing solution storage container cover  106  also contains an overflow opening  128  and a suction line  130  that communicates to the pump  36  through a supply opening  132  to the pump. The mixing solution storage container cover  106  has a sealing ring  134  to enable a tight fit. This sealing ring can include one or more o-rings.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 13 shows partial cut away side view of the mixing solution storage container cover  106  showing the venturi that sits in the water supply line  126  and communicates with the overflow 128  such that metered amounts of additives can enter the water stream. FIG. 13 also shows a stainless steel rod  136  that is set in the mixing solution storage container cover  106  at an angle that allows the operator to measure the mixture fill levels. The measuring rod  136  can be other materials that are appropriate to the chemicals and application as is well known in the art.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 14 shows a bottom cross-sectional view of the mixing solution storage container cover  106  with the overflow  128 , water inlet  104 , pump supply outlet  132 , chemical inlet  122  and venturi  124  as they set in the mixing container cover  106 .  
         [0046]    In operation, a user accesses the system by using coins or other means to pay for a desired wash cycle. This process is time-based meaning that it is controlled by the time purchased at the data source  48  and the operator can chose during a free-time period from a selection of items such as a wash cycle, a rinse cycle, a wax cycle or other various items of interest to the operator in conjunction with the cleaning and finishing of the car. After these items are selected the car wash begins so essentially the car wash bay is rented for a period of time.  
         [0047]    Alternatively the operator can chose between preset total car wash cycles that are automated to switch from one mode, such as washing, to another mode such as waxing automatically based on various conditions. These preset cycles will activate based on what has been programmed into the computer/controller using appropriate software. There are other criteria, including seasonal variations, weather, water temperature, air temperature, car type, and time of the day as well as other relevant criteria to be used in conjunction with the preset choices and the computer/controller. The controller  46  then operates the particular valves  30  so that an additive can be delivered to the mixing meter  24  in accordance with the selected wash and cycle. The controller also causes operation of the pump  36 . The suction created by the pump operating at a selected speed draws water into the mixing manifold along with one or more additives from each of the selected supplies. In the mixing manifold the additives are combined with the water flow. The pump then pumps the mixture under pressure to the applicator  44  selected by the controller  46 .  
         [0048]    Since additives from the supplies  26  are injected at the suction side of the pump  36 , the amount of additives entering the flow stream need to be monitored. This is accomplished in the present invention by the valves  30 , which can be solenoid-operated needle valves. The additive suppliers thus are continuously exposed to the reduced pressure at the suction side of the pump and the needle valves are opened as necessary to allow the additives to be drawn into the flow stream. Preferably the needle valves are operated by pulsing the solenoid controlling each valve.  
         [0049]    Increasing or decreasing the pump speed to change the output pressure at the applicator  44  also acts to change the low pressure at the suction side of the pump. Accordingly the controller  46  is programmed to increase or decrease the opening of the needle valves as needed to compensate for changes in the suction side pressure and maintain a constant flow of the additive at the desired rates.  
         [0050]    The present invention also has a purge feature, which can operate between car washing cycles. such as between the choices that one operator may make. During the purge cycle or feature, the pump runs at fall speed to push out the solution or additives from that former cycle and then fills the lines with new solution and additives. This feature shortens the delay between operator-activated cycles and the delay between products the operator choices during a cycle.  
         [0051]    Thus, in accordance with the present invention, there is a single pump for directing flow against the vehicle to be washed. Each of the additive supplies is connected to the suction side of this pump, which eliminates the need for multiple pumps, one for each of the separate additives. Metering valves such as the needle valves described are arranged between each additive supply and the pump for controlling the flow of the additives.