Patent ID: 7325268

Claim:
A wheel cleaner apparatus for cleaning an inner side of a motor vehicle wheel, the wheel having an inflated tire mounted thereto, the combination of the wheel and the tire comprising a mounted wheel, said apparatus comprising: a main frame; a rollers set rotatably connected to said main frame, said rollers set defining a plane; a rotation assembly translatably connected to said main frame, said rotation assembly comprising: a rotator; and a rotator drive motor connected to said rotator; a first actuator connected to said main frame and said rotation assembly, wherein selective actuation of said first actuator translates said rotation assembly parallel to said plane between a stored position and a deployed position; a cleaner head assembly translatably connected to said main frame, said cleaner head assembly comprising a cleaner head; and a second actuator connected to said main frame and said cleaner head, wherein selective actuation of said second actuator translates said cleaner head perpendicular to said plane between a stored position and a deployed position; wherein when a mounted wheel lies upon said roller set: said second actuator translates said cleaner head from its stored position to its deployed position whereat said cleaner head is situated within an inner side of a wheel of the mounted wheel; said first actuator translates said rotation assembly from its stored position to its deployed position whereat said rotator presses against a tread of the tire, and the mounted wheel is positioned on said roller set whereat said cleaner head abuts the inner surface of the wheel; and said rotator rotates, causing the mounted wheel to rotate and the cleaner head to clean the inner side surface of the wheel.