Customizable vehicle wash blending system and method

• US 20040159342A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murray D. Ewing
• Original Assignee: Unitec, Inc. (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Ewing, Murray, Eden, Erik, Honigs, David, Ousborne, Jeff, Eden, Fred J. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,045,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/29
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam B08B9/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/04 for exteriors of land vehicles B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/20 Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 9/02 on alkali or ammonium soaps

Abstract

A customizable car wash blending system and method is provided. The method includes the steps of positioning a vehicle adjacent a set of sensors (step 10), measuring a variety of parametric data relating to macroscopic debris and surface film formed on a surface of the vehicle, calculating the quantity of presoak components to be added to a presoak solution (step 70), blending the presoak solution (step 80), and applying the presoak solution to the vehicle (step 110). Quantities of presoak enhancing agents are also calculated from the sensor readings (step 120) along with the calculation of the number and type of wash cycles required for the vehicle (step 130). The method is implemented by customizable car wash blending system (200) which incorporates a plurality of sensors (210, 220, 230, 240, 250) in communication with a computer control system (270). Computer control system (270) communicates with a series of sub-systems (280, 290, 300, 310) in order to apply the presoak solution and wash the vehicle.

Claims

1. A customizable car wash blending method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a vehicle in locational correspondence with at least one set of sensors;

(b) measuring parametric data relating to debris from an environment external to said vehicle, said debris being formed on a surface of said vehicle;

(c) blending predetermined ratios of presoak components for forming a presoak solution; and

,

(d) applying said presoak solution to said vehicle.

2. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said debris of said measurement step is microscopic debris.

3. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said debris of said measurement step is surface film.

4. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of applying said presoak solution to said vehicle is followed by a step of applying predetermined quantities of presoak enhancers to said vehicle.

5. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of applying said presoak solution to said vehicle is followed by a step of washing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of wash cycles responsive to said measured parametric data.

6. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of washing said vehicle is followed by a step of rinsing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of rinse cycles responsive to said measured parametric data.

7. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an optical reflectance sensor.

8. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an infrared sensor.

9. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 2 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurement of type and thickness of said macroscopic debris.

10. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 3 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurement of composition and thickness of said surface film formed on said surface of said vehicle.

11. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes a measurement of surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

12. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of purity and quality of water to be used in said steps of washing and rinsing said vehicle.

13. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of local environmental conditions.

14. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said presoak components include alkali soaps.

15. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said presoak components include ionic soaps.

16. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of blending predetermined ratios of presoak components is followed by comparison between actual ratios of presoak components with calculated ratios of presoak components.

17. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 4 wherein said presoak enhancers include foam soaps.

18. A customizable car wash blending system comprising:

a plurality of sensors for measuring parametric data relating to debris formed on a surface of a vehicle;

a computer control system for receiving said parametric data and calculating ratios of presoak components for forming a presoak solution responsive to said parametric data;

a presoak blending sub-system in communication with said computer control system for blending and applying said presoak solution to said vehicle;

a car wash sub-system in communication with said computer control system for washing said vehicle; and

,

a car rinse sub-system in communication with said computer control system for rinsing said vehicle.

19. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said debris is macroscopic debris from an environment external to said vehicle.

20. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said debris is surface film from an environment external to said vehicle.

21. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said plurality of sensors includes an optical reflectance sensor.

22. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said plurality of sensors includes an infrared sensor.

23. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 19 wherein said parametric data includes the measurement of type and thickness of said macroscopic debris.

24. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 20 wherein said parametric data includes the measurement of composition and thickness of said surface film formed on said surface of said vehicle.

25. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said parametric data includes surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

26. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said parametric data includes purity and quality of water to be used by said car wash sub-system and said car rinse sub-system.

27. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said parametric data includes local environmental conditions.

28. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said presoak components include alkali soaps.

29. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 wherein said presoak components include ionic soaps.

30. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 18 further comprising a presoak enhancer blending sub-system in communication with said computer control system for blending and applying presoak enhancer agents to said vehicle.

31. The customizable car wash blending system as recited in claim 30 wherein said presoak enhancer agents include foam soaps.

32. A customizable car wash blending method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a vehicle in locational correspondence with at least one set of sensors;

(b) blending predetermined ratios of presoak components for forming a presoak solution; and

,

(c) applying said presoak solution to said vehicle.

33. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said step of positioning a vehicle is followed by a step of measuring parametric data relating to macroscopic debris formed on a surface of said vehicle.

34. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said step of positioning a vehicle is followed by a step of measuring parametric data relating to surface film formed on a surface of said vehicle.

35. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein the step of applying said presoak solution is followed by a step of applying predetermined quantities of presoak enhancers to said vehicle.

36. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein the step of applying said presoak solution is followed by a step of washing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of wash cycles.

37. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 36 wherein said step of washing said vehicle is followed by a step of rinsing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of rinse cycles.

38. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an optical reflectance sensor.

39. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an infrared sensor.

40. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurement of type and thickness of said macroscopic debris.

41. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 34 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurements of composition and thickness of said surface film formed on said surface of said vehicle.

42. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes a measurement of surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

43. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of purity and quality of water to be used in said steps of washing and rinsing said vehicle.

44. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of local environmental conditions.

45. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 34 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes a measurement of surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

46. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 34 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of purity and quality of water to be used in said steps of washing and rinsing said vehicle.

47. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 34 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of local environmental conditions.

48. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said presoak components include alkali soaps.

49. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said presoak components include ionic soaps.

50. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 32 wherein said step of blending predetermined ratios of presoak components is followed by comparison between actual ratios of presoak components with calculated ratios of presoak components.

51. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 35 wherein said presoak enhancers include foam soaps.