Safe correlator system for automatic car wash
First Claim
1. A correlator system for an automatic car wash, comprising:
- a. a pair roller assemblies one for supporting a left front wheel and the second for supporting a right front wheel of a land vehicle placed between a vehicle entrance location to said car wash and a conveyor track location for transporting said left front wheel of said land vehicle through said car wash;
b. a plurality of guide rails or bars disposed above said roller assembly supporting said left front wheel for guiding said left front wheel by exerting lateral forces on said left front wheel to adjust axial displacement and angular misalignment thereof;
c. said roller assembly having a plurality of steel rollers having longitudinal axes oriented to extend in the general direction of movement of said land vehicle;
d. said steel rollers with steel shafts being supported on ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene sleeve bearings that facilitate low friction rotation of said rollers;
e. friction generating means associated with said steel rollers for generating friction against said rollers, said friction having a magnitude sufficient to retard rotation of said rollers when stepped on by a car wash worker;
f. said magnitude of said friction being insufficient to prevent rotation of said steel rollers when said land vehicle is driven onto said guide rails or bars, thereby enabling said adjustment of axial displacement and angular misalignment of said left front wheel;
whereby injury to car wash workers is mitigated by said friction generating means, and said land vehicle is reliably moved into a position of alignment with said conveyor track.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A correlator system for automatic car wash has roller assemblies for supporting the front left and right wheels of a vehicle entering a car wash line. A set of guide rails or bars cooperate with the roller assemblies to adjust axial displacement and angular misalignment between the vehicle'"'"'s front end and a conveyor track transporting the vehicle through the car wash facility. The rollers in the roller assembly rotate freely with minimal friction, axially displacing the front end of the vehicle and adjusting the angular misalignment of the front wheels. The low friction, easy-to-rotate rollers are provided with a plurality of braking elements that generate friction against the rollers, retarding their rotation when a worker steps thereon. The friction generated by the braking elements is insufficient to prevent roller rotation during alignment of the front end with the conveyor track. Injuries to car wash personnel caused by loss of balance when stepping on the rollers are virtually eliminated, and an accurate alignment of the vehicle'"'"'s front end with the car wash conveyor track is reliably achieved.
115 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A correlator system for an automatic car wash, comprising:
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a. a pair roller assemblies one for supporting a left front wheel and the second for supporting a right front wheel of a land vehicle placed between a vehicle entrance location to said car wash and a conveyor track location for transporting said left front wheel of said land vehicle through said car wash; b. a plurality of guide rails or bars disposed above said roller assembly supporting said left front wheel for guiding said left front wheel by exerting lateral forces on said left front wheel to adjust axial displacement and angular misalignment thereof; c. said roller assembly having a plurality of steel rollers having longitudinal axes oriented to extend in the general direction of movement of said land vehicle; d. said steel rollers with steel shafts being supported on ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene sleeve bearings that facilitate low friction rotation of said rollers; e. friction generating means associated with said steel rollers for generating friction against said rollers, said friction having a magnitude sufficient to retard rotation of said rollers when stepped on by a car wash worker; f. said magnitude of said friction being insufficient to prevent rotation of said steel rollers when said land vehicle is driven onto said guide rails or bars, thereby enabling said adjustment of axial displacement and angular misalignment of said left front wheel; whereby injury to car wash workers is mitigated by said friction generating means, and said land vehicle is reliably moved into a position of alignment with said conveyor track. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification