Carwash merchandising system

• US 20080281465A1
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Terry James Mulville
• Original Assignee: Terry James Mulville
• Inventors: Mulville, Terry James
• Application Number:
  US11/801,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281465A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The car wash system delivers not only the car wash selected by the customer but also provides a bonus product when a premium car wash selection is made. A second feature of this invention is the timing of the deliver of the bonus product. It must be delivered before the car wash cycle begins.

Claims

1. A car wash and vending control system that delivers, through one purchase, a vended product that can be used to clean or freshen the interior of the car and an exterior car cleaning service that is automatic.

1-1. (canceled)

2. Claim 1, where the product for the interior is delivered before the car wash cycle begins.

2-2. (canceled)

3. Claim 1, where the car wash control system offers at least one car wash selection that includes a free bonus product to clean or freshen the interior of the car with the purchase of a car wash.

3-3. (canceled)

4. Claim 1, where the car wash control system offers at least one car wash selection that includes a choice of at least 2 bonus product options where at least on of the options can be used to clean or freshen the interior of the car.

4-4. (canceled)

5. Claim 3, where the car wash control system offers at least one selection that does not include a bonus product.

5-5. (canceled)

6. Claim 1, where the vended product is available at the site where the car wash is purchased.

6-6. (canceled)

7. Claim 5, where the vended product is delivered at a height between 60 cm. and 340 cm. so the customer does not have to leave his car to purchase the car wash and receive the bonus product.

7-7. (canceled)

8. Claim 1 where the control system supplies power for at least one lighted menu board that describes the car wash and/or bonus options.

8-8. (canceled)

9. Claim 8 where the menu board is attached to the control system.

9-9. (canceled)

10. Claim 1 where the control system has a lighted information sign on the surface opposite the vending selection options.

10-10. (canceled)

11. Claim 10 where lighted information is available on more that 2 sides of the control system.

11-11. (canceled)

12. Claim 1 where all components, including a timing control mechanism, are controlled by one PLC control panel

12-12. (canceled)

13. Claim 1 where at least one additional PLC is used to control the vending portion of the car wash system

13-13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. A car wash and vending control system that delivers a vended product that may be used to clean or freshen the interior of the car composed of a traditional automatic carwash with automatic wash, rinse, drying and payment control equipment that is interfaced with an adjacent vending machine with a product dispenser within proximity of the payment control equipment that allows the purchase of a car wash and delivery of the vended product within hand reach of the of the customer and a Programmable Logic Controller that links the carwash functions with the vending system to offer a combination of purchase options and delivers the product before the car wash cycle begins and programming of the logic controller that links the car wash purchase and the delivery of vended product.

17. Claim 16, where the car wash control system offers at least one car wash selection that includes a free bonus product to clean or freshen the interior of the car with the purchase of a car wash.

18. Claim 16, where the car wash control system offers at least one car wash selection that includes a choice of at least 2 bonus product options where at least one of the options can be used to clean or freshen the interior of the car.

19. Claim 17, where the care wash control system offers at least one selection that does not include a bonus product.

20. Claim 16, where the vended or bonus product is delivered at a height between 60 cm. and 340 cm.

21. Claim 16, where the control system has at least one lighted menu board that describes the car wash and/or bonus options.

22. Claim 21, where the menu board is attached to the control system.

23. Claim 16, where the control system has a lighted information sign on the surface opposite the vending selection options.

24. Claim 23, where lighted information is available on more than 2 sides of the control system.

25. Claim 16, where the car wash system has a window of opportunity for the customer to select the bonus product.

26. Claim 16, where all components are controlled by one PLC control panel.

27. Claim 16, where at least one additional PLC is used to control the vending portion of the car wash system.

28. Claim 16, where the control system has programming for a delay time for the customer to select collect and/or use the bonus product before the car wash begins where.

29. Claim 16, where the control system has programming to allow the product and the service to be purchased with a single payment.

30. A process that delivers vended interior car cleaning and freshening products to customers when the customer is at the payment control equipment for the car wash before the car wash cycle begins and allows the customer to begin cleaning or freshening of the interior of the car without exiting the car or moving the car out of the car wash cycle queue.

31. Claim 30, where the process delivers at least one bonus product with purchase of a car wash.

32. Claim 30, where the process has a delay time for the customer to select collect and/or use the bonus product before the car wash begins where the delay is less than 10 minutes.

33. Claim 31, where the process delivers the bonus product before the last customer completes washing/drying of the previous car.

34. Claim 31, where the process alerts the customer to select the bonus product.