ROBOTIC WASH MONITOR SYSTEM

• US 20110126857A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interclean Equipment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interclean Equipment, Inc.
• Inventors: Kaipainen, Pasi
• Granted Patent: US 8,771,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/04 for exteriors of land vehicles B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006

Abstract

A vehicle wash system having a wash bay including a plurality of pivotable robotic wash monitors disposed therein. The system includes measuring devices that calculate the distance between the robotic wash monitors and a vehicle in the wash bay. A master control unit is provided for programming the plurality of robotic wash monitors to clean the vehicle in accordance with an optimal set of cleaning instructions. The master control unit generates the optimal set of cleaning instructions based on three-dimensional (3D) data associated with the wash bay, 3D data associated with the vehicle, and the location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A robotic wash monitor system for washing a vehicle comprising:

a wash bay;

a plurality of robotic wash monitors disposed in the wash bay, the plurality of robotic wash monitors each including a nozzle operable to project a cleaning medium against surfaces of the vehicle, the robotic wash monitor further including a motor configured to pivot the nozzle about a first axis and a second axis;

a pump coupled to the nozzle of each robotic wash monitor and operable to provide high pressure cleaning medium thereto;

a plurality of valves in fluid communication with the plurality of robotic wash monitors, the plurality of valves being configured to open and close the flow of cleaning medium from the pump to the nozzle of each of the robotic wash monitor;

at least one measuring device configured to measure a distance between the nozzle of each robotic wash monitor and the vehicle when the vehicle is located in the wash bay; and

a master control unit operatively connected to the plurality of robotic wash monitors, the pump, the plurality of valves, and the at least one measuring device, the master control unit being operable to program the plurality of robotic wash monitors to clean the vehicle in accordance with a cleaning procedure generated by the master control unit for each robotic wash monitor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the master control unit is operable to calculate a location and an orientation of the vehicle, the location and orientation being based on a set of inputs selected from the group consisting of:

3D data associated with the wash bay, data indicative of a location corresponding to each robotic wash monitor, 3D data associated with the vehicle, and the distance between the nozzle of each robotic wash monitor and the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the master control unit is operable to calculate polar coordinates for each robotic wash monitor, the polar coordinates being based on the location and the orientation of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the master control unit is operable to determine a workload for each robotic wash monitor, the workload being based on the polar coordinates.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the workload for each robotic wash monitor is indicative of at least one vehicle surface to be washed by the corresponding robotic wash monitor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the optimal cleaning procedure generated for each robotic wash monitor is based on the corresponding workload.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the optimal cleaning procedure defines a set of movements by the robotic wash monitor for cleaning the at least one vehicle surface to be washed.

8. A method for washing a vehicle comprising:

receiving and storing three-dimensional (3D) data associated with a wash bay, the wash bay including a plurality of robotic wash monitors, each of the robotic wash monitors being pivotable about a first axis and a second axis, wherein each robotic wash monitor includes a nozzle pivotable therewith and operable to project a cleaning medium against surfaces of the vehicle;

receiving and storing data associated with the plurality of robotic wash monitors, the data being indicative of a location corresponding to each robotic wash monitor within the wash bay;

receiving and storing 3D data associated with the vehicle;

measuring a distance between each nozzle of the robotic wash monitors and the vehicle when the vehicle is located in the wash bay;

determining an optimal cleaning procedure for the vehicle; and

projecting a cleaning medium from the nozzles against the vehicle in accordance with the optimal cleaning procedure.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of determining a location and an orientation of the vehicle, the location and orientation being based on a set of inputs selected from the group consisting of:

the 3D data associated with the wash bay, the data associated with the plurality of robotic wash monitors, the 3D data associated with the vehicle, and the distance between the nozzle of each robotic wash monitor and the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of calculating a set of polar coordinates for each robotic wash monitor, the polar coordinates being based on the location and the orientation of the vehicle relative to each of the robotic wash monitors.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of calculating a workload for each robotic wash monitor, the workloads being based on the polar coordinates.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the workload for each robotic wash monitor is indicative of at least one vehicle surface to be washed by the corresponding robotic wash monitor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the optimal cleaning procedure generated for each robotic wash monitor is based on the corresponding workloads.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the optimal cleaning procedure defines a set of movements for cleaning the at least one vehicle surface to be washed.

15. In a computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions executable by a programmed processor for washing a vehicle, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

receiving and storing three-dimensional (3D) data associated with a wash bay, the wash bay including a plurality of robotic wash monitors, each of the robotic wash monitors being pivotable about a first axis and a second axis, wherein each robotic wash monitor includes a nozzle pivotable therewith and operable to project a cleaning medium against surfaces of the vehicle;

receiving and storing data associated with the plurality of robotic wash monitors, the data being indicative of a location corresponding to each robotic wash monitor within the wash bay;

receiving and storing 3D data associated with the vehicle;

measuring a distance between each nozzle of the robotic wash monitors and the vehicle when the vehicle is located in the wash bay;

determining an optimal cleaning procedure for the vehicle; and

projecting a cleaning medium from the nozzles against the vehicle in accordance with the optimal cleaning procedure.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising determining a location and an orientation of the vehicle, the location and orientation being based on a set of inputs selected from the group consisting of:

the 3D data associated with the wash bay, the data associated with the plurality of robotic wash monitors, the 3D data associated with the vehicle, and the distance between the nozzle of each robotic wash monitor and the vehicle.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising calculating a set of polar coordinates for each robotic wash monitor, the polar coordinates being based on the location and the orientation of the vehicle relative to each of the robotic wash monitors.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising calculating a workload for each robotic wash monitor, the workloads being based on the polar coordinates.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the workload for each robotic wash monitor is indicative of at least one vehicle surface to be washed by the corresponding robotic wash monitor.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the optimal cleaning procedure generated for each robotic wash monitor is based on the corresponding workloads.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the optimal cleaning procedure defines a set of movements for cleaning the at least one vehicle surface to be washed.