CAR WASH CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 3,854,054 A
• Filed: 12/18/1972
• Issued: 12/10/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert O. Conn Jr
• Original Assignee: Robert O. Conn Jr
• Inventors: Conn, Robert O. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, William J.
• Application Number:
  US05/316,300
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 15/DIG.2 134/45 307/113,115,41 317/139 200/61.41
• US Class Current: 307/41
• 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: G05B 19/07 where the programme is defined in the fixed connection of electrical elements, e.g. potentiometers, counters, transistors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/02 Car cleaning plants

Abstract

A control apparatus for a car wash having a vehicle conveyor for transporting a vehicle through a plurality of devices is disclosed having electronic means for sensing a vehicle entering the car wash line, its length, and its progress along said conveyor. The control apparatus has electronic circuitry responsive to the above electronic means for selectively energizing the car wash rinsing, sudsing, brushing, waxing, drying devices and the like in advance of the vehicle entering the respective devices and selectively de-energizing said devices following the vehicle leaving the devices, the devices thereby preferably being selectively energized for a period longer than the duration of the passing of the vehicle through the devices. Further electronic apparatus is provided enabling the prolongation of the operation of one of the devices so long as devices upstream on the conveyor from the device to be prolonged are energized due to the presence of a vehicle. Additional electronic means integrated with the above control apparatus enables the car wash operator to selectively preset a device, at the time a vehicle is introduced to the conveyor line, to energize at a subsequent time and at a downstream location for that vehicle only. A manually programmable patch panel is additionally provided enabling installation personnel and the car wash operator to alter the timing of the energizing and deenergizing of the devices to suit the needs of the specific car wash layout.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a car wash having a vehicle conveyor for transporting a vehicle to be washed to a plurality of stations in a car wash line equipped with electrically controlled car wash devices comprising:

means sensing a vehicle entering the line and having a plurality of electrical outputs representing units of length of said line and being serially energized with the movement of said vehicle, said energized outputs continuously imaging the vehicle and its movement over the length of said line;

a plurality of electrical switches one adapted for connection to each of said devices; and

electrically energized means for activating said switches and being connected to said outputs to energize at least one of said devices in advance of the vehicle entering the station associated with said one device and for deenergizing said one device following the vehicle leaving said last named station whereby said one device will be energized for a period longer than the duration of passage of the vehicle through said last named station.

2. A control apparatus as defined in claim 1, said first named means including a serial input, parallel output shift register, and said electrically energized means responding to a plurality of said energized outputs in energizing and deenergizing said one device.

3. A control apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said electrically energized means includes electrical apparatus providing a logical OR function for said one device and responding to a plurality of said energized outputs.

4. A control apparatus as defined in claim 1, said electrically energized means including a patch panel having a plurality of inputs connected to said outputs and a plurality of output terminals connected to said devices;

and conductors manually selectively connected to said inputs and terminals.

5. A control apparatus as Defined in claim 4, said first named means detecting and monitoring the passing of a vehicle so as to indicate the length of the vehicle;

and said electrically energized means including electrical apparatus providing a logical OR function for said one device, and responding to a plurality of said energized outputs.

6. A control apparatus as defined in claim 1 and at least one of said devices being optionally employed for selected vehicles;

electrical apparatus providing a logical AND function connecting said last named device to its energizing output;

manually operated means for determining the energizing of said last named device and generating an electric signal when operated; and

signal stepping apparatus connected to said manually operated means and having an output connected to said electrical apparatus and being connected for stepping a signal to said electrical apparatus as each said selected vehicle reaches said last named device.

7. A control apparatus as defined in claim 1, said first named means including a modulated wave source for propogating a modulated wave and a receiver selectively responsive to said wave, said source and receiver being mounted for sensing a vehicle entering the line.

8. A control apparatus for a car wash having a vehicle conveyor for transporting a vehicle to be washed to a plurality of stations in a car wash line equipped with sudsing, rinsing, brushing, waxing, drying devices and the like, which are sequentially energized as said vehicle progresses down said line, comprising:

means sensing a vehicle entering the line and having a plurality of electrical outputs representing units of length of said line and being serially energized with the movement of said vehicle, said energized outputs continuously imaging the vehicle and its movement over the length of said line;

means responsive to said energized outputs for energizing one of said devices; and

electrical means responsive to the energizing of devices upstream on said line from said one device and connected for prolonging the operation of said one device so long as at least certain of the upstream devices are energized.

9. A control apparatus as defined in claim 5, said second named means functioning to energize said one device in advance of the vehicle entering the station associated with said one device and to deenergizing said one device following the vehicle leaving said last named station, said one device being thereby energized for a period longer than the duration of passage of the vehicle through said last named station.

10. A control apparatus as defined in claim 5, said last named electrical means including:

a flip-flop having a steering input, an output and a clear input;

a first electrical apparatus providing a logical OR function connected to said one device;

said steering input being connected to one of said electrical outputs for said one device and to said first electrical apparatus; and

a second electrical apparatus providing a logical OR function connected to said electrical outputs connected to said outputs for devices upstream from said one device and to said clear input.

11. A control apparatus for a car wash having a vehicle conveyor for transporting a vehicle to be washed to a plurality of stations in a car wash line equipped with electrically controlled car wash devices comprising:

means sensing a vehicle entering the line and having a plurality of electrical outputs representing units of length of said line and being serially energized with the movement of said vehicle, said energized outputs continuously imaging the vehicle and its movement over the length of said line;

at least one of said devices being optionally employed for selected vehicles;

electrical apparatus providing a logical AND function connecting said one device to its energizing output;

manually operated means for determining the energizing of said one device and generating an electric signAl when operated; and

signal stepping apparatus connected to said manually operated means and having an output connected to said electical apparatus and being connected for stepping a signal to said electrical apparatus as each said selected vehicle reaches said one device.

12. A control apparatus as defined in claim 11, said first named means being a modulated wave source for propagating a modulated wave and a receiver selectively responsive to said wave.