Variable speed automatic car wash
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
- storing wash mode parameters for a plurality of wash modes in the control system, said wash modes being based on levels of customer demand;
executing the wash modes based on the wash mode parameters;
automatically determining when to switch among wash modes based on the levels of customer demand; and
switching among the plurality of wash modes based on said determining step.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating an automatic car wash system has been developed. The automatic car wash system includes a car wash unit and a central processing unit (CPU) controls operation of the car wash unit. The method includes programming wash parameters for a plurality of wash modes into the CPU and switching among a plurality of pre-programmed wash modes based on a rate of customer use of the car wash, number of vehicles waiting in line to use the car wash, environmental conditions, and/or operator'"'"'s preference.
-
Citations
53 Claims
-
1. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
-
storing wash mode parameters for a plurality of wash modes in the control system, said wash modes being based on levels of customer demand;
executing the wash modes based on the wash mode parameters;
automatically determining when to switch among wash modes based on the levels of customer demand; and
switching among the plurality of wash modes based on said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A variable speed automatic vehicle washing system comprising:
-
an automated car wash;
a control system for operating said automated car wash, said control system storing first wash mode operating instructions to be used at a first customer frequency and second wash mode operating instructions to be used at a second customer frequency, said control system operating said automated car wash for a first length of time according to said first wash mode operating instructions when said control system determines said first customer frequency, and said control system operating said automated car wash for a second length of time according to said second wash mode operating instructions when said control system determines said second customer frequency. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
17. The system of club 14 wherein said control system stores normal wash mode operating instructions, said control system operating said automated car wash according to said default wash mode operating instructions when said control system does not determine said first and second customer frequencies.
-
22. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
-
storing a first set of instructions for a first wash mode having a first temporal length in the CPU;
storing a second set of instructions for a second wash mode having a second temporal length in the CPU;
determining customer use of the car wash unit;
automatically operating the car wash unit according to the first set of instructions when the customer use exceeds a preselected value; and
automatically operating the car wash unit according to the second set of instructions when the customer use is less than or equal to the pre-selected value. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A variable speed automatic vehicle washing system comprising:
-
an automated car wash;
a car wash control system comprising;
a central processing unit (CPU);
an operator interface unit electronically connected to said CPU, said operator interface unit being used for inputting first and second sets of wash mode parameters into said CPU, said CPU storing said first and second sets of wash mode parameters; and
a customer sensor electronically connected to said CPU, said CPU, determining a first and second customer rate through data received from said customer sensor, said CPU operating said automated car wash for a first length of time according to said first wash mode parameters when said CPU determines said fist customer rate, and said CPU operating said automated car wash for a second length of time according to said second wash mode parameters when said CPU determines said second customer rate. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
automatically switching among a plurality of pre-programmed wash modes based on rates of customer use of the car wash, environmental conditions and operator preference. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
40. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
-
programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of environmentally-based wash modes, which are automatically activated based on environmental conditions, into the control system; and
programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of customer use wash modes, which are automatically activated based on rates of customer use of the car wash unit, into the control system. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising:
-
programming wash mode parameters for a plurality of wash modes into the control system;
storing wash mode parameters for a given wash mode;
executing a wash mode based on the wash mode parameters;
automatically determining rate at which customers use the car wash unit, a number of vehicles waiting in line to be washed, and environmental conditions; and
switching among the plurality of wash modes based on at least one of the rate determined in said determining step, the number determined in said determining step, or the environmental conditions determined in said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
-
53. A method of operating an automatic car wash system, the automatic car wash system including a car wash unit and a control system that controls operation of the car wash unit, said method comprising automatically determining when to switch among wash modes based on levels of customer demand.
Specification