Customizable vehicle wash blending system and method

• US 7,045,021 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murray D. Ewing
• Original Assignee: Unitec, Inc. (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Ewing, Murray, Eden, Erik, Honigs, David, Ousborne, Jeff, Eden, Fred J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): EL ARINI, ZEINAB
• Application Number:
  US10/366,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20040159342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 134/18, 134/26, 134/29, 134/42, 134/56.R, 134/113, 134/123
• US Class Current: 134/29
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam B08B9/00 takes precedence
• 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: C11D 2111/20 Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 9/02 on alkali or ammonium soaps

Abstract

A customizable car wash blending and method is provided. The method includes the steps of positioning a vehicle adjacent a set of sensors (step 10), measuring a variety of parametric data relating to macroscopic debris and surface film formed on a surface of the vehicle, calculating the quantity of presoak components to be added to a presoak solution (step 70), blending the presoak solution (step 80), and applying the presoak solution to the vehicle (step 110). Quantities of presoak enhancing agents are also calculated from the sensor readings (step 120) along with the calculation of the number and type of wash cycles required for the vehicle (step 130).

Claims

1. A customizable car wash blending method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a vehicle in a location in correspondence with at least one set of sensors;

(b) measuring by actuation of said sensors parametric data relating to debris from an environment external to said vehicle, said debris being formed on a surface of said vehicle;

(c) automatically blending at ratios selected responsive to said measured parametric data a plurality of presoak components for forming a presoak solution; and

,

(d) applying said presoak solution to said vehicle.

2. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said debris of said measurement step is microscopic debris.

3. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 2 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurement of type and thickness of said macroscopic debris.

4. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said debris of said measurement step is surface film.

5. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 4 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurement of composition and thickness of said surface film formed on said surface of said vehicle.

6. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of applying said presoak solution to said vehicle is followed by a step of applying predetermined quantities of presoak enhancers to said vehicle.

7. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 6 wherein said presoak enhancers include foam soaps.

8. The customizable or wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of applying said presoak solution to said vehicle is followed by a step of washing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of wash cycles responsive to said measured parametric data.

9. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of washing said vehicle is followed by a step of rinsing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of rinse cycles responsive to said measured parametric data.

10. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an optical reflectance sensor.

11. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an infrared sensor.

12. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes a measurement of surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

13. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of purity and quality of water to be used in washing and rinsing said vehicle.

14. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of local environmental conditions.

15. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said presoak components include alkali soaps.

16. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said presoak components include ionic soaps.

17. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of blending ratios of presoak components is followed by comparison between actual ratios of presoak components with calculated ratios of presoak components for accuracy monitoring.

18. A customizable car wash blending method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a vehicle in a location in correspondence with at least one set of sensors;

(b) automatically blending at ratios selected responsive to measurements made by said sensors a plurality of presoak components for forming a presoak solution, the measurements being indicative at least in part of a condition of a surface of the vehicle; and

,

(c) applying said presoak solution to said vehicle.

19. The customizable oar wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said step of positioning a vehicle is followed by a step of measuring parametric data relating to macroscopic debris formed on a surface of said vehicle.

20. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 19 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurement of type and thickness of said macroscopic debris.

21. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 19 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes a measurement of surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

22. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 19 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of purity and quality of water to be used in washing and rinsing said vehicle.

23. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 19 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of local environmental conditions.

24. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said step of positioning a vehicle is followed by a step of measuring parametric data relating to surface film formed on a surface of said vehicle.

25. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 24 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes the measurements of composition and thickness of said surface film formed on said surface of said vehicle.

26. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 24 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes a measurement of surface temperature of said surface of said vehicle.

27. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 24 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of purity and quality of water to be used in washing and rinsing said vehicle.

28. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 24 wherein said step of measuring parametric data includes measurement of local environmental conditions.

29. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of applying said presoak solution is followed by a step of applying predetermined quantities of presoak enhancers to said vehicle.

30. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 29 wherein said presoak enhancers include foam soaps.

31. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of applying said presoak solution is followed by a step of washing said vehicle in accordance wit a predetermined number and type of wash cycles.

32. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 31 wherein said step of washing said vehicle is followed by a step of rinsing said vehicle in accordance with a predetermined number and type of rinse cycles.

33. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an optical reflectance sensor.

34. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said at least one set of sensors includes an infrared sensor.

35. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said presoak components include alkali soaps.

36. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said presoak components include ionic soaps.

37. The customizable car wash blending method as recited in claim 18 wherein said step of blending ratios of presoak components is followed by comparison between actual ratios of presoak components with calculated ratios of presoak components for accuracy monitoring.

38. An automatic vehicle wash blending method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a plurality of preset blending ratios;

(b) positioning a vehicle in a location in correspondence with a plurality of sensors, actuating the plurality of sensors to measure parametric data relating to debris disposed upon a surface of the vehicle;

(c) automatically blending to form a presoak solution a plurality of presoak components in quantities determined by said preset ratios selected responsive to said measured parametric data; and

,

(d) applying said presoak solution to said vehicle.