Device for cleaning vehicle wheels
First Claim
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1. A device, in a vehicle washing system, for cleaning wheels on a vehicle, comprising:
- a rotary body driven rotationally by a drive motor about a central axis, the rotary body including a front end plate having at least one substantially circular opening;
a first group of cleaning elements arranged on the front end plate;
at least one rotary plate having a longitudinal axis arranged within the substantially circular opening in the front end plate of the rotary body such that the rotary plate does not protrude past the front end plate, the rotary plate having a diameter substantially equivalent to a diameter of the circular opening, the rotary plate rotatable by rotation of the rotary body about the central axis and about its own longitudinal axis via a gear assembly; and
a second group of cleaning elements arranged on a front face of the at least one rotary plate;
wherein the device is coupled to the vehicle washing system, where during operation a vehicle is enclosed by the vehicle washing system such that the wheels of the vehicle are placed adjacent the device and the cleaning elements contact and clean the wheels.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device for cleaning vehicle wheels that contains a rotary body driven rotationally by a drive motor about a central axis, with cleaning elements arranged on its front end face. An improved cleaning can be achieved by virtue of the fact that the rotary body contains at least one rotary plate equipped with additional cleaning elements that is rotated by the rotation of the rotary body, not only about the central axis but also, via a gear assembly, about its own longitudinal axis.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A device, in a vehicle washing system, for cleaning wheels on a vehicle, comprising:
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a rotary body driven rotationally by a drive motor about a central axis, the rotary body including a front end plate having at least one substantially circular opening; a first group of cleaning elements arranged on the front end plate; at least one rotary plate having a longitudinal axis arranged within the substantially circular opening in the front end plate of the rotary body such that the rotary plate does not protrude past the front end plate, the rotary plate having a diameter substantially equivalent to a diameter of the circular opening, the rotary plate rotatable by rotation of the rotary body about the central axis and about its own longitudinal axis via a gear assembly; and a second group of cleaning elements arranged on a front face of the at least one rotary plate;
wherein the device is coupled to the vehicle washing system, where during operation a vehicle is enclosed by the vehicle washing system such that the wheels of the vehicle are placed adjacent the device and the cleaning elements contact and clean the wheels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A cleaning device, in a vehicle washing system, for cleaning wheels on a vehicle comprising:
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an end plate having a front side and a rear side, the end plate rotatable about a central axis by a drive shaft connected to the rear side of the end plate; a plurality of openings in the front side of the end plate; a plurality of rotary plates, each of the plurality of rotary plates arranged in each of the plurality of openings such that each of the rotary plates does not protrude past the end plate, each of the rotary plates having a diameter substantially equivalent to a diameter of each of the plurality of openings, each of the plurality of rotary plates rotable about a rotary axis substantially parallel to the central axis of the end plate cleaning elements arrange on the front end plate and/or the plurality of rotary plates; and a supply line including at least two sections, each section arranged diametrically opposite the other section on the drive shaft, a first open end of each section extending into or through a hole in the end plate, wherein the supply line is operable to pass a fluid through the supply line and onto multiple points on the front side of the end plate;
wherein the device is coupled to the vehicle washing system, where during operation a vehicle is enclosed by the vehicle washing system such that the wheels of the vehicle are placed adjacent the device and the cleaning elements contact and clean the wheels. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A device for cleaning a vertical surface, comprising:
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a carriage; a drive shaft having a fluid passing channel therein, the drive shaft rotatable with respect to the carriage; a plate connected to the drive shaft and rotatable together therewith with respect to the carriage; a gear assembly including a sun wheel operatively connected to the carriage; a plurality of planetary gears meshed with the sun wheel, each of the plurality of planetary gears having a central axle connected to the plate and rotatable together therewith, each of the plurality of planetary gears rotatable about its central axle by the sun wheel when the plate is rotated with respect to the sun wheel; a plurality of rotary plates arranged within openings in the plate connected to the drive shaft such that rotary plates do not protrude past the plate, each of the plurality of rotary plates having a diameter substantially equivalent to a diameter of the openings, each of the plurality of rotary plates operatively connected with each of the plurality of planetary gears; a plurality of brushes, each of the plurality of brushes connected to one of the planetary gear axles to be rotated together therewith; at least one fluid supply line communicatively coupled to the fluid passing channel of the drive shaft to dispense a fluid proximate the vertical surface to be cleaned; and a guide connected to the carriage and configured to move the carriage between a position distal to the vertical surface to a position proximate the vertical surface for cleaning. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification