Product metering system

• US 9,932,018 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cleaning Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cleaning Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Krause, David R., Pansier, Donald J., Mathys, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cormier, David G
• Application Number:
  US15/619,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20170274873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• 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: F16K 31/0675 Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor

Abstract

A product metering system for accurately dispensing one or more products. The product metering system generally includes a vehicle wash product supply fluidly connected to an electronic control valve and a control unit in communication with the electronic control valve. The electronic control valve operates at an open/close ratio that dispenses the product supply at a desired flow rate.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle wash, comprising:

positioning a vehicle within a vehicle wash, wherein the vehicle wash is comprised of;

a first pump fluidly connected to a product supply, wherein the product supply is comprised of a liquid;

an electronic control valve fluidly connected to the first pump, wherein the electronic control valve operates at an open/close ratio that dispenses the product supply at a flow rate, wherein the open/close ratio is comprised of an on state for an on period of time and an off state for an off period of time, and wherein the open/close ratio produces a consistent flow rate of the product supply;

a nozzle fluidly connected to the electronic control valve to dispense the product supply to the vehicle; and

a control unit in communication with the electronic control valve, the control unit programmed to control the open/close ratio, wherein the control unit calculates the open/close ratio needed to produce the flow rate of the product supply utilizing a pressure of the product supply from the first pump;

calculating by the control unit the open/close ratio needed to produce the flow rate of the product supply utilizing the pressure of the product supply from the first pump;

operating the electronic control valve at the open/close ratio to produce the consistent flow rate of the product supply; and

dispensing the product supply by the nozzle to the vehicle at the flow rate.

2. A method of operating a vehicle wash, comprising:

positioning a vehicle within a vehicle wash, wherein the vehicle wash is comprised of;

a first pump fluidly connected to a first product supply and a second pump fluidly connected to a second product supply, wherein the first product supply is comprised of a liquid and wherein the second product supply is comprised of a liquid;

an first electronic control valve fluidly connected to the first pump, wherein the first electronic control valve operates at a first open/close ratio that dispenses the first product supply at a first flow rate, wherein the first open/close ratio is comprised of an on state for an on period of time and an off state for an off period of time, and wherein the first open/close ratio produces a consistent first flow rate of the first product supply;

a second electronic control valve fluidly connected to the second pump, wherein the second electronic control valve operates at a second open/close ratio that dispenses the second product supply at a second flow rate, wherein the second open/close ratio is comprised of an on state for an on period of time and an off state for an off period of time, and wherein the second open/close ratio produces a consistent second flow rate of the first product supply;

a nozzle fluidly connected to the first electronic control valve and the second electronic control valve to dispense the first product supply and the second product supply to the vehicle; and

a control unit in communication with the first electronic control valve and the second electronic control valve, the control unit is programmed to control the first open/close ratio and the second open/close ratio, wherein the control unit calculates the first open/close ratio needed to produce the first flow rate of the first product supply utilizing a pressure of the first product supply from the first pump, and wherein the control unit calculates the second open/close ratio needed to produce the second flow rate of the second product supply utilizing a pressure of the second product supply from the second pump;

calculating by the control unit the first open/close ratio needed to produce the first flow rate of the first product supply utilizing the pressure of the first product supply from the first pump;

calculating by the control unit the second open/close ratio needed to produce the second flow rate of the second product supply utilizing the pressure of the second product supply from the second pump;

operating the first electronic control valve at the first open/close ratio to produce the consistent first flow rate of the first product supply;

operating the second electronic control valve at the second open/close ratio to produce the consistent second flow rate of the second product supply;

combining the first product supply and the second product supply from the first electronic control valve and the second electronic control valve into a combined product supply; and

dispensing the combined product supply by the nozzle to the vehicle.