Vehicle tire dressing applicator
DCFirst Claim
1. Apparatus for applying fluid to tires of a vehicle, comprising:
- left and right applicator pads having opposed inner surfaces, each of said inner surfaces engageable with at least one tire on left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively, said pads having outer surfaces mounted respectively to left and right mount bars, said left applicator pad inner surface being engageable with at least one tire on a left side of the vehicle, said right applicator pad inner surface being engageable with at least one tire on a right side of said vehicle;
a fluid spray nozzle positioned to apply fluid to each of said applicator pads;
means for articulating said mount bars to bring said left and right inner surfaces of the applicator pads into contacting engagement with the left and right tires, respectively; and
means for supplying fluid to each of said spray nozzles.
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Abstract
A vehicle tire dressing apparatus according to the present invention comprises left and right dressing applicators situated alongside a vehicle conveying track, the dressing applicators being moveable individually into contacting engagement with tires on left and right sides of a vehicle in the track. Each applicator has an applicator pad mounted to a mount bar and the mount bar is hinged to a frame which allows articulation of the applicator pad into and out of contact with the tires. The applicator pad is configured with a plurality of orifices, each of which orifices receives fluid sprayed from a complimentary spray nozzle. Each orifice has an elongated capillary which assists dispersing fluid into the pad. The spray nozzles emit fluid into the pads for a predetermined amount of time, the spraying being initiated by movement of the vehicle into proximity with the tire dressing assembly.
29 Citations
32 Claims
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1. Apparatus for applying fluid to tires of a vehicle, comprising:
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left and right applicator pads having opposed inner surfaces, each of said inner surfaces engageable with at least one tire on left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively, said pads having outer surfaces mounted respectively to left and right mount bars, said left applicator pad inner surface being engageable with at least one tire on a left side of the vehicle, said right applicator pad inner surface being engageable with at least one tire on a right side of said vehicle;
a fluid spray nozzle positioned to apply fluid to each of said applicator pads;
means for articulating said mount bars to bring said left and right inner surfaces of the applicator pads into contacting engagement with the left and right tires, respectively; and
means for supplying fluid to each of said spray nozzles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14)
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13. Apparatus for applying fluid to a tire of a vehicle, comprising:
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an applicator pad having a contact surface engagable with the tire, said applicator pad being attached to a mounting means movable relative to the vehicle;
means for delivering the fluid to said applicator pad; and
means for articulating said mounting means to bring said contact surface of said applicator pad into contacting engagement with the tire.
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15. An apparatus for applying fluid to a tire of a vehicle, comprising:
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an applicator pad having a surface engageable with at least one tire of a vehicle;
a mount bar adapted to support said applicator pad;
a fluid spray nozzle for dispensing a fluid to said applicator pad;
means for supplying the fluid to said spray nozzle; and
said mount bar is movable for engaging and disengaging said applicator pad with the sidewall of said tire for applying said fluid thereon. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
said applicator pad having an elongated length thereof;
said applicator pad defining a plurality of orifices spaced apart along the length thereof;
said spray nozzle comprising a plurality of spray nozzles positioned to supply the fluid to said applicator pad via said plurality of orifices for providing said fluid to the entire length of said applicator pad.
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21. The apparatus for applying fluid to the tires of a vehicle as claimed in claim 20 wherein said plurality of spray nozzles comprises a first group of spray nozzles and a second group of spray nozzles wherein said first group of nozzles is for supplying said fluid to a first portion of said elongated applicator pad and said second group of nozzles is for supplying fluid to a second portion of said elongated applicator pad and said first and second groups of nozzles are operable independent one from the other.
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22. The apparatus for applying fluid to the tires of a vehicle as claimed in claim 15 wherein said mount bar is movable toward and away from the tires of said vehicle in a generally horizontal plane for engaging and disengaging said applicator pad with said at least one fire of said vehicle.
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23. An apparatus for applying fluid to a tire of a vehicle, comprising:
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an applicator pad having a surface thereon engageable with at least one tire of a vehicle;
a mount bar adapted to support said applicator pad;
a plurality of fluid spray nozzles for dispensing a fluid to said applicator pad;
a plurality of orifices in said applicator pad for receiving at least a portion of said plurality of spray nozzles such that said fluid is dispensed to said applicator pad through said orifices;
means for supplying a fluid to said spray nozzles; and
said mount bar is movable for engaging and disengaging said applicator pad with the sidewall of said fire for applying said fluid thereon. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
said applicator pad is elongated in the direction of the motion of the vehicle and engaged with said at least one fire of said vehicle.
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31. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said apparatus is installed in an automatic car wash facility.
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32. An apparatus according to claim 31 further comprising a computer control system wherein a predetermined location of said vehicle in said car wash facility activates said control system for controlling the apparatus for applying said fluid to said at least one tire of said vehicle.
Specification