Clamp for Varying the Hinging Action of a Fluid Stripping Bag

This invention relates to an apparatus for stripping fluids from the surface of an object. The invention is particularly suitable as being part of a carwash system for stripping rinse water from a vehicle.

A new generation of carwash systems for effectively stripping rinse water from a vehicle passing therethrough is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,801 to Day et al. The apparatus includes a plenum supplying air under pressure and in communication with the open end of a flexible bag. Air is supplied through the bag to the nozzle of the bag which is in contact with the surface of the car to be stripped of water. The bag flexes at a hinge point to allow a vehicle to pass through the system. A problem arises either when the bag is so flexible that the nozzle does not contact the vehicle with sufficient force to effectively strip the water from the vehicle or when the bag is so rigid that it does not sufficiently flex at the hinge point to allow the vehicle to pass through the system. In the prior art systems, the bags are connected directly to the plenums and no means are provided for varying the resistance to hinging of the bags.

The instant invention provides an adjustable clamp apparatus for selectively varying the hinging action of a flexible, inflatable fluid-stripping bag including an elongated bag inlet having a predetermined cross-sectional area and a nozzle at one end thereof, wherein the bag inlet is mounted about an opening of a plenum for supplying air to the bag. The apparatus is characterized by comprising an adjustable clamp means for selectively varying the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet to vary the hinging action of the bag whereby a change in the cross-sectional area produced by the clamp means changes the resistance to hinging action of the bag.

A method of selectively varying the hinging action of a flexible inflatable fluid-stripping bag is also provided and includes the steps of mounting the bag inlet about the opening of the plenum for supplying air to the bag and selectively varying the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet to vary the hinging action of the bag whereby changinng the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet changes the resistance to hinging action of the bag.

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drying station in a carwash system constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a flexible bag connected to a plenum by a clamping apparatus constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the instant invention taken substantially along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2 wherein hatched lines designate the central portion of the saddle member;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the transverse center of the instant invention wherein the central portion of the saddle member has been removed to decrease the distance between the rod members of the instant invention; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a clamping apparatus constructed in accordance with the instant invention.

A drying station of a carwash system for stripping fluids from the surface of a vehicle is generally shown at 10 in FIG. 1. The carwash system 10 includes a plurality of flexible inflatable bags 12 which are essentially similar in that they are made from a flexible sheet of material, such as thin plastic or cloth. The pieces of material are sewn together to form a desired shape. The bag 12 includes an elongated bag inlet 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The bag inlet 14 has a predetermined cross-sectional area. An elongated opening is at one end of the bag 12 defining a nozzle 16. The nozzle 16 is adapted to emit a stream of air when the bag 12 is inflated.

The bags 12 are supported by an air distributor system, generally indicated at 18. The system 18 includes a plurality of overhead ducts or plenum 20 which may be supported by the sealing super structure of the building which houses the carwash system 10. Each plenum 20 has a chamber 22 therein and an opening 24 therethrough. The bag inlet 14 releasably mounted about the opening 24 for the communication of air therebetween. Each bag (12) includes a first pair of bag flanges 23 extending along the length of the bag inlet 14. The flanges 23 extend about or wrap around the plenum 20, and the ends thereof are secured together by a suitable fastening means 25, such as Velcro. Thusly, a bag 12 can easily be removed for repair, adjustment or replacement by releasing the Velcro connection. The bags 12 also include a second pair of bag end flanges 27 extending from each width or end of the bag inlet 14.

The instant invention is characterized by adjustable clamp means, generally shown at 26, for selectively varying the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet 14 to vary the hinging action of the bag 12 whereby a change in the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet 14 produced by the clamp means 26 changes resistance to hinging action of the bag 12. In other words, as a car passes through the system 10, the bags 12 allow the car to pass therethrough by flexing at a hinge point about the connection between the bag 12 and plenum 20. The pressure applied by the nozzle against the car may be varied by varying the absolute value of the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet 14 at the hinge point of the bag 12. It is not a matter of varying the area of the opening 24 of the plenum 20 but rather of increasing or decreasing the cross-sectional area of the bag 12 at the hinge point where it is connected to the plenum 20. The larger the cross-sectional area at the point of connection of the bag 12 to the plenum 20, the greater the resistance to hinging action and, hence, the greater pressure applied by the nozzle 16 at the end of the bag 12 against the surface of a passing car to be stripped of water. Conversely, the smaller the cross-sectional area is at the hinge point, the less the bag 12 is resistant to flexure with respect to the plenum 20 and the less pressure there is of the nozzle 16 to the surface of the car to be stripped of water.

The clamp means 26 is defined by an adjustable frame assembly disposed about the bag inlet 14 for adjustably limiting the extent to which the bag inlet 14 opens to the opening 24 to determine the cross-sectional area thereof. The frame 26 includes a pair of rod members 28, each of the rod members extending the length of the opening 24 on each side thereof. Seating means selectively varies the distance between the rod members 28, the rod members 28 being seated within the seating means. The seating means comprises a pair of saddle members 30 having adjustable lengths, each of the saddle members 30 extending beyond the width of the opening 24 and including an arcuate lip portion 32 extending from each end thereof defining an arcuate seating surface for supporting a portion of the respective one of the rod members 28. In other words, the end portion of each rod member 28 sits within a seating surface of a respective saddle member 30 and the lip portions 32 urge the rod members 28 against the plenum 20. Each saddle member 30 has an inner arcuate surface 34 which clamps each of the bag end or second flanges 27 against a sealing strip 35, the sealing strip 35 being glued or otherwise adhered to the peripheral surface of the opening 24 of the plenum 20 and extending the width thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, each saddle member 30 includes a central portion 36 (designated by hatched lines) between the ends thereof. The central portion 36 may be selectively removed to selectively adjust the distances between the seating surface thereof, thereby adjusting the distances between the rod members 28. Thusly, the rod members 28 and saddle members 30 coact to provide an adjustable frame about the opening 24 of the plenum 20 and inlet 14 of the bag 12.

Securing means are provided for securing the frame 26 about the bag inlet 14. The securing means comprises a band member 38 encompassing each of the saddle members 30 and the tubular plenum 20. The securing means also includes fastening means for releasably fastening the ends of the band member 38 together so that the band 38 extends about each saddle member 30 and the plenum 20. In the preferred construction of the instant invention, the band member 38 includes cuffed end portions 40 and 42. The head of a bolt 44 is secured within the end portion 40 and a guiding sleeve 46 is secured within the end portion 42. A nut member 48 releasably secures the bolt 44 within the sleeve 46. The saddle members 30 have an outer arcuate surface 39 and the band member 38 is secured so as to tightly engage the outer surface 39 of the saddle member 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the saddle members 30 are made from a single piece of rubber material including the central portion 36, which may be selectively removed. The central portion 36 may be removed by cutting a portion from the saddle member 30 to selectively produce a saddle member 30 having the desired length. Other constructions of the saddle member 30 may be used wherein the length of the saddle member may be adjusted by other methods.

Sealing means are disposed between the frame 26 and outer periphery of the opening 24 for perfecting a seal therebetween. The sealing means includes a pair of rubber strips 50 extending the length of the opening 24 on each side thereof and the sealing strips 35 extending the width or across the end of the opening 24. The strips 50 provide a seal between the rod members 28 and the first pair of bag flanges 23 and strips 35 provide a seal between the saddle members 30 and the second pair of bag end flanges 27. As the band 38 engages each saddle member 30, a seal is thusly perfected between the frame and the plenum 20 about the bag inlet 14.

In operation, the bags 12 are first connected to the plenums 20 about the openings 24 by connecting the Velcro portions 25 together. The rod members 28 and saddle members 30 are assembled together to provide a frame about the inlet 14 of the bags 12 and are mounted on the plenum 20 so as to sandwich a peripheral portion of the bag inlet 14 between the rod members 28 and saddles 30 and the sealing strips 35 and 50 respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, cap members 52 may be inserted into the ends of the rod members 28. The frame 26 is then secured in place by fastening the band 38 about the frame 26 and plenum 22. The outer surface 39 of the saddle members 30 are contoured so that a band member 38 wraps about the outer surface of each saddle member 30 and the plenum 20 thereby securing each saddle member 30 to the plenum 20. The bolt member 44 is secured within the sleeve 46 by the nut member 48 thereby fastening the band member 38 in place. As shown in FIG. 3, the rods 28 may be disposed at a full width distance apart and the band member 38 secured in place to provide maximum resistance against flexure of the bag 12 and, therefore, maximum pressure against the surface of the vehicle to be stripped of the water. Conversely, as shown in FIG. 4, the central portion 36 of the saddle member 30 may be removed so that the rod members 28 are disposed at a reduced width from each other to decrease the resistance to flexure of the bag 12 at its hinge point adjacent the opening 24, thereby decreasing the pressure applied by the nozzle 16 on the vehicle surface.

The instant invention further provides a method of selectively varying the hinging action of the flexible, inflatable fluid-stripping bag 12. The method comprises the steps of mounting the bag inlet 14 about the opening 24 of the plenum 20 for supplying air to the bag 12 and characterized by selectively varying the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet 14 to vary the hinging action of the bag 12 whereby changing the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet 14 changes the resistance of the hinging action of the bag 12.

More specifically, the adjustable frame 26 is disposed about the periphery of the bag inlet 14 and the size of the frame 26 is adjusted to adjustably limit the extent to which the bag inlet 14 opens thereby determining the cross-sectional area of the bag 12. The frame 26 is secured about the bag inlet 14 and a seal is perfected between the frame 26 and the outer periphery of the opening 24. A pair of rod members 28 are disposed along the length of the opening 24 on each side thereof and the ends of the rod members 28 are seated within respective seating surfaces of a pair of saddle members 30. The saddle members 30 extend along the width of the opening 24 on each side of the bag inlet 14. The width of the saddle members are selectively adjusted by removing a predetermined part of the central portion 36 thereof to adjust the distance between the rod members 28 thereby determining the cross-sectional area of the bag inlet 14.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims wherein reference numerals are merely for convenience and are not to be in any way limiting, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.