Apparatus for Stripping Fluids Including Dimensionally Stable and Substantially Rigid 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 car wash system for stripping rinse water from a vehicle.

The U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,801 to Day et al initiated the beginning of a new generation of car wash systems for effectively stripping rinse water from a vehicle passing therethrough. The invention provided a plenum supplying air under pressure and in communication with the open end of a flexible bag whereby the air is supplied through the bag to a nozzle of the bag which is in contact with the surface of a car to be stripped of water. The bag is characterized by being flexible fabric, inflatable, and of generally rectangular transverse cross section. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,035 to McElroy et al provided a clamp for varying the hinging action of the fluid stripping bag. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,341 to Allen discloses a vehicle drying assembly including rigid tube members supported by flexible sleeves from an air distributor. Such sleeves do not support the tubes so that a counterweight is required to stabilize the tubes. Further, the tubes tend to not follow the contour of a vehicle as they tend to twist about the flexible sleeves. The instant invention is directed to further improvements in the fluid stripping system.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for stripping fluids from the surface of a vehicle, the apparatus including a plurality of dimensionally stable and substantially rigid ducts supported from an air distributor in an array along the path of the vehicle and including an inlet for introducing air under pressure into the duct and an elongated opening at one end of the duct defining a nozzle of smaller cross section area than the inlet for emitting a stream of air. Flexible joint means connect the duct to the air distributor for allowing hinging movement of the duct substantially along a single axis from a neutral extended position to a flexed position relative to the support means in response to the nozzle following the contour of the surface of the object. The ducts are inflexible and self supporting from the hinge or joint means .

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 car wash system constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a duct mounted from the support means of the instant invention in a neutral extend position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a duct supported by the support means in a flexed position in response to the nozzle end of the duct following the contour of the surface of a vehicle shown schematically;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a partially broken away of a second embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the joint means of the instant invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view in cross section of a duct constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view in cross section of a second embodiment of the duct; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view in cross section of a third embodiment of the duct.

A drying station of a car wash system for stripping fluids from the surface of a vehicle is generally shown at 10 in FIG. 1. The drying station 10 includes a plurality of demonsionally stable and substantially rigid ducts generally indicated at 12 which are essentially similar in that they are molded from a stable and substantially rigid material, such as a plastic. Each duct 12 includes an inlet 14 for introducing air under pressure into the duct 12 and an elongated opening at one end of the duct 12 defining a nozzle of smaller cross sectional area than the inlet 14 for emitting a stream of air. As shown in the drawings, a nozzle member 16,16' includes the elongated opening.

The ducts 12 are supported by an air distributor system generally indicated at 18. The system 18 includes a plurality of over head ducts or plenum 20 which may be supported by the ceiling super-structure of the building which houses the car wash system 10. Each plenum 20 has a chamber 22 therein and an opening 24 therethrough. The duct inlet 14 is operatively connected to the opening 24, as will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the air distributor 18 provides support means for supporting the ducts 12 to extend toward an object, indicated schematically in phantom at 26 in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the nozzle end 16 of the duct 12 lies in the path of motion of the object 26 to cause physical engagement between the nozzle end 16 of the duct 12 and the object 26 to bring the stream of air emitted from the nozzle opening into close spacial relationship with the surface of the object 26 to strip fluid from the object 26. The plurality of dimensionally stable and substantially rigid ducts 12 are supported in an array along the path of the object 26, which in the case of a car wash would be a vehicle, to strip fluid from the top and side surfaces of the vehicle 26.

Flexible joint means connect the ducts 12 to the plenum 20 for allowing hinging movement of the duct 12 substantially along a single axis from the neutral extended position as shown in FIG. 2 to the flexed position shown in FIG. 3 relative to the support means 20 in response to the nozzle 16 following the contour of the surface of the object 26. More particularly, the duct 12 is substantially rectangular in cross section and includes spaced and substantially parallel forward and rear panels 28 and 30 respectively. The duct 12 includes two side panels 32 and 34 connecting the forward and rear panels 28,30, the forward and rear panels 28,30 having a greater cross sectional dimension than the side panels 32,34.

Each of the ducts 12 include expansion preventing means form preventing the forward and rear panels 28,30 from being forced apart from the flow of pressurized fluid therebetween to maintain the forward and rear panels 28,30 in spaced parallel relationship. The expansion preventing means includes a plurality of interconnecting stringers or fingers 35 interconnecting the forward and rear panels 28,30 within the ducts 12. The stringers 35 may be integrally connected to the forward and rear panels 28,30 as the stringers 35 may be molded within the ducts 12 during the manufacturing process. The duct 12 would be an integral member which is molded to include the front and rear panels 28,30 having the stringers 35 integrally connected therebetween. The duct 12 may be manufactured by a different process utilizing other constructions of expansion preventing means.

A second embodiment of the ducts 12 is shown in FIG. 6. Each of the ducts 12 comprises a plurality of substantially tubular members 60 having predetermined and equal lengths. The tubular members 60 are connected along their lengths to form a single duct 12. When viewed in cross section, these ducts 12 have a substantially rectangular cross section. At least some of the tubular members 60 are a C-shaped member having two legs 62 and a base portion 64. One of the legs 62 defines a portion of the forward panel 28 and the other of the legs 62 defines a portion of the rear wall 30. Each of the base portions 64 provide a wall integral with and extending between the forward and rear panels 28,30 defining the expansion preventing means. Each of the legs 62 extend from the base 64 at a right angle corner. As shown in FIG. 6, the duct 12 includes a plurality of C-shaped members having the legs 62 of one C-shaped member connected to the bases 64 of the next adjacent C-shaped member at a recessed portion 66 the duct 12 includes a cover member 68 connected to the legs 62 of the most peripheral C-shaped member to form a closed tubular member therewith thereby defining the duct 12 including a plurality of tubular members 60.

The tubular members 60 may be joined together by means well known in the art, such as by glue or sonic welding.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the tubular members 60 and 60', respecively, may be substantially rectangular when view in cross section. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the tubular members 60 may be connected together in a single row. As shown in FIG. 7 each of the tubular members 60' may be connected together in two rows, the duct formed thereby including a plurality of walls 64' extending between the forward and rear panels 28,30 defining the expansion preventing means. A second plurality of walls 70 extend between the side panels 32,34. This construction provides greater rigidity to the duct 12 by providing expansion preventing means in the vertical and horizontal direction of the duct when viewed in cross section.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the duct 12 constructed in accordance with the instant invention wherein the tubular members 60" are round when viewed in cross section.

The flexible joint means includes a bellows member 36 having an inlet connected to a duct 38 extending from the plenum 20 and an outlet connected to the inlet end 14 of the duct 12 for the flow of air therebetween. As best shown in FIG. 5, the bellows member 36 has an nonexpandable forward wall 40 operatively connected to the forward panel 30 of the duct 12 and pleated side and rear walls 42,44 respectively. The side and rear walls 42,44 are collapsible in response to the force of the passing object 26 engaging the nozzle end 16 to pivot the duct 12 about the forward wall 40. This construction provides a flexible joint which allows hinging movement of the duct 12 relative to the support means 20 substantially along a single axis. The joint is somewhat flexible as the bellows member 36 allows for slight variations which would be caused by irregularities in the surface of the object 26 being contacted while being sufficiently rigid to provide a hinging joint directing the pivoting motion of the duct 12 about the forward wall 40 thereof. Unlike prior art duct assemblies which pivoted about a portion of the duct itself, the instant invention provides additional joint means for allowing the rigid and substantially stiff duct 12 to effectively pivot in response to contacting the object 26. Prior art assemblies required further means for guiding the hinging of rigid air distributors and weights to position the assemblies. The combination of this invention provides ducts that are self supporting so as to require no further guidance means or support. In other words, the ducts are not foldable and may be cantilevered in space without depending upon inflation, i.e. without air flow. Other constructions of flexible joint means may be used to interconnect the self supporting duct 12 to the support means 20.

The side panels 32,34 of each of the ducts 12 have side edges operatively connected to respective ones of the side walls 42 of the bellows members 36. The edges taper inwardly from the front panel 40 towards the rear panel 44 so that when the duct 12 is in the neutral position, the rear panel 44 is longer in cross section than the front panel 40, as best shown in FIG. 5.

As previously stated, the support means includes a substantially rectangular duct 38 extending from the plenum 20 having front and rear walls and side walls therebetween. The side walls of the duct 38 have an edge 41 operatively connected to the bellows member 36 and tapering inwardly from the front wall thereof to the rear wall. The edge 41 of the duct 38 and the edge of the side panels 32,34 of the duct 12 define a joint that pivots approximately 90.degree. about the forward wall 40 of the bellows member 36 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In other words, the side edges 41 of the duct 38 and the side edges of the side walls 32,34 provide a joint having the bellows member 36 extending therebetween. The edges abut when the duct member 12 is moved to the flexed condition as shown in FIG. 3.

The assembly includes clamping means for sealingly clamping the bellows members 36 to the assembly. Each of the forward, rear and side panels 28,30,32,34 of the duct 12 include a substantially C-shaped flange portion 47, as shown in FIG. 5. The C-shaped flange portion 47 extends outwardly from each end of the panels 28,30,32,34. Each bellows member 36 includes an oppositely disposed C-shaped flange portion 45 extending outwardly therefrom. The clamping means includes a compressable rod member 46 disposed between the C-shaped flange portions 45,47 and a C-shaped slide clamp 48 disposed over the C-shaped portions 45,47 of the bellows member 36 and the duct 12 to sealing clamp the C-shaped portions 45,47 about the rod member 46. This clamping means provides an effective seal between bellows member 36 and the duct 12 while further securely connecting the duct 12 and bellows member 36 together. Alternatively, Valcro may be used to secure the ducts 12 and bellows members 36 together.

The duct 38 includes a flange 48 extending outwardly therefrom. The flange 48 includes a bulge extending along the flange having an outer annular surface when viewed in cross section. The clamping means further includes a compressable rod member 50 disposed between a second C-shaped flange portion 52 of the panels 40,42,44 of the bellows member 36 and the flange 48 of the duct 38. The clamping means further includes a second C-shaped slide clamp 54 disposed over the arcuate surface of the flange 48 of the duct 38 at about the flanges 52 of the panels 40,42,44 to sealingly clamp the flanges 48,52 about the rod member 50. Thus, the bellows member 36 is fixedly secured to the duct 38 and a seal is perfected therebetween. The rods 50 used for the clamping means may be made from sponge rubber. The C-shaped slide clamps 48 may be made of a metallic material.

Each duct assembly, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 may include one or a plurality of joint means disposed along the apparatus at successively greater distances from the support means. For example, FIGS. 2 and 3 show a single duct 12 connected to the duct 38 by a first bellows member 36 and to a nozzle 16 connected directly to the duct 12. The nozzle 16 may be constructed in accordance with the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,592, issued May 8, 1984. Such a duct assembly would normally be used as side ducts in the array of ducts shown in FIG. 1. An alternative construction of the duct assembly is shown in FIG. 4 and includes a first duct 12 connected to the duct 38 by a first bellows member 36 and a second duct 12 connected to the nozzle 16,16' by a second bellows member 36'. The two ducts 12 are connected together by a third bellows member 36". This duct assembly has been found to be effective when used as the vertically hanging duct assembly as shown in FIG. 1. Each bellows member 36,36'36" is disposed along the apparatus at successively greater distances from the duct. Each of the distances define a series of progressively greater moment arms relative to the joint means most proximate relative to the support means or duct 38. Each duct assembly is operatively connected to the support means 20 and includes the duct 12 and the plurality of the joint means or bellows members 36 spaced along the duct assembly at predetermined distances from the support means 20 to completely hinge each of the joint means sequentially from the joint means most proximate to the support means 20 to the joint means most distal from the support means 20. The joint or bellows member 36 closet to the duct 38 will substantially collapse to hinge the nozzle 16' before the next closet bellows member 36 will collapse. This effect causes sequential hinging of the elements of the assembly in response to the force applied to it by the passing object. In this manner, plurality of the duct assemblies are supported by the air distributor 20 in an array.

The assembly would include means for effecting relative motion indicated schematically by arrows in FIG. 1 for effecting relative motion in the direction of the arrows between the duct assemblies and the object 26 to be stripped of water thereby defining a relative path of motion. The nozzle openings of the nozzles 16,16' lie in and across the path of the object 26 as the duct assemblies extend from the air distributor 20 whereby upon relative motion of the nozzle end of the duct assemblies engage the object 26 to bring the stream of air into close spacial relationship with the surface of the object 26.

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 limiting, the invention may be practiced otherwise that is specifically described.