The disclosed invention facilitates the removal of dirt and other sediment from a bucket of heavy machinery. With regular use, buckets build up dirt that decreases the available volume. Removing the dirt can require additional equipment and labor, and would require the heavy machinery to be away from the service area. The disclosed invention allows for rapid removal of the dirt on site with a single piece of equipment.

There is provided a system and method of cleaning surfaces of an enclosable environment of a contamination comprising a microbial and viral load. The method includes the steps of sealing the enclosable environment and placing water, and a solid or gel pack, into a container and generating a vortex the container by rotating an impeller. The agitation causes the solid or gel pack to release a gaseous cleaning agent. An air-borne spray exiting from the container spreads throughout the enclosable environment to contact the surfaces to be cleaned within the enclosable environment. The enclosable environment is maintained closed for an effective time period while the air-borne spray dwells on the surfaces to eliminate or substantially reduce the load of the contamination.

The present invention comprises a method of managing car wash membership programs that uses unique vehicle identifiers that can be read directly from a vehicle's onboard computer. This method works with vehicles that possess an onboard computer (i.e. connected cars) that collects data on the vehicle itself (e.g. vehicle identification number (VIN), oil life, fuel level) and exposes an interface that makes it possible for external systems to request and read this data. An example scenario utilizing this method involves a customer who installs a software application (app) for the car wash on their smartphone. The customer then selects their desired subscription car wash package within the app and the app initiates a communication link directly with the vehicle that will be associated with this membership account. Once the communication link is established between the smartphone app and the vehicle, a unique identifier will be requested from the vehicle's onboard computer, such as the VIN, and this vehicle identifier will be linked to the customer's membership account which is stored in an external system, typically in a cloud-based server and database. When the customer arrives at the car wash to request wash services under their membership, they will first use the smartphone app to check in to the car wash location by verifying that the vehicle associated with the customer's membership account is physically within a predefined distance of the car wash. The smartphone app may then establish a communication link with the vehicle to request its unique identifier and then pass this data to the external server and database to verify if the customer and vehicle are registered, active, and authorized to receive the requested service(s). If the request is deemed valid, then the smartphone app will provide a means of activating the requested car wash service(s), such as through a unique numeric code entered into the pay station kiosk, a barcode or QR code to be scanned and recognized by the pay station kiosk, a wireless signal sent directly or indirectly to the pay station kiosk or car wash controller for activation, or other equivalent methods. The service(s) rendered will then be logged and stored in the external system for future reference to ensure any limits on wash usage are not exceeded by the customer's account.

The present invention comprises a method of managing car wash membership programs that uses unique vehicle identifiers that can be read directly from a vehicle's onboard computer. This method works with vehicles that possess an onboard computer (i.e. connected cars) that collects data on the vehicle itself (e.g. vehicle identification number (VIN), oil life, fuel level) and exposes an interface that makes it possible for external systems to request and read this data. An example scenario utilizing this method involves a customer who installs a software application (app) for the car wash on their smartphone. The customer then selects their desired subscription car wash package within the app and the app initiates a communication link directly with the vehicle that will be associated with this membership account. Once the communication link is established between the smartphone app and the vehicle, a unique identifier will be requested from the vehicle's onboard computer, such as the VIN, and this vehicle identifier will be linked to the customer's membership account which is stored in an external system, typically in a cloud-based server and database. When the customer arrives at the car wash to request wash services under their membership, they will first use the smartphone app to check in to the car wash location by verifying that the vehicle associated with the customer's membership account is physically within a predefined distance of the car wash. The smartphone app may then establish a communication link with the vehicle to request its unique identifier and then pass this data to the external server and database to verify if the customer and vehicle are registered, active, and authorized to receive the requested service(s). If the request is deemed valid, then the smartphone app will provide a means of activating the requested car wash service(s), such as through a unique numeric code entered into the pay station kiosk, a barcode or QR code to be scanned and recognized by the pay station kiosk, a wireless signal sent directly or indirectly to the pay station kiosk or car wash controller for activation, or other equivalent methods. The service(s) rendered will then be logged and stored in the external system for future reference to ensure any limits on wash usage are not exceeded by the customer's account.

A dryer assembly for a vehicle wash system includes a plastic translucent housing having an exterior surface and a generally hollow interior. The housing includes an inlet opening with a motor unit in communication with the inlet opening for drawing air through the inlet opening into the hollow interior. The housing includes a plurality of nozzle portions in communication with the inlet opening and configured to emit high velocity air therefrom to remove water from an exterior surface of a vehicle while disposed in a vehicle treatment area. The housing includes a light source associated therewith for emitting light through the housing for viewing by the vehicle disposed in the vehicle treatment area. The housing includes lettering formed on the exterior surface of the housing with the lettering configured such that light emitted from the light source will not pass therethrough.

A system for drying a vehicle with a laminar flow of air comprising a device for imparting a laminar flow of air from a pressurized plenum, a sensor for profiling the shape of the vehicle, and a control system that receives information on the profile of the vehicle from the sensor and controls the distance between the device and the vehicle while the device and vehicle move relative to one another. The distance between the vehicle and drying device is sufficient to maintain a laminar flow of air onto the surface of the vehicle from the pressurized plenum (D.sub.L). A method of using the system is also disclosed.

A main unit and a hose of a cleaner may be connected via a connecting portion constituted by a ball joint. The hose may be wound around a hose holding portion and stored at a front end storage so that it can be held to the main unit in a compact manner.

A wheel guide rail for lateral delimitation of a washing area of a vehicle treatment installation has an elongated housing and several light modules distributed along the housing. The housing has several openings distributed over its length. Each light module includes a mounting base mounted in one of the openings of housing and at least one light source mounted in the mounting base.

A method for changing at least one energy store of a vehicle and an energy store changing apparatus. The method includes steps for ascertaining the vehicle type and the provision of vehicle data relating to the ascertained vehicle type. The vehicle data includes data about the arrangement of the energy store in the vehicle. The position of the vehicle is ascertained on the basis of at least one physical reference point, and at least one energy store of the vehicle is changed.

A method for changing at least one energy store of a vehicle and an energy store changing apparatus. The method includes steps for ascertaining the vehicle type and the provision of vehicle data relating to the ascertained vehicle type. The vehicle data includes data about the arrangement of the energy store in the vehicle. The position of the vehicle is ascertained on the basis of at least one physical reference point, and at least one energy store of the vehicle is changed.