A vehicle wash system includes a vehicle treatment area and an overhead frame portion supporting a pair of side brushes. The side brushes are configured to treat the lateral sides of the vehicle and may also treat the front and back of the vehicle. The side brushes are configured to pivot between a vertical position and an outwardly angled position, in which the side brushes are generally aligned with the side glass of the vehicle windows. The side brushes may travel along the side of the vehicle in both the vertical and pivoted orientations. The side brushes may make multiple passes along the side of the vehicle, and the side brushes may change orientation during or between passes to treat different segments of the vehicle. The side brushes may be oriented vertically at a location of a vehicle antenna to avoid the antenna.

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 vehicle wash system includes a vehicle treatment area and an overhead frame portion supporting a pair of side brushes. The side brushes are configured to treat the lateral sides of the vehicle and may also treat the front and back of the vehicle. The side brushes are configured to pivot between a vertical position and an outwardly angled position, in which the side brushes are generally aligned with the side glass of the vehicle windows. The side brushes may travel along the side of the vehicle in both the vertical and pivoted orientations. The side brushes may make multiple passes along the side of the vehicle, and the side brushes may change orientation during or between passes to treat different segments of the vehicle. The side brushes may be pivoted at a side mirror location of the vehicle.

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.

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle's position as the vehicle is traversed through an automated car wash system via a conveyor system and can comprise one or more sensors located in a tunnel of the automated car wash system. Embodiments can include targeting specific portions of the vehicle with water and chemical dispensers, washers, and dryers. Embodiments can include determining whether a vehicle deviates from a predetermining conveyor path or from a predetermined spacing with respect to an adjacent vehicle, and if so, initiating measures to prevent a collision.

A method operates a carwash having a carwash tunnel. A vehicle is conveyed into the carwash via a conveyor. At least a position, a length and/or a height of the vehicle traversing the carwash is captured. A progression of the vehicle going from a first checkpoint to a downstream second check point is monitored. The conveyor is stopped if the vehicle does not make it to the downstream second checkpoint in an allotted time period.

In an aspect, a conveyor system for moving a wheeled structure through a service line is provided. The conveyor system comprises at least one endless belt mounted longitudinally through the service line. The belt has an upper transport portion for moving the vehicle through the service line, and a lower return portion with a support deck below the upper transport portion to support the belt. A liquid introduction system is provided for helping to remove dirt from the belt and/or to remove dirt from between the belt and the support deck.

The present disclosure relates to a conveying track applied to an unattended tunnel type car washing machine. The conveying track includes a front conveying track section, a middle conveying track section, and a rear conveying track section, which are sequentially connected; where a transition roller is arranged between two adjacent conveying track sections; in each conveying track section, a track frame is used as an integral support on one separate side, and a chain plate formed by splicing a metal steel pipe and a chain is used as a rotary chain plate on one separate side; and two rotary chain plates are driven by a same driving reduction motor, and the driving reduction motor is in driving connection with the two rotary chain plates through a driving shaft. The present disclosure has higher strength and a lower cost.

A wheel roller for a chain conveyor of an automated carwash has a more robust configuration due to a direction connection of the wheels to the carrier link. The wheel roller contains a carrier link forging having a main body with a carrier link formed as an unitary component, pins secured to the main body in a fixed, non-pivotable manner, and wheels attached to the pins.

A conveyor system is provided, comprising an endless belt mounted in a longitudinal direction through the service line, the endless belt having an upper transport portion adapted to move a wheeled structure through a service line, and a lower return portion, a support deck positioned below the upper transport portion of the endless belt to support the endless belt, the support deck having a belt contact surface extending along a top of the support deck and in contact with the upper transport portion of the endless belt, the belt contact surface being constructed from a material that is at least partially thermoplastic, a belt rinsing system including a rinsing system conduit arrangement connectable to a source of rinsing system liquid, and at least one belt rinsing arrangement, wherein each of the at least one belt rinsing arrangement includes a rinsing system dirt pass-through aperture in the support deck.