A car wash system is disclosed. The car wash system can include an adjustable top washer, a sensor configured to determine a height measurement of the vehicle, an actuator configured to adjust a position of the top washer, and a control system coupled to the actuator and the sensor. The control system can be configured to receive the height measurement of the vehicle from the sensor and control the actuator to adjust the position of the top washer based on the received height measurement.

A wash equipment assembly for a car wash and method of operating the equipment are described. For example, the assembly includes a cleaning element configured to clean a vehicle, an arm assembly operably attached to the cleaning element and configured to move the cleaning element to a vehicle cleaning position, the arm movably fixed to a support at a first end and the cleaning element mounted on the arm at a second end, a controlled locator for positioning the arm relative to the support such that the cleaning equipment is moved to the vehicle cleaning position, and a sensor for evaluating an actual orientation of the cleaning element relative to a default orientation of the cleaning element. In certain implementations, the controlled locator can modify the position of the arm in response to a signal from the sensor, thereby providing a closed loop control system.

In an aspect, there is provided a correlator for guiding a vehicle onto a vehicle conveyor. The correlator includes a wheel support surface defining a receiving end of the correlator and a conveyor-interfacing end of the correlator. The wheel support surface is positioned to support a wheel of the vehicle as the wheel rolls thereon. The correlator further includes at least one guide structure positioned to guide a wheel of the vehicle laterally during travel of the wheel on the wheel support surface from the receiving end towards the conveyor-interfacing end. The wheel support surface has a surface region having surface properties selected such that a coefficient of friction between the surface region and tire rubber is sufficiently low to prevent the wheel from having sufficient traction on the surface region to enable climbing of the wheel onto the at least one guide structure.

A system comprises a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to transmit a vehicle localization signal from a first vehicle, receive vehicle localization data for the first vehicle, the vehicle localization data generated based on receipt of the vehicle localization signal by a plurality of localization receivers of a vehicle movement space, determine, based on the vehicle localization data for the first vehicle, a position of the first vehicle in the vehicle movement space, determine a position of a second vehicle in the vehicle movement space relative to the position of the first vehicle, and command a first movement by the first vehicle based on the position of the first vehicle and the position of the second vehicle relative to the position of the first vehicle.

A system for controlling a vehicle conveyor and a vehicle wash having the same are provided. The system includes an array of beam transmitters, each being positionable to transmit a beam towards a vehicle path through which a vehicle is expected to travel. Each of at least one sensor is positionable to receive the beam from at least one of the array of beam transmitters when the beam is unobstructed and generate sensor data. A storage stores computer-executable instructions. A controller in communication with the storage and connected to the at least one sensor, when executing the computer-executable instructions, controls operation of the vehicle conveyor at least partially based on the sensor data.

A shopping cart washing assembly includes a tunnel that is positionable in a location which employs shopping carts wherein the tunnel is configured to have the shopping carts moved through the tunnel. A plurality of lower spray nozzles and a plurality of upper spray nozzles is each integrated into the tunnel to spray a liquid for washing shopping carts. A first drive unit and a second drive unit is each movably integrated into the tunnel. A plurality of grappling units each extends between the first drive unit and the second drive unit. Each of the grapping units engages a handle of a respective shopping cart to transport the respective shopping cart through the tunnel.

A sprocket is provided for a carrier link chain system which has a chain and a carrier link. The sprocket contains a unitary body which has three shaped sections including a central shaped section and two outer shaped sections sandwiching the central shaped section. The central shaped section has teeth for moving the chain of the carrier link chain. The two outer shaped sections have protrusions extending from a circumference and defines a path through which sides of the carrier link traverse and preventing a side-to-side movement of the carrier link and the chain links. The sprocket prevents jamming issues currently seen when a carrier link twists and causes the chain to jump off of the sprocket or the carrier link gets jammed against other portions of the conveyor system.

A system comprises a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to transmit a vehicle localization signal from a first vehicle, receive vehicle localization data for the first vehicle, the vehicle localization data generated based on receipt of the vehicle localization signal by a plurality of localization receivers of a vehicle movement space, determine, based on the vehicle localization data for the first vehicle, a position of the first vehicle in the vehicle movement space, determine a position of a second vehicle in the vehicle movement space relative to the position of the first vehicle, and command a first movement by the first vehicle based on the position of the first vehicle and the position of the second vehicle relative to the position of the first vehicle.

A number of dolly assemblies are connected in series with chain linkage sections to form an endless conveyor chain for the dolly assemblies to move objects along a track. Each dolly assembly includes a link attachment and a wheel assembly supported by the link attachment. The link attachment includes a base and a body portion. The body portion presents an open-loop partially surrounding an interior and extending between a pair of ends. The ends are spaced from one another to define an opening to the interior therebetween. The pair of ends are also formed in toward the interior to partially surround a respective pocket. Each pocket is configured to receive a portion of an endlink of a respective chain linkage section therein, and each one of the formed ends functions to prevent the endlink of the respective chain linkage section from becoming unhooked from the body portion.

A vehicle washing installation includes at least one side washing brush which is mounted on a crossbar of the vehicle washing installation by a suspension to be rotatable about first and second pivot axes. The suspension has a first actuator for pivoting the side washing brush about the first pivot axis. The problem of providing a vehicle washing installation which, with little constructional outlay, permits a good washing result even in the case of inclined side surfaces and rear surfaces of the vehicle and the inclined transitions between said surfaces is addressed in that the suspension has a second actuator for pivoting the side washing brush about the second pivot axis, and by a method with the steps of: detecting and/or determining the inclination of a first vehicle surface running transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction; pivoting the side washing brush from a basic position about the second pivot axis in a manner corresponding to the inclination of the first vehicle surface; and moving the side washing brush along the first vehicle surface.