DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CLEANING TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for cleaning two-wheeled vehicles, in particular bicycles and/or electric bicycles. The device (1) has a wet cleaning device for cleaning the two-wheeled vehicle by means of a cleaning liquid and a splash guard housing (2) for retaining the cleaning liquid, wherein during cleaning a two-wheeled vehicle can be at least partially accommodated in the splash guard housing (2). The invention is characterized in that the device (1) comprises a drying means (3).

Claims

1. A device (1) for cleaning two-wheeled vehicles, in particular bicycles and/or electric bicycles, having a wet cleaning means for cleaning the two-wheeled vehicle by means of a cleaning liquid, and a splash guard housing (2) for retaining the cleaning liquid, wherein a two-wheeled vehicle can be at least partially accommodated in the splash guard housing (2) during cleaning, characterized in that the device has a drying means (3) arranged within the splash guard housing (2).

2. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device has a rotatable brush (9), arranged within the splash guard housing (2), for cleaning the two-wheeled vehicle.

3. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the drying means (3) is a drying means (3) for drying the two-wheeled vehicle by means of an air flow.

4. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the drying means (3) has a radial blower, in particular wherein the device (1) is designed to operate the radial blower at a rotational speed of at least 1000, preferably at least 2000, and/or at most 5000, revolutions per minute.

5. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device (1), in particular the splash guard housing (2), is designed to only partially accommodate the two-wheeled vehicle.

6. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) is configured in such a way, in particular the drying means (3) is arranged in the device (1) in such a way, that the air flow is aligned at an angle of at least 30 and/or at most 80 to the longitudinal direction of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device (1).

7. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the drying means (3) is arranged laterally with respect to and/or below a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device (1).

8. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) has a plurality of drying means (3), which, in particular, are arranged at a distance of at least 450 mm and/or at most 650 mm on both sides of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device (1).

9. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the drying means (3) are designed in such a way and arranged in such a way that the motor of the respective drying means (3) is arranged above the air-conveying region of this drying means (3).

10. The device (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) is configured in such a way that the drying means (3) are arranged at a lower level than outlet nozzles for cleaning liquid and/or rinsing liquid.

11. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the total volume flow conveyed by all of the drying means (3) of the device (1) is at least 50 m.sup.3/h, in particular at least 100 m.sup.3/h and/or at most 300 m.sup.3/h.

12. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that drying means (3) are arranged one above the other.

13. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one drying means (3), in particular a drying means (3) arranged above another drying means (3), is arranged in such a way that the air flow generated by this drying means (3) is directed upward at an angle of at least 2 and/or at most 10 to the horizontal.

14. A method for cleaning two-wheeled vehicles, in particular bicycles and/or electric bicycles, by means of a device (1) for cleaning bicycles, in particular as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two-wheeled vehicle is cleaned by means of a cleaning liquid during a cleaning cycle, wherein the two-wheeled vehicle is accommodated at least partially in a splash guard housing (2) during cleaning, characterized in that the two-wheeled vehicle is dried during a drying cycle by means of an air flow generated within the splash guard housing (2).

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, during a rinsing cycle, which is carried out, in particular, between the cleaning cycle and the drying cycle, the two-wheeled vehicle is rinsed by means of a rinsing liquid, to which a high-gloss drying agent and/or a chemical drying aid have/has been added.

Description

[0045] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary device in a perspective view,

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary device in section from above,

[0047] FIG. 3 shows the device from FIG. 2 without the brushes,

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view into the interior of an exemplary device,

[0049] FIG. 5 shows the device from FIG. 4 without the ramp and a number of other parts,

[0050] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary device with an alternative design having an additional polishing station.

[0051] Particularly in FIG. 1, it can be seen that the device 1 has a splash guard housing 2. A drying means 3 is arranged within the splash guard housing 2. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 1, the drying means 3 is embodied as a high-pressure compressor. Alternatively and/or in addition, the drying means 3 may also be embodied as a low-pressure blower. This can be seen, in particular, in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

[0052] It can furthermore be seen in FIG. 1 that the device 1 shown there has a ramp 4 for introducing the two-wheeled vehicle into and/or removing the two-wheeled vehicle from the device. Devices 1 of the type in question can have corresponding ramps 4 at both ends of the device 1, as can be seen, in particular, in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6.

[0053] The devices 1 can have doors 5 for closing openings for the introduction and/or removal of the two-wheeled vehicles. In addition, the devices can have closable openings 6 on their longitudinal sides. Such closable openings 6 on the longitudinal sides allow auxiliary manual cleaning and/or drying of the two-wheeled vehicle in the device 1. This can be performed by means of a lance with a corresponding nozzle, for example. The pressure required for this purpose can be provided by the integrated drying means 3, such as that shown by way of example in FIG. 1. To enable the drying means 3 to be seen, a housing part that covers the latter is not shown in FIG. 1.

[0054] As can be seen especially in FIGS. 1 and 6, the device can have an opening 7 on its upper side. Through the opening 7 it is possible for a handlebar and/or a saddle of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device 1 to protrude from the device 1. As can be seen especially in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the device 1 can have splash guard elements 8 on its upper side. To close the openings 7, the splash guard elements 8 shown in the examples can be moved toward one another until they come to abut against those parts of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device which protrude through the opening 7 or until they cover the opening 7, at least substantially. The splash guard elements 8 can have bristles for abutment against the two-wheeled vehicle. The splash guard elements 8 can be guided in their movement by means of telescopic rails.

[0055] As can be seen especially from the examples in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drying means 3 can be mounted together with rotatable brushes 9 on mounts 10. The mounts 10 are movable, in particular along the longitudinal direction X of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device 1. For better graphical representation, the movement ranges of the brushes 9 are shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, the brushes are not shown, thus enabling the respective mount 10 to be seen more clearly. Likewise arranged on the mounts 10 are deflector elements 11 for deflecting the bristles of the brushes 9. The deflector elements 11 have the effect that the space in which the bristles of the brush 9 move is not circular but, as can be seen in FIG. 2, is flattened toward the splash guard housing 2. This enables the device 1 to be made narrower.

[0056] As can be seen, in particular, in FIG. 3, 8 drying means 3, which are each embodied as radial blowers, can be arranged within the splash guard housing. As can likewise be seen by way of example in FIG. 3, drying means 3 can be arranged one above the other. As can likewise be seen by way of example in FIG. 3, the drying means 3 can be aligned in such a way that they are aligned with a rotatable brush 9 which is situated opposite in relation to the two-wheeled vehicle.

[0057] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 5, the devices shown by way of example have wheel rotation units 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, these can be embodied as rotatable rollers.

[0058] As can be seen, in particular, in FIG. 5, the device 1 can have a vertically adjustable support arrangement 13. The support arrangement 13 serves to support the front wheel of the two-wheeled vehicle. The support arrangement 13 can be used, in particular, to set the position of the handlebar of the two-wheeled vehicle above the splash guard elements 8. The vertical adjustability of the support arrangement 13 can be achieved by means of rotatable threaded rods 14. As can be seen, in particular, in FIG. 5, these can be arranged on both sides of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the device and can be coupled by a traction means 15. In the example shown, the vertical adjustment of the support arrangement 13 can be brought about manually by means of an actuating device 16 embodied as a handwheel.

[0059] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment which differs from the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, in particular in having an additional polishing station 18. The cleaning station 17 is a device 1 for cleaning two-wheeled vehicles, in particular in accordance with the above description, having a wet cleaning means for cleaning the two-wheeled vehicle by means of a cleaning liquid (not shown in FIG. 6), and a splash guard housing 2 for retaining the cleaning liquid. During cleaning, a two-wheeled vehicle can be accommodated, at least in part, in the splash guard housing 2 of the cleaning station 17. The cleaning station 17 has a drying means (not shown in FIG. 6) arranged within the splash guard housing.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning station 17 can be followed by a polishing station 18. This can likewise have a splash guard housing 2. In the case of this embodiment too, direction X shows the longitudinal direction of a two-wheeled vehicle accommodated in the cleaning station 17 and/or the polishing station 18. As in the example shown, the cleaning station 17 and the polishing station 18 can be separated from one another by a splash guard element 19.

[0061] Particularly in the case of an embodiment such as that shown in FIG. 6, rotatable polishing brushes can be used as a drying means (not shown in the exemplary FIG. 6 for reasons to do with representational technique) in the polishing station 18. The polishing brushes can have a sponge and/or textile structure in order to remove adhering liquid residues from the two-wheeled vehicle.

[0062] As shown by way of example in FIG. 6, drying means 3, in particular drying means embodied as blowers, can be arranged in the splash guard housing 2 of the polishing station 18. The drying means 3 in the polishing station 18 serve, in particular, to keep the polishing brushes dry. The drying means 3 in the polishing station can have a lower type of protection than the drying means 3 in the cleaning station 17 or the device 1 and/or can have a lower type of protection than IP 66.

[0063] The device 1 can furthermore have an air blade 20, which can be arranged as a drying means, in particular in the region of an opening for the removal of the two-wheeled vehicle from the device 1. Alternatively and/or in addition, it is also advantageously possible to arrange an air blade 20 in the region of the border between the cleaning station 17 and the polishing station 18, as shown by way of example in FIG. 6.

[0064] The features of the invention which are disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential, both individually and in any desired combinations, for the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the relevant person skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0065] 1 device [0066] 2 splash guard housing [0067] 3 drying means [0068] 4 ramp [0069] 5 door [0070] 6 closable opening [0071] 7 opening [0072] 8 splash guard element [0073] 9 brush [0074] 10 mount [0075] 11 deflector elements [0076] 12 wheel rotation unit [0077] 13 support arrangement [0078] 14 threaded rod [0079] 15 traction means [0080] 16 actuating device [0081] 17 cleaning station [0082] 18 polishing station [0083] 19 splash guard element [0084] 20 air blade [0085] X longitudinal direction of the two-wheeled vehicle