DE20208087U1 - Device for washing vehicles - Google Patents

Description

Device for washing vehicles

The present invention relates to a device for washing vehicles, in which a plurality of support bodies with flat washing strips made of a textile material attached thereto and projecting radially relative to the support bodies are fastened to a rotating shaft.

Devices of the generic type are known per se.

Devices are known in which the washing strips hit the surface of a vehicle to be cleaned in a flat manner.

Such devices are also known in which the washing strips hit the surface of a vehicle to be cleaned with their narrow sides.

In the known devices, the washing strips are made of a textile material which is reinforced by a middle fabric insert. This is a disadvantage in such devices where the washing strips hit the surface of a vehicle to be cleaned with their narrow sides,

LOESENBECK« STRACKE» STECHT' ijAglTZ*- &Rgr;&Agr;^&Ngr;^&Ggr;/^&Ggr;&ngr;&Agr;&idiagr;&idiagr;&tgr;&Egr; I EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEM ARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 07.05.2002 Page 2

as this reinforced area poses a risk of damaging the paint surface.

In such devices where the washing strips impinge on the vehicle surface in a flat manner, it is considered to be a disadvantage that when such devices start up, there is a risk that not all of the washing strips will unfold cleanly outwards, projecting radially away from the supporting bodies, since the resistance moment of the washing strips in this direction of rotation is very low in such devices.

The present invention is based on the object of creating a device of the generic type in which trouble-free operation is guaranteed as well as absolutely damage-free cleaning of the surface of a vehicle.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the base surfaces of the washing strips run transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, that the washing strips are each provided with incisions running in the longitudinal direction of the washing strips starting from their free end faces in the direction of their ends fastened to a support body, the distance between the incisions and from the edge sides being several times greater than the thickness of the washing strips and that the washing strips consist of a homogeneous textile material, preferably felt.

Such a construction avoids all the disadvantages of the known devices and, conversely, combines all the advantages that can only be partially achieved with known devices.

Because the base surfaces of the washing strips run transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, they are loaded in a direction in which there is a large moment of resistance when the shaft rotates and when it hits the surface of a vehicle to be cleaned. This naturally applies to the cut-in shape of the washing strips, since here too the width of the material sections cut free in this way is considerably larger than the thickness.

LOESENBECK · STRAC KE » ST ECHT · D^AlJtTZ J- 1 ATENT/W^wiirE -S EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 07.05.2002 Page 3

of the material, and the incisions and the fan-shaped shape of the individual washing strips also result in good, intimate contact with the surface of the vehicle being cleaned. As the washing strips are made of a homogeneous textile material, preferably felt, the risk of damaging the painted surface of a vehicle is prevented, as the use of stiffening and therefore more stable fabric strips has been dispensed with.

Further features of the invention are the subject of subclaims.
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Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and are described in more detail below.

Show it:
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Figure 1 is a schematic view of a drivable shaft with supporting bodies in the form of cylinder sections for receiving washing strips for a device according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a schematic view corresponding to Figure 1 with support discs

for holding washing strips,

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a support disk compared to Figure 2

with washing strips attached,
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Figure 4 shows a partial section along the line IV-IV in Figure 3.

In Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral 1 denotes in a highly schematic manner a rotating shaft of a device for washing vehicles, wherein a plurality of support bodies 2a and 2b are connected to the rotating shaft 1.

LOESENBECK · STRACKE · SfECHT · QAStzJ- PATENTaJw^LTE-&iacgr; EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 07.05.2002 Page 4

In the embodiment according to Figure 1, the support bodies 2a are cylinder sections, in the embodiment according to Figure 2, the support bodies 2b consist of support disks.

Flat washing strips 3 that project radially relative to the supporting bodies 2a or 2b are connected to the supporting bodies 2a or 2b, as is indicated in Figure 3. The washing strips 3 are made of a textile material and have a flat shape.

In the embodiment according to Figure 1, the support bodies 2a are provided with receiving slots 5 running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the rotating shaft 1, into which the washing strips 3 are inserted and fastened. In the case of the support bodies 2b in the form of support disks according to the embodiment according to Figure 2, the washing strips 3 are connected to the support disks 2b so that they rest flat on the support disks 2b.

The washing strips 3 therefore each run with their bases transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 1.

The washing strips 3 are made of a homogeneous textile material, preferably felt.

As Figure 3 clearly shows, the washing strips 3 are each provided with longitudinally extending incisions 3c starting from their free end face 3a in the direction of their ends 3b fastened to a support body 2a or 2b.

As a result, the washing strips 3 are each divided into lamellar individual strips 3d.

Figure 4 shows such a lamellar strip 3d in cross-section and it is clear that the width B of such a strip 3d is several times greater than the thickness D, so that the section modulus of such a strip 3d in the direction of rotation is relatively high. This practically eliminates the risk that the individual washing strips 3 do not unfold cleanly radially outwards during operation. Although the washing strips 3 with their narrow sides

LOESENBECK · STRACKE · SPECHf · &Ogr;&Agr;&idiagr;&dgr;&Tgr;&Zgr; t PAtENTAJwiuLTE -J EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 07.05.2002 Page 5

When the cleaning strips 3 are applied to the surface of a vehicle to be cleaned, there is no risk of damage to the paint surface, as no hardening coatings or inserts are provided in the washing strips 3.

Claims (3)

1. Device for washing vehicles, in which a plurality of support bodies ( 2 a, 2 b) with flat washing strips (3) made of a textile material attached to them and projecting radially relative to the support bodies ( 2 a, 2 b) are attached to a rotating shaft ( 1 ), characterized in that the base surfaces of the washing strips ( 3 ) run transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft ( 1 ), that the washing strips ( 3 ) are each provided with incisions ( 3 c) running in the longitudinal direction of the washing strips ( 3 ) starting from their free front edge ( 3 a) in the direction of their ends attached to a support body ( 2 a, 2 b), the distance between the incisions ( 3 c) and the edge sides being several times greater than the thickness of the washing strips ( 3 ) and that the washing strips ( 3 ) consist of a homogeneous textile material, preferably felt. 2. Device for washing vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that the supports ( 2b ) consist of a plurality of support disks ( 2b ) connected to the shaft ( 1 ), to which the washing strips ( 3 ) are attached in a flat manner. 3. Device for washing vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that the supports consist of several cylinder sections ( 2a ) connected to the shaft ( 1 ), which are provided in their jacket area with receiving slots ( 5 ) running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft ( 1 ) and that the washing strips ( 3 ) are inserted into these receiving slots ( 5 ) and connected to the support bodies ( 2a ).