DE29601830U1 - Device for washing and / or polishing vehicles - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device for washing and/or polishing vehicles

The invention relates to a device for washing and/or polishing vehicles with the features in the preamble of the main claim.

In practice, vehicle washing systems are known in a wide variety of designs. There are car washes with several treatment facilities arranged one behind the other on one level, through which the vehicle is towed with a chain. These can be washing stations with high-pressure washing and/or brushes, textile material, rinsing stations, drying stations and, if necessary, polishing stations. Car washes have a high capacity, but require a relatively large amount of space.

In limited space conditions, such as those often found at petrol stations, gantry washing systems are used in which the various treatment units are integrated into a single gantry that moves opposite the stationary vehicle.

Gantry washing systems have the advantage of requiring little space, but this is offset by significantly limited capacity.

As an interim solution, there are so-called double portal systems or cycle systems. Double portal systems are basically also portal washing systems, but in which the treatment units are divided into two separately movable portals. This increases the system performance when more space is required. Cycle systems have two spatially separate treatment devices, e.g. a washing device and

a downstream rinsing and drying facility. The vehicles are moved between the stations using a transport facility and can also drive themselves. However, cyclic systems require almost twice the floor space as a gantry washing system. This space is often not available.

The object of the present invention is to show a possibility for a space-saving arrangement and nevertheless high performance of a system for washing and/or polishing vehicles.

The invention solves this problem with the features in the main claim.

In the system according to the invention, the treatment facilities or stations are arranged on two or more levels one above the other. In order to get from one station to the other, the vehicles and the treatment facilities are movable in height relative to each other. The vehicles are preferably moved up and down using a corresponding lifting device.

With the system according to the invention, two vehicles can be treated at the same time. The treatment processes can be of different lengths. The more time-consuming processes, e.g. a polishing process with multiple passes of the vehicle, preferably take place on the upper level. In the lower level, which is usually also the entry and exit level, the vehicles can then be washed at a faster rate. The upper and lower treatment facilities can have the same or different treatment units. In the preferred embodiment, a complete gantry washing system is arranged at the bottom and a complete polishing system at the top.

To reduce the interference from the lifting device and treatment units, it is recommended to arrange a support in the upper treatment unit that is mounted high on wall-side rails and to store the treatment units, e.g. brushes, drying nozzles, etc., hanging from it. Such a support is cheaper than a complete portal. A standard stand portal can be used in the lower treatment unit, but alternatively a high support can also be used here.

To avoid mutual spray interference, it is recommended to equip the upper treatment facility with an independent wastewater disposal system, which is preferably located in the lifting device. Rigid or movable baffles can also be used to seal off the bottom.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The invention is illustrated schematically and by way of example in the drawing. It shows a two-story system for washing and/or polishing vehicles.

For the sake of simplicity, the arrangement shown is referred to as a vehicle washing system (1). It has two treatment devices (2, 3) which are arranged one above the other in two levels (4, 5). In the embodiment shown, the lower level (4) contains

&iacgr;&ogr; a washing device (2) and in the upper level (5) a polishing device (3).

Alternatively, a second washing device can also be arranged in the upper level (5). It is also possible to arrange a device for washing the vehicle using high-pressure washing and/or brush washing at the bottom and to provide the drying device at the top.

In the embodiment shown, the vehicles (8) are washed at the bottom and polished at the top. They are brought to the upper level or floor (5) by means of a lifting device (13), which is shown schematically in the drawing. This can be any lifting conveyor, e.g. a chain lift, extendable lifting rams or the like. A platform (12) is preferably provided to accommodate the vehicles (8). However, it can also be any other support. A closed platform (12) has the advantage of being largely sealed off from below.

In the embodiment shown, a waste water disposal system (14) is integrated into the platform (12). In the simplest case, this can be a collecting tray in which the spray water and the waste water running off the vehicle (8) are stored at least temporarily and can be sucked out at a suitable time or removed and disposed of in another way. This can be done, for example, in the lowered position

happen when the platform (12) is located on the lower level (4). In addition, the wastewater disposal system (14) can have a device for evaporating the wastewater. This can be a heater in the tank bottom, which has as large an area as possible in order to keep the height of the wastewater level as low as possible and to evaporate the wastewater over a wide area.

Furthermore, screens can be arranged between the upper and lower levels (5,4) to protect against splash water (not shown). These screens can, for example, be stationary and connect all the way around the side of the platform (12) in its working position on the upper level (5). However, it is also possible to provide a screen that can be extended like a curtain. This can, for example, be located in the separating area between the levels (4,5) indicated by a dashed line in the drawing.

The treatment units (6,7) in the treatment facilities (2,3) can be designed as desired. In the lower level (4) they are arranged on a standard portal (9) that moves back and forth on floor-side rails. At the front or rear end of the washing area there is sufficient space for a retracted position of the portal (9) in order to be able to raise and lower the platform (12) without collision. A waste water disposal system (14) of the type mentioned above can also be arranged in the floor (15) of the lower level (4). In addition, a guide for the platform (12) in the lowered position can be present in the floor (14).

In the embodiment shown, the portal (9) in the lower level (4) is equipped with a roof brush (6) and single or double side brush pairs (7). Furthermore, a high-pressure washing device with

Spray pipes for the roof and sides of the vehicle must be present. Also included is a drying device with roof and side nozzles and an application device for cleaning chemicals, e.g. dirt remover, shampoo, etc., for drying aid, for rinsing water and other liquids required for the washing process.

In the example shown, there is only one portal (9) in the lower level (4). Alternatively, it can also be a double-portal or multi-portal system. In a further variation, a hanging portal can be used instead of the standing one.

Such a device can be seen on the upper level (5). Here, the treatment units (6, 7) are suspended from one or more supports (10) which are mounted on wall-side rails (11) above the vehicle (8). This eliminates the need for the vertical supports found on a conventional portal. The lifting and driving devices for the roof brush (6) and the side brushes (7) as well as other treatment units are located on the support (10). The rails (11) are attached to the side walls of the vehicle washing system (1) using suitable outriggers.

In the polishing device shown (3), the treatment units (6,7) consist of polishing brushes for the roof and sides of the vehicle (8), suitable application devices for a polishing agent and any other additional units.

The vehicle washing system (1) has a multi-storey housing (16) which can be designed in any way, e.g. as a solid wall construction, reinforced concrete or steel construction. The housing (16) can also be a demountable and transportable container construction which consists of two individual containers arranged one above the other with at least

partially opened roof and floor areas at the contact point.

The multi-level vehicle washing system (1) allows several vehicles (8) to be treated simultaneously. For this, for example, one vehicle (8) first drives to the lower level

(4) and the washing facility there (2). If the customer wants to polish the vehicle after washing, the lower portal (9) moves to the rest position and the lifting drive (13) lifts the platform (12) with the vehicle

(8) to the upper level (5). The vehicle (8) can then be polished in the upper polishing device (3), while the next vehicle (8) can drive into the free washing device (2) below. A high-quality polishing process requires several passes of the vehicle and a correspondingly long treatment time. During this time, several vehicles can be washed and passed through the lower level (4). The entrance and exit are on the lower level (4), so that the vehicles (8) can drive into and leave the washing system (2) without obstruction. As soon as the polishing process is finished and the lower washing device (2) is also free, the platform (12) is lowered again and the polished vehicle (8) can leave the vehicle washing system.

The next vehicle then drives onto the platform (12) on the lower level (4).

In a modification of the embodiment shown with washing and polishing device (2,3), it can also be a double washing device. In this case, a vehicle (8) drives in first, is then immediately lifted into the upper level (5) so that the next vehicle can immediately drive into the lower level (4). Both vehicles are then washed simultaneously and then channeled out of the vehicle washing system (1) in reverse order. A similar

Vehicle changes also take place in the other variant, in which washing takes place at the bottom and rinsing and drying at the top.

Variations of the embodiment shown are possible in various ways. In the described embodiment, the vehicle washing system (1) is on the ground, with the entrance and exit at ground level. Alternatively, the vehicle washing system (1) can be arranged partially sunk into the ground, so that the entrance and exit are on the upper level (5). Accordingly, the allocation of washing and polishing devices (2, 3) can also be swapped. In a further variant, the lifting device (13) can be arranged outside the vehicle washing system (1). It is also possible to install separate or independent entrances and exits on the levels. In this case, no lifting process has to take place within the vehicle washing system (1). A solid and closed floor can be installed between the levels (4, 5).

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

1 vehicle washing system

2 Treatment facility, washing facility 3 Treatment facility, polishing facility

4 level, lower floor

5 Level, upper floor

6 Treatment unit, roof brush

7 Treatment unit, side brush 8 Vehicle

9 Portal

10 carriers

11 Rail

12 Platform

13 Lifting device

14 Wastewater disposal

15 Floor

16 Housing, container construction

Claims (1)

PROTECTION CLAIMS 1.) Device for washing and/or polishing vehicles with several treatment devices, characterized in that the treatment devices (2,3) are arranged one above the other in two or more levels (4,5). 2.) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicles (8) and the treatment devices (2,3) are movable in height relative to one another. 3.) Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a washing device (2) is arranged in the lower level (5) and a polishing device (3) is arranged in the upper level (4). 4.) Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the treatment devices (3) in the upper level (4) have at least one support (10) mounted high on wall-side rails (11) with treatment units (6, 7) suspended thereon. 5.) Device according to claim 1 or one of the following, characterized in that a lifting device (13) is provided for the vehicles (8). 6.) Device according to claim 1 or one of the following, characterized in that the lifting device (13) has a platform (12) with a waste water disposal (14). -U- .) Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the wastewater disposal (14) has a device for collecting, temporarily storing and discharging the wastewater. 8.) Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the waste water disposal (14) has a device for evaporating the waste water. 9.) Device according to claim 1 or one of the following, characterized in that the vehicle washing system (1) has a multi-storey housing (16), the entrance and the exit being on one level (4, 5), preferably at ground level. 10.) Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the housing (16) is designed as a demountable and transportable container structure.