Wheel washing installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel washing system comprising a transport device (8) for transporting wheels in a horizontal position, at least one ultrasonic bath (4), and a brush cleaning section (5) arranged downstream of the ultrasonic bath (4) in the transport direction. The brush cleaning section (5) has a drive device (19, 20.1, 20.2) that sets the lying tire in a rotational movement over its tread, and a brush arrangement with a plurality of brushes (6, 7, 26) for mechanically cleaning the rim. The brush cleaning section (5) has a water circuit with a dirt separator (32, 33) and a sprinkling device (40-43) for sprinkling the wheel and / or the brush arrangement (6, 7, 26) during brushing.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a wheel washing system for cleaning complete wheels, in particular the rims of the complete wheels.

[0002] Workshops and car dealerships are increasingly offering a service where customers' winter or summer tires are stored and changed for the respective season. This service usually also includes cleaning the wheels before fitting so that the vehicle can be handed over to the customer with clean wheels. In addition to manual cleaning by staff at the respective car dealership or workshop, it is already known to clean the wheels using an ultrasonic bath, in which the wheels are placed in a tub filled with liquid, and the liquid is set into vibration by ultrasonic actuators. As with other cleaning tasks, this takes advantage of the fact that adhering dirt can be loosened using ultrasound. A device of this kind is known, for example, from EP 1 121 206 B1. However, this method has only proven to be of limited use for cleaning the rims of vehicle wheels.It has been shown that the achievable cleaning performance is unsatisfactory and considerable dirt residues can be found on the cleaned wheel.

[0003] Another approach to automating vehicle wheel cleaning involves high-pressure systems that use a powerful water jet to remove dirt from the wheel or rim. However, this poses a problem: when cleaning with high pressure, the tire itself is also exposed to the powerful water jet and could be damaged, which is undesirable, not least from a safety perspective. To avoid this, the pressure must be reduced to such an extent that the cleaning performance is unsatisfactory.

[0004] Finally, there are also systems on the market that add granules alongside the water jet to improve the cleaning effect with the limited high pressure. However, the cleaning results observed here are also unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the treatment of the fluid containing the granules requires technical effort, as the granules, along with the removed contaminants, are contained in the fluid, and separation would affect both the dirt and the granules.

[0005] Therefore, manual cleaning with the help of personnel is often still used. However, this incurs considerable personnel costs and, due to the heavy weight of the complete wheels, places considerable physical strain on the staff. This leads to staff absences, which in turn drives up personnel costs. At the same time, it makes it difficult for workshops and car dealerships to ensure that the required number of complete wheels can be cleaned per day. This is particularly problematic during periods of high turnover, such as in spring or fall, when many vehicle owners regularly change from winter to summer tires or vice versa at the same time.

[0006] The problem is solved with the wheel washing system according to the invention according to independent claim 1.

[0007] The wheel washing system according to the invention comprises a transport device for the horizontal transport of wheels, at least one ultrasonic bath, and a brush cleaning section. The brush cleaning section is located after the ultrasonic bath in the transport direction of the horizontal wheel and directly adjoins it. By means of the ultrasonic bath, dirt on the wheel is loosened and partially removed. After the wheel has spent some time in the ultrasonic bath, it is transported directly to the brush cleaning section directly adjoining it in the transport direction, where mechanical cleaning takes place using brushes. Cleaning by brushes takes place while the wheel is still wet, with a sprinkling device being provided which ensures that the wheel does not dry out and that the loosened dirt can drain away along with the water.The irrigation system is part of a water cycle that also includes a dirt separation device in which the dirt carried away by the wheel is collected so that the water can be reused in the cycle.

[0008] To clean the rim or the entire wheel, the brush cleaning section has a drive device that drives the lying tire across its tread, thus setting it in a rotating motion. Transporting the wheel in a lying position using this type of drive device has the advantage that the rim itself is freely accessible at all times, meaning that parts of the rim are not covered by elements gripping the wheel at the rim, making it impossible to clean. When cleaning wheels in car dealerships and workshops, the focus is not on cleaning the tire but primarily on cleaning the rim. The drive device used in the invention keeps the rim itself fully accessible, enabling thorough cleaning with the help of the brush arrangement.

[0009] The fluids in the ultrasonic bath are usually heated using ultrasound to improve their dirt-removing function. However, this causes the wheel to dry quickly after it has left the ultrasonic bath. This is particularly problematic with today's widely used aluminum rims, as they heat up quickly in the ultrasonic bath and thus accelerate the drying process after removal from the ultrasonic bath. By arranging the ultrasonic bath and the brush cleaning section directly next to each other, drying out and thus redrying of previously loosened dirt on the rim can be prevented or at least significantly reduced. The removal of the loosened dirt is achieved by the brush arrangement, which can remove the dirt loosened in the ultrasonic bath with only a low mechanical load on the rim and tire.

[0010] Another major advantage of the inventive solution is that hardly any water is consumed during the cleaning process. Although a small amount of entrained water from the ultrasonic bath is transported through the wet tire, this portion of the transferred water flows into the water cycle and is therefore not lost. The short path between the ultrasonic bath and the brush cleaning section prevents the heated water from evaporating from the wheel. Since water is then directly fed into the brush cleaning section, thus preventing water evaporation, fluid loss is minimal.

[0011] Advantageous further developments of the wheel washing system according to the invention are defined in the subclaims.

[0012] In particular, it is advantageous to provide a drying section on the output side of the brush cleaning section, which section has a fan for drying the wheels. With the help of such a fan, a large portion of the fluid still present on the wheel after brushing can be removed using the air flow generated by the fan. Another advantage here is that the still wet wheel is fed to the next processing step. Any dirt that may still be present in the fluid of the wet wheel, which has actually been dissolved, can thus be blown away along with the fluid by the air flow. The fluid blown off the wheel in this way can be fed back into the water cycle, for which purpose a common collecting basin is preferably provided for the brush cleaning part and the drying section.

[0013] The brush cleaning section preferably has a first cylindrical brush and a second cylindrical brush. The first cylindrical brush has a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to the transport plane. The distance of the longitudinal axis, and thus of the entire cylindrical brush, from the transport plane can be adjusted by an adjustment process so that wheels of various sizes can be cleaned with the device. Thus, with the aid of one cylindrical brush, the entire outer side of the wheel, i.e. the side that is visible from the outside when the rim is mounted on the vehicle, can be cleaned using the first cylindrical brush. The second cylindrical brush, on the other hand, is positioned inside the rim, on the inner side of the wheel.The longitudinal axis of the second cylindrical brush is perpendicular to the transport plane and the possibility of moving the second cylindrical brush parallel to the transport plane allows the brush to be applied to the inside of the rim regardless of the respective wheel size.

[0014] It is particularly preferred to arrange a third roller-shaped brush parallel to the first roller-shaped brush, which can be positioned together with the first roller-shaped brush. This allows for precise positioning of both brushes using a common positioning device that carries out the feed movement of the brushes on the outside of the rim star. The third roller-shaped brush can, for example, be provided to specifically clean the rim in the area of the rim flange.

[0015] While relative movement between the wheel rotated by the drive device and the brushes is generally ensured, it is particularly preferred if the brushes themselves are also driven and thus rotate about their respective longitudinal axes. It is particularly preferred if the first cylindrical brush is longer than the maximum permitted rim size for the respective wheel washing system. This ensures that every part of the rim is brushed in two different directions: once with the rotation of the wheel and once opposite to the rotation of the wheel, since the first cylindrical brush rotates as a whole and extends across the entire diameter of the rim.

[0016] The fundamental goal of an automated wheel washing system is to enable the most effective wheel cleaning possible, not only in terms of the cleaning results but also in terms of the time required for each individual wheel. Therefore, when considering cost-effectiveness, the cycle rate plays a significant role. It has been found that cleaning with the brush cleaning section can generally be shorter than loosening the dirt and pre-cleaning the wheel in an ultrasonic bath.According to a preferred embodiment, two ultrasonic baths are therefore provided one after the other in the transport direction, each of the ultrasonic baths having, in addition to a lowering device for lowering the wheel into the liquid of the ultrasonic bath, a first transport section which can be lowered by the lowering device so that the wheel lying on the first transport section can be lowered into the basin of the ultrasonic bath. The ultrasonic bath furthermore has a second transport section which is arranged above the first transport section and can be lowered together with the first transport section by means of the lowering device. The distance between the first transport section and the second transport section is selected such that the second transport section forms part of the transport device, while the first transport section is lowered into the basin of the ultrasonic bath in order to clean the wheel there.

[0017] Air motors are preferred for driving the cylindrical brushes. Particularly in light of current developments concerning environmental protection, such air motors offer significant advantages over other types of drive technology. Unlike hydraulic devices, air is not critical if it escapes from the system and enters the water in the water circuit or the environment. Hydraulic devices, for example, would in this case introduce hydraulic oil into the water circuit, and this oil could be released into the environment when the wheel is not completely dry. On the other hand, any necessary fluid change in the fluid circuit becomes problematic, as fluid contaminated with hydraulic oil must be treated or possibly disposed of as hazardous waste.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment, a lifting device is provided in the brush cleaning section, by means of which the wheels can be lifted off the transport device. For example, if the transport device is formed by a plurality of successively arranged, at least partially driven rollers (transport rollers), the lifting device can lift the wheel off the rollers and thus significantly reduce friction when the wheel rotates in the brush cleaning section. As a result, the energy required to clean the wheels is reduced.

[0019] It is particularly advantageous if the lifting device has several support surfaces equipped with ball rollers. These can then be relatively small, making them easy to integrate into the transport device. To lift the wheels, a relative movement is generated between the support surfaces of the lifting device and the transport device, either by lowering the transport device in this area or by raising the support surfaces, as is preferred.

[0020] The drive device according to a preferred embodiment has at least one drive roller and two idler rollers. The two idler rollers are arranged on one side of the transport device, and the drive roller on the opposite side, with respect to the transport direction of the wheel. The distance between the idler rollers and the drive roller can be changed, so that after being fed by the transport device in the brush cleaning section, the wheels can be easily clamped between the idler rollers, which are moved towards one another, and the drive roller, and are rotated by driving the drive roller. The movement of the idler rollers and the drive roller towards one another occurs parallel to the transport plane and with a directional component perpendicular to the transport direction.

[0021] The wheel washing system according to the present invention also has a control system that controls the chronological sequence and interaction of the individual components. In particular, a light barrier system is also provided, which is coupled to the control system. The light barrier system is arranged in the transport path of the wheels, so that wheels transported lying down trigger the light barrier at the latest when they are fed to the brush cleaning section. With the help of the light barrier system, the size of each wheel can be determined, whereby the wheel is positioned in the brush cleaning section using the transport device, taking the size of the wheel into account. In this context, positioning means that the wheel is transported in the transport direction until the center axis of the wheel approximately coincides with the vertical axis of the feed movement of the first cylindrical brush.Lateral positioning, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, is not possible for the wheel to be positioned by the transport device. This is achieved by clamping the wheel in the drive device using the idler rollers and the drive roller. Relatively precise positioning of the wheel in the longitudinal direction, i.e., in the direction of the transport path, allows the distance between the idler rollers in the transport direction to be kept small, which in turn improves positioning in a direction transverse to the transport direction.

[0022] To position the wheel longitudinally, the control system controls either the transport device, the lifting device, or both. Upon reaching the target position in the transport direction, it is possible, for example, to deactivate the transport device to stop the wheel. Alternatively, the lifting device can also be moved upwards, allowing further transport to occur by lifting the wheel off the transport device. A combination of the two methods is also possible.

[0023] Further advantageous features and aspects of the present wheel washing system according to the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Figure 1a first perspective view of the entire system, Figure 2a second perspective view of the essential processing sections from a different perspective, Figure 3the essential processing sections from Figure 2in a further perspective Figure 4 parts of the brush cleaning section from a first perspective Figure 5 parts of the brush cleaning section from a second perspective Figure 6 parts of the brush cleaning section from a third perspective Figure 7 parts of the brush cleaning section from a fourth perspective Figure 8 a single ultrasonic bath from a first perspective and Figure 9 parts of the ultrasonic bath from a second perspective.

[0024] Figure 1shows a wheel washing system 1 according to the invention in a first perspective view. It should be noted that elements of the system that are not necessary for understanding the invention and the functioning of the individual components have been partially omitted from the drawing. In the illustration, this results, among other things, in some elements not appearing to stand on the floor. However, it is readily apparent to a person skilled in the art that a corresponding substructure must be present for all elements of the system so that the entire system can stand on the floor.

[0025] In the wheel washing system according to the invention, complete wheels are conveyed individually, horizontally, and one after the other through the system. The transport direction is indicated by an arrow in the figure, so that in the figure, wheels are fed individually on the left side to the actual processing process via a feed device 2. After the wheels have been processed, i.e., after the cleaning process is completed, the wheels are made available for further use on the output side by a removal device 3. In particular, an optical inspection device for recording the condition or the like can also be connected here.

[0026] The main modules of the wheel washing system 1 according to the invention are arranged between the feed device 2 and the removal device 3. The first module is an ultrasonic bath 4, followed in the transport direction by a brush cleaning section 5. It should be noted that the term "ultrasonic bath" encompasses all elements belonging to this module. References to individual elements of this module are designated accordingly.

[0027] The lying wheel, fed via the feed device 2 and with the outer side of the rim star facing upwards, is first lowered into a basin 9 of the ultrasonic bath 4 containing a liquid. This liquid is typically water with a cleaning agent added. This liquid is excited to vibrate using ultrasonic actuators in order to clean the wheel located in the liquid. While the feed device 2 can have freely rotatable rollers arranged in an inclined plane for automatically feeding the lying wheel, a first transport section 8.1 (or optionally a second transport section 8.2, as explained in more detail below) together with a further transport section arranged in the brush cleaning section 5 forms a transport device 8.

[0028] The transport device 8 comprises a plurality of white or transport rollers arranged in a plane, which are at least partially driven. With the help of the driven rollers, a lying wheel, after it has been lifted out of the liquid, i.e., from the basin 9, of the ultrasonic bath 4, is fed to the brush cleaning section 5. In the brush cleaning section 5, a mechanical cleaning of the rim or the entire wheel takes place. For this purpose, a first roller-shaped brush 6 and a second roller-shaped brush 7 are provided, and optionally also a third roller-shaped brush 26, which, however, is Figure 1 The function of the brush cleaning section 5 is explained below with reference to the Figure 3-7 explained in more detail.

[0029] After cleaning in the brush cleaning section 5, the cleaned wheel is moved further in the transport direction by the additional transport section 8.3, so that the wheel is fed to the drying section 10 provided at the end of the brush cleaning section 5. The drying section 10 comprises at least one fan 11 and an air nozzle 12, with which an air stream is preferably supplied vertically to the lying wheel. Finally, the wheel is conveyed to the removal device 3, which can be constructed similarly to the feed device 2, i.e., with freely rotating rollers arranged on an inclined surface.

[0030] The brush cleaning section 5 comprises a water circuit, which will be explained in more detail below, but in any case has a collecting container 13 equipped with a dirt separator. Since a relatively small water circuit or a relatively small liquid volume is sufficient for the device according to the invention, the collecting container 13 does not extend over the entire base area of the brush cleaning section 5. In order to nevertheless be able to collect all the water that accrues during the cleaning process while brushing the tire, drip plates 14 are provided, only one of which is shown in the figure. These drip plates 14 serve to collect the dripping water and have a gradient for this purpose. The lower end opens into the collecting container 13.

[0031] The Figure 2 shows the Figure 1A second perspective view of the previously explained wheel washing system. Identical components are designated by the same reference numerals. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the previously explained elements will only be discussed where they are necessary to understand their interaction with other elements.

[0032] It is in Figure 2It can be seen that above the first roller-shaped brush 6, a plurality of actuators 17 are provided, which, among other things, generate a movement of the first brush 6 perpendicular to the transport plane formed by the entirety of the transport rollers of the first transport section 8.1 (or the second transport section 8.2) and the further transport section 8.3. The actuators 17 also cause a movement of the drive device with a drive roller 19 and idler rollers 20.1 and 20.2 to rotate the wheel by rotating the clamped wheel with the aid of the drive roller 19.

[0033] To this end, the drive roller 19 is moved together with the idle rollers 20.1 and 20.2 so that their distance is reduced. The corresponding part of the adjusting devices 17 thus causes the drive roller 19 and the idle rollers 20.21.2 to move in a plane parallel to the transport plane. The rotation axes of the drive roller 19 and the two idle rollers 20.1 and 20.2 run perpendicular to the transport plane.

[0034] In the Figure 2It can also be seen that in addition to the first roller-shaped brush 6, a second roller-shaped brush 7 is provided. While the first roller-shaped brush 6 has a longitudinal axis oriented parallel to the transport plane, the longitudinal axis of the second roller-shaped brush is oriented perpendicular thereto. Furthermore, in the illustrated starting position, the second roller-shaped brush 7 is positioned below the transport plane. However, with the aid of a further adjusting device 18, it can be moved and thus positioned both in the vertical direction, i.e. perpendicular to the transport plane, and parallel to the transport direction. This function and its effect are explained below with reference to the more detailed illustrations of the brush cleaning section 5.

[0035] The wheel washing system 1 has a light barrier system with which the current position of the wheel in the transport direction can be detected and with which a wheel diameter can also be determined. In the illustrated embodiment, two light barriers are provided in the area of the ultrasonic bath 4, namely a first light barrier consisting of a transmitter / receiver 15.1 and a reflector 16.1 and a second light barrier consisting of a second transmitter / receiver 15.2 and a second reflector 16.2. It should be noted that the light barrier system can fulfill different tasks. On the one hand, the first light barrier signals the feed to the ultrasonic bath 5, whereas the second light barrier detects further transport to the brush cleaning section 5.In addition, the size of the wheel being transported can also be determined, for example, by evaluating a period of time in which one of the light barriers is interrupted during wheel transport. It is also possible to provide at least one additional light barrier in the brush cleaning section 5, which is used to determine the wheel size.

[0036] As already explained, after the wheel has been treated in the ultrasonic bath 4, it is transported further and thus fed to the brush cleaning section 5. With the help of the transport rollers and based on the detected wheel size, it is positioned until it is approximately centrally below the first cylindrical brush 6 in the transport direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical brush 6 extends in the transport direction. However, it is also possible to provide a different orientation. On the rear side of the first cylindrical brush 6 in the transport direction, a drive motor 21 can be seen, with the half of which the first cylindrical brush can be set in rotation. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor is an air motor, as are all other motors provided for driving the moving parts. For the following description, the respective competent motors will therefore not be discussed further.

[0037] In order to clean different wheel sizes, especially those with different rim widths, the first cylindrical brush 6 can be variably positioned in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane. This means that the distance of the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical brush 6, and thus also its outer circumference, from the transport plane can be adjusted using the adjusting device 17. This allows the first cylindrical brush 6 to be lowered onto the wheel to be cleaned. For this purpose, the device, which carries the first cylindrical brush 6 and the motor 21, is guided along a rail system 23 that extends in the vertical direction.

[0038] In the Figure 2Also shown is a support surface 22.1 of a lifting device, with which the wheel can be raised once it has reached its target position for cleaning in the transport direction. The lifting device is explained in more detail below. The raised wheel is then clamped by the drive roller 19 and the idler rollers 20, 21.2, allowing it to rotate easily on the support surface 22.1 (and other support surfaces, as described below). Support surface 22.1 and the other support surfaces have ball transfer units for this purpose.

[0039] The Figure 3 shows the ultrasonic bath 4 and the brush cleaning section 5 from a wider perspective. The rods of the adjusting device 17, which is designed to clamp the wheel using the drive roller 19 and the idler rollers 20.1 and 20.2, are clearly visible here. A repetitive description of the previously explained elements will be omitted here.

[0040] However, the changed perspective clearly shows that the first transport section 8.1 and the second transport section 8.2 have transport rollers driven by a gear system. The transport rollers of the further transport section of the brush cleaning section 5 are also driven in a similar manner.

[0041] The Figure 4 shows a larger view of the essential components of the brush cleaning section 5. As already described, in addition to the aforementioned first support surface 22.1, which in the example shown consists of two parallel elements, each with seven ball rollers, the lifting device has two additional support surfaces 22.2 and 22.3. Two of these support surfaces are oriented parallel to the transport rollers, so that the two parallel elements can each be arranged in a space between the transport rollers.

[0042] In the Figure 4It is clearly visible that the second cylindrical brush 7 has bristles not only radially oriented, but also axially oriented. These serve to remove dirt from the inside of the rim. It can also be seen that the adjusting device 17 not only has all the drive means for adjusting the height of the first cylindrical brush 6 to suit the respective wheel, but also guides for the drive device—that is, for the movement of the drive roller 19 and the idler rollers 20.2 and 21.2 transversely to the transport direction.

[0043] As it is in the Figure 4As shown, the second roller-shaped brush 7 is located in a cutout between two rows of transport rollers so that it can be inserted from below into the interior of the rim towards the inside of the rim star with the aid of the additional adjusting device 18. In order to press the radially oriented bristles of the second roller-shaped brush 7 against the inside of the rim bed, the second roller-shaped brush 7 is moved with the aid of the additional adjusting device 18 after the wheel to be cleaned has been positioned in the transport direction until a limit value for a contact force is reached. The contact force can be determined, for example, by detecting a pressure in the pneumatic actuator.To prevent malfunctions, the additional adjusting device 18 is controlled such that the second cylindrical brush 7 is first moved vertically before being linearly displaced in the transport direction until it rests against the rim. The first adjusting movement, in which the second cylindrical brush 7 is inserted from below through the transport plane into the interior of the rim, is also stopped when a limit value for the contact force is reached.

[0044] The detection of a contact force and comparison of the determined contact force with a limit value is used in the same way for the following actuating movements: clamping of the wheel by the drive roller 19 and the idle rollers 20.1 and 20.2, lowering of the first cylindrical brush 6 onto the outside of the wheel, raising of the second cylindrical brush 7 and longitudinal movement of the second cylindrical brush 7. Of course, individual limit values can be defined for the individual actuating movements.

[0045] In contrast, the lifting device can raise the support surfaces 22.1, 22.2 and 22.3 by a fixed amount, since, regardless of the wheel size, the only thing that matters is that the contact between the tire sidewall and the transport rollers of the further transport section 8.3 is eliminated.

[0046] It is the Figure 4also be seen and that between the two areas of the brush cleaning section 5, namely the part in which the mechanical cleaning takes place by means of the first cylindrical brush 6 and the second cylindrical brush 7, and the drying section 10, a partition wall is provided with a window in which curtain slats hang.

[0047] A first partition 32 and a second partition 33 can be seen in the collecting tank, which form a dirt separation device in the collecting tank 13. The partitions 32 and 33 divide the total volume of the collecting tank 13 and guide the flow in such a way that dirt carried in the supplied water, which drips, for example, over the drip tray 14 into the collecting tank 13, settles. For this purpose, the walls at least partially do not extend over the entire height, so that dirt is separated from the water from one basin to the next. In addition, at least one of the partitions 32, 33 can be made of a filter material to create an additional filtering effect. The partitions 32 and 33 thus form the dirt separation device. The collecting tank with the dirt separation device forms part of the water cycle.The purified water is then reused with the help of a pump to irrigate the brushes or wheel.

[0048] The Figure 5 shows a further perspective view of the brush cleaning section 5, in which the underside of the additional transport section 8.3 is particularly visible, along with the elements arranged on this side. In particular, the lifting device for raising the brush is visible here. In addition to the three support surfaces 22.1, 22.2, and 22.3, this has three lifting elements at 25.1, 25.2, and 25.3.

[0049] This view also shows a third cylindrical brush 26, the longitudinal axis of which is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical brush 6. Together with the first cylindrical brush 6, this third cylindrical brush can be lowered and thus brought into contact with the rim of the wheel to be cleaned. The third cylindrical brush 26 is considerably shorter than the first cylindrical brush 6. It is used for the intensive cleaning of the rim flange, while the first cylindrical brush 6 is primarily used for the uniform cleaning of the entire surface of the visible part of the rim star (when the wheel is mounted). The third cylindrical brush 26 and the first cylindrical brush 6 are preferably driven by the same drive motor 21, with the rotary motion being transmitted by means of a small gear.Alternatively, the third cylindrical brush 26 could also have its own drive motor. Furthermore, the transmission for transmitting the rotational movement does not have to be a gear transmission. A toothed belt or V-belt, for example, could also be used. However, the use of gears can increase reliability.

[0050] The Figure 6 shows a further perspective view of the brush cleaning section 5, in which the third roller-shaped brush 26 is clearly visible. A repeated description of the elements already explained is again omitted. To facilitate the identification of some details, some additional elements of the system, which are intended, for example, merely to support the elements of the adjusting device 17, have been omitted from this illustration.

[0051] A further perspective view of the brush cleaning section 5 of the wheel washing system according to the invention is shown in the Figure 7shown. Here, again, the perspective is chosen so that the further transport section 8.3 is seen from below. A sprinkling device in the form of a plurality of nozzles 40-43 can also be seen, which are arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical brush 6 along a straight line and spray water, which is supplied from the collecting basin 13 by means of a pump, onto the first cylindrical brush 6 and the third cylindrical brush 26 or directly onto the wheel to be cleaned. For the sake of better clarity, only this nozzle arrangement is shown in the figure. However, it can also be advantageous to provide further nozzle arrangements. In particular, an additional nozzle arrangement can be provided for cleaning with the second cylindrical brush 7, but also in the transition to the drying section 10, so that the wheel is encountered again during transport to the drying section 10.The water circuit already mentioned above therefore includes a pipe system, at least one nozzle arrangement, a pump and the collecting basin 13 with the dirt separation device formed therein.

[0052] As already explained at the beginning, the essential aspect of the present invention is that following the cleaning of the wheels in the ultrasonic bath 4, a mechanical cleaning is carried out using the brush cleaning section 5. This aspect, in turn, is based on the fact that in the previously run ultrasonic bath 4, the dirt has already been substantially removed from the rim, although it still slightly adheres. The ultrasonic bath 4 used for the removal is individually Figure 8 and 9 shown and is explained in detail below. With reference to the overview in the Figure 2 and 3As already explained, the ultrasonic bath 4 has a basin 9 containing a cleaning fluid. The basin is heated, or rather, the fluid contained therein is heated.

[0053] The transport planes of the first transport section 8.1 and the second transport section 8.2 are parallel to each other. The second transport section 8.2 is arranged above the first transport section 8.1 and maintained at a constant distance from it. The first transport section 8.1 and the second transport section 8.2 can be moved vertically, as indicated by the arrow in the figure. This allows the first transport section 8.1 to be immersed in the liquid, along with the wheel to be cleaned resting on it, so that cleaning can take place in the liquid using ultrasound.

[0054] It can be seen that on the underside of the second transport section 8.2, an arrangement 30 with ultrasonic actuators 30.1-30.4 is provided, which immerse themselves in the liquid when the first transport section 8.1 and the second transport section 8.2 are lowered, in order to cause the liquid on the upper side of the immersed wheel to vibrate. On the opposite side, i.e., inside the rim of the lowered wheel, an arrangement of ultrasonic actuators 31 is also provided, which Figure 8 However, they are not visible. This arrangement of ultrasonic actuators 31 is arranged below the first transport section 8.1, as shown in the Figure 9 , in which the basin 9 is not shown. The first transport section 8.1 and the second transport section 8.2 are moved together in the vertical direction by means of a lowering device. The travel path is selected such that, starting from a situation as in the Figure 8 As shown, the first transport section 8.1 is lowered into the tank until the second transport section 8.2 has reached the transport level. While the first transport section 8.1 completes the transport device 8 in the raised position, the second transport section 8.2 fulfills this task in the lowered position. Thus, while cleaning is being carried out in the ultrasonic bath 4, another tire can be fed via the second transport section 8.2 to the brush cleaning section 5 or to a second ultrasonic bath, which is arranged downstream of the ultrasonic bath 4 shown in the transport direction.

Claims

1. Wheel washing system with a transport device (8) for the horizontal transport of wheels, at least one ultrasonic bath (4) and a brush cleaning section (5) arranged downstream of the ultrasonic bath (4) in the transport direction, wherein the brush cleaning section (5) has a drive device (19, 20.1, 20.2) which sets the horizontal tire in a rotational movement over its tread, and a brush arrangement with a plurality of brushes (6, 7, 26) for mechanically cleaning the rim, wherein the brush cleaning section (5) has a water circuit with a dirt separation device (32, 33) and a sprinkling device (40-43) for sprinkling the wheel and / or the brush arrangement (6, 7, 26) during brushing.

2. Wheel washing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the brush cleaning section (5) has on its output side a drying section (10) with a blower (11) for drying the wheels.

3. Wheel washing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the brush arrangement comprises at least a first roller-shaped brush (6), the longitudinal axis of which extends parallel to the transport plane of the lying wheel and which can be positioned with respect to the distance of the longitudinal axis from the transport plane, and a second roller-shaped brush (7) which can be positioned inside the wheel to be cleaned and is displaceable parallel to the transport plane.

4. Wheel washing system according to claim 3, characterized in that a third roller-shaped brush (26) is arranged parallel to the first roller-shaped brush (6) and can be positioned together with the first roller-shaped brush (6).

5. Wheel washing system according to claim 4, characterized in that one or more of the roller-shaped brushes (6, 7, 26) are driven so that they rotate about their respective longitudinal axis.

6. Wheel washing system according to one of claims 3-5, characterized in thatFor positioning the roller-shaped brushes (6, 7, 26), adjusting devices (17, 18) are provided which are designed to terminate their adjusting movement when a limit value for a contact pressure on the rim is reached.

7. Wheel washing system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a first ultrasonic bath (4) and a second ultrasonic bath are provided in direct succession in the transport direction, each of the ultrasonic baths (4) forming part of the transport device (8) with a lowering device for simultaneously lowering a first transport section (8.1) and a second transport section (8.2), which lie one above the other and are each inserted depending on the set height of the lowering device.

8. Wheel washing system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that air motors are provided to drive the rotating brushes (6, 7, 26).

9. Wheel washing system according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in thata lifting device (22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3) is provided for lifting the wheels from the transport device (8) during brushing.

10. Wheel washing system according to claim 9, characterized in that the lifting device (22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3) has several support surfaces (22.1, 22 and two, 22.3) with ball rollers.

11. Wheel washing system according to one of claims 1-10, characterized in that the drive device has at least one drive roller (19) and two idle rollers (20.1, 20.2), wherein the idle rollers (20.1, 20.2) and the drive roller (19) are arranged on opposite sides of the transport device (8) with respect to the transport direction and are movable perpendicular to the transport direction in the transport plane.

12. Wheel washing system according to one of claims 1-11, characterized in thatthe wheel washing system has a light barrier system (15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 16.2) and a control system, wherein the light barrier system (15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 16.2) is arranged at least partially in the transport path of the lying wheel in the transport direction upstream of the brush cleaning section (5), and the control system determines a wheel diameter from signals of the light barrier system (15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 16.2) and, based on the determined wheel diameter, controls a positioning of the wheel for carrying out the brushing by controlling the transport device (8) and / or the lifting device (22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3).

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