Segmented Car Wash Roller for Element Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing, care, and drying rollers for car washes are cumbersome to maintain due to the difficulty in replacing soiled or worn-out working elements, and these elements are not easily adaptable to different vehicle cleaning systems with varying drive shafts.
Innovation Solution
A rotary drivable roller with multiple cylindrical receiving elements arranged axially, featuring receiving grooves for washing, care, and drying elements, allowing for easy replacement without dismantling the roller body, and adapter rings for compatibility with different roller bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If washing, care and/or drying elements are attached directly to the roller body, then the elements are securely positioned, but replacing soiled or worn elements becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is divided into a roller body and separate receiving elements that can be independently removed. The receiving elements are detachably connected to the roller body, allowing washing, care and/or drying elements to be accessed and replaced without dismantling the entire roller assembly. This segmentation enables quick access to the working elements while maintaining secure positioning during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving elements are designed to be extractable from the roller body. When washing, care and/or drying elements need replacement, the receiving elements can be removed from the roller body, the elements can be accessed and replaced, and the receiving elements can be reattached. This extraction capability dramatically reduces maintenance time compared to direct attachment to the roller body.
2Adaptability or versatility
If working elements are fixed to the roller body, then they remain stable during operation, but they cannot be used on other vehicle cleaning systems with different drive shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving elements are designed as universal components that can be used with different roller bodies and vehicle cleaning systems. The detachable connection between receiving elements and roller body allows the same receiving elements to be transferred between different systems with varying drive shaft configurations, eliminating the need for custom-made components for each system while maintaining operational stability.
3Productivity
If multiple receiving elements are arranged on the roller body, then element replacement is facilitated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The roller incorporates multiple receiving elements arranged along its length, each capable of independently holding washing, care and/or drying elements. This segmentation allows parallel replacement of multiple working elements along the roller, significantly improving replacement efficiency compared to single-element systems, while the modular receiving element design keeps the added complexity manageable.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a washing, care and/or drying roller (2), in particular for car washes, comprising a rotatably driven roller body (6); and at least two axially arranged receiving elements (14) connected to the roller body (6) in a rotationally fixed manner and substantially cylindrical, wherein the receiving elements (14) have axially extending receiving grooves on their outer sides for washing, care and/or drying elements (16) and spaces between adjacent receiving grooves; wherein each pair of adjacent receiving elements (14) is offset from each other in the direction of rotation such that the receiving grooves of one receiving element (14) are aligned in the axial direction with the spaces of the respective adjacent receiving element (14) in order to allow the washing, care and/or drying elements (16) to be replaced without disassembly.