Side Washing Brush Pivoting Device for Vehicle Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle washing systems face challenges in achieving optimal washing results due to varying vehicle body shapes and sizes, particularly with retracted or sloping surfaces where traditional brushes struggle to reach areas below spoilers or provide satisfactory cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A side washing brush system with a brush pivoting device featuring a guide rail and lever element that allows the brush to pivot out transversely to the vehicle, using a more favorable lever ratio and stationary drives on the portal, enabling larger swing-out angles and increased effective height for better coverage without the need for robust trolleys or additional drives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional actuating cylinder acts between the carriage and the upper brush part to pivot the brush, then the brush can be swiveled out to the side, but the trolley and running rail must be made robust which increases weight and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
A guide rail extending essentially transversely to the vehicle is introduced as an intermediary element. The guide rail is movable along a pivot curve and coupled to the side washing brush via a lever element, serving as a mediator that transmits the pivoting motion while allowing the use of lighter trolley and running rail structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting mechanism is shifted from a longitudinal arrangement (cylinder between carriage and brush) to a transverse arrangement (guide rail with lever element). The guide rail moves along a pivot curve in a direction essentially transverse to the vehicle, changing the dimensional approach to brush pivoting and enabling lighter support structures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional drives are added to rotate the brush arrangement for cleaning retracted or sloping body areas, then coverage is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail serving as a pivoting mechanism for the side washing brush is designed to be rotatable about a vertical axis, enabling it to perform multiple functions: pivoting the brush out to the side for normal cleaning, and rotating the entire brush arrangement to access retracted or sloping body areas. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate additional drives.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting function and the rotation function are merged into a single integrated mechanism. The guide rail assembly combines both the lateral pivoting motion (via movement along the pivot curve) and the rotational capability (about the vertical axis), reducing the overall system complexity compared to having separate drive mechanisms for each function.
3Length of moving object
If the brush is designed with higher effective height to clean larger vehicles, then cleaning capability is improved, but the portal height requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side washing brush is designed as an articulated brush with dynamic pivoting capability. The upper brush part can be swiveled out to the side relative to the vertical by the guide rail and lever element mechanism, allowing the brush to reach higher areas on large vehicles without requiring a taller fixed portal structure. The dynamic adjustment enables the same portal to serve both small and large vehicles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the washing system's adaptability to different vehicle shapes, reduces energy consumption, minimizes vibrations for improved washing results, and allows for retrofits to existing installations without costly replacements, enabling effective cleaning of larger vehicles with reduced energy use.
Implementation Method 1
the actuating force for swiveling out the side washing brush about the first swivel axis aligned transversely to the vehicle can be applied with a greater effective lever length than with the one from the prior art
Implementation Method 2
a lever element that acts on the side washing brush. The guide rail extends essentially transversely to the vehicle and can be moved along a pivot curve
Implementation Method 3
the actuator known from DE 43 34 132 A1 can be provided for pivoting out about this second pivot axis, which acts between the carriage and the side washing brush
Implementation Method 4
The washing brush is connected to the carriage by a parallelogram guide. The parallelogram guide means that the lower part of the brush is counter-pivoted around the aforementioned bending axis when swiveling out to the side
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a particular form of a side-washing brush that is movable by a brush pivoting device. The side-washing brush (18, 19) is designed as a double-folding brush in which a lower brush section (42) is pivotable relative to an upper brush section (41) about two substantially orthogonal pivot axes (K1, K2). The invention further relates to a brush pivoting device for pivoting at least one side-washing brush (18, 19) of a vehicle treatment system (10) (60) relative to the vertical direction, and to a treatment system with this brush pivoting device. The side-washing brush (18, 19) is mounted laterally movable on a guide rail (14) by means of a carriage (15) extending transversely to the vehicle (60). It is mounted so as to pivot at least a first pivot axis (A1) extending substantially transversely to the vehicle (60) relative to the carriage (15).