US 12,403,869 B2
Vehicle wash system with belt conveyor
Stephen Bulboff, Riverview, FL (US)
Assigned to Montage Vehicle Innovations, LLC, Riverview, FL (US)
Filed by Montage Vehicle Innovations, LLC, Riverview, FL (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/901,486.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/541,510, filed on Sep. 29, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0108778 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. B60S 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60S 3/004 (2013.01) 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle wash system comprising:
a tunnel having a length extending between an entrance opening and an exit opening;
a vehicle wash path extending along the length of the tunnel;
a conveyor extending along at least one side of the vehicle wash path, the conveyor comprising:
a frame connected to a floor of the tunnel and extending along the vehicle wash path;
a drive roller connected to the frame at a first end of the conveyor, the drive roller being connected to a motor to rotate the drive roller;
a tail roller connected to the frame at a second end of the conveyor opposite the drive roller;
a belt in contact with the drive roller and the tail roller, wherein the belt rotates over the drive roller and the tail roller as it is driven by the drive roller, the belt rotating in a forward direction along an upper portion of the conveyor from an entrance end of the conveyor to an exit end of the conveyor and in a backward direction along an underside portion of the conveyor from the exit end of the conveyor to the entrance end of the conveyor;
a plurality of idler rollers, each idler roller comprising an exterior cylindrical body and an interior cylindrical shaft extending beyond the exterior cylindrical body at both ends, the idler rollers being positioned at intervals along the conveyor between the drive roller and the tail roller and between the upper portion and lower portion of the belt;
a plurality of bushings connected to the frame, each bushing comprising an aperture for receiving the interior cylindrical shaft of idler rollers, wherein each idler roller is rotatably connected to at least one of the bushings;
wherein each idler roller rotates in response to a vehicle load pressing the belt against the idler roller, and wherein any idler roller that is not under said vehicle load does not substantially rotate as the vehicle traverses the vehicle wash system on the moving belts;
and wash equipment disposed along the sides and overhead of the vehicle wash path; and
wherein a vehicle to be washed enters the tunnel through the entrance opening, is transported along the vehicle wash path via the conveyor, is cleaned as it progresses through the vehicle wash path by the wash equipment, and then exits the tunnel through the exit opening.