Rotating side brush with a four bar linkage for an automated carwash and method of operating the automated carwash
A carwash station receives a vehicle being conveyed in a direction of travel in a carwash having a ground pathway. The carwash station includes a frame supported by the ground pathway, a four-bar linkage attached to the frame and a side washing brush attached to the four-bar linkage and having an axis of rotation being perpendicular to the direction of travel and perpendicular to the ground pathway.
1. A carwash station for receiving a vehicle being conveyed in a direction of travel in a carwash having a ground pathway, the carwash station comprising:
a frame supported by the ground pathway;
a four-bar linkage having pivot points and attached to said frame; and
a side washing brush attached to said four-bar linkage, said four-bar linkage having an axis of rotation being perpendicular to the direction of travel and perpendicular to the ground pathway.
2. The carwash station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said four-bar linkage is one of a plurality of four-bar linkages; and
said brush is one of a plurality of brushes each attached to said frame by one of said four-bar linkages.
3. The carwash station according to claim 1 , wherein said four-bar linkage includes:
a first link attached to said frame;
a second link having a first end pivotably attached to said first link and a second end;
a third link having a first end attached to said brush and a second end, said second end of said second link pivotably attached to said third link between said first and second ends; and
a fourth link having a first end pivotably attached to said first link and a second end pivotably attached to said second end of said third link.
4. The carwash station according to claim 3 , wherein said second end of said fourth link does not extend past said third link.
5. The carwash station according to claim 3 , wherein said first link is formed by said frame.
6. The carwash station according to claim 3 , wherein said four-bar linkage is formed without any counterweights.
7. The carwash station according to claim 3 , wherein said side washing brush follows an elliptical path due to said pivot points of said four-bar linkage.
8. The carwash station according to claim 1 , wherein said four-bar linkage is disposed parallel to the ground pathway.
9. The carwash station according to claim 1 , wherein said side brush follows an elliptical path to and from and during engagement with the vehicle.
10. The carwash station according to claim 1 , wherein said four-bar linkage has four axes of rotation each being perpendicular to the direction of travel and perpendicular to the ground pathway.