Foam apparatus for use with roll-over and/or automatic type car wash

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a manifold which includes a foam generating zone having means for receiving a foamable solution and air therethrough to produce a foam, a streaming discharge zone wherein the streaming discharge zone includes a first plurality of aperture surfaces of a first diameter and a second plurality of aperture surfaces of a second diameter larger than said first diameter and a buffer zone operably communicably associated with the foam generating zone and streaming discharge zone with means for impeding flow of the foam therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic wash and wax system for a vehicle of the type having a generally inverted U-shaped frame member, liquid dispensing means disposed on said U-shaped frame member and means pivotally mounting said liquid dispensing means for movement about the vehicle to permit dispensing liquid toward an exterior surface of the vehicle, motive means for reciprocally moving said U-shaped frame member along a path adjacent the vehicle, and detection means for sensing the front end of the vehicle for measuring length of the vehicle, and sensing the rear end of the vehicle such that said motive means can dependably reciprocally move the apparatus in length paths ending adjacent to the front end and rear end of the vehicle further including: a manifold disposed on said U-frame member having a foam generating zone with means for receiving a foamable solution and air therethrough to generate a foam, a streaming discharge zone communicably connected to said foam generating zone wherein the streaming discharge zone includes a first plurality of aperture surfaces of a first diameter and a second plurality of aperture surfaces of a second diameter larger than said first diameter, wherein the foam is discharged through said aperture surfaces in a stream onto the vehicle, and a buffer zone operatively associated with said foam discharge zone for impeding flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone.   
     
     
       2. The car wash of claim 1, wherein said foam generating zone includes a first tubular member and a second tubular member, each tubular member having a spongy material disposed therein;   wherein said buffer zone includes a first tubular member communicably connected to said first tubular member of said foam generating zone and a second tubular member communicably connected to said second tubular member of said foam generating zone, each said tubular member of said buffer zone having a bend therein sufficient to impede flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone; and   wherein said streaming discharge zone includes a first tubular member communicably connected to said first tubular member of said buffer zone and a second tubular member communicably connected to said second tubular member of said buffer zone, each said tubular member of said streaming discharge zone having said aperture surfaces longitudinally defined therein.   
     
     
       3. The manifold of claim 2, wherein said tubular members of said discharge zone are adjacent one another and said aperture surfaces of said first tubular member of said streaming discharge zone are staggered from said aperture surfaces of said second tubular member of said streaming discharge zone. 
     
     
       4. The manifold of claim 3, wherein said foam generating zone includes a third tubular member having a spongy material disposed therein;   wherein said buffer zone includes a third tubular member communicably connected to said third tubular member of said foam generating zone, said third tubular member of said buffer zone having a bend therein sufficient to impede flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone; and   wherein said streaming discharge zone including a third tubular member communicably connected to said third of said buffer zone, said third tubular member of said streaming discharge zone having said aperture surfaces longitudinally defined therein.   
     
     
       5. The manifold of claim 4, wherein said tubular members of said discharge zone are adjacent one another and said aperture surfaces of said first tubular member of said streaming discharge zone are staggered from said aperture surfaces of said second tubular member and said aperture surfaces of said third tubular member of said streaming discharge zone, and wherein said aperture surfaces of said second tubular member of said streaming discharge zone are staggered from said aperture surfaces of said third tubular member of said streaming discharge zone. 
     
     
       6. The manifold of claim 1, wherein a first of said first aperture surfaces are positioned nearer the buffer zone than said second plurality of aperture surfaces. 
     
     
       7. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said foam generating zone includes a tubular member having a spongy material disposed therein, said buffer zone includes a plurality of baffle members disposed within said tubular member about said spongy material sufficient to impede flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone, and said streaming discharge zone including a tubular member having said aperture surfaces longitudinally defined therein. 
     
     
       8. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said foam generating zone includes a first tubular member and a second tubular member, each tubular member having a spongy material disposed therein;   wherein said buffer zone includes a first plurality of baffle members disposed within said first tubular member of said foam generating zone about said spongy material sufficient to impede flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone and a second plurality of baffle members disposed within said second tubular member of said foam generating zone about said spongy material sufficient to impede flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone; and   wherein said streaming discharge zone includes a first tubular member communicably connected to said first tubular member of said foam generating zone and a second tubular member communicably connected to said second tubular member of said foam generating zone, each said tubular member of said streaming discharge zone having said aperture surfaces longitudinally defined therein.   
     
     
       9. The manifold of claim 8, wherein said tubular members of said discharge zone are adjacent one another and said aperture surfaces of said first tubular member of said streaming discharge zone are staggered from said aperture surfaces of said second tubular member of said streaming discharge zone. 
     
     
       10. The manifold of claim 9, wherein said first plurality of aperture surfaces are positioned nearer said buffer zone than said second plurality of aperture surfaces. 
     
     
       11. The manifold of claim 10, wherein said tubular members of said discharge zone are adjacent one another and said aperture surfaces of said first tubular member of said streaming discharge zone are staggered from said aperture surfaces of said second tubular member and said aperture surfaces of said third tubular member of said streaming discharge zone, and wherein said aperture surfaces of said second tubular member of said streaming discharge zone are staggered from said aperture surfaces of said third tubular member of said streaming discharge zone. 
     
     
       12. The manifold of claim 8, wherein said foam generating zone includes a third tubular member having a spongy material disposed therein;   wherein said buffer zone includes a third plurality of baffle members disposed within said third tubular member of said foam generating zone about said spongy material sufficient to impede flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone; and   wherein said streaming discharge zone includes a third tubular member communicably connected to said third tubular member of said foam generating zone, said third tubular member of said streaming discharge zone having said aperture surfaces longitudinally defined therein.   
     
     
       13. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of said aperture surfaces each has a diameter of approximately three sixty fourths of an inch. 
     
     
       14. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said second plurality of said aperture surfaces each has a diameter of approximately one sixteenth of an inch. .Iadd. 
     
     
       15.  An automatic wash and wax system for a vehicle of the type having a generally inverted U-shaped frame member, liquid dispensing means disposed on said U-shaped frame member and means pivotally mounting said liquid dispensing means for movement about the vehicle to permit dispensing liquid toward an exterior surface of the vehicle, motive means for reciprocally moving said U-shaped frame member along a path adjacent the vehicle, and detection means for sensing the front end of the vehicle for measuring length of the vehicle, and sensing the rear end of the vehicle such that said motive means can dependably reciprocally move the apparatus in length paths ending adjacent to the front end and rear end of the vehicle and further for delivering multiple foamable wash/wax solutions and designed to effectively and aesthetically wash/wax the vehicle, which improvements include: a manifold operably associated with said U-frame member connected to a foam generating zone having a first tubular member with means for receiving a foamable wash/wax solution and air therethrough to generate a foam and a second tubular member with means for receiving a foamable wash/wax solution and air therethrough to generate a foam, a streaming discharge zone having a first tubular member communicably connected to said first tubular member of said foam generating zone and includes a plurality of aperture surfaces of a predetermined diameter and a second tubular member communicably connected to said second tubular member of said foam generating zone and includes a plurality of aperture surfaces of a predetermined diameter;   a first foamable wash/wax solution communicating with said first tubular members;   a second foamable wash/wax solution communicating with said second tubular members and of a different composition than said first foamable wash/wax solution wherein said first foamable wash/wax solution and said second foamable wash/wax solution differ in a color component; and wherein said foamable wash/wax solutions are discharged through said aperture surfaces in a stream onto the vehicle. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The car wash of claim 15, which further includes a buffer zone operatively associated with said foam discharge zone for impeding flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The car wash of claim 15, wherein said first tubular member and said second tubular member of said foam generating zone each have a spongy material disposed therein. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. The car wash of claim 15, wherein said tubular members of said streaming discharge zone are adjacent one another and said aperture surfaces of said tubular members of said streaming discharge zone are staggered. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The car wash of claim 15, wherein said foam generating zone includes a third tubular member; and said streaming discharge zone includes a third tubular member communicably connected to said third of said foam generating zone and having aperture surfaces of a predetermined diameter; and further includes a third foamable wash/wax solution communicating with said third tubular members and of a different composition than said first foamable wash/wax solution and said second foamable wash/wax solution wherein said first foamable wash/wax solution and said second foamable wash/wax solution differ in a color component from said third foamable wash/wax solution. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. The car wash of claim 19, which further includes a buffer zone operatively associated with said foam discharge zone for impeding flow of the foam to said streaming discharge zone. .Iaddend.