AU2001242119A1

AU2001242119A1 - Apparatus for cleaning vehicles

Info

Publication number: AU2001242119A1
Application number: AU2001242119A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Salvatore Massimino
Original assignee: STAUN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: STAUN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-16
Filing date: 2001-10-18
Publication date: 2003-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-18

Description

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VEHICLES

The present invention relates to apparatus for cleaning vehicles.

Motor vehicles and in particular, work vehicles such as trucks and off-road vehicles tend to become very dusty during use. In particular the undercarriage and/or chassis tends to collect dirt and other materials thereon which can lead to a deterioration of the vehicle body. In some cases, the vehicle chassis may include hollow structural members or rails which can collect dirt and other matter.

It is an object of the present to provide an improved vehicle cleaning apparatus which enables a relatively simple manner by which the undercarriage of a vehicle may be kept relatively clean and free of dirt.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for cleaning a vehicle underbody, the apparatus including liquid delivery conduit means which is adapted to be operatively mounted to the vehicle, and includes means for operatively connecting the conduit means to a liquid source, and a plurality of discharge outlets for directing liquid from the delivery conduit means to selected regions of the vehicle underbody.

h one preferred form of the invention, the liquid delivery conduit means may include two sections, one section being adapted to clean the interior of chassis rails which form part of the vehicle underbody and the other being adapted to clean another part of the vehicle underbody. The two sections may be arranged so that they include a common connecting means which can be operatively connected to the liquid source. One or more valve means maybe provided to enable selective operation of one or both of the sections.

The discharge outlets may include nozzles through which the cleaning liquid is discharged. The outlets may further include a branch arm extending from the liquid delivery conduit means. The nozzles are preferably arranged to direct the cleaning liquid to selected sections of the vehicle underbody.

In the particular form of apparatus which is suitable for cleaning the interior of chassis rails, the liquid delivery conduit may be operatively connected to an external surface of a chassis rail and the branch arms being arranged to extend into the interior of the rail via apertures in the walls thereof. Any suitable mounting means may be used to mount the liquid delivery conduit such as releasable clips or the like. Preferably, the nozzles are arranged one behind the other with the liquid being discharged from each nozzle being generally in the same direction.

Preferably, the connection means may be in the form of a hose coupling which can be connected to a hose which in turn can be connected to a mains water line.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in those drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a vehicle having thereon cleaning apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detail of part of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic sketch sectional view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective layout of one form of cleaning apparatus according to the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a schematic perspective layout of another form of cleaning apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a vehicle generally indicated at 50 which includes an under carriage 52 which includes a general underbody 54 and chassis rails 53.

As best seen in Figure 3, the chassis rails 53 are generally hollow box shaped members. It will be appreciated that different vehicles have different undercarriage configurations and the apparatus can be configured to suit different vehicles.

The cleaning apparatus generally indicated at 10 comprises a liquid delivery conduit 12 in the form of tubing which is operatively fitted to the under carriage 52 by means of clips 11 or the like (see Figure 2). The tubing may be formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastics or the like. The liquid delivery conduit 12 includes two sections, a rail cleaning section 14 and a general under body cleaning section 15. As shown liquid discharge outlets are provided in both the rail cleaning section 14 and the under body cleaning section 15. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5 the outlets include nozzles 23 and 24 on the end branch arms 25 and 26. As best seen in Figure 2, the rail cleaning section 14 of the liquid delivery conduit is mounted to the outer wall of the chassis rail and the branch arms 25 are arranged to extend through apertures 55 into the interior of the rail. As is apparent from Figure 2, the nozzles 23 all face in the same general direction along the length of the chassis rail. The nozzles are spaced apart from one another such that the discharge spray from one nozzle reaches the adjacent downstream nozzle.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate two typical layouts. In Figure 4, the general under body cleaning section 15 comprises a pair of generally parallel delivery conduits with the outlets being adapted to spray fluid in both an upwards and downwards direction. The rail cleaning section 14 comprises two generally parallel delivery conduits which are adapted to be fitted to the chassis rails with the arms of the liquid outlets extending into the interior of the chassis rails through apertures formed in the wall thereof.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the arrangement is essentially the same as that shown in Figure 4 except that the rail cleaning section liquid delivery conduit is in the form of a loop. A connector 30 is adapted to be connected to a liquid source. For example, the connector 30 may be in the form of a hose connector arranged for connection to mains waters line via a hose or the like. In another arrangement, the connector 30 could be connected to some other pressurised liquid source via a pump or the like. The apparatus may further include isolating valves 31 and 32 which can be selectively open and closed to enable control of the operation of the two sections of the liquid delivery conduit.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus of the present invention provides an efficient yet simple arrangement to prevent the build up of dirt on the underside of a vehicle. The apparatus can be readily installed and removed if maintenance is required. Nehicle in this specification should be understood, without limitation, to include both self propelled and passive devices such as trailers. A vehicle may have wheels, rollers, castors, tracks, skids or any other suitable means of enhancing movement over a surface such as the ground, a road, a floor, or other traversible medium.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS :

1. An apparatus for cleaning a vehicle underbody, the apparatus including liquid delivery conduit means which is adapted to be operatively mounted to the vehicle, and includes means for operatively connecting the conduit means to a liquid source, and a plurality of discharge outlets for directing liquid from the delivery conduit means to selected regions of the vehicle underbody.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liquid delivery conduit means includes two sections, one section being adapted to clean the interior of chassis rails forming part of the vehicle underbody and the other being adapted to clean the underbody of the vehicle.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the two sections are arranged so that they include a common connecting means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 including one or more valves to enable selective operation of one or both of the sections.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the discharge outlets include nozzles through which the cleaning liquid is discharged.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the outlets include a branch arm extending from the liquid delivery conduit means, the nozzles being arranged to direct the cleaning liquid to selected sections of the vehicle undercarriage.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein in the cleaning of the interior of chassis rails, the liquid delivery conduit is operatively connected to an external surface of a chassis rail and the branch arms being arranged to extend into the interior of the rail via apertures in the walls thereof.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said mounting means include releasable clips or the like.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the nozzles are arranged one behind the other with the Hquid being discharged from each nozzle being generally in the same direction.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the connection means includes a hose coupling which can be connected to a hose which in turn can be connected to a mains water line.