Patents by Inventor David M. Gauthier
David M. Gauthier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8372208Abstract: In an automatic wash, a control unit operates a boom arm around a vehicle in a bay by moving a bridge along a lengthwise vehicle orientation, moving a trolley on the bridge along a widthwise vehicle orientation, and rotating the boom arm about the trolley. The boom arm is coupled to a mount which is flexibly coupled to the trolley such that boom arm impact displaces the mount and the trolley. The displacement may be two-dimensional and/or angular. In response, the control unit determines whether an impact has occurred by comparing the data to a baseline. If there is an impact, the control unit relocates the boom arm and may continue the wash process. If a sufficient force impact occurs that the control unit cannot correct, the boom arm may disengage from the mount which may trigger a breakaway sensor and cause the control unit to abandon the wash.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2011Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Mark VII Equipment, Inc.Inventors: David M. Gauthier, Roderick MacWilliam
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Publication number: 20110276186Abstract: In an automatic wash, a control unit operates a boom arm around a vehicle in a bay by moving a bridge along a lengthwise vehicle orientation, moving a trolley on the bridge along a widthwise vehicle orientation, and rotating the boom arm about the trolley. The boom arm is coupled to a mount which is flexibly coupled to the trolley such that boom arm impact displaces the mount and the trolley. The displacement may be two-dimensional and/or angular. In response, the control unit determines whether an impact has occurred by comparing the data to a baseline. If there is an impact, the control unit relocates the boom arm and may continue the wash process. If a sufficient force impact occurs that the control unit cannot correct, the boom arm may disengage from the mount which may trigger a breakaway sensor and cause the control unit to abandon the wash.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: Mark VII EquipmentInventors: David M. Gauthier, Roderick MacWilliam
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Patent number: 7467637Abstract: Rotating turbo nozzles for use in car wash systems have a nozzle body with a hollow interior in which a nozzle member is rotated in unison with a fluid vortex created by pressurized fluid introduced into the interior of the nozzle body through passageways forming an acute angle with the hollow interior. Systems are employed for reducing the speed of rotation of the nozzle member relative to the nozzle body so as to improve the effective range in which the nozzle body can emit cleaning fluids with an acceptable impact force.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2007Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignee: Mark VII Equipment Inc.Inventors: Daniel A. Fratello, James Johnson, David M. Gauthier, Dennis McCadden, Matt Lambert
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Publication number: 20070289616Abstract: An apparatus for washing a vehicle that is relatively moved through the apparatus includes pivotal side arms with independently pivotal nozzles for the dispensing of cleansing fluids as well as a pivotal overhead boom that also includes independently pivotal nozzles so that the side arms and the boom as well as the nozzles associated therewith can be optimally positioned for directing high pressure liquid at the vehicle. The side arms and boom are also moved from retracted to extended positions with power cylinders and retracted from the extended to retracted positions by counter balancing weights.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2006Publication date: December 20, 2007Applicant: Mark VII Equipment Inc.Inventors: Dennis R. McCadden, Eric Engen, David M. Gauthier, Daniel Fratello
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Patent number: 7056390Abstract: An automatic vehicle washing system is described. The vehicle washing system incorporates an elongated overhead cleaning platform for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The overhead cleaning platform is attached to a single lift mechanism at a first end and is suspended from a belt at a second end, wherein the belt is also operatively connected to the first end. Accordingly, vertical movement of the lift actuator causes both ends of the platform to uniformly rise or descend. The platform further comprises a pivotal boom with fluid nozzles attached thereto, and a reciprocating pivotal actuator. The reciprocating pivotal actuator is capable of pivotal movement to any number of angular orientations within its operative range of motion. Advantageously, the pivotal and vertical positions of the nozzles can be independently varied, permitting the location of the overhead cleaning nozzles to be optimized for various vehicle profiles.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2004Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Mark VII Equipment LLCInventors: Daniel A. Fratello, James Johnson, Michael W. Mingee, Jon Leppo, David M. Gauthier, Eric Engen, Dennis McCadden, Thanh J. Tran
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Patent number: 6863739Abstract: An automatic vehicle washing system is described. The vehicle washing system incorporates an elongated overhead cleaning platform for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The overhead cleaning platform is attached to a single lift mechanism at a first end and is suspended from a belt at a second end, wherein the belt is also operatively connected to the first end. Accordingly, vertical movement of the lift actuator causes both ends of the platform to uniformly rise or descend. The platform further comprises a pivotal boom with fluid nozzles attached thereto, and a reciprocating pivotal actuator. The reciprocating pivotal actuator is capable of pivotal movement to any number of angular orientations within its operative range of motion. Advantageously, the pivotal and vertical positions of the nozzles can be independently varied, permitting the location of the overhead cleaning nozzles to be optimized for various vehicle profiles.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2002Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: Mark VII Equipment LLCInventors: Daniel A. Fratello, David M. Gauthier
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Patent number: 6807973Abstract: An automatic vehicle washing system is described. The vehicle washing system incorporates an elongated overhead cleaning platform for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The overhead cleaning platform is attached to a single lift mechanism at a first end and is suspended from a belt at a second end, wherein the belt is also operatively connected to the first end. Accordingly, vertical movement of the lift actuator causes both ends of the platform to uniformly rise or descend. The platform further comprises a pivotal boom with fluid nozzles attached thereto, and a reciprocating pivotal actuator. The reciprocating pivotal actuator is capable of pivotal movement to any number of angular orientations within its operative range of motion. Advantageously, the pivotal and vertical positions of the nozzles can be independently varied, permitting the location of the overhead cleaning nozzles to be optimized for various vehicle profiles.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2001Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignee: Mark VII Equipment LLCInventors: Daniel A. Fratello, James Johnson, Michael W. Mingee, Jon Leppo, David M. Gauthier, Eric Engen, Dennis McCadden, Thanh J. Tran
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Publication number: 20040149316Abstract: An automatic vehicle washing system is described. The vehicle washing system incorporates an elongated overhead cleaning platform for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The overhead cleaning platform is attached to a single lift mechanism at a first end and is suspended from a belt at a second end, wherein the belt is also operatively connected to the first end. Accordingly, vertical movement of the lift actuator causes both ends of the platform to uniformly rise or descend. The platform further comprises a pivotal boom with fluid nozzles attached thereto, and a reciprocating pivotal actuator. The reciprocating pivotal actuator is capable of pivotal movement to any number of angular orientations within its operative range of motion. Advantageously, the pivotal and vertical positions of the nozzles can be independently varied, permitting the location of the overhead cleaning nozzles to be optimized for various vehicle profiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2004Publication date: August 5, 2004Applicant: Mark VII Equipment, LLCInventors: Daniel A. Fratello, James Johnson, Michael W. Mingee, Jon Leppo, David M. Gauthier, Eric Engen, Dennis McCadden, Thanh J. Tran
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Publication number: 20020162575Abstract: An automatic vehicle washing system is described. The vehicle washing system incorporates an elongated overhead cleaning platform for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The overhead cleaning platform is attached to a single lift mechanism at a first end and is suspended from a belt at a second end, wherein the belt is also operatively connected to the first end. Accordingly, vertical movement of the lift actuator causes both ends of the platform to uniformly rise or descend. The platform further comprises a pivotal boom with fluid nozzles attached thereto, and a reciprocating pivotal actuator. The reciprocating pivotal actuator is capable of pivotal movement to any number of angular orientations within its operative range of motion. Advantageously, the pivotal and vertical positions of the nozzles can be independently varied, permitting the location of the overhead cleaning nozzles to be optimized for various vehicle profiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2001Publication date: November 7, 2002Inventors: Daniel A. Fratello, James Johnson, Michael W. Mingee, Jon Leppo, David M. Gauthier, Eric Engen, Dennis McCadden, Thanh J. Tran
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Publication number: 20020162576Abstract: An automatic vehicle washing system is described. The vehicle washing system incorporates an elongated overhead cleaning platform for cleaning the front, top and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The overhead cleaning platform is attached to a single lift mechanism at a first end and is suspended from a belt at a second end, wherein the belt is also operatively connected to the first end. Accordingly, vertical movement of the lift actuator causes both ends of the platform to uniformly rise or descend. The platform further comprises a pivotal boom with fluid nozzles attached thereto, and a reciprocating pivotal actuator. The reciprocating pivotal actuator is capable of pivotal movement to any number of angular orientations within its operative range of motion. Advantageously, the pivotal and vertical positions of the nozzles can be independently varied, permitting the location of the overhead cleaning nozzles to be optimized for various vehicle profiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2002Publication date: November 7, 2002Inventors: Daniel A. Fratello, David M. Gauthier
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Patent number: 6277207Abstract: A control system for a vehicle washing system is provided. The control system utilizes a plurality of sensors to determine the length of a vehicle, the position of a vehicle relative to a fixed track upon which a gantry travels, and the profile of a vehicle relative to the track. The control system preferably begins a vehicle washing routine by commanding a gantry to travel from a beginning of the track to the end of the track while awaiting the interruption of an photoelectric beam for an entrance eye which first detects the front end of a stationary vehicle within the vehicle washing area. The gantry continues to move towards the end of the track while awaiting detection of a portion of the vehicle which is higher than a preset distance from ground. Upon detection of such vehicle portion, the control system establishes parameters setting a front safe tilt zone. In similar manner, the control system determines a rear safe tilt position for the vehicle washing system.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1999Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Assignee: Mark VII Equipment, Inc.Inventor: David M. Gauthier