Dishmachine

• US 10,349,803 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellingson, Jeffrey Paul, Nelson, Wesley Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Kevin G
• Application Number:
  US15/255,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20160367107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0047 Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0057 Cleaning of machines parts, e.g. removal of deposits like lime scale or proteins from piping or tub
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/006 using wireless communication between internal components of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0076 of non-domestic use type, e.g. commercial dishwashers for bars, hotels, restaurants, canteens or hospitals machines specially adapted for drinking glasses A47L15/0065; drawer-type dishwashers A47L15/0084; in-sink dishwashers A47L15/0086; miniature dishwashers A47L15/0089; conveyor-type dishwashers A47L15/24; machines with crockery cleaned by brushes A47L15/37
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0078 with a plurality of fluid recirculation arrangements, e.g. with separated washing liquid and rinsing liquid recirculation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0092 specially adapted to wash large items like pots, trays, baking trays, cooking grids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4202 Water filter means or strainers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4209 Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4214 Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4229 Water softening arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4246 Details of the tub A47L15/4272 takes precedence; insulation arrangements A47L15/4209
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4251 Details of the casing insulation arrangements A47L15/4209; collecting leaked water in the casing for preventing water damage A47L15/4212
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4278 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4285 Water-heater arrangements steam generating arrangements A47L15/4234
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4291 Recovery arrangements, e.g. for the recovery of energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4295 Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the crockery or tableware, e.g. nature or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4297 Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/44 Devices for adding cleaning agents; Devices for dispensing cleaning agents, rinsing aids or deodorants
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/483 : by using condensers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/488 : Connections of the tub with the ambient air, e.g. air intake or venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/50 : Racks ; Baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/501 : Baskets, e.g. for conveyor-type, in-sink type or hood-type machines
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/04 : Crockery or tableware details, e.g. material, quantity, condition
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/09 : Water level
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/10 : Water cloudiness or dirtiness, e.g. turbidity, foaming or level of bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/11 : Water hardness, acidity or basicity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/20 : Time, e.g. elapsed operating time
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/22 : Number of operational cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 : Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/01 : Water supply, e.g. opening or closure of the water inlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/02 : Water discharge, e.g. opening or closure of discharge valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/06 : Water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/07 : Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/18 : Water softening devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 : Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 : Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/34 : Change machine operation from normal operational mode into special mode, e.g. service mode, resin regeneration mode, sterilizing mode, steam mode, odour eliminating mode or special cleaning mode to clean the hydraulic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 : Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/02 : by heating methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 : by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 : by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4691 : Capacitive deionisation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/002 : Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 : Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/055 : Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/12 : as part of household appliances such as dishwashers, laundry washing machines or vacuum cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/00 : Softening water; Preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents softening using ion-exchange C02F1/42
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/08 : Treatment of water with complexing chemicals or other solubilising agents for softening, scale prevention or scale removal, e.g. adding sequestering agents
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/02 : using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/02 : of the compression type
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0014 : the heat being recuperated from waste air or from vapors for air conditioning F24F12/001

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a dishmachine that includes one or more features directed to water, energy or material savings. The disclosed dishmachines are still capable of meeting the soil demands of the articles to be cleaned.

Claims

1. A method of operating a door dishmachine, the door dishmachine comprising an enclosure defining a wash chamber comprising at least one spray wash arm mounted therein and at least one spray nozzle on the spray wash arm, at least one spray rinse arm mounted therein and at least one spray nozzle on the spray rinse arm;

the enclosure further comprising a first tank in fluid communication with the wash arm, a second tank in fluid communication with the rinse arm, a diverter plate for selectively directing fluids into either the first tank or the second tank, and a controller, wherein the method comprises;

applying a deliming composition to the first tank;

positioning the diverter plate to direct deliming composition from the wash chamber into the second tank;

running a cleaning cycle using the deliming composition in the first tank through the wash arm wherein the deliming composition is directed into the second tank by the diverter plate;

running a cleaning cycle using the deliming composition in the second tank through the rinse arm; and

using the controller to;

determine if there is a need for deliming inside surfaces of the dishmachine; and

initiate a deliming cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dishmachine comprises a freshwater entrance point, and wherein the deliming composition is applied at the freshwater entrance point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the deliming composition removes lime scale from all fluid carrying surfaces of the enclosure during the deliming cycle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller initiates the deliming cycle periodically.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deliming cycle is repeated at a frequency determined by environmental variables.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the environmental variables comprise water quality.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dishmachine further comprises an integrated water conditioning system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the integrated water conditioning system automatically applies a water treatment to water in the dishmachine.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the integrated water conditioning system comprises a water softener, a capacitive deionization system, a reverse osmosis system, an ion exchange resin, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the controller determines a hardness level of the water in the dishmachine.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller initiates water treatment by the integrated water conditioning system based on the hardness level.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the dishmachine comprises a conductivity probe for determining the hardness level, and wherein the conductivity probe is in data communication with the controller.

13. The method of claim 1, the door dishmachine further comprising a heat recovery system for transferring heat from a fluid outflow from the enclosure to a fluid inflow into the enclosure.