Automatic detergent dispensing system for a warewasher
First Claim
1. An apparatus for dispensing detergent into a warewasher which has wash cycle, said apparatus comprising:
- a reservoir for containing the detergent;
a flow control device which couples the reservoir to the warewasher and controls flow of the detergent into the warewasher;
a sensor which produces a signal indicating an amount of detergent present in water within the warewasher; and
a controller operatively connected to the flow control device and the sensor to control dispensing detergent into the warewasher, wherein the controller has a first mode of operation in which a quantity of detergent dispensed into the warewasher is determined in response to the amount of detergent indicated by the sensor, and has a second mode of operation in which a predefined quantity of detergent is dispensed into the warewasher, the controller switching between the first and second modes in response to a determination regarding reliability of operation of the sensor.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus dispenses detergent into a warewasher from a reservoir wherein a flow control device controls the flow of the detergent. A sensor measures the electrical conductivity of water within the warewasher and produces a conductivity measurement. A controller operates the flow control device in a first mode in which the quantity of detergent dispensed into the warewasher is determined in response to the electrical conductivity of the water. If the conductivity measurement is determined to be unreliable, the controller operates in a second mode in which a predefined quantity of detergent is dispensed into the warewasher. The reliability of the conductivity measurement is determined based on the amount that the conductivity changes upon detergent being added to the warewasher.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dispensing detergent into a warewasher which has wash cycle, said apparatus comprising:
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a reservoir for containing the detergent;
a flow control device which couples the reservoir to the warewasher and controls flow of the detergent into the warewasher;
a sensor which produces a signal indicating an amount of detergent present in water within the warewasher; and
a controller operatively connected to the flow control device and the sensor to control dispensing detergent into the warewasher, wherein the controller has a first mode of operation in which a quantity of detergent dispensed into the warewasher is determined in response to the amount of detergent indicated by the sensor, and has a second mode of operation in which a predefined quantity of detergent is dispensed into the warewasher, the controller switching between the first and second modes in response to a determination regarding reliability of operation of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for dispensing detergent into a warewasher which has wash cycle, said apparatus comprising:
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a reservoir for containing the detergent;
a flow control device which couples the reservoir to the warewasher and controls flow of the detergent into the warewasher; and
a sensor that measures electrical conductivity of water within the warewasher; and
a controller connected to the sensor and operating the flow control device to dispense detergent into the warewasher, the controller has a first mode of operation in which a quantity of detergent dispensed into the warewasher is determined in response to the electrical conductivity of the water, and has a second mode of operation in which a predefined quantity of detergent is dispensed into the warewasher, wherein the controller switches between the first and second modes in response to a determination regarding reliability of electrical conductivity measurements provided by the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of dispensing detergent into a warewasher which has wash cycle, said method comprising:
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storing detergent in a reservoir;
coupling the reservoir to the warewasher by a flow control device which controls flow of the detergent into the warewasher;
sensing electrical conductivity of water within the warewasher to produce a conductivity measurement;
determining reliability of the conductivity measurement;
when the conductivity measurement is determined to be reliable, dispensing a quantity of detergent into the warewasher wherein the quantity is determined in response to the electrical conductivity of the water; and
when the conductivity measurement is determined to be unreliable, dispensing a predefined quantity of detergent into the warewasher. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An a control system for dispensing detergent into a warewasher which has a reservoir for containing the detergent, said control system comprising:
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a flow control device which couples the reservoir to the warewasher and controls flow of the detergent into the warewasher;
a sensor which produces a signal indicating an amount of detergent present in water within the warewasher; and
a controller operatively connected to the flow control device and the sensor to control dispensing detergent into the warewasher, wherein the controller has a first mode of operation in which a quantity of detergent dispensed into the warewasher is determined in response to the amount of detergent indicated by the sensor, and has a second mode of operation in which a predefined quantity of detergent is dispensed into the warewasher, the controller switching between the first and second modes in response to a determination regarding reliability of operation of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification