Dishwasher with variable heat damping
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drying device enables the moist dishwashing items located in the washing container to be dried quickly in hygienic and economically viable conditions. The dishwasher has a washing container that is at least partially surrounded by a heat damping layer with variable heat conductivity that can be adjusted according to two different heat-conducting values. The variable heat damping layer can be adjusted during the dishwashing process in such a way that the heat conductivity thereof is only slight, whereby the heat energy building up on the washing container is maintained, for example, and the drying process can be adjusted, for example, in such a way that the heat conductivity thereof is high, whereby the heat energy is allowed to diffuse outwards from the washing container into the surrounding area.
16 Citations
36 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A dishwasher comprising:
at least one washing container for retaining items to be washed, the washing container having a heat damping layer which at least partially surrounds the washing container and the heat damping layer having a variable thermal conductivity in that the heat damping layer can be adjusted between at least a first thermal conductivity value at which thermal conductivity through the heat damping proceeds at a first rate and a second thermal conductivity value at which thermal conductivity through the heat damping proceeds at a second rate different than the first rate. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for cleaning and drying items that have been disposed in a dishwasher, the dishwasher having at least one washing container for retaining items to be washed, the washing container having a heat damping layer which at least partially surrounds the washing container and the heat damping layer having a variable thermal conductivity in that the heat damping layer can be adjusted between at least a relatively lower thermal conductivity value at which thermal conductivity through the heat damping proceeds at a first rate and a relatively higher thermal conductivity value at which thermal conductivity through the heat damping proceeds at a second rate higher than the first rate, the dishwasher having a heat generating means for generating heat in the washing container, and the dishwasher being operable to execute at least one washing program comprising the following steps, the method comprising the steps of:
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in coordination with the execution of a first section of a washing program during which thermal energy is built up in the washing container by the heat generating means, disposing the heat damping layer at the relatively lower thermal conductivity value such that the thermal energy built up in the washing container is substantially preserved in the washing container; and
in coordination with the execution of a second section of the washing program during which a drying process is carried out, disposing the heat damping layer at the relatively higher thermal conductivity value such that at least some of the thermal energy present in the washing container succeeds to the surroundings via the heat damping layer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification