Conveyor-Type Dishwasher and Method for Operating It

• US 20070251547A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premark FEG LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Premark FEG LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Disch, Harald, Doherty, James, Varacins, Alan, Neumaier, Werner, Frei, Gerhard, Warner, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,092,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/25.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/241 the dishes moving in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/247 Details specific to conveyor-type machines, e.g. curtains

Abstract

Conveyor-type dish washer and method of operating it, wherein during a final-rinse operation at least from one side, preferably from each the two sides, of the items to be cleaned, at least two final-rinse liquid spray jets are sprayed in different directions in relation to each other, wherein at least one final-rinse liquid spray jet is inclined in the direction of the movement of a dish carrier and at least another final-rinse liquid spray jet is inclined against the direction of the movement of the dish carrier.

Claims

1. A method of operating a conveyor-type dish washer, the method comprising moving items to be cleaned in a movement direction of a dish carrier through at least one wash zone and thereafter through at least one final-rinse zone;

performing at least one wash operation during which a wash liquid is being sprayed onto the items to be cleaned in the wash zone, and a final-rinse operation during which a final-rinse liquid is being sprayed onto the items to be cleaned in the final-rinse zone;

wherein during the final-rinse operation in the final-rinse zone the items to be cleaned are subjected to a plurality of final-rinse liquid spray jets from above and from below, characterized in that items to be cleaned are subjected to a plurality of side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jets from at least one side during the final-rinse operation in the final-rinse zone.

2. The method of claim 1 characterized in that nozzle openings for the side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jets are located upstream, relative to the movement direction, of nozzle openings for the plurality of final-rinse liquid spray jets from above and from below.

3. The method of claim 2 characterized in that the conveyor-type dishwasher includes a dryer zone adjacent and downstream of the final-rinse zone and the side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jets are directed to prevent spray into the dryer zone.

4. The method of claim 2 characterized in that the conveyor-type dishwasher includes an exit opening adjacent and downstream of the final-rinse zone and the side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jets are oriented to prevent spray through the exit opening.

5. The method of claim 1 characterized in that at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled with the movement direction.

6. The method of claim 1 characterized in that at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled against the movement direction.

7. The method of claim 1 characterized in that a first side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled with the movement direction and a second side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled against the movement direction.

8. The method of claim 7 characterised in that an angle between a center line of the first final-rinse liquid spray jet and a center line of the second final-rinse liquid spray jet is between 10°

and 20°

.

9. The method of claim 7 characterized in that the first and second final-rinse liquid spray jets are positioned one above the other within an item clearance height of the conveyor-type dish washer.

10. The method of claim 1 characterized in that at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled upward from horizontal.

11. The method of claim 1 characterized in that at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled downward from horizontal.

12. The method of claim 1 characterized in that at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled upward from horizontal and at least one other side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled downward from horizontal.

13. The method of claim 1 characterized in that a combination of two or more of following features is provided in the final-rinse zone during the final-rinse operation:

a. at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled with the movement direction;

b. at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled against the movement direction

c. at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled upward from horizontal;

d. at least one side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jet is angled downward from horizontal.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the side-originating final-rinse liquid spray jets are in the form of any one of a cone, a fan or a stream.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the conveyor-type dishwasher operates with a capacity of 2500 to 5000 plates per hour and the final-rinse operation is executed with a consumption of final-rinse liquid of 3.5 l/min or less.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the final-rinse operation is executed with the consumption of final-rinse liquid of between 2 l/min and 3 l/min.

17. A conveyor-type dish washer comprising a dish conveyor for conveying items in a movement direction through at least one wash zone and a final-rinse zone, wherein the wash zone includes a plurality of wash nozzles for spraying wash liquid onto items travelling through the wash zone, wherein the final-rinse zone includes a plurality of top-located final-rinse spray nozzles for spraying final-rinse liquid onto items travelling below the top-located final-rinse spray nozzles, wherein the final-rinse zone includes a plurality of bottom-located final-rinse spray nozzles for spraying final-rinse liquid onto items travelling above the bottom-located final-rinse spray nozzles, characterized in that the final-rinse zone includes a plurality of side-located final-rinse spray nozzles for spraying final-rinse liquid onto items travelling alongside the side-located final-rinse spray nozzles.

18. The conveyor-type dish washer of claim 17 wherein at least one side-located final-rinse spray nozzle has an orientation to achieve one of (i) directing its spray jet with the movement direction or (ii) directing its spray jet against the movement direction.

19. The conveyor-type dishwasher of claim 17 wherein at least one side-located final-rinse spray nozzle has an orientation to achieve one of (i) directing its spray jet upward from horizontal or (ii) directing its spray jet downward from horizontal.

20. The conveyor-type dish washer of claim 17 wherein a first side-located final-rinse spray nozzle is oriented to direct its spray jet with the movement direction and a second final-rinse spray nozzle is oriented to direct its spray jet against the movement direction.

21. The conveyor-type dish washer of claim 20 wherein an angle between a central axis of the spray jet of the first side-located final-rinse spray nozzle and a central axis of the spray jet of the second side-located final-rinse spray nozzle is between 10°

and 20°

.

22. The conveyor-type dish washer of claim 20 the first side-located final-rinse spray nozzle and the second side-located final rinse spray nozzle are positioned one above the other within an item clearance height of the conveyor-type dish washer.

23. The conveyor-type dish washer of claim 17 wherein the side-located final-rinse spray nozzles are located upstream, relative to the movement direction, of the top-located final-rinse spray nozzles and the bottom-located final-rinse spray nozzles.

24. The conveyor type dishwasher of claim 17 wherein the dish carrier is sized and operable to provide a capacity of 2500 to 5000 plates per hour, wherein the bottom-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles, top-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles and side-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles operate such that a total consumption of final-rinse liquid in the final-rinse zone is 3.5 l/min or less.

25. The conveyor-type dishwasher of claim 24 wherein the bottom-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles, top-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles and side-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles operate such that the total consumption of final-rinse liquid in the final-rinse zone is between 2 l/min and 3 l/min.

26. The conveyor-type dishwasher of claim 25 wherein the bottom-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles, top-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles and side-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles are each dimensioned for a throughput of final-rinse liquid in the range between 0.1 l/min and 0.3 l/min.

27. The conveyor-type dishwasher of claim 26 wherein the bottom-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles, top-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles and side-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles are each dimensioned for throughput of final-rinse liquid in the range between 0.12 l/min to 0.2 /min.

28. The conveyor-type dishwasher of claim 27 wherein the bottom-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles, top-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles and side-located final-rinse liquid spray nozzles are designed and arranged in such a way that their spray jets together from a spray mist.