MULTITANK CONVEYOR-TYPE DISHWASHER AND AN OPERATING METHOD FOR IT

• US 20090277477A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premark FEG LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Premark FEG LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Padtberg, Klaus, Disch, Harald, Berner, Dietrich
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/241 the dishes moving in a horizontal plane

Abstract

Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher (2) for washing items (10) to be washed, comprising at least two wash zones (6, 8) which are arranged in succession in the conveying direction (4); a liquid forward-flow apparatus (26) between in each case two successive wash zones (6, 8) for transferring liquid between these wash zones (6, 8) in a forward-flow direction (28) counter to the conveying direction (4); characterized in that a liquid recirculation apparatus (60) is provided for transferring sprayed liquid of a front wash zone (8), as seen in the conveying direction (4), into a rear wash zone (6) which is arranged downstream of the front wash zone (8), as seen in the conveying direction (4), counter to the forward-flow direction (28).

Claims

1. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher for washing items to be washed, comprising a conveying apparatus for conveying the item to be washed through the multitank conveyor-type dishwasher in a conveying direction;

at least two cleaning zones which are arranged in succession in the conveying direction;

wherein each cleaning zone has an associated tank and associated spray nozzles for spraying liquid from the relevant tank onto the item to be washed;

a liquid forward-flow apparatus between in each case two successive cleaning zones for transferring liquid between these cleaning zones in a forward-flow direction counter to the conveying direction;

characterized in that a liquid recirculation apparatus is provided for transferring liquid, which has been deflected by the item to be washed counter to the conveying direction, from a front cleaning zone, as seen in the conveying direction, into a rear cleaning zone which is arranged downstream of the front cleaning zone, as seen in the conveying direction.

2. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid recirculation apparatus has a recirculation line and an associated pump for pumping the liquid of the front cleaning zone into the rear cleaning zone.

3. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid recirculation apparatus is designed to supply liquid to the tank which is associated with the rear cleaning zone.

4. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 3, characterized in that the liquid recirculation apparatus is designed to remove liquid of the front cleaning zone from the tank which is associated with the front cleaning zone.

5. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 3, characterized in that the front cleaning zone has an outlet which issues into a collecting container, and in that the liquid recirculation apparatus is designed to remove liquid of the front cleaning zone from the collecting container.

6. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that a control device is provided for controlling components of the multitank conveyor-type dishwasher.

7. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that the rear cleaning zone has at least one level sensor for detecting a liquid level in the tank which is associated with the rear cleaning zone, and in that the control device is designed to operate the liquid recirculation apparatus as a function of the liquid level in the tank of the rear cleaning zone.

8. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that the front cleaning zone has at least one level sensor for detecting a liquid level in the tank which is associated with the front cleaning zone, and in that the control device is designed to operate the liquid recirculation apparatus as a function of the liquid level in the tank of the front cleaning zone.

9. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that a turbidity sensor is provided for measuring the degree of contamination of the liquid of the front cleaning zone, and in that the control device is designed to operate the liquid recirculation apparatus as a function of the degree of contamination of the liquid of the front cleaning zone.

10. Multitank conveyor-type dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that the tank of the rear cleaning zone has an associated fresh-water supply apparatus, using which fresh water can be supplied to the tank of the rear cleaning zone, and in that the control device is designed to operate the fresh-water supply apparatus as a function of a fresh-water requirement of the rear cleaning zone.

11. Method for operating a multitank conveyor-type dishwasher, characterized in that, when liquid is correspondingly required in a rear cleaning zone, as seen in a conveying direction, liquid of a front cleaning zone, as seen in the conveying direction, is supplied to the rear cleaning zone.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that a liquid requirement in the rear cleaning zone is detected;

in that the degree of contamination of the liquid of the front cleaning zone is detected, and in that, when liquid is required in the rear cleaning zone, liquid of the front cleaning zone is supplied to the rear cleaning zone if the degree of contamination is below a predetermined limit value, and in that, when liquid is required in the rear cleaning zone, fresh water is supplied to the rear cleaning zone if the degree of contamination is equal to the predetermined limit value or is above the predetermined limit value.