Multiple protocol multiple pump liquid chemical dispenser
First Claim
1. A liquid chemical dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of liquid chemicals into a dishwasher having a wash tank, comprising:
- a plurality of pumps, including a detergent pump that pumps detergent into the wash water tank in said dishwasher and a rinse agent pump that pumps rinse agent into a rinse water line in said dishwasher;
a first switch indicating said dishwasher'"'"'s type, said first switch having a first position indicating said dishwasher is a door type dishwasher and a second position indicating said dishwasher is a conveyor type dishwasher;
a second switch having a training mode position and run mode position;
an electronic non-volatile memory;
means for activating said system only when said dishwasher is spraying rinse water;
data processing means coupled to said non-volatile memory, said plurality of pumps, and said first and second switches, for controlling operation of said plurality of pumps;
said data processing means including;
training mode means, enabled when said second switch is in the training mode position, for enabling a user to set values for a rinse run time parameter, a detergent run time parameter, and a rinse delay time and for storing said parameters in said non-volatile memory;
door type run mode means, enabled when said second switch is in the run mode position and said first switch is in the first position, for running said detergent and rinse pumps each time said system is activated, including;
(A) running said detergent pump a length of time corresponding to said detergent run time parameter, (B) delaying running said rinse pump, from the time of each activation of said system, by an amount of time corresponding to said rinse delay time parameter, and then (C) running said rinse pump a length of time corresponding to said rinse run time parameter; and
conveyor type run mode means, enabled when said second switch is in the run mode position and said first switch is in the second position, for running said rinse pump each time said system is activated, and for running said detergent pump with an on/off duty cycle determined by said detergent run time parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid chemical dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of liquid chemicals into a dishwasher includes at least a detergent pump and a rinse agent pump, a first switch indicating whether the dishwasher is a door type or a conveyor type dishwasher, a second switch indicating whether the controller is in training mode or in run mode, a non-volatile memory and a data processor. The liquid chemical dispensing system is powered on whenever the dishwasher is spraying rinse water. In the training mode, the data processor enables a user to set values for a rinse run time parameter, a detergent run time parameter, and a rinse delay time, and stores those parameters in the non-volatile memory. In the run mode for door type dishwashers, each time the system is powered on the data processor runs the detergent pump a length of time corresponding to the stored detergent run time parameter, delays running the rinse pump, from the time of each power on, by an amount of time corresponding to the stored rinse delay time parameter, and then runs the rinse pump a length of time corresponding to the stored rinse run time parameter. In the run mode for conveyor type dishwashers, the data processor runs the rinse pump each time the system is powered on, and runs the detergent pump for N seconds for each M seconds that the rinse pump is run, where N is the detergent run time parameter and M is a predefined value.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A liquid chemical dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of liquid chemicals into a dishwasher having a wash tank, comprising:
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a plurality of pumps, including a detergent pump that pumps detergent into the wash water tank in said dishwasher and a rinse agent pump that pumps rinse agent into a rinse water line in said dishwasher; a first switch indicating said dishwasher'"'"'s type, said first switch having a first position indicating said dishwasher is a door type dishwasher and a second position indicating said dishwasher is a conveyor type dishwasher; a second switch having a training mode position and run mode position; an electronic non-volatile memory; means for activating said system only when said dishwasher is spraying rinse water; data processing means coupled to said non-volatile memory, said plurality of pumps, and said first and second switches, for controlling operation of said plurality of pumps;
said data processing means including;training mode means, enabled when said second switch is in the training mode position, for enabling a user to set values for a rinse run time parameter, a detergent run time parameter, and a rinse delay time and for storing said parameters in said non-volatile memory; door type run mode means, enabled when said second switch is in the run mode position and said first switch is in the first position, for running said detergent and rinse pumps each time said system is activated, including;
(A) running said detergent pump a length of time corresponding to said detergent run time parameter, (B) delaying running said rinse pump, from the time of each activation of said system, by an amount of time corresponding to said rinse delay time parameter, and then (C) running said rinse pump a length of time corresponding to said rinse run time parameter; andconveyor type run mode means, enabled when said second switch is in the run mode position and said first switch is in the second position, for running said rinse pump each time said system is activated, and for running said detergent pump with an on/off duty cycle determined by said detergent run time parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A liquid chemical dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of liquid chemicals into a conveyor dishwasher having a wash water tank, wherein said dishwasher is configured to spray rinse water on dishware and to route used rinse water into said dishwasher'"'"'s wash water tank, the liquid chemical dispensing system comprising:
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a plurality of chemical dispensers, including a detergent dispenser that dispenses detergent into the wash water tank in said dishwasher and a rinse agent dispenser that dispenses rinse agent into a rinse water line in said dishwasher; a controller having a programmed digital data processor for running said plurality of dispensers; and an electronic non-volatile memory; said controller coupled to said non-volatile memory and including a digital processor programmed to; detect when said dishwasher is spraying rinse water; run said rinse agent dispenser whenever said dishwasher is spraying rinse water; generate and periodically increment a rinse run time value so long as said dishwasher continues to spray rinse water such that said rinse run time value is indicative of how long said dishwasher has been spraying rinse water; store in said electronic non-volatile memory said rinse run time value each time said dishwasher stops spraying rinse water; retrieve from said non-volatile memory, each time said dishwasher begins to spray rinse water, said rinse run time value stored therein, and then resume periodically incrementing said rinse run time value; and run said detergent dispenser at times determined in accordance with said rinse run time value such that said detergent dispenser is running a portion of the time that said dishwasher sprays rinse water and is otherwise turned off, wherein said portion is determined by a detergent run time parameter stored by said controller; whereby detergent is dispensed into said dishwasher'"'"'s wash water tank in amounts corresponding to the amount of time that said dishwasher sprays rinse water. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A liquid chemical dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of liquid chemicals into a conveyor dishwasher having a wash water tank, wherein said dishwasher is configured to route used rinse water into said dishwasher'"'"'s wash water tank, the liquid chemical dispensing system comprising:
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a plurality of dispensers, including a detergent dispenser that dispenses detergent into the wash water tank in said dishwasher and a rinse agent dispenser that dispenses rinse agent into a rinse water line in said dishwasher; a controller having a programmed digital data processor for running said plurality of dispensers; and an electronic non-volatile memory; said controller coupled to said non-volatile memory and including a digital processor programmed to; detect when said dishwasher is spraying rinse water; generate and periodically increment a rinse run time value so long as said dishwasher continues to spray rinse water such that said rinse run time value is indicative of how long said dishwasher has been spraying rinse water; each time said dishwasher begins to spray rinse water, resume periodically incrementing said rinse run time value; and running said detergent dispenser at times determined in accordance with said rinse run time value so that said detergent dispenser is running a portion of the time that said dishwasher sprays rinse water and is otherwise turned off, wherein said portion is determined by a detergent run time parameter stored by said controller; whereby detergent is dispensed into said dishwasher'"'"'s wash water tank in amounts corresponding to the amount of time that said dishwasher sprays rinse water.
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11. A liquid chemical dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of liquid chemicals into a door dishwasher having a wash water tank and at least one dispenser, wherein said dishwasher is configured to route used rinse water into said dishwasher'"'"'s wash water tank, the liquid chemical dispensing system comprising:
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at least one dispenser, including a detergent dispenser that dispenses detergent into said wash water tank in said dishwasher, a controller having a programmed digital data processor for running said at least one dispenser, wherein said digital data processor is programmed to; establish a first detergent run time parameter; detect when said dishwasher is spraying rinse water; initialize a rinse run time value whenever said dishwasher begins to spray rinse water, and periodically increment said rinse run time value so long as said dishwasher continues to spray rinse water such that said rinse run time value is indicative of how long said dishwasher has been spraying rinse water; each time said dishwasher begins to spray rinse water, run said detergent dispenser a length of time corresponding to said first detergent run time parameter; and detect when said rinse run time value exceeds a threshold value, and then run said detergent dispenser so as to dispense additional detergent into said dishwasher; wherein said threshold value is set so that said rinse run time value exceeds said threshold value only when said wash water tank is being refilled;
whereby said wash water tank is automatically recharged with detergent whenever said wash water tank is refilled. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification