Backup assembly and method for chemical sanitizing in a final rinse of a high temperature warewashing machine

• US 5,679,173 A
• Filed: 02/23/1996
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerry M. Hartman
• Original Assignee: Jerry M. Hartman
• Inventors: Hartman, Jerry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): COE, PHILIP R
• Application Number:
  US08/604,806
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 134/18, 134/25.2, 134/56 D, 134/57 D, 134/58 D, 134/93, 134/99.2
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4236 Arrangements to sterilize or disinfect dishes or washing liquids A47L15/4234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/44 Devices for adding cleaning agents; Devices for dispensing cleaning agents, rinsing aids or deodorants
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method and assembly for sanitizing foodware in a sanitizing zone of a high temperature warewashing machine. The method comprises providing a source of fluid sanitizing material that is effective to sanitize foodware and sensing the temperature of final rinse water being used to sanitize foodware disposed within the sanitizing zone during a final rinse operation of the warewashing machine. An actuating signal is produced when a sensed temperature of the final rinse water is outside the preselected sanitizing temperature range. A sufficient amount of the fluid chemical sanitizing material is then provided in the final rinse water to sanitize foodware disposed in the sanitizing zone when the sensed temperature of the final rinse water is outside a preselected sanitizing temperature range.

Claims

1. In a high temperature warewashing machine wherein high temperature final rinse water is maintained at a sanitizing temperature of at least 180°

F. a sanitizing operation work zone into which high temperature final rinse water is directed to sanitize foodware disposed therein, a backup sanitizing assembly comprising;

a) container means for holding fluid sanitizing material that is effective to sanitize foodware disposed within said sanitizing operation work zone,

b) dispensing means for discharging said fluid sanitizing material for delivery to said final rinse water of said warewashing machine that is directed to said sanitizing operation work zone,

c) temperature sensing means for determining the temperature of said final rinse water being directed into said sanitizing operation work zone,

d) electrical coupling means for electrically arming said temperature sensing means to operate only when said high temperature final rinse water is directed to said sanitizing operation work zone and for directing an activating signal to said dispensing means,

e) upon said temperature sensing means being armed and said final rinse water is directed to the sanitizing operation work zone, said temperature sensing means being effective to activate said dispensing means with said activating signal to discharge said fluid sanitizing material in an amount sufficient to sanitize foodware disposed in said sanitizing operation work zone when final rinse water is determined by said temperature sensing means to be below said sanitizing temperature of said warewashing machine, and

f) delivery means connected to said final rinse water for directing said amount of fluid sanitizing material from said dispensing means to said sanitizing operation work zone.

4. An assembly as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein

said dispensing means includes metering means for measuring an amount of said fluid sanitizing material sufficient to sanitize foodware disposed in said sanitizing operation work zone of said warewashing machine.

5. An assembly as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein

said dispensing means includes pump means for removing liquid sanitizing material from said container means and discharging said liquid sanitizing material for delivery to said final rinse water being directed to said sanitizing operation work zone of said warewashing machine.

6. An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein

said pump means includes a peristaltic pump.

7. An assembly as defined in any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein

said delivery means includes check valve injector means connected to said final rinse line to deliver said fluid sanitizing material and prevent backflow to said dispensing means.

8. An assembly as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein

said dispensing means includes means for removing dry particulate sanitizing material from said container means and electrically operated solenoid means for discharging said particulate sanitizing material into a delivery water line that is connected to deliver said sanitizing material to said final rinse water of said warewashing machine.

9. An assembly as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein

said temperature sensing means includes actuating temperature setting means and electrical signal response means,

said actuating temperature setting means being effective to establish a preselected actuating temperature at which the electrical signal response means directs an electric operating current to said dispensing means for providing said fluid sanitizing material to said final rinse water of said warewashing machine when the final rinse water temperature drops below said preselected actuating temperature.

10. An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein

said actuating temperature setting means includes means for ceasing electric operating current to said dispensing means when the temperature of the final rinse water of said warewashing machine rises above said actuating temperature.

11. An assembly as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein

said temperature setting means includes a temperature control device having a temperature setting range of from about 140°

F. to about 290°

F. and means for setting a single activating temperature to provide an electric operating current to said dispensing means when the temperature of the final rinse water of said warewashing machine drops below said single activating temperature and cuts off said electric operating current to said dispensing means when the temperature of the final rinse water is above said single actuating temperature.

2. A backup sanitizing assembly for a high temperature warewashing machine wherein high temperature final rinse water is maintained within a sanitizing temperature of at least 180°

F. in a final rinse operation and said machine having a sanitizing operation work zone into which said high temperature final rinse water is discharged to sanitize foodware disposed therein, said sanitizing assembly comprising;

a) container means disposed at a preselected location for holding fluid sanitizing material to sanitize foodware disposed within said sanitizing operation work zone of the warewashing machine,

b) dispensing means for discharging said fluid sanitizing material for delivery from said preselected location to said sanitizing operation work zone,

c) temperature sensing means for determining the temperature of said final rinse water being used to rinse foodware disposed within said sanitizing operation work zone,

d) said temperature sensing means being electrically connected directly to said dispensing means and including signal generating means for producing actuating signal means directed to said dispensing means when the temperature of said final rinse water is below said sanitizing temperature of said warewashing machine during said final rinse operation,

e) said dispensing means being responsive to said actuating signal means to discharge said fluid sanitizing material in an amount sufficient to sanitize foodware disposed in said sanitizing operation work zone, and

f) delivery means for directing said sufficient amount of fluid sanitizing material from said dispensing means to said final rinse water being used in said sanitizing operation work zone.

3. A high temperature warewashing machine wherein high temperature final rinse water is maintained at a sanitizing temperature of at least 180°

F. during a final rinse operation, said machine comprising;

a) means defining a sanitizing operation work zone into which said high temperature final rinse water is discharged to sanitize foodware disposed therein,

b) container means for holding fluid sanitizing material that is effective to sanitize foodware,

c) means for supporting said container means at a preselected location with respect to said sanitizing operation work zone of the warewashing machine,

d) temperature-controlled dispensing means for discharging said fluid sanitizing material for delivery from said preselected location to a final rinse water line directed to said sanitizing operation work zone until the final rinse water temperature is restored to a temperature of at least 180°

F., and

e) temperature sensing means for producing actuating signal means when the temperature of said final rinse water being supplied is below said sanitizing temperature of said warewashing machine during said final rinse operation,

f) said temperature-controlled dispensing means being responsive to said actuating signal means for activating said dispensing means to discharge fluid sanitizing material for delivery to said sanitizing operation work zone.

12. A method of sanitizing foodware in a sanitizing zone of a high temperature warewashing machine wherein high temperature final rinse water is maintained at a sanitizing temperature of at least 180°

F. in a sanitizing operation work zone into which said high temperature final rinse water is directed to sanitize foodware disposed therein, said method comprising;

a) providing a source of fluid sanitizing material that is effective to sanitize foodware, temperature-controlled means for dispensing said fluid sanitizing material into said sanitizing operation work zone, and temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature of said final rinse water,

b) sensing the temperature of final rinse water in said warewashing machine being used to sanitize foodware disposed within said sanitizing operation work zone during a final rinse operation of said warewashing machine, and

c) activating said temperature-controlled means for dispensing said sanitizing material in response to said temperature sensing means when the temperature of said final rinse water is sensed to be below said sanitizing temperature to provide an amount of said fluid sanitizing material in said final rinse water sufficient to sanitize foodware disposed in said sanitizing operation work zone until the final rinse water temperature is restored to a temperature of at least 180°

F.

13. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein

said fluid sanitizing material is a liquid material.

14. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein

said fluid sanitizing material is a dry particulate material.

15. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein

said fluid sanitizing material produces chlorine on the foodware disposed in said sanitizing zone.

16. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein

said fluid sanitizing material is selected from the group of sodium hypochlorite, iodine, quaternary, iodophor, and chlorine.

17. An assembly for sanitizing foodware in a sanitizing zone of a high temperature warewashing machine wherein high temperature final rinse water is maintained at a sanitizing temperature of at least 180°

F. in a sanitizing operation work zone into which said high temperature final rinse water is discharged to sanitize foodware disposed therein, said assembly comprising;

a) supply means providing a source of fluid sanitizing material that is effective to sanitize foodware,

b) temperature sensing means for monitoring the temperature of said final rinse water in said warewashing machine being used to sanitize foodware disposed within said sanitizing operation work zone during a final rinse operation of the warewashing machine, and

c) temperature-controlled dispensing means responsive to said temperature sensing means for providing an amount of said fluid sanitizing material in said final rinse water sufficient to sanitize foodware disposed in said sanitizing operation work zone when said final rinse water temperature is below said sanitizing temperature until the final rinse water temperature is restored to a temperature of at least 180°

F.

18. An assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein

said supply means includes container means for containing liquid chemical sanitizing material, and

said dispensing means is effective to direct said liquid chemical sanitizing material from said container means and into said final rinse water to be used in said sanitizing zone.

19. An assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein

said supply means includes container means for containing dry particulate chemical sanitizing material, and

said dispensing means is effective to direct said dry particulate chemical sanitizing material from said container means and into said final rinse water to be used in said sanitizing zone.

20. As assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein

said dispensing means includes an electrically operated fluid discharging means, and

said temperature sensing means is effective to direct electric current to said fluid discharging means to deliver said chemical sanitizing material to said final rinse water when the final rinse water temperature drops below a preset triggering temperature.

21. An assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein

said temperature sensing means includes thermostat means for reading the final rinse water temperature at a final rinse water inlet of said sanitizing zone.

22. An assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein

said temperature sensing means is electrically connected to alarm means to alert operating personnel that the final rinse water temperature is below a required sterilizing temperature.

23. An assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein

said dispensing means includes an electrically operated fluid discharging means,

said temperature sensing means is electrically connected to direct electric current to said fluid discharging means, and

manually operated switch means is effective to direct said electric current to said fluid discharging means when in a closed position and precludes the flow of electric current to said fluid discharging means when in an open position.

24. An assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein

said dispensing means includes an electrically operated fluid discharging means,

said temperature sensing means is electrically connected to direct electric current to said fluid discharging means, and

said dispensing means is automatically responsive to said temperature sensing means to direct said electric current to said fluid discharging means when said temperature sensing means determines that the final rinse water temperature is insufficient to sterilize foodware in said sanitizing zone.