Modular dual-purpose chemical dispensing system for laundry or warewash

• US 8,117,703 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knight LLC
• Original Assignee: Knight LLC
• Inventors: Walker, Stephen A., Whiting, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US12/569,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20100018991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 68/17.R, 682/07, 134/56.R, 134/93, 134/99.2, 134/18, 134/26
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/22 Content of detergent or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/133 with discontinuous action
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/138 by sensing the concentration of the mixture, e.g. measuring pH value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/598 With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A modular chemical delivery system is designed to be readily convertible from use with a warewashing system to use with a laundry system, or vice-versa, merely by the replacement of one chip in the controller of the system. The dispensing system is also readily expandable by adding additional satellite pumps in order to inject additional chemicals into a single washing unit, and/or to supply chemicals to additional washing units. Plug and play technology is used so that control intelligence can be distributed from the main system controller to satellite controllers, and so that additional satellite units may be readily added, identified, and properly integrated into the dispensing system.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a modular chemical dispensing system for use in a wash system, the dispensing system comprising a main controller and a smart interface for connecting peripheral units to the main controller, wherein the smart interface comprises a local control unit for each peripheral unit and a smart bus for interconnecting the main controller with the local control unit, the method comprising:

connecting a peripheral unit to the smart interface;

initiating an interrogation sequence over the smart bus between the main controller and the local control unit for the newly connected peripheral unit for the purpose of identifying the newly connected peripheral unit; and

applying software programmed into the main controller suitable for the newly identified peripheral unit in order to begin controlling the newly identified peripheral unit using the local control unit.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a step of programming the local control unit to control particularized operating functions of the peripheral unit, thereby relieving the main controller of those functions and increasing the response speed of the chemical dispensing system.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the particularized operating functions comprise run time and speed functions.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the main controller controls on and off times of each peripheral unit.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the main controller is programmed to provide operating instructions to the peripheral unit during a wash cycle, in order to ensure that desired quantities of chemicals are dispensed into the wash system at desired times.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a step of adapting the system for use in a laundry washing system by inserting a first integrated circuit chip into the main controller.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, and further comprising a step of adapting the system for use in a warewashing system by replacement of the first integrated circuit chip with a second integrated circuit chip.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the peripheral unit comprises a satellite pump.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of connecting a peripheral unit to the interface comprises connecting a plurality of peripheral units to the interface.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said interrogation sequence is repeated for each connected peripheral unit.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the added peripheral units is controlled, in part, by a corresponding local controller.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein one of the peripheral units comprises a pump and a second of the peripheral units comprises a water solenoid.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein two of the peripheral units comprise pumps, the method further comprising:

dispensing detergent from a first one of the two peripheral units; and

dispensing rinse agent from a second one of the peripheral units.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein two of the peripheral units comprise pumps, the method further comprising:

dispensing a first chemical from a first one of the two pumps; and

dispensing a second different chemical from a second one of the two pumps.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, and further comprising a step of using at least one of the peripheral units to dispense a chemical into the wash system, and using at least one other of the peripheral units to dispense a chemical into a second wash system.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the peripheral unit includes an inductive probe, the method further comprising using the inductive probe to detect a concentration level of a dispensed chemical during operation of the wash system.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said peripheral unit comprises a discrete module, and the connecting step comprises plugging said discrete module into said interface.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a step of periodically interrogating the smart bus to detect and control newly connected peripheral units.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the period between successive interrogations is approximately 5 seconds.