Indicating a time for measuring conductivity of a chemical solution

• US 20040122558A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: May, Robert Eugene, Howland, David, Howes, Ronald Bruce Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/266
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/10 Water cloudiness or dirtiness, e.g. turbidity, foaming or level of bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/164 by electrical or electrochemical means

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for indicating satisfactory times for titrating a chemical solution, e.g., cleaning product, used by a utility device to clean and/or sanitize various types of articles. The utility device is described in an exemplary embodiment as being a warewashing machine that applies the chemical solution to articles provided to the machine on racks. The chemical solution is formed in a solution tank from a combination of at least one chemical product and at least one rinse agent. Whereas the chemical product is described as a detergent, the rinse agent is described as water. Over a time period including multiple wash cycles, the chemical product and the rinse agent are added to the solution tank, thereby changing conductivity of the chemical solution. The present invention senses various types of information associated with the formation of the chemical solution and applies one or more test conditions to the sensed information to determine satisfactory time periods for measuring concentration of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution. Indications of the occurrence of these satisfactory times are presented on a display module in a manner visible to field persons responsible for titrating the chemical solution.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method for indicating a time period for titrating a chemical solution contained in a solution tank of a utility device, the method comprising acts of:

determining whether sensed information associated with formation of the chemical solution in the solution tank satisfies one or more test conditions related to satisfactory times for titrating the chemical solution; and

upon satisfaction of each of the one or more test conditions, activating an operator perceptible indicia.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the activating act comprises:

displaying a titration indicator on a display device of the computer system.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the display device presents a graphical user interface to a field person responsible for titrating the chemical solution, the displaying act comprising acts of:

generating an icon representing the titration indicator; and

displaying the icon on the graphical user interface.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode (LED), the displaying act comprising an act of:

supplying a current through the LED to create the titration indicator.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the activating act comprises:

activating a plurality of operator perceptible indicia.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the plurality of operator perceptible indicia comprises an audio event and a visual event.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the chemical solution comprises a chemical product and a rinse agent, the method further comprising an act of:

defining a setpoint value associated with a desired concentration of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the display device presents a graphical user interface to a field person responsible for titrating the chemical solution, the defining act comprising acts of:

presenting an object on the graphical user interface that enables the field person to select the setpoint value from a list of possible setpoint values; and

receiving through the graphical user interface selection of the setpoint value by the field person.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the displaying act comprises acts of:

generating an icon representing the titration indicator; and

displaying the icon on the graphical user interface.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the determining act comprises acts of:

comparing a current concentration level of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution to a threshold percentage of the setpoint value; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the determining act comprises an act of:

sensing the current concentration level of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution using one or more conductivity cells located within the solution tank.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the utility device applies the chemical solution and the rinse agent to one or more articles during a wash cycle, the determining act further comprising acts of:

detecting whether the chemical product is being dispensed into the solution tank; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value and the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the utility device is connected to a product reservoir for storing the chemical product and dispensing the chemical product to the solution tank, the detecting act comprising an act of:

receiving information from the product reservoir indicating whether the chemical product is being dispensed into the solution tank.

14. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the determining act further comprises acts of:

detecting whether the rinse agent is being applied to the one or more articles; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value, the rinse agent is not being applied to the one or more articles and the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the determining act further comprises acts of:

detecting whether the utility device is performing a wash cycle; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value, the rinse agent is not being applied to the one or more articles, the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank and the utility device is performing a wash cycle.

16. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the utility device is a warewashing machine.

17. A system for indicating on a display device a time period for titrating a chemical solution contained in a solution tank of a utility device, the system comprising:

a control module determining whether sensed information associated with formation of the chemical solution in the solution tank satisfies one or more test conditions related to satisfactory times for titrating the chemical solution; and

a display module displaying a titration indicator upon satisfaction of each of the one or more test conditions.

18. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein the chemical solution comprises a chemical product and a rinse agent, the control module defining a setpoint value associated with a desired concentration of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution.

19. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the display device comprises a graphical user interface enabling a field person to select the setpoint value from a list of possible setpoint values.

20. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein the graphical user interface comprises an icon representing the titration indicator, the graphical user interface displaying the icon upon satisfaction of each of the one or more test conditions.

21. A system as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

means for sensing information related to a current concentration level of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution, wherein the sensing means communicates the information to the control module for determination of the current concentration level.

22. A system as defined in claim 21, wherein the control module compares the current concentration level to a predetermined threshold percentage of the setpoint value and marks the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution is less than the predetermined threshold percentage.

23. A system as defined in claim 21, wherein the sensing means comprises:

one or more conductivity cells located within the solution tank.

24. A system as defined in claim 21, wherein the utility device applies the chemical solution and the rinse agent to one or more articles during a wash cycle, the control module further comprising:

means for detecting whether the chemical product is being dispensed into the solution tank.

25. A system as defined in claim 24, wherein the control module marks the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than a predetermined threshold percentage of the setpoint value and the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank.

26. A system as defined in claim 24, further comprising:

a product reservoir storing the chemical product and having a dispense output operably connected to the solution tank.

27. A system as defined in claim 26, wherein the detecting means comprises a communication link connecting a processing means of the product reservoir to the control module, the communication link providing the control module with control and monitoring functionality over dispense operations of the product reservoir.

28. A system as defined in claim 24, wherein the control module further comprises:

means for detecting whether the rinse agent is being applied to the one or more articles.

29. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the control module marks the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than a predetermined threshold percentage of the setpoint value, the rinse agent is not being applied to the one or more articles and the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank.

30. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the utility device comprises a rinse module for applying the rinse agent to the one or more articles, the means for detecting whether the rinse agent is being applied to the one or more articles comprising:

a communication link connecting a processing means of the rinse module to the control module, the communication link providing the control module with control and monitoring functionality over rinse operations of the rinse module.

31. A system as defined in claim 24, wherein the control module further comprises:

means for detecting whether the utility device is performing a wash cycle; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than a predetermined threshold percentage of the setpoint value, the rinse agent is not being applied to the one or more articles, the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank and the utility device is performing a wash cycle.

32. A system as defined in claim 31, wherein the utility device comprises a rinse module for applying the rinse agent to the one or more articles and a wash module for applying the chemical solution to the one or more articles, the means for detecting whether the utility device is performing a wash cycle comprising:

a first communication link connecting a processing means of the rinse module to the control module, the communication link providing the control module with control and monitoring functionality over rinse operations of the rinse module; and

a second communication link connecting a processing means of the wash module to the control module, the communication link providing the control module with control and monitoring functionality over wash operations of the wash module.

33. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein the utility device is a warewashing machine applying the chemical solution and a rinse agent to one or more articles being provided to a washing chamber of the warewashing machine on one or more article racks, wherein the chemical solution and the rinse agent are applied to the one or more articles over the course of a wash cycle associated with each of the one or more article racks.

34. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein the display module comprises:

a graphical user interface enabling a field person to control and monitor warewashing operations of the wash cycle for each of the one or more article racks.

35. A system as defined in claim 34, wherein the graphical user interface comprises an icon representing the titration indicator, the graphical user interface displaying the icon upon satisfaction of each of the one or more test conditions.

36. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the display module comprises:

a light emitting diode (LED) through which a current is supplied to create the titration indicator.

37. A computer program storage device accessible to a computing system and encoding a computer program for executing a computer process for indicating on a display device a time period for titrating a chemical solution contained in a solution tank of a utility device, the computer process comprising acts of:

determining whether sensed information associated with formation of the chemical solution in the solution tank satisfies one or more test conditions related to satisfactory times for titrating the chemical solution; and

upon satisfaction of each of the one or more test conditions, displaying a titration indicator on the display device.

38. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 37, wherein the chemical solution comprises a chemical product and a rinse agent, the computer process further comprising an act of:

defining a setpoint value associated with a desired concentration of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution.

39. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 38, wherein the display device presents a graphical user interface to a field person responsible for titrating the chemical solution, the defining act comprising acts of:

presenting an object on the graphical user interface that enables the field person to select the setpoint value from a list of possible setpoint values; and

receiving through the graphical user interface selection of the setpoint value by the field person.

40. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 39, wherein the displaying act comprises acts of:

generating an icon representing the titration indicator; and

displaying the icon on the graphical user interface.

41. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 38, wherein the determining act comprises acts of:

comparing a current concentration level of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution to a threshold percentage of the setpoint value; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value.

42. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 41, wherein the determining act comprises an act of:

sensing the current concentration level of the chemical product relative to the chemical solution using one or more conductivity cells located within the solution tank.

43. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 41, wherein the utility device applies the chemical solution and the rinse agent to one or more articles during a wash cycle, the determining act further comprising acts of:

detecting whether the chemical product is being dispensed into the solution tank; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value and the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank.

44. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 43, wherein the utility device is connected to a product reservoir for storing the chemical product and dispensing the chemical product to the solution tank, the detecting act comprising acts of:

receiving information from the product reservoir indicating whether the chemical product is being dispensed into the solution tank.

45. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 43, wherein the determining act further comprises acts of:

detecting whether the rinse agent is being applied to the one or more articles; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value, the rinse agent is not being applied to the one or more articles and the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank.

46. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 44, wherein the determining act further comprises acts of:

detecting whether the utility device is performing a wash cycle; and

marking the one or more test conditions as satisfied if the current concentration level is less than the threshold percentage of the setpoint value, the rinse agent is not being applied to the one or more articles, the chemical product is not being dispensed into the solution tank and the utility device is performing a wash cycle.

47. A computer program storage device as defined in claim 37, wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode (LED), the displaying act comprising an act of:

supplying a current through the LED to create the titration indicator.