EP0790798B1 - Process and device for metering a particulate detergent or cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the invention, the detergent or cleaner is mixed with water and this mixture is fed into a trade washing machine or dish washer. Thus, the detergent or cleaner is loaded continuously or in portions onto a weighing scale and from there supplied to a mixing vessel once a predetermined weight has been reached. At the same time water is allowed to flow into the mixing vessel, where a ratio of at most 5 kg per minute detergent or cleaner to 8 l water per minute is maintained. With this costeffective metering process, detergent or cleaner can be metered precisely in the standard amounts for commercial laundering or washing operations and fed in without any problem.

Description

The invention relates to a method for automatic, quantity-controlled Dosing a particulate detergent or cleaning agent from one Storage container in a commercial washing machine or dishwasher. The detergent or cleaning agent is mixed with water and this Mixture conveyed into the washing machine or dishwasher.

Processes of this type are preferably found in commercial dishwashing processes or commercial washing process application. Here is the flushing or Detergent, which is also called "product" in one Storage containers permanently kept in sufficient quantities and the product is automatically added to the fresh water or circulating water when required added. Dosing devices and dosing processes have been developed for this purpose have been used to control powdered detergents in each Machine, for example in the rinsing room of a commercial dishwasher can be introduced. Such a dosing process is known from DE 37 21 381 A1. Here, a given volume in the Given the rinsing space of the powder dosing device and with water in the usually washing or cleaning machine arranged below the metering device washed in. This volumetric dosing process sets that the products used always have the same bulk density to have. The volumetric dosage according to this procedure also goes the angle of repose of the product. Fluctuations in trickle behavior and in However, the grain size distribution leads to different angles of repose and thus to an inaccurate dosage. Although the inaccuracies in the dosage can be accepted in practice, however Desire for a more precise dosage to reduce the consumption of detergents and cleaning agents to be able to optimize.

Automatic dispensers for gravimetric precision filling are also known. Here the product falls from a dosing channel into a dosing container with a pneumatic flap lock. The dosing container forms as it were the weighing pan of a precision dosing scale. Is the target weight reached, the flap lock opens and the product falls into one Portion container.

One such method is for dosing detergents or cleaning agents not suitable. Will those for commercial washing or cleaning operations usual amounts, for example 500 g, from the portion container Washed in water, the product clumps and can not be used with conventional Pump or feed into the machine through normal pipes. In addition, caking forms in the induction channel, which further induction First make quantities difficult and then make them impossible.

The invention is therefore based on the object of an inexpensive metering method to create of the type mentioned, with the washing or Detergents for commercial washing or cleaning processes usual amounts can be dosed exactly and washed in without any problems.

This object is achieved in that the washing or Detergent continuously or in portions on a weighing pan a scale and when a predetermined target weight is reached feeds a mixing container from the weighing pan, at the same time water into the Mixing container can flow and a ratio of at most 5 kg per min supplied detergent or cleaning agent to 8 1 water per min. It is particularly important that the detergent or cleaning agent introduces water into the mixing container at the same time and at the same time the stated feed ratio of detergent or cleaning agent and water complies with. The total amount of product to be dosed does not become abrupt brought together with water, but only gradually. In this way is a cost-effective, weight-accurate dosage of the product in the each machine reached without induction problems or Caking comes. The precise dosing enables control and optimization of detergent or cleaning agent consumption.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the inflow ratio adapted from detergent or cleaning agent to water for each product become. If products made by spray drying are washed in, for example, there should only be a maximum of 2.2 kg per minute with a water inlet of 8 1 are introduced into the mixing container. For products with a bulk density of more than 600 g / l, the so-called heavy powder, this limit is higher, namely 5 kg of product per minute, also related on an inflow of 8 1 water per min.

To adjust the feed ratio of product to water in a simple way To be able to, it is proposed that the detergent through an outlet provided with a controllable closure in the weighing pan and the mixing container located below the weighing pan feeds and the outlet partially or completely according to the desired wash or cleaning agent leakage rate opens. The outlet can for example be designed as a flap or a slide.

If the detergent or cleaning agent falls through several openings in the storage container on the weighing pan underneath, it is advantageous if the weighing pan as a funnel with an opening at the lowest point is trained. The adjustable closure can then be placed at this opening to be appropriate.

A particularly good mixing of the detergent or cleaning agent with the for running water in the mixing container and a correspondingly easy flushing in of the product in the respective machine is achieved if you do that Allow water to flow tangentially into the mixing tank. The The product and the water are mixed well without any additional Aid, for example a stirrer, is required.

The storage containers for detergents or cleaning agents for commercial Washing machines or dishwashers usually contain larger quantities, for example 60 kg of product. Above these reservoirs that is often Sales containers, for example a sack with 250 kg, attached, with which the Storage container of the dosing device is filled as required. The over a longer period in the storage container and in the sales container Stored product tends to cake due to its hygroscopic components and to form clumps. The agglomerates can both in the feed of the product from the storage container into the weighing pan as well as at slow feeding according to the invention with simultaneous water flushing into the mixing bowl. To solve this sub-problem, it is proposed that that the washing or cleaning agent through in the bottom of the storage container provided openings on the weighing pan arranged below can trickle, with a stirrer immediately above this Openings rotates. The openings in the storage container are advantageous chosen at most so large that the typically occurring lumps and Agglomerates cannot pass through the openings. Which Stirrer rotating above the opening smashes these agglomerates, and only finely divided product trickles onto the weighing pan.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, a volumetric Predosing may be provided. This includes the detergent or cleaning agent through the openings designed as metering holes to one arranged below Collecting plate from which you can get the portions formed in this way over the edge of the collecting plate and onto the weighing pan trickles. So much product trickles through the single dosing hole, until a frustoconical unit with the angle of repose of the corresponding Slope on the edge of the dosing hole. Another powder can only flow down through the hole if existing portions are present Amounts of product have been pushed aside. This volumetric dosage is explained in detail in DE 37 21 381 A1.

The method according to the invention can be carried out in different ways. In a first variant, the whole is dosed for one wash or the amount of weight of washing or Detergent into the mixing container and in a single step thence into the washing machine or dishwasher and thus leads one Basic dosage by.

Also a needs-based dosing with simultaneous control of the dosed Weight amount of detergent or cleaning agent is in the range possible with this invention. To do this, you dose a fraction of that for you Wash or cleaning step required amount of weight of washing or Detergent in the mixing container and from there into the washing machine or dishwasher one, measures the conductivity of the lye in the machine and repeats the process until the measured conductivity reaches a set point has reached. In this variant, the individual portions are weighed So not to determine the total amount of product required, but for measuring consumption. The amount of weight added can be displayed saved or printed out at the end of a working day. The respective Product requirements and disruptions in the washing or rinsing process can be easily captured. In the practical implementation This variant can be used, for example, to pulse 10 g of the product admit, count the pulses and stop adding these servings, if the conductivity measured in the respective machine reaches its setpoint has reached.

Since the dirt to be removed is part of the detergent or cleaning agent bind, the setpoint of Conductivity only reached with a higher amount of product. In this Variant of the method according to the invention can thus be a needs-based Dosage while checking the amount of weight used Reach product.

The invention relates not only to a metering method, but also to one suitable device for carrying out the method with a storage container and a mixing tank connected to a water pipe. The object according to the invention already mentioned above is achieved with this device solved by a weighing pan attached above the mixing container a scale and a partially and completely openable controllable one Closure of an outlet opening of the weighing pan.

The closure is preferably designed as a flap or slide.

With several openings in the storage container through which the detergent or cleaning agent falls on the weighing pan underneath is the weighing pan advantageous as a funnel with an opening at the lowest point educated.

A particularly good mixing and flushing of the product is achieved by a tangential inflow direction of the water pipe into the mixing tank reached.

The longer storage of the product in the storage container and in the sales container resulting lumps and agglomerates pose no problems in a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, in which a stirrer immediately above the outlet openings in the Bottom of the storage container is provided.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens geeigneten Gerätes,

Figur 2

eine Aufsicht auf eine im unteren Bereich des Vorlagebehälters der Einrichtung nach Figur 1 angeordnete Platte mit Dosierlöchern und einem Rührer und

Figur 3

eine Aufsicht auf einen Auffangteller mit Abstreifmechanik, der unterhalb der in Figur 2 dargestellten Platte montiert ist.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings. Show it

Figure 1

2 shows a schematic representation of a device suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention,

Figure 2

a plan view of a plate arranged in the lower region of the storage container of the device according to FIG. 1 with metering holes and a stirrer and

Figure 3

a top view of a collecting plate with stripping mechanism, which is mounted below the plate shown in Figure 2.

In the exemplary embodiment, a detergent is metered into one or more washing machines in a commercial laundry. The detergent is filled from a sales container, a sack with 250 kg content, into a storage container 1, which has a capacity of 60 kg. A volumetric metering device is arranged in the lower region of the storage container and is explained in more detail below. For the sake of clarity, FIG. 1 shows only a stirrer 3 which is driven by a motor 2 and breaks up agglomerates which have been caked together by the influence of moisture. In each volumetric metering step, approximately 30 cm ^{3 of} detergent fall down through openings 4 in the bottom of the storage container 1 onto a funnel-shaped weighing pan 5 which is connected to an electronic scale 6.

The particulate detergent trickles into the funnel neck, from one Flap 7 is closed. When the target weight is reached, it opens the flap 7 and the detergent fall into the mixing container 8. In the exemplary embodiment is a spray drying product Laundry detergent. The flap 7, the locking mechanism of an electronics 9 is controlled, opens only so far that 2.0 kg of detergent trickles into the mixing container per minute. Via a line 10 is simultaneously 8 liters of water per minute tangentially flushed into the mixing container.

A bypass leads from the pump 12 into the mixing container 8 small part of the water-product mixture in the mixing container 8 is pumped back into the mixing container via the bypass 11 so that in all operating conditions at the inlet of the pump 12 a sufficient amount of liquid is present. This ensures that the pump 12 no air conveys.

After stopping the product feed from the weighing pan 5 into the mixing container or at the same time the water-product mixture is mixed with a Pump 12 pumped into one or more commercial washing machines.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of one in the lower part of the storage container 1 arranged plate 13 with three dosing holes 14. When dosing rotate four stirring arms 15 of a stirrer 16 and smashed by exposure to moisture clumped detergent into small, easy-to-dose particles.

The particulate detergent falls through the metering holes 14 onto the in Figure 3 shown collecting plate 17. The resulting frustoconical Dosing portions 18 are from rotating wipers 19 on the respective edge 20 of the opening 4 pushed so that the metering portions the weighing pan 5 trickle.

In this example the dosing holes have a diameter of 18 mm, and the distance between the collecting plate 17 and the plate 13 is 10 mm. Depending on the desired volume of the dosing portions 18, others can also Dimensions may be provided, with the angle of repose depending on the product can be taken into account.

Reference list

1

Storage container

2nd

engine

3rd

Stirrer

4th

openings

5

Weighing pan

6

Libra

7

flap

8th

Mixing tank

9

Electronics (control)

10th

management

11

bypass

12th

pump

13

plate

14

Dosing hole

15

Agitator

16

Stirrer

17th

Collecting plate

18th

Dosage portion

19th

Wipers

20th

Edge

Claims (15)

1. A method for the automatic quantity-controlled dispensing of a particulate detergent from a storage container into an institutional washing or dishwashing machine, the detergent being mixed with water and the resulting mixture being introduced into the washing or dishwashing machine, characterized in that the laundry or dishwashing detergent is delivered continuously or in portions to a balance pan of a balance and, when the required weight determined in advance is reached, the detergent is transferred from the balance pan to a mixing vessel, water is allowed to flow into the mixing vessel at the same time and a ratio of at most 5 kg of detergent introduced per minute to 8 litres of water per minute is maintained.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 for dispensing a laundry or dishwashing detergent produced by spray drying, characterized in that at most 2.2 kg of the detergent per minute is introduced into the mixing vessel for a water inflow rate of 8 litres per minute.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the detergent is delivered to the mixing vessel positioned beneath the balance pan through an outlet in the balance pan provided with a controllable closure and the outlet is opened partly or completely according to the required detergent discharge rate.
4. A method as claimed in the preceding claim, characterized in that the closure is a flap or slide.
5. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the balance pan is in the form of a funnel with an opening at its lowest point.
6. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water is allowed to flow tangentially into the mixing vessel.
7. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent is allowed to trickle through openings in the bottom of the storage container onto the balance pan positioned underneath, a stirrer turning immediately above said openings.
8. A method as claimed in the preceding claims, characterized in that the detergent drops through the openings - in the form of dispensing holes - onto a collecting pan positioned underneath from which the portions thus formed are pushed over the edge of the collecting pan and allowed to trickle onto the balance pan.
9. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the entire quantity by weight of detergent required for a wash cycle or dishwashing step is dispensed in a single step into the mixing vessel and from there into the washing or dishwashing machine.
10. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a fraction of the quantity by weight of detergent required for a wash cycle or dishwashing step is introduced into the mixing vessel and from there into the washing or dishwashing machine, the conductivity of the liquor is measured in the machine and the process is repeated until the measured conductivity has reached a set value.
11. An arrangement for carrying out the method claimed in any of the preceding claims comprising a storage container (1) and a mixing vessel (8) connected to a water pipe (10), characterized by a balance pan (5) of a balance (6) positioned above the mixing vessel (8) and by a controllable closure (7) for an outlet opening in the balance pan (5) which is designed to open partly or completely.
12. An arrangement as claimed in the preceding claim, characterized in that the closure is a flap (7) or a slide.
13. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the balance pan (5) is in the form of a funnel with an opening at its lowest point.
14. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13, characterized by a tangential flow direction of the water pipe (10) into the mixing vessel (8).
15. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 11 to 14, characterized by a stirrer (3) provided immediately above the outlet openings (4) in the bottom of the storage container (1).

Images