Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
  • A47L15/0018—Controlling processes, i.e. processes to control the operation of the machine characterised by the purpose or target of the control
  • A47L15/0055—Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2401/00—Automatic detection in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, e.g. information provided by sensors entered into controlling devices
  • A47L2401/02—Consumable products information, e.g. information on detergent, rinsing aid or salt; Dispensing device information, e.g. information on the type, e.g. detachable, or status of the device
  • A47L2401/023—Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2401/00—Automatic detection in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, e.g. information provided by sensors entered into controlling devices
  • A47L2401/30—Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2501/00—Output in controlling method of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. quantities or components controlled, or actions performed by the controlling device executing the controlling method
  • A47L2501/07—Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for the metered supply of rinse aid in the final rinse liquid (rinse liquor) in the rinse tank of a program-controlled dishwasher, in which the rinse aid concentration of the final rinse liquid is monitored by means of an optical sensor.
• the program for washing a program-controlled dishwasher comprises a plurality of cleaning and rinsing operations, which are completed with a rinsing process.
• a clear rinse liquid provided with a rinse aid is supplied to the cleaned dishes located in the rinse tank.
• the dosage of the rinse aid is often carried out by the customer, but the amount set here represents only a rough value. On the one hand, this can lead to overdoses and to unnecessarily high consumption of rinse aid. On the other hand, insufficient dosing often does not achieve the desired rinse effect. Moreover, manual dosing of the rinse aid can not take into account the quality of the rinse aid used.
• combination preparations of this type have the disadvantage that, when a plurality of rinsing program sections are carried out before the rinsing process, the combination preparation dissolves too quickly and is no longer present in sufficient concentration due to the repeated rinsing liquid change during the actual rinsing process.
• combination preparations are designed in such a way that initially only the cleaner and the softener dissolve and the rinse aid which is encapsulated in the combination preparation, e.g. is present in the form of a wax-coated bead, dissolves only dependent on temperature and / or pH during rinsing.
• the rinse aid is already dissolved before the actual rinsing process.
• DE 102 57 826 A1 provides for the use of at least one optical sensor with which the type of combination preparation used can be detected. Concentration and / or pH changes and / or changes in the degree of hardness of the rinsing liquid are determined, which allow conclusions to be drawn about the concentration of the individual active substances.
• a defined rinsing liquid volume is supplied to the rinsing container. This can be fixed from the outset or be set variably depending on various parameters.
• the concentration of the rinse aid actually present in the rinsing liquid is used as an essential variable, since this has a direct influence on the rinse aid result and thus on the drying result of the ware.
• the rinsing liquid is added as low as possible, optionally as a function of the degree of turbidity of the rinsing liquid. leads. If, on the other hand, the concentration of the rinse aid at the beginning of the rinse-off program section is above average or sufficiently high, then the concentration of the rinse aid can be adjusted to a predetermined concentration by supplying a defined rinse liquid volume.
• DE 100 45 151 C2 proposes to monitor the foam concentration of the final rinse liquid by means of an optical sensor and to compare it with a desired value for the foam concentration. Upon reaching the predetermined target value of the foam concentration, the supply of rinse aid is automatically reduced.
• DE 100 34 546 A1 proposes the use of a radar sensor in order to determine the droplet size and shape or the state data of a test body wetted with the rinsing liquid in order to obtain information about the state of the rinsing liquid, for example its content of rinsing agent. hold true.
• the object of the present invention is to improve a method for the metered supply of clear rinsing agent in the final rinse in the rinse tank of a program-controlled dishwasher in such a way that an underdosing of rinse aid is prevented in a simple manner in order to achieve an optimum drying result. Furthermore, a device for checking the rinse aid concentration in the rinsing liquid of a program-controlled water-conducting domestic appliance should be specified.
• the wetting of the optical sensor with the final rinse liquid is used as a criterion for the metered supply of rinse aid.
• the determination of the wetting as a criterion for the concentration of rinse aid center I in the rinse aid liquid means in other words a check of the runnability of the final rinse liquid from the sensor. In particular, this can be a check of the droplet size - A -
• the concentration of rinse aid is manifested by a change in the surface tension of the final rinse liquid.
• the resulting flow behavior can be detected by the optical sensor and allows a conclusion on the rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid.
• the concentration of the rinse aid causes the rinse aid action, so that the rinse aid action is also detected by the rinse aid concentration.
• rinse aid from a rinse aid supply can be metered into the rinse container until the required concentration of rinse aid has been reached.
• the device for checking the rinse aid concentration in the rinsing liquid of a program-controlled, water-conducting household appliance has a sensor with at least one transmitting element which emits an optical signal and at least one receiving element which receives the optical signal emitted by the transmitting element, and a computing unit.
• the arithmetic unit is set up to determine the wetting of the sensor with rinsing fluid and from this the concentration of rinse aid in the final rinse liquid from the energy level emitted by the transmitting element and received by the receiving element.
• the rinse aid concentration causes the rinse aid action, so that the rinse aid concentration is also detected by the rinse aid concentration.
• the device according to the invention for checking the rinse aid concentration is preferably installed in a water-conducting device, in particular a dishwasher, wherein the device can be arranged on the side of the door or a wall of the washing compartment associated with the washing compartment.
• the device for checking the rinse aid concentration can also be arranged on the ceiling or the bottom of the washing compartment.
• the sensor has a light-transmissive element into which the transmitting element couples the optical signal and the receiving element receives the optical signal coupled out of the light-transmissive element.
• the wetting of this light-transmissive element of the sensor with rinse aid is then determined. In this case, the flow behavior on the light-transmissive element is detected by the transmitting and the receiving element in a simple manner.
• the change in the rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid is expediently measured by the sensor with the transmitting element emitted by the optical signals and the receiving element receiving the optical signals, wherein a light beam is coupled into the light-transmissive element from the transmitting element of the sensor and the light beam from the light-transmissive element emitted light beam is measured by the receiving element of the sensor.
• the term light beam is generally understood as an electromagnetic wave and not limited to specific wavelengths.
• Suitable sensors which are proposed there for the detection of calcium deposits, are known, for example, in DE 198 25 981 A1 and DE 102 08 214 A1.
• the evaluation of the signals supplied by the sensor takes place at a different time than in the method according to the invention. Any limescale that may occur can only be detected at the onset of the drying process.
• the sensor principle used in these sensors can be used in an adapted manner in the invention for detecting the wetting of the sensor.
• the light-transmitting element as described in DE 102 08 214 A1, two end surfaces and is formed such that each of the optical signal emitting and the optical signal receiving element to the end surfaces of the translucent element directly anschlie ⁇ Shen, so that the end surfaces are always free of a coating.
• the light emitted by the element emitting an optical signal enters the light-transmissive element and, due to the reflection taking place in the light-transmissive element, is reflected at the interface between the translucent element and the surrounding atmosphere such that the light beam or the light beam radiates substantially with scattering losses through the light-transmissive element and finally exits through the receiving element associated with the second terminating surface and into which the receiving element enters.
• the total reflection taking place in the translucent element causes a brightness value which corresponds to a specific energy value.
• An energy difference amount between the optical signal-emitting element and the optical signal-receiving element is due to a certain radiation power of the transparent element and is taken into account in the processing of the signal value.
• the refractive index between the light-transmissive element and the immediately following deposition layer is changed at these regions in such a way that the number of Total reflections at the boundary layer of the translucent element decreases. If a light beam or light beam strikes the interface of the light-transmissive element at a certain angle and this area of the light-transmitting element is covered with rinse liquid, some of the light beam will exit the light-transmissive element or be rejected and will not reflected in the translucent element. Since the receiving element measures the energy intensity or luminous intensity of the exiting light from the light-transmissive element, the receiving light intensity is associated with a corresponding wetting on the translucent element.
• determining the wetting of the optical sensor it is preferred not to determine merely an instantaneous value, but rather to determine the wetting of the translucent element with the rinsing liquid as a function of time in order to obtain an accurate statement via the rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid and to be able to take into account the flow behavior of the sensor or the light-transmissive element.
• a circulation of the final rinse liquid with subsequent renewed measurement of the concentration of the rinse aid in the rinse liquid takes place.
• the circulation ensures that added rinse aid can mix with the final rinse liquid. The falsification of a measurement result by possibly occurring concentration ranges of rinse aid in the final rinse liquid can be avoided thereby.
• the determination of the rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid is preferably carried out iteratively until a predetermined value of rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid is reached.
• the rinsing process is adjusted as a function of the concentration of rinse aid in the final rinse liquid in its course. In other words, this means that a dosage of rinse aid, a circulation and a measurement of the rinse aid concentration takes place until the desired rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid is reached. Only then does the actual rinse aid program proceed.
• the dishwasher takes in a washing up the dishes to be cleaned.
• a program control takes over the course of the cleaning and rinsing operations with the supply, heating and suction of the cleaning and rinsing liquid in a known manner and is therefore not described in detail.
• the flushing Container is associated with at least one optical sensor which monitors the final rinse liquid to the concentration of rinse aid and outputs a corresponding actual value to a processing unit of the program control. As long as the actual value does not reach a setpoint stored in the computing unit, the arithmetic unit sends a signal to a metering device which supplies a rinse aid continuously or at intervals to the rinse aid liquid. If the actual value detected by the optical sensor corresponds to the predetermined desired value, then no supply of rinse aid takes place.
• step 10 the start of the rinse program begins.
• rinse aid is metered into the rinse aid liquid of the dishwasher (step 12). Dosing of the rinse aid can be effected by the "3-in-1" combination preparations mentioned above or in a known manner by a rinse aid reservoir
• the optical sensor present in the washing compartment is also surrounded by the rinse aid liquid
• the optical sensor is arranged in the washing compartment in such a way that the rinse aid liquid can flow away from the optical sensor This drainage is the wetting of the optical sensor with the rinse aid liquid detected (step 16).
• a light-transmissive element is arranged between a transmitting element and a receiving element.
• the light-transmissive element is expediently arranged in a region of the rinsing space which permits rinsing with the final-rinse liquid.
• the translucent element could be arranged in a chamber-like region which has at least one opening which opens into the interior of the washing container and has a valve which is suitable for emptying the chamber-like region again.
• the shape of the translucent element is in principle arbitrary. As appropriate, a rod-shaped or helical-shaped shape, which allows a longer light path for the measurement, has been found.
• the physical phenomenon on which the device according to the invention is based is based on a comparison of the light level coupled into the light-transmitting element by the transmitting element with an energy level which is detected by the receiving element during coupling out of the light-transmissive element. If the translucent element has no wetting, essentially all the light beams which are coupled into the translucent element from the transmitting element are reflected due to the total reflection between the translucent element and the surrounding atmosphere until they reach the receiving element and leave the translucent element Element not. Due to this, the energy level coupled into the light-transmissive element essentially corresponds to the energy level coupled out of the light-transmissive element.
• the light-transmitting element is washed around by rinse aid liquid, a certain energy level is coupled in through the light-transmissive element on the side of the transmitting element and a different energy level is received on the side of the receiving element.
• the energy level detected by the receiving element is substantially lower than the energy level coupled in by the transmitting element.
• Rinse liquid provided with an optimum level of rinse aid will only cause wetting on the sensor or the light-transmissive element for a very short time.
• rinse-aid liquid with too small a dosage of rinse aid remains on the sensor or the light-transmissive element for a longer time before it runs out.
• This difference in time is used to measure the wetting of the sensor or the light-transmissive element. The measurement therefore takes place either continuously over a certain period of time in order to detect the drainage behavior of the final rinse liquid from the sensor or the light-transmissive element. Alternatively, a large number of measurements can take place in short, successive time intervals.
• the comparison of the energy levels over time allows a statement about the wetting of the sensor or of the light-transmitting element and thus also about the level of rinse aid in the final rinse liquid.
• the rating of Measured values can be carried out with (threshold) values stored in the arithmetic unit or else on the basis of a calculation.
• the evaluation of the wetting takes place in the flowchart in the process step identified by the reference numeral 18. If the wetting is small (reference numeral 20), the actual rinsing process and subsequent drying process can begin with a further circulation according to method step 28. If the wetting was large (reference numeral 22), then in step 24 a metered addition of rinse aid, e.g. from a rinse aid reservoir. Before the actual rinsing process (reference 28) is initiated, a new step of measuring and checking the rinse aid concentration in the final rinse liquid takes place (reference 26). This in turn comprises the circulation according to process step 14, the measurement of the wetting according to process step 16 and the evaluation of the wetting according to step 18 in the manner described above.
• rinse aid e.g. from a rinse aid reservoir
• the automatic supply of the ideal amount of rinse aid limits the amount of rinse aid to the required level and ultimately leads to a saving of the same. In addition, an ideal drying result for the consumer is achieved.

Landscapes

• Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=35169325

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2004
  • 2004-07-23 DE DE102004035718A patent/DE102004035718A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2005
  • 2005-07-22 PL PL05774193T patent/PL1776032T3/pl unknown
  • 2005-07-22 WO PCT/EP2005/053593 patent/WO2006010746A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2005-07-22 US US11/629,891 patent/US7722723B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-07-22 EP EP05774193A patent/EP1776032B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2005-07-22 ES ES05774193T patent/ES2384461T3/es active Active
  • 2005-07-22 AT AT05774193T patent/ATE556639T1/de active
• 2010
  • 2010-01-15 US US12/687,901 patent/US8268089B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events