EP1908387A1 - Appareil domestic et opération de celui-ci - Google Patents

Appareil domestic et opération de celui-ci Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1908387A1
EP1908387A1 EP06020918A EP06020918A EP1908387A1 EP 1908387 A1 EP1908387 A1 EP 1908387A1 EP 06020918 A EP06020918 A EP 06020918A EP 06020918 A EP06020918 A EP 06020918A EP 1908387 A1 EP1908387 A1 EP 1908387A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
liquid
home appliance
sink
previous
articles
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06020918A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Winfried Steiner
Rolf Stahlmann
Stefan Füglein
Klaus-Martin Forst
Hansjörg Lampe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Original Assignee
Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Electrolux Home Products Corp NV filed Critical Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority to EP06020918A priority Critical patent/EP1908387A1/fr
Publication of EP1908387A1 publication Critical patent/EP1908387A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • A47L15/42—Details
    • A47L15/4202—Water filter means or strainers
    • A47L15/4204—Flat filters
    • 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
    • A47L15/42—Details
    • A47L15/4236—Arrangements to sterilize or disinfect dishes or washing liquids

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method of operating a home appliance, in particular of operating a dishwasher, and also relates to a home appliance.
  • EP 05 009 754.2 filed on May 4, 2005 , a home appliance is proposed in which an antimicrobial device is arranged for example in the sink of the washing tub.
  • EP 05 009 754 is incorporated herein with its full content and citations therefrom are made below.
  • EP 05 009 754 it is proposed to provide at least one antibiotic agent in a liquid-bearing domestic appliance (i.e. home appliance) such that an antimicrobial effect is achieved.
  • the antibiotic agent is effective on stagnant water remaining for example in the sump or sink (e.g. the base of the washing or cleaning tub) of the home appliance, for example a dishwashers tub.
  • an antimicrobial device comprising the antibiotic agent at the lowest point of the sink or to provide a satisfactory interaction area between the remaining water and the antimicrobial device where the complete volume of the remaining water has the full benefit of the antimicrobial effect.
  • Another aspect is that within the home appliance there are locations where droplets or puddles may form distant to the sink or distant to the antimicrobial device such that these water volumes do not have a chance to interact with the antimicrobial device.
  • the inventors propose a method and a home appliance having a control unit implementing the method which increase the interaction activity between residual liquid in the home appliance and the antimicrobial device. Thereby the growth of microbial organism is prevented or inhibited such that the sanitary conditions in the home appliance are improved.
  • the interaction between the antimicrobial device and the residual liquid in the home appliance is intensified thereby improving the efficiency of the antimicrobial device onto the residual liquid.
  • the intensification is performed by promoting a higher surface interaction activity between the residual liquid and the antimicrobial device (the microbial active agent thereof) in direct surface contact.
  • the antimicrobial intensification step or steps is/are started after an articles treating program has been finished and/or before a next articles treatment program is started (see claim 6).
  • the intensification method is not an articles treatment program. It is understood as home appliance self cleaning or maintenance program or method.
  • the "residual liquid” is a liquid which remains within the home appliance after executing an articles treatment program and which can not be removed out of the home appliance due to practical reasons.
  • the residual liquid is the washing liquid which can not be pumped out of the dishwasher with a draining pump.
  • this residual liquid also includes liquid distributed within the surfaces and areas of the home appliance exposed to the liquid - for example droplets in spray arms, in a circulation pump, in liquid pipes running horizontally and so on.
  • the residual liquid also includes liquid which is additionally supplied to the sink of the home appliance, for example by supplying fresh water from a water tap or by supplying liquid from a heat exchanger which was for example filled with rinsing water after the last rinse in a dishwasher or washing machine.
  • an excessive amount of residual liquid (which is more than the residual liquid remaining after a complete draining from the home appliance) may be partially pumped out of the home appliance after the intensified treatment of the residual liquid and/or the increased amount of residual liquid can is retained in the home appliance and be used in the next articles treatment program.
  • An articles treatment program which will precede the intensified interaction between the antimicrobial device and the residual liquid is for example a dishwashing program, a pre-wash of a dishwasher, a laundry washing program or the like.
  • the intensifying of the interaction between the antimicrobial device and the residual liquid is achieved by one or more of the following:
  • the operation of a draining pump of the home appliance is stopped, before the sink is drained to the lowest draining liquid level, thereby the residual liquid amount remaining in the sink is more than usually achieved when completely draining the sink up to the lowest possible draining liquid level.
  • the operation of the draining pump is preferably the last step of a preceding article treatment program, for example the removal step for removing rinsing and/or softening liquid from the home appliance. In the latter case it can be said that this modification of a conventional (arbitrary) articles treatment program results in a higher remaining liquid amount which is retained for improving the efficiently of the antimicrobial effect of the antimicrobial device.
  • additional liquid is supplied to the sink, preferably by either adding a predetermined amount of liquid and/or by supplying liquid to a predefined liquid level in the sink.
  • the adding of additional liquid to the liquid already retained or remaining in the sink increases the volume or amount of the residual liquid for increasing the antimicrobial efficiency.
  • the additional or added liquid may be fresh water from a water tap or it may be supplied from an internal liquid storage container which for example can be part of a condenser or heat exchanger.
  • ion exchange takes place between the residual water and the antibiotic active agent of the antimicrobial device such that the ions could come into contact with the treated articles, if the articles have not previously been removed.
  • articles are not treated by a preceding program such as to be removed from the home appliance (for example only a pre-wash is performed for a later main wash), then it does not harm when the articles come in contact with the residual liquid.
  • the method for intensifying the interaction between the antimicrobial device and the residual liquid is automatically started or activated after expiration of a predetermined downtime since the execution of the last articles treatment program. For example after one, two or three days after the last articles treatment in the home appliance. Thereby an execution of the antimicrobial active program is avoided each time after finishing an articles treatment program. Alternatively or additionally the execution of the antimicrobial active program can be made after a predetermined number of articles treatment runs such that a kind of basic sterilization of the home appliance is provided.
  • the circulation of the residual liquid is only activated, after determining whether the treated articles have been removed or whether the articles do not require a removal from the home appliance (see above). Thereafter, a predetermined amount of liquid is supplied and/or the remaining liquid is circulated through the home appliance such that an intensification of the antimicrobial effect is achieved.
  • the circulation of the residual liquid results in a redistribution and recollection of water droplets or water in puddles distributed within the home appliance and a (exchange-)transportation of those water portions to the antimicrobial device.
  • the determining whether articles to be treated have been removed is made by requesting a' corresponding input from a user.
  • a user indicates by such an input that she/he has removed the articles from the home appliance or that a removal of the articles is not required.
  • it can be detected by detectors or sensors whether the articles have been removed. For example by a door opening sensor like a switch it can be checked whether the door of the home appliance has been opened since the end of the preceding articles treatment program. If the door opening has been detected, it can be concluded by plausibility that the articles already treated have been removed by the user.
  • the determining steps are skipped or not implemented and the activation of the microbial intensified method (program) is started by a user input to the home appliance.
  • the draining pump and/or the circulation pump is short term operated (e.g. intermittently, periodically, statistically) and/or operated with a reduced rotation speed such that the remaining liquid in the sink is agitated by short time and/or soft pumping which results in a partial sucking of the liquid and a reflow into the sink with the draining pump or the circulation pump stopped or rotating with low speed.
  • the circulation pump pumps the residual liquid into the circulation cycle of the home appliance.
  • the pumping speed is varied such that the spatial distribution within the home appliance changes resulting in a wetting of all or nearly all areas of the home appliance. If for example in a dishwasher the liquid is sprayed from spray arms with different pumping speeds, the sprayed liquid reaches different locations due to different pumping speeds. This increases the likelihood that water resting in different areas of the home appliance is exchanged by and by.
  • the antimicrobial device releases substances (e.g. ions) into the liquid being in contact with the antimicrobial device.
  • substances e.g. ions
  • the liquid containing such substances can be distributed in the home appliance resulting in antimicrobial effects remote to the antimicrobial device.
  • EP 05 009 754.2 As mentioned above, the disclosure of unpublished application EP 05 009 754.2 is incorporated herein by reference to its full content.
  • the arrangement and embodiment of the antimicrobial device mentioned above is preferably as described in EP 05 009 754.2 .
  • the embodiments are as follows:
  • the antibiotic agent in the following also referred to as antimicrobial agent, is used to manage what is usually called control of growth.
  • Control of growth means to prevent growth of microorganisms, in particular bacteria, fungi or algae. This control is achieved by killing microorganisms or by inhibiting growth of microorganisms
  • Control of growth usually involves the use of physical or chemical agents, which either kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms. Agents that kill cells are called cidal agents. Agents that inhibit the growth of cells without killing them are referred to as static agents.
  • bactericidal or fungicidal refers to killing bacteria or fungi and bacteriostatic refers to inhibiting the growth of bacteria cells.
  • At least one antibiotic agent is provided inside the home appliance, in particular in and/or on and/or near wetted areas inside and/or on an inner surface of the home appliance.
  • antibiotic agent is provided in or on or near these areas in this context (and in the following) means, that it is directly located there and can be effective from that place or that it may at least reach these areas.
  • the at least one antibiotic agent is provided in and/or on and/or near areas inside the home appliance located in stagnant liquid.
  • a localized use of antibiotic agents also grants good cost performances. Therefore, an object can be to focus the use of the antibiotic agent to some sensitive spots in which small amounts of the agent have great effectiveness. Besides keeping costs down, this in some cases also avoids heavy mixing of plastics with antibiotic fillers and therefore favours recyclability.
  • At least part of a washing tub and/or at least part of a sump (sink) being part of the washing tub or connected to the washing tub, and/or at least part of at least one insert inside the home appliance are/is provided with at least one antibiotic agent.
  • Inserts may be dish baskets and/or spraying arms and/or sieve systems or filters and the like.
  • Stagnant liquid mainly remains in the sump and/or outlet and/or pipes of the home appliance, were the rinsing liquid is collected and lead away. Therefore, the antibiotic agents preferably will at least be provided in this area. But there may also be some liquid leftovers in other parts of the appliance, e.g. parts of an inserts or the washing tub, where antibiotics are advantageous to prevent growth of microorganisms.
  • At least one antibiotic agent is provided on part of the surface of the washing tub and/or the sump and/or the insert.
  • At least one antibiotic agent is at least part of a surface coating, in particular a foil and/or a fabric and/or a synthetic resin and/or a paint and/or a varnish and/or a lacquer.
  • the antibiotic agent may be mixed with the paint, lacquer, synthetic resin, etc. or raw materials for the foil or fabric, With another embodiment, the antibiotic agent itself may form a surface coating or may form one of several coating layers on the surface.
  • the at least one antibiotic agent may also be part of a construction material, in particular a resin composition and/or a plastic composition and/or a fabric, of the tub and/or the sump and/or at least one insert.
  • the agent may be incorporated by mixing it with the raw material or one of the raw materials before forming processes such as e.g. extruding or co-extruding or moulding, in particular injection-moulding or rotation-moulding; and/or subsequent thermoforming etc.
  • At least one antibiotic agent is provided inside or on the surface of at least one replaceable or removable component which can be fixed or is fixed inside the washing tub or the sump.
  • the antibiotic agent can be provided in a very small amount which may also be very cost effective. If necessary, for example if the antibiotic agent is used up or the amount of antibiotic has been insufficient, there can be put a new or an additional antibiotic-bearing component inside the home appliance. Furthermore, the parts of the home appliance are recyclable without any problem after simply taking out the removable antibiotic-bearing component.
  • the antibiotic agent preferably comprises at least one of the elements silver or copper or zinc or mercury or tin or lead or bismuth or cadmium or chromium or thallium and/or at least one of the ions thereof, i.e. ions of one or more of the aforementioned elements silver, copper, zinc, mercury, tin, lead, bismuth, cadmium, chromium or thallium.
  • the antimicrobial agent comprises silver ions and/or copper and/or zinc.
  • silver has proven to be an excellent bacteriostatic agent and it can be effectively used when bacteria get in contact with ions. It is also preferred that silver is put in contact with stagnant liquid remaining inside the home appliance, e.g. in the sump, and silver static effectiveness will be thus used all inside the liquid mass, because ions will be able to move and block bacteria inside it.
  • the antibiotic agent comprises a ceramic matrix, in particular a natural and/or synthetic zeolite matrix, bearing the at least one bacteriostatic and/or at least one bactericidal and or at least one fungicidal and/or at least one anti-algal substance.
  • the so-called antimicrobial filler may be incorporated in a surface coating or a construction material or applied on a surface of a component, insert or the wall of the washing tub and/or the sump of the home appliance. The antibiotic substances are then given out of the ceramic matrix by means of ion exchange.
  • the home appliance can be equipped with any of the above mentioned device features and/or the control unit thereof is adapted to control any of the methods and method steps.
  • FIG. 1 The schematic illustration of a dishwasher 2 shown in Fig. 1 is not drawn to scale. Particular relations are shown exaggerated for a conceptual representation. For example the heights of the liquid levels are drawn in an exaggerated manner.
  • washing tub 4 of the dishwasher 2 only the upper basket 6 and the upper spray arm 8 are shown.
  • Cleaning liquid is supplied to the upper spray arm 8 by sucking cleaning liquid from a sink 18 of the washing tub 4 by a circulation pump 12 and pumping the washing liquid through pipe 14 to the spray arm 8. From the spray arm 8 the liquid is sprayed - only the two exemplary spray jets 10 are shown.
  • a draining pump 16 is also connected to the sink 18 and is activated for draining the liquid out of the dishwasher 2 via draining hose 20.
  • the sprayed liquid collects in the sink 18 where it passes a particle filter 22 (sieve).
  • the water level in the sink 18 is detected by a water level sensor 28.
  • the execution of dishwashing programs is controlled by a control unit 24 which is connected to a user panel 32 at a door (not shown) of the dishwasher 2 such as to receive signals of user input selections and to send indication signals to the user panel 32 for informing the user about operational conditions.
  • the user panel 32 houses a door switch 30 which detects opening and closing of the dishwasher door.
  • the control unit 24 also controls opening and closing of an inlet valve 26 for supplying a controlled amount of fresh water into the dishwasher 2.
  • the control unit 24 activates the draining pump 16 which drains the liquid from the sink 18.
  • the liquid can not be completely drained out of the dishwasher 2 and a residual liquid 34 remains within the sink 18 after switching off the draining pump 16.
  • the residual liquid 34 has a lower liquid level 36 as shown in an exaggerated manner in Fig. 1.
  • an antimicrobial agent as known for example from EP 05 009 754 which results in an antimicrobial effect on the water coming into contact with the filter material.
  • an activator plate 40 is arranged which also comprises an antibiotic or antimicrobial agent also resulting in an antimicrobial effect when bringing the liquid into contact with the surface of the activator plate 40.
  • the draining pump 16 When finishing a dishes cleaning program or after finishing a dishes pre-wash program, the draining pump 16 is activated and liquid collected in the sink is not completely drained out, but a residual amount of liquid is retained which results in a higher level of residual liquid 34 having an upper liquid level 38 above the lower level 36 mentioned above. This way of retaining a higher amount of residual liquid 34 is preferably used when relatively clean rinsing liquid is available from the last rinsing step.
  • the draining pump 16 is operated until the lower level 36 of residual liquid 34 is attained (in this case one can say that the previous articles treatment program has been finished or completed) and the control unit 24 opens the inlet valve 26 for a predetermined time or until the water level sensor 28 detects the residual liquid reaching the upper level 38. This way of filling fresh liquid into the dishwasher is preferred when the previous residual liquid to be drained is relatively soiled, for example if a pre-wash is performed only.
  • the upper level 38 is defined by the requirement that when activating the circulation pump 12 for circulating the residual liquid 34, there must be enough liquid volume such that the circulated liquid reaches the upper spray arm 8 and can be sprayed throughout the interior of the washing tub 4.
  • the upper level 38 is defined such that the activator plate 40 is completely covert by the residual liquid 34 as shown in Fig. 1.
  • the upper lever 38 is defined such that a heating element (not shown) for heating the washing liquid is at least partially immersed in the residual liquid 34 for heating it by the heating element.
  • the residual liquid 34 is drained by activating the draining pump 16 until the lower level 36 is reached.
  • the residual liquid 34 with the upper level 38 can also be stored in the dishwasher 2 and can then be used in the next washing program. For example this increased amount of liquid is used for a pre-wash of the next dish washing program.
  • the circulation pump 12 can be operated for short times, such that eddies or flows are induced in the residual liquid 34 in the sink 18 resulting in a water exchange at the surface of elements 22 and/or 40.
  • the circulation pump 12 is activated for a longer period such that the residual liquid is circulated through the fluid circulation paths of the dishwasher 2 (i.e. the spray arms, the pipes and also spray jets wetting all elements within the washing tub 4).
  • the fluid circulation paths of the dishwasher 2 i.e. the spray arms, the pipes and also spray jets wetting all elements within the washing tub 4.

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  • Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
EP06020918A 2006-10-05 2006-10-05 Appareil domestic et opération de celui-ci Withdrawn EP1908387A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06020918A EP1908387A1 (fr) 2006-10-05 2006-10-05 Appareil domestic et opération de celui-ci

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06020918A EP1908387A1 (fr) 2006-10-05 2006-10-05 Appareil domestic et opération de celui-ci

Publications (1)

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EP1908387A1 true EP1908387A1 (fr) 2008-04-09

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EP06020918A Withdrawn EP1908387A1 (fr) 2006-10-05 2006-10-05 Appareil domestic et opération de celui-ci

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EP (1) EP1908387A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2952129A1 (fr) * 2014-06-04 2015-12-09 Winterhalter Gastronom Gmbh Système de filtration pour un lave-vaisselle et lave-vaisselle doté d'un tel système de filtration
EP3296672A4 (fr) * 2015-05-11 2018-06-20 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Appareil électroménager

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB736024A (en) * 1952-11-14 1955-08-31 Hoover Ltd Improvements relating to washing machines
EP1550396A2 (fr) * 2003-12-26 2005-07-06 Lg Electronics Inc. Lave-vaisselle comportant des éléments ayant une couche à plasma
EP1719443A1 (fr) * 2005-05-04 2006-11-08 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Appareil ménager

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB736024A (en) * 1952-11-14 1955-08-31 Hoover Ltd Improvements relating to washing machines
EP1550396A2 (fr) * 2003-12-26 2005-07-06 Lg Electronics Inc. Lave-vaisselle comportant des éléments ayant une couche à plasma
EP1719443A1 (fr) * 2005-05-04 2006-11-08 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Appareil ménager

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2952129A1 (fr) * 2014-06-04 2015-12-09 Winterhalter Gastronom Gmbh Système de filtration pour un lave-vaisselle et lave-vaisselle doté d'un tel système de filtration
EP3296672A4 (fr) * 2015-05-11 2018-06-20 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Appareil électroménager

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