EP1961363B1 - Commercial dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a commercial dishwasher in the form of a programmer according to the preamble of claim 1.

A dishwasher of this kind is from the DE 10 2005 023 428 A1 known. Further dishwashers are known from the following documents: EP 0 536 621 . US 3,807,420 ; US 4,179,821 ; EP 0 978 250 A2 . EP 0 711 528 A1 . EP 0 378 836 A1 and DE 40 29 958 A1 ,

Commercial dishwashers, which are designed for the batch loading and unloading of a treatment chamber with items to be washed, are in particular front-loader dishwashers or basket-type dishwashers. In front door machines, the items to be washed are placed in a basket, and the basket loaded with items to be washed is placed through a front door in the treatment chamber and removed again after cleaning through the front door. Basket feeders are loaded with items to be washed

Dish baskets pushed manually from an input side into the treatment chamber and manually removed after completion of a wash program from an output side of the treatment chamber. Front door machines and basket pass machines contain only a single treatment chamber for treating the items to be washed. The front door machines can be under-counter goods washer or top-counter goods washer. The cleaning of items to be washed is usually carried out by at least one cleaning process, during which the wash ware is sprayed with a wash liquid, and at least one subsequent rinsing process during which the items to be washed are sprayed with final rinse liquid. The rinse liquid can be fresh water or a mixture of fresh water and rinse aid. Commercial dishwashers designed for batch charging are also referred to as batch dish washers or batch-ware washers.

Wash ware may in particular be dishes, glasses, cutlery, bowls, pots, trays, boxes, etc.

In commercial dishwashers mainly two drying processes are used. In the first method, the dishes that are still hot after the rinsing process are removed from the machine, where they are then dried in ambient air in four to ten minutes. For drying the items to be washed, it is usually left in the baskets in the process described above, in which it was arranged for cleaning in the dishwasher. According to the second method, air drying takes place in the dishwasher.

Fresh air drying systems for commercial front door or under counter dishwashers operate with a high air flow rate in the range of 25 to 60 m ³ per hour to dry the dishes in a very short time. The high air volume flows are due to the shortness of the drying process in the commercial sector. Compared to one conventional drying of a domestic dishwasher, the active drying time of a commercial dishwasher is many times shorter. While the program runtime drying in a household appliance is about 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, the program runtime drying in commercial use is between 1.5 and 5 minutes. This drastically shortened drying process, in particular due to the high air volume flow, is achieved in the Drying channel located condensed water blown out through a blow-out. In addition, smaller amounts of washing and rinsing liquid can get into the drying channel, since the drying channel is connected to the interior of the dishwasher. In stand-by phases and during the daily start-up or heating up of the machine, it is also possible for condensation drops to form in the drying channel.

If now the drying process is started, the water droplets located or hanging in the drying channel are entrained by the high air velocities and conveyed or blown out of the blow-out opening of the dishwasher. Furthermore, due to the air flow, a water film forming at the bottom of the drying channel is partly discharged through the outlet opening. This leads to the fact that individual drops are thrown from the dishwasher into the environment, and secondly that dripping water drains from the channel outlet at the front of the machine. The total amount of water thus discharged, which varies depending on the mode or cycle sequence, can be up to about 10 ml during a single drying phase.

The object of the invention is to provide a possibility by which water discharge from a commercial dishwasher can be reduced.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

The invention enables a reduction of the water outlet, in particular during the drying process (drying phase) during the program sequence of the dishwasher.

Further features of the invention are contained in the subclaims.

Fig. 1

eine seitliche Schnittansicht einer ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform einer gewerblichen Geschirrspülmaschine;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht der gewerblichen Geschirrspülmaschine aus Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine seitliche Schnittansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer gewerblichen Geschirrspülmaschine nach der Erfindung;

Fig. 4

eine Teilschnittansicht der zweiten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 5

eine weitere Teilschnittansicht der zweiten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Geschirrspülmaschine;

Fig. 6

eine Teilschnittansicht der Geschirrspülmaschine gemäß Fig. 1 und Fig. 3 in Draufsicht.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings of preferred embodiments. In the drawings show

Fig. 1

a side sectional view of a first embodiment according to the invention of a commercial dishwasher;

Fig. 2

a perspective view of the commercial dishwasher Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

a side sectional view of a second embodiment of a commercial dishwasher according to the invention;

Fig. 4

a partial sectional view of the second embodiment;

Fig. 5

a further partial sectional view of the second embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention;

Fig. 6

a partial sectional view of the dishwasher according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 in plan view.

The FIGS. 1 and 3 show a longitudinal section through a commercial dishwasher 2, which has a treatment chamber 4 for receiving items 6 and a door 8 for closing a loading and unloading 10. The dishwasher 2 is designed for batchwise loading and unloading of the items to be washed 6 in a treatment area 12 in the treatment chamber 4. An air inlet 14 into the treatment chamber 4 is below the door 8 arranged at a location lower than the treatment area 12. At a higher point than the air inlet 14, an air outlet 16 is arranged from the treatment chamber 4 at a location higher than the treatment area 12. The dishwasher 2 has a main fan 18 for generating an airflow 20 along an airway 21, the airway 21 extending from the air inlet 14 through the treatment chamber 4 to the air outlet 16. The air flow 20 in the treatment chamber 4 is passed through the treatment area 12 for drying the wash item 6. A deflector device 22 having at least one deflector 23 is arranged and adapted to act on the airflow 20 entering the treatment chamber 4 through the air inlet 14 and cause evenly distributed entry of the air flow into the treatment area 12 from below.

The treatment chamber 4 has, for example, a volume between 60 l and 280 l.

The term "items to be washed" 6 includes, in particular, dishes, glasses, cutlery, pots, containers, boxes, trays, etc.

The treatment area 12 is an area in the treatment chamber 4 in which the items to be washed 6 are positioned for cleaning. The items to be washed 6 is preferably arranged in a basket 24. The treatment chamber 4 may include one or more basket receptacles, for example, as shown, a single basket receptacle 26, on each of which a basket 24 is positionable or positioned. Alternatively, for example, two stacked basket receptacles may be arranged.

A multiplicity of spray nozzles 28 are arranged in the treatment chamber 4 for spraying liquid 38, for example washing liquid or final rinse liquid, onto the items to be washed 6. Separate spray nozzles 28 may be provided for spraying washing liquid and final rinse liquid, respectively. The spray nozzles 28 may in particular, as shown, be formed on rotatable spray tubes, on fixed spray tubes or in a treatment chamber wall. at In the illustrated embodiments, the loading and unloading opening 10 is arranged on the front side 50 of the treatment chamber 4. A treatment chamber floor 32 has a passage opening 34 in a tank 36 or in a reservoir, which is provided for the reception of liquid 38. The passage opening 34 in the treatment chamber floor 32 is preferably covered by a tank screen 40. The dishwasher 2 is preferably provided for at least partially reusing the liquid 38 in the tank 36 for a further washing program, ie for a new batch of items to be washed 6.

The operating temperature of the liquid 38 in the tank 36 is preferably between 55 ° C and 65 ° C and is maintained at the operating temperature by a suitable temperature control device. A tempering device for rinsing liquid may be provided (not shown), for example outside the treatment chamber 4, which preferably keeps the final rinse liquid at a temperature between 63 ° C. and 85 ° C.

The air inlet 14 is according to the in the FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrated embodiments between guide elements 42, 44 formed, which are connected to a machine housing 46 or formed by this. In this case, an upper guide element 42 and a lower guide element 44 form at least one gap or slot. The lower guide element 44 is preferably inclined downwards towards the treatment chamber 4. The upper guide element 42 is preferably inclined away from the treatment chamber 4.

The air inlet 14 is preferably designed to generate an airflow 20 which covers the entire width of the treatment area 12.

An air inlet path 48 extends from a front side 50 of the dishwasher 2 through the lower door gap 52 to the air inlet 14. Alternatively, the air inlet path 48 may extend from an opening in a housing part or from an opening in the door 8 to the air inlet 14. The air inlet 48 is preferably formed labyrinth-shaped (see. FIGS. 1 and 3 ), to avoid that rinsing liquid 38 during a spraying operation of Spray nozzles 28 exits through the air inlet 48 from the dishwasher 2. In the air inlet path 48 may be arranged a particulate filter, for example a dust filter.

The deflector device 22, which is arranged in the air path 21 of the air flow 20, may be formed in one piece. Alternatively, the deflector device 22 may be designed in several parts, with at least two deflectors 23. The at least two deflectors 23 may be arranged at a distance from each other.

In the in the FIGS. 1 and 3 In embodiments of the dishwasher 2 according to the invention, the deflector device 22 is arranged at a distance from the air inlet 14. In particular, the deflector device 22 may be arranged on the treatment chamber bottom 32. Alternatively, the deflector device 22 or at least one deflector 23 thereof may be arranged on the tank screen 40. The deflector device 22 may alternatively be arranged adjacent to the air inlet 14, for example on a treatment chamber wall.

The air outlet 16 is arranged in an upper rear region 56 of the treatment chamber 4. As a result, the air path 21 and thus also the air flow 20 through the entire treatment area 12 of the treatment chamber 4, whereby a good drying result is achieved. Alternatively, the air outlet 16 may be located elsewhere above the washware area 12.

In the direction of flow after the air outlet 16, a drying channel 58 extends from the air outlet 16 to a machine outlet in the form of a discharge opening 60, which is preferably arranged on the machine front 50, such as in the FIGS. 1 to 4 shown. The drying channel 58 preferably extends above the treatment chamber 4 and below a dishwasher blanket. An outlet cover 62, which in the area of Outlet opening 60 is arranged, provides the desired flow conditions at the exhaust opening 60th

The drying channel 58 has in its channel bottom 61 a transversely to the channel bottom 61 extending gutter 63. The drainage channel 63 has a drain opening 64. The channel bottom 61 rises from the air outlet 16 to the gutter 63 towards. The drainage opening 64 of the drainage channel 63 is shielded on its underside by a shielding against splash water from the treatment chamber 4. The shielding device consists in the described embodiments of a tubular drainage channel 65, which (see also in particular Fig. 4 ) An adjacent to the drain opening 64, downwardly directed drain section 65-1, an adjoining, transverse to the drain section 65-1 extending, ie, thus extending approximately horizontally, intermediate portion 65-2, and an adjoining, in turn down directed end portion 64-3 with an approximately downwardly opening. The shielding device or the drainage channel 65 can (see. Fig. 1 ) to the front of the dishwasher 2 or to the back (see. Fig. 3 ) be aligned. A lateral orientation is also conceivable.

The gutter 63 is located closer to the exhaust port 60 than to the air outlet 16. In the described preferred embodiments, the drainage channel 63 is arranged in the half of the drying channel 58 facing the blow-off opening 60, preferably in the range of approximately 60% to 95% of the drying channel length. Further preferred is a range of 75% to 85% of the length thereof.

In the lower part of the exhaust opening 60 (see Fig. 4 ) is formed by a projection which extends from the channel bottom 61 of the exhaust opening 60 upwards, a leakage barrier 66. This prevents rinsing liquid or condensate, which reaches the outlet barrier 66, from leaking onto a floor or onto the door 8. Upstream of the outlet barrier 66 is in the region thereof or in front of the same a second drain opening 67 in the bottom of the drying channel 58th educated. Liquid which is prevented from leaving the dishwasher 2 by the outlet barrier 66 can drain through the second drainage opening 67. The discharge opening 68 terminates behind the upper end of the door 8 of the dishwasher 2 via a door seal, which serves as a sealing element between the door 8 and the housing of the dishwasher 2.

Downstream of the drainage channel 63, ie between the drainage channel 63 and the discharge opening 60, the channel bottom 61 drops at least in a partial region to the discharge opening 60. In the embodiments according to the FIGS. 1 and 3 If a bottom portion 61-2 of the channel bottom 61 downstream of the gutter 63 falls directly thereafter from the same downstream. Another sloping channel bottom portion 61-3 is disposed upstream of the spill stop 66 and terminates at the spill stop 66th

The drying channel 58 has a channel body 69. This forms a first drying channel section 70, which extends from the air outlet 16 to near the front edge of the dishwasher 2. The first drying channel section 70 is adjoined by a second drying channel section 71, which opens into the outlet opening 60. The channel body 69 and the main fan 18 are connected to a fastening element, for. B. in the form of a bayonet nut 72, fixed to the ceiling 4-2 of the treatment chamber 4. In the region of the rear end of the drying channel 58, ie the same at the air outlet 16 of the treatment chamber 4 side facing thereof, a condensate outlet 73 is provided from the drying channel 58 into the treatment chamber 4 at a lowest point of the drying channel 58. The condensate outlet 73 can open into the air outlet 16 of the treatment chamber 4 or through recesses 74 in the channel body 69 and these corresponding recesses 75 in the fastener, which in the illustrated preferred embodiment, as already mentioned, the bayonet nut 72, open into the treatment chamber 4.

In the illustrated embodiments, the main fan 18 is disposed in a region between the air outlet 16 and the exhaust port 60 for sucking air from the treatment chamber 4. Preferably, the main fan 18 is disposed at the air outlet 16. Alternatively to the illustrated embodiments, the main fan may be arranged to blow air into the treatment chamber 4.

In particular, it may be provided as in Fig. 1 10, that a volute of the main fan 18 is inclined toward the condensate outlet 73, so that liquid in the main fan 18 drains toward the condensate outlet 73. Alternatively, the spiral housing of the main ventilator 18 may also be arranged horizontally.

In the drying channel 58, a closure element 76 is preferably arranged, as in the FIGS. 1 and 3 shown, for closing the drying channel 58 with the main fan 18. By the closure member 76 is in particular prevents that during operation of the spray nozzles 28, a spray through the drying channel 58 and the exhaust opening 60 moves out of the dishwasher 2 out. The closure member 76 may be a controllable closure member which is controlled by a controller (not shown). Preferably, however, the closure element 76 is formed as shown by a flap which is automatically opened by the air flow 20 generated by the main fan 18 and automatically closed when the main fan 18 is turned off. Preferably, the flap is stored for this purpose at its upper end, so that the flap is automatically closed when the main fan 18 is turned off by gravity.

In addition to the main fan 18 is an additional fan 77 (see. Fig. 6 ) for supplying ambient air to the air stream 20 in the flow direction of the air stream 20 after the main fan 18 and after the air outlet 16. The auxiliary fan 77 is arranged to convey ambient air through an ambient air channel into the drying channel 58. A fan inlet 79 of the Additional fan 77 is disposed in the illustrated embodiment on the top of the additional fan 77, but may be arranged at any other location, according to the type of blower used. An orifice portion 82, in which the ambient air channel opens into the drying channel 58, acts as a mixing chamber for mixing the ambient air conveyed by the ambient air channel and the air stream 20 from the treatment chamber 4. The ambient air is atmospheric outside air, which is in a range between a Treatment chamber ceiling and the dishwasher ceiling is sucked.

As in Fig. 6 illustrated, flow guide 84 may be provided to improve mixing of the two air streams. In the direction of flow after the mouth region 82 flow guide 86 may be provided to reduce turbulence in the resulting air stream 88. By conveying ambient air in the effluent from the treatment chamber 4 air flow 20 is a condensation effect outside the dishwasher 2, which by the moist air flowing out is caused from the treatment chamber 4, reduced. In the ambient air duct, a closure element 90 may be arranged to close the ambient air duct when the auxiliary fan 77 is switched off. The closure element 90 of the ambient air duct may in particular be formed by a closure element, as described above with respect to the drying duct 58. Out Fig. 6 Furthermore, the course of the condensate outlet 73 becomes clear. This consists of a channel which extends (radially) to the main fan 18 and then opens into a recess in the bayonet nut 72.

The main ventilator 18 in the illustrated embodiment is configured to generate an airflow 20 at a rate that is 6 to 12 times the treatment chamber volume per minute. While the air is sucked from the treatment chamber in the axial direction, it is blown out in the radial direction.

At the in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment, a splash guard 102 is disposed in front of the air outlet 16 to prevent or reduce leakage of liquid from the treatment chamber 4 through the air outlet 16. The splash guard 102 may be equipped with a grease filter. The splash guard 102 is arranged in the illustrated embodiment with respect to the condensate drain 73 so that condensate draining through the condensate drain 73 drips onto the splash guard 102 and is directed by this to an edge region 104 of the treatment chamber 4 and thus past the Spülgutbereich 12. The splash guard 102 is optional and in the embodiment according to FIG Fig. 3 not shown.

For program control of the dishwasher 2 and its parts, such as in particular the main fan 18 and the additional fan 77, a program control device 200 is provided, which in Fig. 2 is indicated schematically.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosed features are useful not only in the described combinations but also in other combinations and individually.

Claims (8)

1. Industrial dishwasher (2) in the form of a batch dishwasher, containing a treatment chamber (4) for accommodating batches of wash ware (6) in a treatment region (12); a door (8) for closing a loading and unloading opening (10) of the treatment chamber (4); an air inlet (14) into the treatment chamber (4); an air outlet (16) out of the treatment chamber (4); a main blower (18) for generating an airflow (20) along an air path (21), which extends from the air inlet (14), through the treatment chamber (4), to the air outlet (16), the airflow (20) in the treatment chamber (4) being channelled through the treatment region (12) in order to dry the wash ware (6); a drying channel (58) which extends from the air outlet (16) of the treatment chamber (4) to a blowing-out opening (60) of the dishwasher for the purpose of removing the airflow from the air outlet (16) through the blowing-out opening (60); characterized in that, in the base (61), the drying channel (58) has a drainage means (63) which runs transversely to the channel base (61) and has a drainage opening (64), the channel base (61) sloping up in the direction of the drainage means (63), and in that in the bottom region of the blowing-out opening (60), an outflow barrier (66) is formed by a protrusion which extends upwards from the channel base (61) of the blowing-out opening (60).
2. Dishwasher (2) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the drainage opening (64) of the drainage means (63) has, on its underside, a splash screen (65) for protecting it against splash water from the treatment chamber (4).
3. Dishwasher (2) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the splash screen (65) is a tubular drainage channel which comprises a downwardly directed drainage portion (65-1) adjacent to the drainage opening (64), also comprises an intermediate portion (65-2) which adjoins the drainage portion (65-1) and runs transversely thereto, and further comprises a downwardly directed end portion (65-3) which adjoins the intermediate portion (65-2) and has a downwardly directed opening.
4. Dishwasher (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, upstream of the outflow barrier (66), a second drainage opening (67) is formed in the channel base (61).
5. Dishwasher (2) according to Claim 4, characterized in that the second drainage opening (67) opens out into a removal channel (68) which terminates behind the top end of the door (8).
6. Dishwasher (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, between the drainage means (63) and the blowing-out opening (60), the channel base (61) slopes down, at least in part, in the direction of the blowing-out opening (60).
7. Dishwasher (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drying channel (58) is arranged above the treatment chamber (4) and beneath a dishwasher top.
8. Dishwasher (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drying channel (58) has a channel body (69) which forms a first drying-channel portion (70), which extends from the air outlet (16) up to a housing wall of the dishwasher (2) and is adjoined by a second drying-channel portion (71), which opens out into the blowing-out opening (60).

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