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
  • A47L15/0002—Washing processes, i.e. machine working principles characterised by phases or operational steps
• • 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
  • A47L15/0021—Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
  • A47L15/0026—Rinsing phases
• • 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
  • A47L15/0021—Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
  • A47L15/0031—Water discharge phases
• • 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
  • A47L15/0047—Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• • 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
  • A47L2601/00—Washing methods characterised by the use of a particular treatment
  • A47L2601/02—Pressurised cleaning liquid delivered by a pump

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a process for operating a dishwasher, in which at least one cleaning step is carried out during which a warmed washing liquid containing a cleaning agent is circulated within the dishwasher, at least one rinsing step is carried out during which a warmed washing liquid containing a rinse aid is circulated within the dishwasher, and a drying step is carried out during which the circulation of the washing liquid is terminated and the washing liquid is drained from the dish washer.
• the user usually can select amongst several program variants in order to adapt the respective washing program to the articles to be washed as well as to the degree of soiling of such articles, be it dishes, pots, pans, silverware etc.
• the program variables such as, for example, the duration of the individual program steps, the amount of water supplied into the dishwasher, the amount of cleaning agent added, the temperatures to be reached in the individual steps as well as the number of the individual washing steps are varied.
• DE 199 34 121 A1 describes a washing process for dishwashers of the type mentioned above, in which during a rinsing step preceding the drying step fresh water is introduced into the washing tub and is heated until a temperature of 60°C is reached in the interior of the tub. In the drying step the circulation of the washing liquid is terminated and the washing liquid is drained from the dishwasher. Furthermore, when in the drying step the temperature in the washing tub has reached 60 °C and a delay of 5 to 10 minutes has lapsed, a motor driven fan is started to withdraw from the interior of the dishwasher any vapour that has formed during the drying of the dishes.
• the energy consumption of the dishwasher is considerably lowered, while at the same time by lowering the temperature the distribution of the rinse aid over the articles which are arranged within the dishwasher is considerably improved, so that the dripping-off of the washing liquid from the articles is improved and shorter drying times are achieved.
• the present invention thus takes advantage of the fact that most users of dishwashers do not immediately unload the dishwasher after termination of the washing program, so that in most cases a considerable amount of time elapses between the end of the program and the time when the machine is unloaded, which time thus can be advantageously used to dry the articles by the natural drying effect.
• the present process provides for better distribution of the rinse aid and hence for better removal of the washing liquid from the articles by the dripping effect, thus leaving less liquid on the articles that needs to be evaporated to achieve complete drying of the cleaned articles.
• the method of the present invention also provides for substantially shorter washing cycles, so that the articles to be washed are available for reuse after shorter time periods, although in cases where the dishwasher is unloaded immediately after termination of the washing program some moisture might remain on the articles, so that for complete drying of the cleaned goods it might be necessary to additionally dry the cleaned articles by hand.
• the temperature to which the washing liquid is warmed during the last rinsing step preceding the drying step can be in he range of from 30 to 50 °C, preferably of from 40 to 45 °C, which is considerably lower than the temperatures used in the hot rinse step of the known processes.
• the rinse aid which is distributed during the rinsing step over the articles to be washed, so as to promote removal of any washing liquid from the articles during the subsequent drying step, maybe added either during one of the rinsing steps or may be made available by adding to the washing liquid already during step (A) a multi-component agent containing at least a cleaning agent and a rinse aid and by taking precautions that dissolution of the rinse aid is prolonged or carried over into the rinsing step.
• Such multi-component agents or combined agents usually contain at least a cleaning agent and a rinse aid (2in1 agent), but additionally may contain an agent acting on the salt content of the washing liquid so as to adapt the water hardness (3in1 agent), optionally additionally a glass protecting agent (4in1 agent), and optionally additionally containing an agent to improve shining of the stainless steel tub of the dishwasher (5in1 agent).
• Usually such multi-component agents are provided as tabs that are placed into the respective washing agent compartment of the dishwasher before starting the wash program.
• the various substances contained in the multi-component agent is added to the washing liquid already at the beginning of the washing program, the individual agents are released into the washing liquid with a different timing. Basically this can be provided for either by so-called carry-over or by encapsulating, sometimes called encysting, of those agents which are to be released later in the washing cycle.
• those substances that shall be used at a later point in time such as the rinse aid, are encapsulated within the tab, for example, by using a wax capsule, which does not dissolve until a certain stage in the program is reached.
• Decomposition of the capsule can be provided, for example, in dependency of pH-value or of temperature.
• the rinsing step can be either a single rinsing step or a sequence of individual rinsing steps, wherein during the first rinsing step(s) no rinse aid is added to the washing liquid, which rinse aid is added to the washing liquid only in the last rinsing step
• a plurality of rinsing steps can be of particular advantage if heavy soiled articles are to be cleaned.
• Such plural rinsing steps may comprise, for example, a first rinsing step with cold water to which no rinse aid is added, and a subsequent rinsing step with water having a temperature of between 30 and 50 °C, preferably of between 40 and 45 °C, to which a rinse aid is added.
• the circulation of the washing liquid through the dishwasher should be continued for a sufficient time to guarantee that the rinse aid is distributed over the articles that are arranged within the dishwasher.
• the process is implemented such that during the rinsing step the washing liquid first is heated to the desired temperature, for example, 45 °C, and then is circulated throughout the dishwasher until the desired temperature is reached within the dishwasher, i.e. until the articles that are arranged within the dishwasher have been brought to the desired temperature, which temperature can be measured within the dishwasher by temperature probes.
• a predetermined amount of rinse aid is added to the washing liquid, which washing liquid containing the rinse aid then is circulated through the dishwasher for a duration of 1 to 15 minutes, preferably of from 5 to 10 minutes, so as to homogeneously distribute the rinse aid over the articles arranged within the dishwasher.
• the washing liquid is drained from the dishwasher by activating the drain pump.
• the drying step is terminated, i.e. the washing program is ended, the end of the program is indicated to the user and the door of the dishwasher is unlocked so that the dishwasher can be unloaded.
• the drain pump may again be activated so as to empty the sump of the dishwasher by draining the washing liquid that has dripped off from the cleaned articles and has accumulated in the4 dishwasher sump.
• the present invention also relates to a dishwasher comprising a control arrangement that is adapted to conduct the process described above. While the dishwasher can be adapted to always be operated using the said process, preferably the dishwasher comprises a selector arrangement, by which a user can select the said process, or a different process, such as washing cycles as they are implemented in known dishwashers.
• the present process takes advantage of the behaviour of many users of dishwashers, who either do not immediately unload the dishwasher after termination of the program, but rather leave the dishwasher operating unattended, for example, over night or also during daytime, when users start the dishwasher in the morning before leaving to work and unload the dishwasher not until returning home after work in the late afternoon or evening.
• consumers who want to reuse their cleaned dishes very fast, for example, when there is a party where many dishes are needed, it is important that the dishes are cleaned fast and it can be accepted that they are not completely dry at the end of the program.
• the present process thus enables the customer to shorten the washing program and to thereby save energy, wherein nevertheless sufficient drying is ensured by distributing a rinse aid over the articles to be washed and heating the washing fluid only to such a temperature that foaming of the rinse aid, which would be detrimental to the distribution of the rinse aid, is avoided.

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• Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39387225

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Citations (9)

• 2008
  • 2008-01-18 EP EP08000930A patent/EP2082677A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (9)

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