EP2252191B1 - Method for self-cleaning of a continuous dishwasher and corresponding dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a method for self-cleaning a cleaning machine, in particular a continuous dishwasher, for cleaning, such as dishes

State of the art

Cleaning machines, in particular continuous dishwashers, which are used, for example, for cleaning the costs incurred in catering, to be cleaned dishes, Tray and container parts are known. While domestic dishwashing devices generally run through a program sequence with the successive cleaning steps in the case of a stationary arrangement of the dishes and cutlery items to be cleaned, the treatment zones are arranged successively in continuous dishwashing machines and the items to be cleaned or the item to be cleaned are removed from the feed area by means of suitably designed conveying means (Inlet area) transported by successive to be traversed treatment zones to the removal area (outlet area).

Conventional continuous-flow dishwashers generally have four different treatment zones between the inlet region and the outlet region. A conveyor promotes the items to be washed through the individual treatment zones. This is a pre-cleaning zone, at least one cleaning zone, a final rinse zone and a drying zone. In the pre-cleaning zone easily adhering dirt is removed from the material to be cleaned. For this purpose, rinsing liquid is sucked by a pump from the storage tank associated with this treatment zone and sprayed over the material to be cleaned by appropriately trained nozzles. Subsequently, the rinsing liquid flows back into the storage tank and is there again by a circulation pump aspirated and introduced into a circulation circuit. Usually, the storage tank is covered by sieves to keep larger dirt particles from the rinsing liquid.

In the at least one cleaning zone, which adjoins the pre-cleaning zone, dirt particles adhering to the items to be cleaned are removed by means of a usually alkaline rinsing liquid. For this purpose, the heated rinsing liquid is sucked by a further circulating pump from the storage tank associated with the storage tank and sprayed over the items to be washed by means of suitably positioned and oriented nozzles. Subsequently, the rinsing liquid flows back into the corresponding storage tank and is sucked in again by the circulation pump. Usually, the storage tank is covered by sieves in order to retain coarser dirt particles from the rinsing liquid.

In the final rinse zone, which adjoins the at least one cleaning zone, the alkaline rinsing liquid, which wets the surface of the ware, rinsed off together with any leftovers from the surface of the ware by means of hot fresh water to which a rinse aid is usually added. In certain embodiments of the rinsing zone, the fresh water is collected after this treatment step again in one of these treatment zone associated storage tank and sucked with a treatment zone associated circulating pump and distributed by the actual fresh water rinsing by means of nozzles on the dishes (pump clearing). Subsequently, the rinsing liquid flows back into the storage tank and is sucked in there again by the circulation pump.

The volume of water supplied to the described dishwasher in the final rinse zone overflows, only by the action of gravity, between the storage tanks of the individual zones, from zone to zone, thus renewing the contents of each of the storage tanks. In the first tank of the machine (pre-wash zone) there is an overflow, which directs the excess water to the sewer system. Each storage tank comprises a suitable device, such as a manually operated drain valve, which serves to empty each storage tank.

Out DE 10 2005 008987 B3 For example, a dishwasher is known which, in contrast to the embodiment described above, has filter means in each treatment zone with which the cleaning fluid contained in the respective storage tank is continuously filtered. This design of a dishwasher has additional pumps between the individual Storage tanks of the respective zones, so that the water which is supplied to the dishwasher in the rinse, controlled and can be selectively pumped into the storage tanks of other treatment zones. In addition, each of the storage tanks of this machine has its own electrically powered means for draining the tank, ie a pump.

At the end of an operating cycle, for example at the end of a working day, the above-described dishwashers are usually emptied and thoroughly cleaned. This is necessary to allow hygienic operation of the dishwasher. This cleaning is usually done in such a way that the doors or flaps fitted to each treatment zone are opened. Then the storage tank of each zone is emptied by the means provided, for example with the manual drain valves or, where appropriate, the pumps. Furthermore, all screens are removed from the tanks and cleaned outside the machine manually using water. The interior of the individual treatment zones is usually sprayed by hand with the aid of a hose with a spray device with water and rinsed out. Dirt, such as food debris, starch deposits and fat edges, etc., which have deposited during the rinsing operation inside the zones are removed in this way and rinsed through the discharge openings of the individual storage tanks in the sewer. The water, which is used for this purpose, is usually tap water, optionally heated tap water, without the addition of detergents.

The disadvantages of this procedure are that for thorough cleaning and rinsing of the individual treatment zones of the dishwasher a large amount of fresh water is consumed. This is due, inter alia, to the fact that water is usually used without the addition of cleaning agents and the contamination in the treatment zones at the end of a day, for example, also contains fat-like ingredients that are to be rinsed off. As a result, the fresh water consumption described above is additionally favored. The quality of the cleaning carried out in this way depends very much on the person performing the work, i. their conscientiousness with regard to doing the cleaning. The cleaning force must bend in order to carry out the activity or for visual inspection of the cleaning result through the door of the dishwasher in the respective treatment zone or hineinzwängen in this, which is not favorable for ergonomic reasons.

Since for the described manual cleaning the doors of the individual treatment zones must be open and these doors very often as sliding upwards sliding doors are formed, the back or the inside of these doors can not be hosed, but the cleaning of the back or the inside of such doors turns out to be very difficult. Depending on how the water jet from the spraying device impinges on walls or internals in the cleaning zone, this jet is reflected and splashes back in the direction of the cleaning force, as a result of which the conventional manual cleaning process after the end of the working day as a whole strongly depends on subjective influences , very inconvenient and, above all, very time consuming.

Solutions are known in which attempts are made by additional apparatus measures to eliminate the disadvantages outlined above or at least alleviate them. Thus, for example, a solution is known, according to which a nozzle system is arranged on the ceiling of each storage tank, which is fed by a separate pump. The separate pump is supplied from the storage tank of the pump flush. This water is still relatively clean at the end of a working day. During or after the water is drained or pumped from the remaining storage tanks, the water from the storage tank of the pump clearing can now be used to spout the covers of the storage tanks. The dripping water is then no longer collected, but runs into the sewage system. The disadvantage of this procedure lies in the fact that the amount of water in the storage tank of the pump clearing is very limited. The storage tank of the pump clearing usually has only a volume of about 30 1, so that by the single use of this amount, the cleaning effect is extremely limited.

Solutions are also known to mitigate by additional procedural measures, the disadvantages described above. For example, there are machines in which after the manual emptying and first cleaning of the sieves described above, the tanks of the machine are refilled, heated and enriched with cleaner. At the machine, which has been refurbished so cleanly with clean water, the circulation pumps of all tanks are restarted and the inside of the machine is sprayed with clean washing liquor. The disadvantage of this approach is that a very high level of additional water, cleaning and energy consumption is required to make the entire machine operational again at the end of an operating cycle. In addition, the filling and heating of the storage tanks takes a relatively long time. In the area of the pre-cleaning zone, the cleaning effect with this method will be insufficient, because on the one hand by the operation here most Dirt accumulates and on the other hand, this zone usually has neither a means for heating nor a way to dosing of cleaners.

DE 41 00 164 C1 refers to a method for rinsing dinnerware in large plants. A process for rinsing dinnerware in large-scale systems is disclosed in several successive process steps, wherein the dinnerware passes through several rinse zones in which the rinse water added, in some cases with surfactants, is fed cascade-like after passing through a rinsing zone in countercurrent to the respectively preceding rinse zone as rinse water becomes. In the pre-clearing only surfactant-free, heated fresh water is supplied. The wastewater withdrawn from the pre-evacuation zone connected upstream is fed directly to the wastewater line to the oil and grease separation stage and to the wastewater withdrawn from the rinse zone located at the end of the cascade.

Presentation of the invention

In view of the drawbacks of the prior art solutions outlined above, the object of the present invention is to provide a method in which automatic automatic cleaning of a continuous dishwasher is possible at the end of an operating period, such as a working day. Furthermore, the solution proposed by the invention is based on the object of designing an apparatus of a continuous-flow dishwasher so that the described method for the automatic automatic cleaning of the continuous-flow dishwasher can be carried out there.

According to the invention the object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are set forth in the subclaims.

The continuous-flow dishwasher proposed according to the invention comprises a filter device on each of the storage tanks and has, in addition to the circulating pumps for carrying out the actual rinsing process, further pumps between the individual ones Storage tanks of the respective treatment zones for the items to be washed. Thus, the water which is supplied to the continuous dishwasher, for example, within the pump clearing, be controlled and pumped specifically into the storage tank of the respective preceding cleaning zone. The inventively embodied continuous-flow dishwasher, in which a filter device is provided in each cleaning zone, with which the cleaning fluid, which is located in the respective storage tank, can be continuously filtered, advantageously has the property that the cleaning fluid in the individual storage tanks also on End of an operating cycle is still relatively clean. In the first tank, for example the storage tank of the pre-rinse zone (pre-clearing), there are the most dirt residues corresponding to the cleaning sequence; in each further, seen in the conveying direction of the goods to be cleaned, on this next storage tank, the degree of pollution decreases. In the pump rinsing zone, the relatively cleanest water is present, which in the described case of continuous fine filtering is virtually free of suspended particles.

• Der am stärksten verschmutzte Tank innerhalb einer Vorspülzone wird zunächst vollständig entleert. Dazu wird ein Feinfilter rückgespült und das dort enthaltene Konzentrat in den Abfluss der Kanalisation geleitet; eventuell im Tank verbliebenes Restwasser wird über eine Entleerungsvorrichtung ebenfalls in den Abfluss, d.h. der Kanalisation zugeleitet. Ein Feinfilter, der in einem zweiten Vorratstank angeordnet ist, wird anschließend rückgespült und sein Konzentrat in den ersten Tank geleitet. Dadurch entleert sich der zweite Vorratstank, der erste Vorratstank ist hingegen wieder befüllt.

This gradation of the water quality can now be advantageously exploited to the effect that relatively clean water, which is present in one of the cleaning zones since is to be used to clean the previous cleaning zone with procedurally larger amount of dirt. Based on the total number of cleaning zones of a continuous dishwasher with several storage tanks, this is done in the following manner:

• The most polluted tank within a pre-rinse zone is first completely emptied. For this purpose, a fine filter is backwashed and passed the concentrate contained therein into the drain of the sewer system; any remaining water in the tank is also fed via an emptying device into the drain, ie the sewer. A fine filter, which is arranged in a second storage tank, is then backwashed and passed its concentrate into the first tank. As a result, the second storage tank is emptied, whereas the first storage tank is refilled.

With each following in the conveying direction of the second storage tank tank is the same procedure, so that the last tank, such as the storage tank of the pump rinsing zone, with empty rinsed fine filter is ready. In the following step of the method proposed by the invention, the last storage tank is filled with fresh water. This water can be preheated and come, for example, from an on-site network or from a built-in boiler of the machine, and be enriched with detergent or rinse aid.

The addition of a rinse aid brings the particular advantage that at the end of the entire process sequence, all inner surfaces of the continuous dishwasher are sprayed with rinse solution, whereby the rinsing of dirt is particularly favored.

Now the renewed cleaning liquid, which is located in each treatment zone or each storage tank, for a certain time, for example, during a period of 60 s to 120 s, circulated through the respective treatment zone associated circulating pump.

Dirt residues, which are located in the respective treatment zone, are rinsed from all inner surfaces by means of the existing rinsing systems and nozzles and collected in the fine filter. After this cleaning process, the process cycle starts again.

The storage tanks are successively emptied as described above; at the same time, the filters of the individual storage tanks are rinsed and each tank is again filled with clean cleaning solution from the next tank. In contrast to the previous method now the storage tank of the pump clearing is no longer filled. Its insides are wetted by the fresh water and therefore sufficiently well cleaned. In a subsequent rinsing step, the still filled with liquid storage tanks are rinsed again as described above. This cycle is now repeated again, with the exception that now also the second last tank is not refilled.

The process cycles described above are repeated until at last only the first tank of the continuous dishwasher is filled with cleaning liquid. He is rinsed out one last time, the fine filter is also backwashed one last time and then emptied the tank. At the end of this procedure with the use of a filling of the pump rinsing tank, corresponding to about 301 water, all storage tanks, all fine filters and all inner surfaces of the treatment zones of the machine have been completely cleaned several times, each with always clean water. If necessary, the first step can be repeated several times with the filling of the storage tank of the pump clearing last in the transport direction before the further steps with the successive emptying of the machine are followed. Before starting the automated process, it may be necessary to remove existing coarse sieves from the continuous dishwasher, clean them manually and then re-insert them into the machine.

At the end of the automated method proposed according to the invention, only the filter devices on the emptying devices can be removed from the storage tanks and poured out by hand. The advantages of the method proposed according to the invention, in particular of the automated method, lie in the extremely economical handling of the resources, be it fresh water, be it heating energy, be it cleaning agents, because they are usefully used several times. A further advantage of the method proposed according to the invention is the fact that heated rinsing liquid with cleaning agent is also introduced into the pre-rinsing zone (pre-evacuation) by means of the described cascade principle for self-cleaning. In the rinsing mode, this zone runs cold and without detergent addition, on the other hand, especially with a strong pollution expected. In a further advantageous manner, just this heavily polluted zone with the most cycles is cleaned inside. Overall, the inventive method proposed with relatively little effort on raw materials, labor and time provided an automatic, effective cleaning of a multiple storage tanks continuous flow machine on all inner surfaces in a consistently high quality.

In order to improve the effect of the proposed method according to the invention in an advantageous manner, each of the cleaning zones of the dishwasher is equipped with additional nozzles. These are designed so that all inner surfaces of the respective zones can be sprayed with cleaning liquid. For this purpose, the nozzle heads with their outlet openings are oriented or positioned accordingly. In addition, the inner sides of the closed doors are acted upon in sufficient quantity with cleaning liquid through these nozzle heads. These nozzle heads are either directly attached to the washing systems of the respective zone, or special nozzles or washing systems are installed in the individual cleaning zones, which reach and wet all inner surfaces.

The mentioned nozzle heads or nozzles or washing systems are supplied either directly from the respective built-circulation pump of the cleaning zone with cleaning directly from the built-circulation pump each of the cleaning zone with cleaning fluid, or there are special pumps that are controlled accordingly for the realization of the self-cleaning function. Advantageously, the inner surfaces of the machine are smooth and formed without narrow gaps and corners to improve the cleaning result. In a further embodiment of the solution proposed by the invention, the ceiling of each storage tank is designed with a slope, so that all residues of the introduced in the automated cleaning cycle cleaning fluid drain well. Any existing Grobsiebsysteme and the bottoms of the storage tanks are designed so that all residual fluids are directed to each drain device. The inner sides or rear sides of the doors are profiled, for example, with a herringbone pattern, whereby a damming of the liquid film forming on the surface is achieved and detached contaminants can be optimally washed away, without it after carrying out the inventive proposed automatic cleaning cycle 'manual intervention of a Operator required.

Brief description of the drawings

With reference to the drawing, the invention will be described below in more detail.

Figur 1

eine schematisch wiedergegebene Darstellung einer Ausführungsform einer Durchlaufspülmaschine,

Figuren 2a und 2b

ein Schema des erfindungsgemäß vorgeschlagenen Verfahrensablaufes in unterschiedlichen Verfahrensstadien,

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung eines unabhängigen Düsenkopfes, und

Figur 4

eine schematische Darstellung der Profilierung der Innenseite der Türen.

It shows:

FIG. 1

1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a continuous dishwasher,

FIGS. 2a and 2b

a diagram of the process sequence proposed according to the invention in different process stages,

FIG. 3

a schematic representation of an independent nozzle head, and

FIG. 4

a schematic representation of the profiling of the inside of the doors.

embodiments

The representation according to FIG. 1 is a schematically reproduced embodiment of a proposed inventions continuous flow dishwasher with a number of cleaning zones corresponding number of storage tanks to remove. In the illustration according to FIG. 1 is a section taken in the longitudinal direction of the inventively proposed continuous dishwasher.

The continuous dishwasher is shown without items to be cleaned, as the situation at the end of the rinsing operation after an operating period generally represents. The storage tanks of individual rinse zones 2, 3 and 4 are filled with dirty cleaning fluid whose degree of soiling is different from each other. Furthermore, a transport device 7 for the material to be cleaned is shown schematically. The transport device 7 is shown in the illustration FIG. 1 exemplified as a conveyor chain. However, other variants of the transport device can also be used. A transport direction, in which the material to be cleaned is conveyed during operation by the individual rinsing zones 2, 3, 4 of the continuous-flow dishwasher, is designated by reference numeral 8.

After an inlet 1, a pre-rinsing zone 2 with its at least one rinsing system 9 follows in the transport direction 8. When viewed in the transport direction 8, the main rinsing zone 2 is followed by a main washing zone 3 having at least one rinsing system 10 associated therewith. As seen in the transport direction 8, a pump rinsing zone 4, which likewise has at least one rinsing system 11, adjoins the main washing zone 3. Finally, the pump rinsing zone 4 is followed by a fresh water rinsing zone 5, which likewise has at least one rinsing system 12.

The inventively proposed method can also be carried out with a continuous dishwasher, the cleaning zones are constructed for the good to be cleaned in a different from the above list combination and / or number.

The representation according to FIG. 1 Furthermore, it can be seen that the individual cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 each have storage tanks 13 which are covered by coarse sieves 15, for example. The coarse sieves 15 keep coarser impurities away from the cleaning fluid stored in each of the storage tanks 13. Each of the storage tanks 13 is associated with a fine filter 16 and a pump 17 for rinsing the fine filter 16; Each of the storage tanks 13 of the individual cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 likewise has an emptying device 18. Not shown in FIG. 1 the circulation pumps 14, the individual cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 - are assigned - except the Frischwasserklarspülzone -. Also missing in the illustration according to FIG. 1 a filling device 21 for the fresh water rinsing zone 5.

Each of the above-mentioned cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the continuous dishwasher has at least one nozzle or a nozzle head, which is designed such that all inner surfaces of the respective cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 can be treated with cleaning liquid. The nozzles or the nozzle heads are oriented so that no non-wetted surface sections remain. In addition, the inner sides of the doors, which are in the closed state, via which the individual treatment zones are accessible from the outside, are wetted in sufficient quantity with cleaning liquid by the nozzles or the nozzle heads. The nozzles or nozzle heads are either directly attached to the flushing systems 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the respective cleaning zones 2, 3, 4, 5, or special nozzles or flushing systems are installed in the cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 and 5, with which all inner surfaces of the respective cleaning zone can be sprayed.

These nozzles or flushing systems are supplied either directly from the respective built-circulation pump 14 of the respective cleaning zone 2, 3, 4 and 5 with cleaning liquid, or there are special pumps for performing the self-cleaning provided. The inner surfaces of the cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the continuous-flow dishwasher are preferably designed with a smooth surface, without narrow gaps and corners. The ceiling of each of the storage tank 13 is designed in such a gradient that all remains of each sprayed cleaning liquid can drain well. Any existing Grobsiebsysteme 15 and the bottoms of the storage tank 13 are designed so that all possibly remaining in the storage tank 13 liquid residues are directed to each drain device. The inner sides or rear sides of the doors 24 allowing access to the respective cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 are preferred profiled with a herringbone pattern. As a result, it is possible to achieve a damming up of the liquid film on these surfaces, so that loosened soiling can be washed off in an optimal manner in the direction of the tanks 13.

The representations according to the FIGS. 2a and 2 B Different stages of the sequence of the inventively proposed automated cleaning process can be seen in certain operating conditions. The proposed method according to the invention runs cyclically; the individual steps within a cleaning cycle are indicated by the reference numerals 30 to 39.

Reference numeral 30 designates the starting situation at the end of an operating period, ie after the end of the purging operation. All storage tanks 13 of the individual rinse zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 are filled with used cleaning fluid 22. This is in the first zone, ie the pre-rinse zone 2, the strongest and in the zone 4, ie in the pump rinsing zone, least polluted. As a result of the fine filter 16 permanently in operation during operation of the continuous-flow dishwasher, the contamination of the cleaning fluid 22 at the end of the rinsing operation is relatively low. In the FIGS. 2a and 2 B For example, a high degree of contamination of the cleaning fluid 22 is characterized by a narrow hatching and a low degree of soiling of the cleaning fluid 22 by a further hatching. Each of the storage tanks 13 of the pre-rinsing zone 2 of the main rinsing zone 3 and the fresh water or pump rinsing 4, 5 is associated with an emptying device 18. The storage tank 13 of Pumpenklarspül- or Frischwasserklarspülzone 4, 5 can be filled by the filling device 21 with fresh water.

Each of the tanks 13 is assigned a pre-rinsing system 9 or rinsing system 10 and 11, wherein the cleaning fluid 22 present in the respective tanks 13 in different degrees of contamination is conveyed via circulating pumps 14 into the respective pre-rinsing 9 or rinsing systems 10 and 11. Furthermore, each of the storage tanks 13 has a coarse screen 15 (not shown) and a fine filter 16. The pumping of cleaning fluid 22 from one of the storage tanks 13 in a respective downstream storage tank 13 via pumps 17th

Reference numeral 31 identifies a first step of a cycle of the automated cleaning method proposed according to the invention. The most polluted storage tank 13 of the pre-rinse zone 2 is completely emptied. For this purpose, the fine filter 16 is backwashed by means of the pump 17 and passed the present in the fine filter 16 concentrate into the drain. In the storage tank 13 remaining cleaning fluid 22 is via the emptying device 18 if necessary, also discharged into the drain. The fine filter 16 in the storage tank 13 of the main washing zone 3 is then backwashed, the concentrate is passed into the storage tank of the pre-rinsing zone 2. As a result, the storage tank 13 of the main wash zone 3 is emptied and the storage tank 13, which is associated with the pre-wash zone 2, refilled. In the storage tank 13, which is associated with the pre-rinsing zone 2, there is thus cleaning fluid 22, which is heated and optionally enriched with cleaner, and has a lower degree of contamination identified by the further hatching. This is indicated by the stage 32.

With each - seen in the transport direction 8 of the material to be cleaned - on the storage tank 13 of the main wash zone 3 following storage tank 13 is also moved until the last of the storage tank 13, such as the storage tank 13, the Pumpenklarspülzone 4 and the Frischwasserklarspülzone 5 is assigned , is ready empty with rinsed fine filter 16. This stage is indicated by reference numeral 32.

In the following method step 33, the last seen in the transport direction 8 of the storage tank 13, such as the Pumpenklarspülzone 4 or the Frischwasserklarspülzone 5 associated storage tank 13 is filled with fresh water. This is done via the filling device 21. This water can be preheated, for example, be taken from the on-site network or the built-in boiler of the continuous dishwasher; if necessary, it may be enriched with detergent or rinse aid.

According to method step 34, the renewed cleaning liquid, which is located in each of the cleaning zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 or each of these storage tanks 13, is then built in for a certain period of time, for example between 60 s and 120 s Pump 14 circulated. This is indicated in the stage 34 by the cleaning fluid 22 emerging from the pre-rinsing system 9 or from the rinsing systems 10 and 11. Dirt residues, which are located in the respective zone 2, 3, 4 and 5, are rinsed by means of the existing rinsing systems 9, 10 and 11 and nozzles from all inner surfaces (eg the storage tank 13 and the inside of an access door) and in the fine filter 16 collected.

After this rough cleaning process, the cycle begins again. The storage tanks 13 are, as described above with reference to the method steps 31 and 32, drained one after the other, at the same time the individual fine filters 16 of the individual storage tanks 13 are rinsed, and each of the storage tanks 13 again receives a filling with cleaning fluid 22, which has a lower degree of contamination, from the - seen in the transport direction 8 - Subsequent storage tank 13, see process step 35. The storage tank 13, which is associated with the Pumpenklarspülzone 4 and the Frischwasserklarspülzone 5 is no longer filled. Whose insides are sufficiently well cleaned by the fresh water supplied in step 33, so that it requires no further purification step.

In a subsequent method step 36, the cleaning fluid 22 of the storage tanks 13 of the pre-rinse zone 2 and the main washing zone 3 is again circulated and rinsed as described above. Thereafter, the pumping of the cleaning fluid 22 into a storage tank 13 of the preceding in the transport direction 8 zone occurs, with the deviation that now the storage tank 13 of the main wash zone 3 is not refilled according to process step 37. The pumping is repeated until at last only the storage tank 13, which is assigned to the pre-rinsing zone 2, is filled with cleaning fluid 22. This is finally circulated in step 38. In process step 39, the storage tank 13, which is assigned to the pre-rinsing zone 2, emptied, there is a final backwashing of the fine filter 16 and a complete emptying of the storage tank 13 of the pre-rinsing zone second

At the end of the process sequence described above are with the use of a filling of the storage tank 13, the Pumpenklarspülzone 4 and the Frischwasserklarspülzone 5 is assigned (about 301 water) all storage tanks 13 and all fine filter 16 of the continuous dishwasher several times each with increasingly cleaner cleaning fluid 22 and fresh water completely cleaned. There remains only the filter device to remove the emptying devices 18 from the storage tank 13 and to clean by hand, so for example pour. If necessary, the first method step 31 can be repeated several times after the filling of the storage tank 13 of the pump rinsing zone 4 or the fresh water rinsing zone 5, before the further steps are followed by a successive emptying of all storage tanks 13 of the continuous rinse machine.

FIG. 3 It can be seen that by means of an independent nozzle head 23 mounted, for example, in a roof surface of one of the cleaning zones, inner sides of the access doors 24 can be wetted. As a result, even in the corners and edges accumulating dirt can be replaced early, so that it does not even caking and solidifies, but can be rinsed off in a timely manner. The independent nozzle heads 23 may be designed to have, for example, a hemispherical nozzle head - as in FIG FIG. 3 shown - and the nozzles are introduced in this way, that wetting of the above the flushing systems 9, 10 and 11 lying sides of the cleaning zone, ie the ceiling and the inside of the door 24, always with cleaning fluid 22 can be swept.

FIG. 4 , See section line AA, it can be seen that at the doors 24, which allow access to the individual cleaning zones, for example, an inclined profile, ie a profiling 25 - preferably in herringbone form - is arranged. This advantageously prevents the accumulation of dirt, promotes its drainage with constant wetting, in particular a round configuration of the bottom of the individual profiles of the profiling 25 prevents drainage of cleaning fluid or a caking or setting of impurities.

The profiling 25 is arranged on the inside, for example, of each of the doors 24 and may, for example, at an angle - as in FIG. 4 - run from 45 °. Of course, other angles of inclination can be selected.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

enema

2

pre-wash zone

3

Main wash zone

4

pump-action

5

clean-water

6

outlet

7

transport means

8th

Direction of transport / working direction

9

prewash

10

Rinsing system main wash zone

11

Flushing system pump flushing

12

Rinsing system Fresh water rinsing

13

storage tank

14

circulating pump

15

coarse screen

16

fine filter

17

Pump for rinsing the fine filter 16

18

emptying $

19

Filter the emptying device

20

wastewater discharge

21

Filling device rinse zone

22

cleaning fluid

23

independent nozzle head

24

door

25

Profiling on the inside of the door

30

initial situation

31

first step

32

second step

33

Third step

34

fourth step (circulation phase)

35

fifth step

36

sixth step

37

seventh step

38

eighth step

39

last step

Claims (13)

1. Method for the automated self-cleaning of a continuous dishwasher which has a plurality of storage tanks (13) and comprises at least one rinsing zone (2, 3), at least one clear rinsing zone (4, 5), a transport means (7) for conveying items to be cleaned, a fine filter with a back-rinsing means (16) on at least one of the storage tanks (13) and also at least one automatically acting emptying device (18) for each of the storage tanks (13), including the following method steps:

   a) storing cleaning fluid (22) in at least one of the storage tanks (13), and pumping off cleaning fluid having the highest degree of soiling from one of the storage tanks (13),

   b) pumping over cleaning fluid (22) to the emptied storage tank (13),

   c) refilling the previously emptied storage tank (13) with cleaning fluid according to method step b),

   d) circulating the cleaning fluid (22) in the respective storage tank (13) and

   e) renewed pumping-over, following method step d), of the used cleaning fluid (22) to a storage tank (13) positioned upstream viewed in the direction of transportation (8) of the items to be cleaned,

   f) carrying out method steps b), c), d) until the storage tank (13) immediately following an inlet (1) is cleaned and

   g) fine-filtering the respective contents to be pumped over of the storage tank (13) in a back-rinsable fine filter (16) during method step d),

   h) back-rinsing the fine filter (16) prior to method steps b) or e) and at the same time pumping over cleaning fluid (22) to one of the storage tanks (13), and

   i) successive emptying of all of the storage tanks (13) .
2. Method according to Claim 1, including the following method steps:

   a. emptying the contents of the storage tank (13) associated with a pre-rinsing zone (2) into a waste water system,

   b. emptying the storage tank (13) of a main washing zone (3) into the storage tank (13) associated with a pre-rinsing zone (2),

   c. emptying all further storage tanks (13) into storage tanks (13) which each precede said storage tank,

   d. filling the last of the storage tanks (13), as viewed in the direction of transportation (8), with fresh water without or with the addition of a cleaning or clear rinsing agent,

   e. simultaneously, in all of the storage tanks (13), circulating the cleaning fluid (22) in each of the storage tanks (13) by means of circulating pumps (14) via rinsing systems (9, ,10, 11),

   f. renewed emptying of the storage tank (13) of the pre-rinsing zone (2) into the waste water system,

   g. renewed emptying of the storage tank (13) of the main washing zone (3) into the first storage tank (13) of the pre-rinsing zone (2),

   h. renewed emptying of all further storage tanks (13) in the same manner into storage tanks (13) which each precede said storage tank,

   i. keeping the last of the storage tanks (13), as viewed in the direction of transportation (8) of the items to be cleaned, empty,

   j. renewed simultaneous circulating of the cleaning fluid (22) in each of the storage tanks (13) by means of circulating pumps (14) via the respective rinsing system (9, 10, 11),

   k. repeating the foregoing cycles until all the storage tanks (13) are emptied.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, after method step d), the last of the storage tanks (13) - viewed in the direction of transportation (8) of the items to be cleaned - is filled with fresh water without or with the addition of a cleaning or clear rinsing agent.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning fluid (22) from each of the storage tanks (13) is reused in the storage tank (13) preceding said storage tank, as viewed in the direction of transportation (8) of the items to be cleaned.
5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the continuous dishwasher is completely emptied of cleaning fluid and fresh water after the end of the self-cleaning cycle.
6. Continuous dishwasher for carrying out the method according to Claim 1, characterized in that associated rinsing systems (9, 10, 11) in the zones (2, 3, 4, 5) for the items to be cleaned have nozzles or nozzle heads, which substantially completely wet the inner faces of the respective zone (2, 3, 4, 5) with cleaning fluid (22), and fine filter means (16) which can be back-rinsed are accommodated within each at least one storage tank (13).
7. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 6, characterized in that nozzles or nozzle heads are respectively attached to the rinsing systems (9, 10, 11) in such a way that the nozzles or nozzle heads completely wet the inner faces of doors (24) with cleaning fluid (22), the doors allowing access to the zones (2, 3, 4, 5).
8. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 6, characterized in that nozzles or nozzle heads, which substantially completely wet the inner faces of the respective cleaning zone (2, 3, 4, 5) with cleaning fluid (22) independently of the rinsing systems (9, 10, 11, 12) installed there, are arranged on walls and/or on the floor and/or on ceilings of the individual zones (2, 3, 4, 5) .
9. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 7, characterized in that nozzles or nozzle heads, which substantially completely wet the inner faces of the doors with cleaning fluid (22), the doors allowing access to the individual zones (2, 3, 4, 5), independently of the rinsing systems (9, 10, 11, 12), are arranged on the walls and/or on the floor and/or on the ceilings of the individual zones (2, 3, 4, 5).
10. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 7, characterized in that the backs and/or inner sides of the doors allowing access to the zones (2, 3, 4, 5) are profiled in such a way that a liquid film accumulates on the faces of the backs and/or the doors and washes away detached dirt.
11. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 10, characterized in that the profiling of the backs and/or inner sides of the doors is designed in a herringbone-like manner.
12. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 6, characterized in that the nozzles or nozzle heads are supplied with cleaning fluid (22) by the circulating pump (14) associated with the respective zone (2, 3, 4 or 5) for internally cleaning the respective zone (2, 3, 4 or 5).
13. Continuous dishwasher according to Claim 6, characterized in that the nozzles or nozzle heads are supplied with cleaning fluid (22) by a separate circulating pump (14), which is respectively associated with the respective zone (2, 3, 4 or 5), for automated internal cleaning.

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