EP2905069A1 - Metering device and method for operating a metering device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dosing device (10, 50) for providing at least one cleaner or at least one cleaning component (12, 56, 58) and to a method for operating a dosing device (10, 50). This comprises a feed chamber (22) and a circulating medium (28) circulated therein by means of a circulating pump (20). The circulation pump (20) promotes the circulation medium (28) in the circulation. The circulation medium (28) is applied to the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12, 56, 58) via nozzles (14, 60, 62) in a defined manner. In this case, defined, defined cleaner, descaler, rinse aid solution we subsequently used for cleaning, descaling, rinsing of items to be washed, the muffle area of a baking oven or steamer, a milk line system or a Kaffeebrüheinheit in coffee machines.

Description

Method for operating a dosing device for the provision of at least one cleaner or several cleaner components for automatically cleaning a device.

State of the art

The invention relates to a metering device and to a method for operating a metering device for providing at least one cleaner for automatic cleaning of a device. This device may be, for example, a dishwasher, a combi steamer, an oven, or a coffee machine or the like.

Cleaning systems for household appliances are known in various embodiments. For example, in DE 100 60 202 B4 describes a cleaning system for a furnace, in which a container is provided for receiving cleaning agent, which communicates with the interior of the furnace and at least one outlet opening for the cleaning agent. For this purpose, a detergent insert is inserted into the container, whereby the detergent is dissolvable when water is supplied. To clean the oven for each cleaning cycle, a soluble cleaning insert is introduced into the container with at least one outlet opening and rinsed during the cleaning cycle with water so that the detergent used at the end of the rinsing process is largely resolved without residue.

There are also different designs for containers for receiving cleaning agents known. Thus, in the above-described Cleaning system uses a container with outlet openings, which is supplied by a spray nozzle with fresh water.

In EP 1 610 644 B1 a cleaning device for an electric shaver is described. In this case, a replaceable cartridge is connected to a lower part to carry the cleaning fluid from the cartridge and to clean the shaving head. After the cleaning process, the cleaning liquid, including the residue removed from the shaving head, flows back into the cartridge, in which the contaminants settle out over time.

Out EP 2 065 084 B1 For example, a cartridge for a solvent spraying apparatus cartridge comprising an outer cartridge housing, an inner pressure-sensitive container, a mixing chamber having a first concentrate outlet port, a solvent inlet port and a second concentrate-solvent mixture outlet port is known.

Out DE 58 12 509 U1 a device for spraying liquids is known, which comprises a cylindrical container with a movable closure piston and a suitable outlet opening. Here, the cartridge is filled with liquid and closed with a movable piston. If a nozzle is attached to the outlet opening, liquid can be forced out of the cartridge through the nozzle by sufficient mechanical force on the closure piston and consequently be atomized.

Presentation of the invention

The invention has for its object to provide a dosing device in which a cleaner solution can be generated as needed immediately before the application in terms of quantity and concentration as needed.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a metering device for providing at least one cleaner or at least one cleaner component with a feed chamber and a circulation medium circulated in the latter by means of a circulation pump, wherein the circulation pump is the circulation medium in the Promotes circulation and this applies over time nozzles on at least one cleaner or at least one cleaner component.

The inventively proposed solution can advantageously a cleaner solution in a defined concentration by timely spraying a present as a block container cleaner or a cleaner component of a circulating promoted aqueous liquid can be generated. It is possible to carry out the metering device proposed according to the invention as a one-product metering device or as a multi-product metering device. By means of the solution proposed according to the invention, an increase in the concentration of a cleaner or at least one cleaner component in the circulation medium can be achieved within a linear range with continuous circulation of a circulation medium. In a first linear region to be traversed, there is a linear increase in concentration with increasing spray time, i. with increasing duration of the circulation pump or the pressure pump. The concentration increase taking place in the linear region changes into a saturation region within a transition region. Within the saturation range of the increase in concentration, there is a stable concentration of the cleaner or of the at least one cleaner component in the circulation medium. The saturation range is characterized by a small increase in concentration with increasing spray time.

Advantageously, the metering device proposed according to the invention, be it a single-product metering device or a multi-product metering device, is such that the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component is stored in a cartridge or in a product chamber as a block container. For example, a cartridge can be screwed upside down with an opening provided in a feed chamber of the metering device, for example when the cartridge has the geometry of a bulbous bottle. If the cartridge is screwed upside down in the dosing device proposed according to the invention, in particular into the original chamber ceiling, the circulation medium can wet and dissolve the underside of the cleaner present in the form of a block or the at least one cleaner component on the underside via a spray nozzle so that the circulating medium circulated in the original chamber the desired demand-based concentration of cleaner in the circulation medium for the particular case of need is generated.

The wetting of the underside of the present as a block container cleaner or the at least one cleaner component can be carried out from the bottom via spray nozzles, for example, conical, punctiform or fan-shaped, so that depending on the desired separation or dissolution behavior of the cleaner or the at least one cleaner component, the corresponding concentration of cleaner is established in the circulation medium. This is preferably water, which is circulated continuously through a circulating pump or a pressure pump in the feed chamber, so that there is always a defined concentration of detergent in the circulation medium. Depending on whether it is a one-product dosing device or a multi-product dosing device, a number of cartridges with cleaners or cleaner components in block form, screwed upside down in the feed chamber and wetted, so that a multiple use, i. a needs-based provision of detergent, whenever it is needed, is possible.

By means of the solution proposed according to the invention, for example, a cleaning of a fully automatic coffee machine can take place by means of a detergent solution that is generated fully automatically immediately before the application. In particular, the cleaner solution is always fresh just before the application in terms of their amount and in terms of concentration produced as needed. The desired concentration of the cleaning solution is achieved by a time-limited continuous spraying of the present as a block container cleaner or present as a block container at least one cleaner component. The continuous spraying takes place from the underside. The time limit for continuous spraying is between 1 s and 3600 s or a period between 600 s and 1800 s or in individual cases in a time window between 1 s and 300 s. The amount of detergent solution generated in each case is designed so that it is sufficient for carrying out a fully automatic cleaning for at least one, preferably for several cleaning steps during the cleaning of, for example, the milk line system and / or the coffee brewing unit of a coffee machine. In another embodiment variant, it is possible to provide the required cleaning solution several times in succession during a cleaning process, ie to produce it several times in succession.

In a further possible embodiment of the solution proposed according to the invention, incompatible or only temporarily stable ingredients can only be prepared from different cartridges before they are used. Product chambers, detached and mixed together. This makes it possible to use incompatible ingredients, each of which contributes to an improvement in cleaning performance.

Freshly generated detergent solution can be provided in various embodiments, in a single-product metering device or a multi-product metering device. The containers which receive the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component are preferably cartridges of small to medium size, which are opened downwards in the installed state in the direction of the original chamber. In the case of the cleaner or the at least one cleaner component, in addition to block containers, it may also be sealed powder chambers. Due to the specially set hardness of the block container of cleaner and / or at least one cleaner component that can be variably adjusted by the chemical composition, various process variables, such as the duration of the time spraying, a spray pressure, the type of spray, be it conical, punctiform or fan-shaped, the water pumping volume per unit of time and also the water supply volume, for example, be set to concentrations to saturation.

The duration of the spray when using different mixtures of cleaner or cleaner components, which come from separate cartridges, may be different, whereby various concentrations of individual ingredients, they are incompatible ingredients, be temporally stable ingredients, can be adjusted in the detergent solution.

The invention further relates to a method for providing a cleaner or at least one cleaner component for automatic cleaning of a device, such as a coffee machine, a dishwasher, a Kombi steam cooker and the like. The inventively proposed method ensures that before each cleaning cycle immediately before the beginning of this, the cleaner solution fresh before the application trap in terms of the amount, as well as produced in terms of a defined concentration needs and can be kept as required during the execution of the cleaning cycle in terms of concentration.

It is possible both to carry out the cleaning continuously for a period of several minutes, as well as to carry out a discontinuous cleaning in which the cleaner solution only for certain periods, such as 30 s with intervening a pause and then a renewed spray time of 30 s and is held, so that different application profiles by the proposed solution according to the invention can be taken into account.

The metering devices proposed according to the invention, be it one-product metering devices or multi-product metering devices, comprise cleaner packages in block or powder form, these comprising at least one cleaning and / or decalcification phase. The detergent container is received in a multidosing cartridge, which in conjunction with a feed chamber, a spray device, a circulation pump, a defined liquid level interacts such that by timely spraying a suitable circulation medium, which is preferably water, on the cleaner container in block form generates a defined concentrated cleaner solution which can be discharged via a drain.

The block of cleaners and the product chamber, also referred to as cartridges, are available as a unit and guarantee a sufficient amount of product for a single or multiple production of a defined product solution.

Brief description of the drawings

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

Figur 1

einen schematischen Aufbau eines Einprodukt-Dosiergerätes,

Figur 2

den schematischen Aufbau eines Mehrprodukt-Dosiergerätes und

Figur 3

den Konzentrationsanstieg von Reiniger bzw. mindestens einer Reinigerkomponente im Umwälzmedium während der Laufzeit einer Umwälz- oder Druckpumpe.

It shows:

FIG. 1

a schematic structure of a one-product dosing device,

FIG. 2

the schematic structure of a multi-product dosing and

FIG. 3

the increase in concentration of cleaner or at least one cleaner component in the circulation medium during the life of a circulating or pressure pump.

variants

FIG. 1 shows a metering device proposed according to the invention, which is a one-product metering device.

A dosing device 10 - in connection with FIG. 1 as a single-product dosing device - comprises a cleaner block 12 which is received in a cartridge 26. Cartridge 26 with cleaner block 12 received therein is screwed upside down in a fastening device 24, for example a screw-in thread, which is located on the upper side of a feed chamber 22. The head screwed into the head chamber 22 cartridge 26 has with its opening a arranged in the master chamber 22 spray can 14 to. When the circulation pump 20 is running, a spray jet 16 is continuously directed to a lower side 18 of the cleaner block 12 via the spray nozzle 14 so that the cleaner or the cleaner component is dissolved and a defined concentration is established in a circulation medium 28. FIG. 1 shows that the circulation pump 20, which may be a pressure pump, branches off from a drain 30. About the circulation pump 20, the circulation medium 28, which is contained in the original chamber 22, the spray nozzle 14 is supplied, which it as a fan-shaped, cone-shaped or spray as a spot spray 16 against the bottom 18 of the cleaner block 12, so that cleaner dissolves in the circulation medium 28.

A level of the recirculation medium 28 in the master chamber 22 is identified by reference numeral 36; flows via an inlet 34, depending on the removal of detergent solution - circulating medium offset with cleaner after actuation of the valve 32 via the outlet 30 of the feed chamber 22, fresh circulation medium 28 again.

In the illustration according to FIG. 1 the fastening device 24 is shown as a screw connection; However, it is also possible to form this connection as a latching or positive snap connection or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a dosing device, which is a multi-product dosing device.

In the dosing device 50 as shown in FIG FIG. 2 There are a first cartridge 52 and a second cartridge 54. These are installed with their open side down in the ceiling of the master chamber 22. The first and second cartridges 52, 54 contain in block form a first block cleaner or a first cleaner component 56 and a second block cleaner or a second cleaner component 58. The respective lower sides 18 of the first block cleaner or the first block cleaner component 56 and the second block cleaner or of the second cleaner component 58 are wetted by spray jets 16 emerging from a first spray nozzle 60 and a second spray nozzle 62 so that cleaner or cleaner component is dissolved and dissolved in the recirculating circulating medium 28. The circulation medium 28 passes via an inlet 64 to the circulation pump 20, which may be a pressure pump. This pumps the first spray nozzle 60 and the second spray nozzle 62 with the interposition of a first and a second solenoid valve 66, 68 each cleaner solution, with the bottom 18 of the first block cleaner or the first cleaner component 56 and the second block cleaner and the second cleaner component 58th is wetted for a limited time. A level of the circulating medium 28 stored in the original chamber 22 is identified by reference numeral 36. Cleaner solution with defined concentration of Block cleaner, the first block cleaner, or the first cleaner component, or the second block cleaner and the second cleaner component 56, 58 is fed via a metering pump 72 to a discharge 74, from where it passes to a point of consumption.

In the two cartridges 52, 54 as shown in FIG FIG. 2 in the multi-product dosing device 50 may also contain mutually incompatible ingredients, also only temporary stable ingredients that reach the circulating medium 28 in different concentrations. Different concentrations can be adjusted, for example, by operating the spray nozzles 60, 62 for different lengths by corresponding activation of the solenoid valves 66, 68 or with different pressures or with different spray jet configurations 16, so that different concentrations of different components in the cleaner solution, ie in the circulation medium, are required 28 can be adjusted. Also in the inlet 34 as shown in FIG FIG. 2 is a solenoid valve 70, via which the inlet of fresh circulation medium 28, in particular water, can be limited in the master chamber 22, depending on the removal of detergent solution at the discharge 74 via the metering pump 72nd

FIG. 3 shows schematically a concentration increase of cleaner or cleaner component in continuous circulation of the circulation medium via a circulation pump.

FIG. 3 shows that over a period of time 80, a circulating pump 20 a self-adjusting detergent concentration 82 is plotted in percent. In a first linear region 84, a linear increase in concentration of the cleaner or of the cleaner components takes place with increasing spray time, ie, increasing on-time of the circulation pump 20. The linear region 84 transitions via a transition region 86 into a saturation region 88. In the saturation region 88, a stable concentration is present, there is a slight increase in concentration as the transit time of the circulation pump 20 increases.

According to the present invention, the amount of cleaning solution generated in each case is designed such that it is suitable for at least one or more cleaning steps, for example for cleaning a milk line system and / or a Kaffeebrüheinheit in a coffee machine is sufficiently dimensioned. Compatible or temporary stable ingredients can only be used immediately before application from different cartridges 52 or 54, as shown by the FIG. 2 described, dissolved and then mixed together. As a result, incompatible ingredients can be used, each of which can contribute to improved cleaning performance.

By inventively proposed solution can with a unit of cleaner 12; 56, 58 as block containers in the cartridges 26; 52, 54 as a unit a sufficient amount of the cleaner solution for a single or multiple production in a defined concentration can be generated by a defined time sprayed from the bottom 18 forth and a defined cleaning or descaling solution can be generated. By a permanent overhead storage of the cleaner or the cleaner component 12; 56, 58 in the respective dosing device 10, 50 can be carried out after spraying a complete drying until the next application. The cleaner container of the cleaner or the cleaner component 12; 56, 58 can reproduce its original consistency (hardness) to full consumption again. Is after prolonged defined consumption of the cleaner or the cleaner components 12; 56, 58 undergo a fixed period of application or a certain number of cleaning cycles, this can be displayed for example in a display of the dosing device 10, 50. With complete consumption of the cleaner 12; 56, 58 this can be done by means of integrated sensors, e.g. Photocells, or by Leitwertmessung be displayed, for example, as a signal for replacement of the cartridges 26; 52, 54.

Claims (22)

Dosing device (10, 50) for providing at least one cleaner or at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) with a feed chamber (22) and circulating in this by means of a circulation pump (20) recirculation medium (28), characterized in that the circulation pump (20) circulating the circulation medium (28) and applying it via nozzles (14; 60, 62) in a timely manner to at least one cleaner or at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58). Dosing device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) is accommodated in a cartridge (26, 52, 54) which permits multiple dosing and multiple application. Dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the master chamber (22) circulated circulation medium (28) is water. Dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by temporally defined spraying of the circulation medium (28) on one side (18) of the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) via a drain (30, 74 ) defined concentrated cleaner solution is generated. Dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the feed chamber at least one nozzle, in particular at least one spray nozzle (14; 60, 62) is arranged, via which the underside (18) of the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12 ; 56, 58) is sprayed conically, punctiform or fan-shaped. Dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an application-oriented concentration of cleaning solution by a temporary, continuous spraying of the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) takes place from the bottom (18) ago, wherein the Spraying duration between 1 s and 3600 s, in particular between 600 s and 1800 s and between 1 s and 300 s. Dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) within the dosing device (10, 50) arranged in an overhead storage with respect to the nozzles (14; 60, 62) is. Dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cartridges (26, 52, 54) in the dosing device (10, 50) are fastened in a fastening device (24) to the feed chamber (22). Dosing device (10, 50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) is received in cartridges (26; 52, 54) in such a way that a sufficient quantity of product for a single or multiple production of a defined product solution, which is sufficient for cleaning a milk line system or a coffee brewer unit for coffee machines, is included. Dosing device (10, 50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) is received in cartridges (26; 52, 54) in such a way that a sufficient quantity of product for a single or multiple production of a defined product solution, which is sufficient for cleaning dishes in a dishwasher contains. Dosing device (10, 50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cleaner or the at least one cleaner component (12; 56, 58) is received in cartridges (26; 52, 54) in such a way that a sufficient quantity of product for a simple or Multiple production of a defined product solution that is sufficient to clean a furnace chamber in an oven contains. Dosing device (10, 50) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the feed chamber (22) downwardly open cartridges (26, 52, 54) in the fastening device (24) can be fastened. Dosing device (50) for the multi-component or multicomponent dosing of at least one cleaner or at least one cleaning component (12; 56, 58) with a feed chamber (22) and a recirculation medium (28) circulated therein by means of a circulation pump (20), characterized in that Generation of a defined detergent concentration in the circulation medium (28) this via a first nozzle (60) on a first block cleaner or a first cleaner component (56) and a second spray nozzle (62) on a second block cleaner or a second cleaner component (58) is applied , Method for providing at least one cleaner or a cleaner component (12; 56, 58) for automatic cleaning of a device, characterized in that by temporally defined spraying of at least one cleaner or at least one cleaner component (12, 56, 58) with a recirculating circulating medium (28) a cleaner solution with a defined concentration is generated. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that with continuous circulation of the circulation medium (28) in the feed chamber (22), a linear increase in concentration (84) takes place with increasing spray time. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that within a saturation region (88) is a stable concentration of the cleaning solution and a small increase in concentration with increasing spray time. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that a cleaner concentration in the sense of an increase in amount of dissolved Cleaner in the circulation medium (28) during a cleaning cycle 'as needed repeated several times. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that incompatible or temporary stable ingredients are dissolved out and mixed from different cartridges (26; 52, 54) immediately prior to their use. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that a defined cleaner concentration is generated in the demand-generated cleaner solution for 1 to 1000 cleaning steps. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that the time duration of the spray is different when using different cleaners or cleaner components (12; 56, 58) from separate cartridges (26, 52, 54), so that different concentrations of individual ingredients in the Cleaner solution available. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that the ingredients used in the cleaning solution are incompatible and / or temporary stable ingredients in the cleaning solution. Use of the dosing device (10, 50) for providing a defined concentration detergent solution in a milk line system and / or a coffee brewer unit of a coffee machine, or for cleaning items in a dishwasher, or for cleaning a furnace chamber in an oven, or in a Kombi steam cooker.

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