WO2015165733A2

WO2015165733A2 - Metering system for the dosed delivery of chemical substances stored in containers to a dishwashing machine or washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2015165733A2
Application number: PCT/EP2015/058192
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Georg Hagleitner
Original assignee: Hans Georg Hagleitner
Priority date: 2014-04-30
Filing date: 2015-04-15
Publication date: 2015-11-05
Also published as: WO2015165733A3; EP3136939A2; EP3136939B1; AT515709A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a metering system for the dosed delivery of chemical substances stored in containers (24, 25) to a dishwashing machine (4) or washing machine, comprising at least one dispensing device (2, 3) that can be connected to the dispensing device (2, 3), a logic for controlling the operation of the at least one dispensing device and the dishwashing machine or washing machine, and to a user interface (1) having a display (10) and keys (11) for operating the logic. The metering system is of modular design. The logic is sub-divided into a dispenser logic unit (22, 23) contained in each dispenser device (2, 3) and a machine logic unit (31), which monitors and controls the dishwashing machine or washing machine. The machine logic unit (31) has a network part (31a) for converting electrical mains voltage into low voltage. The at least one dispenser logic unit (22, 23) and the machine logic unit (31) are connected to one another by means of a power supply and communication bus provided with power supply lines with the low voltage generated by the mains adapter, and with data lines for communication between the at least one dispenser logic unit and the machine logic unit.

Description

Dosiersvstem for metered delivery of stored in containers chemical substances to a dishwasher or washing machine

The invention relates to a metering system for the metered delivery of stored in containers chemical substances to a dishwasher or washing machine. Such

Dosing systems are used in commercial kitchens, laundries, etc.

Dosing systems on the market include dispensers having a

Mains power supply, a central logic, which is placed directly in the dispenser and controls all processes of metered dispensing of a substance from the dispenser, inlet and outlet valves, a water supply to dissolve and / or mix the substance with water, a substance output line and various sensors, such as a conductivity sensor for measuring the conductance of the chemical substance dispensed in the dishwasher or washing machine. The central logic also controls motors and pumps of the dishwasher or washing machine. A user interface in the form of a display and buttons is attached to the housing of the dispenser and connected to the central logic. An outlet opening of the container of the chemical substance is connected to an inlet opening of the dispenser, wherein the container is placed directly on the dispenser and micro-switches on the basis of the shape of the container outlet, the substance contained therein is detected.

The problem with these known dosing systems is that the mains voltage is applied directly to the dispenser. In the event of breaks or leaks in the water and substance lines, the supplied water and the substance splash around in the housing of the dispenser device and can cause mains voltage short circuits, destroy central logic and endanger people. If the central logic fails, then the entire dosing system is

including the dishwasher paralyzed. The repeated opening of the housing of the dispenser there is a risk that the cable of the user interface is kinked or torn off. The detection of a container by means of microswitches has proven to be unreliable in rough everyday use.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a metering system for the metered delivery of stored in containers chemical substances to a dishwasher or washing machine, which avoids the disadvantages explained above.

This object is achieved by a metering system having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subclaims. The main difference of the metering system according to the invention over the conventional system lies in the decentralization of the logic of the system and the modular design of the system. Now, each dispenser and each unit of the system has its own logic that autonomously controls such tasks as the metered delivery of the substance, the filling of a reservoir, etc. The units are powered by the power supply and communication bus with a low voltage generated by a power supply and therefore no longer have to carry mains voltage. Information about the bus is given. other system participants passed on.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user interface is local to the

Dispenser and configured by the machine logic unit unit that is connected to the power and communication bus.

For the scalability, maintainability and monitoring of fiction, contemporary dosing, it is advantageous if the power to the power and communication bus

connected units are configured as a master-slave system, in which a unit, preferably the user interface, is defined as a higher-level control that controls the remaining units. Preferably, the machine logic unit transmits readings of the sensors to which it is connected to the donor logic unit.

From the fiction, contemporary design of the dosing system, the following advantages arise:

• Any expandability of the system, additional components can simply be added as bus subscribers. The dosing system can by its

Capability Ideally designed for the particular dishwasher, whether it is a small glass washer or a large belt machine. The same applies to washing machines.

• Minimized cabling and Assembly costs, as signals or relevant

Measured variables taken directly there u. be processed where they arise.

For example, signal states of the dishwasher are measured directly in the machine, digitized u. processed.

• Accessories, such as a central dosing or an interface module for

Communication can be easily integrated without the basic system having to be changed. • If one unit in the system fails, the remaining units remain active

functional; the construction of redundant systems is possible.

Certain units of the system may be used in other systems, e.g. the user interface in a dosing system for the laundry.

In order to dissolve the chemical substance in the connected container with water, in particular when the substance is in the form of a pressed, solid powder block, and / or to dilute a liquid or viscous substance, in one embodiment of the invention the dispensing device has a valve or pump the donor logic unit controlled water supply. Preferably, in the water supply line with the

Built-in dispenser logic unit communicating water meter, which provides information about the actual water consumption, which in turn allows conclusions about deficient substances. For example, a substance present as a pressed powder block in the container could be deficient if excessive water is needed to rinse the substance from the container. In order to achieve an optimal cleaning result, low water consumption and uniform substance consumption, it is advantageous if the machine logic unit has a communicating with a tank of the dishwasher or washing machine liquid temperature sensor, the donor logic unit only begins with the dosage of the substance when the liquid in the tank has or exceeds a predetermined minimum temperature.

The regulation of the metered delivery of the substance in the dispenser can be accelerated if the dispenser device in the path of the substance through the dispenser a

Leitwertsensor for measuring the conductance of the chemical substance to be dispensed or the mixture to be dispensed the substance with the water supplied. In this configuration, the donor logic unit will immediately have conductivity changes available for adjustment of the control. In particular, the emptying of the substance in the container, the change in the composition of the mixture of the substance with the supplied water or an overflow of the substance in the dispenser immediately recognizable and it can be set the appropriate measures, whereas in a conductivity measurement only in the dishwasher conductance changes only Delayed arrive to donor logic unit.

To increase electrical safety, the donor logic unit and the

Machine logic unit sheathed watertight. Their electrical connections are accessible via watertight, preferably polarity-proof, jacks, in particular preferably electrical connections, in particular those connections, which lead voltages above the limit of the protective extra-low voltage of 50 V, are opto-electronically or galvanically isolated.

The metering system according to the invention makes it possible to the power supply and

Communication bus to connect a personal computer, a notebook, a tablet computer or the like, on which a monitoring, maintenance or

Configuration program of the dosing system is executable. In a further development of the metering system according to the invention is to the power supply and

Communication bus can be connected to a remote maintenance module of the dosing system.

In order to still have to lay a hose to the dishwasher or washing machine while using multiple dispenser devices on a dishwasher or washing machine, it is advantageous if the substance outlet of the dispenser has a connection for connection to a substance outlet of another dispenser.

The present invention is in a further aspect the object of providing an improved control algorithm for dispensing the chemical substance, with which the dosage of the substance more accurate than hitherto successful and the improved rinsing and washing processes in the dishwasher or washing machine, optimally reduced at the same time Water consumption and uniform substance consumption leads. This object is achieved by the control algorithm dispensing the delivery of the chemical substance so that the actual material conductivity of the mixture of the chemical substance dispensed and water in the dishwasher or washing machine, which mixture is referred to by experts as a wash liquor or rinse liquor, a target - Value of the substance is approximated.

In a preferred embodiment, the control algorithm includes a predetermined standard conductivity, a given standard conductivity of water to be supplied, an actual conductivity of the supplied water, a predetermined standard water hardness of supplied water, an actual water hardness of the supplied water, a Compensation factor for the standard material conductivity value for deviations between the standard water hardness and the actual water hardness and optionally includes an adjustable correction factor, wherein the nominal substance conductivity is preferably calculated according to the following formula: Target Conduct Value = Correction Factor x (Standard Conductance - Standard Conductivity + Actual Conductance) x Compensation Factor ^(Actual - ^{Water Hardness "Standard} - ^{Water Hardness)}

The standard level of conductance is the μ8 conductance value exhibited by the chemical substance and water mixture in the manufacturer's tests in a dishwasher or washing machine, which tests indicate proper flushing or washing.

Washing result had revealed.

The standard conductivity is the conductance in μ8 of the water that was mixed with the substance in the tests.

The standard water hardness is the water hardness in ° dH of the water that was mixed with the substance in the tests.

The actual water conductivity is the conductivity in μ8 of the water that is supplied to the dispenser on site.

The actual water hardness is the water hardness in ° dH of that water, which is supplied to the donor device on site.

The correction factor is set by a technician and makes it possible to adapt the dosage locally to the circumstances, for example if old or in bad state dishwashers are present, or no prewashing is to be performed, etc.

The compensation factor represents an increase per ° dH and indicates the factor by which the dosage of the substance must be increased with a higher water hardness in order to achieve an equally good rinsing or washing result.

The equalizing factor is very important, for example, when the substance to be dosed is a cleaner containing two different components, one of which is an alkaline component responsible for the performance of the cleaning, and a second component is a complexing agent which is responsible for the binding of all cations is responsible, because only then the cleaner can work effectively. Due to the balancing factor, more detergent is dosed at a higher water hardness in order to have enough complexing agent in the rinse water mixture, the so-called rinsing liquor. The control algorithm of the donor logic unit provides particularly good results if it is configured as a fuzzy logic controller.

The detection of a container of conventional dispenser devices by means of micro-switches has proven in rough everyday operation as unreliable. Furthermore, the problem with the aforementioned control algorithms is that they access parameters that

are substance-dependent and mutable. It would therefore be desirable if the substance-dependent parameters could not be supplied manually but automatically to the control algorithm of the donor logic of the dispenser device according to the invention. To solve these problems, the invention proposes that the dispenser device has an RFID reader near its substance inlet, with which information contained in an RFID tag attached to the container can be read, the information preferably comprising a substance identification, such as a product and country code, and substance characteristics, such as a standard level of conductance, a standard baseline level of water to be delivered to the substance, a standard water hardness of the substance to be delivered, and a standard baseline level balancing factor for deviations between the standard water hardness and the actual water hardness.

In a further aspect of the invention, a container is proposed, which contains a chemical substance for dispensing to a dishwasher or washing machine, which container has an outlet which is connected to a substance inlet of a

Dispenser is connectable, wherein the container has an RFID tag, the one

Substance identification and substance characteristics, e.g. a standard conductivity, a standard conductivity of water to be supplied to the substance, a standard water hardness of water to be supplied to the substance and a balance factor for deviations between the standard water hardness and the actual water hardness.

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows schematically an embodiment of a modular metering system according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a graph of an algorithm used in the dosing control.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1, which schematically shows an embodiment of a modular metering system according to the invention for the metered dispensing of chemicals stored in containers 24, 25 to a dishwasher 4. The dosing system has a user interface 1 which serves as an input and output device for the user and technician to control and configure the system. The user interface 1 has a display 10, buttons 11 for control and two bus plugs 12, 13 for the

Power the user interface 1 and communicate with others

Bus subscribers by means of a power and communication bus.

The dosing system further comprises a dispenser 2 for dispensing a chemical

Substance 24b in the form of a compressed to a powder block cleaner, which is flushed out of its container 24 by water. The container 24 is connected with its outlet 24a to the substance inlet 2a of the dispenser 2, the rinsed cleaner is passed via the hose connection 20 in the tank 32 of a dishwasher 4. An electronic donor logic unit 22 built into the donor device 2 controls and controls the donor device 2. The donor logic unit 22 is connected to sensors such as a conductivity sensor 2f and a water meter 2e and valves 2d and optionally a pump, all of which are disposed in the donor device 2. The donor logic unit 22 is via two bus plugs 14, 15 which are for powering and communicating with the others

Bus participants serve, connected to the power and communication bus. The dispenser device 2 has a water supply line 2c for rinsing out the substance 24b. The water supply line is controlled by the donor logic unit 22 via the valve 2d. In the water supply line 2c, a water meter 2e communicating with the donor logic unit 22 is installed. Furthermore, the donor logic unit 22 measures the electrical conductivity of the mixture of purged cleaner and water by means of the conductivity sensor 2f arranged on the substance outlet 2b.

The dosing system comprises a second dispenser 3 for dispensing a chemical

Substance 25b in the form of a fluid from a container 25. The container 25 is connected with its outlet 25a to the substance inlet 3a of the dispenser 3. Depending on the type of fluid this is passed either directly via the supply line 21 and the spray arm 26 in the dishwasher 4 or by a to the substance outlet 2b of the first

Dispenser 2 connected connection line 33 and continue on the

Hose connection 20 is guided in the tank 32 of the dishwasher 4. The second

Dispenser device 3 is very similar to the first dispenser device 2. It also has a built-in electronic donor logic unit 23, which controls and controls the dispenser device 2. The donor logic unit 23 is connected to sensors such as a conductivity sensor 3f disposed at the substance outlet 3b and valves 3d for controlling the flow of the fluid. The donor logic unit 23 is connected via two bus plugs 16, 17, to the Power supply and communication with the other bus devices connected to the power and communication bus.

The dishwasher 4, depending on the design, a small glasswasher, or - as shown in Fig. 1 - a hood machine, or even a large belt machine. In the

Dishwasher 4 is a machine logic unit 31 is installed, which has a power supply 31a for converting electrical mains voltage into low voltage, in particular 12 volts or 24 volts DC. With the low voltage supplies the

Machine logic unit 31 all participants of the dosing via the bus. The

Machine logic unit 31 has sensor inputs 29, 30 for detecting status values of e.g. Solenoid valves 27, motors 28, temperature (from a liquid temperature sensor 35), quantities of water, limit switches, etc. The machine logic unit 31 has control inputs E1-E3 for e.g. the functions filling, washing, rinsing. The dishwasher 4 has a tank 32 in which the wash liquor (= mixture of water with the substance 24b, 25b delivered by the dispenser devices 2, 3) is located, which is supplied via the motor 28, which drives a pump, and the spray water. Arm 26 is pumped in a circle. For measuring the concentration of the substance 24b, 25b in the wash liquor, a conductivity probe 34 is installed in the tank 32, which is connected via the bus line 9 to one of the two bus connectors 18, 19 and thus communicates with the machine logic unit 31.

All dosing system participants are cabled via bus cables 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The power supply and communication bus is designed as an RS485 bus.

The donor logic units 22, 23 and the machine logic unit 31 are each constructed with a microcontroller and have an RS485 bus interface, if necessary

Voltage converter for 5 V and 3.3 V, a program memory, a non-volatile data memory, a RAM and potential-free inputs and outputs. Also one

Real-time clock (RTC) can be provided, optionally also a display and buttons. The donor logic unit 22, 23 and the machine logic unit 31 are sheathed watertight. Your electrical connections are waterproof, preferably

reverse polarity protected, sockets and / or plugs accessible.

In this embodiment, the user interface 1 is spatially separated from the dispenser devices 2, 3 and the machine logic unit 31. In an alternative embodiment, the user interface 1 may also be integrated into the dispenser devices 2, 3. The units connected to the power and communication bus, namely the user interface 1, the dispenser devices 2, 3 and the machine logic unit 31 are configured as a master-slave system with the user interface 1 as the master controlling the remaining units. In an alternative embodiment, for example, the

Machine logic unit 31 may be configured as a master and the user interface 1 as a slave.

The control algorithms 22a, 23a of the donor logic units 22, 23 operate as described in detail above and are configured as fuzzy logic controllers. The fuzzy logic controller implements two separate algorithms. The first algorithm determines the stability of the determined actual substance value and is based on the knowledge that, depending on the type of dishwasher, e.g. Hood machine or belt machine, but also on the size of the machine, the installation situation of the hose connection 20 and the Leitwertsonde 34 in the dishwasher, the positioning of the suction for the washing pump motor 28 and the dynamics in the wash liquor a more or less sluggish system Mixing of the rinse liquor arises. In order to achieve a good control in this inert system, the fuzzy logic controller regulates the difference between the desired value of the substance and the actual value of the substance only if it has determined the actual value of the conductivity as sufficiently stable. This determination is carried out by always taking the last x (eg 16) measured values of the actual substance conductance as the basis for calculating the mean value and determining a bandwidth which is a% (eg 10%) above and b% (eg 10) below the mean. If there are y (e.g., 10) values within the bandwidth of the last x measurements used for averaging, the actual bulk factor is considered sufficiently stable. The sampling rate is e.g. 1 measurement / sec. This method is shown in the graph of FIG.

The second algorithm in the fuzzy logic controller takes care of the amount of substance that needs to be dosed. This is done on the basis of the duration of delivery of a test dosage which has a certain time value "X", for example 250 ms

Stabilization of the new actual material conductivity value of the rinsing liquor is calculated back from the difference between the desired substance value and the actual substance value by means of a final calculation to the still necessary duration of delivery of the substance. Thus, a very accurate dosage and precise achievement of the target material conductivity is possible. Since this works in every dosing process, any changes in the water pressure, the temperature, the consistency of the substance and the level of the substance in the container are taken into account. Each dispenser device 2, 3 has, near its substance inlet 2a, 3a, an RFID reader 2h, 3h with which information located in an RFID tag 24c, 25c attached to the container 24a, 25a can be read. This information includes a substance identification and substance characteristics such as a standard value of the substance, a standard water conductivity of the substance to be supplied, a standard water hardness of the substance to be supplied, and a standard deviation factor of the standard value between the standard - Water hardness and the actual water hardness. The information read by means of the RFID reader 2h, 3h is forwarded to the control algorithm 22a, 23a and taken into account by it as a control parameter in the control.

Claims

Claims:

A metering system for metered dispensing of chemical substances stored in containers (24, 25) to a dishwasher (4) or washing machine, comprising:

At least one dispensing device (2, 3) having a substance inlet (2a, 3a) connectable to an outlet (24a, 25a) of a container (24, 25) containing a chemical substance, e.g. a cleaning agent, products for disinfection,

Containing water treatment or a rinse aid, wherein the dispenser device has a connectable to the dishwasher or washing machine substance outlet (2b, 3b), from which the substance is discharged;

A logic to control the operation of the at least one dispenser and the dishwasher or washing machine, which logic control means for

Control of pumps, motors, valves and / or heating of the dishwasher or washing machine has;

A user interface (1) with a display (10) and keys (11) for operating the logic;

characterized in that

the dosing system is modular, the logic being incorporated in a donor logic unit (22, 23) contained in each donor device (2, 3) and in a location remote from

Dispenser logic unit is separated, preferably in the dishwasher (4) or washing machine installable machine logic unit (31) is divided, the machine logic unit communicates with sensors (34) in the dishwasher or washing machine and pumps (27), motors (28), control inputs (E1-E3 ) and optionally monitors and controls the heating of the dishwasher or washing machine, the machine logic unit (31) having a power supply (31a) for converting low voltage electrical mains voltage, in particular 12 volts or 24 volts DC, the donor logic unit (22, 23) a control algorithm (22a, 23a) which controls the dosage of the chemical substance (24b, 25b) to be dispensed by the dispenser, the at least one dispenser logic unit (22, 23) and the machine logic unit (31) being connected by means of a power supply and

Communication bus are connected to each other, the power supply lines having the low voltage generated by the power supply and data lines for communication between the at least one donor logic unit and the machine logic unit.

A dosing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the user interface (1) is configured as a separate unit from the dispenser device (2, 3) and from the machine logic unit (31) connected to the power and communication bus

connected.

3. dosing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the to the

Power supply and communication bus connected units (1, 2, 3, 31) are configured as a master-slave system in which a unit, preferably the user interface (1), is defined as a higher-level control that controls the remaining units.

4. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine logic unit (31) transmits measured values of the sensors (34, 35), with which it is connected, to the donor logic unit (22, 23).

5. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispenser device (2, 3) by means of a valve (2d) or pump from the donor logic unit (22, 23) controlled water supply line (2c) to the located in the connected container chemical Dissolve substance with water and / or to mix, wherein preferably in the water supply to a communicating with the Spenderlogikeinheit water meter (2e) is installed.

6. Dosing system according to claim 5, characterized in that the machine logic unit (31) one with a tank (32) of the dishwasher (4) or washing machine

communicating liquid temperature sensor (35), wherein the

Dispenser logic unit (22, 23) only activated for metering the substance when the liquid in the tank (32) has or exceeds a predetermined minimum temperature.

7. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispenser device (2, 3) in the path of the substance through the dispenser a conductivity sensor (2f, 3f) for measuring the conductance of the chemical substance to be delivered or the mixture to be dispensed the substance having the supplied water.

8. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the donor logic unit (22, 23) and the machine logic unit (31) are sheathed waterproof and their electrical connections via waterproof, preferably reverse polarity protected, sockets and / or plugs are accessible, in particular Preferably, the electrical connections are optoelectronic or galvanically isolated.

9. dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power supply and communication bus, a computer, in particular a staff Computer, a notebook or a tablet computer can be connected to the one

Monitoring, maintenance or configuration program of the dosing system is executable.

10. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power supply and communication bus remote maintenance of the module

Metering system can be connected.

11. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substance outlet (2b, 3b) of the dispenser device has a connection for connection to a line (33) of a substance outlet of another dispenser device.

12. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control algorithm (22a, 23a) the dispensing of the chemical substance (24b, 25b) so dosed that the actual material conductivity of the mixture of the chemical substance dispensed and water in the dishwasher (4) or washing machine is approached a desired substance conductivity.

13. Dosing system according to claim 12, characterized in that the control algorithm (22a, 23a) adapts the desired substance conductivity by a given standard material conductivity, a predetermined standard water conductivity for supplied water, an actual water conductivity of the water supplied, a given standard water hardness for supplied water, an actual water hardness of the supplied water, a

Compensation factor for the standard material conductivity for deviations between the standard water hardness and the actual water hardness as well as an optional adjustable one

Include correction factor as a control parameter, wherein the target substance conductance

preferably calculated according to the following formula:

Target substance conductivity = correction factor x (standard material conductivity - standard water conductivity + actual water conductivity) x Compensation factor ^(actual - ^{water hardness "Standard} - ^{water hardness)}

14. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control algorithm (22a, 23a) of the donor logic unit is configured as a fuzzy logic controller.

15. Dosing system according to claim 14, characterized in that the fuzzy logic controller determines the stability of the determined actual substance conductance and only then corrects the difference between the desired substance value and the actual substance value if it detects the actual substance value. Determining the substance conductance as a stability criterion, wherein the determination of the stability of the determined actual substance conductance value is carried out by taking the mean value of the last x measurement values of the actual substance conductance starting from the current time and determining a bandwidth which is a% above and b% is below the mean, and then it is checked whether of the measurements used for averaging, y values (x> y) are within the bandwidth, which satisfies the

Stability criterion is considered.

16. Dosing system according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the fuzzy logic controller calculates the dosage of the substance to be dispensed on the basis of the duration of the delivery of a test dosage by taking the difference between the desired substance value and the actual substance value by means of the final calculation of the Duration of delivery of the test dosage back to the still necessary duration of the current delivery of the substance.

17. Dosing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispenser device near its substance inlet has an RFID reader (2h, 3h), with the in an on the container (24, 25) mounted RFID tag (24c, 25c ) located

Information is readable, the information preferably having a substance identification, such as a product and country code, and substance characteristics, e.g. a standard conductivity, a standard conductivity of water to be supplied to the substance, a standard water hardness of the water to be supplied to the substance, and a standard substance value for the deviation between the standard water hardness and the actual water hardness.

18. Container (24, 25) containing a chemical substance (24b, 25b) for delivery to a

Dishwasher or washing machine containing which container has an outlet (24a, 25a) which is connectable to a substance inlet (2a, 3a) of a dispenser device (2, 3), characterized in that the container (24, 25) an RFID Tag (24c, 25c) having a substance identification such as a product and country code, and substance characteristics such as a standard guideline value, a standard guideline value of the substance to be supplied to the substance, a standard water hardness of the substance

supply water and a compensation factor for the standard value for deviations between the standard water hardness and the actual water hardness.