SYSTEM FOR LOADING AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORT DISHWASHER WITH ITEMS TO BE WASHED, ARRANGEMENT OF AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORT DISHWASHER AND A LOADING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOADING AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORT DISHWASHER WITH ITEMS

Abstract

A system (10) for loading at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) with washware includes a feed conveyor belt (11) for delivering washware to at least one loading region of the conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) and a detection system (15), in particular an optical one, configured to detect at least one of the following parameters of the washware on the feed conveyor belt (11) when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading region: (i) a type of the washware, (ii) a degree of soiling of the washware, and/or (iii) an order of the washware and/or an alignment of the washware relative to the feed conveyor belt (11). The detection system (15) has an assigned evaluation device, which is configured to control the delivery of the washware to the at least one loading region as a function of at least one of the detected parameters.

Claims

1. System (10) for loading at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) with washware (9a, 9b, 9c), wherein the system (10) comprises: a feed conveyor belt (11) for delivering washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′); a loading arrangement having at least one manipulator (12a, 12b), which is configured to automatically remove washware (9a, 9b, 9c) from the feed conveyor belt (11) and place it on at least one conveyor track (2, 2′, 3) of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′); and a detection system (15), configured as an optical detection system, which is configured to detect at least one of the following parameters of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) on the feed conveyor belt (11) when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′): i) a type of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c), and/or a relative position of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) on the feed conveyor belt (11); ii) a degree of soiling of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c); and/or iii) an order of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) and/or an alignment of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) relative to the feed conveyor belt (11), wherein the detection system (15) has an assigned evaluation device, which is configured to control the delivery of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region as a function of at least one of the parameters detected by means of the detection system (15) and/or to actuate the at least one manipulator (12a, 12b) of the loading arrangement.

2. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the detection system (15) is configured to detect at least one type of washware of the following types of washware when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), on the basis of the size, the shape, and/or the material of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c): a first washware type comprising cutlery and/or pieces of cutlery made of a metal; a second washware type comprising GN containers and/or pots made of stainless steel; a third washware type comprising trays or tray-like articles made of a plastic material; a fourth washware type comprising plates, cups, and/or bowls, made of porcelain, a porcelain-like material, or earthenware; and/or a fifth washware type comprising drinking glasses, made of glass or a glass-like material, wherein the evaluation device is configured to actuate the at least one manipulator (12a, 12b) of the loading arrangement as a function of a detected washware type in such a manner that the washware of the detected washware type is removed from the feed conveyor belt (11) by the at least one manipulator (12a, 12b) and placed on a conveyor track (2, 2′, 3), in particular one that is assigned to the detected washware type, of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′).

3. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is configured to interrupt or prohibit a delivery of at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement when the detection system (15) detects that the at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) does not belong to a predetermined or determinable washware type or when the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) is not allocable to a predetermined or determinable washware type with the detection system (15).

4. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the detection system (15) is configured to detect a degree of soiling of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement as a function of the degree of soiling detected, and/or wherein the evaluation device is configured to actuate the at least one manipulator (12a, 12b) of the loading arrangement as a function of the degree of soiling detected such that the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) of the at least one manipulator (12a, 12b) is removed from the feed conveyor belt (11) and—as function of the degree of soiling detected—placed either on a conveyor track (2, 2′, 3) of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) or into a storage region external to the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′).

5. System (10) according to claim 4, wherein the detection system (15) is configured to detect a degree of soiling of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement as a function of the degree of soiling detected, wherein the evaluation device is further configured to interrupt the delivery of at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement when a degree of soiling is detected on the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) that exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

6. System (10) according to claim 4, wherein the feed conveyor belt (11) is configured to deliver the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) in batches to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), wherein each batch comprises a tray (9b), wherein the detection system (15) is configured to detect the at least one parameter of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) per batch, and wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery of the batch to the loading arrangement as a function of the detected parameter of a batch.

7. System (10) according to claim 1 wherein the feed conveyor belt (11) is configured to deliver the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) by batch to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), wherein each batch comprises a tray (9b), wherein the detection system (15) is configured to detect an order of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) per batch when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) by batch to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow the delivery of the batch of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement as a function of the order detected, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow the delivery of the batch of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement when the detection system (15) detects that the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) is scattered in the batch.

8. System (10) according to claim 7, wherein the evaluation device is configured to prohibit or interrupt the delivery of the batch of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement when the detection system (15) detects that a predetermined or determinable number of washware pieces (9a, 9b, 9c) is present in the batch in an overlapping manner at least in regions.

9. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the detection system (15) is configured to detect an alignment of at least one of the washware pieces (9a, 9b, 9c) relative to the feed conveyor belt (11) when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery at least of the at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement as a function of the detected alignment of the at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) relative to the feed conveyor belt (11), wherein the evaluation device is configured to not allow or to interrupt the delivery to the loading arrangement when the detection system (15) detects that the at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) deviates from at least one predetermined or determinable target alignment.

10. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the feed conveyor belt (11) has an assigned discharge switch (16), which is arranged upstream of the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) and downstream of the detection system (15) and which is configured to discharge as needed washware pieces (9a, 9b, 9c) by batch, out of the feed conveyor belt (11), wherein the evaluation device is configured to actuate the discharge switch (16) when a delivery of at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading arrangement is not allowable or is to be interrupted.

11. System (10) according to claim 10, wherein the discharge switch (16) is configured to discharge as needed washware pieces (9a, 9b, 9c) by batch, out of the feed conveyor belt (11) into an outlet region (17), wherein the outlet region (17) is configured for precleaning of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) that has been discharged into the outlet region (17).

12. System (10) according to claim 10, wherein the discharge switch (16) is configured to discharge as needed washware pieces (9a, 9b, 9c) by batch, out of the feed conveyor belt (11) into a return conveyor belt (18), wherein the return conveyor belt (18) is configured at least in regions for precleaning of the at least one washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) that has been discharged into the return conveyor belt (18), and wherein an upstream end region of the return conveyor belt (18) is connected to an in-feed switch (19) in a conveying manner for the loading, at least as needed, of the at least one precleaned washware piece (9a, 9b, 9c) into the feed conveyor belt (11), wherein the in-feed switch (19) leads into the feed conveyor belt (11) upstream of the detection system (15).

13. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the feed conveyor belt (11) has an assigned in-feed switch (19), which is configured to load as needed washware pieces by batch (9a, 9b, 9c), into the feed conveyor belt (11), wherein the in-feed switch (19) leads into the feed conveyor belt (11) upstream of the detection system (15) and wherein the in-feed switch (19) connects in a conveying manner a region that is configured for manual precleaning to the feed conveyor belt (11).

14. Arrangement consisting at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) and one loading system according to claim 1.

15. Method of loading at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) with washware (9a, 9b, 9c), wherein the method comprises the following method steps: washware (9a, 9b, 9c) is delivered to at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′); when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′), at least one of the following parameters of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) is detected: i) a type of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) and/or a relative position of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c); ii) a degree of soiling of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c); and/or iii) an order of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) and/or an alignment of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c), wherein, as a function of at least one of the detected parameters, a delivery of the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1′) is controlled.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0105] Example embodiments of the solution according to the invention are described in more detail in the following with reference to the drawings.

[0106] The figures show:

[0107] FIG. 1 schematically and in a plan view, the loading regions of a conveyor warewasher arrangement comprising two conveyor warewashers with a first exemplary embodiment of the loading system according to the invention;

[0108] FIG. 2 schematically and in a plan view, the loading regions of a conveyor warewasher arrangement comprising two conveyor warewashers with a second exemplary embodiment of the loading system according to the invention; and

[0109] FIG. 3 schematically and in a plan view, the loading regions of a conveyor warewasher arrangement comprising two conveyor warewashers with a third exemplary embodiment of the loading system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0110] Schematically and in a plan view, FIG. 1 shows the loading regions of two only partially shown conveyor warewashers 1.

[0111] A first of the two conveyor warewashers 1 has a conveyor apparatus (main conveyor belt 2, cutlery conveyor belt 3) for conveying washware 9a, 9b through the conveyor warewasher 1 in a conveying direction. The conveyor apparatus is configured in particular to allow a plurality of types of washware arranged next to one another to be treated simultaneously in the treatment zones of the conveyor warewasher 1 and thus make the entire washing and rinsing process more efficient, as a result of which, in particular, the working time of the washing personnel can be decreased and the consumption of resources of the warewasher 1 can be reduced.

[0112] The other (second) of the two conveyor warewashers 1′ also has a conveyor apparatus (main conveyor belt 2′) for conveying washware 9c in a conveying direction through the conveyor warewasher 1′. The conveyor apparatus of this conveyor warewasher 1′ is configured in particular to have only one type of washware treated in the treatment zones of the conveyor warewasher 1′, although this should not be seen as a limitation of the invention.

[0113] The conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ considered here each have at least one wash zone, such as a prewash zone and a main wash zone, which, looking in the conveying direction of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c, is arranged behind the prewash zone. Looking in the conveying direction, a postwash zone is preferably provided behind the at least one wash zone, and at least one final rinse zone, such as a fresh water final rinse zone and/or a pump final rinse zone, is provided behind the postwash zone. Viewed in the conveying direction of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c, the at least one final rinse zone is followed by a drying zone.

[0114] The respective zones of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ can be separated from one another by separating curtains. It is also conceivable for the respective entrance tunnels of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′, which, looking in the conveying direction, are provided behind the corresponding loading region of the conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, to be separated from the entrance of the conveyor warewasher 1, 1′ by a separating curtain. Providing separating curtains can prevent washing liquid and final rinsing liquid from splashing out of, and steam escaping from, the conveyor warewasher 1, 1′.

[0115] The treatment zones of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ have assigned spray nozzles. These spray nozzles are used to spray liquid onto the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to be treated as said washware is transported through the respective treatment zones by the conveyor apparatus. The individual spray systems of the treatment zone ensure that the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to be treated is sprayed from both the top and the bottom.

[0116] In the embodiment shown schematically in FIG. 1, a system 10 for loading the conveyor warewasher 1 is provided at the loading region of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′. The loading system 10 comprises an associated feed conveyor belt 11, via which washware 9a, 9b, 9c can be delivered to the loading regions of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′.

[0117] The loading system 10 according to the invention, which is schematically shown according to an exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1 in a plan view, further comprises a loading arrangement having at least two manipulators 12a, 12b to automatically load the conveyor warewashers 1 and, more specifically, respective tracks or regions of the conveyor belts of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ with washware 9a, 9b, 9c, in particular of one the predetermined or determinable washware groups.

[0118] In the solution schematically shown in FIG. 1, a further first loading arrangement is provided, in particular, which is configured to automatically load the first conveyor warewasher 1, and more specifically a cutlery track 3 running parallel to a main conveyor belt 2 of the first conveyor warewasher 1, with washware 9a of the first washware group (i.e. with cutlery and/or pieces of cutlery made of a metal, in particular stainless steel).

[0119] It is further conceivable that a further second loading arrangement, which is configured to automatically load the first conveyor warewasher 1, and more specifically a tray track running parallel to the main conveyor belt 2 of the first conveyor warewasher 1, with washware 9b of the second washware group (i.e. with trays and tray-like articles made of a plastic material), is used as well.

[0120] In addition, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the loading arrangement having the aforementioned two manipulators 12a, 12b is used, which is configured to automatically load the second conveyor warewasher 1′, and more specifically the main conveyor belt 2 of the second conveyor warewasher 1′, with washware 9c of the third washware group (i.e. with dishes made of porcelain or a porcelain-like material).

[0121] It is provided, for example, that, looking in the conveying direction of the feed conveyor belt 11, the loading arrangement having the two manipulators 12a, 12b is arranged upstream of the first and second further loading arrangement.

[0122] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the loading arrangement has the aforementioned two manipulators 12a, 12b, each of which is configured in particular to grip washware 9c of the third washware group, remove it from the feed conveyor belt 11, and set it down at a predetermined or determinable dedicated position.

[0123] This predetermined or determinable dedicated position is a position in a region of the conveyor belt (conveyor belt 2′) of the second conveyor warewasher 1′, in particular in a region of the main conveyor belt 2′ of the second conveyor warewasher 1′.

[0124] Alternatively, however, it is also generally conceivable for the predetermined or determinable dedicated position to be in a region that is preferably located outside the second conveyor warewasher 1′ and serves as a placement region for forming a stack of dishes.

[0125] As can be seen from the plan view in FIG. 1, in the exemplary embodiment of the loading system 10 according to the invention, it is provided, for example, that the two manipulators 12a, 12b each have a gripper system with at least one set of gripping tongs.

[0126] As an alternative or in addition to a set of gripping tongs, however, it would also be conceivable for the gripper system to have at least one suction gripper.

[0127] It is generally advantageous for at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading arrangement to be configured to use the gripper system in particular to grip washware 9c of the third washware group, remove it from the feed conveyor belt 11, and set it down at the predetermined or determinable dedicated position.

[0128] In this context, it is conceivable, for example, for the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading arrangement to have a starting position or waiting position, in which the gripper system of the manipulator 12a, 12b is arranged above the feed conveyor belt 11 such that, during transport, washware 9c of the third washware group is conveyed by the feed conveyor belt 11 into the gripping region of the at least one set of gripping tongs.

[0129] The gripper system of the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading arrangement advantageously has an assigned sensor system, which is configured to detect the presence of at least one washware piece 9a, 9b, 9c, and in particular at least one washware piece 9c of the third washware group, in the gripping region of the at least one set of gripping tongs.

[0130] The loading system 10 is preferably associated with a control device, which is configured to initiate gripping by the at least one set of gripping tongs when the sensor system associated with the gripper system determines that at least one washware piece 9a, 9b, 9c, and in particular at least one washware piece 9c of the third washware group, is located in the gripping region of the at least one set of gripping tongs.

[0131] According to advantageous implementations, the control device is preferably further configured to actuate the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading arrangement such that said manipulator removes the at least one washware piece gripped by the gripper system from the feed conveyor belt 11 and sets it down at a predetermined or determinable dedicated position.

[0132] It is generally useful for the gripper system of the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b to in particular have an assigned positioning aid with at least one guide element, wherein the at least one guide element is configured to preferably guide only washware 9c of the third washware group delivered via the feed conveyor belt 11 in the direction of the gripping region of the at least one set of gripping tongs of the gripper system.

[0133] The exemplary embodiment of the loading system 10 according to FIG. 1 further comprises a detection system 15, in particular an optical one, which is configured to detect at least one of the following parameters of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c on the feed conveyor belt 11 when delivering the washware to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher:

[0134] i) a type of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c, and/or a relative position of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c on the feed conveyor belt 11;

[0135] ii) a degree of soiling of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c; and/or

[0136] iii) an order of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c and/or an alignment of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c relative to the feed conveyor belt 11.

[0137] The detection system 15 has an assigned evaluation device, which is configured to control the delivery of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the at least one loading region of the conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ as a function of at least one of the parameters detected by means of the detection system 15 and/or to actuate the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading arrangement.

[0138] The detection system 15 is configured in particular to detect at least one type of washware of the following types of washware when delivering the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, in particular on the basis of the size, the shape, and/or the material of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c:

[0139] a first washware type comprising cutlery and/or pieces of cutlery made of a metal, in particular stainless steel;

[0140] a second washware type comprising containers, in particular GN containers and/or pots made of a metal, in particular stainless steel;

[0141] a third washware type comprising trays or tray-like articles made of a plastic material; and

[0142] a fourth washware type comprising dishes, in particular plates, cups, and/or bowls, made of porcelain, a porcelain-like material, or earthenware; and/or

[0143] a fifth washware type comprising dishes and/or glasses, in particular drinking glasses, made of glass or a glass-like material.

[0144] Here, the evaluation device is configured in particular to actuate the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading arrangement as a function of a detected washware type in such a manner that the washware of the detected washware type is removed from the feed conveyor belt 11 by the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b and placed on a conveyor track 2, 2′, 3, in particular one that is assigned to the detected washware type, of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′.

[0145] Alternatively or additionally, the evaluation device is configured to interrupt or prohibit (i.e. by stopping the feed conveyor belt 11) a delivery of a washware piece to the loading arrangement when the detection system 15 detects that the washware piece does not belong to a predetermined or determinable washware type or when the washware is not allocable to a predetermined or determinable washware type with the detection system 15.

[0146] According to further developments, the detection system 15 is configured to detect a degree of soiling of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c when feeding the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the loading arrangement as a function of the detected degree of soiling.

[0147] Alternatively or additionally, the evaluation device is configured to acuate the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b of the loading assembly as a function of the degree of soiling detected such that the washware 9a, 9b, 9c of the at least one manipulator 12a, 12b is removed from the feed conveyor belt 11 and—as a function of the degree of soiling detected—placed either on a conveyor track 2, 2′, 3 of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′ or into a storage region external to the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, and in particular at a precleaning station.

[0148] It is conceivable for the detection system 15 to be configured to detect a degree of soiling of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c when delivering the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the loading arrangement as a function of the degree of soiling detected, wherein the evaluation device is further configured to interrupt the delivery of a washware piece to the loading arrangement when a degree of soiling is detected on the washware that exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

[0149] As already indicated and shown in FIG. 1, the feed conveyor belt 11 is configured in particular to deliver the washware 9a, 9b, 9c in batches to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, wherein each batch preferably comprises a tray 9b, optionally with washware placed or stored on the tray 9b, in particular at least one place setting.

[0150] Here, the detection system 15 is configured in particular to detect the at least one parameter of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c per batch, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery of the batch to the loading arrangement as a function of the detected parameter of a batch.

[0151] Alternatively or additionally, the detection system 15 is configured to detect an order of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c per batch when delivering the washware 9a, 9b, 9c by batch to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow the delivery of the batch of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the loading arrangement as a function of the order detected, wherein the evaluation device is preferably configured in particular to allow the delivery of the batch of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the loading arrangement when the detection system 15 detects that the washware 9a, 9b, 9c is scattered in the batch.

[0152] The evaluation device is configured in particular to prohibit or interrupt the delivery of the batch of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the loading arrangement when the detection system 15 detects that a predetermined or determinable number of washware pieces is present in the batch in an overlapping manner at least in regions.

[0153] It is also conceivable that the detection system 15 is configured to detect an alignment of at least one of the washware pieces 9a, 9b, 9c relative to the feed conveyor belt 11 when delivering the washware 9a, 9b, 9c to the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow or interrupt the delivery at least of the at least one washware piece to the loading arrangement as a function of the detected alignment of the at least one washware piece relative to the feed conveyor belt 11, wherein the evaluation device is configured in particular to not allow or to interrupt the delivery to the loading arrangement when the detection system 15 detects that the at least one washware piece deviates from at least one predetermined or determinable target alignment.

[0154] Schematically and in a plan view, FIG. 2 shows the loading regions of a conveyor warewasher arrangement comprising two conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ with a second exemplary embodiment of the loading system 10 according to the invention.

[0155] The second embodiment of the exemplary loading system 10 according to FIG. 2 differs from the first embodiment according to FIG. 1 in particular in that, in the second embodiment, the feed conveyor belt 11 has an assigned discharge switch 16, which is preferably arranged upstream of the at least one loading region of the at least one conveyor warewasher 1, 1′ and downstream of the detection system 15 and is configured to discharge as needed at least one washware piece, and in particular washware pieces 9a, 9b, 9c by batch, out of the feed conveyor belt 11.

[0156] Here, the evaluation device is configured to actuate the discharge switch 16 when a delivery of at least one washware piece to the loading arrangement is not allowable or is to be interrupted.

[0157] The discharge switch 16 is configured in particular to discharge as needed at least one washware piece, and in particular washware pieces 9a, 9b, 9c by batch, out of the feed conveyor belt 11 into an outlet region 17, wherein the outlet region 17 is preferably configured for precleaning, in particular manually, of the washware 9a, 9b, 9c that has been discharged into the outlet region 17.

[0158] Schematically and in a plan view, FIG. 3 shows the loading regions of a conveyor warewasher arrangement comprising two conveyor warewashers 1, 1′ with a third exemplary embodiment of the loading system 10 according to the invention.

[0159] The second embodiment of the exemplary loading system 10 according to FIG. 3 differs from the first embodiment according to FIG. 2 in particular in that the discharge switch 16 is configured to discharge as needed at least one washware piece, and in particular washware pieces 9a, 9b, 9c by batch, out of the feed conveyor belt 11 into a return conveyor belt 18, wherein the return conveyor belt 18 is configured at least in regions for precleaning, in particular manually, of the at least one washware piece that has been discharged into the return conveyor belt 18.

[0160] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, an upstream end region of the return conveyor belt 18 is connected to an in-feed switch 19 in a conveying manner for the loading, at least as needed, of the at least one precleaned washware piece into the feed conveyor belt 11, wherein the in-feed switch 19 preferably leads into the feed conveyor belt 11 upstream of the detection system 15.

[0161] In principle, it is also conceivable in the first embodiment of the loading system 10 according to the invention that the feed conveyor belt 11 has an assigned in-feed switch 19, which is configured to load as needed at least one washware piece and in particular washware pieces 9a, 9b, 9c by batch, into the feed conveyor belt 11, wherein the in-feed switch 19 preferably leads into the feed conveyor belt 11 upstream of the detection system 15 and wherein the in-feed switch 19 preferably connects in a conveying manner a region that is configured for manual precleaning to the feed conveyor belt 11.

[0162] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but results when all of the features disclosed herein are considered together.

[0163] In this context, it is conceivable in particular that cutlery pieces from the washware delivered via the feed conveyor belt 11 are removed, for example with the aid of a controllable magnet, upstream of the detection system 15—looking in the conveying direction of the feed conveyor belt—wherein the removed cutlery pieces are then preferably automatically inserted into a cutlery track of a conveyor warewasher 1, 1′.

[0164] Furthermore, according to further developments, the evaluation device is configured to coordinate the manipulators of the loading arrangement accordingly so that, using the washware type detected by the detection system 15, the corresponding type of washware can be removed from the feed conveyor belt 11 by the appropriate manipulator 12a, 12b.