METHOD FOR CLEANING CUTLERY OR CUTLERY PARTS, CUTLERY HOLDER FOR HOLDING CUTLERY TO BE CLEANED IN A DISHWASHER, AND DISHWASHER

Abstract

A method for cleaning cutlery or cutlery parts, wherein the method includes the method step of filling a cutlery holder with the cutlery to be cleaned, the method step of treating the cutlery to be cleaned with a washing liquid, and the method step of treating the washed cutlery with a clear rinsing liquid. The cutlery holder is filled with the cutlery to be cleaned such that the individual cutlery parts are movable relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder, wherein at least during clear rinsing and preferably also during washing, the cutlery parts are moved at least once and preferably several times relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder in order to avoid static contact points between the individual cutlery parts and/or between the cutlery parts and the cutlery holder. A corresponding cutlery holder, and a dishwasher are also provided.

Claims

1. Method for cleaning cutlery or cutlery parts, wherein the method comprises the following method steps: filling a cutlery holder with the cutlery to be cleaned; treating the cutlery to be cleaned with a washing liquid; and treating the washed cutlery with a clear rinsing liquid; wherein the cutlery holder is filled with the cutlery to be cleaned such that the individual cutlery parts are movable relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder, wherein at least during clear rinsing and also during washing, the cutlery parts are moved at least once relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder in order to avoid static contact points between the individual cutlery parts and/or between the cutlery parts and the cutlery holder.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the cutlery parts are moved relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder via a mechanical impulse that is applied to the cutlery parts and/or to the cutlery holder, at least once.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein to move the cutlery parts, the cutlery holder is tilted or swivelled relative to the horizontal, and wherein the cutlery parts move relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder under the force of gravity acting on the cutlery parts.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein a magnetic field is applied to move the cutlery parts, and wherein the cutlery parts move relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder because of the magnetic field acting on the cutlery parts and/or on the cutlery holder.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method furthermore comprises the following method step, after the method step of clear rinsing: drying of the rinsed cutlery, wherein during drying, the cutlery parts are moved at least once relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder in order to avoid static contact points between the individual cutlery parts and/or between the cutlery parts and the cutlery holder; and/or wherein at least during drying, the cutlery parts are accelerated and/or moved such that a centrifugal force acting on any water droplets adhering to the cutlery parts is at least partially greater than the adhesion force with which the water droplets adhere to the cutlery parts.

6. Cutlery holder for holding cutlery to be cleaned in a dishwasher, wherein the cutlery holder is configured to hold the cutlery to be cleaned such that the individual cutlery parts are movable relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder, wherein the cutlery holder comprises a pulse generator, or a pulse generator is assigned to the cutlery holder, wherein the pulse generator is configured to apply at least one mechanical impulse to the cutlery holder and/or to any cutlery which may be held by the cutlery holder such that, to avoid static contact points between the individual cutlery parts held in the cutlery holder or with the cutlery holder, the cutlery parts which may be held by the cutlery holder are movable at least once relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder.

7. Cutlery holder according to claim 6, wherein the pulse generator comprises at least one oscillation exciter, wherein the oscillation exciter is configured as a piezo-electric oscillation exciter, an ultrasound exciter or a mechanical imbalance motor.

8. Cutlery holder according to claim 6, wherein the cutlery holder has a tilt or swivel device, or a tilt or swivel device is assigned to the cutlery holder, wherein the tilt or swivel device is configured to tilt or swivel the cutlery holder relative to the horizontal such that the cutlery parts move relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder under the force of gravity acting on the cutlery parts.

9. Cutlery holder according to claim 6, wherein the cutlery holder comprises a drive, or a drive is assigned to the cutlery holder, so as to accelerate and/or move any cutlery parts held by the cutlery holder such that a centrifugal force acting on any water droplets adhering to the cutlery parts is at least partially greater than the adhesion force with which the water droplets adhere to the cutlery parts; and/or that an electric motor is assigned to the cutlery holder such that the cutlery holder can be rotated with a cyclically changing rotation direction by means of the electric motor.

10. Cutlery holder according to claim 6, wherein the cutlery holder is configured as a flat basket or as a cutlery compartment.

11. Dishwasher, which is configured as a programmable machine with a treatment chamber or as a continuous transport dishwasher with at least one treatment zone, wherein the dishwasher comprises a cutlery holder, which can be exchangeably received at least partially and/or in regions in the treatment chamber or in the at least one treatment zone and which can hold cutlery to be treated in the dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher has at least one feature of the features listed below: (a) a pulse generator which is assigned to the cutlery holder and is configured to apply at least one mechanical impulse to the cutlery holder and/or to the cutlery which may be held by the cutlery holder such that, to avoid static contact points between the cutlery parts which may be held in the cutlery holder or with the cutlery holder, the cutlery parts which may be held by the cutlery holder are movable at least once relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder; (b) a tilt or swivel device which is assigned to the cutlery holder and is configured to tilt or swivel the cutlery holder relative to the horizontal such that the cutlery parts which may be held by the cutlery holder move relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder under the force of gravity acting on the cutlery parts; and/or (c) a drive which is assigned to the cutlery holder and is configured so as to accelerate and/or move the cutlery parts which may be held by the cutlery holder such that a centrifugal force acting on any water droplets adhering to the cutlery parts is at least partially greater than the adhesion force with which the water droplets adhere to the cutlery parts.

12. (canceled)

13. Dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the dishwasher is configured as a programmable machine, and wherein a drive is integrated completely in the treatment chamber of the dishwasher configured as a programmable machine, via which drive the cutlery holder is movable relative to the treatment chamber such that the cutlery parts which may be held by the cutlery holder are movable relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder, and/or that a centrifugal force acting on any water droplets adhering to the cutlery parts is at least partially greater than the adhesion force with which the water droplets adhere to the cutlery parts, wherein the drive is configured to rotate the cutlery holder relative to the treatment chamber about a horizontal rotation axis, to swivel this about a vertical rotation axis, and/or move this in linear fashion as required.

14. Dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein at least one drive element is provided in the treatment chamber or in the at least one treatment zone of the dishwasher and has a plurality of magnet poles carried on a shaft that is rotatable relative to the treatment chamber or treatment zone, and wherein the cutlery holder has a driven element, wherein the driven element is configured to be actively connected to the drive element as required via a magnetic coupling in order for a torque or rotation force to be transmitted from the drive element to the driven element and to the cutlery holder.

15. Dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the pulse generator and/or the tilt or swivel device and/or the drive is configured to be actuated as required via a control device, such that the pulse generator and/or the tilt or swivel device and/or the drive is/are activated during a drying phase or in a drying zone and/or during a clear rinsing phase or in a clear rinsing zone, and/or during a washing phase or in a washing zone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] In the drawings:

[0064] FIG. 1 schematically shows a front view of a first exemplary embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention, with the dishwasher being embodied as a hood-type dishwasher, and with the dishwasher being shown in the open state thereof in FIG. 1;

[0065] FIG. 2 schematically shows a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 1;

[0066] FIG. 3 schematically shows a plan view of the drive unit, which is integrated in the treatment chamber of the dishwasher according to FIG. 1 and is configured to correspondingly manipulate a cutlery holder received in the treatment chamber of the dishwasher;

[0067] FIG. 4 schematically shows a front view of a further exemplary embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention, with the dishwasher being embodied as an undercounter dishwasher, and being shown in an open state, in FIG. 4;

[0068] FIG. 5 schematically shows a side view of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 4;

[0069] FIG. 6 schematically shows a front view of the drive unit for manipulating a cutlery holder received in the treatment chamber of the dishwasher, said drive unit being used in the exemplary embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 4 and being integrated therein in the treatment chamber; and

[0070] FIG. 7 schematically shows a partially sectional view of the drive unit according to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] It is the aim of the present invention, which is described in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, to eliminate the contact points between the cutlery parts held by the cutlery holder and between said cutlery parts and the cutlery holder itself, using a cutlery holder which is movable relative to the treatment chamber or to the at least one treatment zone of the dishwasher, by virtue of the fact that the movement of the cutlery holder during the cleaning and/or drying process continually changes the position of each individual cutlery part slightly, and there are consequently no longer any static contact points.

[0072] Rather, the contact points change continually during the cleaning and/or drying cycle. This ensures that the entire cutlery surface of each individual cutlery part, during the cleaning and/or drying cycle, is freely accessible, for example to washing liquid solution, final rinsing liquid and heated air for drying. As a result, it is possible to provide a spot-free, shiny result for the cutlery parts, with in particular manual work effort for manual polishing, or additional post-processing steps, being eliminated.

[0073] In the attached drawings, exemplary embodiments of the dishwasher according to the invention are illustrated schematically. These are commercial dishwashers, which are each configured as batch dishwashers.

[0074] Specifically, the exemplary embodiment of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention, which embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, concerns a batch dishwasher which is embodied as a hood-type or (rack-type) pass-through dishwasher 1, whereas the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 concerns a batch dishwasher which is embodied as an undercounter dishwasher 1.

[0075] A commercial dishwasher 1 embodied as a batch dishwasher usually has a program control device 11 for the control of at least one cleaning program, and has a treatment chamber 2, which can be closed by way of at least one door and/or at least one hood, in a machine housing for receiving items of washware to be cleaned, such as, for example, crockery, cutlery 4, pots, pans, trays and/or glasses.

[0076] Although not illustrated in the drawings, from an ergonomic point of view, it is advantageous for in particular a batch dishwasher embodied as a pass-through dishwasher 1 to be equipped, on the infeed and run-out sides thereof, with a respective table (infeed table and run-out table, respectively). The washing baskets loaded with soiled items of washware can thus be pushed into the dishwasher 1 on the infeed table. After the items of washware have been treated in the treatment chamber 2 of the dishwasher 1, the washing basket with the then cleaned items of washware is moved out of the machine onto the run-out table.

[0077] The action time, that is to say the time during which cleaning or washing liquid wets the items of washware within the treatment chamber 2 of a batch dishwasher, is dependent in particular on the duration of the washing phase defined by way of the treatment program. For normally soiled items of washware, such as plates, bowls, cups and/or glasses, a cleaning cycle composed of a washing phase and of a subsequent final rinsing phase generally requires between 50 and 100 seconds. However, longer treatment of the items of washware may be necessary, in particular if these are relatively heavily soiled.

[0078] The exemplary embodiments of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention which are shown in the drawings each have a cutlery holder 3 which can be received in the treatment chamber 2 of the dishwasher 1. In the exemplary embodiments, the cutlery holder 3 is configured as a cutlery compartment. In principle, however, it would also be conceivable that the cutlery holder 3 is configured as a flat basket.

[0079] The cutlery holder 3 is used to hold cutlery 4 to be cleaned in the treatment chamber 2 of the dishwasher 1. In this case, the cutlery holder 3 (cutlery compartment) is configured to hold the cutlery 4 to be cleaned in such a way that the individual cutlery parts 4 are movable relative to each other and in particular also relative to the cutlery holder 3 itself.

[0080] The exemplary embodiments of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention which are shown schematically in the drawings each have a drive 5, which can be received, or is received, preferably completely in the treatment chamber 2 of the dishwasher 1 and which is used to correspondingly drive a cutlery holder 3 which may be received in the treatment chamber 2. In particular, the drive 5 is configured to apply at least one mechanical impulse and preferably a plurality of mechanical impulses, as required, continuously, periodically or cyclically, to the cutlery holder 3 and thus also to the cutlery 4 held by the cutlery holder 3 such that the individual cutlery parts 4 held by the cutlery holder 3 are moved relative to each other and relative to the cutlery holder 3 itself, such that static contact points between the cutlery parts 4, but also between the cutlery parts 4 and the cutlery holder 3, are thereby effectively eliminated.

[0081] In particular, the drive 5 which is assigned to the cutlery holder 3 and which is preferably received in the treatment chamber 2 of the dishwasher 1 is configured to accelerate or move the cutlery holder 3 and thus the cutlery parts 4 held in the cutlery holder 3, as required, periodically, continuously or cyclically, such that any water droplets adhering to the cutlery parts 4 are detached from the cutlery parts 4 by centrifugal force.

[0082] As can be gathered from the illustration in FIG. 3, in the first exemplary embodiment of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention, provision is made for the drive 5 to be configured as a rotational drive, a corresponding spindle 7 being drivable by means of a motor, the spindle 7, in turn, driving a drive disk 9 in a rotating manner in the treatment chamber 2 of the dishwasher 1 by way of a mechanism 8. The cutlery holder 3 embodied in particular as a cutlery compartment can be (exchangeably) placed on said drive disk 9 in order to achieve an active connection between the drive 5, on the one hand, and the cutlery holder 3, on the other.

[0083] However, in this context, active connections between a drive 5 and an output and the cutlery holder 3 are of course also conceivable, said connections basically operating in a “contactless” manner for example by way of a magnetic coupling.

[0084] The drive unit used in FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 is a drive unit or a drive 5 which is embodied as a tilt or swivel device 10 and which is used to tilt or swivel the cutlery holder 3 relative to the horizontal as required, continuously, periodically or cyclically, such that the cutlery parts 4 held by the cutlery holder 3 move relative to each other and in particular also relative to the cutlery holder 3 under the force of gravity then acting on the cutlery parts 4, and therefore static contact points are also effectively eliminated thereby.

[0085] The invention is not restricted to the embodiments which are illustrated in the drawings, but rather results from an overview of all features disclosed herein.

[0086] In particular, in this context, it is conceivable that a pulse generator which is assigned to the cutlery holder 3 is arranged in the treatment chamber 2 or treatment zone of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention, in order to apply at least one mechanical impulse, as required, to the cutlery holder 3 to thus move the cutlery parts 4 held by the cutlery holder 3 relative to each other and in particular also relative to the cutlery holder 3 itself. The pulse generator can comprise for example an oscillation exciter, in particular a piezo-electric oscillation exciter, an ultrasound exciter or a mechanical imbalance motor.

[0087] As an alternative or in addition thereto, it is conceivable that an electric motor, such as, for example, a stepper motor, is assigned to the cutlery holder 3, the cutlery holder 3 being able to be rotated with a cyclically changing rotation direction by means of the electric motor. It is advantageous here for the changes in (rotation) direction to be effected as abruptly as possible so that high acceleration forces act for a short period on the cutlery parts held in the cutlery holder 3, and therefore the cutlery parts which may be held by the cutlery holder 3 move relative to each other and/or relative to the cutlery holder 3 because of the acceleration forces acting on the cutlery parts.

[0088] In summary, the invention relates in particular to an, in particular, commercial dishwasher 1 for the rinsing or cleaning of different items of washware, said commercial dishwasher being configured as a single tank dishwasher 1 (batch dishwasher) or multi-tank dishwasher 1 (continuous transport dishwasher), a movable cutlery holder 3, in particular in the form of a cutlery rack, being located in the dishwasher 1 for the cleaning and/or drying of cutlery parts 4.

[0089] In particular, in this context, it is conceivable that the cutlery holder 3 (in particular cutlery rack) is movable in a rotating manner relative to the treatment chamber 2 or treatment zone of the dishwasher 1. As an alternative or in addition thereto, the cutlery holder 3 can also be movable in an oscillating manner. However, in principle, it is of course also conceivable that the cutlery holder 3 is movable in any other desirable movement relative to the treatment chamber 2 or to the treatment zone of the dishwasher 1 (for example horizontally, vertically, etc.).

[0090] In particular, the cutlery holder 3 can be moved with a change in direction by a suitable drive 5 of the dishwasher 1.

[0091] With regard to the cutlery holder 3, it is advantageous here for said holder to be a cutlery rack which is intrinsically as small as possible or has an as small as possible contact surface for cutlery parts 4.

[0092] The cutlery holder is preferably moved in such a way that water droplets detach from the the cutlery parts 4 on account of physical forces (centrifugal force, force of gravity, etc.), such that the drying is thereby supported.

[0093] In preferred realizations, the cutlery holder 3, together with a base frame which is assigned to the cutlery holder 3, can be preferably completely removed from the treatment chamber 2 or treatment zone of the dishwasher 1 so that other washing racks can also correspondingly be inserted.

[0094] The movement of the cutlery holder 3 during the cleaning and/or drying process can preferably be adjusted, and controlled, in a flexible manner, for example continuously or cyclically, with constant rotation speed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0095] 1 Dishwasher 1 [0096] 2 Treatment chamber 2 [0097] 3 Cutlery holder 3 [0098] 4 Cutlery parts 4 [0099] 5 Drive 5 [0100] 6 Bearing [0101] 7 Spindle 7 [0102] 8 Mechanism [0103] 9 Drive disk [0104] 10 Tilt or swivel device 10 [0105] 11 Control device