Dishwasher and method for operating a dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, includes a control device configured to perform a number of washing programs for washing items to be washed, and an input means configured to register a user input for shortening a running selected washing program. The control device is configured to adjust the running selected washing program as a function of a registered user input in such a manner that a remaining washing time of an adjusted selected washing program is shortened compared with a regular remaining washing time of the running selected washing program.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising: a control device configured to perform a number of washing programs for washing items to be washed; and an input means configured to register a user input for shortening a running selected washing program, wherein the control device is configured to adjust the running selected washing program as a function of a registered user input in such a manner that a remaining washing time of an adjusted selected washing program is shortened compared with a regular remaining washing time of the running selected washing program, and such that the adjusted selected washing program is continued from a point that the running selected washing program has currently reached regardless of whether a rinsing, a cleaning, or a drying is occurring at a time of the registered user input.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, constructed in the form of a household dishwasher.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to adjust the running selected washing program as a function of the user input, while still ensuring a predefined cleaning result.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the remaining washing time of the adjusted selected washing program is shortened by a predefined time period compared with the regular remaining washing time of the running selected washing program.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the remaining washing time of the adjusted selected washing program is shortened to an optimum time compared with the regular remaining washing time of the running selected washing program.

6. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the washing programs have a sequence of program substeps, said control device being configured to adjust the sequence of the program substeps for the running selected washing program as a function of the registered user input and/or to adjust parameters for individual program substeps of the running selected washing program as a function of the registered user input.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6, wherein the program substeps comprise pre-rinsing, cleaning, intermediate rinsing, final rinsing and/or drying.

8. The dishwasher of claim 6, wherein the parameters for the program substeps comprise a water quantity, a water temperature, a pump speed, a water pressure, a fan speed and/or a time period.

9. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a time period, a time and/or a trigger signal.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the input means comprises a button, a rotary knob, a sliding control, a touch-sensitive surface of a touchscreen and/or a wireless interface.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the input means is configured as a wireless interface, said user input being registerable by way of a mobile interface device.

12. A method for operating a dishwasher having a control device for performing a number of washing programs for washing items to be washed and an input means for registering a user input for shortening a running selected washing program, said method comprising: starting a run through a washing program selected from a number of washing programs; registering the user input; adjusting a remaining part of the running selected washing program as a function of the registered user input in such a manner that a remaining washing time of the adjusted selected washing program is shortened compared with a regular remaining washing time of the running selected washing program, and such that the adjusted selected washing program is continued from a point that the running selected washing program has currently reached regardless of whether a rinsing, a cleaning, or a drying is occurring at a time of the registered user input; and performing the adjusted remaining part of the selected washing program.

13. The method of claim 12 for operating a household dishwasher.

14. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the computer program product, when loaded into a program-controlled device and executed by the program-controlled device, causes the program-controlled device to perform the steps of: starting a run through a washing program selected from a number of washing programs; registering an user input for shortening a running selected washing program; adjusting a remaining part of the running selected washing program as a function of the registered user input in such a manner that a remaining washing time of the adjusted selected washing program is shortened compared with a regular remaining washing time of the running selected washing program, and such that the adjusted selected washing program is continued from a point that the running selected washing program has currently reached regardless of whether a rinsing, a cleaning, or a drying is occurring at a time of the registered user input; and performing the adjusted remaining part of the selected washing program.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are set out in the subclaims and in the exemplary embodiments of the invention described in the following. The invention is also described in more detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a dishwasher;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary flow diagram for a number of washing programs;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary flow diagram of a selected and adjusted washing program;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of the operation to adjust the selected washing program as a function of a registered user input;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram of the adjustment of parameters of a program substep; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a method for operating a dishwasher.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(8) Identical elements or those of identical function are shown with the same reference characters in the figures, unless otherwise specified.

(9) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household dishwasher 1. The household dishwasher 1 comprises a dishwashing container 2, which can be closed, in particular in a water-tight manner, by a door 3. A sealing device can be provided for this purpose between the door and the dishwashing container 2. The dishwashing container 2 is preferably box-shaped for example. The dishwashing container 2 can be arranged in a housing of the household dishwasher 1. The dishwashing container 2 and the door 3 can form a dishwashing chamber 4 for washing items to be washed.

(10) The door 3 is shown in its opened position in FIG. 1. The door 3 can be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis 5 provided at a lower end of the door 3. The door 3 can be used to close or open a loading opening 6 of the dishwashing container 2. The dishwashing container 2 has a base 7, a top 8 arranged opposite the base 7, a rear wall 9 arranged opposite the closed door 3 and two side walls 10, 11 arranged opposite one another. The base 7, top 8, rear wall 9 and side walls 10, 11 can be made of stainless steel for example. Alternative the base 7 for example can be made of a plastic material.

(11) The control device 15 is arranged on the door 3. The control device 15 is designed to control the household dishwasher 1, in particular to perform washing programs P1, P2, P3 (see FIGS. 2, 4). To this end the control device 15 controls different units (not shown here) of the household dishwasher, for example valves, a pump and/or a heating coil, according to the requirements of a selected washing program PA (see FIGS. 3, 4). The household dishwasher 1 also has an input means 16, which is configured here by way of example as a button on the upper face of the household dishwasher 1. The button 16 is designed in particular to register a user input W (see FIG. 4) for shortening the running selected washing program PA.

(12) The household dishwasher 1 also has at least one dish holder 12 to 14. A number of dish holders 12 to 14, for example three, can preferably be provided, it being possible for the dish holder 12 to be a lower dish holder or lower rack, the dish holder 13 to be an upper dish holder or upper rack and the dish holder 14 to be a flatware drawer. As also shown in FIG. 1, the dish holders 12 to 14 are arranged one above the other in the dishwashing container 2. Each dish holder 12 to 14 can be moved as required into or out of the dishwashing container 2. In particular each dish holder 12 to 14 can be pushed into the dishwashing container 2 in an insertion direction E and pulled out of the dishwashing container 2 in a pull-out direction A counter to the insertion direction E.

(13) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary flow diagram for a number of washing programs P1, P2, P3. The washing programs P1, P2, P3 each have a number of program substeps T1, T2, T3. Each of the washing programs P1, P2, P3 here has a different arrangement of program substeps T1, T2, T3 and/or a different program substep duration. The duration of the washing programs P1, P2, P3 and the individual program substeps T1, T2, T3 is shown on the time axis t. An end time t.sub.P1, t.sub.P2, t.sub.P3, starting from a start time t.sub.0, is shown on the time axis t for each of the washing programs P1, P2, P3. For example the washing program P1 is an energy-saving washing program. The duration of the program substeps T1, T2, T3 in particular is of major significance here. The durations of the program substeps T1, T2, T3 of the washing program P1 are therefore longest compared with the further washing programs P2, P3. In the example in FIG. 2 the washing program P3 is the shortest, followed by the washing program P2, followed by the washing program P1.

(14) The program substeps T1, T2, T3 can differ from one another in the different washing programs P1, P2, P3. For example the program substep T1 of the washing program P2 is shorter than the program substep T1 of the washing program P1. The program substeps T1, T2, T3 can also have further different parameters X1, X2, X3 in the different washing programs P1, P2, P3 (see FIG. 5).

(15) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary flow diagram of a running selected washing program PA and an adjusted selected washing program PA′. For example the initial situation in FIG. 3 is the dishwasher 1 from FIG. 1, wherein the control device 15 can perform the three washing programs P1, P2, P3 shown in FIG. 2. The washing program P1 has been selected. The control device 15 starts the selected washing program PA at time t.sub.0. At a time t.sub.w, when the running selected washing program PA has already run through around a third of the second program substep T2, the control device 15 registers a user input W. The control device 15 then adjusts the remaining part of the running selected washing program PA (shown with a broken line in FIG. 3) in such a manner that the adjusted selected washing program PA′ finishes at an earlier time t.sub.pA′ than the running selected washing program PA, which would take until time t.sub.PA. The control device 15 adjusts the parameters for the remaining program substeps T2, T3 in such a manner that the adjusted program substeps T2′, T3′ have a shorter runtime, while still maintaining the predefined cleaning result. The control device 15 then performs the adjusted selected washing program PA′ with the adjusted program substeps T2′, T3′. This generally results in a time saving dT, which corresponds to the time difference between the regular remaining runtime RTn of the running selected washing program PA and the remaining runtime RTa of the adjusted selected washing program PA′.

(16) FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of an operation to adjust the selected washing program PA as a function of a registered user input W. First a user input W takes place by means of the input means 16 (see FIG. 1). This user input W is registered by the control device 15 (see FIG. 1). The control device 15 immediately performs a running selected washing program PA, which has been selected from a number of washing programs P1, P2, P3. The registered user input W prompts the control device 15 to adjust the running selected washing program PA in such a manner that the adjusted selected washing program PA′ has a shortened runtime. The control device 15 then performs the adjusted selected washing program PA′. This is shown as an action on the dishwashing container 2 (see also FIG. 2) in FIG. 4.

(17) FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram of an adjustment of parameters X1, X2, X3 of a program substep T1, as implemented for example in a washing program P1, P2, P3 according to FIG. 2. In the example the program substep T1 corresponds to pre-rinsing. Regular pre-rinsing T1 should be performed with a water quantity X2 of 2 liters at a temperature X1 of 40° for a period X3 of 30 minutes. The adjusted pre-rinsing T1′ in contrast should be performed with a water quantity X2 of 3.5 liters at a temperature X1 of 60° for a period X3 of 10 minutes.

(18) In order to achieve a predefined washing result despite shortening the period X3 from 30 minutes in the regular instance to 10 minutes in the adjusted instance, both the water quantity X2 and the water temperature X1 are increased here. An increased water quantity X2 also allows the pump speed to be increased and a higher water pressure to act on the items being washed, thereby also speeding up the cleaning of the items being washed.

(19) FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a method for operating a dishwasher 1, for example the dishwasher 1 in FIG. 1. In a first step S1 a run through a selected washing program PA is started. The control device 15 starts to perform the selected washing program PA (see FIG. 3) according to the instructions stored in the washing program PA. While the selected washing program PA runs, in a second step S2 a user input by way of the input means 16 is registered, the input means 16 being configured for example as a wireless interface, which can communicate with an app that can be executed on a smartphone. In the present instance the user has learned for example that a friend is coming to visit soon. The user instructs the dishwasher 1 via the app on his/her smartphone that the washing operation should end at 14:30 hrs instead of at 16:00 hrs in the regular manner. This is done for example by means of a corresponding voice input, which is interpreted by the app and transmitted to the dishwasher 1 as a user input W. In a third step S3 a remaining part of the running selected washing program PA is then adjusted as a function of the registered user input W. Adjustment takes place in such a manner that a remaining washing time RTa of the adjusted selected washing program PA′ is shortened compared with a regular remaining washing time RTn of the running selected washing program PA. Provision can also be made for example for the dishwasher 1 to transmit the prospective end time to the app. In a fourth step S4 the adjusted remaining part of the selected washing program PA′ is then performed.

(20) Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in many different ways.