DISHWASHER, IN PARTICULAR IN THE SHAPE OF A COUNTER MODULE FOR A COUNTER SYSTEM

Abstract

A dishwasher for cleaning washware items in the form of drinking vessels, is configured as a counter module of a counter system and includes a treatment zone having a placement area and a removal area associated therewith. The washware item to be cleaned can be manually placed into the treatment zone via the placement area and the cleaned washware item be manually removed from the treatment zone via the removal area, wherein the placement area and the removal area are disposed opposite one another with the interposition of the treatment zone. At least one bracket is provided in the treatment zone for releasably securing and/or positioning the washware item placed in the treatment zone.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A dishwasher for cleaning a washware item in the form of a drinking vessel, wherein the dishwasher is configured as a counter module of a counter system and comprises a housing with at least one treatment zone and having a placement opening for manually placing the drinking vessel into the treatment zone and a removal opening for manually removing the drinking vessel from the treatment zone, wherein the placement opening and the removal opening are disposed on opposite first and second sides of the housing, wherein at least one bracket is provided in the treatment zone for releasably securing and/or positioning the drinking vessel placed in the treatment zone; wherein the at least one bracket comprises first and second bracket parts arranged at opposing internal sides of the housing, the first and second bracket parts facing perpendicular to the placement opening and between which a holding region is formed, the first bracket part being biased toward the holding region into an inward position and movable outward, against the bias, upon contact with the drinking vessel during placement of the drinking vessel into the holding region within the treatment zone, wherein, when the first bracket partis in the inward position, a gap between the first and second bracket parts is aligned along a path from the placement opening to the removal opening; wherein the first spring-loaded bracket part comprises: a depression or groove facing the holding region, and an angled entry surface that faces partly toward the placement opening and that angles outwardly and away from the depression or groove and the holding region so as to be configured to facilitate manual movement of the drinking vessel into the holding region by engaging with the entry surface to move the first bracket part outwardly, against the bias, until the drinking vessel reaches the holding region.

17. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein the holding region is above a placement surface and the placement surface is at least partly inclined relative to horizontal, by an angle of 5 to 35; and/or the placement surface is formed at least partly by a lattice-like strut structure.

18. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein the dishwasher comprises an air-blowing system having at least one air-blowing nozzle configured and oriented with respect to the holding region such that water droplets can be blown off the drinking vessel with the air-blowing nozzle, wherein the air-blowing system is configured to automatically blow compressed air toward the drinking vessel via the air-blowing nozzle after completion of a rinsing phase, or to automatically blow compressed air toward the drinking vessel via the air-blowing nozzle as the drinking vessel is removed from the treatment zone.

19. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein the treatment zone is associated with at least one door, in the form of a revolving door that is movable relative to the treatment zone between an open position, in which the placement opening and the removal opening are open, and a closed position, in which the placement opening and the removal opening are closed.

20. The dishwasher according to claim 19, wherein the revolving door is disposed inside the housing and is mounted such that is rotatable about a central axis of the treatment zone.

21. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein the dishwasher further comprises a washing and/or rinsing system having a washing and/or rinsing pump and washing and/or rinsing nozzles, via which cleaning liquid, can be sprayed onto the drinking vessel in the treatment zone, and wherein the dishwasher is spatially partitioned into an over table area, which is positioned above a counter level, and an under table area, which is positioned below the counter level, wherein the placement opening, the removal opening and at least part of the at least one treatment zone are respectively part of the over table area, and wherein at least the washing and/or rinsing pump of the washing and/or rinsing system is part of the under table area.

22. The dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the placement surface is disposed below the counter level.

23. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein the dishwasher has a dimension adapted to a counter size and includes a counter structure, wherein a footprint of the counter structure has a dimension of no more than 500 mm500 mm, and wherein the footprint of a body below the counter structure has a dimension of no more than 400 mm600 mm.

24. A counter module for a counter system, wherein the counter system comprises a counter area having a horizontal counter surface, and wherein the counter module comprises a dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein an over table area of the dishwasher is disposed above the counter surface of the counter area and an under table area of the dishwasher is disposed below the counter surface of the counter area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0131] Example embodiments of the dishwasher according to the invention are described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0132] The figures show:

[0133] FIG. 1 schematically and in an isometric view, an example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention in which the placement opening at the placement area of the treatment zone is open;

[0134] FIG. 2 schematically, a further isometric view of the dishwasher according to FIG. 1;

[0135] FIG. 3 schematically, a view onto the placement area of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 1;

[0136] FIG. 4 schematically, a first side view of the dishwasher according to FIG. 1;

[0137] FIG. 5 schematically, a second side view of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 1;

[0138] FIG. 6 schematically, a plan view onto the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 1;

[0139] FIG. 7 schematically, a side view of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 1, but without the side wall region of the body of the dishwasher;

[0140] FIG. 8 schematically and in an isometric view, the example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 7;

[0141] FIG. 9 schematically and in a further isometric view, the example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 7;

[0142] FIG. 10 schematically and in a side view, the example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 1, with the door of the body of the dishwasher open;

[0143] FIG. 11 schematically and in an isometric view, the example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 10;

[0144] FIG. 12 schematically, a plan view onto the placement area of the example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 10;

[0145] FIG. 13 schematically and in a plan view, the example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention according to FIG. 10;

[0146] FIG. 14a schematically and in an isometric view, the over table area of a further example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention without a washware item accommodated in the treatment zone;

[0147] FIG. 14b schematically and in an isometric view, the over table area according to FIG. 14a, with only one washware item in the form of a drinking cup accommodated in the treatment zone;

[0148] FIG. 15a schematically and in a view from the removal area onto the over table area according to FIG. 14a;

[0149] FIG. 15b schematically and in a view from the removal area, the over table area according to FIG. 14b;

[0150] FIG. 16a schematically and in an isometric view from above at an angle onto the removal area of the over table area according to FIG. 14a;

[0151] FIG. 16b schematically and in an isometric view from above at an angle onto the removal area of the over table area according to FIG. 14b;

[0152] FIG. 17a schematically and in a longitudinal sectional view, the over table area according to FIG. 14a;

[0153] FIG. 17b schematically and in a longitudinal sectional view, the over table area according to FIG. 14b;

[0154] FIG. 18a schematically and in a central longitudinal sectional view, the over table area according to FIG. 14a; and

[0155] FIG. 18b schematically and in a central longitudinal sectional view, the over table area according to FIG. 14b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0156] A first example embodiment of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention is described in the following with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings. The dishwasher 1 is in particular configured as a counter module of a counter system and is in particular suitable for cleaning washware items 2 in the form of drinking vessels, in particular in the form of drinking cups, mugs, glasses or bottles.

[0157] For cleaning the washware items, the dishwasher 1 comprises a treatment zone 3 (here: only one) having a placement area 4 and a removal area 5. The dishwasher 1 or the treatment zone 3 is configured to treat (clean) washware items 2 individually and in batches.

[0158] The dishwasher 1 comprises a housing 14, in which the treatment zone 3 is accommodated. A first display arrangement 16, which is oriented in the direction of the placement area 4 of the dishwasher 1 and serves to display customer-specific information to a customer, is disposed in the upper region of the housing 14.

[0159] A second display arrangement 17, via which information for the service personnel or the counter personnel is displayed, is disposed on the opposite side of the housing 14, preferably in the upper region. A switch 18, via which the service personnel or the counter personnel can activate the operation of the dishwasher 1, is provided in addition to the second display arrangement 17.

[0160] In the design example shown, the treatment zone 3 accommodated in the housing 14 is used to carry out a washing phase, then optionally a disinfecting phase, then a rinsing phase with hot fresh water and optionally a rinsing phase with cold fresh water, in chronological succession. In this context, it is in principle also conceivable for an additional drying phase to subsequently take place in the treatment zone 3.

[0161] The washing phase is a cleaning phase, in which the washware items 2 or the washware item 2 in the treatment zone 3 are washed with a washing liquid. The optional disinfecting phase is a cleaning or treatment phase, in which the washed washware item 2 is exposed to either a disinfectant chemical or hot fresh water or hot steam to effect appropriate disinfection. The rinsing phase is a cleaning phase, in which the washed washware item 2 and the possibly disinfected washware item 2 are rinsed with heated fresh water and optionally added rinse aid.

[0162] To be able to carry out these process steps, the dishwasher 1 preferably comprises two independent liquid systems. A first liquid system is a washing water circuit which is responsible for washing the washware item, whereby washing is carried out with recirculated water from a wash tank 9 of the dishwasher 1.

[0163] The other liquid system is a fresh water system, which is responsible for rinsing. As already mentioned, rinsing is carried out with fresh water, preferably fresh water from a water heater. After the spraying in the treatment zone 3, the fresh water is likewise taken into the wash tank 9 of the dishwasher 1.

[0164] The primary task of rinsing is to remove any remaining suds on the washware item 2. The rinsing water flowing in the wash tank 9 during the rinsing phase is used to regenerate the washing water in the wash tank 9.

[0165] Before fresh water is sprayed as a rinsing liquid by the rinsing phase and thereby fed into the wash tank 9 of the dishwasher 1, a quantity of washing liquid equal to the quantity of fresh water is preferably pumped out of the wash tank 9.

[0166] The example embodiment of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention, as shown schematically in the drawings, is in particular characterized by the fact that it is spatially partitioned into an over table area 6 and an under table area 7. When the dishwasher 1 is used as intended, the over table area 6 is above a counter level 12, whereas, when the dishwasher 1 is used as intended, the under table area 7 is below the counter level 12.

[0167] It is in particular provided that the components which are necessary and can be controlled to carry out the cleaning phases in the treatment zone 3 are accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1. These are in particular the washing and/or rinsing pump(s) 8 of a washing and/or rinsing system of the dishwasher 1, i.e. the pumps associated with the washing water circuit and the fresh water system of the dishwasher 1.

[0168] The wash tank 9 of the dishwasher 1, and possibly a wastewater tank, are preferably likewise accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1. As already stated at the outset, the wash tank 9 is used to at least temporarily store the cleaning liquid to be sprayed in the treatment zone 3 of the dishwasher 1 or to temporarily store the cleaning liquid sprayed in the treatment zone 3.

[0169] It is also advantageous if a fresh water tank or rinsing liquid tank 10, which provides at least a portion of the rinsing liquid or fresh water to be sprayed in the treatment zone 3, is accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1 as well.

[0170] A rinse aid dosing system for in particular selective and/or as needed dosing of rinse aid to the cleaning liquid to be sprayed in the treatment zone 3 and/or a cleaner dosing system for in particular selective and/or as needed dosing of a cleaner chemical to the cleaning liquid to be sprayed in the treatment zone 3 can also be accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1.

[0171] The same is true for an optionally provided disinfectant dosing system for as needed dosing of a disinfectant to the cleaning liquid to be sprayed in the at least one treatment zone 3.

[0172] A water heater (booster) for selective and/or as needed heating of the cleaning liquid, in particular rinsing liquid, to be sprayed in the treatment zone 3 is preferably disposed in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1 as well.

[0173] In the over table area 6 of the dishwasher 1, on the other hand, preferably only the placement area 4, the removal area 5 and at least partly the area of the treatment zone 3 of the dishwasher 1 are provided. The treatment zone 3, or a corresponding washing and/or spray nozzle system associated with the treatment zone 3, is fluidically connected to the washing liquid system and the rinsing liquid system and the corresponding components of the washing and/or rinsing system accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1.

[0174] The washing or spray nozzle system is preferably disposed below the treatment zone 3, whereby a lateral arrangement of corresponding washing and/or spray nozzles and/or an arrangement of washing and/or spray nozzles above the treatment zone 3 is in principle conceivable too. In particular at least a portion of the washing and/or spray nozzles is disposed below the treatment zone 3 in a corresponding trough-shaped region, specifically with a spray direction oriented upward into the treatment zone 3.

[0175] A bracket 15 is provided in the treatment zone 3 in order to releasably secure and in particular position a washware item 2 placed into the treatment zone 3 with respect to the washing and/or spray nozzles. The bracket 15 is in particular configured to position and/or true a drinking vessel independently and preferably in the middle and in particular centrally in the treatment zone 3.

[0176] The bracket 15 should in particular be configured such that a drinking vessel can be brought, preferably manually and in particular with one hand, into operative connection with the bracket 15 via the placement area 4 and can be removed, preferably manually and in particular with one hand, from the bracket 15 via the removal area 5.

[0177] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the bracket 15 comprises two oppositely disposed, in particular spring-loaded holding elements 25, between which a holding region for the drinking vessel is formed. The bracket 15 is configured such that a drinking vessel can be introduced, in particular placed, manually into the holding region via the placement area 4, preferably in a horizontal movement, and can be removed preferably manually from the holding region via the removal area 5.

[0178] Per FIGS. 14a-18b, the bracket 15 comprises a drinking vessel receptacle, in particular in the form of a depression or in the form of a groove region, which, here, is formed by outwardly extending depressions or grooves 25a in each holding element 25. The depressions or grooves 25a are, here, located on the holding elements 25 between the placement area 4 and the removal area 5 to form the vessel holding region, for positioning and/or truing a drinking vessel, which is in particular in an upside-down state of said drinking vessel, in the treatment zone 3. Each holding element 25 includes an angled entry surface 25b that faces partly toward the placement area 4 and that angles outwardly and away from the depression or groove region 25a, which configuration facilitates manual movement of a drinking vessel, in particular with one hand, from the placement area 4 horizontally into the space between the holding elements 25, by the drinking vessel engaging with the entry surfaces 25b to move the holding elements outwardly, against the bias, until the drinking vessel reaches the holding region between the depressions or groove regions 25a.

[0179] The drawings also do not show that a cleaning system having at least one cleaning nozzle and configured to preferably automatically clean the placement area 4 is associated with the placement area 4 of the dishwasher 1.

[0180] It can be seen from the drawings that, in the example embodiment, the dishwasher 1 comprises a body 11 having an upper horizontal plane which defines the counter level 12 or is positioned below the actual counter level 12. The under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1 is formed by the body 11, whereby, in this case, the body 11 comprises height-adjustable feet 13, with which the body 11 is supported.

[0181] The body region is equipped with removable wall elements or a door 19, for example to allow access to the technology accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1 for maintenance reasons.

[0182] Due to the compactness of the dishwasher 1, the placement opening of the placement area 4 can be correspondingly small. If the dishwasher 1 is used to clean drinking vessels, in particular reusable drinking vessels such as coffee cups, as in the example embodiment shown in the drawings, the placement opening of the placement area 4 can be slightly higher than the drinking vessel to be treated.

[0183] Although not shown in the drawings, the placement opening of the placement area 4 of the dishwasher 1 can be associated with a guide slot corresponding to the drinking vessel to be cleaned in order to provide an orientation of the drinking vessel when the drinking vessel is placed into the placement area 4.

[0184] Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the bracket 15 in the treatment zone 3 to be configured to only accommodate drinking vessels in a defined orientation.

[0185] The dishwasher 1 preferably comprises a control device, which is not explicitly shown in the drawings, to appropriately control the at least one door, in particular the revolving door, as well as the controllable components associated with the treatment zone 3 and the display arrangements 16, 17. The control device is in particular configured to control the controllable components of the treatment zone 3 or the washing and rinsing system of the treatment zone 3 as a function of a presence or absence of a drinking vessel in the placement area 4, in the removal area 5 or in the area of the treatment zone 3.

[0186] Due to its design and size, the dishwasher 1 according to the invention is in particular configured to be integrated into the counter concept of a coffee shop, for example, so that a dirty cup can be placed into the machine in an area in front of the counter by the customer, and the clean cup can then be removed from the machine by the personnel behind the counter after the cleaning process has been carried out, to then refill said cup directly in accordance with the customer's order. More specifically, it is in particular provided that the technology for the washing and/or rinsing system is accommodated in the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1, so that as much space as possible is available in the over table area 6 of the dishwasher 1, so that the entire dishwasher 1 can easily be integrated into the counter concept of a coffee shop, for example.

[0187] It is in particular advantageous for the dishwasher 1 to comprise a door, in particular a revolving or Tambour door, to close the access opening to the placement area 4 of the dishwasher 1 as needed. The door can be manually or automatically actuatable. If the door is automatically actuated, the placement area 4 can be associated with a sensor system, which is configured to detect the presence of a washware item in the placement area 4 or in the area of the treatment zone 3, whereby the sensor system actuates a door mechanism to close the door and start a treatment program of the dishwasher 1 when a washware item is detected.

[0188] In the same way, it is advantageous if the removal area 5 is likewise associated with a corresponding door. The door should in particular be retractable in vertical direction into the body 11 of the dishwasher 1 when in the open position. Alternatively, it is conceivable for the door to be retractable in horizontal direction into the side wall region of the housing for the treatment zone 3.

[0189] The over table area of a further example embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention is described in more detail in the following with reference to the illustrations in FIG. 15a to FIG. 18b.

[0190] The over table area of this example embodiment is characterized by the fact that the placement surface 20 in the treatment zone 3 is inclined relative to the horizontal in the direction the removal area 5. Of course, it is also conceivable that the placement surface is implemented to be inclined in the direction of the placement area 4 or in a different direction relative to the horizontal.

[0191] It can also be seen in the drawings that the placement surface 20 is formed by a strut structure, in particular a lattice-like strut structure.

[0192] The sectional views according to FIG. 17a, FIG. 17b, FIG. 18a, and FIG. 18b show that a revolving door 18 is disposed in the housing 14 for the treatment zone 3. The revolving door 18 is designed as an element which surrounds the treatment zone 3 and comprises a first and an opposite second through-opening and is rotatable relative to the placement opening and the removal opening of the treatment zone 3 such that at least a first state, in which the first through-opening is at least substantially aligned with the placement opening of the treatment zone 3 and the second through-opening is at least substantially aligned with the removal opening of the treatment zone 3, and a second state, in which the surrounding element at least substantially completely covers both the placement opening and the removal opening of the treatment zone 3, can selectively be implemented. It should be noted here that FIG. 14a to FIG. 18b show the revolving door 18 in the first state.

[0193] A corresponding motor 21 for actuating the revolving door 18 is accommodated in the upper region of the housing. The first and second display arrangement 16, 17 are disposed in the upper region of the housing 14 for the treatment zone 3 as well.

[0194] In the example embodiment of the over table area 6 of the dishwasher 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 14a to FIG. 18b, the bracket 15 for the washware item 2 is likewise disposed in the treatment zone 3. In this case, the bracket 15 is used to position and orient or true the washware items 2 with respect to the washing and/or rinsing nozzle 22 of the washing and/or rinsing system of the dishwasher 1. The washing and/or rinsing nozzle 22 can also be used as an air-blowing nozzle to blow compressed air in the direction of the washware item 2, in particular after completion of a rinsing phase.

[0195] In the example embodiment of the over table area 6 of the dishwasher 1 shown in FIG. 14a to FIG. 18b, the bracket 15 simultaneously serves as a support arrangement to appropriately support the washware item 2 placed on the inclined placement surface 20.

[0196] It should be noted here that the over table area is preferably releasably connectable to the body of the under table area 7 of the dishwasher 1 not shown in FIG. 14a to FIG. 18b.

[0197] As a further development, it is further conceivable that an under table area 7 is used to serve two or a plurality of over table areas 6.

[0198] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but results when all of the features disclosed herein are considered together.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0199] 1 Dishwasher [0200] 2 Washware item [0201] 3 Treatment zone [0202] 4 Placement area [0203] 5 Removal area [0204] 6 Over table area [0205] 7 Under table area [0206] 8 Washing and/or rinsing pump [0207] 9 Wash tank [0208] 10 Rinsing liquid tank [0209] 11 Body [0210] 12 Counter level [0211] 13 Height-adjustable feet [0212] 14 Housing for the treatment zone [0213] 15 Bracket [0214] 16 First display arrangement [0215] 17 Second display arrangement [0216] 18 Door/revolving door [0217] 19 Door of the body [0218] 20 Placement surface [0219] 21 Motor [0220] 22 Washing and/or spray nozzle