WATER-CONDUCTING DOMESTIC APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A WATER-CONDUCTING DOMESTIC APPLIANCE

Abstract

A water-conducting domestic appliance includes a dispensing apparatus configured to dispense a cleaning agent into a dishwasher cavity of the water-conducting domestic appliance, and a controller configured to carry out a number of wash programs for washing items to be washed and to carry out a cleaning program for cleaning the water-conducting domestic appliance. The cleaning program includes a first cleaning phase with a first cleaning agent at a first temperature and a second cleaning phase with a second cleaning agent at a second temperature. The controller is configured to actuate the dispensing apparatus such as to dispense the second cleaning agent into the dishwasher cavity during the second cleaning phase.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A water-conducting domestic appliance, comprising: a dispensing apparatus configured to dispense a cleaning agent into a dishwasher cavity of the water-conducting domestic appliance; and a controller configured to carry out a number of wash programs for washing items to be washed and to carry out a cleaning program for cleaning the water-conducting domestic appliance, with the cleaning program including a first cleaning phase with a first cleaning agent at a first temperature and a second cleaning phase with a second cleaning agent at a second temperature, said controller being configured to actuate the dispensing apparatus such as to dispense the second cleaning agent into the dishwasher cavity during the second cleaning phase.

15. The domestic appliance of claim 14, constructed in the form of a dishwasher.

16. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature.

17. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the first temperature is higher than 60 C.

18. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the first temperature is in a range of 65 C. to 80 C.

19. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the second temperature is in a range of 45 C. to 55 C.

20. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first cleaning phase and the first cleaning agent is configured to dissolve limescale, fat and/or microorganisms.

21. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein at least one of the second cleaning phase and the second cleaning agent is configured to dissolve carbohydrate, protein and/or cellulose.

22. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the cleaning program includes a pre-rinse phase prior to the first cleaning phase.

23. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the cleaning program includes an intermediate wash phase between the first cleaning phase and the second cleaning phase.

24. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the cleaning program includes an intermediate wash phase after the second cleaning phase.

25. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the cleaning program includes a rinse-aid phase after the second cleaning phase.

26. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the cleaning program includes a final drying phase.

27. A method for operating a water-conducting domestic appliance, comprising: configuring a cleaning program for cleaning the water-conducting domestic appliance such that the cleaning program includes a first cleaning phase with a first cleaning agent at a first temperature and a second cleaning phase with a second cleaning agent at a second temperature; and carrying out by a controller the cleaning program such that the dispensing apparatus is actuated to dispense the second cleaning agent into a dishwasher cavity of the water-conducting domestic appliance during the second cleaning phase.

28. The method of claim 27 for operating a dishwasher.

29. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the computer program product, when loaded into a controller of a water-conducting domestic appliance and executed by the controller, causes the controller to: carry out a cleaning program having a first cleaning phase with a first cleaning agent at a first temperature and a second cleaning phase with a second cleaning agent at a second temperature; and actuate a dispensing apparatus of the water-conducting domestic appliance to dispense the second cleaning agent into a dishwasher cavity of the water-conducting domestic appliance during the second cleaning phase.

Description

[0043] Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims as well as the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. The invention is also described in greater detail on the basis of preferred forms of embodiment with reference to the attached figures.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a water-conducting domestic appliance;

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a schematic time diagram for an example of a machine cleaning program, which is carried out by the domestic appliance in FIG. 1;

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method for operating the water-conducting domestic appliance.

[0047] Elements which are the same or function the same have been provided with the same reference characters in the figures, unless specified otherwise.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a water-conducting domestic appliance 1. In the example in FIG. 1, the domestic appliance 1 is a dishwasher.

[0049] The dishwasher 1 has a carcass comprising a dishwasher cavity 2 as well as a door 3. The dishwasher cavity 2 and the door 3 form a washing chamber 4 for washing items to be washed. The door 3 is shown in its open position in FIG. 1. The door 3 can be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis S provided at a lower end of the door 3.

[0050] The dishwasher cavity 2 is square, for instance, and can comprise a base 5, a ceiling 6 arranged opposite to the base 5, a rear wall 7 arranged opposite to the door 3 and two side walls 8, 9 arranged opposite to one another. In particular, the side walls 8, 9 can be manufactured from stainless steel.

[0051] The dishwasher 1 further has at least one loading level 10. The at least one loading level 10 is preferably a receptacle for items to be washed of the dishwasher 1. In particular, a number of loading levels 10 can be provided, which can comprise a lower basket, an upper basket and/or a cutlery drawer. The number of loading levels 10 are preferably arranged one above the other in the dishwasher cavity 2. Each loading level 10 can optionally be moved in an insertion direction E into the dishwasher cavity 2 or in an extraction direction A out of this. To this end, a rail 11 is preferably provided on both sides of a respective loading level 10.

[0052] A controller 12 provided optionally in the carcass or in the door 3 of the dishwasher 1 is configured to control the process of wash programs for washing items to be washed as well as a machine cleaning program.

[0053] The dishwasher 1 in FIG. 1 also has a dispensing apparatus 13 for dispensing cleaning agent into the dishwasher cavity 2. Cleaning agent can be dispensed by way of the dispensing apparatus 13 both into the wash programs and also the machine cleaning program. The dispensing apparatus 13 is located in FIG. 1 in the door 3, but can however also be arranged in the dishwasher cavity 2.

[0054] The controller 12 is embodied to carry out the machine cleaning program. This has at least one first cleaning phase P2 with a first cleaning agent at a first temperature and a second cleaning phase P4 with a second cleaning agent at a second temperature. During the second cleaning phase P4, the controller 12 controls the dispensing apparatus 13 such that this dispenses the second cleaning agent into the dishwasher cavity 2.

[0055] In addition to the first cleaning phase P2 and the second cleaning phase P4, the machine cleaning program can have one or more further wash cycles or phases, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a schematic time diagram for an example of a machine cleaning program. The length of the individual phases is only schematic and need not correspond to the actual time ratio of the individual phases.

[0057] Firstly an, in particular heated, pre-rinse phase P1 is optionally carried out.

[0058] A machine cleaning agent is added in the first cleaning phase P2. This phase P2 can be carried out at 65 C. to 80 C. for instance, in order to assist the cleaning agent optimally.

[0059] An optional intermediate wash phase P3 is then carried out. This can be used to prevent the first cleaning agent from being carried over into the second cleaning phase P4.

[0060] The second cleaning phase P4 is carried out with a second cleaning agent at 45 C. to 55 C. The second cleaning phase can optionally contain a heating phase.

[0061] In an optional intermediate wash phase P5, dissolved dirt can be rinsed out.

[0062] A rinse-aid phase P6 can then optionally be carried out. In this phase the domestic appliance 1 can be heated once again to approx. 70 C. in order to assist a subsequent drying phase P7. Rinse-aid can be added to the rinse-aid phase to further assist the drying process.

[0063] The final drying phase P7 is optional.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a method for operating a water-conducting domestic appliance 1. One example of such a water-conducting domestic appliance 1 is shown in FIG. 1.

[0065] In this regard, in a first step S1, a cleaning program is carried out for cleaning the water-conducting domestic appliance, wherein the cleaning program has a first cleaning phase P2 with a first cleaning agent at a first temperature and a second cleaning phase P4 with a second cleaning agent at a second temperature.

[0066] In step S2, the second cleaning agent is dispensed into the dishwasher cavity 2 during the second cleaning phase P4.

[0067] The steps S1 and S2 can also be executed in parallel with one another.

[0068] Although the present invention has been described on the basis of exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in a variety of ways.

[0069] Reference characters used: [0070] 1 water-conducting household appliance [0071] 2 dishwasher cavity [0072] 3 door [0073] 4 washing chamber [0074] 5 base [0075] 6 ceiling [0076] 7 rear wall [0077] 8, 9 side walls [0078] 10 loading level [0079] 11 rail [0080] 12 controller [0081] 13 dispensing apparatus [0082] A extraction direction [0083] E insertion direction [0084] P1-P7 phases [0085] S pivot axis [0086] S1-S2 method steps