Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
  • A47L15/0018—Controlling processes, i.e. processes to control the operation of the machine characterised by the purpose or target of the control
  • A47L15/0021—Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
  • A47L15/42—Details
  • A47L15/4229—Water softening arrangements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2401/00—Automatic detection in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, e.g. information provided by sensors entered into controlling devices
  • A47L2401/06—Water supply, circulation or discharge information
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2401/00—Automatic detection in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, e.g. information provided by sensors entered into controlling devices
  • A47L2401/22—Number of operational cycles
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2501/00—Output in controlling method of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. quantities or components controlled, or actions performed by the controlling device executing the controlling method
  • A47L2501/26—Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
  • A47L2501/265—Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user about the number of remaining operation cycles or the remaining operation time

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a dishwasher wherein the remaining time is calculated and displayed to the user.
• a washing program comprising various cycles like pre-wash, main-wash, and rinsing, is performed.
• washing and/or drying performance is inversely proportional to the hardness of water.
• water hardness depends on the positive calcium and magnesium ions (Ca++ and Mg++) present in water in dissolved form.
• Ca++ and Mg++ positive calcium and magnesium ions
• water used for washing is passed through an ion exchanger, for example through resin.
• An ion exchanger absorbs these ions from water and emits sodium ions (Na+) instead. Therefore, water hardness is reduced.
• an ion exchanger becomes exhausted to absorb calcium and magnesium ions.
• the said ion exchanger is left inside a salt solution (for example, NaCI) in order to remove the absorbed calcium and magnesium ions and regenerate anew sodium ions at times.
• a salt solution for example, NaCI
• This procedure is called regeneration.
• the regeneration process lasts 13 minutes on average and is not performed in every washing program.
• each washing program is selected considering the condition of items to be washed.
• the duration of a selected washing program and/or time left before completion thereof is calculated in terms of remaining time and displayed to the user over a display means.
• the aim of the present invention is the realization of a dishwasher comprising a display means that accurately indicates remaining time at the start of a washing program.
• the dishwasher realized in order attain the aims of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a control unit that calculates the remaining time at the start of a program by adding the duration of the regeneration cycle to the duration of the washing program if a regeneration cycle is determined to be carried out during the selected washing program, and a display means that indicates the remaining time calculated by the control unit to the user as soon as the selected washing program starts running.
• remaining time for a washing program, wherein a regeneration cycle is to be performed is displayed on the display means with additional notice which warns that a regeneration cycle is to be performed.
• the user is continually kept informed that there is an increase in the duration of the washing program resulting from carrying out a regeneration cycle.
• FIG. 1 - is a schematic view of a dishwasher.
• the dishwasher (1) of the present invention comprises a control unit (2) that operates a washing program having various cycles like pre-wash, main-wash, rinsing, and regeneration, the latter carried out when necessary, and a display means (3) that indicates the remaining time of the washing program to the user.
• the display means (3) enables the display of the remaining time (K) calculated by the control unit (2) before the start or at the beginning of a washing program ( Figure 1).
• remaining time (K) is calculated by adding the time of washing program (tw) to the time of regeneration cycle (tr) and displayed to the user not at the start of the regeneration cycle but at the start of the washing program wherein a regeneration cycle is to be performed. Consequently, by preventing abrupt alterations in the remaining time (K) during the flow of a washing program, misinterpretation of the user is avoided.
• the dishwasher (1) also comprises a memory (4) storing the information which is related as to how many litres a regeneration cycle is to be performed, how many litres of water shall be used for each washing program, and the amount of water used after the last regeneration cycle which is reset following each regeneration cycle.
• a service man, while installing the dishwasher (1) measures the hardness of water supply that is connected to the dishwasher (1), and adjusts the regeneration cycle of the dishwasher (1) accordingly.
• this regeneration adjustment information as to the total amount of water that the dishwasher (1) is required to have consumed before the performance of a regeneration cycle is recorded into the memory (4).
• a regeneration cycle is performed at every 105 litres if water hardness is between 6 to 11 dh. or every 12 litres if water hardness is between 23 to 24 dh.
• the quantity of water that shall be consumed at each washing program and the level of water consumption at which a regeneration cycle shall start as per adjusted water hardness are both stored in the memory (4) by the producer.
• the number of litres of water that shall be consumed during the selected program is indicated, together with information whether that quantity of water is reached for the performance of a regeneration cycle during the washing program. If a regeneration cycle is to be performed during the selected washing program, the remaining time (K) is not calculated during the regeneration cycle after the start of said washing program, but at the very beginning of that washing program, by adding the time of washing program (tw) to the time of regeneration cycle (tr). The remaining time (K) calculated by the control unit (2) is displayed on the display means (3).
• a service man installs the dishwasher (1) with regeneration cycles set to be performed at every 45 litres.
• the dishwasher (1) is operated for a period of time, and, for instance, the total amount of used water recorded by the memory (4) reaches 42 litres.
• remaining time (K) is indicated on the display means (3) with additional notice which warns that a regeneration cycle is to be performed. This helps the user to perceive that a regeneration cycle is to be performed in the selected washing program.
• the present invention enables the notification of the user with updated information about the remaining time (K) of the selected washing program at the start, wherein a regeneration cycle shall be performed.

Landscapes

• Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40436260

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

• 2008
  • 2008-12-27 EP EP08868167.1A patent/EP2237716B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2008-12-27 PL PL08868167T patent/PL2237716T3/pl unknown
  • 2008-12-27 ES ES08868167.1T patent/ES2524879T3/es active Active
  • 2008-12-27 WO PCT/EP2008/068305 patent/WO2009083579A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (3)

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