Dishwasher and method for cleaning wash ware

Abstract

A method, and related dishwasher, for cleaning wash ware that provides a wash phase followed by a rinse phase, in which rinse fluid is conducted into a treatment chamber ( 2 ) of the dishwasher ( 1 ). The rinse phase is composed of a fresh-water rinse phase and a steam rinse phase. During the fresh-water rinse phase, a rinse liquid is sprayed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ). During the steam rinse phase, steam is generated and conducted into the treatment chamber ( 2 ). A total of 0.5 to 2.0 litres of rinse fluid per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in a top view of the treatment chamber, and preferably 1.0 to 1.7 litres of rinse liquid per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in a top view of the treatment chamber, is sprayed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the fresh-water rinse phase.

1 . Method for cleaning wash ware in a program-controlled ware washer having a treatment chamber ( 2 ) for accommodating the wash ware to be cleaned, wherein the method has the following program-controlled method steps to be executed successively:
 a wash phase, in which wash liquid ( 6 ) is sprayed from a tank ( 4 ) by means of a wash pump ( 8 ) through a wash line system ( 10 ) into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) and can flow back into the tank ( 4 ) from the treatment chamber ( 2 ) because of the force of gravity; and   a rinse phase, in which rinse fluid is conducted into the treatment chamber ( 2 ), characterized in that the rinse phase is composed of a fresh-water rinse phase, in which a rinse liquid is sprayed from a rinse-liquid supply device ( 14 ,  21 ) by means of a rinse pump ( 12 ,  13 ) through a rinse line system ( 15 ) into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) and can flow from the treatment chamber ( 2 ) into the tank ( 4 ) because of the force of gravity, and of a steam rinse phase, in which steam is generated by means of a steam generator ( 20 ), which is connected to a fresh-water feed line ( 28 ), and is conducted into the treatment chamber ( 2 ), with a total of 0.5 to 2.0 litres of rinse liquid per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in a top view of the treatment chamber, being sprayed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the fresh-water rinse phase.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a total water quantity of 0.05 to 0.25 litre per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in a top view of the treatment chamber, is conducted in steam form during the steam rinse phase into the treatment chamber ( 2 ). 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 2 , characterized in that 1.0 to 1.7 litres of rinse liquid per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in the top view of the treatment chamber is sprayed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the fresh-water rinse phase and water quantity of 0.10 to 0.15 litres per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in the top view of the treatment chamber is conducted in steam form during the steam rinse phase into the treatment chamber ( 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the steam rinse phase takes up a period of time of 5 to 60 seconds. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the steam rinse phase begins after the fresh-water rinse phase ends. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the steam rinse phase and the fresh-water rinse phase at least partially overlap chronologically. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the method furthermore has a condensation and draining phase which is carried out following the steam rinse phase and lasts for a defined time, and in which the steam conducted into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the steam rinse phase can at least partially condense, drain and flow into the tank ( 4 ) because of the force of gravity. 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that clean fresh water is used as the rinse liquid during the fresh-water rinse phase, or in that fresh water and the rinse aid which is metered into the fresh water are used as the rinse liquid during the fresh-water rinse phase. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that rinse liquid which is heated or unheated during the fresh-water rinse phase is sprayed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ). 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . Dishwasher ( 1 ) in the form of a program-controlled ware washer, having:
 a program-control device ( 50 ) for executing at least one cleaning program;   a treatment chamber ( 2 ) into which wash ware can be manually inserted and from which said wash ware can be manually removed;   a tank ( 4 ) down into which liquid from the treatment chamber ( 2 ) can flow because of the force of gravity;   a wash system ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ) with a wash pump ( 8 ) and a wash line system ( 10 ) for conveying wash liquid ( 6 ) from the tank ( 4 ) through wash nozzles ( 7 ,  9 ) into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during a wash phase;   a fresh-water rinse system ( 12 ,  13 ,  15   a ,  15   b ,  33 ,  34 ) with at least one rinse pump ( 12 ,  13 ) and at least one rinse line system ( 15   a ,  15   b ) for conveying rinse liquid from a fresh-water supply device ( 14 ,  21 ) through rinse nozzles ( 33 ,  34 ) into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during a fresh-water rinse phase; and   a steam rinse system ( 20 ,  32 ) with a steam generator ( 20 ), which is connected to a fresh-water feed line ( 28 ), for generating steam and conducting the steam via a steam line ( 32 ) into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during a steam rinse phase,   
       wherein the program-control device ( 50 ) is designed in such a manner that first the wash phase, then the fresh-water rinse phase and thereafter the steam rinse phase are executed, 
       characterized in that the program-control device ( 50 ) and the fresh-water rinse system ( 12 ,  13 ,  15   a ,  15   b ,  33 ,  34 ) controlled by it are designed to spray a total of 0.5 to 2.0 litres of rinse liquid per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in a top view of the treatment chamber, into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the fresh-water rinse phase. 
     
     
         12 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the program-control device ( 50 ) and the steam rinse system ( 20 ,  32 ) controlled by it are designed to conduct a total water quantity of 0.05 to 0.25 litre per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in a top view of the treatment chamber, in steam form into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the steam rinse phase. 
     
     
         13 . Dishwasher according to  claim 12 , characterized in that 1.0 to 1.7 litres of rinse liquid per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in the top view of the treatment chamber is sprayed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the fresh-water rinse phase and water quantity of 0.10 to 0.15 litres per unit area of 500 mm×500 mm, which is enclosed by the wall of the treatment chamber ( 2 ) in the top view of the treatment chamber is conducted in steam form during the steam rinse phase into the treatment chamber ( 2 ). 
     
     
         14 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the treatment chamber ( 2 ) is designed to accommodate at least one basket of 500 mm×500 mm. 
     
     
         15 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the fresh-water supply device ( 21 ) for heating the rinse liquid to be conveyed into the treatment chamber ( 2 ) during the fresh-water rinse phase has a boiler ( 21 ) which is connected to a fresh-water feed line ( 28 ) and the outlet ( 35 ) of which is connected to the intake side of a first rinse pump ( 12 ), of which there is at least one. 
     
     
         16 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the fresh-water supply device ( 14 ) has a fresh-water tank ( 14 ) which is connected to a fresh-water line ( 31 ) and the outlet ( 36 ) of which is connected to the intake side of a second rinse pump ( 13 ), of which there is at least one. 
     
     
         17 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the steam generator ( 20 ) is integrated in the boiler ( 21 ); and a steam outlet ( 23 ) of the steam generator ( 20 ) is connected to the treatment chamber ( 2 ) via a steam line ( 32 ), which is separate from the rinse line system ( 15 ) and the wash line system ( 10 ), at a location ( 37 ) which is higher than the tank ( 4 ). 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the program-control device ( 50 ) is designed to execute a condensation and draining phase which follows the steam rinse phase and which lasts for a defined time during which steam which has condensed in the treatment chamber ( 2 ) can flow down into the tank ( 4 ) after the steam rinse phase, before the end of the program is reached. 
     
     
         20 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized in that a rinse-aid metering device is provided for metering rinse aid into the fresh water of the rinse liquid. 
     
     
         21 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized by a return-prevention means ( 16 ) via which the intake end of the at least one rinse pump ( 12 ,  13 ) is connected to a fresh-water feed line ( 17 ), with the back flow-prevention means ( 16 ) being designed to prevent liquid from flowing back into the fresh-water feed line ( 17 ) in the direction from the at least one rinse pump ( 12 ,  13 ). 
     
     
         22 . Dishwasher according to  claim 11 , characterized by a water-softening device ( 39 ) for conditioning the fresh water for the fresh-water rinse system ( 12 ,  13 ,  15   a ,  15   b ,  33 ,  34 ) and the fresh water for the steam rinse system ( 20 ,  32 ).