Warewasher with ultrasonic-based ware detection

Abstract

A warewash machine includes a housing defining a chamber for receiving wares, the chamber having at least one spray zone, a wash spray system for spraying wash liquid onto wares and a rinse spray system for spraying rinse liquid onto wares. At least one ultrasonic transducer is located for detecting wares feeding into the chamber and/or for detecting wares within the chamber. A controller is associated with the ultrasonic transducer and configured to identify one or more of ware location, ware movement, ware size, ware shape and/or ware material based upon outputs from the at least one ultrasonic transducer. The controller is further configured to control at least one operating parameter of the machine based at least in part upon identified ware location, identified ware movement, identified ware size, identified ware shape and/or identified ware material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A warewash machine for washing wares, comprising:
 a housing defining a chamber for receiving wares, the chamber having at least one spray zone, a wash spray system for spraying wash liquid onto wares and a rinse spray system for spraying rinse liquid onto wares;   at least one ultrasonic transducer for detecting wares feeding into the chamber and/or for detecting wares within the chamber;   a controller associated with the ultrasonic transducer and configured to identify one or more of ware location, ware movement, ware size, ware shape and/or ware material based upon outputs from the at least one ultrasonic transducer, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one operating parameter of the machine based at least in part upon identified ware location, identified ware movement, identified ware size, identified ware shape and/or identified ware material such that the at least one operating parameter is suitable for the identified ware location, identified ware movement, identified ware size, identified ware shape and/or identified ware material.   
     
     
         2 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify both (i) at least one of ware location and/or ware movement and (ii) at least one of ware size, ware shape and/or ware material. 
 
     
     
         3 . The warewash machine of  claim 2  wherein the controller is configured to:
 control at least one operating parameter of the machine based upon identified ware location and/or identified ware movement, and 
 control at least one different operating parameter of the machine based upon identified ware size, identified ware shape and/or identified ware material. 
 
     
     
         4 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify at least one of ware location and/or ware movement based upon time required for ultrasonic energy to be reflected back to the ultrasonic transducer from the ware; 
 and/or 
 identify at least one of ware size, ware shape and/or ware materials based upon amount of ultrasonic energy reflected back to the ultrasonic transducer from the ware. 
 
     
     
         5 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 the ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber to detect wares moving into the chamber. 
 
     
     
         6 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 a first ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber for detecting wares feeding into the chamber; and 
 a second ultrasonic transducer is located within the chamber. 
 
     
     
         7 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 the controller is configured to utilize a first defined ultrasonic wave speed in connection with calculations associated with the first ultrasonic transducer and to utilize a second ultrasonic wave speed in connection with calculations associated with the second ultrasonic transducer, wherein the second ultrasonic wave speed is lower than the first ultrasonic wave speed. 
 
     
     
         8 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 a conveyor is located for carrying wares through the chamber for cleaning; 
 the conveyor includes a first portion external of the chamber at an infeed end and a second portion internal of the chamber; 
 the ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber for detecting wares feeding along the conveyor into the chamber, the transducer directing ultrasonic emissions in a primary direction that is substantially opposite to a direction of movement of the conveyor. 
 
     
     
         9 . The warewash machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 a conveyor is located for carrying wares through the chamber for cleaning; 
 the conveyor includes a first portion external of the chamber at an infeed end and a second portion internal of the chamber; 
 the ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber for detecting wares feeding along the conveyor into the chamber, the transducer directing ultrasonic emissions in a primary direction that is substantially the same as a direction of movement of the conveyor. 
 
     
     
         10 . A warewash machine for washing wares, comprising:
 a housing defining a chamber for receiving wares, the chamber having multiple spray zones including at least one wash spray zone, at least one rinse spray zone downstream of the wash spray zone and at least one drying zone downstream of the rinse spray zone:
 the wash spray zone including a collection tank with a heating element, a recirculation line from the collection tank to multiple wash spray nozzles and a wash pump along the recirculation line, 
 the rinse spray zone including a rinse valve or a rinse pump for controlling flow of rinse liquid from a water heating unit along a rinse liquid line to multiple rinse spray nozzles, 
 the drying zone including an air flow delivery system; 
   a conveyor for carrying wares through the chamber for cleaning;   a chemical dosing circuit including a chemical valve or a chemical pump for delivering a wash chemical or a rinse chemical to one of the spray zones;   at least one ultrasonic transducer for detecting wares feeding into the chamber and/or for detecting wares within the chamber;   at least one water input for delivering water into the machine; and   a controller associated with the ultrasonic transducer and configured to identify one or more of ware location, ware movement, ware size, ware shape and/or ware material based upon outputs from the at least one ultrasonic transducer, wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more operating parameters of the machine based at least in part upon identified ware location, identified ware movement, identified ware size, identified ware shape and/or identified ware material, wherein the operating parameters comprise one or more of a speed of the conveyor, an energization of the heating element of the wash spray zone, a spray pressure of the wash spray zone, a rinse flow rate or rinse flow volume in the rinse spray zone, a rinse liquid temperature of the water heating unit, the water input, the chemical dosing circuit, and/or the air flow delivery system, based at least in part upon outputs from the ultrasonic transducer.   
     
     
         11 . The warewash machine of  claim 10  wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify both (i) at least one of ware location and/or ware movement and (ii) at least one of ware size, ware shape and/or ware material. 
 
     
     
         12 . The warewash machine of  claim 11  wherein the controller is configured to:
 control at least one operating parameter of the machine based upon identified ware location and/or identified ware movement, and 
 control at least one other operating parameter of the machine based upon identified ware size, identified ware shape and/or identified ware material. 
 
     
     
         13 . The warewash machine of  claim 11  wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify at least one of ware location and/or ware movement based upon time required for ultrasonic energy to be reflected back to the ultrasonic transducer from the ware; 
 identify at least one of ware size, ware shape and/or ware materials based upon amount of ultrasonic energy reflected back to the ultrasonic transducer from the ware. 
 
     
     
         14 . The warewash machine of  claim 10  wherein:
 the conveyor includes a first portion external of the chamber at an infeed end and a second portion internal of the chamber; 
 a first ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber for detecting wares feeding into the chamber; and 
 a second ultrasonic transducer is located within the chamber. 
 
     
     
         15 . The warewash machine of  claim 10  wherein:
 the conveyor includes a first portion external of the chamber at an infeed end and a second portion internal of the chamber; 
 the ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber for detecting wares feeding along the conveyor into the chamber, the transducer directing ultrasonic emissions in a primary direction that is substantially opposite to a direction of movement of the conveyor. 
 
     
     
         16 . The warewash machine of  claim 10  wherein:
 the conveyor includes a first portion external of the chamber at an infeed end and a second portion internal of the chamber; 
 the ultrasonic transducer is located external of the chamber for detecting wares feeding along the conveyor into the chamber, the transducer directing ultrasonic emissions in a primary direction that is substantially the same as a direction of movement of the conveyor.