A sanitizing module, dishwasher and method

Abstract

The application provides a disinfection module, a dishwasher and a method, relates to the technical field of dishwashers, and solves the technical problems of unknown manufacturing time, high power consumption and low efficiency of the disinfection module. The disinfection module comprises a disinfectant manufacturing module, an NO2 gas concentration sensor and a main control board, the main control board is electrically connected with the disinfectant manufacturing module to control the disinfectant manufacturing module, the main control board is electrically connected with the NO2 gas concentration sensor, the main control board compares the concentration of the gas NO2 received from the sensor with a preset gas concentration value, and controls the disinfectant manufacturing module to continue manufacturing or stop manufacturing the disinfectant according to the comparison result. The application detects the concentration of the gas NO2 in real time through the NO2 gas concentration sensor, feeds back the concentration to the main control board, and controls the corresponding components to continue manufacturing or cancel manufacturing the disinfectant, so that the main control board monitors the manufacturing completion degree of the disinfectant in the disinfection module, and the effects of saving power, improving efficiency and improving disinfection capacity are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of dishwasher technology, and in particular to a disinfection module, dishwasher, and method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most dishwashers on the market use heated washing water for high-temperature sterilization, which has limited disinfection capabilities. To improve disinfection, dishwashers incorporate a disinfectant manufacturing module. This module's manufacturing process involves producing the disinfectant in a laboratory using pre-defined voltage, current, and duration of operation. The laboratory then determines whether the desired concentration has been achieved. Currently, the laboratory can only measure the pH of several different disinfectant solutions produced with varying durations, voltages, and currents using a pH meter to determine if the desired concentration has been reached. The optimal combination is then selected for application in the disinfectant manufacturing module. In other words, current disinfectant manufacturing modules cannot predict the completion time of disinfectant production; they rely on approximate completion times determined in the laboratory before application.

[0003] Therefore, the disinfectant solution in current dishwashers takes a long time to produce, and the exact completion time is unknown. It also consumes a lot of electricity and has low production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a disinfection module, a dishwasher, and a method to solve the technical problems of unknown manufacturing time, high power consumption, and low efficiency in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a disinfection module, comprising a disinfectant manufacturing module, an NO2 gas concentration sensor, and a main control board, wherein:

[0007] The disinfectant manufacturing module is used to manufacture disinfectant.

[0008] The main control board is electrically connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module to control the disinfectant manufacturing module;

[0009] The main control board is electrically connected to the NO2 gas concentration sensor. After receiving the NO2 gas concentration transmitted by the sensor, it compares it with a preset gas concentration value and controls the disinfectant manufacturing module to continue or stop manufacturing disinfectant based on the comparison result.

[0010] Furthermore, the NO2 gas concentration sensor is installed within the disinfectant manufacturing module.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module, the inlet and outlet ends of which are respectively connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module, so that the NO2 gas generated by the high voltage ionization of the disinfectant manufacturing module is cooled down and then returned to the disinfectant manufacturing module for the recycling of disinfectant.

[0012] Furthermore, the NO2 gas concentration sensor is installed on the front side of the inlet of the gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module.

[0013] Furthermore, the preset gas concentration value is 10ppb-2000ppb.

[0014] Furthermore, the disinfectant manufacturing module includes a housing and a glass tube; the housing has an internal cavity; the glass tube is arranged inside the cavity, and the NO2 gas concentration sensor is mounted on the housing.

[0015] Furthermore, the NO2 gas concentration sensor includes a feedback information terminal and a receiving information terminal; the feedback information terminal extends into the cavity; and the receiving information terminal is located on the outside of the housing.

[0016] The disinfection module provided by this invention uses an NO2 gas concentration sensor to detect the concentration of NO2 gas in real time and feeds it back to the main control board. The main board controls the corresponding components to continue or cancel the preparation of disinfectant solution, so that the main control board can monitor the degree of completion of disinfectant solution manufacturing in the disinfection module, thereby achieving the effects of saving power, improving efficiency and disinfection ability.

[0017] Secondly, the present invention provides a dishwasher, including a base and a disinfection module installed in the base.

[0018] The dishwasher provided by this invention uses a sensor for detecting NO2 on the disinfection module. By using the sensor to detect the concentration of gaseous NO2, the degree of disinfection liquid production in the disinfection module can be monitored in real time. The information is fed back to the main board for program control, which improves the dishwasher's disinfection ability while saving power and speeding up the completion of the disinfection and washing mode.

[0019] Thirdly, the present invention provides a dishwashing method, which includes the following steps when using the dishwasher:

[0020] Step S1: Turn on the dishwasher's washing and sanitizing modes;

[0021] Step S2: The disinfection module detects whether the concentration of gas NO2 meets the disinfection requirements;

[0022] Step S3: Based on the detection results, execute the next control action.

[0023] Furthermore, the next control action is executed, including:

[0024] If the gas concentration does not meet the disinfection requirements, continue to manufacture the disinfectant and repeat step S2.

[0025] When the gas concentration reaches the disinfection requirement, determine the washing process in which the dishwasher is running, and execute further control actions based on the determination result.

[0026] Furthermore, further control actions are performed, including:

[0027] When the dishwasher is in the disinfection stage, the disinfectant in the disinfection module is added to the inner drum of the dishwasher to complete the disinfection and washing process.

[0028] When the dishwasher is not in the washing and disinfection stage where disinfectant is added, the disinfection module is controlled to operate intermittently to maintain the concentration of gaseous NO2 to meet the disinfection requirements.

[0029] Furthermore, the disinfection module begins detecting the concentration of NO2 gas during the later stages of the washing and disinfection mode operation.

[0030] The dishwasher method provided by this invention can obtain the concentration of NO2 gas in the disinfection module in real time during washing and disinfection modes, and can indirectly obtain the concentration of HNO3, the main component of the disinfectant, thus monitoring the degree of disinfectant production in the disinfection module in real time. After comparing or judging the information fed back by the sensor, the dishwasher can make corresponding load actions, save power consumption and improve the disinfectant production efficiency, thereby improving the disinfection capability of the dishwasher. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dishwasher base of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the disinfection module of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the NO2 concentration sensor in the disinfection module of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is an internal cross-sectional view of the disinfection module of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5This is the control logic diagram of the disinfection module of the present invention.

[0037] In the diagram: 1. NO2 gas concentration sensor; 2. Disinfectant manufacturing module; 3. Feedback terminal; 4. Receiving terminal; 5. Base; 6. Housing; 7. Cavity; 8. Glass tube. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0039] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the present invention provides a disinfection module, including a disinfectant manufacturing module 2, an NO2 gas concentration sensor 1, and a main control board, wherein the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 is installed in the disinfectant manufacturing module 2.

[0040] Since NO2 is highly soluble in water, it forms HNO3 solution:

[0041] 4NO2 + 2H2O + O2 → 4HNO3;

[0042] Therefore, detecting the NO2 concentration can indirectly reveal the HNO3 concentration.

[0043] Disinfectant manufacturing module 2 is used for manufacturing disinfectant; specifically, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the disinfectant manufacturing module 2 includes a housing 6 and a glass tube 8; the housing 6 has a cavity 7 inside; the glass tube 8 is arranged in the cavity 7, and the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 is installed on the housing 6.

[0044] Furthermore, the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 includes a feedback terminal 3 and a receiving terminal 4; the feedback terminal 3 is used for signal feedback, and the receiving terminal 4 is used for detecting NO2; the feedback terminal 3 extends into the cavity 7; the receiving terminal 4 is located on the outside of the housing 6 and can detect the NO2 concentration in the disinfectant. The higher the NO2 concentration, the more disinfectant factor is in the disinfectant, and excess gaseous NO2 cannot continue to dissolve in the water. In use, the disinfectant factor is generated around the liquid in the glass tube 8 and integrates into the liquid in the cavity 7 of the disinfection module to form a disinfectant solution, which is sealed and stored by the housing 6 of the disinfection module.

[0045] The main control board is electrically connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module to control the disinfectant manufacturing module;

[0046] The main control board is electrically connected to the NO2 gas concentration sensor. After receiving the NO2 concentration from the sensor, it compares it with a preset gas concentration value and controls the disinfectant manufacturing module 2 to continue or stop manufacturing disinfectant based on the comparison result. It should be noted that the preset gas concentration value is in the range of 10ppb-2000ppb; the optimal solution is that the preset gas concentration value is preferably 1000ppb (i.e., NO2 concentration is 1000ppb) when the disinfectant manufacturing is complete. The disinfection module ionizes air with high voltage, but different voltages and operating times result in different NO2 gas concentrations, some faster, some slower, some better, some worse. Therefore, the range of 10ppb-2000ppb is selected. If the NO2 gas concentration is high, it indicates that the HNO3 concentration in the water is also relatively high, thus the pH value of the disinfectant manufacturing is relatively low, meaning that the disinfectant manufacturing is closer to completion. The HNO3 concentration actually corresponds to the solution pH value; a pH value between 2 and 3 is required to achieve the purpose of disinfectant manufacturing.

[0047] It also includes a gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module. The inlet and outlet ends of the gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module are connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module 2, so that the NO2 gas generated by the high voltage ionization of the disinfectant manufacturing module 2 is cooled down and then returned to the disinfectant manufacturing module 2 for the circulation manufacturing of disinfectant.

[0048] Furthermore, the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 is installed inside the disinfectant manufacturing module 2 to facilitate gas detection. The optimal fixed position is in front of the inlet of the gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module, that is, in the pipe before the gas enters the condenser. However, this position is not limited, and it can also be installed in the gas circulation position.

[0049] The disinfection module provided by this invention uses an NO2 gas concentration sensor to detect the concentration of NO2 gas in real time and feeds it back to the main control board. The main board controls the corresponding components to continue or cancel the preparation of disinfectant solution, so that the main control board can monitor the degree of completion of disinfectant solution manufacturing in the disinfection module, thereby achieving the effects of saving power, improving efficiency and disinfection ability.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a dishwasher, including a base and a disinfection module installed in the base.

[0051] The dishwasher provided by this invention uses a disinfectant manufacturing module to generate washing water with disinfection capabilities. This washing water is added to the inner tank of the dishwasher to disinfect the tableware inside.

[0052] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown, the dishwasher's inner tub base 5, which has a disinfection function, includes a disinfectant liquid manufacturing module 2 and a gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module. The dishwasher's disinfectant liquid manufacturing module 2 is located at the bottom of its body, occupying part of the base 5's space.

[0053] When manufacturing disinfectant, the disinfection module ionizes air with high voltage to produce high-temperature gas. Some of the gas dissolves in water, but some of the gas is diverted to the gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module for cooling. After exiting the gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module, it is pumped back into the disinfection module to circulate and produce disinfectant.

[0054] The dishwasher provided by this invention uses a sensor for detecting NO2 on the disinfection module. By using the sensor to detect the concentration of gaseous NO2, the degree of disinfection liquid production in the disinfection module can be monitored in real time. The information is fed back to the main board for program control, which improves the dishwasher's disinfection ability while saving power and speeding up the completion of the disinfection and washing mode.

[0055] like Figure 5 As shown, the present invention provides a dishwashing method, a method of washing dishes using a dishwasher, comprising the following steps:

[0056] Step S1: The dishwasher starts its washing and sanitizing modes; that is, the dishwasher starts running the washing and sanitizing programs, and both systems of the dishwasher start operating simultaneously: the washing system and the sanitizing module. The washing system operates like a normal washing program, with water intake, drainage, and spray arm operation to clean the dishes. Since this invention does not modify the washing system, it will not be described in detail. The sanitizing module then starts its load, opens the water intake, and produces sanitizing solution.

[0057] Step S2: The disinfection module detects whether the concentration of gas NO2 meets the disinfection requirements. It should be noted that the disinfection module detects the concentration of gas NO2 in the middle and late stages of the washing and disinfection mode. The later stage depends on the set running time of the washing program. When the total set running time of the washing program in this mode is 2 hours, the middle and late stage is determined after 1 hour of washing, and the concentration can be detected.

[0058] Specifically, when the dishwasher's disinfection washing mode is running in the middle or late stage, the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 of the disinfection module detects whether the concentration of gas NO2 meets the disinfection requirements (the NO2 concentration is set in the range of 10ppb-2000ppb, and the NO2 concentration is preferably 1000ppb when the disinfectant is finished).

[0059] Step S3: Based on the detection results, execute the next control action.

[0060] Furthermore, the next control action is executed, including:

[0061] When the gas concentration does not meet the disinfection requirements (if the NO2 concentration sensor 1 detects that the NO2 concentration does not meet the set value, it sends feedback information to the main control board, and the main control board controls the disinfection module to continue producing disinfectant), the disinfectant production continues, and step S2 is repeated.

[0062] When the gas concentration reaches the required level for disinfection, the system determines the washing cycle the dishwasher is in and, based on this determination, executes further control actions. These further control actions include:

[0063] When the dishwasher is in the disinfection stage, the disinfectant in the disinfection module is added to the inner drum of the dishwasher to complete the disinfection and washing process.

[0064] When the dishwasher is not in the washing and disinfection stage where disinfectant is added, the disinfection module is controlled to operate intermittently to maintain the concentration of gaseous NO2 to meet the disinfection requirements.

[0065] In other words, this step involves the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 detecting that the concentration of NO2 gas in the disinfectant solution has reached the disinfection requirement, and then proceeding to the next step to determine if the current washing process is in the disinfection stage where the disinfectant solution is added. If it has not yet reached the disinfectant solution addition stage, it returns to the stage where the NO2 gas concentration sensor 1 detects the NO2 gas concentration, because the NO2 gas concentration may decrease due to the lack of HNO3 replenishment, and a decrease in HNO3 concentration will affect the disinfection effect. This intermittently maintains the NO2 gas concentration to achieve excellent disinfection results. When it is detected that the current stage is suitable for adding disinfectant solution, the disinfectant solution is added to the dishwasher drum for cleaning and disinfection. After disinfection is completed, the remaining processes are run, and the dishwasher is then placed in standby mode.

[0066] The dishwasher method provided by this invention can obtain the concentration of NO2 gas in the disinfection module in real time during washing and disinfection modes, and can indirectly obtain the concentration of HNO3, the main component of the disinfectant, thus monitoring the degree of disinfectant production in the disinfection module in real time. After comparing or judging the information fed back by the sensor, the dishwasher can make corresponding load actions, save power consumption and improve the disinfectant production efficiency, thereby improving the disinfection capability of the dishwasher.

[0067] First, it should be noted that "inward" refers to the direction towards the center of the storage space, while "outward" refers to the direction away from the center of the storage space.

[0068] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the appendix. Figure 1 The orientations or positional relationships shown are for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of the present invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0069] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0070] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0071] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0072] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0073] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A disinfection module, characterized in that, This includes a disinfectant manufacturing module, an NO2 gas concentration sensor, and a main control board, among which: The disinfectant manufacturing module is used to prepare disinfectant by generating NO2 gas through high-voltage ionization of air; It also includes a gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module, the inlet and outlet of which are respectively connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module, so that the NO2 gas generated by the high voltage ionization of the disinfectant manufacturing module is cooled down and then returned to the disinfectant manufacturing module for the recycling of disinfectant. The main control board is electrically connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module and the NO2 gas concentration sensor, forming a closed-loop control system; The NO2 gas concentration sensor is installed inside the disinfectant manufacturing module and is located in front of the inlet of the gas heat dissipation and dehumidification module, which is connected to the disinfectant manufacturing module. The disinfection module can dynamically adjust the working parameters of the disinfection preparation module based on the real-time detection value of the NO2 concentration sensor during the disinfection preparation process, thereby achieving precise control of the disinfection preparation endpoint.

2. The disinfection module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset NO2 gas concentration is 10ppb-2000ppb.

3. The disinfection module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The disinfectant manufacturing module includes a housing and a glass tube; the housing has an internal cavity; the glass tube is arranged inside the cavity, and the NO2 gas concentration sensor is installed on the housing.

4. The disinfection module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The NO2 gas concentration sensor includes a feedback information terminal and a receiving information terminal; the feedback information terminal extends into the cavity; the receiving information terminal is located on the outside of the housing.

5. A dishwasher, characterized in that, It includes a base and a disinfection module as described in any one of claims 1-4, which is installed within the base.

6. A method for washing dishes, characterized in that, The method for washing dishes using the dishwasher as described in claim 5 includes the following steps: Step S1: Turn on the dishwasher's washing and sanitizing modes; Step S2: The disinfection module detects whether the concentration of gas NO2 meets the disinfection requirements; Step S3: Based on the detection results, execute the next control action.

7. The dishwashing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Execute the next control action, including: If the gas concentration does not meet the disinfection requirements, continue to manufacture the disinfectant and repeat step S2. When the gas concentration reaches the disinfection requirement, determine the washing process in which the dishwasher is running, and execute further control actions based on the determination result.

8. The dishwashing method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Perform further control actions, including: When the dishwasher is in the disinfection stage, the disinfectant in the disinfection module is added to the inner drum of the dishwasher to complete the disinfection and washing process. When the dishwasher is not in the washing and disinfection stage where disinfectant is added, the disinfection module is controlled to operate intermittently to maintain the concentration of gaseous NO2 to meet the disinfection requirements.

9. The dishwashing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The disinfection module begins detecting the concentration of NO2 gas during the later stages of the washing and disinfection mode operation.

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