Conveyor warewasher with delime chemical container storage / holding compartment

Abstract

A conveyor warewasher includes a housing that defines a tunnel, with one or more ware cleaning zones located along the tunnel. A conveyor is provided for carrying wares in a conveyance direction through the one or more ware cleaning zones. The housing further defines at least one of a load end or an unload end outside of the tunnel, and the conveyor includes a portion that extends beyond the tunnel and along the one of the load end or the unload end. The one of the load end or the unload end includes a recessed compartment for holding one or more replaceable chemical containers.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This application relates generally to commercial conveyor warewashers and, more specifically, to conveyor warewashers configured to carry out delime operations.BACKGROUND

[0002] Conveyor dishwashers (aka conveyor warewashers) are used in the commercial sector. In contrast to domestic dishwashers, in which the washware to be cleaned remains fixed in position in the washer during cleaning, the washware in conveyor dishwashers is conveyed through different treatment zones of the washer.

[0003] In conveyor dishwashers, the washware, for example trays, dishes, pots, glasses, cutlery and other utensils to be cleaned, is conveyed through a plurality of treatment zones, for example prewash zone(s), main wash zone(s), post-wash or pre-rinse zone(s), final rinse zone(s), and drying zone(s). For conveying washware through the conveyor dishwasher in a conveying direction, use is made of a conveyor apparatus, which generally has compartments for holding washware. In a flight-type dishwasher, the compartments can be formed by supporting fingers on a conveyor belt of the conveyor apparatus, where the conveyor belt moves in a continuous loop.

[0004] The volume of wares treated by such conveyor warewashers in the commercial environment is high. Minerals from water tend to deposit and build-up on surfaces within the machine over time. It is known to include delime systems, including automated delime systems, in warewash machines. However, the delime chemical(s) used by such systems are typically contained in bottles that are simply stored on the site floor near or around the location of the warewasher.

[0005] Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a conveyor warewasher that better facilitates deliming using delime chemical that is stored in bottles or other replaceable containers.SUMMARY

[0006] In one aspect, a conveyor warewasher includes a housing that defines a tunnel, with one or more ware cleaning zones located along the tunnel. A conveyor is provided for carrying wares in a conveyance direction through the one or more ware cleaning zones. The housing further defines at least one of a load end or an unload end outside of the tunnel, and the conveyor includes a portion that extends beyond the tunnel and along the one of the load end or the unload end. The one of the load end or the unload end includes a recessed compartment for holding one or more replaceable chemical containers.

[0007] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Fig. 1is a perspective view of a conveyor warewasher; Fig. 2is a side schematic of part of an exemplary conveyor; Fig. 3is a perspective view of one embodiment of the unload end of the warewasher; Fig. 4is a perspective view of another embodiment of the unload end of the warewasher; Figs. 5, 8 and 9are cross-section views of the unload end; Figs. 6 and 7show exploded perspective views of portions of the delime chemical compartment; Figs. 10 and 11show exploded perspective views of portions of the unload end. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Referring to Fig. 1-2, a conveyor warewasher 10 includes a housing 12 (e.g., frame with metal skin(s)) that defines a tunnel 14 through which a conveyor 16 travels in a conveyance direction 16a. Within the tunnel, various cleaning zones are provided, such as an automatic soil removal zone 20, a pre-wash zone 22, a wash zone 24, a power rinse zone 26 and / or a dual rinse / final rinse zone. Generally, the automatic soil removal zone 20 may include an arm 20a with nozzles to spray liquid and / or air in a manner to move food soils from wares and down to a scrap basket 20b for collection. The pre-wash zone 22, wash zone 24 and power rinse zone 26 may include multiple upper and / or lower spray arms 22a, 24a, 26a, fed by respective pump that recirculate and spray a liquid from lower tanks 22b, 24b, 26b. The dual rinse / final rinse zone 28 include one or more spray arms 28a to spray a fresh rinse liquid (e.g., from a booster tank) on the wares. Embodiments with less zones (e.g., no zone 20) are possible, and embodiments with other zones (e.g., a drying zone) are also possible. As shown, various removable curtains 29 may be provided between the cleaning zones.

[0010] In embodiments, the conveyor 16 is formed as a belt-type assembly 16b that follows a looped path 15 (e.g., driven by a motor etc.) that extends out of the front end 14a of the tunnel and out of the unload end 14b of the tunnel, to facilitate both placement of soiled wares into the machine and removal of cleaned wares from the machine. The belt-type assembly 16b includes a series of outwardly projecting fingers 16b1 that define regions for insertion of individual wares (cups, bowls, plates and trays) or edge portions of wares, and / or that can support racks holding ware, per Fig. 2.

[0011] The conveyor 16 includes an infeed end 16c that extends beyond the tunnel and along a load end 30 of the machine, and an outfeed end 16d that extends beyond the tunnel and along the unload end 50 of the machine.

[0012] Referring to Fig. 3, the unload end 50 of the machine includes an inset delime chemical compartment 40 configured to receive and hold delime chemical bottles 42. The warewasher includes chemical feed line(s) 43 that terminate in the compartment 40 such that the feed line(s) can be placed into the bottle(s) to enable feed of delime chemical (e.g., via a chemical feed pump) during a deliming operation carried out by the machine. Here, the compartment is located in the end panel wall 44 of the machine and toward one lateral side of the machine, but other locations are possible.

[0013] In this regard, referring to the embodiment of Figs. 4-11, the compartment 42 is centrally located along the width of the end wall 44 of the machine. A support floor or bottom wall 46 of the compartment 42 is set below a lower edge 48a of an inlet opening 48 into the compartment 42. This arrangement assures that bottles or other containers placed within the compartment 42 will be retained against inadvertent movement out of the compartment 42.

[0014] The end panel wall 44 of the housing include a cutout to define the opening 48, and a frame member 62 is connected (e.g., by fasteners) to the opening 48 and may include inwardly extending tab portions 62a that are bent to extend around and cover the edges of the opening 48.

[0015] A compartment housing assembly 64 includes main housing segment 66 with a rear wall 66a having openings 66b to permit the chemical feed tubes to enter the compartment, and an open front region 66c to align with the opening 48. Upper slots 66d may be provided for machine standpipe clearance. The main housing segment 66 sits on a bottom panel segment 68 (which forms the floor 46) that is secured to a frame structure 70 (e.g., by fasteners) of the machine housing. At the rear side of the rear wall 66b, a mount housing 72 for delime chemical pump(s) 74 is positioned and is also secured to the bottom panel segment 68 (e.g., by fasteners).

[0016] Here, the opening 48 remains open at all times. However, embodiments in which a covering door (e.g., pivoting or sliding clear panel door) are also possible.

[0017] The compartment 48 provides a recessed space for delime chemical containers (e.g., bottles) and avoids the need to leave such containers exposed to persons at the outside of the machine. This avoids undesired spills. In addition, the location of the delime containers in the compartment 48 serves as a visual reminder to machine users / operators that delime cycles must be run on the machine.

[0018] In implementations, the delime chemical feed lines never extend outside of the housing, keeping them guarded against external damage.

[0019] In implementations, the recessed compartment 48 is spaced away from a location where cleaning chemicals (e.g., detergent and / or rinse aid) are provided on or fed into the machine.

[0020] It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that other changes and modifications are possible.

Claims

1. A conveyor warewasher, comprising: - a housing that defines a tunnel; - one or more ware cleaning zones located along the tunnel; - a conveyor for carrying wares in a conveyance direction through the one or more ware cleaning zones; wherein the housing further defines at least one of a load end or an unload end outside of the tunnel, and the conveyor includes a portion that extends beyond the tunnel and along the one of the load end or the unload end; wherein the one of the load end or the unload end includes a recessed compartment for holding one or more replaceable chemical containers.

2. The conveyor warewasher of claim 1, wherein the compartment is located inwardly of an end panel wall of the housing.

3. The conveyor warewasher of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an opening into the compartment, wherein the compartment includes a bottom wall that is located at a height that is lower than a lower edge of the opening.

4. The conveyor warewasher of claim 3, wherein the compartment includes an upper main compartment housing having one or more openings through which a chemical feed line extends to reach the compartment.

5. The conveyor warewasher of claim 4, wherein the upper main housing segment includes a rear wall, wherein a mount housing is positioned at a rear side of the rear wall and supports one or more chemical feed pumps.

6. The conveyor warewasher of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an opening into the compartment, wherein a frame structure is disposed at the opening and is configured to cover edge portions of the opening.

7. The conveyor warewasher of claim 1, further comprising: - a removable chemical container located in the recessed compartment; - a chemical feed line extending into the compartment and having an end portion located within the chemical container.

8. The conveyor warewasher of claim 1, wherein the recessed compartment is located in an end face of the housing.

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