Washing system

Abstract

To provide a washing system which does not transfer oil stain and odor of general dishes to glasses and silverware even when the glasses, the silverware and the general dishes are washed at the same time and does not require finish polishing, etc. of the glasses and silverware.SOLUTION: A washing system 1 includes a pure water supply device 4 for supplying pure water L1 to a dish washer 2 and an ozone water supply device 6 for supplying ozone water L2 to a sink 3. The sink 3 is a pre-washing tank 30 for pre-washing general dishes S2 to be put into the dish washer 2 with the ozone water L2 supplied to the sink. The general dishes S2 pre-washed in the sink 3 and at least one of glasses and silverware S1 are put into the dish washer, and the general dishes S2 are also washed at the same time under a washing condition for washing the glasses and the silverware S1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing system including a dishwasher that uses pure water to wash glasses and silverware, and a sink disposed adjacent to the dishwasher. [Background technology]

[0002] A known dishwasher for washing dishes is the door-type dishwasher described in Patent Document 1. In this dishwasher, a door is opened and closed to place a rack containing dirty dishes in a washing chamber, and washing water containing a detergent is sprayed to remove the dirt, followed by rinsing water to remove any remaining detergent and drying. Clean water such as tap water is used as the washing water and rinsing water.

[0003] Tableware can be broadly divided into glassware such as cups and glasses, stainless steel or plated silverware such as knives, forks, and spoons, and general tableware including other ceramic and plastic plates and bowls.

[0004] When the above-mentioned glasses and silverware and general tableware are washed in a conventional dishwasher, such as that described in Patent Document 1, the glasses and silverware, due to the nature of their materials, tend to pick up dirt and odors from other general tableware, and are also prone to leaving stains and water spots caused by minerals contained in tap water. Therefore, when washing glasses and silverware, manual finishing, such as hand washing and hand polishing, is required to achieve a clean finish, which poses problems such as time-consuming washing, high washing costs, and being unhygienic.

[0005] In order to address the above-mentioned problems, a single-zone dishwasher has been proposed that uses tap water as a water source to spray wash water and rinse water sequentially in one zone to wash dishes, and that is equipped with a water purifier that purifies the tap water into pure water, allowing the user to select either the tap water or pure water as the rinse water.This dishwasher is configured so that pure water can be used as the rinse water when washing glasses and silverware, and tap water is used as the rinse water when washing general tableware, and the washing conditions are changed to perform the washing (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 09-131292 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-244447 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] With the technology described in Patent Document 2 mentioned above, when washing glasses and silverware, pure water is selected and supplied to the washing chamber as the water used for at least rinsing, thereby enabling effective washing without the formation of water spots caused by minerals contained in tap water, eliminating the need for manual finishing such as hand washing or hand wiping, and solving problems such as time-consuming finishing and high cleaning costs.

[0008] However, the dishwasher described in Patent Document 2 above has the problem that when general tableware is placed in the wash chamber together with glasses and silverware, it is not possible to completely prevent the stains and odors from the general tableware from being transferred to the glasses and silverware. Furthermore, when washing general tableware, the temperature of the wash water must be set higher than when washing glasses and silverware in order to remove oil stains and odors. However, glasses made of crystal glass have the problem of whitening when high-temperature wash water is used. Therefore, the washing conditions for glasses and silverware and the washing of general tableware must be changed separately. Therefore, there is the problem of inefficiency when using a single dishwasher to wash glasses, silverware, and general tableware.

[0009] Furthermore, restaurants and other establishments need to wash large amounts of glasses, silverware, and general tableware, so they end up having to prepare separate dishwashers for washing general tableware and glasses and silverware, which is uneconomical.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and its main technical object is to provide a washing system that can thoroughly wash general tableware even when glasses, silverware, and general tableware are washed simultaneously, and that does not transfer oil stains or odors from the general tableware to the glasses and silverware, eliminating the need for finishing polishing of the glasses and silverware. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned main technical problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a washing system comprising a dishwasher that washes glasses and silverware using pure water and a sink arranged adjacent to the dishwasher, the washing system comprising a pure water supply device that supplies pure water to the dishwasher and an ozone water supply device that supplies ozone water to the sink, the sink having a pre-wash tank for pre-washing general tableware placed into the dishwasher with the ozone water supplied to the sink, the general tableware pre-washed in the pre-wash tank together with glasses and silverware being placed into the dishwasher, and the general tableware is simultaneously washed under the washing conditions used to wash the glasses and silverware using pure water.

[0012] The sink is preferably provided with a sprinkler means capable of sprinkling the ozone water supplied from the ozone water supply device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The washing system of the present invention is a washing system comprising a dishwasher that washes glasses and silverware using pure water and a sink arranged adjacent to the dishwasher, the washing system comprising a pure water supply device that supplies pure water to the dishwasher and an ozone water supply device that supplies ozone water to the sink, the sink having a pre-wash tank for pre-washing general tableware to be placed into the dishwasher with the ozone water supplied to the sink, the general tableware pre-washed in the pre-wash tank together with glasses and silverware are placed into the dishwasher, and the general tableware is simultaneously washed under the washing conditions used to wash the glasses and silverware using pure water, so that even if the dishwasher washes under washing conditions suitable for glasses and silverware, dirt from the general tableware is sufficiently removed, odors do not transfer from the general tableware to the glasses and silverware, and a shiny finish can be obtained on the surfaces of the glasses and silverware without leaving any speckled water spots or the like. That is, there is no need to distinguish between glasses and silverware and general tableware and wash them separately, which is an economical effect. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a cleaning system configured based on the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a washing system 1 of this embodiment. The washing system 1 includes a dishwasher 2 suitable for washing glasses and silverware that are washed and rinsed using pure water, and a sink 3 disposed adjacent to the dishwasher 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the dishwasher 2 is placed on a first rack shelf 10, and the sink 3 is placed on a second rack shelf 12. A table 13 is disposed between the dishwasher 2 and the sink 3 to receive an opening / closing door 2a that opens and closes the washing chamber 21 of the dishwasher 2, but the table 13 may be omitted.

[0017] The washing system 1 is equipped with a pure water supply device 4 for supplying pure water to the dishwasher 2. The pure water supply device 4 refines clean water L0 into pure water L1 and supplies it to the dishwasher 2. Clean water L0 is introduced into the pure water supply device 4 from clean water supply means 100, such as an external water supply, via path P1. In this embodiment, the clean water L0 introduced from the clean water supply means 100 may be at room temperature, but if the clean water supply means 100 has a hot water supply function, it may be introduced into the pure water supply device 4 in a heated state. In this case, the temperature is preferably less than 40°C.

[0018] The pure water supply device 4 can be selected from known pure water supply means, and for example, filters the clean water L0 with a water supply filter to remove impurities, and then purifies the clean water L0 into pure water L1 by passing it through a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) or an ion exchange resin membrane. The pure water L1 purified by the pure water supply device 4 is introduced into a water heater 5, adjusted to a desired temperature, and supplied to the dishwasher 2.

[0019] The dishwasher 2 has an opening 2b that is opened and closed by an opening / closing door 2a, and includes a washing chamber 21 to which washing water and rinsing water are supplied, and a storage chamber 22 that contains a storage tank, a pressure pump, a cleaning liquid tank, a rinse aid tank, a control circuit, etc. (all of which are not shown) that constitute the dishwasher 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the pure water supply device 4 and the water heater 5 are disposed outside the dishwasher 2, but the present invention does not exclude the possibility of disposing the pure water supply device 4 and the water heater 5 inside the storage chamber 22 of the dishwasher 2.

[0020] A washing nozzle and a rinsing nozzle (neither shown) are disposed inside the washing chamber 21. Wash water stored in the storage tank is heated to a temperature suitable for washing (e.g., 55°C or higher, more preferably around 60°C) and supplied to the washing nozzle. The washing water is preferably adjusted to a temperature below 60°C (e.g., 55°C) at which crystal glasses are less likely to whiten. A cleaning liquid is mixed into the washing water, which is then pumped by a pump and sprayed into the washing chamber 21 from the washing nozzle. The washing water sprayed into the washing chamber 21 from the washing nozzle falls into the storage tank, where it is filtered by appropriate filtering means, sprayed from the washing nozzle as washing water, and circulates within the dishwasher 2. A certain amount of the washing water stored in the storage tank is discharged as contaminated water L3 via path P2 shown in the figure after each wash, and part of it is replaced with clean, pure water. The cleaning water sprayed from the cleaning water nozzle does not necessarily have to be pure water; the clean water L0 supplied from the clean water supply means 100 may be heated to the above-mentioned predetermined temperature (for example, 55°C) and introduced into the dishwasher 2, and then sprayed from the cleaning water nozzle.

[0021] After spraying wash water from the wash water nozzle for a predetermined time, pure water L1 is sprayed from the rinsing nozzle onto the tableware in the washing chamber 21. The pure water L1 sprayed from the rinsing nozzle is pure water L1 supplied from the above-mentioned pure water supply device 4, and preferably contains rinse aid added from the rinse aid tank arranged in the storage chamber 22, before being sprayed into the washing chamber 21. The temperature of the pure water L1 sprayed from the rinsing nozzle is set to, for example, around 60°C, and the pure water L1 is sprayed into the washing chamber 21 for a predetermined time (for example, 10 to 15 seconds). This removes wash water adhering to the tableware being washed in the washing chamber 21. Furthermore, because the pure water L1 supplied from the rinsing nozzle contains rinse aid, the drying process performed after washing and rinsing is favorably promoted by the effect of the rinse aid.

[0022] The dishwasher 2 employed in this embodiment is designed so that the electrical components operating within the dishwasher 2, such as the motor that drives the pump, are 100V, making it easy to install in small restaurants that do not have access to 200V power. Furthermore, in consideration of corrosion resistance, austenitic stainless steel, such as SUS304, is used in the areas where wash water and rinse water flow within the dishwasher 2. This prevents problems such as rust from occurring even after repeated washing using pure water. The present invention is not limited to the use of the compact dishwasher 2 designed for 100V as described above, but may also be applied to large dishwashers, known as box-type dishwashers, designed for 200V, for example.

[0023] The sink 3 includes a pre-washing tank 30 and an ozone water supply device 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the ozone water supply device 6 is disposed within the pre-washing tank 30 of the sink 3 and functions to dissolve ozone in clean water L0 supplied from a clean water supply means 100 via path P3 to generate ozone water L2 and fill the pre-washing tank 30 with the ozone water L2. The ozone water supply device 6 also supplies the ozone water L2 from the ozone water supply device 6 via path P4 to a mixer faucet 31 disposed within the sink 3, and the sprinkler means 32 of the mixer faucet 31 can sprinkle the ozone water L2 in a shower-like manner. The sprinkler means 32 not only sprinkles the ozone water L2 in a shower-like manner, but can also spray the clean water L0 supplied via path P5 by operating an appropriate switch lever. In addition to spraying the ozone water L2 in a shower-like manner, the sprinkler means 32 can also spray the clean water L0 supplied via path P5. In addition to spraying the ozone water L2 in a straight stream, the ozone water L2 stored in the sink 3 can be drained to the outside through a drain outlet 33 at any time.

[0024] The ozonated water supply device 6 can be a well-known ozonated water supply device. Known methods for generating ozone include silent discharge, ultraviolet irradiation, and electrolysis. As shown in the figure, ozone can be dissolved in clean water L0 introduced from a clean water supply means 100 to produce ozonated water L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the ozonated water supply device 6 is installed inside the pre-wash tank 30 of the sink 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration and the ozonated water supply device 6 may be installed outside the pre-wash tank 30. Also, in the illustrated embodiment, the entire sink 3 is used as the pre-wash tank 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the sink 3 may be configured with two tanks, one of which serves as the pre-wash tank 30 and contains ozonated water, while the other tank is left empty and can be used to remove large residue from dishes or for tasks other than washing dishes.

[0025] The dishwasher 2 described above is configured to operate under washing conditions suitable for washing glasses and silverware. Compared to conventional dishwashers, the temperature of the wash water and rinse water used during washing is set lower, and pure water is used at least for the rinse water, resulting in a shiny finish without speckled water spots remaining on the surfaces of glasses and silverware. In addition, because the wash water and rinse water are heated to a temperature of 60°C or less, there is no whitening even if the glasses being washed are made of crystal glass.

[0026] The washing system 1 of this embodiment has a configuration generally as described above, and the following explanation will explain the procedure for washing glassware such as cups and wine glasses, and stainless steel or plated silverware S1 such as knives, forks, and spoons, together with general tableware S2 including other ceramic and plastic plates, bowls, etc., using the washing system 1, as shown in the figure, and the effects and benefits of doing so.

[0027] As described above, the dishwasher 2 is set to operate under washing conditions suitable for washing glasses and silverware S1. When glasses and silverware S1 and general tableware S2 are washed together using the washing system 1 of this embodiment, the ozone water supply device 6 is operated to dissolve ozone in clean water L0 supplied from the clean water supply means 100, and the ozone water L2 generated is stored in the pre-wash tank 30 of the sink 3, as shown in Figure 1.

[0028] After the pre-wash tank 30 is filled with ozone water L2, the operator submerges the general tableware S2 in the ozone water L2 stored in the pre-wash tank 30 of the sink 3 to pre-wash the general tableware S2. While the general tableware S2 is being submerged in the pre-wash tank 30, the operator opens the door 2a of the dishwasher 2, places a rack 7 containing the items to be washed, and places glasses and silverware S1 on the rack 7 following the flow path indicated by arrow R1. After the glasses and silverware S1 have been placed on the rack 7, the operator removes the general tableware S2 submerged in the pre-wash tank 30 as described above and places them on the rack 7 together with the glasses and silverware S1 following the flow path indicated by arrow R2. After the glasses and silverware S1 and the general tableware S2 have been placed on the rack 7, the operator places the rack 7 through the opening 2b of the washing chamber 21 following the flow path indicated by arrow R3, and closes the door 2a.

[0029] General tableware S2 is pre-washed with ozone water L2 stored in a pre-wash tank 30 and heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 40°C), which removes most of the dirt adhering to the general tableware S2 and also provides antibacterial and deodorizing effects.

[0030] In order to obtain the sterilizing and deodorizing effects of the ozone water L2 on the ordinary tableware S2, the ordinary tableware S2 can be more reliably removed by not only submerging the ordinary tableware S2 in the pre-wash tub 30 but also spraying the ozone water L2 onto the ordinary tableware S2 from the spray means 32 of the mixer tap 31. Furthermore, when there is only a small amount of ordinary tableware S2 to be washed, it is not necessary to store the ozone water L2 in the pre-wash tub 30, and the ozone water L2 may be sprayed onto the ordinary tableware S2 from the spray means 32 of the mixer tap 31 in a pre-wash tub 30 that does not store the ozone water L2, thereby removing the dirt adhering to the ordinary tableware S2.

[0031] In this embodiment, as described above, general tableware S2 is pre-washed with ozone water L2 in a sink 3 arranged adjacent to the dishwasher 2, and then placed in the washing chamber 21 of the dishwasher 2 together with glasses and silverware S1, where washing is carried out under the same washing conditions as those used to wash the glasses and silverware S1 described above.

[0032] Here, although the dishwasher 2 washes the glasses and silverware S1 under washing conditions suitable for the glasses and silverware S1, the general tableware S2 is pre-washed with the ozone water L2 stored in the sink 3 as described above. Therefore, even if the glasses and silverware S2 are washed under washing conditions suitable for the glasses and silverware S1 in the washing chamber 21, dirt is sufficiently removed, odors are not transferred from the general tableware S2 to the glasses and silverware S1, and a shiny finish is obtained without leaving any speckled water spots on the surfaces of the glasses and silverware S1. In other words, there is no need to distinguish between the glasses and silverware S1 and the general tableware S2 and wash them separately.

[0033] In the above embodiment, pre-washing with ozone water L2 was performed only on general tableware S2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and glasses and silverware S1 may be pre-washed by placing them in the pre-wash tank 30 of the sink 3 before being placed in the dishwasher 2.

[0034] In addition, in this invention, "a sink arranged adjacent to the dishwasher" means that the sink is arranged in a position where an operator can take out the general tableware S2 that has been pre-washed in the sink 3 and place it directly into the dishwasher 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1: Cleaning system 2: Dishwasher 2a: Opening and closing door 2b: Opening 21: Cleaning room 22: Storage room 3: Sync 30: Pre-wash tank 31:Mixing faucet 32: Watering means 33:Drain port 4: Pure water supply device 5: Water heater 6: Ozone water generator 7: Rack 10: First rack shelf 12: Second rack shelf 13: Table 100: Water supply means L0: Water supply L1: Pure water L2: Ozone water L3: Contaminated water S1: Glass, silverware S2: General tableware P1~P5: Route

Claims

1. A washing system comprising a dishwasher that uses pure water to wash glasses and silverware, and a sink disposed adjacent to the dishwasher, The cleaning system comprises: a pure water supply device for supplying pure water to the dishwasher; an ozone water supply device that supplies ozone water to the sink, The sink is provided with a pre-washing tank for pre-washing ordinary tableware to be put into the dishwasher with ozone water supplied to the sink, The washing system is such that the general tableware pre-washed in the pre-washing tank, glasses and silverware are put into the dishwasher, and the general tableware is washed at the same time under the same washing conditions as when the glasses and silverware are washed using pure water.

2. 2. The cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the sink is provided with a sprinkler means capable of sprinkling the ozone water supplied from the ozone water supply device.

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