Food Counter Dishwasher Layout for Hygienic Reusable Container Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Previous counter systems in catering and retail trade fail to efficiently transfer partially unpackaged foodstuffs while maintaining environmental sustainability and hygiene regulations, often relying on disposable plasticware that poses ecological and health risks.

Innovation Solution

A counter system with an integrated dishwasher that segregates customer and staff regions, allowing customers to deposit and staff to collect cleaned reusable containers, minimizing contamination risks and eliminating the need for disposable crockery by ensuring rapid and hygienic cleaning within the system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If disposable crockery is used to transfer foodstuffs, then hygiene and convenience are improved, but environmental pollution and plastic waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovehygieneVSAvoidplastic waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies disposable crockery made from oxo-degradable plastic as a short-living object that can be discarded after single use, eliminating the need for washing and reuse while reducing environmental impact compared to conventional plastic. The crockery is designed to degrade under specific conditions after use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameters of the crockery by using oxo-degradable plastic instead of conventional plastic, and by controlling the degradation conditions (presence of oxygen, moisture, temperature) to achieve controlled decomposition after use, transforming the waste problem into a controlled environmental process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If oxo-degradable plastic is used for disposable crockery, then environmental degradation is improved, but the plastic breaks down into microplastic under recycling conditions causing health stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental degradationVSAvoidmicroplastic contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of plastic persistence into a benefit by designing oxo-degradable plastic that actively degrades after use. The degradation process, which would normally be considered harmful if uncontrolled, is transformed into a beneficial environmental disposal mechanism that reduces plastic waste accumulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a controlled environment for degradation by requiring specific conditions (presence of oxygen, moisture, temperature range) that must be present for the oxo-degradation to occur properly, preventing uncontrolled breakdown into microplastics while ensuring complete degradation under appropriate conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If reusable crockery is used instead of disposable, then environmental sustainability is improved, but hygiene regulations and contamination risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental sustainabilityVSAvoidcontamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable crockery that is used once and then discarded, eliminating the need for repeated washing and sanitization processes. This approach maintains hygiene by ensuring each customer receives fresh, uncontaminated crockery while reducing environmental impact compared to reusable alternatives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a system where crockery is discarded after single use and then recovered through controlled degradation processes. The oxo-degradable plastic breaks down into harmless substances under specific environmental conditions, recovering the material in an environmentally friendly manner rather than persisting as waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

4Object-generated harmful factors

If disposable crockery is eliminated to reduce plastic waste, then environmental impact is improved, but additional staff and operational complexity are required for cleaning and sanitization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplastic waste reductionVSAvoidoperational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service system where customers receive disposable crockery that is already prepared and ready for use. The crockery serves itself by being discarded after use, eliminating the need for staff to collect, transport, and clean reusable items. The system automatically reduces plastic waste through the use of oxo-degradable materials that break down environmentally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-preparing disposable crockery that is ready for immediate use. The crockery is manufactured and packaged in advance with the necessary degradation capabilities, so no additional processing or cleaning actions are required during or after the service process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces plastic waste, conserves resources, and maintains hygiene standards by ensuring all reusable containers are cleaned within the system, reducing the risk of contamination and environmental impact while allowing for seamless customer-specific orders without additional staff or operational disruptions.

Implementation Method 1

The at least one treatment zone (3) is configured to subject at least one item of washware (2) fed to the at least one treatment zone (3) via the at least one conveyor apparatus (6), temporally in succession, to a washing treatment and a downstream final rinse treatment and optionally drying downstream of the final rinse treatment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWashing:

Implementation Method 2

a downstream final rinse treatment and optionally drying downstream of the final rinse treatment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRinse:

Implementation Method 3

downstream final rinse treatment and optionally drying downstream of the final rinse treatment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDrying:

Data Source

PatentUS11889964B2Counter system for transferring in particular at least partially unpackaged foodstuffs, and method for receiving customer-specific and in particular personalized orders in a counter system
Publication Date: 2024.02.06 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • US11889964B2 patent drawing
  • US11889964B2 patent drawing
  • US11889964B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A counter system (10) for transferring at least partially unpackaged foodstuffs, wherein the counter system (10) has a first region (11) assigned to the counter staff and a second region (12) segregated therefrom and assigned to the customer. The counter system (10) has a dishwasher (1) for cleaning items of washware (2). The dishwasher (1) has at least one treatment zone (3) and at least one conveyor apparatus (6) for conveying the items of washware (2) to be cleaned from an introduction region (4) of the dishwasher (1) through the treatment zone (3) of the dishwasher (1) to a removal region (5) of the dishwasher (1), wherein the introduction region (4) of the dishwasher (1) is accessible from the second region (12) of the counter system (10) and the removal region (5) of the dishwasher (1) is accessible from the first region (11) of the counter system (10).