Conveyor for a dishwasher as well as dishwasher having such a conveyor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyor dishwashers require a large installation space and are not suitable for use in coffee shops or fast-food restaurants due to their size and the need for trained personnel to correctly load and position dishes, while disposable oxo-biodegradable plastics pose environmental and ecological challenges.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with retaining elements that securely hold and orient dishes, such as drinking containers, using a circulating conveyor belt with pusher dogs and support systems, allowing intuitive loading and secure transport, and a dishwasher design with a return system for reusable dishes that includes identification and sorting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional conveyor dishwasher is used, then continuous operation and washing capability are improved, but the installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system transitions from a traditional horizontal linear path to a three-dimensional meandering path that utilizes vertical space and multi-level structures. The conveyor belt winds through the dishwasher body in multiple dimensions, allowing the washing path to fit within a compact footprint while maintaining continuous operation capability.
2Quantity of substance
If a wide conveyor belt is used, then dish placement capacity is improved, but the device complexity and space requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt is divided into multiple discrete conveyor elements or segments that can independently carry dishes. Each segment acts as an individual carrying unit, allowing multiple dishes to be transported simultaneously without requiring a single wide continuous belt, thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system employs a nested arrangement where multiple conveyor paths or elements are integrated within each other in a compact configuration. The meandering conveyor belt is routed through nested layers and levels, maximizing dish capacity within a confined structural envelope.
3Reliability
If conventional dish placement is required, then washing capability is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to need for trained personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system incorporates self-aligning features and intuitive loading positions that automatically guide users on how to place dishes correctly. The design includes self-explanatory loading zones with visual or structural cues that indicate proper dish orientation and placement, eliminating the need for trained personnel while maintaining washing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system uses visual indicators such as color-coded zones, illuminated guides, or contrasting markings on the conveyor surface to indicate correct dish placement areas and orientations. These visual cues make the loading process intuitive and self-explanatory for users of any skill level.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor for transporting dishes, in particular drinking containers, through at least one treatment zone of a dishwasher and/or for feeding dishes to the dishwasher. The conveyor includes a circulating conveyor system, a plurality of retaining elements connected to the circulating conveyor system and configured in order to releasably receive and/or releasably retain drinking containers, in particular in a positively locking manner and preferably at least in a sectionally or partially positively locking manner, and a support system for at least partially and/or sectionally supporting the drinking containers, received by the retaining elements.