Cleaning device and method for cleaning articles to be cleaned
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning devices, particularly in commercial dishwashing technology, face challenges in flexible billing models that do not account for the intensity of use or careful handling, leading to unfair compensation for operators and providers.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a controller that records usage variables, assigns weightings based on usage intensity, and accumulates usage times to generate usage information, allowing for more accurate and flexible billing models that reward careful handling and usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple fluid tanks or cleaning zones are used to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic heating control where the controller activates heating elements based on real-time detection of water temperature and cleaning program requirements. This dynamic adjustment ensures heating occurs only when and where needed, rather than continuously heating multiple tanks, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies heating elements locally at specific positions within the cleaning device where water temperature needs to be maintained. Rather than heating entire tanks uniformly, the system provides localized heating only in regions where thermal energy is required for cleaning operations, optimizing energy efficiency while preserving throughput capability.
2Ease of operation
If billing is based purely on rental period, then ease of operation is improved, but fairness and accuracy of compensation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a feedback mechanism where the controller continuously monitors usage variables (number of cleaning cycles, duration, intensity) and uses this information to dynamically adjust billing calculations. This feedback loop enables accurate usage-based billing that reflects actual device utilization, providing fair compensation while maintaining operational simplicity through automated calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically records usage data and performs billing calculations without requiring manual intervention. The controller self-monitors operational parameters and generates usage information, enabling the billing system to serve itself by automatically computing accurate charges based on detected usage patterns, thus maintaining ease of operation while achieving measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If usage variables and weightings are recorded and accumulated, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it manages cleaning operations, monitors usage variables, accumulates usage data, calculates billing information, and controls heating elements. By making the controller universal and multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated devices for each function, thereby improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cleaning device (110) for cleaning articles (116) to be cleaned. The cleaning device (110) comprises at least one cleaning chamber (114) and at least one supplying device (120) for supplying the articles (116) to be cleaned in the cleaning chamber (114) with at least one cleaning fluid. The cleaning device (110) additionally comprises at least one controller (157) which is designed to actuate the cleaning device (110) to carry out at least two operating modes. The controller (157) is additionally designed to detect at least one usage variable. The usage variable characterizes a current usage of the cleaning device (110). The controller (157) is additionally designed to assign at least one weighting to the at least one usage variable. The controller (157) further has at least one counting device (170) which is designed to cumulate cleaning device (110) usage times weighted with the weighting and to generate at least one piece of usage information on the usage of the cleaning device (110) therefrom.