Method of operating a dishwasher

Abstract

A method of operating a dishwasher in which items that are to be cleaned includes subjecting the items to the action of a cleaning liquid by delivering the liquid with a pressurized, gaseous delivery medium. In the method, energy and water can be saved and it is not necessary to comply with any specific inflow requirements to use the method.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of operating a dishwasher, which comprises: 
 cleaning items with a cleaning liquid delivered by a pressurized, gaseous delivery medium.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises carrying out the cleaning step by delivering the pressurized, gaseous delivery medium at time intervals.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises carrying out the cleaning step by periodically delivering the pressurized, gaseous delivery medium.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises carrying out the cleaning step by pulsing the cleaning liquid.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises carrying out the cleaning step by setting a ratio of a duration of a time interval between operations for delivering the cleaning liquid and a duration of a delivery of the cleaning liquid to approximately 3:1.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , which further comprises setting the duration of the delivery of the cleaning liquid to be approximately 0.5 seconds.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises delivering the medium by a cyclic pumping process.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , which further comprises carrying out the medium-delivering step using a cyclically operating pump.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , which further comprises cyclically introducing the medium from a supply source acting on the cleaning liquid.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , which further comprises cyclically introducing the medium from a supply source for acting on the cleaning liquid.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises delivering the cleaning liquid by a cyclic plug flow process in which the medium alternatively pressurizes the cleaning liquid between two pressure levels including: 
 a relatively low pressure level, at which a negative pressure prevails and liquid is drawn in; and    a relatively higher pressure level, at which a positive pressure prevails and the cleaning liquid is delivered in a desired delivery direction.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the medium is air.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises directing the medium into a treatment chamber of the dishwasher during a drying step.  
     
     
         14 . A method of operating a dishwasher, which comprises: 
 pressurizing a gaseous delivery medium; and    cleaning items with a cleaning liquid delivered by the pressurized medium.