Dishwasher, In Particular Domestic Dishwasher With A Rotatably Mounted Optical Detection Means

Abstract

A dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, includes a washing compartment for accommodating items to be washed, a container delimiting the washing compartment, a pump for circulating washing liquid in the container, a wash program control apparatus for executing at least one wash program and for activating the pump, and at least one optical detector connected to the wash program control apparatus for optically detecting at least one compartment section or segment of the washing compartment. The wash program control device adjusts the wash program based on the state in the washing compartment detected by the optical detector. The optical detector is rotatably mounted inside the container so that different compartment sections or segments of the washing compartment are detected by the optical detector in dependence on or as a function of the position and/or the location of the optical detector.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A dishwasher or domestic dishwasher, comprising:
 a washing compartment or accommodating items to be washed, said washing compartment segments;   a container delimiting said washing compartment;   a pump for circulating washing liquid in said container;   at least one optical detector for optically detecting at least one of said compartment segments of said washing compartment, said at least one optical detector being mounted rotatably within said container for detecting different compartment segments of said washing compartment as a function of at least one of a position or a location of said at least one optical detector; and   a wash program control apparatus for executing at least one wash program and for activating said pump, said wash program control apparatus being connected to said at least one optical detector, and said wash program control apparatus adjusting said at least one wash program based on a state in said washing compartment detected by said at least one optical detector.   
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein said container has a top wall, a top rinse arm is mounted rotatably on said top wall, said top rinse arm has at least one washing liquid outlet opening, and said at least one optical detector is fastened to said top rinse arm. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher according to  claim 13 , wherein said top rinse arm is driven in response to the washing liquid being conveyed by said pump and exiting from said at least one washing liquid outlet opening. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , which further comprises a dish rack mounted in said container, and a rack rinse arm mounted rotatably on said dish rack, said rack rinse arm having at least one washing liquid outlet opening, and said at least one optical detector being fastened to said rack rinse arm. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher according to  claim 15 , wherein said rack rinse arm is driven in response to the washing liquid conveyed by said pump and exiting from said at least one washing liquid outlet opening. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein said container has a bottom wall, a bottom rinse arm is mounted rotatably in said bottom wall, said bottom rinse arm has at least one washing liquid outlet opening, and said at least one optical detector is fastened to said bottom rinse arm. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher according to  claim 17 , wherein said bottom rinse arm is driven in response to the washing liquid conveyed by said pump and exiting from said at least one washing liquid outlet opening. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 said container has a top wall, a bottom wall and a dish rack mounted in said container;   a top rinse arm is mounted rotatably on said top wall, a bottom rinse arm is mounted rotatably in said bottom wall, and a rack rinse arm is mounted rotatably on said dish rack;   said rinse arms each have at least one respective washing liquid outlet opening; and   said at least one optical detector is fastened to and manually releasable from at least one of said rinse arms.   
     
     
         20 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 said container has a top wall, a bottom wall and a dish rack mounted in said container;   a top rinse arm is mounted rotatably on said top wall, a bottom rinse arm is mounted rotatably in said bottom wall, and a rack rinse arm is mounted rotatably on said dish rack;   said rinse arms each have at east one respective washing liquid outlet opening; and   said at least one optical detector is at least one of form-lockingly or materially fixed to at least one of said rinse arms.   
     
     
         21 . The dishwasher according to  claim 20 , wherein said at least one optical detector cannot be non-destructively released from said at least one of said rinse arms. 
     
     
         22 . The dishwasher according to  claim 21 , wherein plastic is injection molded around said at least one optical detector during production of at least one of said rinse arms. 
     
     
         23 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein said at least one optical detector has at least one electrical image sensor. 
     
     
         24 . The dishwasher according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one electrical image sensor is at least one of a camera, a digital camera, a webcam or a network camera. 
     
     
         25 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein said at least one optical detector is connected to said wash program control apparatus ( 9 ) by a communication connection. 
     
     
         26 . The dishwasher according to  claim 25 , wherein said communication connection is a wireless communication connection. 
     
     
         27 . The dishwasher according to  claim 26 , wherein said wireless communication connection has at least one of an inductive or capacitive interface, an optical interface, an NFC interface, a WLAN connection, a Bluetooth radio connection or an HF radio connection. 
     
     
         28 . The dishwasher according to  claim 12 , wherein said wash program control apparatus is configured to adjust said wash program based on:
 a state of a degree of soiling, as detected by said at least one optical detector, of items to be washed being present in said washing compartment including at least one of dishes or flatware, or   a state of a degree of soiling of the washing liquid, or   a state of at least one of a nature or a configuration of a load of items to be washed including at least one of dishes or flatware, in a dish rack disposed in said washing compartment.