System for monitoring the operation of a commercial dishwasher, dishwasher and method for monitoring the operation of a dishwasher

Abstract

A system for monitoring the operation of a commercial dishwasher (2), which is embodied as a box-type dishwasher or as a conveyor dishwasher, includes at least one temperature sensor (60) designed to record a temperature profile with respect to time which corresponds to the temperature profile with respect to time to which an item of washware is subjected when it is treated in the dishwasher (2). The system further includes an evaluation device (62) designed to receive and to evaluate the temperature profile recorded by the at least one temperature sensor (60), wherein the evaluation device (62) is further designed to ascertain a value of a notional unit of quantity of heat from the temperature profile recorded by the temperature sensor (60). A dishwasher (2) including a corresponding monitoring system and a method for monitoring the operation of a dishwasher (2) are also provided.

1 . A system for monitoring the operation of a commercial dishwasher ( 2 ) which is embodied as a box-type dishwasher or as a conveyor dishwasher, wherein the system comprises the following:
 at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) which is designed to record a temperature profile with respect to time which corresponds to the temperature profile with respect to time to which an item of washware is subjected when it is treated in the dishwasher ( 2 ); and   an evaluation device ( 62 ) which is designed to receive and to evaluate the temperature profile recorded by the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ), wherein the evaluation device ( 62 ) is further designed to ascertain a value of a notional unit of quantity of heat from the temperature profile recorded by the temperature sensor ( 60 ).   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device ( 62 ) is designed to extract a temperature value from the temperature profile recorded by the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) at previously defined or definable measurement points and to ascertain an equivalent value of a quantity of heat from the extracted temperature value in accordance with a previously defined or definable assignment. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the evaluation device ( 62 ) is designed to form a sum of the equivalent values of the quantities of heat from measurement points of the temperature profile for ascertaining the value of the notional unit of quantity of heat. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device ( 62 ) is designed to compare the ascertained value of the notional unit of quantity of heat with a previously defined setpoint value and to output a corresponding warning and/or message when the ascertained value of the notional unit of quantity of heat falls below the setpoint value. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system further has at least one write/read unit ( 61 ,  63 ) for wirelessly transmitting data and/or commands between the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) and the evaluation device ( 62 ). 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one write/read unit ( 61 ,  63 ) is designed to automatically read out the temperature profiles and/or the data which corresponds to the temperature profiles from the temperature sensor ( 60 ) following completion of recording of n whole-number temperature profiles, where n>1. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one write/read unit ( 61 ,  63 ) has an interface for automatically transmitting data read out from the temperature sensor ( 60 ). 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) is attached to a measurement body and/or item of washware or is integrated in a measurement body and/or item of washware. 
     
     
         9 . A commercial dishwasher ( 2 ), which is embodied as a conveyor dishwasher or as a box-type dishwasher and has at least one treatment chamber or treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) in which wash liquid and/or final rinse liquid is at least temporarily sprayed onto washware to be treated, wherein the dishwasher ( 2 ) has at least one system as claimed in  claim 1  for continuously monitoring the operation of the dishwasher ( 2 ). 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher ( 2 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , which is embodied as a conveyor dishwasher and has a conveyor device ( 4 ) for conveying washware through the at least one treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) of the dishwasher ( 2 ), wherein the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) of the monitoring system is connected or can be connected to the conveyor device ( 4 ) or is integrated in the conveyor device ( 4 ) in such a way that, as the washware is conveyed, the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) is likewise conveyed through the at least one treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) of the dishwasher ( 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher ( 2 ) as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein an inlet region ( 11 ) in which at least one write/read unit ( 61 ,  63 ) of the monitoring system is arranged is provided in front of the at least one treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) as seen in the conveying direction ( 8 ) of the washware. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher ( 2 ) as claimed in  claim 9  to  11 , wherein the dishwasher ( 2 ) is designed to treat the washware to be treated in the at least one treatment chamber or treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) in a state in which the said washware is held in a dish rack, wherein the at least one temperature sensor ( 60 ) of the monitoring system is connected or can be connected to the dish rack or is integrated in the dish rack. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher ( 2 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , which further has a control device ( 50 ) for adjusting a temperature of the wash and/or final rinse liquid to be sprayed in the at least one treatment chamber or treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) of the dishwasher ( 2 ) and/or for adjusting an action time of the washware to be treated in the at least one treatment chamber or treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ), wherein the control device ( 50 ) is designed to preferably automatically adjust, in particular to regulate, the temperature of the wash and/or final rinse liquid to be sprayed in the at least one treatment chamber or treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) and/or the action time of the washware to be treated in the at least one treatment chamber or treatment zone ( 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ) depending on a value of the notional quantity of heat ascertained using the evaluation device ( 62 ). 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher ( 2 ) as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the control device ( 50 ) is designed to store and/or to document the value of the notional quantity of heat ascertained during operation of the dishwasher ( 2 ) for each cycle or unit of time, in particular for documentation reasons. 
     
     
         15 . A method for monitoring the operation of a commercial dishwasher ( 2 ), in particular a dishwasher ( 2 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein a temperature profile with respect to time is recorded during operation of the dishwasher ( 2 ), the said temperature profile with respect to time corresponding to the temperature profile with respect to time to which an item of washware is subjected when it is treated in the dishwasher ( 2 ), and wherein a value of a notional unit of quantity of heat is ascertained from the recorded temperature profile.