Immersion Systems & Methods for Pre-Washing or Washing Silverware

Abstract

A silverware pre-washing and washing system made up of a unitary basin with one to five, and preferably three, vertically movable porous baskets arranged radially around a central vertical lifting and lowering mechanism. The base with unitary basin contains a quantity of washing fluid(s) into which each of the vertically movable porous baskets may be repeatedly immersed. The base cover defines cylindrical ports through which the baskets are raised and lowered. The porous baskets include perforation arrays to allow washing fluid to flow in non-linear paths through the silverware contained in the basket, thereby washing all sides of the silverware and beneficially re-arranging the silverware in the basket as the washing process proceeds.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An open top silverware and kitchen utensil wash system for cycling a variable quantity of objects to be washed into, out of, or within a body of wash fluid, the wash system comprising:
 at least one open top permeable structure for holding the variable quantity of objects to be washed;   a vertically movable support frame for receiving and supporting the at least one permeable structure;   at least one vertically movable actuator rod having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end connected to the vertically movable support frame;   at least one fixed guide member slidingly engaging the at least one vertically movable actuator rod;   a drive mechanism comprising a motor and a drive linkage assembly operably connected to the upper end of the at least one vertically movable actuator rod;   at least one open top wash tank containing the body of wash fluid, the wash tank positioned in proximity to the vertically movable support frame; and   a programmable controller in operable communication with the drive mechanism, the programmable controller programmed to operate the drive mechanism to agitate and to cycle the variable quantity of objects to be washed into, out of, or within a body of wash fluid;   wherein the open top wash system allows for additional objects to be washed to be received into the at least one open top permeable structure at all times during operation of the wash system.   
     
     
         2 . The wash system of  claim 1  wherein the vertically movable support frame comprises at least one circular support collar and the at least one open top permeable structure comprises a cylindrical basket sized to removably fit into the at least one circular support collar. 
     
     
         3 . The wash system of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor and a heating element positioned in thermal contact with the body of wash fluid, the temperature sensor and the heating element in operable connection to the programmable controller to provide controlled heating of the body of wash fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The wash system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one open top wash tank further comprises a fluid inflow line, a fluid inflow valve, a fluid drain line, and a fluid drain valve, the inflow valve and the drain valve in operable connection to the programmable controller to direct and control a flow of fluid into and out from the at least one open top wash tank. 
     
     
         5 . The wash system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one open top wash tank further comprises an overflow drain to allow excess wash fluid to flow out from the at least one open top wash tank. 
     
     
         6 . The wash system of  claim 1  further comprising a chemical additive reservoir, a chemical additive feed line, and a chemical additive valve, the chemical additive valve in operable connection to the programmable controller to direct and control a flow of chemical additive into the body of fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The wash system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one open top permeable structure comprises a plurality of open top permeable structures, each positioned to receive a separate variable quantity of objects to be washed. 
     
     
         8 . The wash system of  claim 7  further comprising at least one indicator display associated with each of the plurality of open top permeable structures, the at least one indicator display in operable connection to the programmable controller to provide information to the user on the status of the programmed cycle in operation. 
     
     
         9 . The wash system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one indicator display comprises an indicator light adjacent each of the plurality of open top permeable structures controlled by the programmable controller to direct a sequential loading of the plurality of permeable structures. 
     
     
         10 . The wash system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one indicator display comprises indicator lights to indicate cycle completion, a full load condition, and an overload condition. 
     
     
         11 . A method for washing a variable quantity of silverware and/or kitchen utensils in a body of wash fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an open top wash system comprising:
 a plurality of open top permeable structures supported on a vertically movable frame; 
 a vertically movable lift assembly connected to the vertically movable frame; 
 a drive mechanism connected to the vertically movable lift assembly; 
 an open top wash tank positioned in proximity to the vertically movable frame; and 
 a programmable controller in operable communication with the drive mechanism; 
   (b) at least partially filling the open top wash tank with the body of wash fluid;   (c) inserting a quantity of silverware and/or kitchen utensils into at least one of the plurality of open top permeable structures;   (d) using the programmable controller to direct a programmed cyclic sequence of vertical motions of the plurality of open top permeable structures into, out of, or within the body of wash fluid, the cyclic sequence of vertical motions comprising:
 lowering the plurality of open top permeable structures at least partially into the body of wash fluid; 
 repeatedly raising and lowering the plurality of open top permeable structures within the body of wash fluid; 
 raising the plurality of open top permeable structures out of the body of wash fluid; and 
   (e) while the programmed cyclic sequence of vertical motions is occurring, inserting a further quantity of silverware and/or kitchen utensils into at least one of the plurality of open top permeable structures.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of sensing a temperature of the body of fluid and heating the body of wash fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of introducing one or more chemical additives into the body of wash fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of repeatedly raising and lowering the plurality of open top permeable structures within the body of wash fluid comprises varying a speed with which the repeated raising and lowering occurs. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of sensing a load in each of the plurality of open top permeable structures and providing a visual indication to the user of which of the plurality of open top permeable structures are full and which remain available for inserting a further quantity of silverware and/or kitchen utensils. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of sensing a load in each of the plurality of open top permeable structures and providing a visual indication to the user of an overload condition in any of the plurality of open top permeable structures. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 (f) determining a timed completion of the programmed cyclic sequence of vertical motions of the plurality of open top permeable structures; 
 (g) raising the plurality of open top permeable structures out of the body of wash fluid; 
 (h) removing at least a portion of the quantity of silverware and/or kitchen utensils from at least one of the plurality of open top permeable structures; and 
 (i) repeating the step of using the programmable controller to direct a programmed cyclic sequence of vertical motions of the plurality of open top permeable structures. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of sensing a level of wash fluid in the open top wash tank and adding or removing wash fluid to maintain a preferred wash fluid level. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of sensing total dissolved solids (TSD) in the wash fluid and on exceeding a preferred limit, draining the open top wash tank and refilling the open top wash tank with fresh wash fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the cyclic sequence of vertical motions further comprises a timed holding of the plurality of open top permeable structures at least partially within the body of wash fluid.