Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Work handled in bulk or groups
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2001-01-23
El-Arini, Zeinab (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Work handled in bulk or groups
C134S026000, C134S029000, C134S030000, C134S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176244
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a machine dish-washing process and more particular to an improvement in continuous or discontinuous machine dish-washing, whether conducted using a single tank or multi tank or conveyor type dish washer. The invention is also concerned with a detergent to be used with said machine dish washing process, use of a detergent known as such in said dish washing process, and a dish washing machine that is adapted to carry out said process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical dish washing machines, e.g. of the conveyor type, wash the crockery with large amounts of water containing a small amount of detergent. The detergent is directly injected into the water tank below the wash section until a concentration of approximately 0.2 wt % active cleaning agents in the solution is obtained, and water with the detergent is continuously drawn from said tank and poored over the crockery, and is then collected again in said tank. Very heavily soiled crockery is prior to the above described machine treatement subjected to a labor intensive cleaning, so called “stripping”, wherein the crockery is soaked in water with a relatively high concentration of active cleaning agents for several hours. EP-A-0465454 discloses a machine dish-washing process wherein a minimum amount of concentrated fluid detergent is undiluted mistly like sprayed over the crockery to cover the complete surface of the crockery with the concentrate. EP-A-406628 discloses a machine dish-washing process wherein in a separate circulation a highly concentrated fluid detergent is poured out over the crockery in excess and collected in a separate tank and is drawn therefrom for repeated use. The object of both the above disclosures is to provide maximum cleaning effect with minimum detergent consumption and minimum use of labour and machines by improving the chemical action, such that the environment is saved as good as possible against costs as low as possible. This is also an alternative object of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect the object of the invention is also an application rate wherein the preferably highly concentrated detergent, compared to the water dispersion in a wash zone of a typical conveyor type dish washing machine of 1000 1/hr, is applied at extremely low volume of preferably 100 1/hr at the most, more preferably 25 1/hr at the most, most preferably 10 1/hr at the most, wherein said application volumes relate to the foamless mode of the detergent, e.g. as it is present in the storage container.
Due to the aggressive action of the detergent, dispersing thereof must take place in a shielded chamber, such that the application means can not be checked properly for proper functioning. If e.g. a nozzle for dispersing detergent over the crockery is clogged, a part of the crockery at least will insufficiently contact the detergent such that its cleaning is not optimum. This drawback will be most clearly noticed with systems wherein minimum amounts of detergent are directly dispersed on the crockery.
It is an object of this invention to obtain better controllable dispersing of detergent over the crockery, e.g. to check the application means for proper functioning. This object is met by dispersing the detergent over the crockery or give it a composition such that at least on the crockery, preferably on sloping parts thereof, a clear visual distinction with rinsing water is obtained. Although at this moment it is expected that generation of a foam layer of detergent on the crockery offers the clearest visual detection means, different alternatives seem usable, such as the generation of a gel- or paste layer of the detergent on the crockery. That is why it is expected that as the visual detection means according to the invention each embodiment is applicable wherein a relatively thick layer of detergent is created on the crockery. The layer thickness is preferably such that a clear distinction is made with water or a detergent behaving like water, since that can merely make a thin film on the surface of the crockery. The needed visual detection function can also be obtained by providing a treacly behaviour of the detergent on the crockery, such that it flows from the crockery much slower than e.g. water or typical water with some dissolved detergent. Foam, gel or paste like detergent offer e.g. such treacly behaviour and have therefore e.g. the possibility to make a relatively large layer thickness on the crockery, wherein said layer thickness is preferably substantially larger than the thickness of a water film adhering to a sloping surface of the crockery.
In here, “Sloping part of the crockery” means a part where as a rule water will not remain, like e.g. the top of a dish standing on its side.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3816318 (1974-06-01), Hentschel
patent: 5772785 (1998-06-01), Schouten
patent: 5888954 (1999-03-01), Haerer et al.
patent: 5972875 (1999-10-01), Crutcher et al.
patent: 0 282 214 (1988-09-01), None
patent: 0 406 682 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 0 465 454 (1992-01-01), None
patent: 0 712 599 (1996-05-01), None
El-Arini Zeinab
Epenhuysen Chemie N.V.
Young & Thompson
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