SELF-OPTIMIZING DETERGENT CONTROLLER

• Main Authors: COPELAND, JAMES, L, BRADY, DANIEL, F, BAILEY, CLYDE, A, MCCALL, JOHN, E., JR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 04.03.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; COFFEE MILLS; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; FURNITURE; HUMAN NECESSITIES; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; LAUNDERING; LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILEARTICLES; MEASURING; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; REGULATING; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TESTING; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE

An apparatus and method for programming a detergent controller to vary the detergent concentration set-point according to the time of day and to achieve detergent concentration levels quickly without incurring overshoot. Thus, the present invention insures that the warewashing machine is operated at optimum efficiency and cost. To vary the set-point according to the time of day, the invention combines the features of a microprocessor, a clock and a controller into one unit. The user enters the time setting and set point into the controller. The microprocessor then compares the real-time clock signal with the user time settings and outputs an appropriate set-point value from the microprocessor to the controller. To achieve detergent concentration levels quickly without incurring overshoot, the controller senses the detergent concentration and dispenses the proper detergent level to the warewashing machine according to a predetermined detergent feed time based on the previous response time and the programmed set-point. Thus, the controller can change the response function if and when conditions change.