A device, similar to a dishawasher but considerably smaller, with an 'entrance' on one side and an exit on the other. The device is equipped with a camera and robotic arm, enabling the machine to identify individual items from a random stack of dishes, remove each item individually (from the top of the stack) and insert it into the entrance. This is repeated until the machine has a full load (which could be anything from one large wok to a whole bunch of cutlery.

Inside the machine, a quantity of water is heated, detergent added, and sprayed across the items(s) within. A filtration system allows the same water to be recycled and topped up.

Once washed, the items are removed and stacked by the robot arm, which then returns to the first stack and refills the machine.

Software would enable the machine to select items to fit effeciently into the space on height adjustable racks.

The whole cycle would be longer than a conventional dishwasher, but could start as soon as the first items are stacked, so it's done the pots and pans by the time you've finished eating.

Small quantities can be dealt with more effeciently, as the quantity of heat, water and detergent used will be more or less in proportion to the quantity of items to be washed.

The whole machine could be benchtop sized, as it only needs to be able to accommodate the largest item to be washed.

Any anno's suggesting a white dress for the machine will be treated with the contempt they deserve.
-- Twizz, Oct 21 2010

Rack Conveyor Dishwasher http://www.dishwash...nveyor-dishwashers/
Big, noisy and fast [infidel, Oct 21 2010]

So, is it a "dishawsher", a "dishawasher" or a domestic version of the common commercial "continuous" dishwashing machine?
-- infidel, Oct 21 2010


Spelling corrected, it's a dishwasher.

It's different from commercial conveyer machines in that it's designed to operate in a domestic environment where dishes don't arrive on a conveyer belt.

It's also not a continuous machine. It operates in short cycles.

As far as I'm aware, commercial units don't do any kind of sorting or optimisation and they require full time attendance to load and unload the conveyors. This is fine in the kitchens of the Ritz, but no good for Mr. & Mrs Smith and a couple of little Smiths.
-- Twizz, Oct 21 2010



random, halfbakery