WAREWASH MACHINE WITH TRAY SUPPORT SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED RACK TRACK WITH A TRAY SUPPORT

A warewash machine includes a housing at least in part defining a treatment chamber having an access opening, a hood mounted for movement between a closed position for washing and an open position for inlet and outlet of wares through the access opening, at least one nozzle for emitting liquid into the treatment chamber, and a rack track positioned within the treatment chamber for having a dish rack rest thereon. A tray support is mounted for movement relative to the rack track between a lowered position and a raised position, in the lowered position the tray support is at or below a rack support plane defined by the rack track, in the raised position at least part of the tray support is located above the rack support plane. The rack track may be a wire or rod form frame configuration with the tray support mounted thereto.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates general to machines for washing wares, and more particularly to hood-type warewash machines.

BACKGROUND

Warewash machines are frequently used by commercial enterprises, such as restaurants and cafeterias, for washing relatively large and high numbers of wares. Often, the wares are placed in a rack for ease of handling and to maintain separation between the wares during washing. Some warewash machines, such as hood-type machines, have front and side access openings to the treatment chamber so that the wares do not have to be removed from the treatment chamber through the same access opening through which they were placed into the treatment chamber. A rack track is located in the machine to facilitate sliding movement of the ware racks into and out of the machine, when the door/hood of the machine is raised, and to support the rack in the machine during cleaning operations. A sump/tank below the rack track forms part of the wash spray system, in which washing liquid sprayed from one or more wash arms in the machine and the sprayed wash liquid falls down into the sump and is then recirculated back to the spray arm(s) by a pump.

In certain commercial enterprises, large trays are used and limitations of the ware racks prevent such trays from being positioned in or on the ware rack in a manner that permits the door/hood of the machine from being closed.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to implement a system that facilitates loading of a variety of long tray type wares in hood-type warewash machines.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a warewash machine includes a housing at least in part defining a treatment chamber having an access opening, a hood mounted for movement between a closed position for washing and an open position for inlet and outlet of wares through the access opening, at least one nozzle for emitting liquid into the treatment chamber, and a rack track positioned within the treatment chamber for having a dish rack rest thereon. A tray support is mounted for movement relative to the rack track between a lowered position and a raised position, in the lowered position the tray support is at or below a rack support plane defined by the rack track, in the raised position at least part of the tray support is located above the rack support plane.

In another aspect, a rack track for supporting a ware rack within a treatment chamber of a warewash machine includes a wire or rod form frame including supporting portions that define a rack support plane. A tray support is mounted to the wire or rod form frame for movement between a lowered position and a raised position. In the lowered position the tray support is at or below the rack support plane, and in the raised position at least part of the tray support is located above the rack support plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG.1, a warewash machine10includes a housing12(e.g., with support frame and panels) in part defining a treatment chamber14with a wash zone16. The chamber14includes front18, left20and right22access openings through which wares can be moved in and out of the chamber for cleaning. One or more upper and/or lower spray arms (e.g., wash arm(s)23aand rinse arm(s)23bhaving respective wash nozzles and rinse nozzles) are disposed above and/or below the wash zone. The spray arms are configured to spray liquid toward the wash zone16. In a typical machine, both wash spray arms23aand rinse spray arms23bmay be provided, with the wash spray arms fed by a pump that recirculates liquid from a collection sump or tank26below the wash zone, and the rinse spray arms fed by a pump (or line pressure) that delivers hot water from a hot water booster98. The arms may, for example, be rotating arms and/or fixed arms.

A multi-sided hood assembly30includes movable front32, left36and right38wall sections (e.g., forming a box-like hood structure that is open at the bottom) and the hood assembly may or may not have a moving top wall section and back wall section. The wall sections move together as a unit, such that the multi-sided hood assembly is movable (per arrow42) between a lowered closed position for washing and a raised open position (e.g., perFIG.1) for inlet and outlet of wares. When the multi-sided hood assembly is in the closed position, the hood assembly closes the front18, left20and right22access openings so that cleaning sprays within the chamber will be contained during ware cleaning. When the multi-sided hood assembly is in the open position, the front18, left20and right22access openings are open to permit access to the wash zone for inlet and egress of wares. A pivot handle44may be provided to facilitate operator movement of the hood assembly30.

A stationary chamber rear wall50is disposed at the back or rear side of the treatment chamber and, in embodiments in which the hood assembly includes a rear wall section, the wall50is at least partly behind the hood rear wall section when the hood is closed.

A rack track90is removably supported at a lower portion of the treatment chamber in a substantially horizontal use orientation by support structure located at both the front and rear of the treatment chamber. By way of example, the support structure may be various internal housing surfaces and/or brackets. The illustrated rack track90is of a metal bar or wire form configuration, with upper bar sections aligned to define a rack support surface or rack support plane for a rack containing wares to be cleaned (e.g., dishes, glasses, pots and/or pans etc.). A rear rack slide rail80and a forward rack slide rail82are shown here, in positions raised relative to the rack support plane, for guiding the sliding movement of a rack from, for example, into the treatment chamber via the left side access opening20for cleaning, and then out of the treatment chamber via the right side access opening22after ware cleaning.

A front tray support92is mounted to the front side of the rack track90and a rear tray support120is mounted to an upwardly extending duct housing122(e.g., by fasteners that connect to one or more brackets secured to the housing122), in which a wash line and/or a rinse line run in order to reach an upper wash arm and/or an upper rinse arm. The front tray support92is mounted for movement relative to the rack track90between a lowered position (e.g.,FIGS.10B and11B) and a raised position (e.g.,FIGS.10A and11A). In the lowered position, the front tray support92is at or below a rack support plane84defined by the upper bar segments of the rack track. This position allows ware racks to freely slide onto and off the rack track without interference by the front tray support92. In the raised position, at least part of the front tray support92is located above the rack support plane84, to permit the handle or lip72aof a long tray72to be engaged, supported and or captured by or against the front tray support92when the long tray72is placed in the treatment chamber in an angled position with its upper end (e.g., upper handle or lip) supported on the rear tray support120, which is spaced forward of the rear wall50(e.g., perFIGS.4,12and13). Thus, the rack track90with movable front tray support92is configured to facilitate simple and straightforward use for supporting long trays (when the front tray support92is raised) and for more typical use for supporting ware racks (when the front tray support92is lowered).

Here, the front tray support92, which may be of a plate configuration, includes guide slots94that interact with projecting features of the rack track90such that movement of the tray support relative to the projecting feature causes the tray support to shift from the lowered position to the raised position. The projecting features may be fasteners95mounted to collars96that are, for example, welded to the rack track90. Thus, the front tray support92remains with the rack track even when the rack track is removed from the treatment chamber.

By moving the front tray support92laterally along the width of the rack track, the front tray support will be moved upward or downward. In the lowered position of the front tray support92, the projections are disposed at slot end portion94aof the guide slots94and, in the raised position of the front tray support, the projections are disposed at end portion94bof the guide slots. Slot end portion94ais located at the end of a lateral portion94cof the slot, which interacts with the projecting features to prevent the tray support92from shifting downward under the force of gravity. The lateral slot portion joins94cjoins with a slot portion94dto that angles laterally away and upward toward the slot end portion94b.

In the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners95and collars96are also used to attach the forward rack slide rail82to the rack track90. In other embodiments, the forward rack slide rail82may be absent.

In embodiments, when the front tray support92is raised, the portion of the front tray support92that is above the rack support plane84has a length L92that is at least 60% (e.g., at least 80%) of a width W90of the rack supporting surface of the rack track90, and runs substantially parallel to a direction from a left side to a right side of the rack track90.

In embodiments, the rear tray support120is located at least 10 inches above the rack support plane, such as at least 15 inches above the rack support plane.

In the illustrated embodiment ofFIGS.1-13, the front tray support92is of a plate configuration with an L-shape, where the lateral part92aof the L-shape is located at the bottom of the support, to provide a corner region facing the treatment chamber and into which a tray handle or lip can sit. In an alternative embodiment, perFIGS.14and15, the lateral part92aof the L-shape may be located at the upper part of the support. Other embodiments, such as where the front tray support92is planar, are also possible.

It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that other changes and modifications are possible. For example, the front tray support could be alternatively mounted, such as pivotably, the rack track.