Abstract:
A system for feeding washing racks to an entrance of a washer, comprising: a directionally alternating transfer conveyor positioned at, and able to communicate said washing racks with, said entrance of said washer; said conveyor having a first receiving mode, a second receiving mode, and a discharge mode; and a pre-wash enclosure substantially surrounding said conveyor and including a first and second door, said first and said second door each actuable between an open position and a closed position; and a pre-wash selective water flow interior of said pre-wash enclosure and directed generally toward said conveyor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/474,112, filed Apr. 11, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     This invention was made with government support under Contract N00024-09-C-4110 awarded by Naval Sea Systems Command. The government may have certain rights in the invention. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is directed generally to one or more aspects of a dishwashing system. More particularly, various inventive methods and apparatus disclosed herein relate to one or more aspects of systems for interfacing with a washer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In circumstances where there are many occupants occupying a small space for extended periods of time, there is an increased need for daily operations to be performed in a smaller area than under normal circumstances. This need is especially noticeable onboard ships, such as United States Navy ships, on which many people are stationed for extended periods of time, up to several months. The high volume of dishware and silverware/flatware used onboard naval vessels, and under similar circumstances, may provide the desire to clean and sanitize this dishware and silverware/flatware quickly, while working within the space constraints of a ship. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed toward one or more aspects of a dishwashing system. For example, methods and apparatus described herein may relate to one or more of a load rack, a queue conveyor, a silverware soaking station, a pre-wash station, a pre-wash popup conveyor, an auxiliary conveyor, an exit conveyor, and an exit popup conveyor. 
     Generally, in one aspect, a system for feeding washing racks to an entrance of a washer and receiving washing racks from an exit of a washer is provided. The system may include a first pop-up conveyor and a second pop-up conveyor. The first pop-up conveyor has a plurality of first rollers each at least selectively rotating about respective of first roller axes. The first roller axes are all oriented substantially parallel to one another. The first pop-up conveyor has a plurality of first rotating belts each at least selectively rotating about respective of first rotating belt axes. The first roller axes are all substantially perpendicular to the first rotating belt axes. The first rotating belts are adjustable between a first transferring position wherein the first rotating belts are positionally above the first rollers and a first non-transferring position wherein the first rotating belts are positionally below the first rollers. The second pop-up conveyor has a plurality of second rollers each at least selectively rotating about respective of second roller axes. The second roller axes all oriented substantially parallel to one another. The second pop-up conveyor has a plurality of second rotating belts each at least selectively rotating about respective of second rotating belt axes. The second roller axes are all substantially perpendicular to the second rotating belt axes. The second rotating belts are adjustable between a second transferring position wherein the second rotating belts are positionally above the second rollers and a second non-transferring position wherein the second rotating belts are positionally below the second rollers. The first pop-up conveyor is positioned at, and able to communicate the washing racks with, one of the entrance of the washer and the exit of the washer and the second pop-up conveyor is positioned at, and able to communicate the washing racks with, the other of the entrance and the exit. The first pop-up roller axes and the second pop-up roller axes are substantially parallel to one another 
     In some embodiments the first rollers are selectively driven to rotate about respective of the roller axes in a first rotational direction and in an opposite second rotational direction. 
     In some versions of those embodiments the first pop-up conveyor is at the entrance of the washer. 
     In some embodiments the first rollers are interposed between a silverware soaking station and an auxiliary conveyor. 
     In some versions of those embodiments the first rollers are selectively driven to rotate about respective of the roller axes in a first rotational direction when the washing racks are sensed originating from the silverware soaking station and driven to rotate in an opposite second rotational direction when the washing racks are sensed originating from the auxiliary conveyor. 
     In some embodiments the system further includes a pre-wash enclosure substantially surrounding the first pop-up conveyor and a pre-wash selective water flow interior of the pre-wash enclosure and directed generally toward the first pop-up conveyor, wherein the first pop-up conveyor is at the entrance of the washer. 
     In some versions of those embodiments the pre-wash enclosure includes at least one door actuable between an open position and a closed position. The door is in the open position at least when one of the washing racks is communicated to the first pop-up conveyor and is in the closed position at least when the washing rack is within the pre-wash enclosure and the water flow is activated. 
     Generally, in another aspect, a system for feeding washing racks to an entrance of a washer is provided. The system includes a directionally alternating transfer conveyor positioned at, and able to communicate the washing racks with, the entrance of the washer. The conveyor has a first receiving mode, a second receiving mode, and a discharge mode. In the first receiving mode the conveyor is transferringly driving in a first direction and in the second receiving mode the conveyor is transferringly driving in a second direction opposite the first direction. In the discharge mode the conveyor is transferringly driving in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The system also includes a pre-wash enclosure substantially surrounding the conveyor and including a first and second door. The first and the second door are each actuable between an open position and a closed position. A pre-wash selective water flow interior of the pre-wash enclosure is directed generally toward the conveyor. The first door is in the open position and the conveyor is in the first receiving mode at least when one of the washing racks is communicated to the conveyor in the first direction. The second door is in the open position and the conveyor is in the second receiving mode at least when one of the washing racks is communicated to the conveyor in the second direction. The first door and the second door are both in the closed position at least when one of the washing racks is within the pre-wash enclosure and the water flow is activated. 
     In some embodiments the system further includes a silverware soaking station and an auxiliary conveyor. The conveyor is optionally interposed between the silverware soaking station and the auxiliary conveyor. In some versions of those embodiments the system further includes an actuable flipper arm movable between a retracted flipper position wherein the flipper arm is in non-interference with the silverware soaking station and an extended flipper position wherein the flipper arm is atop the silverware soaking station and more proximal the conveyor than it is in the retracted flipper position. In some versions of those embodiments the system further includes an actuable second flipper arm movable between a second retracted flipper position wherein the second flipper arm is in non-interference with the auxiliary conveyor and a second extended flipper position wherein the second flipper arm is atop the auxiliary conveyor and more proximal the conveyor than it is in the second retracted flipper position. The silverware soaking station may include a soaking tank and a roller platform movable between a transfer platform position substantially coplanar with the conveyor and a soaking platform position recessed into the soak tank and positionally below the transfer platform position. In some versions of those embodiments the system further includes an actuable flipper arm movable between a retracted flipper position wherein the flipper arm is in non-interference with the silverware soaking station and an extended flipper position wherein the flipper arm is atop the silverware soaking station and more proximal the conveyor then it is in the retracted flipper position. In some versions of those embodiments the system further includes a light curtain adjacent the silverware soaking station, the light curtain sensing passes of objects therethrough when the roller platform is in the soaking platform position. The platform may move from the soaking platform position to the transfer platform position after sensing of a predetermined number of object passes by the light curtain when the roller platform is in the soaking platform position. 
     The conveyor may optionally include a plurality of rollers rotationally driving selectively in the first direction and selectively in the second direction, and a plurality of first rotating belts rotationally driving selectively in the third direction, wherein the rotating belts are adjustable between a transferring position positionally above the rollers and a non-transferring position positionally below the rollers. 
     Generally, in another aspect, a method of feeding washing racks to an entrance of a washer is provided and includes the steps of: conveying a silverware washing rack to a silverware soaking station; lowering the silverware washing rack into a soak tank of the silverware soaking station; filling the soak tank with a soaking solution; sensing passes of objects from a silverware user loading area toward the soak tank; determining, based on the step of sensing passes of objects, when a threshold amount of silverware is in the silverware washing rack in the silverware soaking station; raising the silverware washing rack after determining the threshold amount of silverware is in the silverware washing rack; and transferring the silverware washing rack downstream into the entrance of the washer after the step of raising the silverware washing rack after determining the threshold amount of silverware is in the silverware washing rack. 
     In some embodiments the step of transferring the silverware washing rack downstream into the entrance of the washer includes transferring the silverware washing rack to a pre-wash area from a first direction and transferring the silverware washing rack from the pre-wash area directly to the entrance of the washer in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction. In some versions of those embodiments the method further includes the steps of opening a door providing access to the pre-wash area from the silverware soaking station prior to transferring the silverware washing rack to the pre-wash area and closing the door after transferring the silverware washing rack to the pre-wash area. In some versions of those embodiments the method further includes the step of directing a pre-wash spray toward the silverware washing rack after closing the door after transferring the silverware washing rack to the pre-wash area and prior to transferring the silverware washing rack from the pre-wash area directly to the entrance of the washer. 
     The term “controller” is used herein generally to describe various apparatus relating to the operation of one or more dishwashing system components. A controller can be implemented in numerous ways (e.g., such as with dedicated hardware) to perform various functions discussed herein. A “processor” is one example of a controller which employs one or more microprocessors that may be programmed using software (e.g., microcode) to perform various functions discussed herein. A controller may be implemented with or without employing a processor, and also may be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware to perform some functions and a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated circuitry) to perform other functions. Examples of controller components that may be employed in various embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, conventional microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). 
     In various implementations, a processor or controller may be associated with one or more storage media (generically referred to herein as “memory,” e.g., volatile and non-volatile computer memory such as RAM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM, floppy disks, compact disks, optical disks, magnetic tape, etc.). In some implementations, the storage media may be encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more processors and/or controllers, perform at least some of the functions discussed herein. Various storage media may be fixed within a processor or controller or may be transportable, such that the one or more programs stored thereon can be loaded into a processor or controller so as to implement various aspects of the present invention discussed herein. The terms “program” or “computer program” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code (e.g., software or microcode) that can be employed to program one or more processors or controllers. 
     The term “user interface” as used herein refers to an interface between a human user or operator and one or more devices that enables communication between the user and the device(s). Examples of user interfaces that may be employed in various implementations of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, switches, potentiometers, buttons, dials, sliders, a mouse, keyboard, keypad, various types of game controllers (e.g., joysticks), track balls, display screens, various types of graphical user interfaces (GUIs), touch screens, microphones and other types of sensors that may receive some form of human-generated stimulus and generate a signal in response thereto. 
     It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts discussed herein are contemplated as being part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS 
         FIG. 1  is a front-right perspective view of an embodiment of the dishwashing system. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear-left perspective view of an embodiment of the dishwashing system. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of the dishwashing system. 
         FIG. 4  is a front-left perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of the dishwashing system, focusing on an illustration of an embodiment of the silverware soaking station and an embodiment of the pre-wash station conveyor. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the popup conveyor. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the popup conveyor, with an embodiment of the motor housing removed to show an embodiment of the popup conveyor motor and the popup lift motor. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the pre-wash station. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the assembled pre-wash station. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the pre-wash station illustrating an embodiment of the doors partially raised. 
         FIG. 10  is a front-right perspective view of an embodiment a portion of the dishwashing system, focusing on the exit conveyor and exit popup conveyor. 
         FIG. 11  is a front-left perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of the dishwashing system, focusing on an illustration of an embodiment of the pre-wash popup conveyor. 
         FIG. 12  is a rear-left perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of the dishwashing system, focusing on an illustration of an embodiment of the silverware soaking station. 
         FIG. 13  is a rear-left exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of the dishwashing system, focusing on an illustration of an embodiment of the silverware soaking station. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, representative embodiments disclosing specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed invention. However, it will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art having had the benefit of the present disclosure that other embodiments according to the present teachings that depart from the specific details disclosed herein remain within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, descriptions of well-known apparatus and methods may be omitted so as to not obscure the description of the representative embodiments. Such methods and apparatus are clearly within the scope of the claimed invention. For example, various embodiments of the approach disclosed herein are particularly suited for utilization in combination with a galley style dishwasher. Accordingly, for illustrative purposes, the aspects of a dishwashing system are discussed in conjunction with such a galley style dishwasher. However, other configurations and applications are contemplated without deviating from the scope or spirit of the claimed invention. For example, one or more aspects may be implemented in combination with other washers, such as other types of dishwashers. Also, for example, one or more aspects may be implemented to provide for the delivery of and/or removal of alternative and/or additional materials besides flatware, dishware, etc. from a washer. 
       FIG. 1  is a front-right perspective view of an embodiment of the dishwashing system  100 . This view illustrates embodiments of a load rack  120 , a queue conveyor  110 , a pre-wash station  700  (see  FIG. 7 ), an auxiliary conveyor  170 , a dishwasher  150 , an exit conveyor  140 , an exit popup conveyor  500 E (see  FIG. 5 ), a load rack  120 , a control enclosure  130 , and a graphical user interface (GUI)  190 . This view illustrates the queue conveyor  110  having a queue frame  113 , a plurality of queue rollers  115 , and a plurality of queue drive bands  117 . Each of the plurality of queue rollers  115  may, as illustrated, be affixed substantially parallel to the other of the plurality of queue rollers  115 . The queue conveyor rollers  115  may be attached to and/or supported by the queue frame  113 . The queue conveyor rollers  115  may be rotationally affixed to one or more additional queue conveyor rollers  115  by a queue drive band  117 . The queue drive band  117  may be used to transfer rotational power from one or more queue conveyor rollers  115  to one or more additional queue conveyor rollers  115 . In this way, as few as one queue conveyor roller  115  may cause the powering of substantially more of the queue conveyor rollers  115 . This may result in a relatively efficient way of transferring a dishwasher rack the length of the queue conveyor  110 . The queue conveyor rollers  115  may be substantially planar and stand at a first conveyor height above the ground, floor, or other supporting surface. The load rack rollers  125  may also stand at the first conveyor height, such that a dishwasher rack may easily be transferred from the load rack  120  to the queue conveyor  110 . 
       FIG. 1  also illustrates an embodiment of the pre-wash station  700  having a hood  710  and an auxiliary side door  730 . The auxiliary side door  730  may raise and lower relative to the hood  710 , as  FIGS. 7-9  illustrate in more detail. This view illustrates the auxiliary conveyor  170  having an auxiliary frame  173 , a plurality of auxiliary powered rollers  174 , a plurality of auxiliary rollers  175 , and a plurality of auxiliary drive bands  177 . The auxiliary powered rollers  174  and auxiliary rollers may stand at the first conveyor height, substantially the same as the queue conveyor rollers  115  and the load rack rollers  125 . This view also illustrates the auxiliary conveyor  170  having attached thereto an auxiliary flipper motor  160  and an auxiliary light curtain  180 . The auxiliary flipper motor  160  may be used to transfer a dishwasher rack in a substantially transverse direction to the direction of travel caused by the auxiliary powered rollers  174 . In this way, the dishwasher rack may be transferred from the auxiliary conveyor  170 , through the raised auxiliary side door  730 , and into the pre-wash station  700 . This view illustrates the dishwasher  150  having attached thereto a rinse aid dispenser  152 , a silverware soaking solution dispenser  154 , a detergent dispenser  156 , and a dispenser controller  158 . This view also illustrates the dishwasher  150  having a direction of operation arrow  151  attached thereto. While it is understood that any of a variety of different types of dishwasher may be utilized, or a dishwasher could be specially designed and/or built for use in this dishwashing system, in some implementations the dishwasher may be a galley style dishwasher. In some versions of those implementations the dishwasher may be a GALLEYMASTER  250  dishwasher available from Insinger Machine Company of Philadelphia, Pa.  FIG. 1  illustrates the exit conveyor  140  having a plurality of exit rollers  145  and an exit popup conveyor  500 E mated thereto. In some embodiments, it may be desirable that the conveyor within the dishwasher  150  is elevated slightly above the adjacent pre-wash station conveyor rollers  705  and the adjacent exit conveyor rollers  145  and that the conveyor within the dishwasher stand at substantially the same height as the top face  529 ,  539  of the popup conveyor  500 E,  500 P, respectively. In this illustration, popup conveyor  500 E is in a raised position, extending above the exit conveyor rollers  145 . This view illustrates the load rack  120  having a plurality of load rack rollers  125 .  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an occupancy switch  184  that may be used to detect the presence of a dishwasher rack and may subsequently relay a signal to controller, such as a controller within the control enclosure  130 . Thus, the dishwashing system  100  may be notified when an object, such as a dishwasher rack, is occupying an area adjacent to the occupancy switch  184 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an illustration of a rear-left perspective view of an embodiment of the dishwashing system is provided. This view illustrates embodiments of the load rack  120 , the queue conveyor  110 , the silverware soaking station  1100  (see  FIGS. 11-13  for more detail regarding the silverware soaking station  1100 ), the auxiliary conveyor  170 , the pre-wash station  700 , the dishwasher  150 , the exit conveyor  140 , and the exit popup conveyor  500 E.  FIG. 2  further illustrates this embodiment of the silverware soaking station  1100  as having a soak tank  1130  and a silverware soaking station elevator  1150 .  FIG. 2  also illustrates the silverware soaking station  1100  as being supported by a silverware soaking station frame  1173 .  FIG. 2  also illustrates the embodiment of the control enclosure  130  and the GUI  190  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , but from a different perspective as described above. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an illustration of a top view of the embodiment of the dishwashing system illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is provided.  FIG. 3  illustrates many of the features illustrated in  FIG. 1  and/or  FIG. 2 , including the load rack  120 , the queue conveyor  110 , the silverware soaking station (SSS)  1100 , the pre-wash station  700 , the auxiliary conveyor  170 , the dishwasher  150 , the exit conveyor  140 , and the exit popup conveyor  500 E.  FIG. 4  is an illustration of a front-left perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of the dishwashing system, focusing on an illustration of an embodiment of the silverware soaking station and an embodiment of the pre-wash station conveyor.  FIG. 4  illustrates the embodiment of this portion of the dishwashing system  100  having the pre-wash station  700  without the hood  710 , auxiliary side door  730 , or other components that prevent view of the pre-wash conveyor rollers  705 , the pre-wash conveyor drive bands  707 , a garbage grinder  795 , and/or the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the embodiment of the queue conveyor  110 , the silverware soaking station (SSS)  1100 , the pre-wash station  700 , the auxiliary conveyor  170 , and the dishwasher  150  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4  contains pre-wash conveyor rollers  705  that may be powered directly by a motor or indirectly via the pre-wash conveyor drive bands  707 . The pre-wash conveyor drive bands  707  may allow transfer of rotational power from a driven pre-wash conveyor roller  705  to another pre-wash conveyor roller  705 . In this embodiment, the source of rotational power for the pre-wash conveyor rollers  705  may be capable of articulating in at least two, opposite directions, thereby causing transfer of a dishwasher rack from the silverware soaking station  1100  and/or the auxiliary conveyor  170 . One or more occupancy switches  184  may be used to notify the dishwashing system  100  when the silverware soaking station  1100  and/or the pre-wash station  700  is occupied by a dishwasher rack or other object, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The notification of occupancy provided by the occupancy switches  184  may be used to activate the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P, so that the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P extends upwards to lift the occupying dishwasher rack and the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P may be activated to transfer the dishwasher rack into the dishwasher  150 . The garbage grinder  795  may be operatively attached to a sink or basin of the pre-wash station  700  to grind and discharge food or other particulates that may be removed from the dishware, silverware, or other objects caused to enter the pre-wash station  700 .  FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the SSS  1100  having a soak tank  1130  located below a plurality of SSS rollers  1115 , a SSS elevator  1150 , an SSS flipper  1165 , and an SSS light curtain  1180 . The SSS rollers  1115  may be substantially perpendicular to, and/or coplanar with, the queue conveyor rollers  115  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The SSS rollers  1115  may be attached to the SSS elevator  1150  so that a dishwasher rack may be lowered into the soak tank  1130  as desired, and as controlled by the dishwashing system  100 . The SSS  1100  may have one or more occupancy switches  184  located adjacent to the SSS  1100  to notify the dishwashing system  100  of the presence of a dishwasher rack or other object. The SSS  1100  may contain a flipper  1165  used to transfer the dishwasher rack in a transverse direction to the direction of travel along the queue conveyor  110  and into the pre-wash station  700 . By using the flipper  1165 , the SSS rollers  1115  may optionally be unpowered. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an illustration of a perspective view of an embodiment of the popup conveyor  500  is provided. The popup conveyor  500  may, in operation, be located at the exit conveyor  140  and/or the pre-wash station  700 , and may be referred to as the exit popup conveyor  500 E and the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P, respectively.  FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate this embodiment of the popup conveyor  500  having a first arm  520 , a second arm  530 , a first arm belt  525 , a second arm belt  535 , a second arm driver pulley  531 , a second arm tail pulley  532 , a second arm dummy pulley  533 , a first arm tail pulley  522 , a first arm top face  529 , a second arm top face  539 , and a plurality of mounting brackets  570 . Although somewhat obscured from view by the first arm  520  and/or the first arm belt  525 , this embodiment may include a first arm driver pulley, a first arm tail pulley, and a first arm dummy pulley, oriented similarly to the corresponding pulleys of the second arm  530 .  FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a motor housing  510  that is absent from  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  shows this embodiment without the motor housing to illustrate an embodiment of a popup conveyor motor  620 , a popup lift motor  640 , limiting switches  690 , a popup conveyor motor axle  625 , a first arm bracket  630 , a central motor bracket  650 , and a second arm bracket  670 . In this embodiment, the popup conveyor  500  may be mounted or otherwise attached to the exit conveyor  140  and/or the pre-wash station  700  through the plurality of mounting brackets  570 . The popup lift motor  640  may receive input from a controller and may also receive electrical power or other power to operate as desired. The popup lift motor  620  may rotate between two angular positions as determined by the location of the limiting switches  690 . The popup lift conveyor motor  640  may have a home position and an extended position determined by the limiting switches  690 . The popup lift motor  640  may be integral, attached, or otherwise affixed to a first arm bracket  630  and/or a central motor bracket  650  so that, while rotating from the home position to the extended position, the popup lift motor  640  may lift the some or all of the other components of the popup conveyor  500 . In this way, the first arm belt  525  and the second arm belt  535  may be lifted or lowered, in some embodiments, to be above or below the top surface of the exit conveyor rollers  145  and/or the pre-wash conveyor rollers  705 , and thus the first arm belt  525  and second arm belt  535  may be brought into direct contact with a dishwasher rack located at the exit conveyor  140  and/or the pre-wash station  700 , respectively. 
     In the embodiment of the popup conveyor  500  illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the popup conveyor motor  620  may be operatively connected to an input signal and/or a power source to be activated as desired. When activated, the popup conveyor motor  620  may rotationally drive the second arm driver pulley  531  and/or the first arm driver pulley (obscured by the first arm  520  and/or the first arm belt  525 ) either directly or through an axle, such as the popup conveyor axle  625 . This rotational driving of the second arm driver pulley  531  will cause the second arm belt  535  to move in a direction consistent with the direction of rotation of the second arm driver pulley  531 . The second arm tail pulley  532  and one or more second arm dummy pulleys  533  may be used to guide the second arm belt  535 . In this way, the second arm belt  535  may frictionally transfer an object adjacent to the second arm belt  535  at or near the second arm top face  539 . Substantially the same components and the same operation may optionally be employed to drive the first arm belt  525  as is used to drive the second arm belt  535 . It is understood that, although it may be desirable to have the first arm  520  and the second arm  530  be substantially structurally the same or similar, the first arm  520  and the second arm  530  do not need to be the same or similar. Regarding  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it is understood that the exit conveyor  500 E and the pre-wash conveyor  500 P, while illustrated in this embodiment as utilizing substantially the same design and substantially the same structure, may be substantially different in design and/or structure. However, in some implementations it may be desirable to utilize the same or similar design and/or structure for exit popup conveyor  500 E and pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P for simplicity of manufacture, installation, maintenance, and/or achieving economies of scale. 
       FIG. 7  is an illustration of an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the pre-wash station  700 . This view illustrates an embodiment of the hood  710 , the auxiliary side door  730 , the queue side door  750 , an external wall  770 , a pre-wash frame  790 , an auxiliary side elevator  735 , a queue side elevator  755 , a queue side door motor  720 , an auxiliary side door motor  740 , a door motor bracket  760 , photo switches  780 , a photo switch mounting bracket  782 , switch holders  784 , and a reflector  786 . This view being an exploded view, the components are substantially oriented as they would be in this embodiment but are removed some distance from the location they would be in this embodiment if assembled. In this embodiment, the pre-wash frame  790  may stand on the ground, floor, or other surface and support the pre-wash station  700  at a desired height. In some embodiments, the external wall  770  may be integral with or attached to the pre-wash frame  790  and the door motor bracket  760  may be integral with or attached to the external wall  770 . It is understood that other components may be introduced to support the door motor bracket  760 ; this embodiment merely illustrates one structure suitable for such support. The door motor bracket  760  may be sized to accept and have mounted thereto the auxiliary side door motor  740  and/or the queue side door motor  720 . The auxiliary side door motor  740  and/or the queue side door motor  720  may be operatively connected to a control input and/or power source so that they may be activated as desired. The auxiliary side door motor  740  may have attached thereto an auxiliary door belt  745  that may wrapped around the auxiliary side door motor  740  thereby shortening the downward extension of the auxiliary door belt  745  from the auxiliary motor  740 , or unwrapped from the auxiliary side door motor  740  thereby lengthening the downward extension of the auxiliary door belt  745  from the auxiliary side door motor  740 . Similarly, the queue side door motor  720  may have attached thereto a queue door belt  725  that may be wrapped around the queue side door motor  720  thereby shortening the downward extension of the queue door belt  725  from the queue motor  720 , or unwrapped from the queue side door motor  720  thereby lengthening the downward extension of the queue door belt  725  from the queue side door motor  720 . The auxiliary door belt  745  may have at an end opposite the auxiliary side door motor  720  an auxiliary side elevator  735  that may be raised or allowed with the wrapping or unwrapping of the auxiliary door belt  745 . The auxiliary side elevator  735  may be integral with, or attached to, the auxiliary side door  730 . Thus, as the auxiliary side elevator  735  is raised or lowered, the auxiliary side door  730  is likewise raised or lowered. Similarly, the queue door belt  725  may have at an end opposite the queue side door motor  720  a queue side elevator  755  that may be raised or allowed with the wrapping or unwrapping of the queue door belt  725 . The queue side elevator  755  may be integral with, or attached to, the queue side door  750 . Thus, as the queue side elevator  755  is raised or lowered, the queue side door  750  is likewise raised or lowered. The auxiliary door motor  740  and the queue door motor  720  may be operated independently of the other so that, at any time, the auxiliary side door  730  and/or the queue side door  750  may be raised or lowered independent of the other. 
       FIG. 7  further illustrates this embodiment of the pre-wash station  700  having the hood  710  having one or more auxiliary door attachment grooves  713  and/or one or more queue door attachment grooves  715 . The attachment grooves  713 ,  715  may slideably engage the auxiliary hood tongue  731  and/or the queue hood tongue, respectively. In this way, the auxiliary side door  730  and/or the queue side door  750  may be horizontally constrained but allowed to slide vertically with relation to the hood  710 . Although not pictured in  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments the pre-wash station  700  may include a pre-wash conveyor having, among other things, pre-wash rollers  705  and pre-wash drive bands  707  (see  FIG. 11 ). In these embodiments, the pre-wash frame  790 , the external wall  770 , the auxiliary side door  730  and the queue side door  750  may be sized and oriented to allow the pre-wash conveyor to fit inside, above the pre-wash frame  790 . The photo switches  780  may be used to detect the presence of a dishwasher rack or other object within the pre-wash station  700 . The photo switches  780  may then notify a controller of the dishwasher system  100  of the presence of a dishwasher rack or other object. The photo switches  780  may be held and/or mounted to other pre-wash station  700  structure by use of switch holders  784  and/or mounting brackets  782 , in a desired location and/or locations. The reflectors  786  may interact with opposed photo switches  780  to selectively reflect light generated by the photo switches  780  back toward the photo switches  780 . Based on signals from the photo switches  780 , for example, a controller of the dishwasher system  100  may determine the position and/or location of the side doors  730 ,  750  as described below regarding  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , these figures illustrate a perspective view of the embodiment of the pre-wash station  700  illustrated in  FIG. 7 .  FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate this embodiment in its partially assembled form.  FIG. 8  illustrates the embodiment with the auxiliary side door  730  and the queue side door  750  in their lowered, or closed, positions.  FIG. 9  illustrates the embodiment with the side doors  730 ,  750  in partially raised, or partially opened, positions. These figures illustrate the reflectors  786  as they might be located on the auxiliary side door  730 . The reflectors  786  may reflect light back toward a photo switch  780  when they are aligned with the photo switch  780  to enable determination of the position of the side doors  730 ,  750  based on readings from one or more photo switches  780 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10 , a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of the dishwasher system  100 , focusing on the exit conveyor  140  and exit popup conveyor  500 E is illustrated. This view shows the exit popup conveyor  500 E in its extended position so that a portion of the first arm belt  525  and a portion of the second arm belt  535  are above the upper most portion of the exit conveyor rollers  145 . This view also illustrates exit conveyor drive bands  1047  that may transfer rotational power from one exit conveyor roller  145  to one or more other exit conveyor rollers  145 . In this way, the exit popup conveyor  500 E may assist a dishwasher rack in exiting the dishwasher  150 . The exit popup conveyor  500 E may then be returned to its home position wherein the first arm belt  525  and the second arm belt  535  are entirely below the top of the exit conveyor rollers  145 , thus transferring the dishwasher rack from being supported by the exit popup conveyor  500 E to the exit conveyor  140 . The exit conveyor  140  may be rotationally powered by use of a motor and/or other power source and some or all of the exit conveyor rollers  145  may receive rotational power through the exit conveyor drive bands  1047 . Thus, the exit conveyor may manually or automatically transfer a dishwasher rack or other object from the dishwasher  150  to the load rack  120 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 11-13 , these figures show various perspective views of a portion of the dishwasher system  100 , focusing on a portion of the pre-wash station  700  and the silverware soaking station  1100 .  FIG. 11  is a front-left perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the silverware soaking station (SSS)  1100  having a SSS frame  1173 , a SSS flipper  1165 , a SSS light curtain  1180 , a SSS occupancy switch  1190 , and SSS rollers  1115 . In this embodiment, the SSS frame  1173  may be used to support the SSS at a desired height. In some preferred embodiments, the SSS rollers may be substantially planar and stand at a height substantially equal to the height of the queue conveyor rollers  115  and the pre-wash station rollers  705 . In this way, transfer of a dishwasher rack or other object having a substantially planar bottom surface from queue conveyor  110  to SSS  1110  and from SSS  1110  to pre-wash station  700  may be facilitated. The SSS elevator may be activated as desired to raise or lower the SSS rollers  1115 , and consequently the dishwasher rack resting thereon into a soak tank  1130  (see  FIG. 3 ) located directly below the SSS rollers  1115 . The SSS rollers  1115  may be supported by a SSS conveyor support  1153  (see  FIG. 13 ) to facilitate raising and lowering of the SSS rollers  1115 . The occupancy switch  1190  may be used to detect and notify the dishwasher system  100  of the presence of a dishwasher rack so that desired actions may subsequently occur. The SSS elevator  1150  may be raised and/or lowered by a SSS elevator motor  1140  (see  FIG. 13 ). The SSS elevator motor  1140  may be activated or not activated based on input from the GUI  190  (See  FIG. 1 ) so that a dishwasher rack may be lowered and soaked at the SSS  1100  or not lowered and soaked at the SSS  1100  as desired. The SSS  1100  may contain the SSS flipper  1165  that may, while at rest, be substantially fully contained within the SSS elevator  1150  and, when activated, may extend outward to push a dishwasher rack or other object from the SSS  1100  to the pre-wash station  700 . The SSS flipper  1165  may be powered by a SSS flipper motor  1160 . In this way, the dishwasher rack may be transferred from the SSS  1100  to the pre-wash station  700  using substantially less power than may be needed if one or more of the SSS rollers  1115  were rotationally powered as they may be, for example, in the queue conveyor  110 . The SSS light curtain  1180  may have opposed sending and receiving components facing one another as shown, for example, in  FIG. 11 . The SSS light curtain  1180  may send light from the sending component to the receiving component and may detect when the light sent is interrupted or breached. The SSS light curtain  1180  may send a signal to a controller indicative of an interruption or breach occurring. In this way, signals from the SSS light curtain  1180  may be used to determine the number of occurrences of breach, which may, if desired, be used to count the number of objects that have entered the SSS  1100 . Thus, the SSS  1100  and its components may be activated as desired to, for example, lower or raise a dishwasher rack into the soak tank  1130  or activate the SSS flipper  1165 . 
       FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the dishwasher system  100 , focusing on the SSS  1100  and the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P. The pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P is illustrated in its extended position which, in some embodiments, may not occur until after a dishwasher rack is located above the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P. In some embodiments, it may not be desirable for the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P to be in its extended position before a dishwasher rack&#39;s entry into the pre-wash station  700  as the pre-wash popup conveyor  500 P in the extended position may effectively block the transfer of the dishwasher rack to a position completely within the pre-wash station  700 . 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate an embodiment of the SSS  1100  having an SSS elevator motor  1140 , an SSS elevator mount bracket  1148 , an SSS elevator drive pulley  1142 , an SSS elevator belt  1155 , an SSS elevator slot  1152 , an SSS conveyor support  1153 , SSS attachment plates  1158 ,  1159 , and an SSS cover plate  1170 . These views illustrate this embodiment having the SSS elevator motor  1140  attached to a lower portion of the SSS frame  1173  via the SSS elevator mount bracket  1148 . In this embodiment, the SSS elevator drive pulley  1142  is integral with or attached to the SSS elevator motor  1140 . The SSS elevator drive pulley  1142  may have a SSS elevator belt  1155  wrapped around it. In this way, the SSS elevator motor  1140  may drive the SSS elevator drive pulley  1142  which in turn may cause linear motion of the SSS elevator belt  1155 . The SSS elevator belt  1155  may be attached to the SSS elevator  1150  so that when the SSS elevator belt  1155  is caused to move linearly, the SSS elevator  1150  is consequently raised or lowered, depending on the direction of rotation of the SSS elevator motor  1140 . The SSS elevator  1150  may contain slots  1152  that may constrain the SSS elevator  1150  horizontally while allowing the SSS elevator to slideably engage the SSS frame  1173  in a vertical direction. In this way, the slots  1152  may guide the SSS elevator  1150  without overly inhibiting desired vertical linear motion. As discussed above, the SSS elevator  1150  may be attached to or integral with the SSS conveyor support  1153  so that the SSS conveyor support  1153  may support the SSS rollers  1115  and thereby raise and lower the SSS conveyor rollers  1115  with the SSS elevator  1150 . The SSS attachment plates  1158 ,  1159  and the SSS cover plate  1170  may be attached together and also attached to the SSS elevator  1150  as illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 13  to protect the moving components of the SSS  1100  and/or to protect human operators that may be near the SSS  1100  during SSS elevator  1150  operation. 
     In some embodiments of a washing system, there may be provided, in any combination, some or all of the following: a load rack, a queue conveyor, a silverware soaking station, a pre-wash station, a pre-wash popup conveyor, an auxiliary conveyor, a washer, an exit conveyor, and an exit popup conveyor. The load rack may contain one or more rollers arranged to form a loader conveyor and the load rack may be supported by a loader frame so that the loader conveyor is substantially planar and standing at a first conveyor height. The first conveyor height may be a substantially fixed distance measured from the ground, floor, or other surface supporting the frame, to the center of the conveyor rollers. The load rack may be sized and shaped to support a dishwasher rack of a predetermined size and shape. The queue conveyor may be adjacent to the load rack, at a queue conveyor entry end. The queue conveyor may be sized and shaped to accept and transfer the dishwasher rack from the queue conveyor entry end to a queue conveyor exit end. The queue conveyor may contain one or more rollers arranged to form a continuous conveyor. The queue conveyor rollers may be oriented with axes transverse to axes of the loader conveyor rollers. In this way, the queue conveyor may transfer a dishwasher rack in a direction transverse to the direction of transfer of the loader conveyor. The queue conveyor may be supported by a queue frame so that the queue conveyor is substantially planar and standing at the first conveyor height. The queue conveyor rollers may be shaped to accept the dishwasher rack and powered to automatically transfer the dishwasher rack from the queue conveyor entry end to the queue conveyor exit end. 
     The silverware soaking station (SSS) may be adjacent to the queue conveyor exit end. The SSS may contain a SSS conveyor, a SSS soak tank, a SSS elevator, and/or a SSS light curtain. The SSS conveyor may be sized and shaped to accept and transfer the dishwasher rack from the queue conveyor exit end to a SSS conveyor exit end. The SSS conveyor may contain one or more rollers arranged to form a continuous conveyor. The SSS conveyor rollers may be oriented with axes transverse to the axes of the queue conveyor rollers. In this way, the SSS conveyor may transfer a dishwasher rack in a direction transverse to the direction of transfer of the queue conveyor. The SSS conveyor may be supported by a SSS conveyor support. The SSS conveyor support may be attached to a SSS elevator. The SSS station may be supported by a SSS frame. The SSS elevator may have an elevated position substantially equal to the first conveyor height and the SSS elevator may have a lowered position closer to the ground, floor, or other surface supporting the SSS frame. The SSS elevator may be used to lower a dishwasher rack into the SSS soak tank. The SSS soak tank may be filled with water and/or a silverware soaking solution. In this way, a dishwasher rack, when located at the SSS station, may be lowered from the first conveyor height into a silverware soaking solution used to clean silverware or other objects. The SSS elevator may then raise the dishwasher rack. The SSS may also contain a SSS flipper that may be powered by a SSS flipper motor. The SSS flipper may lie in a plane parallel to an outer wall of the SSS and may extend to transfer a dishwasher rack in the direction of rotation of the SSS conveyor rollers. In this way, a dishwasher rack may be transferred in a queue conveyor direction, be received from the queue conveyor exit end and transferred by the SSS flipper in a direction transverse to the queue conveyor direction to an exit end of the SSS conveyor. The SSS light curtain may contain a signal transmitter and a signal receiver. The SSS light curtain may detect when an object breaches a predetermined area. Thus, readings from the SSS light curtain may be used to determine (e.g. by a controller) how many objects have breached the area. A controller may then optionally cause a desired operation to be performed in response to such determination, including, but not limited to, sending information to a user interface and/or activating the SSS elevator motor. It is understood that other operations may be performed using the input from the SSS light curtain. Persons of ordinary skill in the art, having had the benefit of the present disclosure, will recognize and appreciate that additional and/or alternative operations may be performed using the input from the SSS light curtain and/or other sensors that may sense when silverware and/or other objects have been loaded into the SSS. 
     The pre-wash station may be adjacent to and downstream of the SSS. The pre-wash station may contain a pre-wash conveyor, a hood, an enclosure wall, a pre-wash frame, a SSS side door, an auxiliary side door, a SSS side door motor, an auxiliary side door motor, a SSS side door elevator, an auxiliary side door elevator, a spray nozzle, a sink, a garbage grinder, and/or a pre-wash popup conveyor. The pre-wash conveyor may contain one or more pre-wash conveyor rollers that are oriented substantially parallel to the SSS conveyor rollers. The pre-wash conveyor may be supported by a pre-wash frame so that the pre-wash conveyor is substantially planar and standing at the first conveyor height. The pre-wash conveyor rollers may be shaped to accept the dishwasher rack when received via the SSS conveyor and/or powered to automatically transfer the dishwasher rack from the SSS conveyor exit end until the dishwasher rack is fully contained within the pre-wash station. The hood may contain a top wall substantially parallel to the pre-wash conveyor and/or side walls substantially perpendicular to the top wall so that the side walls attach and/or are integral to the top wall and extend downward toward the pre-wash conveyor. The enclosure wall may attach or be integral to the top wall and extend downward to the pre-wash frame which may be used to support the pre-wash station. The SSS side door may attach and/or be integral to the hood and may extend downward to the pre-wash conveyor so that the SSS side door may isolate the SSS conveyor from the pre-wash conveyor. The enclosure wall may be substantially perpendicular to the SSS side door so that the enclosure wall does not impede movement of the dishwasher rack along the pre-wash and/or SSS conveyor. The SSS side door may slideably engage the hood and/or the enclosure wall and the SSS side door may be attached to the SSS side door elevator. The SSS side door elevator may raise the SSS side door into a SSS side door elevated position and the SSS side door elevator may lower the SSS side door into a SSS side door lowered position. The SSS side door elevator may be raised and/or lowered by a SSS side door elevator motor. In this way, the SSS side door may be raised to allow entry of a dishwasher rack from the SSS station into the pre-wash station or lowered to impede such entry and also, when lowered, the SSS side door may contain spray within the pre-wash station. The auxiliary side door may be located opposite the SSS side door and oriented parallel to the SSS side door. The auxiliary side door may optionally engage the hood and enclosure wall in substantially the same way as the SSS side door. Through application of an auxiliary side door elevator and an auxiliary side door elevator motor, the auxiliary side door may optionally be raised and lowered in substantially the same way as the SSS side door. The primary difference may be only that the auxiliary side door is located opposite the SSS side door and the auxiliary side door is located between the pre-wash station and the auxiliary conveyor. The auxiliary conveyor is discussed in more detail below. The pre-wash station may contain a spray nozzle capable of spraying water onto a dishwasher rack located within the pre-wash station. The spray nozzle may be capable of spraying high temperature and/or high pressure water or other liquid. The SSS side door and auxiliary side door may be lowered before the spray nozzle is activated to contain the spray within the pre-wash station. The pre-wash station may contain a sink, located below the pre-wash station conveyor, capable of collecting and directing any run-off fluid and/or debris from the pre-wash station. The sink may be formed to attach to a garbage grinder. The garbage grinder may be below the sink and may be used to grind down any relatively large particles, such as food particles, into a form that may flow out of a drain or pipe. 
     The pre-wash station may contain a popup conveyor capable of extending upward from under the pre-wash station conveyor to lift the dishwasher rack and transfer it in a direction transverse to the direction of travel along the pre-wash conveyor. The popup conveyor may attach to the pre-wash station or pre-wash station frame. The popup conveyor may contain a first arm, a second arm, a popup conveyor motor, a popup lift motor, a first arm driver pulley, a second arm driver pulley, a first arm tail pulley, a second arm tail pulley, a first arm belt, and/or a second arm belt. The first arm may contain a first arm top face and the second arm may contain a second arm top face. A portion of the first arm belt may run substantially parallel to the first arm top face and a portion of the second arm belt may run substantially parallel to the second arm top face. The first arm belt may wrap around the first arm driver pulley and the first arm tail pulley. The second arm belt may wrap around the second arm driver pulley and the second arm tail pulley. The first arm belt and second arm belt may run substantially parallel. The first arm driver pulley and the second arm driver pulley may be driven by the popup conveyor motor, which may be located between the first arm driver pulley and the second arm driver pulley. The popup lift motor may be attached to the popup conveyor. The popup conveyor may have a lowered position and an extended position. The popup lift motor may transfer the popup conveyor from the lowered position to the extended position or the popup lift motor may transfer the popup conveyor from the extended position to the lowered position. In the lowered position, the first arm top face and/or the second arm top face may be entirely below the pre-wash station roller conveyors. In the extended position, the first arm top face and/or the second arm top face may be above the pre-wash station conveyor rollers. In this way, the popup conveyor may extend upward so that the dishwasher rack rests on the first arm top face and the second arm top face and the dishwasher rack may be lifted above the pre-wash conveyor rollers until the dishwasher rack is no longer in gravitational contact with the pre-wash conveyor rollers. The popup conveyor motor can then be activated, thereby activating the first arm belt and/or the second arm belt to transfer the dishwasher rack in a direction transverse to the direction the dishwasher rack was traveling on the pre-wash conveyor rollers. 
     The auxiliary conveyor may be located on a side of the dishwashing system opposite the queue conveyor. The auxiliary conveyor may optionally be formed and operated in substantially the same way as the queue conveyor. The auxiliary conveyor may contain rollers, located at the first conveyor height, which may transfer a dishwasher rack in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of the queue conveyor rollers. However, instead of a SSS, the auxiliary conveyor also contains a second section containing rollers that may transfer a dishwasher rack in a direction transverse to the direction of travel on the remainder of the auxiliary conveyor. The second section of the auxiliary conveyor may contain an auxiliary flipper and/or an auxiliary flipper motor, optionally similar to the SSS flipper and/or the SSS flipper motor described above. In this way, a dishwasher rack may be placed on the auxiliary conveyor, transferred a distance in a first direction, and moved transversely to the first direction by a flipper into the pre-wash station. Thus, the pre-wash station may be loaded from either a SSS side or an auxiliary conveyor side. 
     The dishwasher may have an entry end adjacent to the pre-wash station. The dishwasher may contain a conveyor that operates in a direction substantially the same and collinear with the direction of operation of the popup conveyor, transferring a dishwasher rack from the dishwasher entry end to a dishwasher exit end. The dishwasher may have a longitudinal length, optionally collinear with the direction of operation of the dishwasher conveyor, which is optionally substantially the same as a longitudinal length of the queue conveyor. The longitudinal length of the queue conveyor may be collinear with the direction of conveyor operation of the queue conveyor. The dishwasher direction of operation and the queue conveyor direction of operation may be substantially parallel, but opposite. To save space, a side wall of the queue conveyor and a side wall of the dishwasher may be adjacent. The dishwasher may contain a detergent dispenser, a rinse aid dispenser, and/or other dispensers for use in dishwashing. An entry end of the exit conveyor may be adjacent to the dishwasher exit end. The exit conveyor may contain exit conveyor rollers located at the first conveyor height. The exit conveyor rollers may transfer a dishwasher rack in a direction transverse to the direction of operation of the dishwasher conveyor. The exit conveyor may have an exit end adjacent to the load rack. The exit conveyor may contain an exit popup conveyor that, while in its extended position, may operate to assist a dishwasher rack in exiting the dishwasher exit end. The exit conveyor may then lower thereby transferring the dishwasher rack to the exit conveyor rollers. The exit popup conveyor may optionally be substantially structurally and operationally the same as the pre-wash popup conveyor, described above. 
     In some embodiments, one or more controllers (e.g. a processor) may be used to operate the dishwashing system as desired. An interface may optionally be utilized so that a user may input parameters which may then be transferred into commands by the controllers for various operations of the dishwashing system. The interface may be, for example, but not limited to, a graphical user interface (GUI), a human machine interface (HMI), and/or other type of interface. For example, a user may input that a dishwasher rack is intended for silverware. In this example, if desired, the silverware soaking station may only be lowered into the soak tank if the user inputs the dishwasher rack as containing silverware. Thus, in this example, if the user input a dishwasher rack containing silverware, the silverware soaking station elevator motor may be activated when the dishwasher rack containing silverware arrived at the silverware soaking station. In this example, a dishwasher rack not containing silverware may optionally be allowed to skip the silverware soaking station soak tank. Similarly, other operations may be performed, or skipped, as desired and/or in accordance with given user inputs via the interface. 
     In some embodiments, the above-mentioned components may be used, individually or in any combination, to form one or more aspects of a dishwashing system. In some embodiments, a dishwasher rack may be placed on the load rack. The dishwasher rack may contain one or more pieces of dishware, silverware/flatware, and/or other items. The dishwasher rack may then be transferred manually, automatically, and/or otherwise, from the load rack onto the queue conveyor. The dishwasher rack may then be transferred along the queue conveyor manually, automatically, and/or otherwise to the silverware soaking station (SSS). The queue conveyor may automatically transfer the dishwasher rack by utilizing motorized queue conveyor rollers. One or more of the queue conveyor rollers may attach to a driving motor directly, by coupling, by belt, by chain, and/or otherwise. One or more of the queue conveyor rollers may receive power from an otherwise powered roller by being banded, belted, chained, or otherwise connected to the otherwise powered roller. The dishwasher rack may then be transferred onto the SSS. The dishwasher rack may then be lowered into the soak tank, if desired, and subsequently raised, if originally lowered. The dishwasher rack may then be pushed by the SSS flipper and rolled along the SSS conveyor rollers to the pre-wash station. Once fully within the pre-wash station, the pre-wash station SSS side door and/or the pre-wash station auxiliary side door may be lowered to enclose the dishwasher rack. The pre-wash popup conveyor may then be activated to raise and engage the dishwasher rack. The spray nozzle within the pre-wash station may be activated before, during, or after the popup conveyor engages the dishwasher rack, thus spraying the contents of the dishwasher rack and, ideally, removing any large particles, such as food particles, from the contents of the dishwasher rack. The popup conveyor may transfer the dishwasher rack transversely into the dishwasher. The dishwasher rack may be transferred through the dishwasher while being washed. The exit popup conveyor may raise to accept the dishwasher rack and pull the dishwasher rack into position above the exit conveyor. The exit popup conveyor may then lower the dishwasher rack onto the exit conveyor rollers. The exit conveyor rollers may then be active manually or automatically, to transfer the dishwasher rack back into its original position on the load rack. The cycle can then be repeated with another load (optionally while one or more additional loads are at other steps in the cycle). 
     While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure. 
     All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. 
     The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” 
     The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc. 
     It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited. 
     In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.