Patent ID: 7896972

Claim:
A method of carrying out a cleaning cycle in a dishwasher, the dishwasher including: a tub; a hinged door configured to close the tub; a sealing gasket disposed between the tub and the door; a device control unit; a closing plate connected to the tub and movable by a motor; a latching element disposed on the door; and a closing tab disposed on the closing plate and configured to engage with the latching element so as to close the door and so as to enable the device control unit to partially open the door; the closing plate being movable into first and second positions so as to bring the door into respective first and second partially open positions with respective first and second gap widths, the second gap width being larger than the first gap width; the method comprising: actuating the motor by the device control unit so as to move the closing plate into the second position at the end of the cycle; and actuating the motor by the device control unit so as to move the closing plate into the first position when the latching element is not engaged with the closing tab.