Patent ID: 8491723

Claim:
A method for automated self-cleaning of a continuous dishwasher comprising a prewashing zone, a prewashing storage tank associated with the prewashing zone, a washing zone, a washing storage tank associated with the washing zone, a rinsing zone and a rinsing storage tank associated with the rinsing zone, a transporter for conveying items to be cleaned, a fine filter associated with the prewashing storage tank, the washing storage tank and the rinsing storage tank, a prewashing zone transferring device associated with the prewashing zone, a washing zone transferring device associated with the washing zone and a rinsing zone transferring device associated with the rinsing zone, and at least one automatically acting emptying device for emptying the prewashing storage tank, the washing storage tank and the rinsing storage tank, the method comprising: (a) storing used cleaning fluid in the prewashing storage tank, the washing storage tank and the rinsing storage tank; (b) emptying the used cleaning fluid from the prewashing storage tank; (c) emptying the washing storage tank by transferring the used cleaning fluid from the washing storage tank through the fine filter associated with the washing storage tank to back-rinse the fine filter associated with the washing storage tank and into the prewashing storage tank; (d) emptying the rinsing storage tank by transferring the used cleaning fluid from the rinsing storage tank through the fine filter associated with the rinsing storage tank to back-rinse the fine filter associated with the rinsing storage tank into the washing storage tank; (e) filling the rinsing storage tank with fresh water; (f) circulating the used cleaning fluid in the prewashing storage tank in the prewashing zone to clean interior walls of the prewashing zone, circulating the used cleaning fluid in the washing storage tank in the washing zone to clean interior walls of the washing zone and circulating the fresh water in the rinsing storage tank in the rinsing zone to clean interior walls of the rinsing zone; (g) passing the used cleaning fluid in a forward direction through the fine filter of the washing storage tank and through the fine filter of the rinsing storage tank during step f; and (h) passing the used cleaning fluid through the fine filter of the washing storage tank and through the fine filter of the rinsing storage tank in a backward direction, opposite to the forward direction, during steps c and d.