# US 10,499,789 B2 · Cleaning device and method for cleaning articles to be cleaned > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,789 B2 - Document ID: US10499789B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/714,665 - Filed: 2017-09-25 - Published: 2018-01-11 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-27 - Assignees: MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Bruno Gaus; Denis Lehmann; Thomas Näger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499789B2 ## CPC - A47L 15/4261: {Connections of the door to the casing, e.g. door hinges} - A47L 15/0081: {with vertical sliding closing doors, e.g. hood-type dishwashers} - A47L 15/4259: {Arrangements of locking or security/safety devices for doors, e.g. door latches, switch to stop operation when door is open} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A cleaning apparatus for cleaning articles for cleaning is proposed. The cleaning apparatus comprises at least one cleaning chamber and at least one covering apparatus which at least partially encloses the cleaning chamber. The covering apparatus is movable over an opening travel from a closed position into an opened position or vice versa. The covering apparatus is connected via at least one force transmission path to at least one spring element. At least one spring force of the spring element can be transmitted by means of the force transmission path to the covering apparatus. The force transmission path has at least one torque converter. The torque converter has a transmission ratio which varies over the opening travel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hood-type or pass-through dishwasher, comprising: a cleaning chamber and a cover configured to at least partially enclose the cleaning chamber, the cover comprising (i) a hood which at least partially covers and/or encloses the cleaning chamber, (ii) a casing which at least partially encloses the cleaning chamber, or (iii) a door; the cover being movable over an opening travel path from a closed position to an opened position or vice versa, wherein the cover is connected via a force transmission path to at least one spring element, wherein a spring force of the spring element can be transmitted by the force transmission path to the cover; the force transmission path comprising a torque converter having a transmission ratio which varies over the opening travel path; and a traction drive positioned along the force transmission path, the torque converter being a constituent part of the traction drive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the force transmission path has a traction member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the traction member is a chain, cable, cable pull, elastic band or a belt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the traction member is a chain and the chain comprises a roller chain, a bolt chain or a link chain. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the traction member is a belt and the belt comprises a toothed belt or a V-belt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein: the torque converter has a torque-transmitting member rotatably mounted about an axis; a traction member engages the torque-transmitting member at an engagement region which is spaced apart from the axis by a spacing R; the traction member exerts a torque on the torque-transmitting member; and the spacing R changes as a function of an angular position of the torque-transmitting member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The dishwasher of claim 6, wherein the spacing R changes over an angle range, the change being a continuous change, a steady change, or a stepped change. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the torque converter has a chain disc with a variable radius. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein cover is connected via a first traction member to a shaft, whereby a rotational movement of the shaft can be converted into an opening or closing movement of the cover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The dishwasher of claim 9, wherein the shaft is connected via a second traction member to the spring element, wherein the torque converter is arranged between the first traction member and the shaft and/or between the shaft and the second traction member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the spring element has different states of expansion in at least two different positions of the cover along the opening travel path, wherein the torque converter is configured such that different spring forces of the spring element resulting from the different states of expansion are compensated by different transmission ratios, whereby substantially identical forces act on the cover in the different positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the spring element, the covering and the torque converter are configured such that, in the absence of action of additional forces, the cover remains at rest in any position of the opening travel path. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the spring element has a safety element that is configured to catch a break of the spring element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical drive configured for moving the cover. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The dishwasher of claim 14, further comprising a torque monitor configured to monitor torque exerted on the cover by the electromechanical drive. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A method of using the dishwasher of claim 1, the method comprising moving the cover over the opening travel path from a closed position into an opened position or vice versa and transmitting a spring force of the spring element via a force transmission path to the cover.