Method for detecting the position of a closure element in a water distribution mechanism

1. A method for detecting a current position of a closure element of a changeover assembly in a dishwasher, the method comprising:

controlling a drive device to move the closure element, the drive device and the closure element being part of the changeover assembly that has fluid fed to it by a circulating pump and that effects distribution of the fluid into an area of the dishwasher and the drive device being controlled by a control device to move the closure element into different positions relative to an outlet of the changeover assembly such that the closure element permits or blocks fluid through the outlet;

ascertaining a signal value of the circulating pump when the closure element is in the current position, the signal value being associated with a characteristic of the circulating pump that obtains during the step of controlling a drive device to move the closure element;

comparing the ascertained signal value with a reference value stored in the control device for a respective reference position of the closure element; and

using the results of the comparing step to detect the current position of the closure element.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising moving the closure element to the reference position following the step of comparing the ascertained signal value with the reference value if there is a difference between the ascertained signal value and the reference value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the step of controlling a drive device to move the closure element includes controlling the drive device to move a closure element that is synchronized with reference to a plurality of outlets in the changeover assembly.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the closure element is stopped in the reference position.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein stopping the closure element in the reference position includes stopping the closure element in a position at which a maximum volume flow of the circulating pump exists.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein stopping the closure element in the reference position includes stopping the closure element in a position at which a minimum volume flow exists.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the minimum volume flow is zero.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the reference value is stored in the control device on a power-failure-proof basis.

9. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the reference position is a position of the closure element at which program cycles of the dishwasher are launched.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising measuring the electrical current consumption of the circulating pump as the signal value.

11. An apparatus for detecting the current position of a closure element of a changeover assembly in a dishwasher, the apparatus comprising:

a component for registering a signal value of a circulating pump of a dishwasher, the signal value being associated with a characteristic of the circulating pump that obtains during a movement of a closure element by a drive device controlled by a control device, the drive device, the closure element, and the control device being part of a changeover assembly that has fluid fed to it by the circulating pump and that effects distribution of the fluid into an area of the dishwasher with the drive device being controlled by the control device to move the closure element into different positions relative to an outlet of the changeover assembly such that the closure element permits or blocks fluid through the outlet of the changeover assembly; and

a component for evaluating signal values of the circulating pump as a function of the position of the closure element,

wherein the component for evaluating detects the current position of the closure element by comparing the signal value at the current position with a reference value stored in the dishwasher.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 and further comprising a measuring device for registering the electrical current consumption of the circulating pump,

wherein the electric current consumption of the circulating pump at the current position is the signal value at the current position, and

the electric current consumption of the circulating pump at the reference position is the reference value.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the control device controls the drive control to move the closure element to the reference position after the current position is detected if there is a difference between the signal value at the current position and the reference value.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the control device controls the drive control to stop the closure element in the reference position.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the reference position is a position at which a maximum volume flow of the circulating pump exists.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the reference position is a position at which a minimum volume flow of the circulating pump exists.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the control device stores the reference value on a power-failure-proof basis, and

the reference position is a position of the closure element at which program cycles of the dishwasher are launched.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the closure element is synchronized with reference to a plurality of outlets in the changeover assembly.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the control device stores the reference value on a power-failure-proof basis.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the reference position is a position of the closure element at which program cycles of the dishwasher are launched.