Lateral Casing Wall Mounting Using Force Transducer Tabs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household appliances, such as dishwashers, face challenges in securely mounting housing walls without complicating the assembly process or increasing material costs, particularly when needing to resist pull-off forces during transport or storage.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves using force transducers with tabs that engage in a form-fit manner with the housing walls, providing secure support against forward and lateral pull-off forces, allowing the housing walls to be easily hooked onto existing force transducers, reducing the need for additional fasteners and simplifying assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional screw connections and brackets are used to secure housing walls, then reliable support against pull-off forces is achieved, but assembly complexity increases and more fasteners are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport reliabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the force transducer with the mounting function by integrating tabs directly into the force transducer structure. These tabs engage with corresponding features on the housing walls, merging the force sensing function and the mechanical mounting function into a single integrated component, thereby eliminating the need for separate brackets and screws

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The force transducer is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides force sensing capability, structural support against pull-off forces, and mechanical attachment to the housing walls. The tabs on the force transducer enable direct engagement with the housing, making the force transducer a multi-functional component that replaces traditional separate mounting elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple screws and fasteners are used to attach housing walls, then secure mounting is achieved, but material costs and assembly time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting securityVSAvoidassembly speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The force transducer integrates mounting tabs that directly engage with the housing walls, combining the force sensing element and the mounting feature into one component. This eliminates the need for separate screws, brackets, and other fasteners, reducing both material costs and assembly steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the mounting function from separate fasteners and integrates it directly into the force transducer structure. The tabs formed as integral parts of the force transducer body provide the necessary mechanical engagement, removing the need for additional fastening components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2520210B1Domestic appliance with lateral casing walls secured to force receiving elements
Publication Date: 2018.04.18 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2520210B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2520210B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2520210B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The appliance (1) has a container (2) for receiving a material to be processed. The container is attached with force sensors (4-7) in an upper region to support the appliance against a surrounding kitchen furniture or a wall in an installed state and/or to support against external forces in a stacked state during transport or intermediate storage condition. Outer-housing walls (8, 9) are secured at a front part (V) of a quadrature axis component (S) against a pull-off force. The sensors are arranged in front side (3) of the container, where the front side of the container faces toward a user.