Convertible Detergent Dispensing for Accurate Multi-Cycle Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of household cleaning appliances face inconvenience and inefficiency due to the need to manually dispense treating chemistry for each cleaning cycle, often resulting in incorrect dosages and increased maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A non-bulk dispensing system that can be converted to a bulk dispensing system by using a removable cartridge, allowing for multiple doses of treating chemistry to be stored and metered accurately during the cleaning process, eliminating the need for frequent refilling and ensuring proper dosages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manual single-use dispenser is used, then the device complexity is low, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to frequent refilling and incorrect dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing system is divided into a reusable dispenser housing and replaceable cartridges containing treating chemistry. This segmentation allows users to simply replace cartridges rather than refill, improving ease of operation while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser housing is designed to accept multiple types of cartridges (detergent, bleach, fabric softener) and can be converted between single-use and bulk dispensing modes. This multi-functionality improves operational convenience without significantly increasing base device complexity
2Productivity
If a bulk dispensing system is used, then the productivity is improved by reducing refilling frequency, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic conversion between single-use and bulk dispensing modes by simply replacing cartridges or adding bulk containers. This dynamic adaptability enables productivity improvement through bulk dispensing without permanently increasing device complexity, as the bulk dispensing capability is added rather than built-in
Solution Approach 2:
Bulk dispensing containers are designed to nest within the existing dispenser housing structure, and cartridges can be nested within bulk containers. This nesting approach allows bulk dispensing functionality to be integrated without proportionally increasing external device complexity
3Loss of time
If a bulk dispensing system is used, then the loss of time is reduced by eliminating frequent refilling, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the treating chemistry into replaceable cartridges or bulk containers, the system reduces user time loss through frequent refilling while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular components that can be produced independently and assembled simply
4Measurement precision
If a manual dispenser is used, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to incorrect dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs self-service metering mechanisms where the dispenser automatically measures and dispenses the correct dosage of treating chemistry from the cartridge or bulk container. This self-service approach improves measurement precision without requiring complex user intervention or significantly increasing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A household cleaning appliance having a treating chamber and a non-bulk dispensing system coupled with the treating chamber and having a portion of material configured to be removable wherein the non-bulk dispensing system is configured to receive a removable cartridge containing a treating chemistry when such material is removed.