Household Machine Cover Plate Sealing Against Splash Water

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household appliances, such as laundry treatment machines and dishwashers, face issues with splash water ingress due to insufficient tightness between the cover plate and the housing, particularly at the side and rear walls, leading to inadequate splash-proofing.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a bead on the upper edge of the rear wall and ridges on the cover plate, along with embossing on the side wall and a labyrinth-like seal formed by web-like formations on the underside of the cover plate, creating a seal against splash water ingress by interacting with the housing edge and side walls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the cover plate is designed with simple edge protection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the splash-proofing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecover plate structureVSAvoidsplash water ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from a single-plane flat seal to a multi-dimensional sealing system by adding upwardly extending beads on the housing edge and corresponding recesses in the cover plate, creating a vertical dimension to the seal that effectively blocks splash water while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing mechanism employs nested geometric features where the bead structure is embedded within the housing edge, and the cover plate recesses are positioned to receive and interact with these beads, creating a compact integrated sealing system without adding external components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the seal between cover plate and housing is enhanced, then the splash-proofing performance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesplash water ingressVSAvoidsealing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the entire cover plate complex, the invention applies localized geometric features (beads and recesses) only at the critical sealing perimeter where splash water ingress occurs, maintaining simplicity in the main body while enhancing protection at key locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The upwardly extending beads create curved, arched surfaces that naturally redirect splash water away from the sealing interface, using geometric curvature to enhance sealing effectiveness without requiring complex mechanical sealing components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP2594181B1Household machine, for example, a laundry treatment machine or dishwasher

Publication Date: 2014.01.08 MIELE & CO KG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a household machine (1), such as a laundry treatment machine or a dishwasher, comprising a housing (6) consisting of a front wall (2), side walls (3) and (4) and a rear wall (5), on whose upper housing edge ( 7) a cover plate (8) closing the housing (6) is arranged, which is provided on the housing (6) as a separate part, the cover plate (8) having a frame (10) designed as an edge protection (9) which has the upper edge of the housing (7) is located. According to the invention, the frame (10) with its contact area on the housing edge (7) and the upper housing edge (7) form a seal (11) against the ingress of spray water when the cover plate (6) is in the covered state.