Dish Rack Support Profile for Water Jet Reflection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional dish rack structures in dishwashers often obstruct water jets, leading to inefficient cleaning and improper distribution of water, which can result in incomplete washing and poor drying of dishes.

Innovation Solution

A dish support structure with curved or rectilinear profiled elements featuring a cross-section with an acute angle edge, allowing water jets to be reflected towards the dishes while providing stable support, and made of molded plastic for ease of manufacturing and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional dish rack support structures are used, then crockery items can be supported, but water jets are obstructed and cleaning efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidwater jet obstruction
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure employs curved profiled elements with a specific cross-sectional geometry featuring a curved outer surface and a flat inner surface. This curvature allows water jets to flow along the surface rather than being blocked, redirecting water onto the crockery items for effective cleaning while maintaining structural support capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The profiled elements have non-uniform cross-sections with different surface characteristics optimized for specific functions: the curved outer surface facilitates water flow, while the flat inner surface provides stable support for crockery. This local differentiation of surface properties resolves the contradiction between support function and water flow facilitation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If profiled elements with acute angle edges are used, then water jets are reflected onto dishes, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater distribution effectivenessVSAvoidmolding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cross-sectional geometry of the profiled elements is designed with specific parameter ranges: the acute angle edge forms angles between 30-60 degrees, and the curved surfaces have controlled radii of curvature. These parameter optimizations enable effective water jet reflection while maintaining compatibility with standard injection molding processes, balancing manufacturing ease with functional performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If the cross section of profiled elements is uniform, then manufacturing is simpler, but stress distribution is non-uniform and structural integrity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemolding simplicityVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The profiled elements feature a non-uniform cross-section where the dimensions vary along the length of the element. The cross-sectional area is larger at regions experiencing higher stress concentrations, providing enhanced structural integrity where needed, while maintaining simpler geometry in less stressed regions to facilitate manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The varying cross-sectional dimensions are pre-designed into the molded profiled elements during manufacturing, anticipating and compensating for stress distribution patterns before the structure is installed and loaded. This preliminary geometric optimization ensures uniform stress distribution under operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures effective cleaning by directing water jets onto dishes without obstruction, while maintaining structural integrity and facilitating efficient drying through uniform stress distribution and material resilience.

Implementation Method 1

the jets of water coming in particular from the reels placed under the crockery basket can be reflected on the walls of the curved or rectilinear profiled elements

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP1985224B1Dish support structure for a dish rack for a dishwasher
Publication Date: 2010.01.27 FAGORBRANDT
  • EP1985224B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1985224B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1985224B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The structure has sectioned rectilinear or curved elements (412) with a transversal section having an acute angle ridge (415) directed in a direction of a horizontal plane of a vessel basket, where the elements are made of molded plastic material. The elements have a plane wall (418) and a curved wall (417), where the walls are intersected to constitute the ridge. The section has a semi-circular portion (416) opposite to the ridge (415) and has variable dimensions.