Dishwasher Feed Component With Air Break Backflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing components for feeding pressurized liquid to washing machines, particularly in industrial settings, fail to effectively control the inner environment to prevent contamination from the external environment, leading to potential hazards and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A component with a hollow body and a valve device that includes an air break section and a passage for pressure balance, featuring a rotatable plug element and electric operating system to control fluid communication between the washing tub and the external environment, ensuring controlled liquid flow and pressure balance while minimizing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a passage is provided to establish connection between washing tub and external environment for pressure balance, then pressure balance is maintained, but contamination risk from external environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air break section is positioned upstream in the liquid flow path to preliminarily interrupt the connection between the washing tub and external environment before liquid can reflux. This preliminary action prevents contamination while allowing pressure equalization through the controlled passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The air break section acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the need for pressure balance and contamination prevention. It allows pressure equalization while blocking the direct path for contaminated liquid reflux, serving as a protective barrier.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an air break section is provided to prevent liquid reflux, then contamination is prevented, but liquid flow path is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid flow path is segmented into multiple sections by the air break, creating distinct zones. This segmentation allows the system to maintain liquid flow functionality while introducing interruption points that prevent reflux and contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The air break section serves as an intermediary that modifies the liquid flow characteristics. It interrupts continuous flow to prevent contamination while still allowing controlled liquid passage, mediating between flow requirements and contamination prevention.
3Ease of manufacture
If component is mounted outside washing tub for easy installation, then installation ease is improved, but control over inner environment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The component is designed with multi-functionality, integrating both the feeding function and the pressure balance function with contamination prevention features. This universal design allows it to be effectively mounted outside the washing tub while maintaining control over the inner environment through its integrated air break and passage system.
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
The component effectively prevents liquid reflux, maintains pressure balance, and reduces contamination risks, enhancing the safety and efficiency of washing machines, especially in industrial and medical applications.
Implementation Method 1
this device is represented by an 'air break' section (also called 'air gap' section), which consists of an interruption, which is obtained in the path that leads the liquid at atmospheric pressure into the component
Implementation Method 2
passage (28), which is adapted to establish a fluid communication, through said hollow body (12), between the washing tub and the environment outside of the washing tub
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The component (10) comprises a hollow body (12) having: an inlet (14, 14a, 14b), which is adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized liquid, for example the water supply network (WS); an outlet (16), adapted to deliver said liquid to a washing chamber (WC) defined by said washing tub (WT); a path (18) for the liquid, which is defined in the hollow body (12) between the inlet (14, 14a, 14b) and the outlet (16) and includes anti-return means (26, 26a) for said liquid under pressure; a passage (28), adapted to receive, at its inlet, vapor coming from the washing chamber (WC) and to discharge the vapor into the environment outside of the washing tub (WT); and a valve device (30) comprising a plug element (32), adapted to at least partially free and obstruct said passage (28).