Dishwasher Water Supply Air Inflow to Prevent Limescale Buildup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing domestic appliances, such as dishwashers, face issues with calcareous deposits forming in the water supply line due to stagnant water, leading to increased spillage and non-softened water accumulation, as the water supply line's design with a free air gap allows water to remain and evaporate, causing pressure reduction and surface tension to prevent water flow.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a second air inflow opening in the water supply line, which allows air to flow in and facilitate water drainage after the water supply is shut off, preventing stagnant water and calcareous deposits, and utilizing a tapered nozzle section and a pivoting closure element to minimize spillage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the water supply line has a vertically downward section followed by a free air gap, then the water supply is decoupled from the internal water circuit for hygiene reasons, but water remains in the line after shutdown and evaporates causing calcareous deposits to accumulate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful stagnant water from the water supply line by introducing a drainage path. The second opening (drainage opening) allows water to be drained from the line after shutdown, removing the source of evaporation and calcareous deposit formation while maintaining the free air gap for hygiene decoupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by draining water from the supply line before shutdown occurs. The drainage opening enables water to flow out due to gravity and pressure differential created when the main valve closes, preventing the water from remaining stagnant and evaporating subsequently.
2Reliability
If water remains in the water supply line after shutdown, then the free air gap maintains its function, but calcareous deposits accumulate and deflect the water jet causing increased spillage water
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage opening extracts stagnant water from the supply line, preventing deposit formation that would deflect the water jet. This maintains the integrity of the water flow through the air gap and reduces spillage water by ensuring proper water jet direction.
Solution Approach 2:
Water is drained from the line before shutdown through the second opening, preventing the accumulation of deposits that would subsequently deflect the water jet and cause spillage. The preliminary drainage action ensures clean water flow paths.
3Loss of energy
If the water supply line is closed after shutdown, then water flow is stopped, but pressure reduction and surface tension prevent complete water drainage leaving stagnant water
Solution Approach 1:
The second opening acts as an intermediary drainage path that allows water to escape from the closed supply line. When the main valve closes, the pressure differential and gravity cause water to flow through the drainage opening, overcoming surface tension effects that would otherwise prevent complete drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic principles by allowing gravity-driven water flow through the drainage opening after valve closure. The pressure differential created when the main valve closes drives water through the second opening, enabling complete drainage without requiring additional mechanical components.
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
This solution ensures reliable water flow and prevents calcareous deposits, reducing spillage water to less than 5% of the inflowing water, maintaining the water's integrity for the softening process and enhancing operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
When the incoming water is switched off... water remains in this section due to the properties of the water, in particular the surface tension of the water... air can flow into the water supply line, so that the water in the water supply line can flow out
Implementation Method 2
some of this water evaporates in the course of time, i.e. over hours, days, or weeks, so that calcareous deposits occur and accumulate primarily at the water outflow opening
Implementation Method 3
water remains in this section due to the properties of the water, in particular the surface tension of the water, i.e. the end section of the water supply line, together with the water outflow opening, remains filled with water
Data Source
AI summary
A domestic appliance is proposed, in particular a dishwasher (1), a washing machine or similar, with a water supply unit comprising a water supply line (2) for the supply of water, in particular for the supply of drinking water from the drinking water network, wherein the water supply unit has at least one first actuation element (3), in particular a water inlet valve (3) for purposes of opening and/or closing the water supply line (2), wherein a process water unit (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14) is provided for the process water of the domestic machine, wherein at least one decoupling unit (5), in particular an air gap (5), is provided between the process water unit and the water supply unit for purposes of decoupling the process water of the domestic appliance from the water supply line (2), in particular from the drinking water network, so that the water supply line (2) comprises at least one first opening (6) designed as a water outflow opening (6), which at least partially eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular has a higher operational reliability with regard to disturbances in the water flow. This is inventively achieved, in that at least the water supply line (2) comprises at least one second opening (7), wherein the second opening (7) is designed as an air inflow opening (7) for the inflow of air into the water supply line (2).