Dishwasher Basket Height Adjustment With Guided Shuttle Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dishwasher basket height adjustment systems are difficult to handle, prone to jamming, and lack clear guidance, making it uncertain if the basket is in the correct position, especially when multiple positioning pins are involved.

Innovation Solution

A compact height-adjustment system with two positioning modules, each comprising a carriage, a support with routing grooves, and a shuttle with positioning pins, ensuring simultaneous movement and visual indication of the basket's position through windows and distinct color coding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple independent positioning pins are used for height adjustment, then the basket can be positioned at different heights, but the system becomes difficult to handle and prone to jamming when the basket is not kept horizontal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheight adjustment capabilityVSAvoidhandling difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple independent positioning pins into a single shuttle component that moves horizontally along a routing groove. This single shuttle integrates the function of multiple pins, ensuring they move simultaneously and preventing jamming while maintaining height adjustment capability at multiple discrete positions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The routing groove acts as an intermediary guide that constrains the shuttle's movement path. This groove ensures the shuttle moves horizontally in a controlled manner, preventing vertical displacement during adjustment and eliminating the need for users to maintain horizontal positioning manually

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple independent positioning pins are used, then height adjustment is possible, but large clearances create an impression of fragility and imperfect guidance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheight adjustment capabilityVSAvoidperception of stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The routing groove serves as a precise guide that eliminates large clearances between positioning elements. By constraining the shuttle within this grooved pathway, the system achieves tight tolerances and smooth movement, creating an impression of robustness and precise guidance rather than fragility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The routing groove is designed with discrete stable position points that segment the continuous groove into specific positioning zones. This segmentation provides defined stopping points for the shuttle, ensuring precise and reliable positioning at each height level while maintaining a compact, integrated structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If several independent positioning pins are used, then height adjustment is achieved, but the basket may jam in undesired positions or damage the positioning pins and routing groove

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheight adjustment capabilityVSAvoidrisk of jamming and damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By merging multiple positioning pins into a single shuttle component, the system eliminates the independence that causes sequential movement and jamming. The unified shuttle moves as one unit along the routing groove, ensuring all positioning points are engaged simultaneously and preventing the basket from stopping in undesired intermediate positions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The routing groove acts as a protective intermediary that guides and constrains the shuttle's movement. This grooved pathway prevents the shuttle from deviating vertically or laterally, reducing friction and wear on both the shuttle and groove, thereby minimizing the risk of damage to positioning components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If no position indication is provided, then the structure remains simple, but the user has no indication of the basket position and cannot be certain it is correctly positioned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidposition information

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates color-coded indicators (such as colored windows or markers) on the routing groove or shuttle that change or become visible at different height positions. This visual coding system provides immediate position feedback to the user without adding mechanical complexity, allowing users to quickly verify correct positioning through color recognition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP3184017B1Height-adjustable dishwasher basket and dishwasher comprising such a basket

Publication Date: 2018.12.12 GRP BRANDT

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AI summary

The present application relates to a device for adjusting the position of a basket and a dishwasher comprising such a device. The device comprises in particular a height adjustment system with two positioning modules each comprising a carriage, configured to slide in a horizontal direction, a support (100), on the one hand fixed to a side wall of the basket and on the other hand slidably mounted in a vertical direction on the carriage, and comprising two tracking grooves (105a, 105b) comprising at least two points of stable position, and a shuttle (200), slidably mounted in the horizontal direction and locked in the direction vertical with respect to said carriage, the shuttle comprising two positioning pins (201 a, 201 b) inserted into the routing grooves (105a, 105b) of the support (100).