Household appliance, in particular dishwasher
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dishwashers face challenges in reliably detecting the washing compartment with cameras, especially when washing racks are individually loaded, leading to incomplete detection and increased energy and water consumption due to generic cleaning programs.
Innovation Solution
A dishwasher design featuring an adjustable camera detection area, allowing for variable viewing directions through camera displacement or interaction with a pivotable optical device, ensuring complete visual detection of the washing compartment without the need for multiple cameras.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single camera is used to detect the treatment compartment, then the device complexity is reduced, but the detection reliability deteriorates when loading blocks the camera view
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its detection area. The control unit enables the camera to change its viewing direction and detect different regions of the treatment compartment sequentially, ensuring complete coverage even when loading blocks part of the view.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection process is divided into multiple segments or steps. The camera detects different areas of the treatment compartment in sequence rather than attempting to capture the entire area simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to overcome occlusion by individual loading items.
2Reliability
If multiple cameras are used to ensure complete detection, then the detection reliability improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple static cameras, a single dynamic camera is employed that can move to detect different areas. This approach achieves complete detection coverage equivalent to multiple cameras while maintaining simpler device architecture and lower cost.
Solution Approach 2:
A single camera performs multiple detection functions by detecting different areas of the treatment compartment at different times. The camera is universally applicable to detect the entire treatment compartment through sequential imaging, replacing the need for multiple specialized cameras.
3Reliability
If the camera detects a blocked view, then a comprehensive cleaning program must be executed to ensure cleaning quality, but energy and water consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the camera detection to adapt the cleaning program. When the camera detects that loading does not block the view, the system provides feedback to execute a reduced cleaning program with lower energy and water consumption. When blocking is detected, feedback triggers a comprehensive cleaning program to ensure cleaning quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning program parameters are dynamically changed based on detection results. The control unit adjusts cleaning intensity, duration, and resource consumption levels according to the actual loading conditions detected by the camera, optimizing the balance between cleaning quality and resource efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance includes: a treatment container having a treatment compartment and a loading opening for loading items to be treated; a treatment compartment door by which the loading opening is closeable; and a camera for visually detecting the treatment compartment. An area of the treatment compartment detectable by the camera is adjustable.