Dishwasher Door Control Panel Waterproofing for PCB Reliability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Moisture infiltration into the printed circuit board of a dishwasher can cause malfunctions and corrosion due to high-temperature washing water or steam, which existing designs fail to adequately prevent.
Innovation Solution
A control panel with an operation button on the door includes a waterproof film and a coating layer filled with a waterproof material, mounted on a supporter that forms an inner space around the printed circuit board, blocking moisture ingress and enhancing button recognition through carbon printing and diffused light emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the printed circuit board is disposed on the door for easy user access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to moisture infiltration from high-temperature washing water or steam
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is segmented into a front portion (accessible by user) and a rear portion (containing the printed circuit board). The supporter structure creates a spatial separation between the button operation area and the electronic component area, allowing the PCB to be protected while maintaining user access to the control interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporter acts as an intermediary structure between the control panel front and the printed circuit board. It provides a mounting platform for the PCB while incorporating waterproof features (waterproof film and coating layer) that mediate between the moisture-prone environment and the sensitive electronic components.
2Device complexity
If the printed circuit board is directly exposed in the control panel, then the device complexity is reduced, but the object-affected harmful factors increase due to moisture ingress causing corrosion and malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
A waterproof film is applied to the supporter structure to create a moisture barrier. This thin film protection layer prevents water and steam from reaching the printed circuit board while maintaining the overall simplicity of the control panel design. The film can be conformally applied to complex surfaces without adding significant structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporter structure combines multiple materials with different properties: a base supporter material providing structural support, a waterproof film material providing moisture barrier properties, and a coating layer material providing additional corrosion protection. This composite approach protects the PCB while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
3Reliability
If waterproof protection structures are added to protect the printed circuit board, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components like waterproof film and coating layer
Solution Approach 1:
The waterproof film and coating layer are integrated with the supporter structure rather than being separate assemblies. The supporter serves dual functions: mechanical support for the PCB and substrate for the waterproof protective layers. This merging reduces the number of discrete components and simplifies the overall assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The waterproof film and coating layer are applied to the supporter in advance during manufacturing, before the printed circuit board is installed. This preliminary protection setup ensures that the PCB is protected from the moment of installation without requiring complex protective mechanisms to be added later or operated dynamically.
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 effectively prevents corrosion and malfunctions of the printed circuit board, extending its service life and improving user interaction with the dishwasher by ensuring reliable operation button recognition.
Implementation Method 1
a waterproof film is adhered to one side surface of the supporter on which the printed circuit board is mounted inside
Implementation Method 2
a coating layer filled with a waterproof material is formed in the mounting space where the printed circuit board is mounted
Data Source
AI summary
A dishwasher includes a cabinet, a tub, a door, a control panel that is disposed in one side of the door and has an operation button, a printed circuit board that is disposed inside the control panel and detects an input for the operation button, a supporter that has a mounting space in which the printed circuit board is mounted and that is disposed inside the control panel, a waterproof film that is adhered to one side of the supporter facing the control panel and blocks water inflow into the printed circuit board disposed in the mounting space, and a coating layer filled with a waterproof material, in the mounting space of the supporter on which the printed circuit board is mounted.