A cutlery tray for dishwasher
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutlery trays in dishwashers face issues with undesirable variations in operating configuration due to vibrations and water jets, leading to unstable positioning of inserts, which affects load capacity and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A cutlery tray with a wire frame structure and movable inserts, featuring releasable coupling mechanisms between inserts, including a telescopic intermediate insert, to prevent unwanted movement and allow for various configurations, ensuring stable and flexible positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the inserts are made movable on the frame to allow configuration changes, then the adaptability and flexibility of the tray is improved, but the stability and reliability of the operating configuration deteriorates due to vibrations and water jets causing unwanted variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the inserts movable relative to the frame through sliding mechanisms. The inserts can be displaced horizontally and vertically along guide rails and can be locked into different positions, allowing the tray configuration to adapt to different washing needs while maintaining stability when locked in place
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses intermediate coupling elements and locking mechanisms as mediators between the inserts and the frame. These intermediaries transmit and control the movement of inserts, allowing flexible repositioning while preventing unwanted variations caused by vibrations and water jets during operation
2Ease of operation
If the lateral inserts are moved horizontally above the intermediate insert to reduce plan dimension, then the ease of operation for accommodating bulky items is improved, but the load capacity of the tray deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral inserts are designed to be dynamically repositionable horizontally above the intermediate insert. This allows users to move the lateral inserts to access bulky items in the center area, and then reposition them to maximize load capacity when washing standard cutlery sets
Solution Approach 2:
The inserts can be periodically repositioned between different configurations - one position optimized for accessing bulky items and another position optimized for maximum load capacity - allowing the tray to adapt to different washing scenarios
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A dishwasher cutlery tray comprises a frame (30) which is withdrawably mounted in a wash-tub and a plurality of inserts (40a, 40b, 50) arranged in a movable manner on the frame (30) and on which tableware items to be washed can be arranged. At least one first insert (40a) and one second insert (40b) are arranged on the frame (30) in a horizontally displaceable manner. The cutlery tray (20) further comprises first coupling means (50) for coupling in a releasable manner the first insert (40a) to the second insert (40b) in such a way that, in a condition of coupling of the first coupling means (50), the first insert (40a) is horizontally displaceable on the frame (30) together with the second insert (40b) and in a condition of release of the coupling means (50) the first insert (40a) and the second insert (40b) are horizontally displaceable on the frame ( 30) independently to each another. In a preferred embodiment, the cutlery tray further comprises second coupling means (60, 70) to lock in a releasable manner each of the first insert (40a) and the second insert (40b) to the frame (30), in a respective stop position, in which it is prevented a horizontal displacement of the first insert (40a) or the second insert (40b) or the first insert (40a) together with the second insert (40b).