Dishwasher Detergent Dispenser Geometry for Better Water Entry
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Detergent often remains in dishwasher dispensers due to blocked spray arm jets, leading to ineffective cleaning and potential health risks from detergent residue on dishware.
Innovation Solution
A dishwasher design with a detergent dispenser that has a reduced upper wall cross-sectional length to encourage water flow into the reservoir, allowing for improved detergent removal through water flowing down the interior door surface, and a dispenser door configuration that facilitates water entry even when closed, ensuring effective detergent release during wash cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spray arm jets are used to force detergent into the tub, then detergent removal is improved, but effectiveness is reduced when dishware blocks the spray arms
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the water delivery system into multiple independent pathways: spray arm jets and door surface water flow. This segmentation ensures that if one pathway is blocked by dishware, the other can still effectively remove detergent from the dispenser reservoir.
Solution Approach 2:
The interior door surface acts as an intermediary water delivery mechanism. Water flows down the door surface and enters the dispenser reservoir directly, serving as a mediator that bypasses the need for unobstructed spray arm access to the dispenser.
2Reliability
If detergent remains in the dispenser, then subsequent rinse cycles become ineffective, but increasing water flow may cause detergent contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detergent removal during the wash cycle by encouraging water flow into the dispenser reservoir. This preliminary action ensures detergent is flushed out before rinse cycles begin, preventing contamination while maintaining rinse effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser reservoir design includes dynamic elements such as removable upper walls and configurable dispenser doors that adapt water flow paths. These dynamic features optimize water flow to thoroughly remove detergent without creating contamination conditions.
3Productivity
If the upper wall of the reservoir is removed to encourage water flow, then detergent removal is improved, but the dispenser structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or removes the upper wall portion of the dispenser reservoir to create an open configuration. This extraction simplifies the structure by eliminating barriers to water flow while maintaining the essential reservoir function for detergent storage and removal.
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
Enhances detergent removal efficiency, reduces the risk of detergent contamination, and improves wash performance by ensuring enzymes in detergent are activated early in the cycle, leading to better soil removal and reduced spotting on dishes.
Implementation Method 1
water flowing down the interior surface of the dishwasher door is encouraged into the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention are related to a detergent dispenser configured to attach to an interior surface of a dishwasher door. The detergent dispenser may comprise a reservoir configured to hold detergent, wherein a portion of the upper wall of the reservoir has been removed to reduce a cross-sectional length thereof such that water flowing down the dishwasher door is encouraged into the reservoir. The detergent dispenser may also comprise a dispenser door comprising a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the dispenser door is configured to cover the reservoir in the closed configuration. The detergent dispenser may be configured to encourage water flowing down the interior surface of the dishwasher door to enter the reservoir when the dispenser door is in the open or closed configuration.