Dishwasher Door Crown Assembly for Flush Panel Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dishwasher door assemblies face challenges in achieving a flush fit and finish, particularly with the crown aligning with side panels, leading to aesthetic and functional issues.

Innovation Solution

A dishwasher door assembly design featuring a front panel with spaced side walls forming a U-shape, an inner panel spanning these walls, and a crown with tabs that extend downward to fit within the side walls, ensuring the crown overlies the upper edge and side edges are flush with the side walls, using spacer tabs and interlocking mechanisms for secure alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a conventional crown design is used on the door assembly, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the crown cannot align flush with the side panels resulting in poor fit and finish

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment of crown with side panelsVSAvoidstructure of crown assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The crown assembly is divided into multiple components: the crown body and separate tabs. The tabs are spaced inward from the side edges by an amount equal to the thickness of the upper edge along the side walls, creating distinct functional segments that can be assembled independently to achieve precise alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tabs act as intermediary elements between the crown and the side walls. When the crown is mounted to the front panel, the tabs are received within the upper opening and in abutment with the side walls, serving as mediators that transfer and maintain the flush alignment relationship between the crown and side panels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the crown is mounted without tabs extending downward, then the assembly process is simpler, but the crown cannot be securely aligned with the side walls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure alignment of crownVSAvoidnumber of components in crown

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tabs are pre-positioned on the crown during manufacturing, extending downward from the lower surface. This preliminary configuration ensures that when the crown is mounted, the tabs are already in the correct position to be received within the upper opening and abut against the side walls, securing the alignment without requiring additional assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If the side edges of the crown extend beyond the side walls, then the crown structure is simpler, but the fit and finish appearance is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflush alignment of side edgesVSAvoidcrown fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The crown is designed with different local qualities: the side edges are positioned to be substantially flush with the side walls for aesthetic purposes, while the tabs extend inward from the side edges by an amount equal to the thickness of the upper edge, providing the necessary structural function for secure mounting without compromising the flush appearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20170280964A1Door assembly for a dishwasher

Publication Date: 2017.10.05 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A dishwasher has a tub that defines a treating chamber with an access opening. A door assembly selectively permits access to the treating chamber and may carry electronics for the dishwasher. Appropriately placed chamfered fins in a crown in the door aids in assuring a flush fit and finish in a front panel of the door assembly.