Dishwasher Filter with Self-Cleaning Nozzles to Prevent Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dishwasher appliances often experience clogging due to debris accumulation on filters, which hinders performance and can redeposit particles onto dishes, reducing cleaning effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A dual-filter system is implemented, featuring a coarse and fine filter with a hollow annular base and filter body, where nozzles are circumferentially arranged to clean the filter body, and an inlet provides pressurized fluid for back-flushing, positioned between the wash chamber and sump to effectively filter and recirculate water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional water is added to compensate for filter clogging, then cleaning performance is maintained, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is cleaned in advance before it becomes fully clogged and impairs performance. The periodic reverse flush operation removes debris accumulation proactively, preventing the condition where additional water would be needed to compensate for reduced filter effectiveness, thereby avoiding increased water consumption.
2Device complexity
If debris is not adequately removed by the filter, then the filter structure is simple, but particles are redeposited onto dishes reducing cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The filter maintains its debris removal capability through self-cleaning operation. The reverse flush mechanism automatically removes accumulated particles from the filter body, ensuring the filter continues to adequately trap and remove debris from the fluid, preventing particle redeposition on dishes while maintaining a relatively simple filter structure.
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 configuration prevents clogging, ensures cleaner water circulation, and maintains appliance performance by effectively filtering debris, ensuring cleaner dishes and reducing the need for additional water in wash cycles.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of nozzles circumferentially arranged about the hollow annular base portion, each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the hollow annular base portion and oriented towards the filter body for cleaning the filter body
Data Source
AI summary
A dishwasher appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber with a sump positioned at a bottom of the wash chamber for receiving fluid from the wash chamber. A filtering system is positioned between the wash chamber and an outlet of the sump portion. The filtering system includes a first filter and a second filter. The second filter includes a hollow annular base portion and a filter body extending between the base portion and the first filter. The second filter also includes a plurality of nozzles circumferentially arranged about the hollow annular base portion, each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the hollow annular base portion and oriented towards the filter body for cleaning the filter body. An inlet in fluid communication with the hollow annular base portion may also be provided.