Dishwasher Detergent Floater Sensing for Viscosity Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dishwashers require a separate electrode or level sensor to determine detergent viscosity, leading to increased complexity, reduced space utilization, and higher manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A dish washer that uses a floater moving vertically within the detergent container and a detergent level sensor to detect the floater's location, allowing the controller to calculate the detergent level change and determine viscosity, eliminating the need for a separate sensor and simplifying the structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a separate electrode sensor or level sensor is used to identify detergent viscosity, then viscosity sensing capability is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviscosity sensing capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The detergent level sensor is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects both the level of detergent in the container and the viscosity characteristics by measuring the position of the floater. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for a separate viscosity sensor, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the level sensing and viscosity sensing functions into a single detergent level sensor system. The sensor integrates both measurement capabilities, allowing the system to determine detergent properties without requiring additional separate sensors, thus simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If a separate electrode sensor or level sensor is used to identify detergent viscosity, then viscosity sensing capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviscosity sensing capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The detergent level sensor is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects both the level of detergent in the container and the viscosity characteristics by measuring the position of the floater. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for a separate viscosity sensor, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the level sensing and viscosity sensing functions into a single detergent level sensor system. The sensor integrates both measurement capabilities, allowing the system to determine detergent properties without requiring additional separate sensors, thus simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If a floater and detergent level sensor are used to detect viscosity, then structure is simplified and space utilization is improved, but viscosity measurement capability must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplificationVSAvoidviscosity measurement capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The floater acts as an intermediary element that translates detergent viscosity characteristics into positional information that the level sensor can detect. The floater's position changes in response to detergent viscosity, and the sensor measures this position to infer viscosity, maintaining measurement capability while using a simplified structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex electronic viscosity sensing mechanisms with a mechanical floater system combined with a level sensor. The mechanical movement of the floater in response to detergent properties is converted into measurable positional data, achieving viscosity measurement through a simpler mechanical-optical approach rather than complex electrical sensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 simplifies the structure, improves space utilization, reduces manufacturing costs, and enables automatic selection of the appropriate washing process mode based on detergent viscosity, while preventing damage to the detergent pump by indicating when the viscosity is too high.

Implementation Method 1

a floater disposed inside the container and movable along a vertical direction corresponding to a level of the detergent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentEP4388970A1dishwasher

Publication Date: 2024.06.26 LG ELECTRONICS INC

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AI summary

The present relates to a dish washer that senses an amount of change in a level of a detergent via a floater that moves in a vertical direction based on the level of the detergent and a detergent level sensor that senses a location in the vertical direction of the floater, and effectively identifies a viscosity of the detergent stored in a detergent supply based on the amount of change in the level to simplify a structure, improve space utilization, and reduce a manufacturing cost by eliminating a separate electrode sensor or level sensor to identify the viscosity of the detergent.