Dishwasher Lifting Device with Force-Sensing Assisted Rack Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of dishwashers face difficulties in loading and unloading lower dish receptacles due to their placement close to the base, requiring bending or kneeling, and existing lifting devices lack efficient manual assistance and safety features to prevent unwanted movement.

Innovation Solution

A lifting device for dish receptacles in dishwashers, equipped with a drive facility, control facility, sensor facility, and transmission facility, which assists manual movement with a supporting force, preventing unwanted removal by detecting manual actuation force and ensuring proportional movement speed, and includes pivot arms and a drag lever to maintain safety and prevent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the lower dish receptacle is placed close to the base of the wash container, then the dishwasher can accommodate multiple dish receptacles vertically, but the user has to kneel or bend to load and unload it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertical arrangement of dish receptaclesVSAvoiduser accessibility to lower rack

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A lifting device acts as an intermediary between the user and the lower dish receptacle. The device includes a drive facility with a motor, a transmission facility with a screw mechanism, and a pivot arm that mechanically connects to the receptacle, providing assisted lifting to raise the lower rack to an ergonomically accessible height

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a lifting device is added to assist manual movement of the dish receptacle, then user convenience is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassisted lifting of dish receptacleVSAvoidstructure of lifting device

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting device is segmented into distinct functional modules: a drive facility (motor) mounted on the wash container, a transmission facility (screw mechanism) that converts rotational motion to linear motion, and a pivot arm that provides mechanical leverage. This modular segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces a purely mechanical lifting system with an electromechanical system. The drive facility uses an electric motor instead of manual effort, and the control facility uses electronic sensors and controllers instead of mechanical switches, reducing the physical effort required while managing complexity through intelligent control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Extent of automation

If the drive facility moves the dish receptacle independently, then automation is improved, but unwanted movement such as complete removal of the dish receptacle occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic lifting of dish receptacleVSAvoidcontrol of dish receptacle movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting device incorporates a control facility with sensors that detect the position and movement state of the dish receptacle. This feedback mechanism allows the control facility to monitor whether the receptacle is being manually moved or is in a stable position, and accordingly activate or deactivate the drive facility to prevent unwanted movement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts its operation mode between manual and assisted lifting. The control facility continuously monitors the movement state and activates the drive facility only when appropriate, allowing the system to adapt to user intentions and prevent unintended activation that could cause the receptacle to be completely removed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Measurement precision

If the sensor facility is attached directly to the dish receptacle, then detection accuracy is improved, but the transmission facility becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection of manual actuation forceVSAvoidtransmission facility structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transmission facility acts as an intermediary that mechanically transmits the manual actuation force from the handle to the sensor facility. This allows the sensor to detect force applied by the user without being directly attached to the moving receptacle, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10842345B2Lifting device and dishwasher

Publication Date: 2020.11.24 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH

AI summary

A lifting device for a dish receptacle of a dishwasher, in particular a household dishwasher, includes a drive facility configured to assist a manual raising or lowering of the dish receptacle between a start position and an end position by applying a supporting force. A control facility activates the drive facility as a function of a manual actuation force when the dish receptacle is raised or lowered manually and a sensor facility is provided to detect the manual actuation force. A transmission facility transmits the manual actuation force from a handle of the dish receptacle to the sensor facility.