Dishwasher Microfilter Cleaning With Integrated Ultrasonic Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dishwashers require frequent cleaning of microfilters to prevent debris accumulation and microbial proliferation, leading to operational inefficiencies and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an ultrasonic generator within the dishwasher to radiate ultrasonic waves towards the microfilter, facilitating automatic cleaning and sterilization, thereby eliminating the need for manual filter removal and reducing microbial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a microfilter is disposed at the sump to filter out small debris, then the filtering effectiveness is improved, but the difficulty of cleaning the filter increases and requires regular manual removal and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The filter cleaning function is automated through the ultrasonic generator that radiates ultrasonic waves to clean the filter automatically during the washing cycle, eliminating the need for manual removal and cleaning by the user
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical cleaning process is replaced by an ultrasonic cleaning system that uses ultrasonic waves to remove debris from the filter automatically, substituting human intervention with an automated acoustic field-based cleaning mechanism
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the dishwasher operates in a closed environment to maintain hygiene, then the protection against external contamination is improved, but the proliferation of microorganisms inside the dishwasher increases due to high humidity and residual moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic cleaning and sterilization is performed automatically after each washing cycle to eliminate microorganisms before they can proliferate, preventing the harmful effect before it occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic waves generate oxidative effects that kill microorganisms and sterilize the internal environment, using a form of accelerated oxidation to eliminate biological contaminants
3Reliability
If multiple filters (microfilter, coarse filter, fine filter) are used to filter out debris of different sizes, then the filtering completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic generator automatically cleans all filter elements, reducing the operational complexity of maintaining multiple filters by eliminating manual intervention requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrasonic cleaning system serves multiple functions: it cleans the microfilter, coarse filter, and fine filter simultaneously, as well as sterilizing the sump and washing chamber, reducing the need for separate cleaning systems for each component
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
The ultrasonic generator effectively cleans and sterilizes the microfilter, maintaining the dishwasher's cleanliness and preventing microbial proliferation, even when unused, without requiring manual filter maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic generator to radiate ultrasonic waves toward the microfilter
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic generator to radiate ultrasonic waves toward the microfilter
Data Source
AI summary
A dishwasher including a washing chamber to wash dishes, a sump concavely formed at a lower portion of the washing chamber to collect water used in washing, a microfilter disposed at the sump to filter out dirt produced when the dishes are washed, and an ultrasonic generator to radiate ultrasonic waves toward the microfilter. Since the microfilter is automatically cleaned by the ultrasonic generator, a user may not need to manually clean the microfilter.