Dishwasher Base Assembly with Molded Line Guide for Cable Stress

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dishwashers face issues with electrical and optical lines being subjected to stress and damage due to inadequate routing and holding mechanisms, particularly at the transition area between the washing container and the base assembly, leading to potential bending and kinking during door opening and closing.

Innovation Solution

Integrating a guide device with a spring-elastic element into the base assembly of the dishwasher, which is molded onto or into the floor assembly, ensuring lines are securely held and guided along a predetermined path, avoiding impermissible bending stresses and reducing the need for additional guide elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate fastening elements and tubular sections are used to guide lines, then the lines are protected from stress and damage, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveline durabilityVSAvoidguide device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide device integrates multiple functions (guiding, holding, protecting lines) into a single molded component that is formed as one piece with the base assembly. This eliminates the need for separate fastening elements and tubular sections, reducing structural complexity while maintaining line protection through the molded-in guide channels and retention features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The molded guide device serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it provides structural support for the base assembly, creates predetermined routing paths for lines, holds lines in position through integrated retention features, and protects lines from stress and damage. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for additional separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If additional guide elements are added to the base assembly, then line routing is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveline routingVSAvoidassembly process
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The guide device is molded directly onto or into the base assembly as an integral component, combining the base structure with the line guidance function. This eliminates separate assembly steps for attaching guide elements, as the guide channels and retention features are already formed during base assembly manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide channels and retention features are pre-formed during the molding of the base assembly, before the actual assembly of the dishwasher. This preliminary creation of routing paths eliminates the need for subsequent installation of guide elements and simplifies the overall assembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If lines are routed openly on the outside of the base assembly, then installation is simpler, but the lines are subjected to impermissible stress and damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidline protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lines are nested within molded-in guide channels of the base assembly, which are formed as integral parts of the structure. This nested configuration protects the lines from external stress and damage while maintaining a simple, integrated design that does not require complex external routing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The molded guide channels provide a protective pathway for the lines, allowing them to be routed through the base assembly structure in a protected manner. The channels accommodate the lines while preventing impermissible bending stresses and kinking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Ease of operation

If guide devices are fastened separately to the base assembly, then line guidance is achieved, but the assembly becomes complex and requires additional fastening elements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveline guidanceVSAvoidassembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide device is merged with the base assembly through integral molding, where the guide channels and retention features are formed as one piece with the base structure. This eliminates the need for separate fastening elements and simplifies the overall assembly structure while maintaining effective line guidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 ensures the lines are securely held and guided, minimizing damage and extending the lifespan of the lines by reducing torsional and compressive stresses, while simplifying the assembly process by eliminating the need for additional guide elements.

Implementation Method 1

which has at least one spring-elastic element for holding the respective line

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2233060B1Dishwasher, in particular household dishwasher
Publication Date: 2020.04.08 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2233060B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2233060B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2233060B1 patent drawingFigure 4~11

AI summary

The dishwasher has a rinsing container i.e. u-shaped hood, arranged at a base component i.e. base supporter, which is made of plastic. A guiding device (12) i.e. cylindrical tube, is provided as an integral element of the base component for holding and guiding multiple electrical lines (31). The guiding device is designed as an elongated groove or as an open channel (14). The groove or the open channel runs co-axial or axial parallel to a rotation axis (33) of a door. The door is supported at side walls of the base component in a swivelable movable manner.