Dishwasher Front Panel Hook Fastening for Gap-Free Door Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household dishwashers face issues with unwanted gaps between the appliance door and the front panel when opened, leading to poor design perception, dirt accumulation, and increased noise and wear due to friction, which prior solutions fail to fully address.
Innovation Solution
A fastening device with an upper hook element featuring a hook mouth with an opening angle greater than 0°, ensuring secure alignment and low-friction movement, and a coupling member that predetermines the relative position of fastening elements to prevent gaps and reduce assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the front panel is rigidly fixed to the appliance door, then assembly is simple and secure, but gaps form between the front panel and door when the door opens due to pulling forces
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening element is designed as a hook that can dynamically change its engagement state with the counter-contour. During door opening, the hook allows relative movement to accommodate pulling forces, while during closed position, it provides secure engagement to maintain gap-free arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook design with opening angle allows the fastening system to change its mechanical parameters (engagement depth, friction coefficient) based on the door state. The geometric parameters of the hook enable it to transition between locked and movable states.
2Manufacturing precision
If the front panel is allowed to move freely to avoid gaps, then gap-free arrangement is achieved, but friction and wear increase due to constant contact with the door
Solution Approach 1:
The hook-and-countercontour system dynamically adjusts contact pressure. During door opening, the hook lifts slightly to reduce friction. During closed position, controlled contact maintains gap-free arrangement while minimizing wear through the self-aligning geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction that was previously harmful is converted into a beneficial self-lubricating mechanism. The hook geometry ensures that contact occurs at optimal points that distribute wear evenly, and the opening/closing motion naturally lubricates the contact surfaces.
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex fastening mechanism is used to prevent gaps, then gap-free arrangement is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into simple, discrete components: a hook-shaped fastening element and a corresponding counter-contour. This segmentation allows each component to be simple in design while achieving complex functional behavior through their interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution changes the geometric parameters of simple components (hook opening angle, counter-contour shape) to achieve the desired gap-free arrangement without adding mechanical complexity. The functional behavior emerges from the geometry rather than from complex mechanisms.
4Ease of manufacture
If the hook opening angle is increased to accommodate tolerances, then assembly ease improves, but the secure engagement during door opening may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The hook opening angle is optimized to a specific range that simultaneously achieves tolerance compensation and secure engagement. The parameter is carefully selected so that the hook is loose enough to accommodate assembly variations but tight enough to prevent gap formation during door operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a dishwasher, with a housing (4) providing a treatment chamber (10) and having a loading opening (5) for access to the treatment chamber (10), with an appliance door (6) pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for a fluid-tight closure of the loading opening (5), with a front panel (8) slidably mounted on the appliance door (6) between two end positions, and with an adjustment unit which, when the appliance door (6) pivots about the pivot axis, forcibly adjusts the front panel (8) along a guide track between the two end positions, and with a fastening device (20) which serves for the pivotable arrangement of the front panel (8) on the appliance door (6), wherein the fastening device (20) has two fastening elements (22, 23) arranged one above the other in the height direction (21) of the front panel (8).which each interact with a counter contour (34, 46) provided on the device door side, wherein the upper fastening element (22) in the height direction (21) of the front plate (8) has a hook (74) which has a hook jaw (52) with an opening angle (α) > 0°.