Household appliance, particularly dishwasher
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household dishwashers with plastic frames face challenges in maintaining a uniform gap for reliable sealing due to reduced rigidity, leading to potential misalignment and increased assembly effort when correcting the appliance door's position.
Innovation Solution
Integration of stiffening means and a centering element made of the same plastic material, designed as a one-piece profile part, ensures proper alignment and sealing by encircling the container opening and defining a consistent gap dimension, facilitating reliable sealing contact between the appliance door and the sealing element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If a plastic frame is used to surround the container opening, then the appliance door can be manufactured with reduced weight and cost, but the rigidity of the frame is reduced leading to misalignment and sealing problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines plastic material with integrated stiffening means to create a composite structure that maintains the lightweight advantage of plastic while compensating for its inherent rigidity deficiency through strategically designed reinforcement elements
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is segmented into multiple functional zones including stiffening means positioned at critical locations to provide localized rigidity enhancement without requiring the entire frame structure to be heavily reinforced, thus maintaining overall lightness
2Ease of manufacture
If the plastic frame lacks sufficient rigidity, then manufacturing remains simple and cost-effective, but the appliance door cannot be reliably aligned with the container opening
Solution Approach 1:
The centering element is pre-integrated into the plastic frame during manufacturing, performing the alignment function in advance before the door is installed. This preliminary positioning action ensures precise door alignment without requiring complex adjustment procedures during assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The centering element and stiffening means are merged into a single integrated component manufactured as one piece with the plastic frame, combining multiple functions (alignment, stiffening, sealing guidance) into a unified structure that simplifies manufacturing while ensuring precision
3Reliability
If mushroom-shaped insertion aids are added to correct door alignment, then sealing contact can be improved, but the assembly effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centering element is merged with the frame structure as an integrated component rather than a separate insertion aid, eliminating the need for additional assembly steps while maintaining the door alignment and sealing contact functions
Solution Approach 2:
The centering element automatically performs the alignment function when the door is closed, requiring no manual intervention or complex assembly procedures. The structure itself provides the centering action through its geometric design, making the system self-aligning
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance, particularly a dishwasher, comprising at least one container (3) for receiving goods to be treated, particularly items for washing, comprising a container opening that can be closed by an appliance door (1) associated at least in sections with stiffening means for increasing the rigidity of the container (3) in the region of the container opening, said means comprising at least one centering element (37) by which the appliance door (1) can be aligned to the container opening when the appliance door (1) is closed. According to the invention, the stiffening means and the at least one centering element (37) are made of uniform material and/or of a single piece as a plastic profile part, particularly in a plastic injection molding process.