Dishwasher Pump Monitoring for Excess Water Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dishwashers often experience incorrect water overflow due to excessive water supply, leading to malfunction and requiring customer service intervention, as existing technologies lack effective methods for detecting and addressing excessive water supply issues.
Innovation Solution
A dishwasher with a water supply system that includes a fresh water supply line with a water inlet valve for partial filling, using a sensor system to detect operating parameters of the circulating pump, allowing for the detection of excessive water supply without overflowing, by measuring power consumption or other parameters to determine if the pump is operating correctly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the water supply line is connected to the water supply network, then the washing container can be filled with water, but excessive water inflow can lead to incorrect overflow and malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a test process before the actual washing cycle to detect excessive water supply. The control device carries out a preliminary filling operation with a test water amount, measures the resulting volume flow through the circulating pump, and compares it against threshold values to identify potential overfilling risks before they cause malfunction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control device continuously monitors operating parameters of the circulating pump during the test process. Based on the measured volume flow and power consumption, the system provides feedback to determine whether the water supply is excessive and adjusts or prevents further filling operations accordingly.
2Measurement precision
If a sensor system detects operating parameters of the circulating pump, then excessive water supply can be detected, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the circulating pump's existing operating parameters (power consumption, volume flow) as self-indicating measures of water supply conditions. Instead of adding dedicated sensors for water flow detection, the system repurposes measurements already available from the pump's normal operation, allowing the pump to essentially detect water supply issues through its own performance characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs multiple functions: it controls the washing cycle, operates the circulating pump, monitors power consumption, measures volume flow, and detects excessive water supply—all using the same sensor system and evaluation unit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the circulating pump operates in a round cycle without sucking air, then the process water volume is sufficient, but detecting excessive water supply becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately introduces a partial excessive water supply during the test process—filling the washing container with more water than the circulating pump can handle in the given time. This creates a measurable condition where the pump operates at maximum capacity, and any additional water supply manifests as detectable deviations in volume flow and power consumption that exceed predetermined thresholds.
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
Enables reliable detection of excessive water supply without overfilling the dishwasher, allowing for automatic error signaling and potentially avoiding malfunctions, thus preventing overflow and requiring less customer intervention.
Implementation Method 1
the electrical power consumption or the electrical power of the electric motor derived from it, which change essentially in proportion to the load on the pump and thus proportionally to the pumped volume flow
Implementation Method 2
At least one operating parameter of the circulating pump or of a drive unit assigned to the circulating pump is then detected as part of a test process by a sensor system
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a dishwasher, comprising a dishwashing compartment (1) in which items to be cleaned can be arranged, and a liquid circuit for supplying liquid to the items to be cleaned, wherein at least one machine-driven circulation pump (13) for delivering the liquid is connected in the liquid circuit. During a partial filling phase, the dishwashing compartment (1) can be filled by a water feeding means (15, 16) with a water quantity (?m) which is less than an operating water quantity for cleaning items to be washed. During a test phase following the partial filling phase, at least one operating parameter (P) of the circulation pump (13) or of a drive unit associated with the circulation pump (13) is recorded with the aid of a sensor system (31), wherein the at least one operating parameter (P) can be varied depending on a volume flow delivered in the liquid circuit. An evaluation unit (32) then detects an excessive water supply to the dishwasher compartment (1) depending on the at least one recorded operating parameter (P).