Dishwasher Basket Rack With Adjustable Tooth Spacing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current dishwasher basket racks are not designed to accommodate thicker or larger-sized tableware items, limiting their usability.
Innovation Solution
A rack with an extensible and compressible elastic portion that adjusts the spacing between teeth to accommodate different sizes of tableware, featuring a rod structure with sliding and pivoting components, allowing for customizable support of plates and large items by varying the distance between teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the rack uses a fixed rod structure with standard tooth spacing, then it provides stable support for standard tableware, but it cannot accommodate thicker plates or large-size tableware items
Solution Approach 1:
The rack structure is made dynamic through the elastic portion that can be compressed and extended. The teeth spacing is no longer fixed but can be adjusted by compressing the elastic portion, allowing the rack to adapt to different tableware sizes while maintaining structural integrity through the rod-guided sliding mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The key parameter that changes is the distance between teeth, which can be varied by compressing the elastic portion. This allows the same rack structure to accommodate both standard tableware (with normal tooth spacing) and large-size tableware (with increased tooth spacing achieved through compression)
2Adaptability or versatility
If the rack accommodates large-size tableware by increasing tooth spacing, then it improves versatility, but it reduces the number of items that can be arranged in the basket
Solution Approach 1:
The rack provides dynamic adjustability, allowing users to compress the elastic portion only when large tableware needs to be accommodated. For standard tableware, the rack returns to its normal extended state, maximizing the number of items that can be arranged. This on-demand adjustment resolves the contradiction between versatility and quantity
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic portion can be compressed only partially or fully depending on the size of the tableware item. For small adjustments, only partial compression is needed, while for large tableware, full compression is used. This partial action approach allows flexible adaptation without always reducing the capacity to maximum
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 effective washing and arrangement of both standard and large-size tableware items by allowing adjustable spacing, enhancing the rack's versatility and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
Rack (1) comprises at least one extensible and compressible elastic or spring-type portion (10)
Implementation Method 2
Rack (1) comprises semi-cylindrical seats or bushings adapted to engage said rod (5) for sliding the portion (10, 20) on the rod (5)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A rack for dishwasher basket is described. The rack (1) comprises a first portion (20, 20', 20") comprising at least one pair of elements (16, 21) parallel to each other for supporting at least one tableware item and the basket (2) comprises a structure with a bottom (2) and at least two walls (7) connected to the bottom and opposite to each other; the rack is coupled to the walls and comprises a spring portion (10). The first portion comprises guiding means (5) for sliding at least one element (16, 21) of the pair of tableware-supporting elements; the at least one element (16, 21) is associated with the spring portion (10) for moving the other element of the pair along the guiding means over a distance which depends on the size of the tableware item to be supported. (Fig. 1)