A height-adjusting device for shelves of appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing height-adjusting devices for dishwasher racks are prone to malfunction due to accumulated dirt and water surface tension affecting the mobility and position of the locking element, requiring user activation and lacking robustness.
Innovation Solution
A self-actuating locking/unlocking mechanism with a biasing member and cam surfaces that ensures the locking element remains engaged with cam surfaces, providing audible feedback and minimizing the impact of dirt and water, featuring a torsion spring and cam surfaces for robust and easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the locking element is made lightweight and small in dimension, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the locking element becomes susceptible to malfunction from accumulated dirt and water surface tension
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is designed to dynamically change its position between engaged and disengaged states through cam surfaces. The cam surfaces guide the locking element's movement and ensure reliable engagement/disengagement despite the element's small size and light weight, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam surfaces act as intermediary elements between the locking element and the bracket member. These cam surfaces ensure that the locking element maintains proper engagement by providing a controlled interaction surface, preventing dirt and water from directly interfering with the locking mechanism's reliability.
2Device complexity
If the locking element relies on weight force for movement between positions, then the device complexity is reduced, but accumulated dirt and water can affect the latch's mobility and position
Solution Approach 1:
The cam surfaces are pre-configured to guide the locking element through specific movement paths. This preliminary geometric arrangement ensures that the locking element moves reliably between positions through controlled engagement with the cam surfaces, rather than relying solely on weight force, thereby maintaining low device complexity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the locking element's movement path through cam surfaces. By defining specific cam surface profiles, the system controls the locking element's position and movement, ensuring reliable operation independent of weight-based mechanisms, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability.
3Reliability
If manual locking and unlocking components are added to ensure reliable positioning, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring user activation
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to self-lock and self-unlock through the interaction between the locking element and cam surfaces. When the bracket member moves vertically, the cam surfaces automatically guide the locking element into engaged or disengaged positions without requiring manual user activation, thus achieving both high reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic movement of the bracket member to automatically trigger the locking and unlocking actions. The cam surfaces convert the vertical movement into rotational movement of the locking element, creating a self-actuating mechanism that is both reliable and easy to operate without manual intervention.
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
The mechanism is more robust, easier to use, and less affected by dirt and water, providing reliable height adjustment with audible feedback for stable positions, ensuring consistent operation.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member, configured to exert a biasing force on the locking element towards engagement with the cam surfaces
Implementation Method 2
featuring a torsion spring and cam surfaces for robust and easy operation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present invention provides for a height-adjusting device for shelves of appliances, in particular for dishwasher racks, comprising: a support member (18), defining a substantially planar surfaces having an upper edge (26) and a lower edge (27) and extending in a substantially vertical first plane, when in use; a locking element (30), having a proximal end, hinged with said support member (18) at a first pivot axis (B) that is normal to said first vertical plane and provided towards said lower edge (27), and a distal end having a pin (34) that is operably linked via a biasing member (100) to a second pivot axis (C) vertically spaced apart from said first pivot axis (B) towards said upper edge (26) and that is normal to said first vertical plane, wherein said locking element (30) is configured to move about said pivot axis (B) relative to said support member (18) between an engaged position and a disengaged position, opposite said engaged position relative to a second plane (T) perpendicular to said first plane and containing said first pivot axis (B) and said second pivot axis (C); a bracket member (38), slidably coupleable with said support member (18) so as to allow vertical movement of said bracket member (38) relative to said support member (18) between a top position and a bottom position, comprising: a first cam surface (43), having at least one locking seat (44), configured to lockingly engage with said pin (34) of said locking element (30) when in said engaged position, when moving said bracket member (38) from said top position towards said bottom position; a second cam surface (47), configured to operably engage with said pin (34) of said locking element (30) so as to move said locking element (30) from said engaged position to said disengaged position and toggle said biasing member (100) from a first biasing disposition, where said locking element (30) is biased towards said first cam surface (43), to a second biasing disposition, where said locking element (30) is biased away from said first cam surface (43), when moving said bracket member (38) to said top position, and a third cam surface (48), configured to guidingly engage with said pin (34) of said locking element (30) so as to move said locking element (30) from said disengaged position to said engaged position and toggle said biasing member (100) from said second biasing disposition to said first biasing disposition, when moving said bracket member (38) from said top position to said bottom position.