Dishwasher with vertically adjustable dish rack

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dishwasher rack adjustment assemblies are complex, difficult to operate, unstable, and unreliable, limiting user flexibility and stability during vertical adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A rack height adjustment assembly featuring an adjuster plate with detents, a locking lever, and an actuator biased by a spring, allowing easy vertical movement between raised and lowered positions with secure locking mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional adjustment assemblies are used to enable vertical movement of dish racks, then user flexibility is improved, but the device complexity increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertical adjustment flexibilityVSAvoidadjustment assembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment assembly is divided into discrete functional components: a locking lever with detents for position selection, an actuator for triggering the locking mechanism, and a biasing element for automatic resetting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while maintaining adjustment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The biasing element automatically returns the locking lever to its neutral position after the actuator is released, enabling the mechanism to reset itself without user intervention. This self-service feature reduces the need for complex control systems and multiple actuators, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional adjustment assemblies are used to enable vertical movement of dish racks, then user flexibility is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertical adjustment flexibilityVSAvoidadjustment operation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The locking and unlocking functions are extracted into a single, simple actuator mechanism that the user can easily operate with one hand. By separating the actuation function from the locking mechanism, the user interface is simplified while the underlying adjustment flexibility is preserved through the detent-based positioning system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional adjustment assemblies are used to enable vertical movement of dish racks, then user flexibility is improved, but stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertical adjustment flexibilityVSAvoidrack positioning stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The locking lever is pre-configured with multiple detents at predetermined vertical positions before the adjustment operation begins. When the user moves the rack, the locking lever automatically engages with the appropriate detent to secure the rack at the desired position, ensuring stability is established in advance rather than requiring active control during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If traditional adjustment assemblies are used to enable vertical movement of dish racks, then user flexibility is improved, but reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertical adjustment flexibilityVSAvoidadjustment assembly reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The biasing element is pre-loaded to provide a restoring force that ensures the locking lever returns to its neutral position after actuation. This beforehand cushioning through elastic energy storage guarantees reliable resetting of the mechanism, preventing failure modes associated with mechanical wear or misalignment that plague traditional adjustment assemblies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 solution provides a user-friendly, stable, and reliable method for adjusting dish rack height, preventing rattling and ensuring secure positioning during operation and transport.

Implementation Method 1

a biasing element biasing the actuator to the undepressed position when the actuator is not depressed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10582829B2Dishwasher with vertically adjustable dish rack

Publication Date: 2020.03.10 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, at least one dish rack in the treating chamber, and a rack height adjustment assembly. The rack height adjustment assembly includes an adjuster plate slidably coupled to the at least one dish rack and fixed vertically relative to the tub, the adjuster plate including at least one adjuster detent, a locking lever having a catch end that is biased to engage the adjuster detent to hold the dish rack in place in either a lowered or raised position, the locking lever being pivotally movable relative to the at least one dish rack between an engaging position where the catch end engages the adjuster detent and a release position where the catch end does not engage the adjuster detent and the dish rack is vertically movable between the lowered and raised positions, and an actuator configured to move the locking lever to the release position when the actuator is moved from an undepressed position to a depressed position.