Dishwasher Rack Height Adjustment With Pin-and-Carrier Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dishwasher rack height adjustment mechanisms are prone to deformation and assembly difficulties due to added wires, leading to instability and potential breakage under high temperatures, and lack ease of use and durability.

Innovation Solution

A dishwasher design featuring a pin and housing mechanism with recesses and a spring system that allows precise height adjustment of the rack by sliding on a carrier, with extensions and channels for stable pin movement and a ramp for smooth operation, and a pressing plate with a second spring for user feedback and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional wires are added to the rack for height adjustment, then height adjustability is improved, but wire geometry changes and production/assembly difficulties increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheight adjustabilityVSAvoidwire geometry and assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the height adjustment function from the rack structure itself and relocates it to the carrier. The carrier now carries the adjustment mechanism (recesses and pins) independently, while the rack remains a simple support structure. This separation eliminates the need for complex wires on the rack while maintaining height adjustability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a carrier as an intermediary element between the rack and the dishwasher body. The carrier acts as a mediator that provides the height adjustment functionality through its recesses and pin mechanism, allowing the rack height to be adjusted without modifying the rack's own structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional height adjustment mechanisms are used, then height adjustment is enabled, but reliability decreases due to deformation and breakage under high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheight adjustment capabilityVSAvoidmechanism stability under high temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs simple, robust components (pins and recesses) that are easy to manufacture and replace. These components are designed to be durable under high temperature conditions, with the pins being simple cylindrical elements that resist deformation and the recesses providing stable positioning without complex moving parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the rack structure is modified for height adjustment, then adjustability is improved, but the rack geometry is altered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheight adjustmentVSAvoidrack geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the dishwasher rack system into independent functional modules: the rack (for holding dishes), the carrier (for height adjustment), and the adjustment mechanism (recesses and pins). This segmentation allows the rack to maintain its original geometry while the carrier provides the adjustment functionality through its own structural features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 precise and durable rack height adjustment without altering the rack geometry, ensuring stability and ease of use, even under high temperatures, by distributing the load effectively and providing a stable mechanism for fluid movement and quality perception.

Implementation Method 1

a first spring that enables the pin to move into the housing by being compressed when the arm is pushed towards the rack and that pushes the pin outside the housing by at least partially returning to the balance position when the user stops applying force on the arm

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a ramp is disposed under each recess so as to constitute an inclined surface into the recesses on the body. Thus, the pin is seated into the housing in a softer manner and the rack can be carried to a relatively higher position with a fluid movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInclined plane: Inclined Plane

Data Source

PatentEP3397129B1A dishwasher
Publication Date: 2019.09.04 ARCELIK AS
  • EP3397129B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3397129B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3397129B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a the dishwasher (1 ), comprising a rack (2) wherein the dishes are placed; a body (3) that is disposed at both sides of the rack (2); a carrier (4) on which the body is mounted, and an arm (5) that is disposed on the body (3), that has a lock opening position that enables the body (3) to be moved on the carrier (4) when moved towards the rack (2) by applying force and that has a locking position that enables the rack (2) to be kept at the desired height by the position of the body (3) being fixed on the carrier (4) in the situation when the external force is not applied.