Adjustable rack assembly and dishwashing appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dishwasher rack assemblies are difficult to adjust vertically and tiltable, making it challenging to accommodate variously sized articles efficiently, as they often require complex and cumbersome mechanisms for height adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A rack assembly design featuring a slidable rack with a front and rear bracket system, including a joiner bar, allowing for vertical movement and tilting, facilitated by pivotable ends and translatable components, enabling easy adjustment and flexibility in accommodating different article sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional adjustment features with multiple moving parts are used, then height adjustability is provided, but operation becomes difficult and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is divided into separate functional components: the rack assembly that moves vertically and the adjustment feature that enables the movement. This segmentation allows the adjustment mechanism to be simplified and operated independently from the rack movement, reducing operational complexity for the user.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary adjustment feature acts as a mediator between the user and the rack assembly. This adjustment feature (such as a decoupling mechanism or release mechanism) simplifies the interaction by providing a dedicated interface that enables vertical movement without requiring the user to manipulate multiple moving parts simultaneously.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rack is forced to remain horizontal during height adjustment, then uniform movement is achieved, but loading certain articles becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rack assembly is designed with dynamic capabilities that allow it to transition from a stable horizontal position during normal operation to tilted positions during loading and unloading. The decoupling mechanism enables temporary deviation from horizontal stability to facilitate article loading, after which the rack returns to its stable horizontal configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack's orientation parameter is made variable, allowing it to change from a fixed horizontal state to tilted states as needed. This parameter change capability enables the rack to adapt its angle for loading articles while maintaining horizontal stability during the washing cycle, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and loading ease.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex mechanisms are used for height adjustment, then vertical positioning capability is provided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment functionality is extracted as a separate, dedicated feature rather than being integrated into the rack structure itself. This extraction allows the use of a simpler, specialized adjustment mechanism (such as a release mechanism or decoupling feature) that provides vertical positioning capability without the complexity of traditional multi-component adjustment systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is designed to be self-contained and self-operating, requiring minimal user intervention. The decoupling mechanism or release feature enables the rack to be adjusted vertically through simple user actions without requiring complex control systems or multiple coordinated movements, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining positioning capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A dishwashing appliance or rack assembly may include a rack, a front bracket, a rear bracket, and a joiner bar. The rack may include a sidewall having a transverse rail and slide in a transverse direction between an extended position and a retracted position. The front bracket may be attached to the sidewall and extend vertically between a fixed end secured to the sidewall and a free end laterally pivotable apart from the transverse rail. The rear bracket may be attached to the sidewall rearward from the front bracket. The rear bracket may extend vertically from a fixed end secured to the sidewall to a free end laterally pivotable apart from the transverse rail. The joiner bar may extend along the transverse direction from the front bracket to the rear bracket and be laterally translatable relative to the transverse rail to motivate the free end of the front bracket.