Dishwasher Rack Rib Design for Active Water Drainage and Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dishwashers often struggle with efficiently draining wash water from the top rack, leading to wet utensils due to the design of the lattice-type base, which restricts utensil withdrawal and allows water to accumulate, affecting drying efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The dishwasher rack design features a loading space with intersecting ribs of varying heights and curvatures to minimize water contact and enhance drainage, with inclined and curved surfaces that facilitate the flow of water away from utensils, reducing the area where water can accumulate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lattice-type base is used in the top rack to restrict utensil withdrawal, then utensil security is improved, but water drainage performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple rib structures (first ribs extending in first direction, second ribs extending in second direction) that create both utensil restriction and drainage pathways. The segmentation of the base into intersecting rib elements allows simultaneous achievement of utensil security and water drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the rack have different rib configurations optimized for their specific functions. The loading space has ribs configured for utensil support, while the drainage space has ribs configured to facilitate water flow. The rib heights and spacing vary locally to achieve both utensil restriction and effective drainage.
2Quantity of substance
If wash water remains in the rack after washing, then water contact area with utensils is increased, but drying efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs include curved surfaces that guide water flow away from utensil placement areas. The curved geometry of the ribs creates flow paths that naturally direct wash water toward drainage spaces, reducing water retention and improving drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack structure itself performs the drainage function through its rib configuration, eliminating the need for additional active drainage components. The inclined and curved rib surfaces automatically guide water flow during the washing cycle, and the elevated drainage spaces passively collect and remove excess water.
3Ease of manufacture
If rib intersection height is uniform, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but water drainage performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs are designed with asymmetric height variations, where first ribs and second ribs have different heights at their intersections. This asymmetric configuration creates inclined surfaces that facilitate water flow toward drainage spaces, improving drainage performance while maintaining manufacturability through consistent height patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib heights are varied as a design parameter to optimize drainage performance. By changing the height parameter of ribs at different locations and orientations, the design creates effective water flow paths and drainage spaces without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
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
This design improves the drying efficiency of utensils by actively draining wash water from the rack, minimizing water retention between utensils and the rack, and promoting quicker evaporation by increasing the surface area of water droplets.
Implementation Method 1
improved drainage performance of the rack for the dishwasher... actively draining wash water from the rack... more actively flow washing water remaining in a plurality of ribs
Implementation Method 2
improve drying efficiency of eating utensils by improving drainage performance of the rack... promoting quicker evaporation by increasing the surface area of water droplets
Data Source
AI summary
A rack of a dishwasher includes a loading space that accommodates one or more objects to be washed and has a loading surface, an outer edge rib disposed around the loading surface, lower ribs that extend in a first direction from a side of the outer edge rib, and upper ribs that are disposed vertically above the lower ribs and extend in a second direction crossing the first direction.