Dishwasher Base Carrier Assembly With Screwless Flange Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current dishwashers have high production costs due to complex assembly processes involving screw connections, which require significant time and manual labor, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A dishwasher design featuring a flange arrangement with bent holding sections that interact with a downward-pointing surface of the guide arrangement, allowing for a screwless connection between the washing container and the base support, enabling automation and simplifying the assembly process by eliminating the need for screwing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If screw connections are used to connect the washing container to the base support, then the connection stability is improved, but the assembly time and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The holding sections are pre-formed as integral parts of the flange arrangement during container manufacturing. These holding sections are prepared in advance with the correct geometry and position, so that during assembly they can be simply inserted into the guide arrangement and automatically assume the locked position without requiring any additional fastening operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The holding sections are designed to automatically engage with the guide arrangement through their own geometric features. The L-shaped configuration of the holding sections allows them to self-align and self-lock into the guide arrangement without requiring external screws, clamps, or other fastening mechanisms. The connection stabilizes itself through the inherent geometry of the components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual screwing operations are performed on an assembly line, then the connection reliability is improved, but the productivity and automation level decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidassembly line productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The holding sections are designed to automatically engage with the guide arrangement through their own geometric features. The L-shaped configuration of the holding sections allows them to self-align and self-lock into the guide arrangement without requiring external screws, clamps, or other fastening mechanisms. The connection stabilizes itself through the inherent geometry of the components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and eliminates the screws and manual fastening operations from the assembly process. By removing these complex fastening elements and replacing them with the simplified holding section geometry, the assembly line can proceed without dedicated fastening stations, significantly improving productivity and enabling higher automation levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If multiple screw holes are provided in the flange arrangement, then the connection strength is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the screws and manual fastening operations from the assembly process. By removing these complex fastening elements and replacing them with the simplified holding section geometry, the assembly line can proceed without dedicated fastening stations, significantly improving productivity and enabling higher automation levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flange arrangement is segmented into multiple holding sections distributed at different locations. This segmentation allows the connection strength to be distributed across multiple contact points between the holding sections and the guide arrangement, maintaining overall connection strength while simplifying the assembly process at each individual location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2387345B1Dishwasher comprising a box-shaped washing container and a base carrier
Publication Date: 2013.02.20 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2387345B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2387345B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2387345B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a household dishwasher (1), comprising a washing container (2) which has a flange structure (8, 9) arranged on the outside, and comprising a base carrier (12) which has a laterally acting guide structure (14, 15), into which the washing container (2) is inserted from the top, wherein the flange structure (8, 9) comprises a retaining section (22) that is bent such that it interacts with a surface (23) of the guiding structure (14, 15) directed toward the bottom such that the washing container (2) is positively connected to the base carrier (12).