Dishwasher Spray Arm Mounting Bracket for Secure Bidirectional Rotation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dishwasher spray assemblies experience undesired detachment of spray arms due to loose fasteners or snap fit connections, leading to potential leaks and disconnection during rotation.

Innovation Solution

A spray assembly design featuring a mounting bracket with an annular sidewall and posts with tabs, and a spray arm with detents and projections that securely engage to prevent unwanted detachment, allowing for two-directional rotation while maintaining attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If fasteners or snap fit connections are used to mount spray arms, then the spray assembly can be assembled and disassembled easily, but the attachment mechanism works loose over time causing detachment and leaks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assembly and disassemblyVSAvoidattachment reliability during rotation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket allows the spray arm to rotate dynamically in two directions while maintaining secure attachment through the interaction of projections in channels and tabs in detents, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and attachment reliability during rotation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting bracket acts as an intermediary component between the spray arm and the motor assembly, providing a secure connection mechanism with projections and channels that prevent detachment while allowing rotational movement, thus ensuring reliability without compromising ease of assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the spray assembly is designed to rotate in two directions, then the washing coverage is improved, but the attachment mechanism is more likely to work loose and detach

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetwo-directional rotation capabilityVSAvoidattachment stability during bidirectional rotation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is designed to accommodate dynamic bidirectional rotation of the spray arm while maintaining secure attachment through the projection-channel and tab-detent mechanisms, allowing the spray assembly to adapt to different washing directions without compromising attachment reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If traditional fasteners are used to secure the spray arm, then the structure is simple, but the fasteners work loose over time leading to detachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidattachment reliability over time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket serves as an intermediary that provides a more reliable attachment mechanism than traditional fasteners, using projections fitting into channels and tabs fitting into detents to prevent loosening over time, thereby improving reliability while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9462925B2Spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance

Publication Date: 2016.10.11 HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance is provided. The spray assembly includes a base unit and a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to the base unit. A spray arm is selectively secured to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes features for engaging the spray arm and hindering undesired detachment of the spray arm from the mounting bracket.