Rotating Dishwasher Spray Arm With Detergent Dosing for Heavy Soil

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dishwashers with standard spray arms are insufficient for achieving desired cleaning results on heavily soiled items, as the additional nozzles for intensive rinsing are spatially limited, restricting the placement of items and leading to incomplete cleaning, especially for larger items like casserole dishes and pots.

Innovation Solution

A dishwasher design featuring a spray arm with at least two wings, one equipped with a cleaning agent receptacle and a dosing unit that allows for the optional use of cleaning agents, along with a thermal actuator and locking mechanism to control the flow of washing liquor and detergent, ensuring comprehensive coverage and efficient use of cleaning agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional nozzles for intensive rinsing are added to spray arms, then cleaning effectiveness for heavily soiled items is improved, but the spatial coverage remains limited and restricts item placement freedom

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoiditem placement freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The spray arm is designed to be rotatable about a vertical axis, transforming the static spray coverage into a dynamic one that can cover the entire washing compartment interior. This rotational movement allows the spray nozzles to reach all areas regardless of item placement, resolving the contradiction between intensive cleaning capability and item placement freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If spray arms are designed for standard soiling levels, then device simplicity is maintained, but cleaning effectiveness for heavily soiled items is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespray arm structureVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spray arm is designed with multi-functionality: it can operate in a standard mode for lightly soiled items and an intensive cleaning mode for heavily soiled items. The rotatable design and optional detergent reservoir enable the same spray arm structure to adapt to different cleaning requirements, maintaining structural simplicity while achieving versatile cleaning effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If cleaning agents are applied intensively to specific areas, then cleaning effectiveness for heavily soiled items is improved, but water and cleaning agent consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidwater and cleaning agent consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The detergent is supplied periodically rather than continuously - the reservoir is refilled only when the detergent level drops below a minimum level. This periodic action ensures intensive cleaning effectiveness when needed while avoiding unnecessary over-dosing and waste of water and cleaning agents during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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

The design allows for intensive cleaning of heavily soiled items by ensuring that cleaning agents are directly applied to all areas of the washing compartment, providing effective cleaning without unnecessary overdosing and minimizing water consumption, while allowing users to freely position items due to the extended coverage of the spray arm.

Implementation Method 1

a thermal actuator and locking mechanism to control the flow of washing liquor and detergent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP2893863B1Dishwasher
Publication Date: 2016.12.07 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP2893863B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2893863B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2893863B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a dishwasher with a washing compartment (2) providing a washing chamber (3) for receiving items to be washed to be cleaned and a spray device (4) arranged inside the washing container (2) for applying washing liquor to items to be cleaned, the spray device (4 ) has a rotatably mounted spray arm (4) with at least two wings (6, 7, 8), each providing a rinsing liquor channel, wherein the rinsing liquor channel (13) of one of the spray arm wings (8) has a detergent receptacle (14).