Domestic dishwasher
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household dishwashers with direct drive systems for spray arms face structural complexity and hydraulic inefficiencies due to the alignment of drive shaft and spray arm axes, leading to potential deflection of washing liquor and water, and accumulation of drive-related elements on the spray arm.
Innovation Solution
A household dishwasher design featuring a parallel and separated axis configuration for the drive shaft and spray arm, utilizing a gearbox with cog-wheels to transfer rotational motion, allowing for a simpler structure and improved hydraulic performance by keeping the spray arm free of drive elements and enabling fluid permeability to prevent soiling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a direct drive system is used where the drive shaft axis coincides with the spray arm axis, then the structure is more compact, but the washing liquor and water flow is deflected and drive elements accumulate on the spray arm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a coaxial arrangement (1D alignment) to a parallel separated arrangement (2D spatial relationship), where the drive shaft axis and spray arm axis are parallel but offset by a specific distance. This dimensional change allows the drive elements to be positioned away from the spray arm, preventing fluid deflection and element accumulation while maintaining compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gear mechanism as an intermediary between the drive shaft and spray arm. The gear transfers rotational motion from the drive shaft to the spray arm while maintaining spatial separation between the drive elements and the spray arm surface. This intermediary mechanism eliminates direct contact between drive components and the fluid flow path, resolving the contradiction between structural compactness and hydraulic efficiency.
2Device complexity
If drive elements are positioned close to the spray arm for compactness, then the structure is simpler, but the spray arm accumulates drive-related elements and experiences fluid deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drive elements (gears, drive shaft) from the immediate vicinity of the spray arm surface and positions them at a separated distance along a parallel axis. This extraction removes the source of harmful effects (element accumulation and fluid deflection) while maintaining the functional connection through the gear mechanism. The spray arm is thus freed from direct contamination by drive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear mechanism serves as an intermediary that transmits rotational motion without requiring direct contact between drive elements and the spray arm. This intermediary arrangement prevents soiling of the spray arm by drive-related elements and eliminates deflection of the washing liquor and water flow, while still achieving compact overall structure through the parallel axis configuration.
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 enhances the structural simplicity and hydraulic efficiency of the dishwasher by preventing deflection of washing liquor and water, maintaining a clean spray arm, and effectively transferring rotational motion through a gearbox, which is protected from coarse dirt and easily maintainable.
Implementation Method 1
A household dishwasher design featuring a parallel and separated axis configuration for the drive shaft and spray arm, utilizing a gearbox with cog-wheels to transfer rotational motion
Data Source
AI summary
A household dishwasher includes a washing container holding a dishwasher load, and a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to the dishwasher load. The spray arm is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and is actively driven by a drive entity. The drive entity includes a drive shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which extends in parallel relation to and at a distance from the axis of rotation of the spray arm.