Unitary Dishwasher Wash Module for Isolated Heating and Wiring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dishwashers often require complex systems and exposed high-voltage components, which can lead to inefficiencies and safety concerns, particularly with the placement of heaters that risk damaging plastic items and the need for extensive wiring.
Innovation Solution
A modular design with a physically separate housing for the recirculation and air supply systems, incorporating a unitary wash module that includes a shared heater and high-voltage components, allowing for a compact assembly that keeps high voltage wiring out of the user interface and reduces the risk of damage to plastic items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If heaters are exposed in the wash tub, then heating efficiency is improved, but plastic items may be damaged by overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is segmented from the wash tub environment and placed in a separate housing. The housing contains the heater while the wash tub remains separate, allowing the heater to operate at full efficiency without directly exposing plastic items to high temperatures. The housing acts as a thermal barrier that protects utensils while maintaining heating effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves as an intermediary between the heater and the wash tub. It allows thermal energy to be transferred to the water indirectly while preventing direct contact between the high-temperature heater and plastic items. This mediator structure resolves the contradiction by enabling heating function while eliminating the harmful overheating effect.
2Ease of operation
If high-voltage components are placed in the user interface area, then ease of access for maintenance is improved, but safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
High-voltage components are extracted from the user interface area and relocated to a separate housing. This extraction removes the safety hazard from the user-accessible area while maintaining the ability to service these components through the housing's service access points. The dangerous elements are taken out of harm's way while preserving maintenance capability.
3Device complexity
If a compact modular design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but wiring requirements may increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple components (heater, air supply system, recirculation pump, high-voltage components) are merged into a single integrated housing module. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity by eliminating the need for extensive wiring between separately located components. The merged design allows these components to share a common housing and power distribution system, reducing both complexity and wiring requirements.
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 efficiency by allowing a larger wash tub capacity, reduces the need for multiple high-voltage wiring, and prevents overheating of plastic items, while maintaining safety by isolating high-voltage components and reducing the complexity of the dishwasher's internal wiring.
Implementation Method 1
a heater operably coupled to the recirculation pump, the air supply system, and the drain pump
Implementation Method 2
a recirculation pump located in the housing and fluidly coupled to the sprayer, the sump, and the air supply system such that the recirculation pump provides pumping for the recirculation system and the air supply system
Implementation Method 3
a sprayer located in the treating chamber and spraying liquid into the treating chamber
Implementation Method 4
An air supply system may be included to provide air to the tub for drying the utensils
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic dishwasher having a tub defining a treating chamber and a housing physically separate from the tub and defining a sump to receive liquid sprayed into the tub, the housing having an inlet fluidly connected to a liquid outlet of the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to a sprayer located within the tub to define a recirculation path for the sprayed liquid.