Dishwasher with door latch assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dishwasher strike plates require precise installation to ensure proper door closure, leading to increased installation effort and cost, and can result in rattling noises if not correctly positioned.
Innovation Solution
A dishwasher door latch assembly featuring a strike plate with horizontal and vertical biasing elements that are deflected by the receiving collar's angled surfaces, ensuring proper alignment and secure installation with reduced force, preventing incorrect orientation and rattling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the strike plate is installed and positioned precisely to ensure ideal tolerance for door closing, then the door closure function is improved, but the installation force and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The strike plate incorporates resilient biasing elements that allow dynamic adjustment during installation. The biasing elements can be compressed to overcome installation resistance and then maintain the plate in its final positioned state, converting a static high-force requirement into a dynamic process with lower peak force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the strike plate by incorporating resilient biasing elements that can deform elastically. This allows the plate to transition from a rigid component requiring high installation force to a compliant component that can be installed with reduced force while maintaining positioning precision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the strike plate is installed precisely to prevent rattling noises, then the noise level is reduced, but the installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strike plate features self-aligning biasing elements that automatically position themselves during installation. The resilient elements provide tactile feedback and mechanical guidance, allowing the installer to achieve proper positioning through the natural behavior of the components rather than requiring complex alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing elements are pre-configured in the strike plate to provide inherent alignment features. During installation, these elements naturally guide the strike plate into its correct position before final securing, performing the alignment action in advance of the final installation step.
3Reliability
If robust positioning features are added to hold the strike plate in place, then the door closure reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material properties of the strike plate by using resilient materials for the biasing elements. This allows the plate to achieve reliable positioning through elastic deformation rather than requiring additional rigid positioning features, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The strike plate combines rigid structural components with resilient biasing elements to create a composite structure. This combination provides both the stability needed for reliable door closure and the compliance needed for easy installation, avoiding the need for separate robust positioning features.
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
Facilitates easy and secure installation of the strike plate, reducing installation effort and cost while eliminating rattling noises by ensuring precise alignment and secure locking within the receiving collar.
Implementation Method 1
a strike plate having at least one biasing element biased in a first plane having a component in a lateral direction perpendicular to the insertion direction such that inserting the biasing element into the opening in the insertion direction results in the biasing element being biased in the lateral direction by the deflecting surface
Data Source
AI summary
A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening and having a top wall. A door is movable between opened and closed positions to selectively close the access opening. A receiving collar is coupled to one of the tub or the door and has an opening and a deflecting surface accessible through the opening. A strike plate is coupled to the other of the tub or the door and received within the opening in the receiving collar in an insertion direction. The strike plate has at least one biasing element.