Glass holder attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glass holder attachments for dishwashers do not provide a secure and efficient way to wash and dry stemmed glasses, as they often slip during washing and lack a mechanism for easy positioning on both the dishwasher receptacle and a kitchen surface.
Innovation Solution
A glass holder attachment with dual-function feet that securely attach to both the dishwasher receptacle and a kitchen surface, featuring U-shaped or rod-shaped feet that prevent slipping and allow for easy handling, along with a holder design that suspends glasses for efficient drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the glass holder attachment uses simple feet for support, then the device complexity is reduced, but the attachment reliability deteriorates as the glasses slip during washing
Solution Approach 1:
The feet are divided into multiple functional segments: U-shaped feet for gripping the receptacle wire, rod-shaped feet for positioning on the receptacle, and feet with positioning elements for stable placement on kitchen surfaces. This segmentation allows each foot type to specialize in a specific function, improving overall attachment reliability without requiring a completely complex redesign of the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different feet are designed with different local qualities and geometries optimized for their specific functions. U-shaped feet have curved gripping surfaces for wire engagement, rod-shaped feet have cylindrical surfaces for linear positioning, and feet for kitchen surfaces have flat bases with positioning elements. This local optimization of foot geometries enhances attachment reliability at each contact point while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If the glass holder attachment is designed to be permanently fixed in the dishwasher, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as the user cannot easily remove and clean the attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment transitions from a static permanently-fixed design to a dynamic removable design. The feet are designed to engage with and disengage from the receptacle structure through simple mechanical interactions. This dynamic capability allows the attachment to be easily removed for cleaning while maintaining secure attachment during the washing cycle, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and attachment reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the glasses are placed directly on the kitchen surface for drying, then the drying efficiency is improved, but the glasses are at risk of damage from contact with the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment extends the drying space from the two-dimensional kitchen surface into the third dimension by suspending glasses vertically from the attachment structure. The feet position the glasses at a specific height above the kitchen surface, creating a vertical drying arrangement. This dimensional change protects glasses from surface contact damage while maintaining efficient air circulation for drying.
4Productivity
If the attachment structure is designed to hold multiple rows of glasses, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional feet and support structures
Solution Approach 1:
The feet are designed with multi-functionality to reduce overall structure complexity. Each foot serves multiple purposes: providing structural support, enabling attachment to the receptacle, positioning on kitchen surfaces, and in some cases, directly supporting glasses. This universal design allows multiple rows of glasses to be held without proportionally increasing the number of feet and support structures, thus improving productivity while controlling device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A glass holder attachment for a receptacle for items to be washed includes a holder configured to hold a plurality of stemmed glasses, a plurality of first feet to enable the glass holder attachment to be set on the receptacle and washed together with the stemmed glasses in a household dishwasher, and a plurality of second feet to enable the glass holder attachment to be set down on a level surface in such a manner that the stemmed glasses are arranged at a distance above the surface.