Height-Adjustable Dish Rack Handle for Ergonomic Dishwasher Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of household dishwashers often need to bend or kneel to pull out the lower rack, which can be inconvenient and strains the body.

Innovation Solution

A height-adjustable handle for the lower rack in household dishwashers, which can be shifted from a starting position to an operating position using a locking device, allowing for ergonomic handling without the need to bend or kneel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the lower rack is located near the bottom of the wash tub, then the dishwasher can accommodate more dishes, but the user must kneel or bend down to pull it out or push it back in

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedishes capacityVSAvoiduser comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is designed to be height-adjustable, allowing users to dynamically change the handle position to a comfortable height. This enables the lower rack to maintain its capacity while providing ergonomic operation at various heights, resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and user comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The handle height parameter can be changed to different positions using the locking device. This parameter change allows the same lower rack structure to serve both purposes: maintaining dishes capacity when the handle is in the original position and providing ergonomic operation when the handle is adjusted to a higher position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a height-adjustable handle is added to the lower rack, then ergonomic handling is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle ergonomicsVSAvoidhandle structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is segmented into multiple components: a handle body, a locking device, and a height-adjustment mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall system manageable despite the increased complexity, while enabling ergonomic operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The locking device is designed to automatically lock the handle at the selected height position without requiring additional tools or complex mechanisms. The handle itself serves to activate the locking mechanism, reducing the need for external components and minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3254604B1Dish rack and household dishwasher including the same
Publication Date: 2022.12.14 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3254604B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3254604B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3254604B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a crockery basket (12), in particular a lower basket, for a household dishwasher (1), with a basket-shaped washware holder (15), a handle (20) arranged on the washware holder (15) and a locking device (27), the handle (20) is height-adjustable, the handle (20) being displaceable from an initial position (AP) into at least one operating position (BP) for height adjustment, and the handle (20) being both in the initial position (AP) and in the at least one operating position (BP) can be locked using the locking device (27).