Integrated Pump Housing Layout for Medical Washer Fluid Supply

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cleaning and disinfection machines face challenges with complex and prone-to-failure fluid supply systems, leading to increased water consumption, potential leaks, and operational safety risks due to external supply lines and branched water paths.

Innovation Solution

The design integrates the collecting pot and pump housing as a single component, with a 90° rotation of the circulation pump to align with the spray arms, reducing the need for external supply lines and optimizing water flow, using a central supply pipe within the washing chamber and a valve device for fluid separation during drying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If external supply lines are used to supply rinsing liquor to the spray device, then the spray device can be supplied with rinsing liquor, but the system becomes more complex and prone to leaks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational safetyVSAvoidfluid supply system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation pump is integrated directly into the collecting pot, eliminating the need for external supply lines. The pump housing forms a unified structure with the collecting pot, creating a compact fluid circulation system that reduces leak points and simplifies the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of substance

If supply lines are routed outside the washing compartment, then the washing space is maximized, but water consumption increases due to flow losses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater consumptionVSAvoidwashing space
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation pump and collecting pot are merged into a single integrated unit, allowing supply lines to be routed internally through the pump housing rather than externally. This eliminates unnecessary flow path length and deflections, reducing water loss while maintaining washing space efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If multiple spray arms are arranged one above the other, then the spray device can effectively clean items, but the fluid supply system becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidfluid supply system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated circulation pump serving the collecting pot functions as a central hub that supplies multiple spray arms arranged vertically. The single pump unit provides universal fluid supply to all spray arms through internal routing, eliminating the need for separate supply lines for each spray arm level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Device complexity

If the circulation pump is positioned away from the collecting pot, then the pump can operate independently, but the system requires more components and connections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidsystem reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation pump is positioned within the collecting pot structure, with the pump housing forming an integral part of the pot assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate components and connections, thereby simplifying the system while improving reliability by eliminating potential failure points at connection interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 minimizes flow losses, reduces water consumption, enhances operational safety by minimizing leak points, simplifies water drainage, and reduces the number of components, resulting in easier handling and cost-effectiveness while conserving resources.

Implementation Method 1

a circulation pump (15) for circulating the rinsing liquor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPump: Pump

Implementation Method 2

a spray device (23) arranged in the rinsing space for feeding the items to be washed with rinsing liquor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpray: Spray

Implementation Method 3

The design integrates the collecting pot and pump housing as a single component, with a 90° rotation of the circulation pump to align with the spray arms, reducing the need for external supply lines and optimizing water flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow optimization:

Data Source

PatentEP2656768B1Cleaning and disinfection machine
Publication Date: 2016.06.08 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP2656768B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2656768B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2656768B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an automatic cleaning and disinfection machine, in particular for medical instruments and devices, with a rinsing container (3) providing a rinsing space (4) which opens into a collecting pot (12), and a spray device (23) arranged in the rinsing space (4) for loading of items to be washed with rinsing liquor and a circulation pump (15) used to circulate the rinsing liquor. An automatic cleaning and disinfection machine of the type mentioned is proposed, which is characterized in that the collecting pot (12) of the circulation pump (15) serves as a pump housing, for which purpose the collecting pot (12) and the pump housing are designed as a single component.