Modular dishwasher rack with interchangeable and customizable basket inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional third, top washware racks in dishwashers are limited in capacity, flexibility, and versatility due to a bulky plastic insert that restricts clearance and allows limited customization for loading different types of items.
Innovation Solution
A modular washware rack with interchangeable and customizable basket inserts that can be adjusted in height and removed for unloading, featuring an open frame with upper and lower level support structures and slidable inserts, allowing for asymmetrical or symmetrical configurations and different sizes to accommodate various items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a bulky plastic insert is used to form the basket of the top washware rack, then the structural integrity and ease of manufacture are improved, but the clearance between the rack and the top wall is reduced, limiting the capacity and versatility of the rack
Solution Approach 1:
The basket is divided into multiple modular insert sections that can be independently arranged and configured. These segmented inserts replace the single bulky plastic piece, allowing flexible arrangement to maximize clearance while maintaining structural integrity through the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack design transitions from a fixed single-level basket to a multi-level configuration with adjustable inserts at different heights. This dimensional change allows items of varying heights to be accommodated, effectively increasing the usable volume and clearance without compromising manufacturing simplicity.
2Device complexity
If a fixed depth basket insert is used in the top washware rack, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the flexibility and versatility for accommodating different items are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The basket inserts are designed to be adjustable in position and depth, transforming the static fixed-depth basket into a dynamic reconfigurable structure. Users can move inserts to different locations and adjust their depth to match the height of different items, greatly enhancing versatility while keeping each individual insert relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular insert system creates universal components that can serve multiple functions and accommodate various item types. The same set of standardized inserts can be rearranged to hold different configurations of dishes, glasses, and utensils, replacing the need for multiple specialized fixed-depth baskets.
3Ease of operation
If a large plastic piece is used to form the basket, then the ease of operation for installation is improved, but the capacity and loading flexibility of the rack are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The basket is segmented into multiple smaller insert modules that can be independently installed and removed. This segmentation maintains ease of operation by allowing users to install only the inserts needed for their current loading requirements, while simultaneously increasing capacity through optimized space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert system allows dynamic change of configuration parameters such as insert position, depth, and arrangement pattern. Users can adjust these parameters based on the items being loaded, maximizing the rack's capacity and loading flexibility while keeping each individual insert simple and easy to install.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular washware rack for a dishwasher, including an open frame having an upper level support structure that is configured to accept at least one basket insert from above and support the at least one basket insert at an upper level, the open frame having a lower level support structure, the at least one basket insert being adjustable in height by lifting and removing the at least one basket insert from the upper level support structure of the open frame and then sliding the at least one basket insert along the lower level support structure to support the at least one basket at a lower level.