Removable Squeegee Filter Unit for Household Appliance Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional filter units in water-conducting household appliances clog quickly, requiring frequent cleaning to prevent contamination and maintain efficiency, with existing solutions lacking clear guidance on cleaning frequency and method.
Innovation Solution
A filter unit design with a removable squeegee unit and filter membrane, featuring a drive unit for relative movement to prevent clogging, and a removal opening for easy access and cleaning, ensuring dirt particles remain in the unit and do not contaminate the appliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filter unit is cleaned frequently using conventional methods, then the filter unit remains functional, but the cleaning process is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into separable components: the filter membrane (first component) and the doctor unit (second component). This segmentation allows each component to be cleaned independently and quickly, reducing overall cleaning time while maintaining filter functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The doctor unit is designed to be removable from the filter housing. By extracting the doctor unit, users can access and clean the filter membrane efficiently, and the doctor unit itself can be cleaned separately, significantly reducing cleaning time and effort.
2Ease of operation
If the filter membrane is cleaned in place, then cleaning is convenient, but dirt particles may be dispersed into the appliance
Solution Approach 1:
The doctor unit is extracted from the filter housing during cleaning operations. This allows the filter membrane to be cleaned in a controlled manner where dirt particles remain contained within the filter housing, preventing dispersion into the appliance while maintaining ease of cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable doctor unit acts as an intermediary that can be taken out to facilitate cleaning. By removing this component, the cleaning process becomes simpler while ensuring dirt particles stay contained, as the doctor unit's removal creates a controlled access point rather than dispersing contaminants.
3Device complexity
If the filter unit is designed with fixed components, then the structure is simple, but cleaning access is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is segmented into the filter membrane and the doctor unit, with the doctor unit designed to be removable. This segmentation maintains relatively simple overall structure while dramatically improving cleaning accessibility, as the doctor unit can be easily removed to access the filter membrane for cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The doctor unit transitions from a fixed state during operation to a removable state during cleaning. This dynamic design allows the structure to remain simple and compact during normal operation while providing easy cleaning access when needed, balancing structural simplicity with operational ease.
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 quick and easy cleaning of the filter unit, reducing clogging and maintaining appliance performance by allowing the squeegee unit to be cleaned externally and the filter membrane to be easily accessed, ensuring efficient fluid filtration.
Implementation Method 1
the squeegee means essentially rest on a filter membrane of the filter unit... the filter membrane is scraped or cleaned by moving the squeegee means and the filter unit relative to one another
Implementation Method 2
the filter assembly comprises at least a first component and at least one second component, wherein the at least one first component has at least one filter membrane for filtering the fluid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A water-bearing household appliance (1) with a filter unit (3) for filtering fluids (6) comprising a filter housing (9) with at least one wall element (11), a filter assembly (18), wherein the filter assembly (18) comprises at least one first component (19a) and at least one second component (19b). The at least one first component (19a) has at least one filter membrane (23) for filtering the fluid (6), and the at least one second component (19b) comprises a squeegee unit (20) that cleans the at least one filter membrane (23), wherein the squeegee unit (20) has at least one squeegee arm (21) and the at least one squeegee arm (21) is substantially in contact with the at least one filter membrane (23).Furthermore, the filter unit (3) comprises at least one filter inlet opening (13) through which fluid (6) flows into the filter unit (3) and at least one filter outlet opening (15) which is formed in the area of the filter membrane (23) and through which the fluid (6) flows out of the filter housing (9), wherein a withdrawal opening (29) is formed on the filter housing (9) through which at least one of the components (19a, 19b) of the filter assembly (18) can be removed from the filter housing (9) in a withdrawal direction (E) such that deposited dirt particles (26) remain in the filter housing (9).