Household Appliance Stacked Electrical Assembly for Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current household appliance production still requires manual assembly steps for establishing electrical connections, limiting the level of automation in the assembly process.
Innovation Solution
The design of household appliances with components arranged in superimposed levels allows for automated assembly using assembly robots, where connection movements align with assembly directions, enabling the connection of consumer loads, delivery systems, mains connection means, and control units in a single, automated movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual assembly steps are used for establishing electrical connections, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but the level of automation in the assembly process is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance is divided into modular components arranged in superimposed levels, each with integrated connection means. This segmentation allows automated robots to assemble each module independently while maintaining electrical connectivity, resolving the contradiction between automation and manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
Connection means are integrated within the modular components themselves rather than being separate elements. This nesting allows the connection functionality to be embedded in the assembly units, enabling automated handling and connection without requiring separate manual wiring steps.
2Productivity
If components are arranged in superimposed levels with aligned connection movements, then automated assembly efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Components are arranged in vertical superimposed levels rather than horizontal layouts. This dimensional change allows automated robots to access and connect components from a single direction (vertically), simplifying the automation process while improving assembly efficiency despite the increased vertical stacking complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection means are designed with universal compatibility across different modular components. The same connection interface and movement pattern can be used for connecting various types of components (consumer loads, delivery systems, control units), reducing the complexity of designing and implementing automated assembly for each component type.
3Extent of automation
If connection means are integrated within modular components, then automated connection becomes feasible, but the initial device design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Connection means are merged with the modular components themselves rather than being separate elements. This integration allows automated robots to establish electrical connections as part of the basic assembly process, eliminating the need for separate manual wiring steps despite the increased design complexity of integrated interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance (10) comprises a housing or an installation case (112), particularly a protection box. The household appliance (10) further comprises at least two of a consumer load (132, 232) for consumption of electrical power, a delivery system for delivery of electrical power to the at least one consumer load (132, 232), mains connection means for a connection of the household appliance (10) to the electric power supply, a control unit and/or an operating panel (20) for appliance control and/or for user interaction, and at least one connection means (144, 144′, 146, 146′, 258, 256, 260′) for electrical connection of the at least two of the consumer load (132, 232), the delivery system for electrical power, the mains connection means, and the control unit and/or the operating panel (20). The at least two of the consumer load (132, 232), the delivery system for electrical power, the mains connection means, and the control unit and/or the operating panel (20) are arranged or arrangeable within the housing or installation case (112) in superimposed levels. Furthermore, at least one of the consumer load (132, 232), the delivery system for electrical power, the mains connection means, and the control unit and/or the operating panel (20) comprises a first connection means (144, 144′, 258) for electrical connection, which is connectable to a second connection means (146, 146′, 260, 260′) for electrical connection in a connection movement, which points in the same direction as or complies with an assembly movement for assembling the at least one of the consumer load (132, 232), the delivery system for electrical power, the mains connection means, and the control unit and/or the operating panel (20) in the housing or installation case (112). Said second connection means (146, 146′, 260, 260′) is arranged or has been arranged in the housing or installation case (112).