System for cleaning a membrane element, in particular a membrane element of a water-carrying household appliance, and method for cleaning a membrane element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing membrane elements in water-conducting household appliances become clogged quickly due to particle accumulation, leading to deflection and reduced filtering effectiveness, and current solutions like flexible squeegees and support structures increase wear and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A system with a support structure having only support webs along the direction of squeegee movement, combined with a squeegee element that maintains consistent contact with the membrane element, optimizing the squeegee edge profile to match the membrane's expected deflection, allowing for a dimensionally stable and flexible design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional support structures with longitudinal and transverse struts are used to support the membrane element, then the membrane element stability is improved, but the squeegee element wear increases due to crossing over transverse struts
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into only longitudinal struts running parallel to the squeegee movement direction, eliminating transverse struts that cause wear. This segmentation allows the membrane element to be supported while enabling the squeegee to move freely without crossing obstacles.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having struts perpendicular to the cleaning direction (traditional approach), the struts are arranged parallel to the cleaning direction. This inversion of the traditional support structure configuration eliminates the wear problem caused by the squeegee crossing over transverse struts.
2Productivity
If the membrane element is clamped to counteract deflection during squeegee movement, then the particle removal effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex clamping mechanism is removed entirely. Instead of actively clamping the membrane element, the invention relies on the simplified longitudinal strut support structure to provide adequate support during squeegee movement, maintaining particle removal effectiveness without the added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane element's own flexibility and the support structure's configuration work together to maintain stability during cleaning. The system uses the natural properties of the membrane and the strategic placement of longitudinal struts to prevent excessive deflection without requiring additional active clamping mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible squeegees are used to accommodate membrane deflection, then the adaptability to membrane shape is improved, but the manufacturing precision and service life are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the squeegee flexible to adapt to membrane deflection, the invention inverts the approach by making the support structure (longitudinal struts) responsible for maintaining membrane stability. This allows the use of a dimensionally stable, rigid squeegee element with precise manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The key parameter change is in the support structure configuration (only longitudinal struts without transverse ones), which fundamentally alters how the membrane is supported during cleaning. This parameter change enables the use of rigid, precisely manufactured squeegee elements while still accommodating the membrane's natural flexibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
System (1) for cleaning a membrane element (2), in particular a membrane element (2) of a water-bearing household appliance, comprising: a support structure (20) to which the membrane element (2) is attached; and a squeegee element (10) which, during operation, is movable over the membrane element (2) along a squeegee movement direction (RB) for cleaning the membrane element (2), wherein the support structure (20) in the area of the membrane element (2) processed by the squeegee element has exclusively support webs (21) which extend along the squeegee movement direction (RB).