Dishwasher with tubular spray element including multiple selectable spray patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional dishwasher spray arm systems waste resources by evenly distributing wash fluid, failing to focus it where needed, and often miss corners of the tub, leading to inefficient cleaning and noise during cycles.

Innovation Solution

A dishwasher with a tubular spray element featuring multiple selectable spray patterns, achieved through a multi-walled design with movable concentric wall sections or a multi-chamber design with a diverter valve, allowing for controlled alignment of apertures to direct wash fluid effectively across different areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a traditional spray arm evenly distributes wash fluid, then all areas are covered, but resources are wasted and cleaning efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidresource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The spray arm is designed with selectively activatable aperture groups that direct wash fluid to specific local areas of the wash tub based on detected utensil positions. Instead of evenly distributing fluid to all areas, the system concentrates spray only where needed, improving cleaning efficiency while reducing resource waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The spray arm incorporates movable aperture groups that can be selectively activated or deactivated based on real-time detection of utensil locations. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt fluid distribution patterns to match the actual load configuration, preventing resource waste on empty areas while ensuring adequate coverage of soiled items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a tubular spray element uses a fixed spray pattern, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different utensil placements and load types

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespray pattern adaptabilityVSAvoidspray element structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tubular spray element is divided into multiple aperture groups that can be independently controlled. Each group can be selectively activated based on the detected utensil configuration, allowing the system to adapt to different load types and placements without requiring a completely different spray element design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The spray element incorporates concentric wall sections with apertures at different radial positions, where inner and outer wall apertures can be selectively activated. This nested structure allows multiple spray patterns to be integrated into a single element, providing adaptability while maintaining a compact design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If spray jets are directed to the sides of the wash tub during rotation, then the spray arm covers more area, but unneeded noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespray coverageVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses sensors to detect the position of utensils and the rotation position of the spray arm, then actively controls which aperture groups are activated. This feedback control ensures that spray is directed only at utensils and not at the tub sides, maintaining coverage while eliminating noise from spray impingement on tub walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Manufacturing precision

If a spray pattern focuses on a limited number of locations, then heavily soiled items are cleaned effectively, but areas with gaps in coverage are not cleaned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespray targeting precisionVSAvoidcoverage area

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of utensil positions and pre-calculates which aperture groups should be activated before the spray cycle begins. This allows the system to focus spray precision on heavily soiled items while simultaneously ensuring that all areas with utensils are covered, avoiding gaps in coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11484180B2Dishwasher with tubular spray element including multiple selectable spray patterns

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 MIDEA GROUP CO LTD

AI summary

A dishwasher, dishwasher sprayer, and method of spraying utilize a tubular spray element with multiple selectable spray patterns that can be used during a wash cycle. In some instances, multiple selectable spray patterns may be supported through the use of a multi-walled tubular spray element having concentric wall sections that are movable relative to one another to selectively activate one or more apertures and thereby modify a spray pattern emitted by the tubular spray element. In other instances, multiple selectable spray patterns may be supported through the use of a multi-chamber tubular spray element in which different sets of apertures are in fluid communication with different chambers in the tubular spray element and flow is selectively controlled to one or more of the chambers.