Undercounter Drain Pan Structure for Slide-In Appliance Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drain pans are ineffective for undercounter appliances like dishwashers and standalone icemakers, as they cannot be lifted into position due to their design, leading to potential flooding and damage from leaks.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile appliance drain pan with a central depression and horizontal ledges allows undercounter appliances to be slid into place, capturing and diverting water through a drain hole, with optional support pillars and retention protrusions for stability and drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional drain pan with four upwardly projecting walls is used, then water containment is improved, but appliance installation becomes difficult because the appliance cannot be slid into position
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pan utilizes the vertical dimension by extending downward into the floor cavity to achieve full water containment, while maintaining a low profile above the floor surface that allows appliances to be slid into position horizontally without obstruction
Solution Approach 2:
The drain pan is nested into the floor cavity, with only a minimal rim extending above the floor surface. This nesting approach allows the pan to have full containment walls without interfering with appliance installation
2Ease of operation
If a drip pan with no front wall is used to allow sliding installation, then appliance installation is improved, but water containment deteriorates because leaking water is not captured
Solution Approach 1:
The containment function is moved from the horizontal plane to the vertical dimension by extending the pan downward into the floor cavity, allowing full containment without requiring high front walls that would block appliance installation
3Reliability
If the drain pan is extended deeper to improve water capture volume, then water containment is improved, but the profile becomes too high to allow undercounter appliance installation
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pan extends its volume primarily in the vertical dimension downward into the floor cavity rather than upward above the floor surface, achieving large water capture capacity while maintaining a low profile that accommodates undercounter appliances
Data Source
AI summary
An appliance drain pan comprises an upturned rim around an outer edge of the drain pan, a horizontal rear ledge, a horizontal front ledge, horizontal left and right side support ledges, and a central depression between the rear and front ledges. The central depression is deeper than the rear, front, and side support ledges relative to a top edge of the rim. At least a portion of the central depression extends under at least a portion of each of the side support ledges.