Warewasher Drain Well and Sliding Strainer for Pump Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial warewashers often have separate drain and pump intake systems, which can complicate cleaning operations and reduce pump efficiency due to the separate locations of liquid drainage and recirculation.
Innovation Solution
A combined drain and pump intake system with a drain control assembly that includes a strainer and stopper, allowing for the recirculation of liquid while preventing large items from entering the drain, and enabling easy switching between closed and open configurations to manage liquid flow and drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If separate drain and pump intake systems are used, then drainage function is provided, but device complexity increases and pump efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drain opening and pump intake into a single well structure. The drain body forms a common chamber where both drainage and pump intake functions are integrated, eliminating the need for separate systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining pump efficiency through proper fluid dynamics design.
Solution Approach 2:
The well structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a drain receptacle for waste liquid and a pump intake chamber for recirculation. The single well design provides universal functionality for both drainage and pump operation, reducing the number of components needed in the system.
2Ease of operation
If strainer is moved with drain stopper, then drain control is simplified, but tableware blocking risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strainer is extracted from the moving components and fixed separately at the bottom of the well. This separation allows the drain stopper to move freely for opening and closing drainage without the strainer interfering, while the fixed strainer continues to filter tableware effectively. The strainer is taken out of the moving assembly to eliminate the blocking risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed strainer acts as an intermediary element between the movable drain stopper and the well bottom. It provides a stationary filtering barrier that prevents tableware from reaching areas where moving components could cause blocking, mediating between the mechanical movement of the stopper and the structural integrity of the drain system.
3Productivity
If drain opening is always open, then drainage is efficient, but liquid level control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The drain opening is designed to be dynamically controllable through the movable drain stopper. The system transitions between open and closed states based on operational needs, allowing efficient drainage when opened and liquid level maintenance when closed. The dynamic nature of the stopper mechanism enables flexible response to different operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated well structure allows the system to self-regulate liquid levels when the drain is closed, using the same chamber for both drainage and pump intake. The design enables automatic adaptation between drainage mode and recirculation mode without requiring external control systems, as the single well naturally manages fluid levels based on pump operation.
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
Simplifies cleaning operations, improves pump performance by maintaining liquid level and preventing blockages, and allows for efficient recirculation of liquid, enhancing the overall efficiency of the warewashing process.
Implementation Method 1
a strainer (132) at the bottom of the well (72) for straining liquid flowing into the well (72)
Implementation Method 2
a pump intake in communication with the well (72) for receiving liquid for pumping
Data Source
AI summary
A warewasher for washing wares includes a chamber for receiving wares. The chamber has an associated liquid delivery system for spraying liquid onto wares within the chamber. A tank collects the sprayed liquid. A liquid recirculation system moves liquid from the tank back to the liquid delivery system. A drain system is located within the tank. The drain system includes a well, a liquid recirculation system inlet within the well and a drain opening within the well. A drain control assembly includes a drain stopper member and a strainer connected with the drain stopper member. When the drain stopper member is positioned to block flow through the drain opening, the strainer is positioned to block passage of tableware into the well. The strainer is mounted for sliding movement along a length of the drain stopper member enabling, when the drain stopper member is raised slightly to permit flow out of the drain opening, the strainer to remain in position to block passage of tableware into the well.