Inventor's patent application reveals "shape-shifting" dishwasher

It's not all that often we see advances in dishwasher technology, but inventor Paul Frigout of Coventry University looks to have been hard at work at just that, and a recent patent application has now revealed what he's been up to. There's no robots or waterless technology involved here, however, but simply a movable partition that lets you change the size of the washing compartment to accommodate various size loads. That'll apparently not only let you cut down on the amount of water used, but give you room to store clean dishes in the other compartment, or put 'em through an alternate washing cycle. Needless to say, there's no indication as to when we might actually see such a dishwasher, but it sure is a lot less far fetched than most of the patent applications we see.

[Via New Scientist Tech]

[Casper42 @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:53PM]

If you could run the top section and bottom section independently, then it would be Perfect for the Bachelor Pad.

Put all the clean dishes in the bottom and as you use them load them in the top. Once most of the dishes are in the top, move the remaining ones up and run the dishwasher.
Now just repeat but go the other direction.

Never need to "put away the dishes" again.



I think some Russian inventor had a similar invention for a small household which was a table with a dishwasher integrated into the pedestal. The top was cut in half the slid open to reveal a top loading small dishwasher. So when you were done with dinner, you just slid open the top, shoved all the dishes into the dishwasher and turned it on.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:54PM]

if it can shapeshift into a frappacino making machine that cleans the bottle I'm all for it!! :P

[johnnychipface @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:13PM]

I live in Coventry and I have to say that it's not a very nice place to live but this changes everything! The next time I'm held at fist point by a crack addict (people are too hard here to hide behind guns so instead they sharpen their knuckles until they can cut rocks with them) at least I'll be safe in the knowledge that although they may take my life, they will never take my freedom to live in a city where people patent crap.

[IndiaTech @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:26PM]

"Wonder Twin powers, activate!"
Form of Ice Dish Washer...

[Jeff @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:34PM]

How sure are we that this isn't some cleverly disguised Apple patent?

[Reader @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:44PM]

Not as cool as the title would have you think.

[mattwier @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:46PM]

Thanks for the post guys, but this patent went public 6.12.2007 (it's on their site).

[DarCowAlways @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:09PM]

TRANSFORMERS!

*Robots in disguise!*

[Chris @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:27PM]

I don't need a shap-shifting dishwasher, I need someone who will do the dishes for me.

[yoshi @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:26PM]

This seems a very complicated solution to the problem of different size loads. Instead, why not leave the washing compartment the exact same size and give it multiple washing cycles - one for small loads, one for large loads, and so on.

Wait....washers already do that, don't they?

[Ambro @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:52PM]

I recall that Russian patents blog featured a "100 best Russian dishwashers" or similarly titled article some time ago. Those Russian inventors...

[Panathas17 @ Mar 4th 2008 12:14AM]

echochrome!

[Stop!! @ Mar 4th 2008 12:43AM]

"Needless to say, there's no indication as to when we might actually see such a dishwasher." Please stop saying "needless to say". It's needless... to say the least.

[SoreThumb @ Mar 4th 2008 12:48AM]

Mighty Morphin Dish Washer.

Kinda useless, unless all the parts combine into a robo-roommie who actually "DOES the dishes."

[Rich Wiggins @ Mar 4th 2008 10:33AM]

Good to see creative thinking, but 2 part dishwashers came out in Europe a while ago, and are available in the US since 2006 or so.

It's really 2 dishwashers in 1, drawers one atop the other. Good for small families or those with complicated schedules. Wastes some space. If 1 dishwasher dies, you have a backup.

Clever idea, already implemeted. No need for shape shifting unless you need to wash a giant object.