Food Waste Disposer Grinding Mechanism

Abstract

A grinding mechanism for a food waste disposer includes a grinding ring defining a plurality of window openings therethrough. A backing member receives the grinding ring and defines a plurality of cavities therein corresponding to the window openings. A plurality of stacked disks form a rotatable shredder plate that is situated to rotate relative to the grinding plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a prior art food waste disposer grinding mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view showing portions of a food waste disposer embodying aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate aspects of an exemplary stacked shredder plate assembly.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another exemplary stacked shredder plate assembly.

FIG. 8 is a side view conceptually illustrating portions of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3-7.

FIG. 9 is a close up view showing part of the food waste disposer illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 10-12 illustrates exemplary stationary grind ring assemblies in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate aspects of another exemplary stacked shredder plate assembly having two stacked disks.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate aspects of a further exemplary stacked shredder plate assembly having three stacked disks.

FIGS. 17 and 18 conceptually illustrate aspects of still further exemplary stacked shredder plate assemblies.

FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate aspects of yet another exemplary stacked shredder plate assembly.

Claims

1. A grinding mechanism for a food waste disposer, comprising: a grinding ring having a plurality of window openings therethrough; anda backing member in which the grinding ring is received, the backing member having a plurality of cavities therein corresponding to the window openings.

2. The grinding mechanism of claim 1, wherein the grinding ring includes a plurality of notches therein.

3. The grinding mechanism of claim 2, wherein the notches and windows alternate around a periphery of the grinding ring.

4. The grinding mechanism of claim 1, wherein the grinding ring further includes a plurality of radially inwardly extending breaker members.

5. The grinding mechanism of claim 1, wherein the backing member is made of plastic.

6. The grinding mechanism of claim 1, further including a rotatable shredder plate situated to rotate relative to the grinding ring.

7. The grinding mechanism of claim 6, further including a lug attached to the shredder plate.

8. The grinding mechanism of claim 6, wherein the shredder plate includes a plurality of disks stacked together.

9. The grinding mechanism of claim 8, wherein at least one of the disks has a plurality of radially outwardly extending teeth about its periphery.

10. The grinding mechanism of claim 8, wherein the shredder plate includes a support member.

11. The grinding mechanism of claim 10, wherein the support member includes lugs extending through openings in the disks.

12. The grinding mechanism of claim 8, wherein the disks have different radiuses.

13. The grinding mechanism of claim 8, wherein the disks have different thicknesses.

14. The grinding mechanism of claim 9, wherein the disks include an upper disk and a lower disk, the lower disk including the teeth and the teeth extend radially outwardly from the periphery of the lower disk in a plane different than a plane in which a body of the lower disk lies.

15. A food waste disposer system, comprising: a grinding mechanism, the grinding mechanism including a stationary grinding ring and a rotatable shredder plate assembly;the grinding ring having a plurality of window openings therethrough;the grinding mechanism including a backing member in which the grinding ring is received, the backing member having a plurality of cavities therein corresponding to the window openings; anda motor driving the rotatable shredder plate assembly.

16. The food waste disposer of claim 15, wherein the grinding ring includes a plurality of notches therein.

17. The food waste disposer of claim 16, wherein the notches and windows alternate around a periphery of the grinding ring.

18. The food waste disposer of claim 15, wherein the grinding ring further includes a plurality of radially inwardly extending breaker members.

19. The food waste disposer of claim 15, wherein the backing member is made of plastic.

20. The food waste disposer of claim 15, further including a rotatable shredder plate situated to rotate relative to the grinding ring.

21. The food waste disposer of claim 20, further including a lug attached to the shredder plate.

22. The food waste disposer of claim 20, wherein the shredder plate includes a plurality of disks stacked together.

23. The food waste disposer of claim 22, wherein at least one of the disks has a plurality of radially outwardly extending teeth about its periphery.

24. The food waste disposer of claim 22, wherein the shredder plate includes a support member.

25. The food waste disposer of claim 24, wherein the support member includes lugs extending through openings in the disks.

26. The food waste disposer of claim 22, wherein the disks have different radiuses.

27. The food waste disposer of claim 22, wherein the disks have different thicknesses.

28. The food waste disposer of claim 23, wherein the disks include an upper disk and a lower disk, the lower disk including the teeth and the teeth extend radially outwardly from the periphery of the lower disk in a plane different than a plane in which a body of the lower disk lies.