1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a milling device, and particularly to a grain mill.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, oats are prepared in a few different ways. Once the husk is removed, the resulting oat groats are either chopped into smaller pieces to produce steel-cut oats or steamed and rolled to produce rolled oats. Although steel-cut oats are more textured than rolled oats, they take a long time to cook, usually at least fifteen minutes. Rolled oats, on the other hand, are quicker to cook, but tend to produce softer oatmeal and lose the texture and mouth feel of the steel-cut oats.
Previous attempts to produce textured oats with short cooking times have resulted in what are called instant oats. Instant oats are typically produced by taking steel-cut oats and subjecting them to a steaming process in order to prepare the oat for quicker cooking. However, the resulting instant oats still lose texture through the steaming process, and produce softer oatmeal than traditional and steel-cut oats. Furthermore, instant oats are oftentimes produced in a factory setting due to the requirements of the steaming process. As a result, there is a significant period of time between processing and when the consumer receives the processed oats, resulting in oats that are not very fresh.
The invention described herein solves these disadvantages by providing a portable grain mill capable of processing materials in a retail setting. In the particular case of oats, the inventive grain mill provides fresher product to the end consumer, capable of cooking more quickly than steel-cut oats, and having an improved texture over instant oats.
In one embodiment of the invention, the grain mill comprises a grinding mill adapted to receive a material. The grinding mill further comprises a grinding cylinder, an inner concave surface, and a motor assembly. The inner concave surface is positioned adjacent the grinding cylinder, thereby creating a tapered passage between the inner concave surface and the grinding cylinder. The tapered passage becomes progressively narrow from an inlet to an outlet. The motor assembly is adapted to rotate the grinding cylinder. When the material is received into the grinding mill at the inlet of the tapered passage, and the motor assembly is engaged, the grinding cylinder will rotate, thereby moving the material along the tapered passage and forcing the material out the outlet, during which the material is ground, crushed, flattened, or broken.
In another form of the invention, a grain mill is presented herein comprising a dispenser adapted to receive and store a material. The dispenser comprises a cavity capable of housing the material, and an outlet opening capable of delivering the material. The grain mill further comprises a grinding mill adapted to receive the material from the outlet opening of the dispenser. The grinding mill comprises a grinding cylinder and a motor assembly adapted to rotate the grinding cylinder. The grain mill further comprises a support assembly adapted to receive the material from the grinding mill into a material receiving portion. When the material is dispensed into the grinding mill from the dispenser, and the motor assembly is engaged, the grinding cylinder will rotate, thereby moving the material along a tapered passage and forcing the material across a sharp edge, causing the material to be ground, crushed, flattened, broken, or cut, dispensing the material into the receiving portion of the support assembly and thereby allowing the material to be delivered to the user.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the grain mill comprises a dispenser, a grinding mill, and a support assembly. The dispenser is adapted to receive and store a material. The dispenser comprises two side walls connected by a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, and a back wall, thereby forming a cavity adapted to house the material therein. The dispenser further comprises an outlet opening adapted to accommodate a chute adapted to deliver the material.
The grinding mill is adapted to receive the material from the chute. The grinding mill comprises a textured grinding cylinder, an inner concave surface, and a motor assembly. The inner concave surface has a smooth texture and is positioned adjacent the grinding cylinder, thereby creating a tapered passage between the inner concave surface and the grinding cylinder. The tapered passage becomes progressively narrow from an inlet to an outlet, where the smallest distance between the grinding cylinder and the inner concave surface is between 0.035 and 0.045 inches. The motor assembly is adapted to rotate the grinding cylinder. The motor assembly further comprises a motor attached to a switch mechanism. The switch mechanism is adapted to electrically connect the motor assembly to an electric power source. The switch mechanism is further adapted to provide or terminate power to the motor. When the switch mechanism provides power to the motor, the motor causing the grinding cylinder to rotate. When the switch mechanism terminates power to the motor, the motor stops rotating the grinding cylinder.
The support assembly includes a material receiving portion, a device receiving portion, and a ground interfacing portion. The material receiving provides a location to collect the material as it is dispensed from the grinding mill. The device receiving portion is adapted to provide support for the dispenser and the grinding mill. The ground interfacing portion is adapted to provide stability and support to the grain mill while also allowing for transportability;
The material is received from the dispenser, through the chute, into the grinding mill at the inlet of the tapered passage. When the motor assembly is engaged, the grinding cylinder will rotate, thereby moving the material along the tapered passage and forcing the material across a sharp edge at the termination of the outlet of the tapered passage. This causes the material to be ground, crushed, broken, flattened, or cut and dispenses the material into the material receiving portion of the support assembly, allowing the material to be delivered to the user.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
For purposes of the following description, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal” and derivatives of such terms shall relate to the invention as oriented in
As used herein, the term “groats” generally refers to a grain that has been ‘hulled’ by removing its outer covering or husk. Hulled grains, such as oats, wheat, or barley, represent the most common form of grains from which “groats” are derived, however the term “groats” as used herein refers to any grain which is broken or crushed, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
An improved grain mill 10 is presented herein comprising: a support assembly 12, a dispenser 14, a chute 16, and a grinding mill 18. The support assembly 12 provides support for the grain mill 10, securing the dispenser 14, the chute 16, and the grinding mill 18 in position relative to one another. The support assembly 12 further allows for the grain mill 10 to be easily transported via casters or the like, and optionally provides a material receiving portion 20 adapted to hold a bag or other receptacle to receive processed material 22.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the support assembly 12 is constructed so that a material 24 feeds from the dispenser 14, to the chute 16, and into the grinding mill 18. The material is then ground or broken, wherein it exits from the grinding mill 18 as processed material 22, into the material receiving portion 20 of the support assembly 12.
The dispenser 14 as set forth above is preferably a container for storing the material 24 and delivering the material 24 into the grinding mill 18. The dispenser may be of any shape which forms a cavity 26 capable of housing the material 24 and delivering the same to the grinding mill 18. Preferred shapes for the dispenser 14 include circular, rectangular, or polygonal forms, and may include an integrated chute portion 28.
In the form of the present invention shown in
A preferred form of the top wall 34 of the dispenser 14, is shown in
In reference to
Continuing with
The chute 16, as set forth above and shown in
In the embodiment of the invention shown in
In a further embodiment of the invention, the chute 16 further comprises a gate 76 at the outlet end 72 of the chute 16; the gate 76 adapted to control the flow of the material 24 to the grinding mill 18. The gate 76 is pivotable between open and closed positions, wherein when the gate 76 is in the open position, the material 24 can freely flow to the grinding mill 18, and when the gate 76 is in the closed position, the material 24 is restricted from progressing into the grinding mill 18. Optionally, the pivoting action of the gate 76 may be actuated by a user via a switch or other mechanical device, or the gate 76 may be pivoted by an automatic means such as by a device that opens the gate 76 at timed intervals or after the grinding mill 18 has finished grinding other material 24. In no way is this meant to be limiting, and the gate 76 may comprise any barrier which arrests material 24 flow. In an alternate form of the present invention, the gate 76 may be added to the inlet end 70 of the chute 16 instead of the outlet end 72 or at any position therebetween.
In another embodiment of the invention, the chute 16 may further comprise a selector 78 at the inlet end 70, the selector 78 adapted to allow the user to select between multiple dispensers 14. In one embodiment, the selector 78 may allow for the chute 16 to be slideably or rotatably adjusted so as to allow the inlet end 70 of the chute 16 to align with the outlet opening 54 of one of any number of dispensers 14, or between internal partitions within the dispenser 14. It is anticipated that the material 24 may differ between dispensers 14, thereby providing the user a choice of material 24. It is also anticipated that the same material 24 may be used in multiple dispensers 14 in the event that one of the dispensers is emptied. Further, the selector 78 may include a mid-point setting for mixing materials 24, allowing the grinding mill 18 to receive material 24 from more than one dispenser 14 simultaneously. The form of the selector 78 described herein is not intended to be limiting in any way, and the selector 78 may comprise any such device capable of selection between varying materials 24.
The grinding mill 18 set forth above and shown in
In one embodiment of the invention, the grinder housing 80 is comprised of extruded aluminum that has been anodized to increase resistance to corrosion and wear. In another embodiment, the grinder housing 80 is comprised of an aluminum block that has been milled to shape by a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) mill. In yet another embodiment, the grinder housing 80 is comprised of extruded aluminum material that has been subsequently milled by a CNC mill. Of course, this is not meant to be limiting in any way and the grinder housing 80 and its components may be constructed from any materials and using any processes which are acceptable in the art.
One embodiment of the grinder housing 80, as shown in
The outer surface 92 of the grinding cylinder 82, may further comprise a texture 94 such as a knurl, diamond pattern, horizontal pattern, vertical pattern, v-shaped pattern, or the like to assist with the grinding, crushing, or breaking of the material 24. The inner surface 98 may also be similarly textured to assist with the grinding, crushing, or breaking of the material 24. In one preferred embodiment, shown in
The grinding cylinder 82 is preferably spaced to accept dry materials and preferably oat groats. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in
In one embodiment of the grinder housing 80, shown in
The outlet 86 is adapted to deliver the material 22 from the grinding mill 18 to the material receiving portion 20 of the of the support assembly 12. In one embodiment, shown in
The motor assembly 84 set forth above is a device for powering the grinding cylinder 82. As such, the motor assembly 84 may be of any shape or configuration which allows for the powering of the grinding cylinder 82 and controlling the operation thereof. A preferred form of the motor assembly 84 is shown in
The reduction gearset 104 may attach to the grinding cylinder 18 in any way known in the art. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the grinding cylinder 18 comprises a female configuration and the reduction gearset 104 comprises a male configuration so as to create an optimally rigid connection capable of rotating the grinding cylinder 82 at the preferred speed. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the reduction gearset 14 is adapted to rotate the grinding cylinder 82 at an optimal speed of between fifty and seventy revolutions per minute, preferably sixty revolutions per minute, resulting in the material 24 being ground into an ideal size and texture. However, this is not meant to be limiting, and the grinding cylinder 82 may be configured to rotate at any such speed as will create suitable processed material 22 and may, in fact, be configured to rotate at adjustable speeds to accommodate different types of material 24 or to create processed material 22 of varying size and shape.
The switch mechanism 106 preferably comprises a start button 108 and a stop button 110, whereby the start button 108, provides electric power to the motor 102, thereby rotating the grinding cylinder 82. The stop button 110 terminates power to the motor 102, thereby causing the grinding cylinder 82 to stop. However, it is anticipated that the switch mechanism 106 may comprise any power control mechanism known in the art, including single pole switches, relays, and the like.
The support assembly 12 set forth above and shown in
In one embodiment of the present invention, a preferred form of the support assembly 12 is shown in
A preferred form of the device receiving portion 112 is adapted to receive and support the dispenser 14, the chute 16, and the grinding mill 18 in position to enable operation. It is anticipated that the device receiving portion 112 can support the dispenser 14, the chute 16, and the grinding mill 18 in a number of configurations. In one configuration, the grinding mill 18 may be attached to a top surface 116 of the device receiving portion 112, with the dispenser 14 and chute 16 attached to the grinding mill 18. In another configuration, the dispenser 14 and chute 16 may be attached to the top surface 116 of the device receiving portion 112, with the grinding mill 18 contained within the device receiving portion 112. In yet another configuration, the device receiving portion 112 may further comprise a dispenser stand 118 adapted to hold the dispenser 14 in an upright position. It is anticipated that the device receiving portion 112 may use any number of fastening devices 120 to secure the dispenser 14, the chute 16, and the grinding mill 18 in place, including, but not limited to, screws, bolts, pins, rivets, snap locks, and the like.
A preferred form of the material receiving portion 20 of the of the support assembly 12 comprises a horizontally disposed surface 122 located below the grinding mill 18 and adapted to receive a storage container 124 such as a bag or other container suitable of holding the processed material 22. Optionally, the horizontally disposed surface 122 may further include an indented portion 126 adapted to further enable the surface 122 to accommodate the particular shape or size of the storage container 124.
A preferred form of the ground interfacing portion 114 comprises four ground interfacing elements 128. Preferably, the ground interfacing elements 128 may comprise freely adjustable wheels or casters with a mechanism to lock the wheels in place, thereby enabling the grain mill 10 to be fixed in place during operation while also allowing the grain mill 10 to be easily moved for ideal placement or storage. It is anticipated that the ground interfacing elements 128 may further comprise any number or configuration which permits the support assembly 12 to support the grain mill 10 while in use.
Optionally, the support assembly 12 may further include a storage area 130 adapted to store miscellaneous items, such as extra material 24 or storage containers 124. The storage area 130 may be integrated into the support assembly 12, may be placed on top of the support assembly 12, or may be located in any position on the support assembly 12 that allows for such items to be stored in the grain mill 10.
The invention as described above may be used by feeding material 24 into the grinding mill 18 via the inlet opening 42 of the dispenser 14. The material 24 remains stored in the cavity 26 of the dispenser 14 until dispensed, preferably via gravity feed as the material 24 in the grinding mill 18 is ground and dispensed. The lid 44 of the dispenser 14 may be removed in order to refill the cavity 26 with additional material 24.
When the material 24 is dispensed from the dispenser 14, the material 24 is preferably delivered by gravity feed via the chute 16 to the grinding mill 18. The material 24 enters the grinder housing 80 at the inlet 88. When in operation, the motor 102 of the motor assembly 84 rotates the reduction gearset 104, thereby rotating the grinding cylinder 82 and causing the material 24 to enter the tapered passage 100, where the outer surface 92 of the grinding cylinder 82 and the inner surface 98 of the concave portion 90 grind, crush, break, or cut the material 24. The processed material 22 is then dispensed from the grinding mill 18 at the outlet 86 and optionally delivered, via gravity or other means, to the storage container 124 located at the material receiving portion 20 of the support assembly 12.
The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments and their uses only. Modifications to the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and those who make use of the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and the examples set forth herein are described merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.
This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to an earlier filed U.S. provisional patent application entitled, “GRAIN MILL,” filed Oct. 17, 2012, and assigned Ser. No. 61/714,808, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61714808 | Oct 2012 | US |