Patent Application
20090256016
The present invention relates to an independent universal cassette for adjusting the degree of fineness of grinding in a condiment mill or a device for breaking up a foodstuff.
How finely a condiment, such as pepper, is ground, or a foodstuff is broken up into powder, flakes or shavings, is generally adjusted using a nut. This nut is mounted on the operating shaft and is unscrewed to adjust how finely a foodstuff is broken up or ground. This type of device, namely the unscrewing of a nut, has the major disadvantage that the setting tends to slip and requires frequent re-adjustment.
However, the grinding adjustment device described in unpublished patent application 04 02299, also belonging to the applicant, describes a grinding device in which the rotation of the operating ring drives a dish-holder part in translation, thus making it possible to vary the relative position between the grinding block and the dish, thereby grinding the condiment. This system has the advantage in particular of not requiring re-adjustment.
Furthermore, the adaptation of a more elaborate system has the disadvantage of requiring an arrangement of this system for each type of mill. However, the shapes and sizes of the bodies of mills vary widely, and it would thus be very expensive to adapt the grinding adjustment system to each type of mill.
The invention aims to overcome the various drawbacks mentioned above using a universal adjustment device which is placed at the base of the mill and is suitable for use with many mill bodies, simply by adapting a decorative ferrule.
To this end, the present invention relates to a universal device for adjusting the grinding of a condiment or the breaking up of a foodstuff, characterized in that it consists of a cassette formed of an adjustment ring, a dish-holder slide and a fixing disk.
The rest of the description relates in particular to a mechanical pepper mill. However, the universal cassette device could be used for all types of assemblies for breaking up foodstuffs into powder or flakes, such as grinders, graters or knives, by way of non-limiting example, as well as electrical apparatus such as electric pepper mills, for example.
Mills designed especially for condiments, such as pepper, generally consist of various parts, in particular a container for holding the condiments and a grinding mechanism. The latter consists in particular of a disk attached to the body of the mill, this disk being surmounted by the dish-holder slide, which is embedded in an operating ring for adjusting the degree of grinding. The actual grinding mechanism consists of a female part, hereinafter called the dish, which fits with a male part, hereinafter called the grinding block, placed in the dish-holder slide.
A better understanding of the invention will be obtained by referring to the attached drawings, in which:
A fixing disk 1 is used to attach the universal cassette according to the invention to any mill body. This disk 1 is attached definitively to the body of the mill (not shown). It has two housings 1a on the top face of the disk 1. These housings 1a are designed to prevent the dish-holder slide 2 from rotating.
The fixing disk 1 also has two threaded holes 1b for the insertion of screws for attaching the universal cassette. On its underside, the disk 1 has a collar 1c, for receiving the operating ring of the grinding adjustment system. The underside of the fixing disk 1 also comprises a bridge 1d, in the center of the disk 1, for connection to the operating shaft of the grinding block 5.
It is possible to create a hinge joint, by providing the bridge with a retention device on either side, such as a retention ring (non-limiting example). This connection system keeps the grinding block 5 in a fixed position.
The mill also comprises a part called the dish-holder slide 2. This part has a stop 2a on its outer upper part limiting the movement of the operating ring 3. On its outer upper part, at the same level as the stop 2a, notches 2b perform an indexing function, thus making it possible to adjust how finely the condiment is ground.
The dish-holder slide 2 has a dish 7 and a grinding block 5 at its center. It is the relative movement of these two parts that grinds the condiment.
Underneath the fixed stop 2a and the notches 2b, also on the outer face, a screw thread 2c is provided for attaching to the operating ring 3. This screw thread 2c is interrupted at certain points to prevent the accumulation of dust. The underside of the dish-holder slide 2 has two housings 2d for attaching the part 2 to the body of the mill using screws.
The center of the dish-holder slide 2 has a skirt 2e which is inserted in the fixing disk 1 and prevents any of the condiment from getting back into the mill. The skirt 2e has two bosses 2f on its outer face, which are inserted in the housings 1a of the fixing disk 1, to prevent any movement of the dish-holder slide 2 relative to the fixing disk 1.
The dish-holder slide 2 is screwed into the operating ring 3. This operating ring 3, representing the top part of the mill, has an internal screw thread 3a, corresponding to the external screw thread 2c of the dish-holder slide 2 and allowing the latter to be moved via the operating ring 3.
The underside of the ring 3 comprises three support surfaces 3b and clips 3c for attaching this part to the fixing disk 1. The top face of the ring 3 has a housing 3d for insertion of the movable stop 4.
The top face of the ring 3 also has lugs 3e, making it possible to drive the ring 3 mechanically using a decorative part, which may be made of wood, metal or plastic.
On its top face the operating ring 3 has a collar 3f constituting a plastic bearing surface that comes into contact with the table to prevent any scratches if a metal decorative ferrule 6 is used. This collar 3f also conceals imperfections in cylindricity that may be encountered with steel or wooden decorative ferrules.
The decorative ferrule 6 will be held in place both by the collar and by the mill body.
After the dish-holder slide 2 and the operating ring 3 have been inserted, a movable stop 4 is placed on the operating ring 3. This stop 4 bears on the fixed stop 2a of the dish-holder slide 2, thus ensuring adjustment in the maximum position.
This movable stop 4 comprises an indexing finger 4a which is positioned in the notches 2b of the dish-holder slide 2 and thus ensures adjustment of the fineness of grinding, thanks to sensitive pinpointing of the grinding position.
One of the ends of the movable stop 4 has a dovetail 4b, keeping the stop 4 in place in its housing 3d, without the risk of it being ejected when the operating ring 3 is rotated.
Moreover, so that the movable stop 4 is not too rigid, it has an opening 4c at its center, giving the indexing finger 4a some flexibility.
The assembly made up of the operating ring 3, the movable stop 4 and the dish-holder slide 2 is inserted over the fixing disk 1 by clipping. The bosses 2f and the skirt 2e of the dish-holder slide 2 are inserted in the housings 1a provided for this purpose on the fixing disk 1.
When the operating ring 3 is moved, the dish-holder slide 2 moves axially, thus changing the relative position of the dish and the grinding block.
In the end position, the way in which the various parts making up the mill are assembled means that there is either steel-on-steel contact between the two parts or a gap. In the case of pepper, this gap will be around three millimeters, and may vary depending on the type of condiment or foodstuff to be broken up into bits or flakes.
The universal cassette according to the invention consists of the assembly made up of the operating ring 3 with the indexing finger, the dish-holder slide 2 and the fixing disk 1. This cassette receives the dish and makes it possible to assemble and precisely position the shaft and the grinding block. The dish's position relative to the grinding block is changed, remaining fixed axially, thus adjusting how finely the condiment is ground.
Rotating the operating ring 3 in either direction moves the dish-holder slide 2 linearly by virtue of the screw threads 2a and 3a, this having the effect of changing the relative position between the dish and the grinding block, and of grinding the condiment.
As the operating ring 3 is driven mechanically by means of the lugs 3e, this dispenses with the need for adhesive, which can sometimes cause problems in use depending on the type of material used.
The universal cassette as described above may also be used in electric mills. The principle is the same as above, although there are a few structural differences as regards the parts of the mill. Thus, the dish-holder slide 2 moves vertically without rotating, to facilitate the adaptation of a light means.
Moreover, the fixing disk 1 is attached to the mill body by adhesive bonding. The fixing disk 1 is housed in a housing 1e designed for the passage of a peg.
This universal cassette as described is designed in particular for mills whose body has a minimum diameter of 54 millimeters. For diameters of greater size, an adapter ring may be added or made directly as part of the mill. If the diameter of the mill is smaller, the cassette according to the invention can no longer allow the passage of a light-holder tube.
Moreover, although indexing notches are provided to allow the user to quickly find a certain degree of adjustment, all intermediate positions are possible, without the risk of accidental slipping of the setting.
Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments, it comprises all technical equivalents of the means described.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0408309 | Jul 2004 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR05/01387 | 6/7/2005 | WO | 00 | 1/23/2007 |
