Patent Application
20080093489
Referring to
The upper housing 20 and lower housing 30 preferably form a grinder that can be stood on either its top or bottom. As shown in
Referring to
The upper housing 20 includes an inlet port 21 for introducing spices and a pass-through port 29 for passing the spices from the upper housing. The inlet port 21 of the upper housing 20 includes a guidedly converging guide chute 24 for introducing spices into the spice grinder 10. The converging structure of the chute 24 can be generally funnel shaped, such as but not limited to conical, frustoconical, curvilinear or faceted. The converging chute 24 facilitates easy introduction of spices into the grinder, without the need for an accessory funnel. In one configuration, the chute 24 converges from an opening diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the adjacent upper housing 20, to a terminal diameter typically less than one-half the opening diameter. In this configuration, the opening diameter of the chute 24 preferably is in the range of from about 1.5 inches to about 3 inches, and more preferably from about 2 inches to 2.5 inches. The terminal diameter of the chute 24 preferably is in the range of from about 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches and more preferably from about 0.75 inches to about 1.25 inches. So formed, the grinder accepts all manner of spices, including relatively larger spices, such as allspice.
A stopper 22 cooperatively engages the chute 24 to preclude passage through the inlet port 21. In preferred construction, the stopper 22 is operably located adjacent the terminal diameter of the chute 24 and threadable onto a turning rod 40 (described below).
As seen in
The lower housing 30 includes an entrance port 31 connected to the pass-through port 29 of the upper housing 20. The lower housing 30 further includes an outlet port 39 spaced from the entrance port 31, and an access port 37 intermediate the outlet port and the entrance port. In one configuration, the lower housing 30 has a generally cylindrical configuration including a vertically extending peripheral wall, wherein the entrance port 31 is at an upper end of the lower housing and the outlet port 39 is at a bottom end of the lower housing. The access port 37 is in a side of the peripheral wall of the lower housing 30, as seen in
The turning rod 40 extends within the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. As noted above, the stopper 22 releasably engages the turning rod 40, such as by cooperating threads. However, it is understood alternative connections such as detent or friction fit can be employed to operably connect the stopper 22 and the turning rod 40.
Referring to
An annular seat 58 is disposed within the lower housing 30 and retained by friction fit or bonding. The seat is sized to locate the grinder mechanism 50 within the lower housing. The seat 58 can be integrated into the grinder mechanism 50 as shown, or can be a separate component. It is further contemplated the seat 58 can be integrally formed in the lower housing 30, independent of the grinder mechanism 50. The grinder mechanism 50 includes a static portion 51 having a grinding face 52 and a grinding wheel 54. The static portion 51, and thus the grinding face 52, is connected to the lower housing 30 by means of the seat 58. The grinding face 52 preferably is cylindrically inwardly facing. In one configuration, the grinding face 52 is disposed within the lower housing 30 intermediate the access port 37 and the entrance port 31.
The grinding wheel 54 is connected to the turning rod 40, and a bias mechanism 60, such as a coil spring, is disposed concentrically about the turning rod 40 and intermediate the grinding wheel 54 and the annular seat 58. The grinding wheel 54 is connected to the turning rod 40 for rotation therewith and is translatable along the rod 40. For example, the rod may have a substantially square cross-section and the grinding wheel 54 has a square aperture for receiving the shaft. The bias mechanism 60 urges the grinding wheel 54 away from the static portion 51.
An adjusting wheel 70 is disposed about the turning rod 40 and either directly or indirectly interfaces with the grinding wheel 54 to urge the grinding wheel 54 against the bias mechanism 60 and toward the grinding face 52. Preferably, the adjusting wheel is threadably engaged with the turning rod 40. The adjusting wheel 70 is located within the lower housing 30 such that an outer surface thereof is exposed through the access port 37 for actuation through the access port. In one configuration, the adjusting wheel 70 includes a plurality of peripheral or surface features, textures, grooves, ridges, ribs or the like to facilitate engagement by the operator so that the adjusting wheel can be rotated on the shaft 40 relative to the lower housing 30, and hence, the grinding face 52.
As shown, it is generally preferred that the adjusting wheel 70 is slightly recessed from the adjacent surface of the lower housing 30, such that use of the grinder does not result in inadvertent adjustment of the adjusting wheel 70. However, it is understood the exposed portion of the adjusting wheel can be substantially flush with or project from the adjacent portion of the lower housing.
Further, a detent can be operably connected to the adjusting wheel 70 so that the relative position of the adjusting wheel remains constant, absent operator intervention. Alternatively, rotation of the adjusting wheel 70 can be against sufficient friction to substantially preclude unintended rotation of the adjusting wheel.
Rotation of the adjusting wheel 70 with respect to the shaft varies the size of the resulting grind, such as by varying the separation of the grinding face 52 and the grinding wheel 54. As should be appreciated, the adjustment wheel is independent of the stopper, thus remedying a common deficiency of conventional grinders. In particular, the stopper may be removed and spices refilled without adjusting the grind. In contrast, many conventional grinders incorporate the grind adjustment into the means for removing the portion of the grinder that exposes the opening for receiving the spices.
As the adjusting wheel 70 is exposed on the exterior of the lower housing 30, adjustment of the grind can be readily made without having to invert the spice grinder assembly 10 or employ separate tools. Further, the diameter of the adjusting wheel 70 can be selected to provide substantial mechanical advantage to the user, thereby reducing the force necessary to set the grind.
In operation, the stopper 22 is removed from the inlet port 21 thereby providing flow through the chute 24. As described above, the chute 24 preferably has a funnel shape facilitation easy pouring of the spice to be ground into the grinder. A plurality of spices can be disposed within conveying chute 24 and pass by gravity through the terminal end of the chute into the upper housing 20, through the pass-through port 29 and into the lower housing 30 to settle atop the grinder mechanism 50. Referring to
Rotation of the lower housing 30 relative to the upper housing 20 causes rotation of the shaft, and thus causes the grinding wheel 54 to rotate relative to the grinding face 52 thereby crushing or grinding the spices disposed therebetween, as known in the art.
To adjust the coarseness or size of the resulting grind, the adjusting wheel 70 is contacted through the access port 37 and rotated by engagement with the thumb or finger of an operator to dispose the grinding wheel 54 closer to the grinding face 52, to reduce the grind size, or away from the grinding face to increase the resulting grind size. Moreover, because the adjustment wheel is accessible from the side of the grinder, the grind may be adjusted during use.
As seen in the figures, the lower housing 30 can include indicia 34 corresponding to the resulting grind. The indicia is shown in phantom, as the particular design or configuration of the indicia does not form a portion of the invention. Upon viewing the indicia 34, the user can readily rotate the adjusting wheel 70 to provide a coarser or finer grind of the spices. Therefore, the spice grinder assembly 10 allows the user to maintain an operable (vertical) orientation of the assembly while adjusting the grind and visually confirming the grind.
Upon dispensing the desired amount of spice, the grinder is placed on a countertop, tabletop, or similar surface. However, grinds remaining in the bottom housing may inadvertently drop to the surface, creating a mess that must be wiped or otherwise cleaned up. The preferred grinder, however, has a generally contoured cylindrical shape that facilitates standing the grinder on either the top or bottom. More specifically, as the top surface of the upper housing 20 is planar, the pepper grinder assembly 10 can be disposed in the stable upright orientation, seen in
While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
