Abstract: A splash guard is adapted to be removably mounted in a neck portion of a sink disposer. The splash guard basically comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve which is sized to slidably fit into the neck portion of the disposer and defines a central bore; an upper ledge partially obstructing an upper portion of the central bore; a central ledge partially obstructing a medial portion of the central bore in opposition to the upper ledge; and a chute extending downwardly from a portion of the sleeve opposite the central ledge and terminating below said central ledge.

Abstract: Baffles for food waste disposers, systems employing such baffles, and methods of assembling, manufacturing, fabricating, or operating such baffles or baffle systems are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a baffle for implementation in connection with a waste disposer includes a rim portion, a plurality of flaps, and a plurality of living hinges, where the rim portion, living hinges, and flaps constitute a single integrally-formed structure. The respective living hinges permit the respective flaps to be rotatable about respective axes that respectively are substantially tangent to respective locations along or proximate to the rim portion, so that the respective flaps can be rotated to respective closed positions. Either the living hinges or at least one additional component tend to cause the respective flaps to remain at the respective closed positions when already at those respective positions, or to return to those respective positions when not at those respective positions.

Abstract: A substrate housing container (1) includes (i) a container body (10) having one end that is provided with an opening (11) and another end that is provided with a mount element (12) on which substrates (W) are stacked, the mount element 12 facing the opening (11), and (ii) a cover (20) to cover the opening (11), wherein the cover (20) includes a lid portion (21) to cover the opening (11) and at least two holding members (22) disposed on the lid portion (21), the holding members (22) being configured to swing in a central direction of the lid portion (21) and to press outer sides of the substrates (W) accommodated in the container body (10) with the substrates (W) stacked, the container body (10) has guide grooves (13) to make tips (22a) of the holding members (22) move from an outer side of the mount element (12) to an inner sides of the mount element (12) to guide the tips (22a) of the holding members (22) to positions at which the holding members (22) press the outer sides of the substrates (W), and the guid

Abstract: A drain guard for a sink equipped with a garbage disposal, the drain guard having a support ring and at least two interior surfaces extending inward and terminating internal of the support ring. The interior surfaces may have free edges that are laterally proximate but separated by a vertical distance to allow for the passage of food waste but prevent utensils and other objects from entering the garbage disposal.

Abstract: An interlock device coupled to a magnetically activated switch when the interlock device is removably seated in a sink flange coupled to a food waste disposer, having: a base having interlock device magnets, a recessed seat having drain holes, a helical cam, a strainer basket adjoined to a rotatably mounted spindle having a handle adjoined thereto, opposing nubs, which travel within the helical cam, when the handle is twisted, a spindle mounted seal adapted to block flow through the interlock device, when the spindle mounted seal is releasably seated in the recessed seat, and allowing fluid to flow through the interlock device, when the spindle mounted seal is releasably unseated from the recessed seat; the interlock device activating the food waste disposer when the interlock device is removably seated in the sink flange and one of the interlock device magnets is adjacent a switch magnet of the magnetically activated switch.

Abstract: In one aspect, a waste disposal for processing waste may generally include a housing and a motor disposed within the housing. The housing may include an inlet defining an open area through the top of the housing. The motor may define a rotational axis. In addition, the waste disposal may include a cutter plate coupled to the motor. The cutter plate may include an upper surface, a side surface and an outer edge defined around an outer perimeter of the cutter plate. The upper surface may define a high point and may have a sloped portion angled downwardly from the high point towards the outer edge. The cutter plate may also define a cutter plate area directly below the open area defined by the inlet. The high point may be defined along the outer surface at a radial location between the cutter plate area and the outer edge.

Abstract: A food waste disposer includes a chamber housing, a grinder mechanism, an electric motor and a transmission device. The chamber housing defines a grinding chamber having an inlet and an outlet. The grinder mechanism is disposed within the grinding chamber and has a driven shaft and a rotating member coupled to the driven shaft. The electric motor is disposed at one side of the chamber housing and has an output shaft. The transmission device is coupled between the output shaft of the electric motor and the driven shaft of the grinder mechanism.

Abstract: In one aspect, a waste disposal for processing waste may generally include a motor defining a rotational axis, a cutter plate coupled to the motor for rotation therewith and a housing configured to encase the motor and the cutter plate. The housing may include an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion. The upper housing portion may define an inner surface at least partially forming a converging section of the upper housing portion. The upper housing portion may further define an inlet through the converging section. The inlet may be oriented relative to the housing such that water flowing through the inlet is directed into the housing at a non-radial flow angle. In addition, the inner surface may define a curved profile such that a grind chamber of the housing is substantially dome-shaped along the converging section.

Abstract: A food waste disposer has a food conveying section that receives food waste and water; a grinding section including a grinding mechanism, and a motor section including a motor. The grinding section is disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section. The grinding mechanism includes a stationary grind ring and a rotating shredder plate assembly that rotates in the grind ring to grind food waste to form ground matter that combines with the water to form a slurry. The slurry passes into a discharge area in an upper end bell below the shredder plate assembly. The food conveying section includes a housing having a food waste deflecting band with an angular profile at a lower end of the housing.

Abstract: A magnetic strap for preventing the undesired passage of articles through a sink drain hole and into a garbage disposal includes a strap member having a first end and a second end, with mating fastening members provided at the first end and the second end for selectively securing the first end to the second end so as to form a loop. A plurality of magnets are secured to the strap member, the magnets exhibiting sufficient strength to attract and trap ferrous objects by drawing the ferrous objects toward a sink flange where the ferrous objects are frictionally held to thereby prevent the ferrous objects from inadvertently slipping through the sink drain hole and into the garbage disposal.

Abstract: A garbage disposal with an offset is provided. The garbage disposal includes a grinder mounted within a housing. The grinder rotates within the housing to process waste within the garbage disposal. Waste entering the housing is directed away from an axis of rotation of the grinder due to the offset. By directing waste away from the axis of rotation of the grinder, the waste can be more fully processed by the grinder.

Abstract: A food waste disposer has a grinding mechanism that improves fineness and speed of grinding food waste, and also controls or meters the size of the comminuted food waste particles that are discharged from the food waste disposer. It does so by utilizing a more aggressive grind ring of the grinding mechanism that includes horizontal shredder elements in addition to openings, and blocking all except the openings in a minor circumferential portion of the grind ring from discharging comminuted food waste and water to a discharge outlet. In an aspect, a resilient seal is used to seal the adapter ring to a housing of an upper end bell of the grinding section and also provide a seal for a rotating shredder plate assembly of the food waste disposer.

Abstract: A sink flange for use in conjunction with a sink drain. The flange includes a flange body and a flange lip. The flange body is substantially vertical having a top end and a bottom end. The bottom end defines a flange passage therethrough. The flange lip is annular having a top side and a bottom side, which radially extends out of the top end of the flange body. The flange passage and flange lip are at least coated with a polymer.

Abstract: A combination garbage disposal safety poker, scraper and deodorizer/sanitizer device is provided. The device comprises a cup-shaped strainer, a handle mounted to the strainer, a hollow cylindrical stem extending downward from the strainer, and a replaceable rubber scraper connected to lower end of the hollow stem and used for scraping waste from dishes and sinks. The inside of the stem serves as a compartment for holding a deodorizer/sanitizer tablet. Holes in the strainer and in the stem expose the deodorizer/sanitizer tablet to water, thereby gradually dissolving the tablet and continually deodorizing the garbage disposal unit and drain.

Abstract: A waste line connector assembly for a food waste disposer includes a tailpipe member having a first inlet connectable to an outlet of a food waste disposer, a second inlet connectable to a waste water outlet of a dishwasher, and an outlet connectable to a waste or drain line. A one-way valve, such as a duck-bill valve, is in fluid communication with the second inlet. A flexible coupler, may be provided to be connected to the outlet, with one or both ends of the coupler being angled and rotatably connected to the outlet and/or the waste line so that the angular position of the waste line is variable relative to the tailpipe member.

Abstract: An inlet to an under-sink garbage disposal is guarded by a novel guard and splash-back baffle that comprises an outer tubular ring defining an exterior circumference approximately sized to coincide with an inside diameter of the plumbing inlet; an inner tubular ring coupled through at least one radially extending bar with the outer ring and defining an open and unobstructed inner circumference. The splash baffle comprises a resilient body affixed adjacent to the garbage disposal blade guard that extends generally across the plumbing inlet to constrict flow therethrough. The guard is divided into a plurality of resilient flaps, and is operative in combination with the garbage disposal blade guard to define a flexible one-way valve permitting matter to pass into a garbage disposal while substantially blocking matter from being ejected from the garbage disposal through the garbage disposal blade guard.

Abstract: A food waste disposer has a food conveying section, a motor section and a central grinding section disposed between the food conveying section. The motor section includes a motor having a motor shaft coupled to a rotatable plate of a grinding mechanism in the grinding section. An anti-vibration mount is disposed around an inlet of the food conveying section. The food conveying section includes a housing, which can be a plastic molded housing, having dishwasher inlet having an outer portion extending outwardly from the housing and an inner portion extending into the housing that is removably received in the housing. The inner portion of the dishwasher inlet may be slidably received in the housing with the housing including grooves on opposed sides of an opening that receive tongues on opposed sides of a body of the inner portion of the dishwasher inlet.

Abstract: A control system for minimizing overall water use in a food waste handling system while maximizing flow rate when needed by controlling a flow of water into the handling system based on or in response to a physical presence of an operator. The control system substantially automatically senses, detects, or otherwise determines the presence of the operator, wherein such presence is assumptively associated with use of the waste handling system (i.e., the deposition of waste thereinto), and, in response to said presence, automatically controls the flow of water accordingly and for a pre-established period of time following cessation of said presence in order to facilitate the on-going handling process.

Abstract: A switching assembly for a food waste disposer includes a housing containing a switch and first and second magnets. An interlock device has third and fourth magnets. The magnets are arranged so that the switch is actuated when the first and third magnets align and the second and fourth magnets align.

Abstract: An embodiment of a garbage disposal guard is comprised of a cylindrical sleeve having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the throat of a garbage disposal; a lip extending outward from the cylindrical sleeve, a lip having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the throat of the garbage disposal; and bars extending between points on the inside diameter of the cylindrical sleeve that form a grate.

Abstract: Various mechanisms for reducing food waste in a food waste disposer are disclosed. In each of the reduction mechanisms, structures are provided for shearing food waste as it passes through or past a rotating shredder plate of the disposer. Each of the reduction mechanism has a rotatable plate having a plurality of lugs positioned for rotation relative to an inner wall of a stationary ring. In one embodiment, the reduction mechanism includes a horizontal toothed ledge positioned above the stationary ring is used to enhance grinding the food waste. In another embodiment, the reduction mechanism includes a vertical rasping surface positioned above the stationary ring. In yet another embodiment, the reduction mechanism includes serrated edges added to the vertical leading edges of the teeth on the stationary ring.

Abstract: A food waste disposer includes a housing defining an inlet opening and a grinding mechanism driven by a motor for grinding food waste received into the housing through the inlet opening. An annular retaining collar has one end for connecting to a sink opening, via a standard sink mount, for example. An annular elastomeric coupler is situated about the opposite end of the annular retaining collar and connected to the housing for vibrationally isolating the annular retaining collar from the housing. The primary loading on the elastomeric material is in shear. Elastomeric materials in shear are particularly effective in absorbing both vibration and shock loads.

Abstract: A splash guard for an under the sink garbage disposal unit has a baffle which prevents splash back. The baffle has a membrane with a number of radially extending slits. Each slit has a pair of walls extending downwardly from the membrane forming a channel. One wall of each pair of walls has a lateral ledge or laterally displaced axial end forming a bottom to the channel. The other wall of each pair of walls is shorter in height so as to leave a gap between the second wall and the ledge of the first wall, thus forming a lateral opening at the bottom of the channel. Thus the slits form passageways through the membrane without having direct or aligned openings.

Abstract: A switching mechanism for a food waste disposer is provided having a plastic one-piece housing that engages an external surface of the food waste disposer by snapping thereto. The switching mechanism also contains a switch capable of enabling operation of the food waste disposer in response to an interlock device positioned within the drain opening. Also provided is a method for converting a continuous feed waste disposer into a batch feed waste disposer.

Abstract: A switching mechanism for a food waste disposer is provided having a plastic one-piece housing that engages an external surface of the food waste disposer by snapping thereto. The switching mechanism also contains a switch capable of enabling operation of the food waste disposer in response to an interlock device positioned within the drain opening. Also provided is a method for converting a continuous feed waste disposer into a batch feed waste disposer. The switching mechanism includes a plug having a male end and a female end that can receive the electrical plug from the continuous feed waste disposer.

Abstract: A food waste disposer system includes a grinding mechanism. The grinding mechanism includes a stationary grind ring and a rotatable shredder plate assembly. A detector is connected to the grinding mechanism to detect the presence of a foreign electrically conductive object in the grinding mechanism. In an aspect, the detector detects that a foreign electrically conductive object is in the grinding mechanism upon sensing that an electrical circuit has been completed between the stationary grind ring and the rotatable shredder plate.

Abstract: A splash guard for an under the sink garbage disposal unit has a baffle which prevents splash back. The baffle has a membrane with a number of radially extending slits. Each slit has a pair of walls extending downwardly from the membrane forming a channel. One wall of each pair of walls has a lateral ledge or laterally displaced axial end forming a bottom to the channel. The other wall of each pair of walls is shorter in height so as to leave a gap between the second wall and the ledge of the first wall, thus forming a lateral opening at the bottom of the channel.

Abstract: A waste food disposer operation control apparatus that comprises a waste food disposer having an opening for accepting waste material, a flexible hose with a source end and a nozzle end with the source end operationally connected to a controllable water source, a nozzle operationally connected to the hose nozzle end with the nozzle adapted to be positioned in the disposer opening, and an activator means for activating the disposer when the nozzle is positioned in the disposer opening.

Abstract: A baffle for a food waste disposer includes a pleated portion with pleats that define an opening therethrough for equalizing pressure in the food waste disposer above and below the baffle. Water passing over the opening creates a venturi to pull air out of the high-pressure environment inside the grinding portion of the food waste disposer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and an inlet portion. The upper food conveying section includes a housing to receive food waste. The motor section includes a motor to impart rotational movement to a motor shaft. The central grinding section is disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveys food waste to the grinding section. The inlet portion has a water injection inlet capable of forming a water baffle in the inlet portion. The water baffle is present when the motor is running. The inlet portion may be integrally formed as part of the housing of the food conveying section or may be a separate unit. The water baffle may extend substantially across the inlet portion in a generally horizontal plane.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vibration isolation gasket for mounting a food waste disposer to a sink that is at least partially molded onto a portion of the housing of the disposer, and preferably to the disposer's container cover. The vibration isolation gasket preferably includes a rubberized and integrally-formed gasket portion, sleeve portion, and over-molded portion. The gasket portion couples to the drain opening and may contain pleats to prevent food ejection from the disposer. The sleeve portion connects the gasket and over-molded portions, bears the weight of the disposer as it hangs from the sink, and acts as the primary structure for reducing vibration-induced noise. The over-molded portion is preferably molded onto the top and bottom of the container cover, which is in turns crimped to the remainder of the disposer housing.

Abstract: A food waste disposer system includes an inlet for receiving food waste, a grinding section for grinding the food waste and a stopper receivable by the inlet. The stopper may include a plug for plugging the inlet and an actuator for controlling operation of the disposer. A baffle is situated between the inlet and the grinding section.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided having a means for activating a switch on an interlock protected food waste disposer without blocking the drain opening, and means for blocking the drain opening without activating an interlock protected food waste disposer.

Abstract: A baffle for a food waste disposer to reduce noise is disclosed. The baffle has a diaphragm that allows solid and liquid waste to pass through the diaphragm, and accordingly does not substantially affect the normal operation of the disposer. However, because the baffle covers the central opening in the conventional mounting gasket of the prior art, a direct path from the grinding mechanism in the disposer to the sink is blocked, thus muffling the noise coming from the grinding mechanism. Additionally, the disclosed baffles are preferably, but not necessarily, designed so as to create a water dam on their surface by impeding the flow of water from the sink faucet in a way to create a pool of water. The disclosed baffles may be installed in the drain opening of a sink above the conventional mounting gasket, although other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A food disposal system for installation on a drain of a commercial kitchen sink enables segregation of oil/grease from effluent flows from the drain. A housing collects effluent flows containing water, oil/grease, and solids from the drain, and a macerating pump has an inlet connected to an opening of the housing and an outlet connected to a sanitary drain. A greasy water outlet extends to an oil/grease separator from an outlet on the housing above the macerating pump inlet, and a hot water backflush source enables hot water to flow into the housing.

Abstract: A device to prevent inadvertent introduction of metal material into a household garbage disposer grinder. The device comprises a flexible magnetic whose ends are retained in an H-shaped retainer and which is disposed around the entrance to the disposer to form a magnetic field across the entrance so that ferrous metals will be attracted to the magnet and therefore will stick thereto, and thus not fall into the hopper of the disposer.