Abstract: A food waste disposer having devices to reduce noise is disclosed. The disposer has a food conveying section, a motor section, and a grinding section. To reduce the emitted noise that may result when food waste impacts the various components of the grinding section, in one embodiment, the present invention uses sound reduction layers attached to the external surfaces of the food conveying section, the motor section, and/or the central grinding section. The sound reduction layers may be made of materials that absorb, block, or dampen the emitted noise. The rotating shredder plate may have a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer. The stationary shredder ring may be made of a high-mass material or have a high-mass ring in connection with a stationary shredder ring. These devices may be combined with various disposer inlet baffles.

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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and a controller. The upper food conveying section includes a housing forming an inlet to receive food waste. The motor section includes a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor imparts rotational movement to a rotatable 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 grinding section includes a grinding mechanism where a portion of the grinding mechanism is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The controller is electrically connected to the stator to control the switched reluctance machine. The controller is capable of directing rotational movement to the rotatable shaft and the portion of the grinding mechanism mounted to the rotatable shaft.

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 quick connect plug for electrically connecting and mechanically attaching a power cord to an appliance, such as a disposer, is disclosed. The plug is connected to an end of the power cord. In one embodiment, the plug houses push-in terminals, which are electrically connected to first and second wires of the power cord. A first portion of the plug defines openings to receive leads from the disposer, which electrically connect to the push-in terminals housed in the plug. The first portion positions through an aperture defined in a metal portion or lower end frame of the disposer. A plurality of tabs disposed about the first portion engage an inside surface of the lower end frame of the disposer. A second portion of the plug is connected to the cord and defines a shoulder with the first portion. A conductive ring is disposed on the shoulder and is electrically connected to the ground wire of the power cord. The conductive ring contacts the metal frame of the disposer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and a controller. The upper food conveying section includes a housing forming an inlet to receive food waste. The motor section includes a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor imparts rotational movement to a rotatable 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 grinding section includes a grinding mechanism where a portion of the grinding mechanism is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The controller is electrically connected to the stator to control the switched reluctance machine. The controller is capable of directing rotational movement to the rotatable shaft and the portion of the grinding mechanism mounted to the rotatable shaft.

Abstract: A food waste disposer having one or more antimicrobial components is disclosed. The components can be metal, plastic, or rubber, and preferably constitute at least those components that a user could come in contact with during operation or maintenance of the disposer and/or components that come in contact with food waste. The plastic and rubber components can either be embedded or coated with an antimicrobial agent. The metal components are preferably powder coated. Exemplary components within the disposer benefiting from such antimicrobial treatment include a metal shredder plate, a metal shredder ring, a rubber mounting gasket, a rubber vibration isolation mount, a rubber vibration isolation tailpipe coupling, and the plastic discharge outlet and associated rubber seals.

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 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: 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: 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. In one embodiment, the reduction mechanism has a rotatable plate coupled to a rotational source and positioned for rotation relative to an inner wall of a stationary ring. The plate has a fixed lug attached to the rotatable plate and has a movable lug attached to the rotatable plate. In another embodiment, the reduction mechanism includes a rotatable plate coupled to a rotational source and a stationary plate disposed adjacent the rotatable plate. The stationary plate or impeller defines a plurality of apertures therethough. At least one first portion of the rotatable plate or impeller shears over at least some of the apertures in the stationary plate to shear the food waste.

Abstract: A waste line connector assembly for connecting a food waste disposer to a waste line is disclosed. The connector assembly isolates vibrational forces of the waste disposer from the waste line caused during the operation of the waste disposer. The connector assembly includes a flexible isolation coupler. The flexible isolation coupler has a flexible portion for absorbing the vibrational forces of the waste disposer. The flexible isolation coupler may be directly coupled to the discharge outlet of the waste disposer or to the waste line. The flexible isolation coupler may also be attached between two tubular tailpipes, which are coupled to the discharge outlet of the waste disposer or to the waste line.

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 quick connect plug for electrically connecting and mechanically attaching a power cord to an appliance, such as a disposer, is disclosed. The plug is connected to an end of the power cord. In one embodiment, the plug houses push-in terminals, which are electrically connected to first and second wires of the power cord. A first portion of the plug defines openings to receive leads from the disposer, which electrically connect to the push-in terminals housed in the plug. The first portion positions through an aperture defined in a metal portion or lower end frame of the disposer. A plurality of tabs disposed about the first portion engage an inside surface of the lower end frame of the disposer. A second portion of the plug is connected to the cord and defines a shoulder with the first portion. A conductive ring is disposed on the shoulder and is electrically connected to the ground wire of the power cord. The conductive ring contacts the metal frame of the disposer.

Abstract: A waste line connector assembly for connecting a food waste disposer to a waste line is disclosed. The connector assembly isolates vibrational forces of the waste disposer from the waste line caused during the operation of the waste disposer. The connector assembly includes a flexible isolation coupler. The flexible isolation coupler has a flexible portion for absorbing the vibrational forces of the waste disposer. The flexible isolation coupler may be directly coupled to the discharge outlet of the waste disposer or to the waste line. The flexible isolation coupler may also be attached between two tubular tailpipes, which are coupled to the discharge outlet of the waste disposer or to the waste line.

Abstract: A food waste disposer having devices to reduce noise is disclosed. The disposer has a food conveying section, a motor section, and a grinding section. To reduce the emitted noise that may result when food waste impacts the various components of the grinding section, in one embodiment, the present invention uses sound reduction layers attached to the external surfaces of the food conveying section, the motor section, and/or the central grinding section. The sound reduction layers may be made of materials that absorb, block, or dampen the emitted noise. The rotating shredder plate may have a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer. The stationary shredder ring may be made of a high-mass material or have a high-mass ring in connection with a stationary shredder ring. These devices may be combined with various disposer inlet baffles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and a controller. The upper food conveying section includes a housing forming an inlet to receive food waste. The motor section includes a switched reluctance machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor imparts rotational movement to a rotatable 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 grinding section includes a grinding mechanism where a portion of the grinding mechanism is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The controller is electrically connected to the stator to control the switched reluctance machine. The controller is capable of directing rotational movement to the rotatable shaft and the portion of the grinding mechanism mounted to the rotatable shaft.