Abstract: Condiment grinder and dispenser in which the usual shield for protecting the adjustment screw on the end of the drive shaft is replaced and the screw is secured against accidental removal and loss by providing a stop structure which is attached to or integral part of the end of the drive shaft. This structure, unlike a shield, does not interfere with the adjustment of the coarseness of the grind produced by the grinding dispenser, and yet maintains the integrity of the device without undue complexity or manufacturing expense.

Abstract: This utility patent is a portable food blender. It includes a food container, a blade set with cutting blades that is set in the said container and can spin, and a container cover set that is on top of the said container and cannot rotate relative to the container. The said container cover set has an upper surface and a lower surface. It also includes a pivot and driving unit. The said pivot intrudes out from the said container cover set's upper side. When the pivot rotates against the said container cover set, it drives the driving unit to make the said blade set spin. The said pivot is inside in the side of the said container cover set and is mounted to the upper surface. The said driving unit is mounted on the said container cover set's lower surface. The portable food container of this utility patent has the following benefits: The structure of the item is relatively simple. It is easy to manufacture. It is easy to use. And it can achieve better result when processing food.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for processing system foodstuff are shown and described. Food processing systems can hold and prepare food for consumption. The disclosed embodiments can be quickly and conveniently used to dry, grind, mill, dispense, or otherwise process foodstuff.

Abstract: A spice mill for cutting up two different spices, in particular salt and pepper, is disclosed. Two spice containers (17, 18) and two grinding mechanisms (50, 50?) are arranged in a base part (10). A cover part (20) can be removed from the base part (10) and serves as a rotary handle. When the cover part (20) is removed, filling openings (15, 16) for the spice containers (17, 18) are opened up. An encapsulated gear mechanism (30) is arranged in the base part (10) between the cover part and the grinding mechanisms. When the cover part (20) is rotated in a first direction of rotation, the gear mechanism (30) drives the first grinding mechanism (50). By contrast, upon rotation in the opposite direction, the second grinding mechanism (50?) is driven. In a preferred embodiment, the gear mechanism is arranged in an upper region of the base part and, together with the base part, bounds the filling openings.

Abstract: A pepper mill includes a driving member coupled rotatably to a container body and cooperating with the container body to define a receiving space, a grinding unit, a planetary gear mechanism, and an adjusting component. The grinding unit includes a coupling shaft extending rotatably and being movable in the receiving space, a stationary first grinding seat, and a second grinding seat co-rotatable with the coupling shaft. The size of a grinding space between the first and second grinding seats is adjusted when the coupling shaft and the second grinding seat move axially relative to the first grinding seat. The planetary gear mechanism includes a driving gear unit and a driven gear unit driven rotatably by the driving gear unit to drive rotation of the coupling shaft. The adjusting component is connected threadedly to the coupling shaft and is operable to drive the axial movement of the coupling shaft and the second grinding seat.

Abstract: An adjustable grinder, includes a container, a stator, a rotor, a drum, and a rotary slide. The container can hold a product to be ground. The stator is positioned on the container. The rotor is positioned opposite to the stator and can rotate with respect to the stator. The drum is positioned around the rotor. The rotary slide includes a pointer that can be adjusted such that a distance between the stator and the rotor increases or decreases.

Abstract: A rolling food processor includes a body forming a chamber, a blade assembly, and a roller assembly. The blade assembly may include a hub and a plurality of blades mounted about the hub and positioned within the chamber, the blade assembly being rotatably coupled to the roller assembly. The roller assembly includes at least one rolling member such that when a user rolls or reciprocates the rolling member on a surface, the hub and the blades rotate to process a food item selectively positioned in the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for pressing a food item into a plurality of sliced configurations. The apparatus may include a top handle device, a bottom handle device, a wheel or basket and a plunger. The top handle device may be connected to the wheel so that the top handle device rotates with respect to the wheel. The plunger may be fixed to the top handle device. The wheel may be fixed to the bottom handle device. The wheel may have a plurality of sections into which a portion of the plunger can be inserted in order to press a food item into a sliced configuration.

Abstract: A compact manual shredder includes : a housing, being a column type tube body, constituted by upper and lower shells covered with each other, the upper shell being disposed with a paper entrance, the lower shell being disposed with a paper outlet and a pair of interlaced and side-by-side fragmentation cutters being configured inside the housing; and a transmission device, having a rotating unit disposed on one end of said housing and a gear train, two ends thereof being respectively coupled to the cutter pair and the rotating unit. Whereby, the rotating unit of the transmission device drives the gear train to rotate, and further drives the cutters to cut paper into fragments.

Abstract: The invention relates to a crushing bucket, which has been designed as an excavator or loader bucket. It comprises a bottom plate (1), side walls (2), and working drums (6) at a rear part of the bucket, which are rotatable about a shaft (6) thereof and crush, while rotating, a bucket-held material and at the same time deliver crushed material out of the bucket between or through the working drums (6). It also comprises enclosures (4) for the power transmission and bearing assemblies of the working drums (3), said enclosures being delimited by frame panels (4b) to which the working drums' (6) bearing cups are attachable. The working drum (6) is provided with at least one crushing tool (7), which is a continuous component extending substantially all the way along the length of a shaft (6a).

Abstract: An ergonomic portable pill crusher tool includes an elongate handle having a first axis, and a shaft having an offset portion and a work portion. The offset portion is connected to the handle. The offset portion has a second axis arranged to be oblique with respect to the first axis of the handle at a first angle facing a central portion of the handle. The work portion has a third axis arranged to be oblique with respect to the second axis of the offset portion at a second angle facing away from the central portion, such that an extent of the work portion along the third axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of the handle at the central portion of the handle. A distal end of the work portion has a convex tip to facilitate application of axial and radial forces to the pill(s).

Abstract: A muddler comprises an elongated member that ends in a head with spikes for crushing fruit pieces or other flavor ingredients. The head can be removed and, in a reverse mode, the muddler can be used as an ice crusher. Optional side located stirring ribs or formations may be provided to facilitate stirring. There can be a finger grip portion at the top to facilitate handling and muddling action.

Abstract: A grinder for a food item includes a top shell having a top axis, a top inner surface disposed about the top axis, and a plurality of top teeth extending downwardly from the top inner surface. The grinder further includes a bottom shell having a bottom axis, a bottom inner surface disposed about the bottom axis, and a plurality of bottom teeth extending upwardly from the bottom inner surface. A plunger is slidable within the cavity between a retracted position and an advanced position, the plunger having an upper surface directed away from the bottom inner surface, the upper surface having a perimeter configured for slidable engagement with an inner surface of the sidewall and a plurality of apertures in registration with the plurality of bottom teeth.

Abstract: This utility patent is a multi-purpose solid material grinder. It includes a shell. The interior space of shell is divided into two or more than two chambers. Each chamber has its own container chamber and grinding set. On the shell of each chamber there is inlet hole and outlet hole for each container chamber. In the shell there is also a motion changing set that will drives every grinding unit's grinding driving axis to operate, and a driving set that will drives the motion changing set to pass the motion to the motion units. By separating the interior of the shell into several grinding chambers, and put containing chamber and grinding mechanism inside each grinding chamber separately, the grinder contains several independent grinding system, which can grind different solid materials. And by engaging the motion changing set, different grinding systems share a driving unit that have one power input. Thus it is very convenient.

Abstract: A grinder includes an improved mechanism for adjusting the coarseness of the grind by providing a grind selector knob centrally located at the top of a cap. In some versions of the invention, the mill includes a base with a cavity for collecting the salt, spice, or pepper that is ground so that it can be measured within the base before dispensing. Ideally, the collector base includes an inclined floor and measurement indicators to enable the grinding and measuring of a desired volume of spice.

Abstract: A pill crushing device and its associated method of operation. The pill container is comprised of a container and a lid assembly that covers the container. A pill to be crushed is placed inside the container and is automatically crushed using the power of a battery operated motor. A pill is introduced into the container through its open top end. A lid assembly is provided that is selectively attached over the open top end of the container. The lid assembly includes a ram that extends into the open top end of the container when the lid assembly is attached to the container. A battery operated motor is also provided in the lid assembly for raising and lowering the ram within said container. By attaching the lid assembly to the container and lowering the ram into the container, a pill can be crushed within the confines of the container.

Abstract: A hand held rotary grater for grating foodstuffs and the like in which a housing having a handle encircles a grater barrel having a crank for rotating the grater barrel within the housing. The grater includes a lever with a cap at one end which is in registry with a hopper in the housing for holding the foodstuff against the grater barrel. The lever is rotatable about a pin mounted in the housing so as to create a mechanical advantage for the user in order that pressure on the lever is increased at the cap for applying pressure to the foodstuff against the grater barrel. Furthermore, the abrading elements operable in one direction are of a different size and configuration than those in the opposite direction to thereby create different size particulate during the abrading process.

Abstract: A tabletop electric stirrer comprising a rotating body and an electric rotating means, wherein the rotating body comprises a stirring shaft, a rotating disk, and a stirring means provided with stirring blades, the stirring means being provided at one end of the stirring shaft, the rotating disk being provided directly above the stirring blades provided to the stirring means, and the other end of the stirring shaft being configured so as to be connected to the electric rotating means, wherein the stirring means has a spherical or conical tip, the tip being located on a center line of the stirring shaft, and a maximum diameter of a cross-section of the stirring means perpendicular to the stirring shaft is greater than a diameter of the stirring shaft and smaller than a diameter of the rotating disk, wherein the stirring blades are provided in such a manner that at least two stirring blades are located along an outer circumference with the maximum diameter of the stirring means so as to face the stirring shaft,

Abstract: A condiment mill is disclosed having a first sleeve, a second sleeve rotatably attached to the second sleeve, a grinding apparatus operably disposed within the first sleeve and the second sleeve, a sliding cap slidably mounted over the first sleeve and the second sleeve, a cap disposed on the grinding apparatus, and wherein the sliding cap is slidable between a first position to rotate the grinding apparatus for grinding condiments and a second position secured against the cap to provide a seal for the condiment mill.

Abstract: A device for adjusting a condiment grinder or a foodstuff breaking unit includes a cassette having an adjusting ring (3), a dish-supporting slide (2) and a fixing washer (1).

Abstract: Condiment grinder and dispenser in which the usual shield for protecting the adjustment screw on the end of the drive shaft is replaced and the screw is secured against accidental removal and loss by providing a stop structure which is attached to or integral part of the end of the drive shaft. This structure, unlike a shield, does not interfere with the adjustment of the coarseness of the grind produced by the grinding dispenser, and yet maintains the integrity of the device without undue complexity or manufacturing expense.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel improvements to an apparatus for uniformly decomposing compressed tablets into a uniform size powder form. More particularly, the present invention is directed to improvements to the rotor cap of the apparatus allowing the rotor cap to be easily removed from the apparatus without the need for removal tools thereby allowing easy conversion from right hand operation to left hand operation and vice versa. Such improves also allow for disassembly and cleaning. Additional improvements including providing for a coding tab configured to represent predefined information such as ownership and previous use.

Abstract: A grinder including a hollow base, a receptacle, an automatic open/close control device, a grinding unit, and a housing. The automatic open/close control device has a follower member, a bottom cover, a position-limitation structure, and a torsion spring connected between the follower member and the bottom cover. When a friction force produced during grinding of the grinder is greater than a torsional force of a torsion spring, the follower member is rotated relative to the bottom cover from a first position where radial blocks of the follower member block outlets of the bottom cover to a second position where the radial blocks of the follower member are moved away from the outlets of the bottom cover and guide slots of the follower member are moved into alignment with the outlets respectively for discharge of ground powder out of the grinder through the guide slots and the outlets.

Abstract: A spice grinding and dispensing device generally intended to be used for grinding one spice in a first portion and a second spice in the other portion. Each portion of the dual spice grinder includes a handle or trigger that activates an independent rasp mechanism. When the trigger is pressed, the rasp activated thereby moves down and forces ground spice through an opening. The pressure of the rasp against the inside of the bottom of the grinder breaks up the spice, and only spice that is properly sized can fit through the opening. Furthermore, the opening may be adjustable so that a user can create a coarse or finely ground spice.

Abstract: A condiment grinder comprises a hollow body constituting a reservoir for a condiment to be ground, the body having an opening at its lower end, in which a female grinding member defining an aperture is received and an opening at its upper end. One end of an actuating rod is connected to a male grinding member rotatably received in the aperture and the other end of the actuating rod passes through the upper opening in the body. A rotatable actuating knob removably closes the upper opening in the body and is non-rotatably secured to the other end of the actuating rod. The grinder further includes a condiment filling aid comprising a tubular sleeve having a first end whose cross-sectional area is less than that of its second end. The first end is connected to the upper end of the body around the upper opening.

Abstract: A cordless electric condiment grinder includes a hollow housing elongated to extend between a base for supporting the grinder uprightly and an opposing top, the top of the housing having a bulbous form to define a condiment reservoir. A rotary grinding mechanism is disposed in a lateral opening in the top of the housing and a tilt switch controls operation of the grinding mechanism, allowing freshly ground condiment to be dispensed automatically upon rotating the grinder through an acute angle and thus is particularly suited for use by people with limited dexterity.

Abstract: A pepper mill includes a receiving unit, a grinding unit, a coupling unit and a closure unit . The receiving unit includes a container body defining a receiving space for receiving peppercorns, and a driving member disposed movably in the receiving space. The coupling unit is disposed in the receiving space and is driven rotatably by the driving member. The grinding unit is disposed in the receiving space and is coupled co-rotatably to the coupling unit for grinding the peppercorns to result in ground pepper. The closure unit includes a closure member movable relative to the grinding unit between a closed position so as to block discharge of the ground pepper through a discharge end of the container body, and an opened position so as to permit discharge of the ground pepper through the discharge end.

Abstract: An injection moulded preform is disclosed which is then blown to form a bottle (16) for containing spices and other material which is ground before use. The preform is moulded with teeth (18, 20) which are on the inside of the part of the preform which constitutes the neck. A rotatable structure which fits onto the bottle has a core which fits into the neck. The core has external teeth which co-operate with the teeth (18, 20) of the preform to define a grinding gap.

Abstract: A manually drivable food cutter includes a cap with a axle journal, a blade shaft including one or more blades disposed thereon, a vessel connected to the blade shaft, a base connecting the cap and the vessel, a gear shaft set above the base, and a gear part transmitting the rotation of the cap to the blade shaft on the base, the gear part including one or more gears. The advantages of the apparatus are that it can be conveniently operated and the units do not fall apart easily.

Abstract: A pepper can includes a grinding mechanism, a rotary driving unit, and a controlling unit to make the rotary driving unit switch between its on and off states; the controlling unit includes two magnetic electricity-conducting pieces, which are electrically connected to the driving unit, and each have an elastic portion; the controlling unit includes a sealing sleeve positioned around the elastic portions, and a magnetic component capable of sliding close to the sealing sleeve; when the pepper can is in an in-use state, the magnetic component will make the elastic portions get into contact with each other owing to magnetic attraction, thus turning on the driving unit for the driving unit to drive the grinding unit to grind pepper; the elastic portions are airtightly wrapped in the sealing sleeve, and therefore can't oxidize or have dust accumulating thereon, preventing the risk of poor electrical contact existing between the elastic portions.

Abstract: A food mill including a container having a first flange and an opposing second flange, and a blade assembly removably connected to the container. The blade assembly includes a support arm having a first end defining a slot engageable with the first flange, and a second end including a latch. The latch is movable between a first condition, where the latch is disengaged from the second flange, and a second condition, where the latch is engaged with the second flange.

Abstract: A condiment grinder comprises a housing with at least two separate chambers, each configured to hold one of the condiments. A separate grinder is mounted on a side of the housing adjacent each chamber for grinding and dispensing the condiment from the respective chamber. The grinders each have a rotational axis which intersects the axis of the other grinders at the approximate center of the housing. A separate hand crank, operative to rotate each grinder about its axis, is disposed on the opposite side of the housing from the respective grinder to which it is connected.

Abstract: A cordless electric condiment grinder includes a hollow housing elongated to extend between a base for supporting the grinder uprightly and an opposing top, the top of the housing having a bulbous form to define a condiment reservoir. A rotary grinding mechanism is disposed in a lateral opening in the top of the housing and a tilt switch controls operation of the grinding mechanism, allowing freshly ground condiment to be dispensed automatically upon rotating the grinder through an acute angle and thus is particularly suited for use by people with limited dexterity.

Abstract: A blade assembly for use with a food processor includes a hub configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of the food processor, a first blade rotatably coupled to the hub and configured to rotate with respect to the hub at least up to a predetermined angle with respect to a second blade, which is fixedly coupled to the hub. The first blade is rotatable between a first position in which it is in phase with the second blade for receiving a blade guard protecting both blades, and a second position, in which the first blade is out of phase with the second blade for optimally processing a food item in the food processor, the blade assembly also including a biasing member for returning the first blade to the first position after use.

Abstract: A pill crusher device and method including a base and a lid movable between open and closed positions with respect to the base. The base includes a pill cup holder for holding a cup with one or more pills therein. The cup may include a flange that is keyed to the cup holder to prevent the cup from rotating with the cup holder. A head protrudes from the inside surface of the lid and is shaped to nest within the cup either directly against the pills, or against a second cup placed in the first cup with the pills located between the two cups.

Abstract: A juicer that produces juice within fruit in particular fruit without large pit(s). The juicer comprises mainly a rod with one or more flexible wires attached thereto. The rod may further comprise an inner straw built-in with holes. The wires may comprise various shaped cutting elements (160, 162) to aid in juicing the fruit's pulp. The rod and wire(s) are configured for removable introduction into the fruit's peel via a naturally occurring opening therein, or at any other location of the peel. The rod and wire(s) are spun within the fruit by a controllable motor or by any other source of rotary motion to juice the pulp, and the peel remains whole and can be used as a cup or a juice container. The rod and wire(s) in particular, can be designed and adjusted to suit virtually almost any fruit, with large variation of acceptable shapes, structures, types, materials, cross-sections, sizes, geometries, locations, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A pepper mill includes a receiving unit defining a receiving space, a grinding unit disposed at one end of the receiving space, and a stop unit dividing the receiving space into first and second space portions that are respectively distal from and proximate to the grinding unit. The stop unit is formed with a passage to permit peppercorns in the first space portion to fall into the grinding unit so as to be ground thereby through the second space portion when the pepper mill is disposed at a dispensing position, and is configured to stop a portion of residual ground pepper in the second space portion from reaching the first space portion via the passage when the pepper mill is disposed at a non-dispensing position.

Abstract: A pepper can includes a grinding mechanism, a rotary driving unit, and a controlling unit to make the rotary driving unit switch between its on and off states; the controlling unit includes two magnetic electricity-conducting pieces, which are electrically connected to the driving unit, and each have an elastic portion; the controlling unit includes a sealing sleeve positioned around the elastic portions, and a magnetic component capable of sliding close to the sealing sleeve; when the pepper can is in an in-use state, the magnetic component will make the elastic portions get into contact with each other owing to magnetic attraction, thus turning on the driving unit for the driving unit to drive the grinding unit to grind pepper; the elastic portions are airtightly wrapped in the sealing sleeve, and therefore can't oxidize or have dust accumulating thereon, preventing the risk of poor electrical contact existing between the elastic portions.

Abstract: A cordless electric dual condiment grinder includes a hollow housing elongated to extend between a base for supporting the grinder uprightly and an opposing top, the top of the housing having a bulbous form to define two condiment reservoirs (e.g. for receiving salt and pepper respectively). A unidirectional rotary grinding mechanism is disposed in a lateral opening in each of the reservoirs. The lateral openings are on opposing sides of the housing and a tilt switch controls the direction of rotation of a reversible drive motor. One-way clutches in the transmission are provided such that each grinding mechanism is selectively rotated depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor output. The user can thus selectively dispense from one or other of the compartments by rotating the grinder through an acute angle from the upright such that the selected lateral opening faces downwardly and thus is particularly suited for use by people with limited dexterity.

Abstract: A device for grinding tablets includes a body, an electric motor housed within the body, a power source connected to the electric motor via a switch, a grinder driven to rotate by the electric motor, a tablet chute to the grinder, and a particle bin attached to or formed integrally with the body for receiving particles from the grinder.

Abstract: A grinder includes a body, which has a holding room in a bottom portion thereof; the grinder includes a rotating operational component on an upper end of the body, and a grinding mechanism in an upper portion of the holding room; the rotating operational component and the grinding mechanism are coupled by means of a transmission rod; the bottom portion of the grinder body has several outlet holes on a peripheral side for the holding room to communicate with an outside; a stopping board is secured over a lower end of the holding room of the grinder body so as to seal up the lower end of the holding room; the user is allowed to tilt the grinder to make ground seasoning fall out through the outlet holes; seasoning won't fall out of the holding room to dirty the table even if the grinder is subjected to external force accidentally.

Abstract: A device for adjusting the grinding of a condiment in a mill includes a drive element having a thimble 6, a thimble support 4, a wheel 9 and a fixing ring 11 for attachment to the mill. Rotational movement of an adjustment ring 3 fitted with an adjustment stop 5 independent of the device results in translational movement of the thimble support 4.

Abstract: A mill for grinding seasonings, particularly moist salts such as Guérande salt, includes a body and a cap covering the body. A drive shaft is received within the body and has a device for breaking up the seasoning.

Abstract: A peppermill includes a receiving unit that surrounds an axis and that defines a receiving space for receiving peppercorns, a grinding unit that includes a coupling shaft disposed rotatably in the receiving space and having a shaft hole extending therethrough along the axis, and that is operable for grinding the peppercorns to result in ground pepper, and a closure unit that includes a connecting rod extending movably through the shaft hole along the axis, and a closure member secured to the connecting rod and disposed under the grinding unit. Movement of the connecting rod results in corresponding movement of the closure member between a closed position for blocking discharge of the ground pepper through a discharge end of the receiving unit, and an opened position for permitting discharge of the ground pepper through the discharge end.

Abstract: A food cutting device has a bowl, two cutting blades supported in the bowl for rotation relative to each other, and a drive mechanism supported by the bowl for rotating the cutting blades to cut food in the bowl. The cutting blades are rotatable in opposite directions relative to each other to perform a scissors-like cutting action.

Abstract: The spice grinder (10) disclosed comprises a non-rotatable component (12) which fits on the top of a bottle or other container and a rotatable component (14) which fits onto the component (12). The component (12) has a bore with teeth (24) projecting inwardly from the surface of the bore. The component (14) has teeth (51, 58) and grinding takes place in the grinding gap between these teeth and the teeth (24) when the component (14) is rotated on the component (12). Apertures (60) enable ground spice to fall from the inverted grinder. The grinder also includes a movable shutter (16) which is displacable with respect to the apertures (60) to enable the area of each passageway to be varied.

Abstract: A pill crusher has a ram and an anvil member having opposed pill crushing faces, and an electric ram drive operable to displace the ram towards the anvil member. The anvil member is rotatable and displaceable in response to pressure from the ram, to ensure the crushing of a pill located between the crushing faces of the ram and the anvil member. The anvil member, the ram and the ram drive are provided in a housing having a pill pouch reception opening which is upwardly open and extends above the crushing face of the anvil member.

Abstract: An electric seasoning mill includes a body having first and second holding rooms adjacent first and second ends. A motor is housed between the first and second ends. The motor has first and second output shafts extending toward the first and second ends; the first and second output shafts are rotatable in first and second directions. First and second milling assemblies are adjacent the first and second rooms; each milling assembly has stationary and rotatable portions. A first transmission shaft operatively couples the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion; a second transmission shaft operatively couples the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion. Means are included for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the first and second directions upon tilting the main body in first and second manners.

Abstract: A food cutting device for cutting food items into smaller pieces, comprises a receptacle having an entrance though which food items can he introduced into the receptacle and an exit though which smaller pieces of the food items can be dispensed from the receptacle, a rotary cutter in the receptacle for cutting the food items into the smaller pieces, and a handle connected with the receptacle, for holding and carrying the food cutting device with only one hand of a user. A driving mechanism is located between the cutter and the handle for manual operation by the user to operate the cutter, including an operating member that is located at or adjacent to the handle for movement and operation by the hand holding and carrying the food cutting device.

Abstract: A grinder having two condiment-receiving compartments each with a respective rotary grinding mechanism dispenses from one or other of the compartments depending upon whether a rotary input is turned clockwise or anticlockwise. First and second gear trains transmit torque between the rotary input and each grinding mechanism, with a one-way clutch provided in each gear train and an auxiliary gear allows both grinding mechanisms to rotate in the same sense.