Patent ID: 6377022
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: A47J,H02J

Abstract:
An apparatus for grinding solid particulate food materials comprising:a portable grinder having an electric grinding motor powered by a rechargeable power source and charging circuit, the grinder being removably mountable on a charging station, wherein the portable grinder further comprises: a housing having generally vertical orientation and a vertical axis, with a closed base end and an open top end, a basket disposed in the open top end of the housing for receiving the food materials to be ground, the basket having a bottom with an aperture opening into a through passage communicating serially with a milling mechanism and a drop chamber, the milling mechanism including a burr grinder assembly having a non-rotating grinding element and a rotating grinding element connected to the grinding motor and a grinding space disposed between the two grinding elements, the grinding space being a section of the through passage, and the milling mechanism positioned proximate the bottom of the basket to receive the particulate food materials as they pass through the bottom of the basket, the drop chamber disposed below the milling mechanism to receive by gravity ground food materials after they have passed through the milling mechanism, a removable drop bin disposed within the drop chamber for catching the ground food materials, and the rechargeable power supply in electrical communication with the grinding motor to operate the motor; the charging station being mountable on a flat surface and having a cradle for releaseably receiving the grinder and having an electrical circuit connectable to a household electric power source; and an electrical connection for electrically coupling electrical circuit of the charging station to the charging circuit of the grinder when the grinder is received in the cradle.