Abstract:
A grinder used to grind material, such as tobacco leaves and other dried fruit and herbs, having windows or plastic covered openings that provide visual access to the interior of the compartment in which the finely grinded material is collected. These windows or plastic covered openings allow the user to visually determine whether sufficient material has been grinded without the burdensome task of repeatedly opening and closing the compartment. Furthermore, the grinder of the present invention is designed to allow the windows or openings to be covered and sealed by a single clear plastic part that is injection molded directly onto the sidewalls of the grinder.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is related to an apparatus for grinding tobacco leaves and other smoking material for use in cigars or cigarettes. More particularly, the present invention is related to a handheld tobacco grinder with see-through windows to allow the user to visually determine the amount of grinded tobacco produced without opening the grinder prematurely. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Producing a rolled up cigar or cigarette or smoking a pipe requires tobacco that has been grinded into very small pieces from a dried tobacco leaf. The grinded tobacco is rolled into a cigar or cigarette using rolling paper so that the user may smoke it. The grinded tobacco is also suitable to be smoked with a conventional smoking pipe. Before the 1900s, dried tobacco leaves were commonly grinded down by means of the palm of the hand and fingers until the pieces were small enough to be used in a cigar or cigarette. In the early 1900s, innovative devices were developed to grind tobacco and other smoking materials. 
         [0005]    For example, U.S. Pat. No. 854,384 issued in 1907 teaches a bag with two opposite faces roughened or serrated into which dried tobacco leaves may be inserted. When pressure is applied to the outer faces of the two opposite faces, the dried tobacco leaves may be ground to a fine condition suitable for smoking. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,363 teaches a tobacco grinder with a top and bottom half that come together to form an internal cavity having a grinding shaft. As the top half is rotated relative to the lower half, the grinding shaft is rotated to grind the dried tobacco leaves placed within the housing. After the tobacco is ground, it is passed through the holes of a sieve into a cap where it is held until the user is ready to smoke it. 
         [0007]    Today, the most widely used tobacco grinder design is one with three cavities, a top cap, and a bottom cap. The top half of the first cavity is formed by the top cap. A plurality of grinding knives protrudes from the top cap. The bottom half of the first cavity also has a plurality of grinding knives and several large holes that lead into the second cavity. The second cavity has a screen that leads into the third cavity. The bottom half of the third cavity is formed by the bottom cap of the grinder. 
         [0008]    A dried tobacco leaf is placed inside the first cavity. The top cap is then rotated relative to the rest of the grinder allowing the grinding knives to cut the tobacco into smaller pieces. The smaller tobacco pieces are then passed through the large holes into the second cavity and then through the screen into the third cavity. The pieces in the second cavity can then be directed back to the first cavity for further grinding. The ground tobacco in the third cavity is collected in the bottom cap which is removed by the user when ready to smoke it. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,170 was issued in 2008 and teaches a tobacco grinder that is very similar to the popular tobacco grinder used today and described above except that the grinding knives protrude from two separate grinding plates that are separate and independent parts that are removable from the rest of the grinder. This configuration allows the grinding plates, thus the grinding knives, to be manufactured separately and of different material as the rest of the grinder so as to reduce the cost of manufacturing. Otherwise, the grinder taught in the &#39;170 patent is the same as today&#39;s popular grinder described above. 
         [0010]    A major disadvantage of today&#39;s popular tobacco grinder and the grinder taught in the &#39;170 patent is that the interior of the third cavity is not visible at all to the user without removing the bottom cap. The grinded tobacco that is ready for use is ultimately collected in the third cavity. Without removing the bottom cap, the user is unable to determine the amount of grinded tobacco that has been produced. Users are forced to repeatedly remove the bottom cap to decide whether more grinding of tobacco is required. Often, users become proficient at estimating based on the amount of tobacco leaves placed in the first cavity. 
         [0011]    Unless this and other practical problems associated with tobacco grinders are resolved, tobacco smokers will continue to blindly estimate the amount of tobacco that has been grinded. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned disadvantages occurring in the prior art. The present invention is a tobacco grinder with windows or plastic covered openings that provide visual access to the interior of the compartment in which the finely grinded tobacco is collected. By having these windows or plastic covered openings, the user is able to visually determine whether sufficient tobacco has been grinded without the burdensome task of repeatedly opening the compartment. 
         [0013]    It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide windows for visual access to the interior of the compartment in the tobacco grinder in which the finely grinded tobacco is collected. 
         [0014]    Another object of the present invention is to ensure that said windows are completely covered by a transparent material, such as a clear plastic. 
         [0015]    Another object of the present invention is to ensure that the transparent material covering the windows are attached to the housing of the tobacco grinder in a permanent manner so that it does not fall off and it does not allow the grinded tobacco from falling out. 
         [0016]    Yet another object of the present invention is to strategically position the windows to allow sufficient light to the interior of the tobacco grinder so that the user can visually determine the amount of grinded tobacco produced. 
         [0017]    A still further object of the present invention is to reduce the manufacturing cost of adding the covered windows to a conventional tobacco grinder. 
         [0018]    The above objects and other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The accompanying drawings which are incorporated by reference herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functional similar elements. A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a sectional side view of the tobacco grinder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the tobacco grinder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the top cap according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the middle section according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5   a  is a perspective view of the housing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5   b  is a sectional side view of the housing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bottom cap according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Reference will now be made to the drawings in which various elements of the present invention will be given numerical designations and in which the invention will be discussed so as to enable one skilled in the art and make use of the invention. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the present invention comprises a tobacco grinder  100  with a top cap  10 , a middle section  20 , a housing  30 , and a bottom cap  40 . The top cap  10  is circular in shape with a sidewall  11  that defines its bottom opening  12  and a top cover  13  having a bottom face  14  from which multiple top grinding knives  15  protrude downward, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the middle section  20  is an annular object with a top opening  21  defined by a top sidewall  22  and a bottom opening  23  defined by a bottom sidewall  24 . The bottom sidewall  24  has an outer diameter that is equal to the outer diameter of the sidewall  11  of the top cap  10 . Whereas, the top sidewall  22  has an outer diameter that is a fraction of an inch less than the inner diameter of the sidewall  11  of the top cap  10 . This dimensional configuration allows the top cap  10  to be placed directly over the top sidewall  22  of the middle section  20  and rest on an outer edge  24   a  created by the bottom sidewall  24  of the middle section  20 . 
         [0030]    A circular plate  25  is permanently attached to the top sidewall  22 . The outer diameter of the circular plate  25  is of sufficient size to allow it to be fit into and within the bottom sidewall  24  of the middle section  20  by force or pressure. Once in place, the circular plate  25  is permanently attached to the bottom sidewall  24  of the middle section  20 . When the top cap  10  is placed over the top sidewall  22  of the middle section  20 , a grinding compartment  50  is created between the circular plate  25  and the top cover  13  and within the top sidewall  22  of the middle section  20 . 
         [0031]    The circular plate  25  has multiple holes  26  scattered at various locations to filter the content in the grinding compartment  50  by allowing pieces smaller in size than the multiple holes  26  to fall through and past the circular plate  25 . By the same token, pieces that are larger in size than the multiple holes  26  will remain in the grinding compartment  50 . 
         [0032]    The circular plate  25  also has multiple bottom grinding knives  26  protruding from the top face  25   a  in an upward direction. Much like the top grinding knives  15  are permanently attached to the top cap  10 , the bottom grinding knives  26  are permanently attached to the circular plate  25  in the middle section  20 . Furthermore, the location of the bottom grinding knives  26  are arranged so that when the top cap  10  is placed over the top sidewall  22  of the middle section  20 , the bottom grinding knives  26  do not interfere with the top grinding knives  15 . More importantly, the location of the bottom grinding knives  26  are arranged so that when the top cap  10  is turned with respect to the middle section  20  to rotate it back and forth, the top and bottom grinding knives  15 ,  26  are correspondingly moved within the grinding compartment  50  to provide a grinding action for grinding the objects within the grinding compartment  50 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 5   a  and  FIG. 5   b , the housing  30  is a tubular object with a top opening  31 , a bottom opening  32 , and a housing sidewall  33  with an outer diameter that is the same as the outer diameter of the bottom sidewall  24  of the middle section  20 . The housing  30  has external threads  34  at the top and internal threads  35  at the bottom. The housing  30  also has an internal annular edge  36  formed at a given depth along the top of the housing sidewall  33 . A screen  37  is then permanently attached to the internal annular edge  36 . 
         [0034]    At several locations along the housing sidewall  33  various openings  38  are placed horizontally to allow visual access to the interior of the housing  30 . The various openings  38  are then covered with a clear plastic, such as polycarbonate. The clear plastic is injection molded directly on to the housing  30  to permanently cover the various openings  38  completely. 
         [0035]    A passageway  39  is created on the inside of the housing sidewall  33  and between each opening  38 . The passageway  39  allows the clear plastic to flow between the openings  38  so that a single injection of the clear plastic is needed to cover all the openings  38 . A single injection of the clear plastic is preferred because it allows all of the openings  38  to be covered by a single unbroken plastic part that cannot be removed from the housing sidewall  33  unless it is broken into multiple pieces. A single injection of the clear plastic is also preferred because it ensures a tight seal that will keep the contents inside the housing  30  from falling or slipping out. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the bottom cap  40  is a circular object with a bottom cover  41  and a short bottom cap sidewall  42  having external threads  43 . The outside edge  44  of the bottom cap  40  can be knurled to improve the gripping surface as it is being attached to and detached from the housing  30 . 
         [0037]    Hereinafter, an explanation on the methods of packing and distributing the product of the present invention and the operating states thereof will be given. 
         [0038]    For the distribution of the tobacco grinder  100  of the present invention, four major parts, that is the top cap  10 , the middle section  20 , the housing  30 , and the bottom cap  40 , are assembled together and packaged ready for use. Assembly of the four major parts requires the external threads  43  of the bottom cap  40  to be coupled with the internal threads  35  at the bottom of the housing  30  so as to removably attach the bottom cap  40  to the housing  30 . Secondly, the external threads  34  at the top of the housing  30  are coupled with internal threads  27  on the bottom sidewall  24  of the middle section  20  so as to removably attach the housing  30  to the middle section  20 . Finally, the top cap  10  is placed over the top sidewall  22  of the middle section  20  until it rests on the outer edge  24   a.    
         [0039]    A top magnet holder  16  protrudes downward from the center of the bottom face  14  of the top cover  13  of the top cap  10 . A top magnet  17  is permanently attached at the lowermost end of the top magnet holder  16 . A bottom magnet  27  is permanently attached to the center of the top face  25   a  of the circular plate  25  in the middle section  20 . Thus, when the top cap  10  is placed over the top sidewall  22  of the middle section  20 , the top magnet  17  and the bottom magnet  27  are aligned to be magnetically attached to each other to hold down the top cap  10  over the middle section  20 . 
         [0040]    When the four major parts are assembled together, the grinding compartment  50  is formed between the top cover  13  in the top cap  10  and the circular plate  25  in the middle section  20 . An intermediate compartment  60  is then formed between the circular plate  25  in the middle section  20  and the screen  37  in the housing  30 . Finally, a collection compartment  70  is located between the screen  37  in the housing  30  and the bottom cap  40 . 
         [0041]    in order to use the product of the present invention, then, after the product is unpackaged, dried tobacco leaves are placed within the grinding compartment  50  on top or within the bottom grinding knives  26 . With the tobacco leaves in the grinding compartment  50 , the top cap  10  is replaced over the middle section  20 . Secondly, the top cap  10  is rotated back and forth around the middle section  20  to provide a grinding action by the top and bottom grinding knives  15 ,  26  for grinding the tobacco leaves within the grinding compartment  50 . 
         [0042]    A preferred mode of operation is that the user put the tobacco grinder of the present invention upside down before grinding the tobacco leaves by rotating the top cap  10 . After the leaves have been grinded in the grinding compartment, the user restores the position of the tobacco grinder of the present invention to allow the grinded leaves to fall through the multiple holes  26  in the circular plate  25  and into the intermediate compartment  60 . From the intermediate compartment  60 , the tobacco pieces that have been finely grinded into the desired size will fall through the screen  37  into the collection compartment  70 . Thereafter, without removing any caps or opening any compartments, the user has visual access to the interior of the collection compartment  70  through the various openings  38  that are covered with a clear plastic. If the amount of finely grinded tobacco is not sufficient, the user can then turn the tobacco grinder of the present invention upside down again to allow the tobacco in the intermediate compartment  60  to fall through the multiple holes  26  in the circular plate  25  and back into the grinding compartment  50  for more grinding by rotating the top cap  10  back and forth. Alternatively, more tobacco leaves can be added to the grinding compartment  50  prior to turning the tobacco grinder of the present invention upside down again for more grinding. Finally, when the user can visually see through the various openings  38  that sufficient finely grinded tobacco has been produced, the user can remove the bottom cap  40  to access the finely grinded tobacco that is ready for use with a cigar, cigarette, or smoking pipe. 
         [0043]    All other tobacco grinders known to the inventor have been designed and manufactured out of metal or plastic without any openings  38 , windows, or any other type of visual access to the contents in the collection compartment  70 . Thus, the user is required to open the collection compartment to determine if a sufficient amount of tobacco has been grinded. If more is needed, the user has to close the collection compartment and grind some more tobacco. This process of having to continuously open and close the collection compartment is burdensome and can lead to accidental spillage of the grinded tobacco by the user. The tobacco grinder of the present invention eliminates this need to continuously open and close compartments by adding the various openings  38  covered with a clear plastic to provide the user visual access to the interior of the collection compartment  70  while maintaining the tobacco securely inside the compartments. 
         [0044]    It is understood that the described embodiment of the present invention is illustrative only, and that modifications thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this invention is not to be regarded as limited to the embodiment disclosed, but to be limited only as defined by the appended claims herein.