Salad spinner brake mechanism

A salad spinner has a hub connected in a rotary driving relationship to a colander mounted within the salad spinner for rotation about an axis of rotation. A brake provides braking force to the hub coaxially with the colander axis of rotation. The brake includes a spring-loaded button located coaxially with the colander axis of rotation and an actuation element between the button and the hub for applying coaxial, linear force from the button to the hub for braking. A drive plate is connected in a rotary driving relationship to the hub, and the button is constrained for co-rotation with the drive plate and linear motion relative the drive plate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/898,227 filed on May 20, 2013, which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/753,300 filed on Apr. 2, 2010, now abandoned, which was a non-provisional application based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/211,653 filed on Apr. 2. 2009.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an improved food preparation product. More particularly, it is a rotatable greens drying device (hereinafter, salad spinner) that decreases the time and effort required to dry washed greens by use of an improved brake mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Salad spinner devices are common and not new to the marketplace. All known salad spinners are designed to create centrifugal force that expedites removal of residual water which accumulates after rinsing leafy vegetables. This is done to avoid soggy greens which can detract from the texture and quality of a salad. Each known device in the prior art employs a mechanical method for swiftly rotating a perforated container filled with rinsed greens inside a vessel that captures and contains water after its removal. This mechanical method is not the subject of this disclosure as it could be satisfactorily achieved by using one of several drive mechanisms already known in the public domain.

Most salad spinner devices consist of five main components: (1) a rigid and stationary exterior main bowl with (2) an exterior lid, (3) an interior rotatable colander with (4) an engageable interior lid, and (5) a rotary drive device that is fastened to the exterior lid which when activated by the user, spins the interior lid and colander in unison. The exterior lid, rotary drive, and interior lid are usually combined in a lid assembly. The user typically will fill the colander with leafy greens and wash them thoroughly under a faucet. Then, the dripping colander is placed inside the main bowl on a countertop, the lid assembly (containing the exterior lid, interior lid and the rotary device) is placed on top of the bowl and the user activates the rotary drive device to create the centrifugal force needed to remove water from the greens. The colander rotation has to stop before the dewatered greens can be removed.

A brake is an additional component that is sometimes found on salad spinners. The colander, its contents, and the interior lid represent a considerable mass that, when rotating together in a low-friction environment, take a long time to slow back down to stationary when application of spinning force is ceased. Simpler devices without a brake require the user to either (1) simply wait for the rotation to decay or (2) remove the lid and stop the fast-spinning colander by hand. The former method adds considerable time to the operation, while the latter technique is awkward and messy.

One type of brake known since at least French Patent 743,906, issued Jan. 16, 1933, uses a simple exterior lid-mounted elastic button 21 to selectively contact a point on the interior lid located off-axis, that is, radially-outward of the center. A latter example of the simple radially-displaced elastic brake is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,883 to Mulhauser. The rotating mechanism occupies the center of both devices, and apparently no thought was given to coaxially mounting the brake with the rotating mechanism. One major drawback of an off-axis, radially-displaced brake is that substantial unbalancing moment is applied to the spinning mass, making the braking action rough, loud, hard to control, and a generally unpleasant end to an otherwise elegant operation. Another drawback of the radially-displaced type of brake is that the support system for the rotating mass must be heavier to provide resistance to the unbalancing moment of the brake.

There is a need, then, for a salad spinner device that provides a smooth and balanced braking action applied coaxially with the colander axis of rotation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The salad spinner of the present invention includes a brake that is coaxially applied with the colander axis of rotation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially toFIGS. 1-6, where like numerals indicate like and corresponding elements, the salad spinner has a support frame1configured to be shifted from a collapsed state for storage to an extended state for use. An internal colander3(FIG. 2) is also collapsible and extendable.

In operation, to begin use, the support frame1and colander3are first extended to their use configurations. Leafy greens are placed inside the colander3, washed with water and spread evenly. The removable drive assembly5, with attached fan7and actuator8, is removably coupled to the support frame1and colander3by placing it on top of the support frame1directly above the colander3. The removable drive assembly5self-locates with the fan7affixed to the colander rim3aso as to transfer driving input from actuator8and the mechanical output of the removable drive assembly5to the fan7and attached colander3. The removable drive assembly5is then actuated, gradually increasing speed to rotate the colander3about an axis of rotation9(FIGS. 1 and 6) to provide centrifugal force, which removes water from the leafy greens. As speed increases, radial vanes11within the removable drive assembly5permit dry air to flow into the fan7and be forced through the leafy greens and the colander holes. Braking force is applied via button14, as will be described in greater detail below. The user then lifts the removable drive assembly5from the top of the support frame and either removes the leafy greens by hand, or alternatively lifts out the colander3from the support frame1and pours the leafy greens into a separate bowl for consumption.

Further details regarding the salad spinner construction and operation are found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/898,227 filed on May 20, 2013, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/753,300 filed on Apr. 2, 2010, and the disclosures of each are included by reference thereto as if fully set forth herein.

As best shown inFIG. 2, fan7is an air circulation device having a plurality of blades7aangled with respect to a direction of rotation caused by the drive assembly5, such that air from the outside of the salad spinner enters through radial vanes11and is forced into the colander and out the colander holes.

In general, drive assembly5includes the actuator8connected to a drive plate15. Drive plate15is connected via a ring gear (shown in FIG. 6 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/898,227 filed on May 20, 2013) in the bottom of drive plate15and idler gears16to a geared, one-way clutch member18, which drives a hub19by way of clutch cylinders20. Hub19is attached to fan7by way of dogs21. The coaxial brake, to be described in more detail below, includes button14, spring22, brake actuation element23, and brake ring24. Fastener25rotatably mounts the hub19to a depending axle stub27(FIG. 6) of the drive plate15. Fastener25is drawn tightly enough to linearly and coaxially fix hub19but is sufficiently loose to allow free relative rotation between hub19and drive plate15.

Describing now the drive assembly5and its coaxial brake in more detail, the salad spinner includes the drive assembly5removably coupled to a colander3. The actuator8transmits a driving input applied to the actuator8to rotate the colander3about an axis of rotation9. The actuator8is rotatably mounted to a drive plate15a radial distance from the axis of rotation9such that the drive plate15and actuator8are a crank mechanism for imparting rotary force around axis of rotation9.

A transmission for rotating force provided by the crank includes a ring gear on the drive plate15(shown inFIG. 6of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/898,227 filed on May 20, 2013). A pair of idler gears16are engaged with each other, and one idler gear16is also engaged to the ring gear. The other idler gear16is also engaged with a driven gear17fixed to a clutch member18, such that rotary force is transmitted from the ring gear, through the idler gears, to driven gear17on the clutch member18. Idler gears16are rotatably mounted to the drive assembly top31, which top31remains hand-held and stationary during use.

A one-way, freewheel clutch is also provided. The clutch includes the clutch member18, which has arms33below driven gear17loosely constraining the plurality of clutch cylinders20. Hub19has an internal clutch surface35for frictional engagement with the clutch member18by way of the clutch cylinders20and the arms33when the drive plate15is rotated in one direction and for freewheeling disengagement when the drive plate rotation speed is less than the rotation speed of the hub.

The hub19is adapted and arranged to be connected in a rotary driving relationship to the colander3for rotation. In the preferred embodiment, the hub and colander connection includes a pair of diametrically opposed dogs21pivotally connected to the hub19. The dogs21engage a pair of corresponding fan slots37on fan7. Fan7has an outer rim39frictionally engaged with the outer rim3aof the colander3.

The coaxial brake selectively applies braking force to the hub19coaxially with the colander axis of rotation9, which is the essential feature of this invention. The coaxial brake includes button14fixed to the drive plate15. Button14is constrained for linear motion with respect to the drive plate15by a plurality of semi-cylindrical button fingers43extending vertically-downward from an internal bottom surface45of the button14. Button fingers43extend through loosely-fitted, cooperating, semi-cylindrical finger holes47in the drive plate15, such that linear motion is permitted but corotation of the button14and drive plate15is provided. Button14outward linear motion is constrained by engagement tabs49extending inwardly from an internal side surface51of the button14. The engagement tabs49cooperate with engagement slots53on the drive plate15to establish a limit on outward linear motion of the button14. Coil spring22is retained by the button14and drive plate15and is adapted and arranged to urge the button14outwardly away from the drive plate15.

The brake actuation element23has an upper ring55, two semi-cylindrical actuation arms57depending from the upper ring55, and a brake surface59at the bottom61of each actuation arm57. The actuation arms57extend vertically-downward from the upper ring55through loosely-fitted, cooperating, semi-cylindrical arm holes63in the drive assembly top31. The upper ring55is closely-adjacent to bottoms65of the button fingers43to receive coaxial, linear force from linear motion applied to the button14. Drive assembly top31remains stationary in all phases of operation of the salad spinner, so brake actuation element23does not rotate but is allowed linear relative motion with respect to the drive assembly top31.

Brake ring24is located closely-adjacent to the brake surfaces59at the bottoms61of the actuation arms57. Brake ring24is a resilient, toroidal ring with a top surface67adjacent to the bottoms61of the actuation arms57. Top surface67receives coaxial, linear force transmitted by the brake actuation element23from the button14. Brake ring24also has a bottom surface69.

A braked surface71is formed on the hub and located closely-adjacent to the brake ring bottom surface69. The braked surface71is located within the hub19to receive coaxial, linear force applied by the brake ring bottom surface69. The coaxial, linear force is transmitted to the hub by the brake ring24, brake actuation element23, and button14.

Referring now toFIGS. 7A and 7B, which are diagrammatic views illustrating the invention in operation,FIG. 7Ashows the salad spinner with the drive assembly and hub rotating, andFIG. 7Bshows the drive assembly not spinning and the coaxial brake being applied to the hub.

InFIG. 7A, drive plate15is connected to hub19by way of transmission100and one-way freewheel clutch102. As explained previously, hub19is connected to the fan7which in turn is connected to colander3. Clutch102engages when the drive plate rotation rate exceeds the rotation rate of the hub, fan and colander. Drive plate15and hub19are rotating, as shown by arrows104and106, respectively. Top button14is biased upwardly by spring22, so there is no coaxial linear force being applied by button fingers43to the brake actuation element23, which allows brake ring24and hub19to freely rotate.

InFIG. 7B, a user's finger108is pushing button14, causing it to linearly move downwardly until it contacts drive plate15, which is now stationary as shown by arrow110. Button fingers43now contact the brake actuation element23, which in turn contacts brake ring24and squeezes it between brake actuation element23and hub19. Coaxial brake force is thus applied as shown by arrows112, and hub19has stopped rotating as shown by arrow114.

Though it is intended to fully describe the invention as set forth here, it is reasonable to assume that one skilled in the art could adjust, modify, subtract or adapt certain aspects of this salad spinner device without departing from its original scope. The implementation of individual or combined improvements disclosed here as part of another salad spinner device would be possible. For example, one variation would be to omit the collapsibility of the colander and employ a rigid version. Still another example would be to support or suspend this salad spinner device by another method such as with folding legs or a rigid outer bowl. The colander itself could, in fact, be freestanding—its lower end engaging with an electronic or manual drive component placed on the floor of a sink.

Various known drive mechanisms could include pull-chord escapements, levers, gear sets, plungers, and electric motors. Again, these mechanisms are not the subject matter of this disclosure. The gist of this improved salad spinner is that a coaxial brake is employed. The recommended materials will likely be, but are not limited to rigid and elastomeric plastic or metal.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a preferred salad spinners, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the devices illustrated in their operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.