Abstract:
An electric grinder includes a bottle, a housing, a grinding assembly and a driving device mounted inside the housing, wherein, the housing detachably connected to the bottle, the grinding assembly has a female grinding head and a male grinding head, the driving device has an output engaged to a central driving rod, and the central driving rod passes through the grinding cavity and drives the male grinding head. As the constancy overall volume of the grinder, the storage amount of condiments is relatively larger, the electric grinder has well-arranged and aesthetically-designed components and is reliable in use, with uniform electric grinding and uniform discharging.

Description:
RELATE APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a national phase entrance of and claims benefit to PCT Application for Electric Grinder thereof, PCT/CN2011/001371, filed on Aug. 18, 2011, which claims benefit to Chinese Patent Application 201020502114.3, filed on Aug. 19, 2010. The specifications of both applications are incorporated here by this reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electric grinder. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     According to people&#39;s diet habits, various condiments, e.g. pepper, salt and cumin which are commonly used condiments, are usually added into the food during cooking or eating to improve the color, aroma and taste of the food. However, pepper and quite a few other condiments need to be ground into powder for eating as they are originally granular. As such, a grinder is needed. Existing household grinders are usually manually-operated and comprise a bottle for holding condiments, a grinding assembly and a driving device for driving the grinding assembly to operate, wherein the grinding assembly usually comprises a female grinding head and a male grinding head, the female grinding head has a circular shape with a center and a through hole in the center, the male grinding head is mounted in said through hole of the female grinding head, the external conic wall of the male grinding head and the inner conic wall of the through hole have matching grinding teeth, and a gap, for condiments passing through and grinding, between the male grinding head and the female grinding head and communicates with the inner cavity of the bottle. When in use, the bottle is tilted to enable granular condiments in the bottle to enter into the gap between the male grinding head and the female grinding head and then to be ground by the grinding assembly into powder that is scattered from the discharging opening of the gap. Ordinary grinders are all manually-operated to rotatably grind, with uneven rotation speed and less controllable discharging. Furthermore, they have to be operated by two hands, thus leading to a waste of both time and labor during in grinding. 
     On the other hand, as condiments are somewhat adhesive and easy to be adhered together, particularly in the highly moist environment or in the case of mutual pressing and stacking of the granular condiments, the space between the charging opening of the gap and the bottle may be adhered to and blocked by the condiments after long-term use, thus causing unsmooth charging. After a period of time, grinders have to be disassembled and cleaned, which results in the inconvenient use of grinders. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a first object of the present invention to provide an electric grinder that is sanitary and safe, reliable in use and uniform in discharging. The electric grinder has well-arranged and aesthetically-designed components and a large capacity for condiments, thus being quite practical. 
     It is a second object of the present invention to provide an electric grinder, which can effectively prevent the charging opening of the grinder assembly from being blocked by condiments so as to ensure smooth charging and discharging. 
     For achieving the above stated first object, the electric grinder comprises: 
     a bottle for holding condiments to be ground; 
     a housing detachably connected to the bottle; 
     a grinding assembly mounted inside the housing for grinding the condiments; wherein, the grinding assembly comprises a female grinding head and a male grinding head, the female grinding head has a circular shape with a center and a grinding cavity in the center, the male grinding head is mounted in the grinding cavity of the female grinding head, and a grinding gap is formed between the female grinding head and the male grinding head and communicates with the bottle, the male grinding head has an external conic wall and the grinding cavity has an internal conic wall, the external conic wall and the internal conic wall have matching grinding teeth; 
     wherein, the electric grinder further comprises a driving device mounted inside the housing to drive the grinding assembly; the driving device and the grinding assembly are both located above the bottle, the driving device has an output engaged to a central driving rod, and the central driving rod passes through the grinding cavity and drives the male grinding head. 
     Preferably, the housing has a seat with a bottom for receiving the driving device, and the seat has a passage for connecting the grinding gap to the bottle. 
     Preferably, a guiding plate, connected to the seat and forming a passage for the condiments, for separating the driving device from the condiments passing through the passage, which can prevent the condiments from entering into the driving device so as to ensure the obtaining of sanitary and safe food. 
     Preferably, the housing further comprises a lower sleeve and an upper sleeve mounted on top of the lower sleeve, and the bottom of the seat is placed in the lower sleeve. 
     Preferably, a grinding base with a through hole mounted on top of the seat and a cover plate with a plurality of discharging openings mounted inside the housing and above the grinding base, wherein the female grinding head is placed inside the through hole of the grinding base. 
     For further achieving the above stated second object, preferably, the central driving rod connects to a sweeping wheel located beneath the grinding assembly, and the sweeping wheel has a plurality of radially-distributed driving levers. When the sweeping wheel rotates along with the central driving rod, the driving levers thereof can continuously stir the condiments stagnated beneath the grinding assembly so as to effectively prevent the condiments from adhering together beneath the gap between the female grinding head and the male grinding head, thus preventing the blockage of charging. 
     Preferably, the driving device comprises a motor, a power supply and a gear set engaged with the output of the motor, and the gear set has a driving gear connected to the central driving rod. 
     Preferably, a pressure buffer spring, with two ends resisting against the male grinding head and the seat, through which the central driving rod passes and an adjusting knob mounted on top of the central driving rod for pressing the male grinding head. The rotation of the adjusting knob can adjust the upward and downward movement positions of the male grinding head on the central driving rod so as to further adjust the grinding gap between the male grinding head and the female grinding head for the grinding fineness. 
     Preferably, the housing has a top and a cap is attached to the top of the housing, a pair of magnets is mounted on the top of the adjusting knob and the inner of the cap. 
     For achieving both of the first object and second object, an electric grinder comprises a housing with a lower sleeve and an upper sleeve, the upper sleeve being mounted on top of the lower sleeve; a grinding head assembly mounted in the housing for grinding condiments; a seat, having a top, placed inside the lower sleeve; an upper base connected to the top the seat; a grinding base mounted on the top of the seat; a motor placed inside the seat; a transmitting device connected to the motor; wherein the grinding head assembly is mounted inside the grinding base, and the grinding head assembly is driven by the motor to grind the condiments; a guiding plate connected to the seat for guiding the condiments; and a sweeping wheel rotatably mounted above the upper base for maintaining flow of the condiments through the grinding head assembly. 
     As a preference, the specific improvement is as follows: 
     A control circuit system connected to the motor, the control circuit system has a rolling ball switch, a first electric spring, a first electric spring leaf, a second electric spring, a second electric spring leaf and batteries, which are connected in series via wires. 
     An output shaft connected to the motor, wherein the transmitting device comprises a master gear connected to the output shaft of the motor, an intermediate gear set connected to the master gear and a driving gear which is connected to a central driving rod. 
     The intermediate gear set is mounted on a gear base via a gear shaft, the gear base is fixed to the seat via a plurality of bolts, and the intermediate gear set connects to the master gear and the driving gear. 
     The grinding head assembly comprises a female grinding head with a grinding cavity and a periphery and a plurality of protruded strips formed on the periphery and a male grinding head rotatably mounted inside the grinding cavity of the female grinding head, the grinding base has an inner surface with a plurality of sliding grooves, and each protruded strip can slide into a sliding groove when the female grinding head is mounted on the grinding base. 
     The central driving rod passes through a central hole on the upper base and rotatably engages the upper base via a shaft sleeve, both the sweeping wheel and the male grinding head are mounted on the central driving rod. 
     The sweeping wheel is mounted on a spring, and the male grinding head is mounted on a pressure buffer spring. 
     A cover plate with a discharging opening on top of the grinding base, an adjusting knob, connected to the central driving rod and pressed against the male grinding head, for adjusting a grinding gap between the female grinding head and the male grinding head. 
     A cap covering a discharging opening of the housing, and the discharging opening of the housing is in communication with a bottle. 
     The bottle is screwed on the seat. 
     Compared with the prior art, in the invention, the electric driving device and the grinding assembly is designed to be above the bottle, which can separate condiments from electric components strictly, it ensures foods to be sanitary and safe; as the constancy overall volume of the grinder, the storage amount of condiments is relatively larger, contributing to the great practicality of the grinder; furthermore, the electric grinder has well-arranged and aesthetically-designed components and is reliable in use, with uniform electric grinding and uniform discharging. 
     Meanwhile, the arrangement of the sweeping wheel beneath the grinding assembly can effectively prevent condiment blockage at the charging opening of the grinding assembly and ensure smooth charging and discharging. 
     And the grinder may be operated for grinding with one hand by opening or closing the rolling ball switch, in this way, both time and labor are saved, and it is convenient and simple to operate; and, the electric grinder also has the advantages of uniform discharging, safe and sanitary discharges, novel structure, and the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view of an electric grinder in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the electric grinder in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a control circuit system in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the driving device in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a grinding assembly in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a right side view of the electric grinder in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a left side view of the electric grinder in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the electric grinder in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the electric grinder in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the whole electric grinder in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     To enable a further understanding of the innovative and technological content of the invention herein, refer to the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings below: 
       FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7  are perspective views of an electric grinder in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the figures, the reference numbers and the corresponding components are as follows: seat  1 , guiding plate  2 , upper base  3 , driving device  4 , master gear  41 , intermediate gear set  42 , driving gear  43 , central driving rod  44 , shaft sleeve  44   a , gear shaft  45 , gear base  46 , grinding base  5 , sliding groove  5   b , cover plate  51 , discharging opening  51   a , grinding head assembly  6 , female grinding head  61 , grinding cavity  61   a , protruded strip  61   b , male grinding head  62 , pressure buffer spring  62   a , sweeping wheel  7 , spring  71 , motor  8 , control circuit system  9 , rolling ball switch  91 , first electric spring  92 , first electric spring leaf  93 , second electric spring  94 , second electric spring leaf  95 , batteries  96 , wires  97 , adjusting knob  10 , lower sleeve  101 , upper sleeve  102 , cap  103 , bottle  104 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7 , an electric grinder comprises a housing, a grinding head assembly  6 , a seat  1 , an upper base  3 , a grinding base  5 , a motor  8  placed inside the seat  1  having a top, a transmitting device  4 , a guiding plate  2 , and a sweeping wheel  7 . The housing is composed of a lower sleeve  101  and an upper sleeve  102 , the upper sleeve  102  being mounted on top of the lower sleeve  101 . The grinding head assembly  6  is mounted in the housing for grinding condiments. The seat  1  is placed inside the lower sleeve  101 . The upper base  3  is connected to the top the seat  1 . The grinding base  5  is mounted on the top of the seat  1 . The transmitting device  4  is connected to the motor  8 . The grinding head assembly  6  is mounted inside the grinding base  5 , and the grinding head assembly  6  is driven by the motor  8  to grind the condiments. The guiding plate  2  is connected to the seat  1  for guiding the condiments. And the sweeping wheel  7  is rotatably mounted above the upper base  3  for maintaining flow of the condiments through the grinding head assembly  6 . In the invention, as the guiding plate  2  and the sweeping wheel  7  are provided, respectively, taint of odor and condiment blockage can be avoided during grinding of different condiments. The employment of electric grinding via a motor can not only lead to the effects of quick grinding speed and uniform discharging, but also save time and labor. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , a control circuit system  9  is connected to the motor  8 , the control circuit system  9  has a rolling ball switch  91 , a first electric spring  92 , a first electric spring leaf  93 , a second electric spring  94 , a second electric spring leaf  95  and batteries  96 , which are connected in series via wires  97 . The rolling ball switch  91  is mounted on the housing via wires so that it can be operated by one hand to control the ON or OFF of the motor  8  for grinding. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , an output shaft is connected to the motor  8 , wherein the transmitting device  4  comprises a master gear  41  connected to the output shaft of the motor  8  an intermediate gear set  42  connected to the master gear  41  and a driving gear  43  which is connected to a central driving rod  44 . The intermediate gear set  42  is mounted on a gear base  46  via a gear shaft  45 , the gear base  46  is fixed to the seat  1  via a plurality of bolts, and the intermediate gear set  42  connects to the master gear  41  and the driving gear  43 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , the intermediate gear set  42  is mounted on a gear base  46  via a gear shaft  45 , the gear base  46  is fixed to the seat  1  via a plurality of bolts, and the intermediate gear set  42  connects to the master gear  41  and the driving gear  43 . It is convenient and simple for installing and is easy to disassemble by the mean of clamping. 
     The central driving rod  44  passes through a central hole on the upper base  3  and rotatably engages the upper base via a shaft sleeve  44   a , both the sweeping wheel  7  and the male grinding head  62  are mounted on the central driving rod  44 . The sweeping wheel  7  is mounted on a spring  71 , and the male grinding head  62  is mounted on a pressure buffer spring  62   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a cover plate  51  with a discharging opening  51   a  on top of the grinding base  5 , an adjusting knob  10 , connected to the central driving rod  44  and pressed against the male grinding head  62 , is used for adjusting a grinding gap G between the female grinding head  61  and the male grinding head  62 . A cap  103  covering a discharging opening of the housing, the bottle  104  is screwed on the seat  1 . 
     The electric grinder in the first embodiment of the invention is assembled in according to the following steps: Step 1, connecting the wires with the first electric spring  92 , the second electric spring leaf  95  and the rolling ball switch  91  respectively and then mounting them on the seat  1  by means of soldering; Step 2, connecting the wires with the bipolar terminal studs of the motor  8 , the second electric spring  94  and the first electric spring leaf  93  respectively and then mounting them on the seat  1  again; Step 3, tightly mounting the master gear  41  on the shaft of the motor  8 ; Step 4, connecting the guiding plate  2  to the seat  1 ; Step 5, fixing the gear base  46  on the seat  1  via screws; Step 6, mounting the intermediate gear set  42  on the gear shaft  45  and then mounting them together on the gear base  46 ; Step 7, sleeving the shaft sleeve  44   a  on the central driving rod  44  and then mounting them together on the driving gear  43 ; Step 8, fixing the upper base  3  on the seat  1  via screws; Step 9, connecting two springs  71  to the upper base  3 ; Step 10, sleeving the sweeping wheel  7  on the central driving rod  441 ; Step 11, fixing the grinding base  5  on the upper base  3  via screws; Step 12, mounting the female grinding head  62  in the grinding base  5 ; Step 13, sleeving the pressure buffer spring  62   a  and the male grinding head  62  on the central driving rod  44 , and then screwing the adjusting knob  10 ; Step 14, mounting batteries  96  in the assembly obtained through the above steps; Step 15, sleeving the upper sleeve  102  on the assembly obtained through the above steps, mounting the cover plate  51 , and covering the cap  103 ; Step 16, sleeving the lower sleeve  101  on the upper sleeve  102  in the assembly; and Step 17, screwing the bottle  104  on the seat  1  of the assembly. The assembly process is finished. 
       FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  are perspective views in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     In this embodiment, the electric grinder comprises a bottle  104 , a housing located above the bottle  104 , a grinding assembly and a driving device mounted inside the housing, that is, the grinding assembly and the driving device are located above the bottle  104 . 
     The bottle  104  is used for holding condiments to be ground. 
     The grinding assembly is located above the driving device for grinding the condiments. The grinding assembly comprises a female grinding head  61  and a male grinding head  62 , the female grinding head  61  has a circular shape with a center and a grinding cavity  61   a  in the center, the male grinding head  62  is mounted in the grinding cavity  61   a  of the female grinding head  61 , and a grinding gap G is formed between the female grinding head  61  and the male grinding head  62 , furthermore, the male grinding head  62  has an external conic wall and the grinding cavity has an internal conic wall, the external conic wall and the internal conic wall have matching grinding teeth. 
     The housing is composed of a lower sleeve  101  and an upper sleeve  102  mounted on top of the lower sleeve  101 , the lower sleeve  101  detachably connected to the top of the bottle  104  via threads. The housing has a seat  1  in frame structure, the bottom of the seat  1  is placed in the lower sleeve  101 , and the seat has a passage  1   a  for connecting the grinding gap G to the bottle  104 . Moreover, a guiding plate  2 , which is connected to the seat  1  and forms a passage  1   a  for the condiments, for separating the driving device from the condiments passing through the passage  1   a . In the embodiment, the guiding plate  2  has an inclined transition face, which ensures that granular condiments can enter into the grinding gap G smoothly. 
     A grinding base  5  with a through hole  5   a  is mounted on top of the seat  1  and a cover plate  51  with a plurality of discharging openings  51   a  mounted inside the upper sleeve  102  and above the grinding base  5 , wherein the female grinding head  61  is placed inside the through hole  5   a  of the grinding base  5 , and, the top of the upper sleeve  102  is covered by a cap  103 . 
     The driving device is mounted inside the seat  1  for driving the grinding assembly to operate. The driving device comprises a motor  8 , a power supply  81  and a gear set  4  engaged with the output of the motor  8  and the gear set  4  has a driving gear  43  connected to the central driving rod  44 . The central driving rod  44  passes through the grinding cavity  61   a  and drives the male grinding head  62 , that is, when in operation, the male grinding head  62  continuously rotates along with the central driving rod  44 , while the female grinding head  61  is dormant relative to the housing and the seat  1 . 
     Furthermore, the central driving rod  44  connects to a sweeping wheel  7  located beneath the grinding assembly, and the sweeping wheel  7  has a plurality of radially-distributed driving levers  72 . In the embodiment, the quantity of driving levers  72  is three. 
     A pressure buffer spring  62   a , with two ends resisting against the bottom of the male grinding head  62  and the top surface of sweeping wheel  7 , moreover, an adjusting knob  10  mounted on top of the central driving rod  44  for pressing the male grinding head  62 . In this embodiment, an operating portion  10   a  is further mounted on the top of the adjusting knob  10  for operating by fingers, and a pair of magnets is mounted on the top of the adjusting knob  10  and the inner of the cap  103 , which is convenient for positioning when the cover is in coverage.