Patent Publication Number: US-9422698-B2

Title: Waste disposal with improved housing configuration

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/064,233, entitled “Waste Disposal with Improved Housing Configuration” and filed on Oct. 28, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present subject matter relates generally to waste disposals for processing waste and, more particularly, to a waste disposal with an improved housing configuration that provides for increased grind chamber capacity and/or enhanced self-cleaning of the grind chamber without increasing the likelihood of water and/or waste splashing outer of the disposal. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Waste disposal units are typically used to process solid waste, such as food waste, garbage and/or other waste, into particulates small enough to pass through associated drain plumbing. A conventional waste disposal is configured to be mounted onto a sink drain extending downward from a corresponding sink such that water/waste discharged from the sink may be directed into the disposal. The water/waste is typically directed into a grind chamber defined above a cutting or grinding mechanism of the disposal. The grinding mechanism is coupled to a shaft of a corresponding motor to allow the grinding mechanism to be rotated at high speeds. As the grinding mechanism is rotated by the motor, the waste contained within the grind chamber is ground, shredded, cut and/or otherwise processed into small particulates. The water and processed waste may then be discharged from the disposal and transmitted through the associated plumbing. 
     Various waste disposal units are commercially available in the market today. While these disposal units typically provide a means for processing solid waste, the units often suffer from one or more significant drawbacks. For example, many conventional disposal units have elongated profiles or extended heights, typically due to the configuration of the motor and/or the connection of the motor to the grinding mechanism. As a result, such disposal units may often occupy a significant portion of the available storage under a sink. In addition, conventional disposal units often lack accurate control over and/or proper feedback related to one or more operational parameters of the motor (e.g., speed and/or torque), which can impact the overall performance of the disposal (e.g., in relation to noise generated, jamming/stalling, overheating, etc.) and can also impact the safety of the disposal&#39;s operation. 
     Moreover, conventional disposal units often have issues with waste becoming stuck on/in the grinding mechanism, within the grind chamber or at any other location within the disposal. For example, waste may often stick to the center of the grinding mechanism or become lodged within a corner of crevice of the grind chamber. If the waste remains stuck within the disposal for an elongated period of time, particularly for food waste, the disposal may emit an undesirable odor. Such issues are often due to the configuration and/or shape of the grinding mechanism and/or the grind chamber and/or due to a lack of proper water flow through the disposal. For example, an insufficient water flow may prevent the disposal unit from being capable of cleaning the grind chamber and other passages of the disposal. In addition, an insufficient water flow may also lead to a significant reduction in discharge rate of water and processed waste from the disposal. 
     Further, conventional disposal units are often difficult to install onto a sink drain. Specifically, most disposal units require that the installer support the weight of the disposal while the unit is simultaneously rotated onto a mount coupled to the sink drain. Given the limited space and location of the disposal units under the sink, such an installation process can be quite challenging and time consuming. 
     Accordingly, an improved waste disposal system that addresses one or more of the drawbacks or issues indicated above would be welcomed in the technology. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
     In one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a waste disposal for processing waste. The waste disposal may generally include a motor defining a rotational axis, a cutter plate coupled to the motor for rotation therewith and a housing configured to encase the motor and the cutter plate. The housing may include an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion. The upper housing portion may define an inner surface at least partially forming a converging section of the upper housing portion. The upper housing portion may further define an inlet through the converging section. The inlet may be oriented relative to the housing such that water flowing through the inlet is directed into the housing at a non-radial flow angle. In addition, the inner surface may define a curved profile such that a grind chamber of the housing is substantially dome-shaped along the converging section. 
     In another aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a system for processing waste. The system may generally include a waste disposal and a dishwasher. The waste disposal may include a motor defining a rotational axis, a cutter plate coupled to the motor for rotation therewith and a housing configured to encase the motor and the cutter plate. The housing may include an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion. The upper housing portion may define an inner surface at least partially forming a converging section of the upper housing portion. The upper housing portion may further define an inlet through the converging section. The inlet may be oriented relative to the housing such that water flowing through the inlet is directed into the housing at a non-radial flow angle. The dishwasher may be in fluid communication with the inlet such that water discharged from the dishwasher is directed through the inlet and into the housing. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a waste disposal system in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter, particularly illustrating a waste disposal of the system mounted onto a sink drain of a corresponding sink via a mounting assembly of the system; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the waste disposal shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the waste disposal shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of the waste disposal shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom view of the waste disposal shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the waste disposal shown in  FIGS. 2-5  taken about line  6 - 6 ( FIG. 4 ); 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the cross-section of the waste disposal shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-sectional view of an alternative configuration for a motor of the waste disposal shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a cutter plate of the waste disposal shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of the cutter plate shown in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a side view of the cutter plate shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a bottom view of an upper portion of the housing of the waste disposal shown in  FIGS. 2-7 ; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the upper portion of the housing shown in  FIG. 12  taken about line -; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a magnified, cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a magnified, cross-sectional view of a portion of the waste disposal shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a bottom view of the motor of the waste disposal shown in  FIGS. 6-8 ; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the motor shown in  FIG. 16  taken about line  17 - 17 ; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates an exploded, perspective view of the mounting assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , particularly illustrating inner mounting brackets and outer mounting brackets of the mounting assembly. 
         FIG. 19  illustrates a partial, perspective view of the waste disposal shown in  FIGS. 2-5  with the inner mounting brackets shown in  FIG. 18  mounted onto the top of the disposal housing, with the sink drain shown in  FIG. 1  being exploded away from the waste disposal; 
         FIG. 20  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connection between the waste disposal and the sink drain provided via the mounting assembly shown in  FIG. 18 ; and 
         FIG. 21  illustrates a schematic view of one embodiment of a control diagram for electronically controlling the operation of the motor of the disclosed waste disposal. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     In general, the present subject matter is directed to an improved waste disposal system for processing waste, such as food waste, garbage and/or other waste. In several embodiments, the system may include a waste disposal and a mounting assembly for mounting the waste disposal onto a sink drain of a corresponding sink. The waste disposal may generally include an outer housing and a motor disposed within the housing. In addition, the waste disposal may include a cutter plate configured to be rotated by the motor directly below a grind chamber defined within the housing and a stationary cutter ring disposed around the outer perimeter of the grind chamber. As water and waste are directed into the housing and fall onto the rotating cutter plate, the water/waste may be directly radially outwardly towards the stationary cutter ring. The waste may then be ground, shredded, cut and/or otherwise processed into small particulates as a cutter lug of the cutter plate pushes the waste into and/or against the stationary cutter ring. The water and processed waste may then be discharged from the waste disposal via an outlet defined in the housing. 
     In accordance with one aspect of present subject matter, the motor of the waste disposal may have an external rotor configuration. Specifically, in several embodiments, the motor may include a stator and a rotor that at least partially surrounds the outer perimeter of the stator. For example, as will be described below, the rotor may be configured to define a rotor cavity that at least partially encases the stator. Such an external rotor configuration may generally allow for the cutter plate of the disposal to be coupled to the motor for rotation therewith via a shaftless connection. For instance, in several embodiments the cutter plate may be directly coupled to the outer rotor (e.g., using suitable mechanical fasteners) or the cutter plate may be formed integrally with the outer rotor. 
     By configuring the motor to have an external rotor configuration as well as coupling the cutter plate to the motor via a shaftless connection, the overall height or profile of the entire waste disposal unit may be reduced significantly. As a result, the storage space provided under the associated sink may be increased substantially. 
     Additionally, in several embodiments of the present subject matter, the motor may be communicatively coupled to a controller (e.g., a microcontroller) configured to electronically control one or more operational parameters of the motor. For example, the controller may be configured to precisely control the speed and/or torque profile for the motor. Such precise control of the speed and/or torque may allow for enhanced operation of the motor. For instance, the controller may be configured to initially operate the motor at a reduced speed upon start-up and then ramp-up the speed over time to a full operational speed. As a result, the noise generated at start-up of the disposal may be reduced significantly. Additionally, the speed/torque control provided by the controller may also be utilized to reduce the overall noise generated during normal operation of the disposal. 
     In several embodiments, the controller may also be configured to receive various feedback signals (e.g., sensor signals) that may be utilized to further enhance operation of the motor. For instance, speed feedback signals may be utilized by the controller to provide for accurate control of the motor speed while rotor position feedback signals may assist the controller in accurately commutating the motor. Similarly, temperature feedback signals may be utilized by the controller to prevent overheating of the motor. Moreover, jam feedback signals may be used by the controller to detect a jammed motor condition (e.g., when the motor is stalled or jammed). Upon the detection of a jammed motor condition, the controller may be configured to automatically initiate corrective actions for unjamming the motor, thereby improving the operational safety of the waste disposal. 
     Moreover, in accordance with another aspect of the present subject matter, the cutter plate of the waste disposal may include various surface features along its upper surface designed to enhance the overall operation of the disposal. Specifically, in several embodiments, the upper surface may be designed in a manner that improves the effectiveness of the cutter plate in directing water and waste radially outwardly towards the outer perimeter of the plate (e.g., towards the stationary cutter ring). For example, the cutter plate may be designed with an offset high point along its upper surface (e.g., at a location near its outer peripheral surface), with at least a portion of the upper surface being angled or sloped downward from the high point as the surface extends radially outwardly towards the stationary cutter ring. In one embodiment, the high point of the upper surface may simply be offset from the rotational axis of the motor. As a result, the high point may positioned away from the location on the cutter plate at which the rotational speed is zero, thereby preventing waste from sticking or being help-up at this zero-speed location. In another embodiment, the high point may be offset from the rotational axis by a given distance or radius such that the high point is located on the upper surface outside the open area defined directly below the primary inlet of the disposal. In such an embodiment, the entire portion of the upper surface defined directly below the open area may be sloped or angled, thereby providing a means for directing water and waste falling onto the cutter plate radially outwardly towards the outer perimeter of the plate. 
     Additionally, in several embodiments, one or more fins may also be formed along the upper surface of the cutter plate. The fins may generally correspond to axial projections extending lengthwise along the sloped portion of the upper surface. Thus, as the cutter plate is rotated, the ribs may be configured to push waste radially outwardly along the plate. In addition, the ribs may also serve as an agitating means for agitating the water flowing along the cutter plate, which may assist in cleaning the grind chamber of the disposal. 
     By providing surface features that are configured to direct water and waste radially outwardly along the cutter plate, the cutter lug associated with the cutter plate may be positioned at the outer edge of the plate. As such, the cutter lug may be located further away from the area in which a user may reach into the disposal via the primary inlet. Such positioning of the cutter lug along the outer edge of the cutter plate may also allow for a lug guard to be formed on the plate at a location radially inwardly from the lug. Accordingly, if a user has reached down into the disposal, the lug guard may serve as a means for restricting user access to the location of the cutter lug, which may prevent user injuries (e.g., due to cuts). 
     Additionally, in accordance with a further aspect of the present subject matter, an upper portion of the disposal housing may be configured such that the grind chamber is substantially dome-shaped. Specifically, in several embodiments, an inner surface of the upper portion may define a generally curved profile along a converging section of the housing such that the grind chamber forms a dome-like shape. Such a dome-shaped grind chamber may allow for the area of the chamber to be maximized without creating sharp edges or crevices within which waste may become stuck. For instance, most conventional waste disposals include a cylindrically shaped housing defining a cylindrically shaped grind chamber. As such, a circumferentially extending corner is defined around the top of the grind chamber along which waste may get stuck. In contrast, the dome-shaped grind chamber disclosed herein may allow for the increased chamber capacity provided by a cylindrical housing without creating an undesirable corner. In addition, the dome-like shape of the chamber may also allow for water to flow partially upward along the inner surface of the upper portion of the housing, thereby assisting in cleaning the grind chamber and enhancing water circulation within the disposal. 
     Moreover, in accordance with yet another aspect of the present subject matter, the disclosed waste disposal may also include one or more water management features configured to enhance water flow through the disposal. For instance, in several embodiments, one or more outwardly projecting deflector ribs may be formed along the dome-shaped inner surface of the housing that are configured to deflect the flow water back down onto the cutter plate. Specifically, as water is directed radially outwardly towards the outer edge of the cutter plate and subsequently begins to flow upward along the inner surface of the housing, the water may contact the edges of the ribs and fall back onto the cutter plate. As a result, water may be prevented from flowing upward along the housing to the point at which some of the water may splash out of the inlet of the disposal. 
     Additionally, in several embodiments, an annular gap may be defined between an outer wall of the rotor and an inner wall of the housing that serves as a pump-like feature for pumping water and processed waste downward along the outside of the rotor towards the discharge outlet of the disposal. Specifically, by carefully selecting the width of the annular gap, an increase in surface tension between the adjacent walls may be achieved that, together with the high speed rotation of the rotor, allows for the rotor to function similar to a bladeless water turbine. The resulting spiraling, downward flow of water along the outside of the rotor may produce a pumping action that aids in directing the water and processed waste towards the discharge outlet. 
     Moreover, in several embodiments, a bottom wall of the motor may define a plurality of axially projecting ribs configured to extend radially between a central portion of the motor and the outer sidewall of the rotor. The ribs may generally be configured to serve as impellers or blades for pushing any water and/or processed waste that may have collected between the housing and the bottom wall of the motor radially outwardly towards the discharge outlet of the disposal. 
     As indicated above, the disclosed system may also include a mounting assembly for mounting the waste disposal to a sink drain. As opposed to conventional mounting systems that require the installer to support the weight of the disposal while simultaneously rotating the disposal onto a corresponding portion of the sink drain, the disclosed mounting assembly may allow for the disposal to be installed onto the sink drain by simply pushing the disposal upwards towards the sink drain. Specifically, in several embodiments, the mounting assembly may include one or more inner mounting brackets configured to be initially installed around the top of the disposal housing. The inner mounting bracket(s) may include radially projecting teeth that are configured to snap over and engage a corresponding flange formed on the sink drain as the disposal is pushed upward towards the drain. Specifically, the teeth may be configured to flex or move radially outwardly as the teeth are pushed upward against the drain flange. When the disposal is pushed sufficiently upward relative to the drain such that the teeth clear the drain flange, the teeth may snap back radially inwardly and overlap the drain flange. At this point, the weight of the disposal may be fully supported by the drain. Suitable outer mounting brackets may then be installed over the inner mounting bracket(s) to complete the mounting process. 
     It should be appreciated that the various waste disposal components and features disclosed by the present subject matter will generally be described herein as being included in combination within a common waste disposal system. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, using the disclosures provided herein, should readily appreciate that each component and/or feature described herein and/or any combination of such components and features may be separately included within any suitable waste disposal system to improve the overall performance of such system. 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a waste disposal system  100  in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. As shown, the waste disposal system  100  generally includes a waste disposal  102  and a mounting assembly  104  configured for mounting the disposal  102  to a sink drain  106  extending from the bottom of a sink basin  108  of a corresponding sink  110 . As is generally understood, while the sink  110  is being used, water and waste (e.g., food waste and other solid waste) may collect within the sink basin  108  and may be subsequently discharged therefrom via the drain  106 . The water and waste flowing through the drain  106  may then be directed into the waste disposal  102  (as indicated by arrow  112 ), wherein the waste may be processed into fine particulates. The water and processed waste may then be discharged from the waste disposal  102  (as indicated by arrow  114 ) into a suitable flow conduit or discharge line (not shown) of the associated plumbing. 
     Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in several embodiments, the waste disposal  102  may also be configured to receive water and/or waste discharged from a dishwasher  116  in fluid communication with the disposal  102  (as indicated by arrow  118 ). In such embodiments, the waste received from the dishwasher  116  may similarly be processed into fine particulates and subsequently discharged from the waste disposal  102  (as indicated by arrow  114 ). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2-5 , several views of the waste disposal  102  of the system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  are illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. Specifically,  FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the waste disposal  102  and  FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the waste disposal  102 . Additionally,  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate respective top and bottom views of the waste disposal  102 . 
     For purposes of reference, it should be appreciated that the axial direction (indicated by arrow  120  in  FIG. 3 ) is generally defined as extending parallel to a rotational axis  122  of a motor  124  ( FIG. 6 ) of the disposal  102 . Similarly, the radial direction (indicated by arrow  126  in  FIG. 3 ) is defined as extending outwardly from the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124  in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction  120 . Additionally, the circumferential direction (indicated by arrow  128  in  FIG. 4 ) is defined as extending around a circle of any radius centered at the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124 . 
     As particularly shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , the waste disposal  102  generally includes a housing  130  configured to form an outer casing or enclosure for the various other components of the disposal  102 . In general, the housing  130  may have any suitable configuration that allows it to function as casing or enclosure for the disposal components. For example, in several embodiments, the housing  130  may include a substantially dome-shaped upper housing portion  132  and a substantially cylindrically-shaped lower housing portion  133  extending axially between a top  134  and a bottom  135  of the housing  130 . As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower housing portions  132 ,  133  may correspond to separate components of the housing  130  and, thus, may be configured to be separately attached to one another using any suitable attachment means (e.g., mechanical fasteners, glue, welding, etc.). For instance, in one embodiment, the lower housing portion  133  may include one or more outwardly extending projections  136  defining openings  137  ( FIG. 5 ) configured to be aligned with corresponding openings  138  ( FIG. 4 ) defined in the upper housing portion  132 . In such an embodiment, suitable mechanical fasteners  140  (e.g., screws, bolts, pins, etc.) may be inserted through the aligned openings to couple the upper housing portion  132  to the lower housing portion  133 . Alternatively, the upper and lower housing portions  132 ,  133  may be formed integrally as a single housing component. In a further embodiment, the upper housing portion  132  and/or the lower housing portion  133  may be formed from two or more housing components coupled together. 
     In addition, the housing  130  may include one or more inlets  142 ,  144  for receiving discharged water and/or waste. For example, a primary inlet  142  may be defined at the top  134  of the housing  130  for receiving water/waste discharged from the sink  110 . Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the primary inlet  142  may correspond to an opening defined axially through the top of the upper housing position  142  so as to be centered or substantially centered about the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124 . The opening formed by the primary inlet  142  may generally define an open area (indicated by dashed circle  143  ( FIG. 4 )) that is bounded by the outer circumference of the inlet  142 . As will be described below, a mounting lip or flange  146  may be formed at the top  134  of the housing  130  around the primary inlet  142  for coupling the waste disposal  110  to the sink drain  106  ( FIG. 1 ) via the disclosed mounting assembly  104 . Accordingly, water and waste discharged from the sink  110  may be directed through the drain  106  and into the disposal  102  via the primary inlet  142 . 
     As indicated above, a secondary inlet  144  may also be defined in the housing  130  for receiving water and/or waste discharged from a dishwasher (e.g., dishwasher  116  of  FIG. 1 ) in fluid communication with the disposal  102 . Specifically, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the secondary inlet  144  may be defined in the upper housing portion  132  at a location axially below the primary inlet  142 . In several embodiments, the secondary inlet  144  may be oriented relative the housing  130  such that water/waste flowing through the inlet  144  are introduced into the disposal  102  at a non-radial flow angle  150 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the flow of water/waste through the inlet (indicated by dashed line  152 ) may be angled relative to the radial direction (indicated by dashed line  126 ). In one embodiment, the non-radial flow angle  150  defined by the secondary inlet  144  may be selected so that the flow of water/waste is introduced into the housing  130  tangential to the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124 , thereby creating a downward, spiraling flowpath along the inner surface of the housing portion  132 . Such a spiraling flowpath may provide a means for circulating water throughout the housing  130  and, thus, may assist in cleaning the disposal  102 . In addition, the angled orientation of the secondary inlet  114  may also serve to prevent water from being discharged from the housing  130  via the inlet  144 . However, it should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, the secondary inlet  144  may have any other suitable orientation relative to the housing  130 , including a primarily radial orientation. 
     Moreover, one or more outlets  154  may also be defined in the housing  130  for discharging water and waste from the disposal  102 . For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, a discharge outlet  154  may be defined at and/or adjacent to the bottom  135  of the housing  130  (e.g., at a location along the lower housing portion  133 ). In several embodiments, the discharge outlet  154  may be oriented relative to the housing  130  such that water and waste are discharged from the disposal  102  at a non-radial flow angle  156 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the flow of water/waste through the outlet  154  (indicated by dashed line  158 ) may be angled relative to the radial direction (indicated by dashed line  126 ). In one embodiment, the non-radial flow angle  156  defined by the discharge outlet  154  may be selected so that the flow of water/waste is discharged from the housing  130  tangential to the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124 . For instance, as will be described below, one or more pump-like features of the waste disposal  102  may be configured to create a downward, spiraling flow path of water and processed waste along the interior of the housing  130  in the direction of the discharge outlet  154 . Thus, the non-radial or tangential orientation of the outlet  154  may allow for the spiraling flow of water/waste to be effectively discharged from the disposal  102 . However, in other embodiments, the discharge outlet  154  may have any other suitable orientation relative to the housing  130 , including a primarily radial orientation. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , interior views of the waste disposal  102  shown in  FIGS. 2-5  are illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. Specifically,  FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the waste disposal  102  taken about line  6 - 6  ( FIG. 4 ). Additionally,  FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the cross-section shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the waste disposal  102  may include a motor  124  disposed within the housing  130 . In general, the motor  124  may be configured to rotate a cutter plate  164  about its rotational axis  122  directly below a grind chamber  166  defined between the upper housing portion  132  and the cutter plate  164 . As will be described below, the cutter plate  164  may be specifically designed so that water/waste entering the disposal  102  are directed radially outwardly along the plate  164  towards a stationary cutting ring  168  disposed around the inner perimeter of the housing  130  (i.e., the outer perimeter of the grind chamber  166 ). For example, the cutter plate  164  may define an upper surface  170  that is angled or sloped towards the inner perimeter of the housing  130  so that water/waste contacting a central portion of the plate  164  may be directed radially outwardly. In addition, the cutter plate  164  may include a cutter lug  172  ( FIG. 6 ) coupled thereto for pushing waste flowing along the outer perimeter of the plate  164  into the adjacent cutter ring  168 . The cutter ring  168  may, in turn, define a plurality of cutter openings  174  that serve to grind, shred, cut and/or otherwise process the waste. 
     Thus, during operation of the waste disposal  102 , water/waste flowing into the grinding chamber  166  via the primary inlet  142  may be directed onto the cutter plate  164 . Due to the rotation of the cutter plate  164  by the motor  124 , the water/waste may be directed radially outwardly along the cutter plate  164  towards the stationary cutter ring  168 . The waste flowing along the outer perimeter of the cutter plate  164  may then be pushed by the cutter lug  172  into and/or against the cutter openings  174  of the cutter ring  168  in order to process the waste into fine particulates. The processed waste may then be carried downwardly with the water flowing between the motor  124  and the housing  130  and subsequently discharged from the disposal via the discharge outlet  154 . 
     As particularly shown in  FIG. 6 , in several embodiments, the upper housing portion  132  may define a converging section  175  extending axially between a first end  177  located at or adjacent to a base  179  of the upper housing portion  132  and a second end  181  located at or adjacent to a bottom end  183  of the primary inlet  142 . This converging section  175  may generally be configured to define any suitable profile such that a radial dimension of the housing  130  (e.g., an inner diameter  185  ( FIG. 13 ) of the upper housing portion  132 ) is generally reduced as the housing  130  extends axially between the first and second ends  177 ,  179  of the converging section  175 . For example, in one embodiment, the upper housing portion  132  may define an angled profile along the converging section  175  (e.g. by defining angled walls between the first and second ends  177 ,  179  of the converging section  175 ). However, as indicated above, the upper housing portion  132  may, in several embodiments, be configured such that the grind chamber  166  is substantially dome-shaped. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 6 , in several embodiments, an inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132  may be configured to define a curved profile between the first and second ends  177 ,  179  of the converging section  175  such that the grind chamber  116  defines a dome-like shape along the converging section  175 . 
     Additionally, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , in several embodiments, the motor  124  of the disclosed disposal  102  may have an outrunner or external rotor configuration. As such, the motor  124  may include a stator  176  and a rotor  178  extending around the outer circumference of the stator  176 . For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the stator  176  may be coupled to a bottom wall  180  of the housing  130  (e.g., via suitable mechanical fasteners  182 ) and may extend axially from the bottom wall  180  along a central portion  184  of the housing  130 . Additionally, the rotor  178  may include one or more walls defining a rotor cavity  186  extending around the central portion  184  of the housing  130  so as to at least partially surround or encase the stator  176 . For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the rotor  178  may include a top wall  188 , a bottom wall  190  extending generally parallel to the top wall  190  and a sidewall  192  extending axially between the top and bottom walls  188 ,  190 . The top wall  188  may be configured to extend radially outwardly from the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124  at a location axially above the top of the stator  178  and may generally define the top of the rotor cavity  186 . Similarly, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the bottom wall  190  may be configured to extend radially outwardly from a bottom portion  193  of the stator  176  at a location adjacent to the bottom wall  180  of the housing  130  and may generally define the bottom of the rotor cavity  186 . Additionally, the sidewall  192  may be configured to extend circumferentially around the stator  176  and may generally define the side of the rotor cavity  186 . As such, when the rotor  178  is rotated, the sidewall  192  may rotate around the outer circumference or perimeter of the stator  176 . 
     Moreover, as particularly shown in  FIG. 6 , the motor  124  may also include one or more bearings  194  disposed within a central passage  196  defined through the stator  176 . The bearings  194  may be configured to rotationally support a rotor shaft  198  extending axially from the top wall  188  of the rotor  178  through the central passage  196 . The rotor shaft  198  may, in turn, rotationally support the rotor  178  relative to the stator  176 . It should be appreciated that, given the external rotor configuration of the motor  124 , the rotational torque required to rotate the rotor  178  relative to the stator  176  is applied directly through the rotor  178  and not through the rotor  178  via the rotor shaft  198 . 
     It should be appreciated that the motor  124  may generally correspond to any suitable type of motor that provides for an external rotor configuration. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the motor  124  is configured as a brushless direct-current electric motor (BLDC motor). As such, the motor  124  may include a plurality of magnets  200  coupled to and/or forming part of the sidewall  192  of the rotor  178  and a plurality of windings  202  wrapped around the stator  176 . As will be described below with reference to  FIG. 21 , a suitable controller (e.g., a microcontroller) may be utilized to adjust the current phase supplied to the windings  202  in order to produce rotational torque that rotates the rotor  178  relative to the stator  176 . This rotational torque is applied directly through the rotor  178 , with the rotor shaft  198  simply providing rotational support for the rotor  178  along the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124 . Alternatively, the motor  124  may correspond to any other suitable motor type that allows for an external rotor configuration, such as a switched reluctance motor, a synchronous reluctance motor or an induction motor. 
     It should also be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the rotor  178  need not define a rotor cavity  186  formed by the illustrated top, bottom and sidewalls  188 ,  190 ,  182 . For example, in one embodiment, the rotor  178  may simply include a top wall  188  extending above the stator  176  and a sidewall  192  extending axially from the top wall  188  so as to extend circumferentially around the stator  176 . In another embodiment, the rotor  178  may only include a top wall  188  extending radially outwardly from the rotational axis  122  at a location above the stator  176 . In such an embodiment, instead of being driven by the radial magnetic flux generated between the rotor sidewall  192  and the stator  176 , the rotor  178  may be driven by an axial magnetic flux generated between the top wall  188  and the stator  176  (e.g., by coupling the magnets  200  to the axially lower surface of the top wall  188 ). 
     Additionally, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , in several embodiments, the cutter plate  164  may be configured to be coupled to the motor  124  via a shaftless connection. As used herein, the term “shaftless connection” refers to a rotatable connection between the cutter plate  164  and the motor  124  that does not require the plate  164  to be directly coupled to a shaft of the motor  124 . For example, in several embodiments, the cutter plate  164  may be directly coupled to the rotor  178 . Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the cutter plate  164  may be configured to be secured to the rotor  178  so that it extends along and/or forms part of the top wall  188  of the rotor  178 . In such an embodiment, the cutter plate  164  may be secured to the rotor  178  using any suitable attachment means, such as mechanical fasteners, glue, welding, etc. For instance, as shown in  FIG. 6 , openings  204  defined in the cutter plate  164  may be configured to be aligned with corresponding openings  206  defined in the rotor  178  to allow suitable mechanical fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, pins, etc.) to be inserted through the aligned openings  204 ,  206  in order to secure the cutter plate  164  to the rotor  178 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, a shaftless connection may be defined between the cutter plate  164  and the motor  124  using any other suitable connection means, such as by forming the cutter plate  164  as an integral part of the rotor  178 . For instance,  FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the motor  124  described above with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7  with the cutter plate  164  being formed integrally with the rotor  178 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , in such an embodiment, the cutter plate  164  may generally be configured to define all or a portion of the top wall  188  of the rotor  187 , with the rotor sidewall  192  extending axially between the cutter plate  164  and the bottom wall  190  of the rotor  178 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9-11 , several views of the cutter plate  164  described above with reference to  FIGS. 6-8  are illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. Specifically,  FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of the cutter plate  164 . Additionally,  FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of the cutter plate  164  and  FIG. 11  illustrates a side view of the cutter plate  164  shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     For ease of illustration and description, the cutter plate  164  is illustrated in  FIGS. 9-11  as being formed as a separate component configured to be separately attached to the rotor  178  (e.g., the configuration shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). However, it should be appreciated that the surface features and other design features described below with reference to the cutter plate  164  may be similarly included within embodiments in which the cutter plate  164  is formed integrally with the rotor  168  (e.g., the configuration shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , the cutter plate  164  may generally correspond to a disk-shaped body including an upper surface  170 , a lower surface  208  and a sidewall  210  extending circumferentially around the outer perimeter of the cutter plate  164  between the upper and lower surfaces  170 ,  208 . Additionally, the cutter plate  164  may define a circumferentially extending outer edge  212  around its perimeter at the intersection of upper surface  170  and the sidewall  210 . 
     As indicated above, the upper surface  170  of the cutter plate  164  may include one or more surface features configured to assist in directing water and/or waste radially outwardly towards the outer edge  212  of the plate  164  (and, thus, towards the stationary cutter ring  168  ( FIG. 6 )). For instance, in several embodiments, at least a portion of the upper surface  170  may be angled or sloped so that water/waste falling onto the cutter plate  164  via the primary outlet  142  may be directed down the sloped surface due to gravity and the centripetal forces generated as the cutter plate  164  is rotated. In addition, one or more ribs or fins  214  may be formed along the upper surface  170  to further urge water/waste radially outwardly towards the outer edge  212  of the cutter plate  164 . 
     In forming the sloped upper surface  170  of the cutter plate  164 , a high point (indicated by points  216  in  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) may be defined on the upper surface  170  from which at least a portion of the surface is sloped or angled downwardly towards the outer edge  212  of the plate  164 . In several embodiments, the location of such high point  216  may be offset from the rotational axis  122  of the motor  124 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the high point  216  is located at a distance  218  from the rotational axis  122 . By offsetting the high point  216  of the sloped upper surface  170  from the rotational axis  122 , the location on the surface  170  at which the rotational speed of the cutter plate  164  is equal to zero may be angled or sloped downwardly towards the outer edge  212  of the plate  164 , thereby preventing waste from sticking or being held-up at this zero-speed location. 
     It should be appreciated that, in the illustrated embodiment, the high point  216  of the upper surface  170  is generally defined around an axial projection extending outwardly from the upper surface  170  so as to form a lug guard  220  for the cutter plate  164 . However, in embodiments in which the cutter plate  164  does not include the illustrated lug guard  220 , the upper surface  170  may, for example, be continuously sloped along portions of the surface area covered by the lug guard  220  so that the high point  216  is defined at a location within such area (e.g., at the center of the lug guard  220 ). 
     In addition to offsetting the high point  216  relative to the rotational axis  122 , the location of the high point  216  may also be selected so that the high point  216  is disposed outside of a cutter plate area  222  defined on the upper surface  170  directly below the open area  143  ( FIG. 4 ) forming the primary inlet  142  of the waste disposal  102 . For purposes of description, this area is represented on the upper surface  170  of the cutter plate  164  in  FIGS. 10 and 11  by the dashed circle  222  and the range  222 , respectively. As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the high point  216  is located outside this bounded area  222 . Accordingly, as waste is directed through the open area  143  defined by primary inlet  142  and falls downward onto the cutter plate  164  within the bounded area  222 , it can be ensured that the waste contacts the cutter plate  164  along the sloped portion of the upper surface  170 . As a result, the waste may slide downward along the sloped surface toward the outer edge  212  of the cutter plate  164  as the plate  164  is rotated by the motor  124 . 
     Moreover, in several embodiments, the specific slope or angle of the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  may be varied at different locations along the surface  170 . Specifically, in one embodiment, the slope of the upper surface  170  may be varied so that the outer edge  212  of the cutter plate  164  is located within the housing  130  at a constant or substantially constant height  224  ( FIG. 7 ) relative to a fixed reference point. For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , to increase the contact area of the stationary cutter ring  168 , it may be desirable for the outer edge  212  to be positioned at a constant height  224  within the housing  130  (e.g., relative to the bottom wall  180  of the housing  130 ) around the entire outer perimeter of the cutter plate  164 . In such instance, the slope of the upper surface  170  may be varied across the cutter plate  164  based on the offset configuration of the plate&#39;s high point  216  to allow for a such a constant height  224  to be achieved around the entire outer edge  212  of the plate  164 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the angle defined by the portion of the sloped surface extending radially outwardly from the high point  216  along arrow  226  may be smaller than the angle defined by the portion of the sloped surface extending radially outwardly from the high point  216  along arrow  228  given the differing radial distances defined between the high point  216  and the outer edge  212  along such arrows  226 ,  228 . 
     Additionally, in several embodiments, it may be desirable for the sidewall  210  to define a constant or substantially constant height  225  ( FIG. 11 ) between the upper and lower surfaces  170 ,  208  of the cutter plate  164 . In such embodiments, the slope of the upper surface  170  may be similarly varied so that the sidewall  210  defines a given height  225  around the entire outer perimeter of the plate  164   
     It should be appreciated that, in general, the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  may be configured to define any suitable slope angle (i.e., the angle defined between a reference plane extending parallel to the plane defined by the outer edge  212  and a reference plane extending tangential to any location along the sloped portion. However, in several embodiments, the slope angle may generally range from greater than 0 degrees to less than 30 degrees, such as from about 2 degrees to about 25 degrees or from about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees and any other subranges therebetween. In such embodiments, the radially extending sections of the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  defining the longest radial distances between the high point  216  and the outer edge  212  (e.g., along arrow  226 ) may, for example, define slope angles falling within the lower portion of the above-described range (e.g., slope angles ranging from greater than 0 degrees to about 15 degrees) while the radially extending sections of the sloped portion defining the shortest radial distances between the high point  216  and the outer edge  212  (e.g., along arrow  228 ) may, for example, define slope angles falling with the upper portion of such range (e.g., angles ranging from about 15 degrees to less than 30 degrees). 
     As indicated above, the cutter plate may also include one or more fins  214  projecting axially from the upper surface  170 . In general, the fins  214  may be configured to assist in directing waste radially outwardly towards the outer edge  212  of the cutter plate  164  as the plate  164  is rotated. In addition, the fins  214  may also be utilized to agitate the water contained within the grind chamber  116 , which may assist in cleaning the chamber  116 . 
     In several embodiments, the fins  214  may be configured to extend lengthwise along the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  at least partially between the high point  216  and the outer edge  212  of the cutter plate  164 . For example, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the fins  214  generally define continuously curved paths extending from a location adjacent to the high point  216  to the outer edge  212 . However, in other embodiments, the fins  214  may define straight paths or any other suitably shaped paths extending between the high point  216  and the outer edge  212 . 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 9 , in addition to the sloped portion of the upper surface  170 , the upper surface  170  may also define a flattened or recessed area  230  adjacent to its outer edge  212  to accommodate the cutter lug  172  of the cutter plate  164 . For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the cutter lug  172  may be configured to be rotatably coupled to the cutter plate  164  at a pivot point  232  defined along the recessed area  230  (e.g., via a suitable fastener, such as pin  234 ). As such, the cutter lug  172  may be configured to pivot about the pivot point  232  along the recessed area  230 . In one embodiment, the cutter lug  172  may be allowed to pivot across the entire recessed area  230 , such as from a forward edge  236  of the recessed area  230  to an aft edge  238  of the recessed area  230 . 
     Alternatively, the cutter lug  172  may only be allowed to pivot along the recessed area  230  across a given pivot range  240  ( FIG. 10 ). For instance, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the cutter plate  164  may include a stopper rib  242  extending outwardly from the recessed area  230  that serves to limit the rotation of the cutter lug  172  in the clockwise direction. In such an embodiment, the pivot range  240  may generally be defined by the angular range of movement provided between when a forward edge  244  of the lug  172  contacts the forward edge  236  of the recessed area  230  and when an aft edge  246  of the lug  172  contacts the stopper rib  242 . For example, in several embodiments, the limited pivot range  240  may correspond to an angle ranging from about 20 degrees to about 90 degrees, such as from about 25 degrees to about 80 degrees or from about 30 degrees to about 70 degrees and any other subranges therebetween. 
     Moreover, as indicated above, the cutter plate  164  may also include an axially projecting lug guard  220  extending outwardly from the upper surface  170 . As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the lug guard  220  may generally be configured to be positioned along the upper surface  170  at a location radially inwardly from the cutter lug  172 . Accordingly, if a user has inserted his/her finger into the disposal, the lug guard  220  may serve to restrict user access to the location of the cutter lug  172 , thereby preventing injuries that may otherwise occur if the user&#39;s finger is allowed to contact the lug  172 . 
     It should be appreciated that, in several embodiments, the maximum slope angle for the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  may be utilized to define the high point  216  of the upper surface  170  or to otherwise distinguish the high point  206  from axial projections extending outwardly from the upper surface  170 . For example, as indicated above, in one embodiment, the maximum slope angle of the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  may correspond to 30 degrees. In such an embodiment, the high point  216  may be defined along the upper surface  170  only at a location at which both the angle defined between a reference plane extending parallel to plane defined by the outer edge  212  of the cutter plate  164  and a reference plane extending tangential to the surface at the high point is less than 30 degrees (or any other maximum slope angle set for the upper surface  170 ) and a continuous surface is defined across such location between the high point and a section(s) of the sloped portion of the upper surface  170 . Thus, referring to the illustrated embodiment, the sides and upper surfaces of the various components projecting axially from the upper surface  170  (e.g., the fins  214 , the cutter lug  172 , the stopper rib  242  and the lug guard  220 ) may not be considered the high point  216  due to the sides defining excessive slope angles and the fact that a continuous surface is not defined between the upper surfaces and a section(s) of the sloped portion of the upper surface  170  (i.e., due to the sides of such components). 
     In addition to the various cutter plate features, the disclosed waste disposal  102  may also include one or more water management features configured such that water (and the processed waste carried by such water) is moved effectively and efficiently through the disposal  102  and properly discharged from the housing  130  via the discharge outlet  154 . For example, in several embodiments the waste disposal  102  may include a deflector feature configured to prevent water from flowing and/or splashing out of the grind chamber  166  through the primary inlet  142 . In addition, the waste disposal  102  may include a turbine feature that acts like a pump to draw water (and processed waste) from the grind chamber  166  axially downward along an inner sidewall surface  248  ( FIG. 15 ) of the housing  130  for subsequent discharge therefrom via the discharge outlet  154 . Moreover, the waste disposal  102  may also include additional pump-like features defined along the bottom of the motor  124  to push water and processed waste radially outwardly along the bottom wall  180  of the housing  130  towards the discharge outlet  154 . 
     As indicated above, during operation of the disclosed waste disposal  102 , water entering the grind chamber  166  and falling onto the cutter plate  134  is directed radially outwardly towards the outer edge  212  of the plate  164  due to the centripetal forces in combination with the various surface features defined on the plate  164  (e.g., the sloped upper surface  170  and the fins  214 ). As the water is forced radially outwardly towards the outer edge  212 , it begins to spin in the rotational direction of the cutter plate  164  and may tend to flow upward in a spiral-like pattern along the dome-shaped inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132  towards the primary inlet  142 . To prevent such upward flowing water from splashing out or otherwise being discharged from the inlet  142 , the waste disposal  102  may include a plurality of deflector ribs  252  defined along the inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132 . Specifically, the ribs  252  may be configured to interrupt or disrupt the flow of water along the inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132 , thereby causing the water to forced back down onto the cutter plate  164 . Such ribs  252  will generally be described below with reference to  FIGS. 12-14 . Specifically,  FIG. 12  illustrates a bottom view of the upper housing portion described above with reference to  FIGS. 2-7 , particular illustrating a straight-on view of the dome-shaped inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132 . Additionally,  FIG. 13  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the upper housing portion  132  shown in  FIG. 12  taken about line  13 - 13  and  FIG. 14  illustrates a close-up view of a portion of the upper housing  132  shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 12-14 , the ribs  252  may generally be configured as raised projections extending outwardly from the inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132 . In several embodiments, the ribs  252  may be configured to extend lengthwise along the converging section  175  of the upper housing portion  132 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 13 , each rib  252  may generally be configured to extend along the dome-shaped inner surface  250  of the upper housing portion  132  between a base end  253  and a tip end  255 , with the base end  253  being positioned at or adjacent to the first end  177  of the converging section  175  and the tip end  255  being positioned at or adjacent to the second end  181  of the converging section  175 . 
     Additionally, as particularly shown in  FIG. 12 , in several embodiments, the ribs  252  may be oriented along the converging section  175  such that the ribs  252  wrap circumferentially around the inner surface  250  in a spiral-like pattern. In such embodiments, the spiral-like pattern formed by the ribs  252  may generally be oriented in a circumferential direction (indicated by arrow  257 ) that is opposite to the spiral-like flow path of the water flowing upwards along the inner surface  250  (i.e., in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the motor  124 ). For example, as shown in  FIG. 12 , if the cutter plate  164  is rotated such that water is being directed upwards along the inner surface  250  in a clockwise spiraling pattern (indicated by arrows  256 ), the ribs  252  may be angled along the inner surface  250  in a counter-clockwise spiraling pattern. As a result, the water may contact a forward, angled edge  258  of each rib  252  as it flows upwards along the inner surface  250 , thereby interrupting the spiraling flow path and causing the water to be forced back down into the cutter plate  164 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , due to the circumferential orientation of the ribs  252 , an edge angle  254  may be defined at the forward edge  258  of each rib  252  that is referenced relative to a line  259  extending tangentially to the inner surface  250  of the at the intersection of the base  253  and the forward edge  258  of each rib  252 . It should be appreciated that the edge angle  254  may generally correspond to any suitable angle that allows the ribs  252  to function as described herein. However, in several embodiments, the edge angle  254  may range from about 5 degrees to about 80 degrees, such as from about 15 degrees to about 70 degrees or from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees and any other subranges therebetween. Additionally, a height  260  ( FIG. 14 ) of each rib  252  relative to the inner surface  250  may generally correspond to any suitable height that allows the ribs  252  to disrupt the flow of water along the inner surface  250 . In general, it has been found that, as the height  260  of each rib  252  is increased, the axial distance over which the water flows upward along the inner surface  250  may be decreased. 
     Moreover, as indicated above, the waste disposal  102  may also include a turbine feature that acts like a pump to draw water and processed waste axially downwards towards the discharge outlet  154 . Specifically, in several embodiments, an annular gap  262  may be defined between the housing  130  and the sidewall  192  of the rotor  178  that allows the rotating sidewall  192  to function similar to a centripetal, bladeless water turbine. A close-up, cross-sectional view of a portion of the cross-section shown in  FIG. 6  is illustrated in  FIG. 15 , which particularly illustrates the annular gap  262  defined between the housing  130  and the rotor sidewall  192 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , the gap  262  may be defined directly between the inner sidewall surface  248  defined around the inner perimeter of the housing  130  (e.g., the inner perimeter of the lower housing portion  133 ) and an outer surface  264  of the rotor sidewall  192 . 
     By defining such an annular gap  262  between the rotating sidewall  192  and the housing  130 , the surface tension between the adjacent surfaces  248 ,  264  of the housing  130  and the sidewall  192 , together with the pressure of the water within the housing  130  and gravity, may be utilized to create a pumping action that pulls water and processed waste downward within the housing  130 . Specifically, by placing the adjacent surfaces  248 ,  264  in close proximity, the surface tension between the surfaces  248 ,  264  may be increased. Additionally, as water flows within and fills the annular gap  262 , an increase in viscosity and adhesion between the surfaces  248 ,  264  may occur. Combined with the high speed rotation of the rotor  178 , such increases in the surface-related parameters of the adjacent surfaces  248 ,  264  assist in creating the pumping action that aids in discharging the water and processed waste from the housing  130 . 
     In several embodiments, a width  266  of the annular gap  262  may be selected such that a desired pumping action is achieved. In general, the required width  266  of the annular gap  262  may vary depending on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the volume of water flowing through the disposal  102 , the amount of waste particulates contained within the water, the desired discharge rate for the disposal  102  and/or any other relevant factors. However, in several embodiments, the width  266  of the annular gap  262  may generally range from about 0.5 millimeters (mm) to about 10 mm, such as from about 2 mm to about 9 mm or from about 4 mm to about 8 mm and any other subranges therebetween. 
     In addition to the annular gap  262  defined between the housing  130  and the rotor sidewall  192 , a second annular gap  268  may also be defined between the inner sidewall surface  248  of the housing  130  and the sidewall  210  of the cutter plate  164  (which may, in some embodiments, correspond to a side surface of the top wall  188  of the rotor  178 ). In several embodiments, a width  270  of the second annular gap  268  may be the same as the width  266  of the annular gap  262  defined between the housing  130  and the rotor sidewall  192 . Alternatively, the widths  266 ,  270  of such annular gaps  262 ,  268  may differ. For example, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the width  270  of the second annular  268  gap is less than the width  266  of the annular gap  262  defined between the housing  130  and the rotor sidewall  192 . Such a narrowed gap  268  at the upper portion of the rotor/cutter plate may, in several embodiments, allow for an enhanced pumping action to be created between the rotor  178  and the housing  130 . Specifically, the narrowed gap  268  may allow for closer grinding or processing of the solid waste and, thus, may reduce the potential for build-up between the housing  130  and the rotor  178 . However, in an alternative embodiment, the width  270  of the second annular gap  268  may be greater than the width  266  of the annular gap  262  defined between the housing  130  and the rotor sidewall  192 . 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 15 , to provide clearance for rotating the rotor  178  relative to the housing  130 , a bottom gap  272  may also be defined between a lower surface  274  of the bottom rotor wall  190  and a bottom surface  276  of the interior of the housing  130 . To prevent water and processed waste from collecting within such gap  272 , the bottom wall  190  of the rotor  178  may, in several embodiments, include one or more ribs  278  configured to push water and processed waste radially outwardly towards the inner sidewall surface  248  of the housing  130 . For example,  FIG. 16  illustrates a bottom view of the motor  124  shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , particularly illustrating a view of the lower surface  274  of the bottom wall  190  of the rotor  178 . Additionally,  FIG. 17  illustrates a partial, cross-sectional view of the bottom wall  190  of the rotor  178  shown in  FIG. 16  taken about line  17 - 17 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , a plurality of axially projecting ribs  278  may be formed along the bottom rotor wall  190 . As particularly shown in  FIG. 16 , in several embodiments, the ribs  278  may be configured to extend lengthwise along the lower surface  274  of the bottom rotor wall  190  in a substantially radial direction. Alternatively, the ribs  278  may be angled relative to the radial direction so that the ribs  278  form a spiral-like pattern along the bottom rotor wall  190 . Regardless, such ribs  278  may be configured to act like impeller or turbine blades so that, as the rotor  178  is rotated, the ribs  278  may force water and processed waste contained within the bottom gap  272  radially outwardly for subsequent discharge from the housing  130  via the discharge outlet  154 . 
     It should be appreciated that the ribs  278  may generally be configured to project axially from the lower surface  274  of the bottom rotor wall  190  so as to define any suitable height  280  ( FIG. 17 ). For example, in several embodiments, the height  280  of each rib  278  may be equal to a distance ranging from about 30% to about 95% of a height  282  of the bottom gap  272 , such as a distance ranging from about 60% to about 90% of the height  282  or from about 70% to about 85% of the height  282  and any other subranges therebetween. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 18-20 , several views of the mounting assembly  104  described above for mounting the waste disposal  102  to the sink drain  106  are illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. Specifically,  FIG. 18  illustrates an exploded view of the mounting assembly  104 .  FIG. 19  illustrates a perspective view of a portion of the mounting assembly  104  installed onto the top  134  of the disposal housing  130 , with the sink drain  106  exploded away from the housing  130 . Additionally,  FIG. 20  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connection between the sink drain  106  and the waste disposal  102  with the mounting assembly  104  installed. 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the mounting assembly  104  may include a pair of inner mounting brackets (e.g., a first inner mounting bracket  284  and a second inner mounting bracket  286 ) and a pair of outer mounting brackets (e.g., a first outer mounting bracket  288  and a second outer mounting bracket  290 ). The inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  may generally be configured to be coupled to one another (e.g., using suitable mechanical fasteners  292 , such as bolts, screws, pins, etc.) so as to form an inner mounting ring that extends and/or engages around the mounting flange  146  formed at the top  134  of the housing  130  and a corresponding drain flange  294  formed around a bottom portion  295  of the sink drain  106 . 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 18-20 , each inner mounting bracket  284 ,  286  may include a body  296  ( FIG. 18 ) having a mounting lip  298  that projects radially inwardly from the body  296  such that, when the brackets  284 ,  286  are coupled together, an annular lip  298  is defined around the inner circumference of the brackets  284 ,  286 . This annular lip  298  may be configured to be positioned axially below the mounting flange  146  defined at the top  134  of the housing  130  when the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  are installed into the housing  130 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 20 , the lip  298  may be configured to contact the housing  130  along a circumferential recess  300  formed directly below the mounting flange  146 . 
     In addition, each inner mounting bracket  284 ,  286  may include a plurality of teeth  302  extending radially inwardly from its body  296 . Each radially extending tooth  302  may generally be configured to engage the drain flange  294  formed around the bottom portion  295  of the sink drain  106 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 20 , when the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  are properly installed onto the sink drain  106 , each tooth  302  may be configured to overlap the drain flange  294  (e.g., by contacting a recessed portion  304  defined above the flange  294 ) so as to provide a means for vertically retaining the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  and the waste disposal  102  relative to the drain  106 . 
     In several embodiments, when installing the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  onto the waste disposal  102 , a suitable sealing mechanism  306  may be configured to be initially positioned onto and/or around the mounting flange  146 . For instance, as shown in  FIG. 20 , an annular seal  306  may be installed onto the mounting flange  146  that extends around from the top of the flange  146  to the circumferential recess  300  defined below the flange  146 . The inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  may then be installed onto the housing  130  around both the mounting flange  146  and the seal  306 , with the annular lip  298  formed by the mounting brackets  284 ,  286  contacting the circumferential recess  300  below the seal  306  such that a portion of the seal  306  is disposed directly between the lip  298  and the mounting flange  146 . Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 19 , the waste disposal  102  (with inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  installed thereon) may be pushed upward onto the drain  106  (as indicated by the arrow  308 ). In doing so, the radially extending teeth  302  defined by the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  may be configured to flex or move radially outwardly as the brackets  284 ,  296  are pushed over the drain flange  294 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 18 , an end surface  310  of each tooth  302  may be angled in a manner that urges the teeth  302  radially outwardly as they are pushed upward against the drain flange  294 . As the teeth  302  are pushed to a location axially above the drain flange  294 , the teeth  302  may snap or otherwise move back radially inwardly into the recessed portion  304  of the sink drain  106  so as to overlap the drain flange  294 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , when the teeth  302  are properly positioned relative to the flange  204 , the bottom portion  295  of the drain  106  may be received within the primary inlet  142  and a portion of the seal  306  may be positioned between the drain flange  294  and the top  134  of the housing  130 . Additionally, as indicated above, with the teeth  302  engaged over the drain flange  294 , the entire weight of the waste disposal  102  may be vertically supported via the connection provided by the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286 . Moreover, at this point, the disposal  102  may be configured to be rotated relative to the sink drain  106  (e.g., a full 360 degrees) to allow the disposal  102  to be aligned with existing plumbing drainage. 
     The outer mounting brackets  288 ,  290  may then be installed around the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  to complete installation processes. 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the outer mounting brackets  288 ,  290  may generally be configured to be coupled to one another (e.g., using suitable mechanical fasteners  312 , such as bolts, screws, pins, etc.) so as to form an outer mounting ring that engages around inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286 . Specifically, each outer mounting bracket  288 ,  290  may include a body  314  ( FIG. 18 ) having a lower mounting lip  316  that projects radially inwardly from the body  314  such that, when the brackets  288 ,  290  are coupled together, a lower annular lip  316  is defined around the inner circumference of the brackets  288 ,  290 . This lower annular lip  316  may generally be configured to be engaged around the outer perimeter of each of the inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286 , such as by configuring the lip  316  to be positioned against a lower edge  318  ( FIG. 20 ) of each inner mounting bracket  284 ,  286  and/or to overlap below the lower edge  318 . 
     Additionally, each outer mounting bracket  288 ,  290  may also include an upper mounting lip  320  that projects radially inwardly from its body  314  such that, when the brackets  288 ,  290  are coupled together, an upper annular lip  320  is defined around the inner circumference of the brackets  228 ,  290 . This upper annular lip  320  may generally be configured to be engaged against a corresponding annular drain projection  322  formed around the sink drain  106  at a location axially above the drain flange  294 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 20 , in one embodiment, the upper lip  320  and the drain projection  322  may define mating or matching angled end surfaces  324  such that the upper lip  320  locks against and remains engaged with the drain projection  322 . 
     It should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the mounting assembly  104  may have any other suitable configuration that allows the waste disposal  102  to be mounted onto the sink drain  106 . For example, in one embodiment, the first and second inner mounting brackets  284 ,  286  may be configured as a single, ring-shaped mounting bracket. In such an embodiment, the ring-shaped inner mounting bracket may be configured to be coupled to the top  134  of the housing  130  using any suitable attachment means, such as by screwing the mounting bracket onto threads formed at the top  134  of the housing  130 . Once installed onto the housing  130 , the teeth  302  of the ring-shaped mounting bracket may then be pushed against and over the drain flange  294  in order to couple the waste disposal  102  to the drain  106 . 
     As indicated above, the motor  124  of the disclosed waste disposal  102  may, in several embodiments, include a controller  340  ( FIG. 21 ) configured to control the operation of the motor  124 . In general, the controller  340  may comprise any suitable computing device and/or any other suitable processing unit. Thus, in several embodiments, the controller  340  may include one or more processor(s) and associated memory device(s) configured to perform a variety of computer-implemented functions (e.g., performing the methods, steps, calculations and the like disclosed herein). As used herein, the term “processor” refers not only to integrated circuits referred to in the art as being included in a computer, but also refers to a controller, a microcontroller, a microcomputer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an application specific integrated circuit, and other programmable circuits. Additionally, the memory device(s) may generally comprise memory element(s) including, but not limited to, computer readable medium (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), computer readable non-volatile medium (e.g., a flash memory), a floppy disk, a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), a magneto-optical disk (MOD), a digital versatile disc (DVD) and/or other suitable memory elements. Such memory device(s) may generally be configured to store suitable computer-readable instructions that, when implemented by the processor(s), configure the controller  340  to perform various functions including, but not limited to, receiving one or more parameter feedback signals associated with one or more operational parameters of the motor  124 , controlling the operation of the motor  124  based on the monitored operational parameter(s) and/or various other suitable computer-implemented functions. 
     An example of a suitable control diagram that may be implemented for controlling the operation of the motor  124  is illustrated in  FIG. 21 . As shown, the controller  340  may be configured to generate various control signals (e.g., commanded speed signals  342 , speed error signals  344 , current command signals  346 , duty signals  348  and/or the like) and transmit such signals to suitable components of the motor  124  in order to control its operation. For example, the controller  340  may be configured to output duty signals  348  to a gate driver  350 , which may, in turn, transmit gating command signals  352  to an inverter  354  for alternating or switching the current phase supplied to the motor windings  202 . In addition, the controller  340  may be configured to receive operational feedback (e.g., from sensors and/or the like) in order to appropriately adjust such control signals and/or to otherwise control the motor  124  in order to achieve the desired operation. For example, as shown in  FIG. 21 , the controller  340  may receive feedback related to the actual speed of the motor  124 , the temperature of the motor  124 , the occurrence of jams within the motor  124 , the position of the rotor  178  and/or any other suitable feedback. 
     During operation of the disclosed disposal  102 , a commanded speed signal  342  may be generated by the controller  340  for controlling the rotor speed of the motor  124 . In several embodiments, the commanded rotor speed may be constant or varied over time. For instance, in one embodiment, the commanded rotor speed may correspond to a reduced rotor speed at start-up of the disposal  102 , with the rotor speed being ramped up over time from the reduced start-up speed to a full operational speed. Such a reduced start-up speed may allow for reduced noise generation at start-up. 
     As shown in  FIG. 21 , the commanded speed signal  342  generated by the controller  340  may be input into a summer  356  that determines the difference between the commanded rotor speed and an actual rotor speed  358  for the motor  124 , which is provided to the summer  356  by a speed calculation module  360  of the controller  340 . The summer  356  provides a speed error signal  344  to a speed compensation module  362  of the controller  340  configured to determine the corresponding current command signal  346  required to achieve the commanded speed  342  based on the speed error signal  344 . The current command signal  344  is then provided to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) module  364  of the controller  340  that generates a duty cycle signal  348  based on the current command signal  346 . The duty cycle signal  348  may then be provided to the gate driver  350  to generate suitable gating command signals  352  for switching the switching elements (e.g., insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs)) of the associated inverter  354  in accordance with the commanded duty cycle  348 . As is generally understood, the gating command signals  352  may configure the inverter  354  to convert a DC voltage source (not shown) to AC driving currents for powering the windings  202  of the motor  124 , thereby allowing the rotor  178  to be rotated relative to the stator  176 . 
     Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 21 , in several embodiments, the controller  340  may be configured to receive motor current feedback signals  366  (e.g., via a current sensor associated with the inverter  354 ). The current feedback signals  366  may then be transmitted to an analog-to-digital converter  368  in order to convert the analog signals to suitable digital signals than can be understood and processed by the controller  340 . As shown in  FIG. 21 , in one embodiment, the current feedback signals  366  may be utilized by the controller  340  (e.g., via the speed calculation module  360 ) to determine the actual rotor speed  358  of the motor  124 . Specifically, a suitable correlation (e.g., a mathematical relationship or look-up table) may be stored within the controller  340  that relates the motor current  366  to the actual rotor speed  258 . As indicated above, this calculated rotor speed  358  may then be input into the summer  356  in order to generate the speed error signal  344 . Alternatively, the controller  340  may be configured to determine the actual rotor speed  358  using any other suitable means. For instance, in one embodiment, one or more sensors associated with the motor  124  (e.g., Hall Effect sensors, speed sensors, position sensors etc.) may be configured to provide suitable measurement signals to the controller  340  (indicated by dashed line  370 ) in order to allow for the calculation of the actual rotor speed  358 . 
     In addition to calculating the rotor speed, the current feedback signals  366  may also be utilized by the controller  340  determine one or more other operating parameters of the motor  124 . For instance, as shown in  FIG. 21 , in one embodiment, the current feedback signals  366  may be provided to a temperature estimation module  372  that is configured to estimate the temperature of the motor  124  based on the motor current. In such an embodiment, if the estimated temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold (or if the measured current value simply exceeds a predetermined current threshold), the controller  340  may be configured to shut-shown the motor  120  or take any other suitable corrective action in order to prevent overheating. 
     Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 21 , the current feedback signals  266  may also be provided to an anti jam module  374  of the controller  340  that is configured to determine whether the motor  124  is jammed or otherwise stalled based on the motor current. For instance, in several embodiments, the controller  340  may be configured to detect whether the motor  124  is jammed by detecting sudden spikes or changes in the motor current. If a detected change in the current indicates that the motor  124  is jammed (e.g., due to the detected change exceeding a current variation threshold), the controller  1340  may be configured to perform any suitable corrective action designed to un-jam the motor  124 . For instance, the controller  340  may be configured to cycle the motor direction between forward and reverse in order to remove any obstructions that may be preventing or hindering rotation of the rotor  178 . 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 21 , the controller  340  may also be configured to receive any other suitable feedback signals, such as rotor position feedback signals  376  that may be used to commutate the motor  124 . For instance, the rotor position feedback signals  376  may correspond to measurement signals derived from Hall Effect sensors, back emf sensors and/or any other suitable sensors that provide for an indication of the position of the rotor  178 . These signals  376  may then be utilized by the controller  340  to determine the correct timing for switching the current phases supplied to the motor windings  202 . 
     It should be appreciated that the control diagram shown in  FIG. 21  is simply illustrated to provide one example of a suitable control methodology for controlling the disclosed motor  124 . However, those of ordinary skill in the art should readily appreciate that the specific control methodology utilized to control the motor  124  may vary depending on, for example, the type and configuration of the motor  124 , the specific feedback signals provided to the controller  340  and/or various other suitable factors. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.