Abstract:
A salad shaker having a lower part of a container and a cover which is placed on the cover and has a cable pull drive by which the salad sieve can be rotated. The drive is connected to a rotating plate by a free-running device which acts on both sides, and enables the rotational direction of the salad sieve to be charged in a spring-biased manner. The repeated change in rotational direction causes the shaking efficiency to be significantly improved. The restoring force of the inventive spring automatically reels in the cable and holds the handle in a desired position on the cover in a spring-biased manner. The drive of this invention can also be used in handle-operated salad shakers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a salad spin dryer with a lower part, a salad sieve rotatable about an axis, and a lid. 
   2. Discussion of Related Art 
   Several salad spin dryers are available on the market. They all have a bowl-like container lower part and a lid with an integrated drive unit. In the container lower part there is a salad sieve rotatably mounted about a vertical axis. For emptying and for cleaning the salad sieve can be removed. The salad sieve has an essentially cylindrical sidewall and a flat base and is open to the top. On the lower side of the lid there is a rotating plate which is rotatable about the vertical axis. The rotating plate has tabs which reach downwards and with a closed spin dryer are in active connection with the salad sieve. Usually, the tabs engage between corresponding ribs of the salad sieve which are arranged uniformly distributed over an upper periphery of the sieve. The rotating plate is connected to a gear with gearwheels in a known manner. A crank is located in the lid and the gear may be driven by the crank. If one rotates the crank, then the rotating plate and thus the complete salad sieve is set into rotation. By multiplication in the gear one achieves high rotational speeds and the remaining water which the salad leaves retain from washing is shaken through the openings of the salad sieve to the outside by way of the exerted centrifugal force. It hits the inner wall of the container lower part where it may run downwards and collects on the base. With the spinning procedure with such a crank-operated salad spin dryer the sieve always rotates always in the same direction. The sieve must be completely braked or stopped before a change in the rotational direction, before it may be rotated into the other direction. These known salad spin dryers have one disadvantage in that the crank needs to be rotated in a constant manner until the salad leaves are sufficiently dried. An unbalance produced by the non-uniform distribution of the salad leaves in the salad sieve brakes the rotational movement and in time damages the bearing and gear. 
   Also known is a salad spin dryer with a yoyo-like pull-cord mechanism which on spinning ensures a regular change in rotational direction. Customers desire this because the rhythmic braking and acceleration in the opposite direction considerably improve the spinning result. With known pull-cord drives, the rotating plate is seated on a vertical axle arranged centrally in the lid, on which also one end of the pull-cord is fastened. At the opposite end of the cord there is fastened a grip which permits a simple gripping and prevents the complete pulling of the cord into the lid. If the cord is wound around the axle then the rotating plate and thus the salad sieve may be set into a quick rotation opposite to the direction of winding by way of a strong pulling. If the axle-side end of the cord is reached then this is automatically wound around the axle in the rotational direction. Shortly before a complete winding-on of the cord the user brakes the rotational movement so that the rotating plate and the sieve come to a complete stop. The cord is now completely or at least approximately completely wound-up and with a renewed pulling the rotating plate and sieve are set into rotation with the reverse rotational direction. After spinning for a sufficiently long time, the lid may be lifted from the lower part of the container and the salad sieve may be lifted out of the lower part of the container. The residual water is removed from the container lower part. One disadvantage of the known pull-cord spin dryers is that at the end of the spinning procedure the cord with the handle is not completely retracted but partly hangs out of the lid. The cord needs to be completely wound up by hand by way of the rotating plate. If the handle due to its intrinsic weight partly rolls off the cord and hangs down on spin dryer in an unsightly manner, then a separate retainer is required. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is one object of this invention to provide a salad spin dryer without these disadvantages. 
   The features of this invention are discussed in this specification and in the claims. 
   One advantage of this invention is that the rotational direction of the salad sieve is changed again and again automatically. The regular change in rotational direction has an effect that the salad leaves change their position in the salad sieve. With this the residual water which is located in the troughs in the salad leaves closed to the outside is likewise shaken out after the change in rotational direction. 
   Another advantage of this invention is that the restoring force of the spring-pull according to this invention rolls up the cord automatically and retains the handle impinged by spring force in a desired position on the lid. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention is described in view of the drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a salad spin dryer according to this invention, in a lateral view; 
       FIG. 2  shows a section view taken along a vertical axis through a spin dryer drive; and 
       FIG. 3  shows a horizontal section view taken along line A—A, as shown in  FIG. 2 , through the drive. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A salad spin dryer according to this invention is shown in  FIG. 1 , and comprises a container lower part  2  and a lid  1  placed thereon and in the inside comprises a basket-like salad sieve  3 . The lid  1  may be lifted from the container lower part  2 . In the center of the base in the container lower part  2  there is a bearing pin  21 . The salad sieve  3  is rotatably mounted on the bearing pin  21  about a vertical axis  100 . The salad sieve  3  in a known manner may be removed from the container lower part  2 . In the lid  1  is the new drive  10  with which the salad sieve  3  may be set into rotation. A pull-cord  11  is led through an opening  102  in the lid  1 . The pull-cord cord  11  connects the handle  103  which is arranged outside the lid  1  at the opposite end of the pull-cord to the drive in the inside of the lid  1 . The drive  10  is mechanically connected to a rotating plate  14 . The rotating plate  14  is preferably releasably connectable to the salad sieve  3  with a positive fit in the known manner. The rotating plate  14  with a closed lid forms an upper covering for the salad sieve  3  and on the edge comprises a number of tabs  142  which engage into corresponding openings or between ribs in the salad sieve  3 . The tabs  142  serve as lugs and transmit a rotational movement of the rotating plate  14  onto the salad sieve  3 . 
   The new drive  10  is located completely in or on the lid  1  as shown in FIG.  2 . The drive comprises a cord drum  12  around which the pull-cord  11  may be wound or unwound. The cord drum  12  is fastened rotatable about two sleeves  171 ,  172  arranged concentrically and rigidly. A spiral spring  13  is tensioned between an upper fastening sleeve  171  and the rotatable cord drum  12 . With its inner end the spiral spring  13  is fastened on the sleeve  171  and with its other end on the inner side of the cord drum  12 . A second sleeve  172  is arranged rigidly on the lid concentrically within the sleeve  17 . The bearing sleeve  172  extends further downwards and has a smaller diameter than the fastening sleeve  171 . The lower edge of the bearing sleeve  171  in the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , with the lower edge of the lid, lies approximately in one plane. The part of the bearing sleeve  172  projecting downwards from the outer fastening sleeve  171  carries a single-part or multi-part bearing bushing  19 . The bearing bushings may have ball bearings, roller bearings or rocker bearings, or in a simple version, as shown, may be manufactured of a material for reducing friction. Further bearing elements  19 ′,  19 ″ are arranged at other locations of the drive  10  which have a higher friction loading. 
   A cover  18  is admitted into the bearing sleeve  172  at the lower end and is preferably held in a clamped manner. With its flattish head the cover  18  covers the center of the rotating plate  14  and retains the rotating plate  14  in the desired axial position at the lower end of the bearing sleeve  172 . 
   The rotating plate  14  with a plurality of upwardly projecting cams  141  which are arranged about a central opening of the rotating plate  14  engages into corresponding openings on the lower side of a lower free-wheel device or means  16 . The lower free-wheel device or means  16  in a freely rotatable manner circumscribes the bearing bushing  19  which is seated on the bearing sleeve  172 . Together with the lower free-wheel device  16  an upper free-wheel device  15  is arranged in the region between a lower cord-carrying part of the cord drum  12  and the bearing bushing  19 . 
   The cord drum  12  is rotatably mounted on the bearing sleeve  172  via the two free-wheel devices  15 ,  16 . The rotational movement of the cord drum about the bearing sleeve  172  is limited by the spiral spring  13  which as described above engages on an upper part of the cord drum  12  and on the fastening sleeve  171 . 
   The upper  15  and lower free-wheel device  16  are connected to one another with a positive and/or non-positive fit and have an opposite free-wheel or blocking function with respect to the cord drum  13 .  FIG. 3  shows a section taken through the drive  10  in the region of the lower free-wheel means  16 . The free-wheel means  16  is mounted within the cord drum  12  so that a plurality of blocking or clamping rollers or roller devices  162  are able to create a clamped releasable connection between the inner wall of the cord drum  12  and a central blocking body  161 . With its central opening the blocking body  161  is seated on the bearing sleeve  172  in a freely rotatable manner, wherein the rotational direction is simplified by the intermediately lying bearing bushing  19 . The cams  141  which from the rotating plate  14  engage into the corresponding receivers in the blocking body are shown in section. 
   With this or another known free-wheel type, on pulling out the pull-cord  11  from the first free-wheel means  16  one exerts a blocking effect while the second free-wheel means  15  is free running. On pulling in the cord, the conditions are exactly reversed. 
   If the pull-cord  11  is pulled out, then it is wound off the pull-cord drum  12 . Thus the cord drum  12  is turned in a first direction. The first lower free-wheel means  16  thus is brought into the blocking position and co-rotated. Via the already described positive-fit cam connection the free-wheel means also sets the rotating plate  14  into rotation in the first rotational direction. 
   During the pulling-out of the pull-cord  11  the spiral spring  13  is simultaneously tensioned. An abutment prevents the pull-cord  11  from being pulled too far. If the pull-cord reaches a completely pulled-out position, then the cord drum comes to a standstill and releases the first free-wheel means  16 . The rotating plate  14 , due to the free-wheel effect of both free-wheel means  15 ,  16 , may rotate further until the rotational movement due to friction becomes smaller and finally ends. 
   If the pulled-out pull-cord  11  is released or relaxed then the pull-cord  11  is automatically pulled in by the force of the tensioned spiral spring  13  and is wound onto the cord drum  12 . The cord drum  12  is thus moved by the spiral spring  13  in the direction opposite to the pulling-out direction or to the first rotational direction. This oppositely-directed rotational movement of the cord drum now blocks the second upper free-wheel means  15 , while the first lower free-wheel means  16  remains in the free-wheel function. The upper blocked free-wheel means  15  rotates and thus also the lower free-wheel means  16  and the rotating plate  14  now in the direction opposite to the pulling-out direction. The salad sieve  13  is likewise set into rotation in this direction. If the pull-cord  11  is completely pulled in, then the handle  103  is located in the abutment at the opening  102  in the lid  1  and the cord drum  12  comes to a standstill. The second upper free-wheel means  15  now no longer blocks and the free-wheel function of both free-wheel means  15 ,  16  permits the rotating plate  14  and the salad sieve  3  to rotate further as long as the inertia is sufficient, or the movement in the second direction is stopped by a renewed pull on the handle  103 . 
   The first lower free-wheel means  16  with the renewed pulling-out of the pull-cord  11  again moves into a blocking function and effects a renewed movement of the free-wheel means and the rotating plate  14  connected to it, in the first rotational direction together with the cord drum  12 . 
   With the above described device, on pulling out the cord  11 , the salad sieve  3  is set in rotation in a first direction and remains in rotation in this direction as long as its moment of inertia acts. However, as soon as the pulled-out pull-cord  11  is released, the spiral spring  13  by way of the second free-wheel means  15  begins to set the rotating plate  14  and the salad sieve  3  in rotation in the opposite direction. With a sudden release of the pulled-out cord one may force a sudden stop of the movement in the first rotational direction and a reversal of the rotational direction. With this sudden stop the salad leaves within the salad sieve  3  are moved by their own inertia and even partly turned over. With the spinning process in the opposite direction which now follows, trapped drops of water may be still discharged out. 
   The drive according to this invention may be applied to salad spin dryers with a crank drive. In place of the cable and the spiral spring the crank mechanism steps in to drive the opposing rotational movements. Instead of a cord drum one applies a drive drum which is preferably circumferentially toothed in an outer casing region so that it may be driven in both directions by a crank drive. As soon as the crank is rotated in one direction, the drive drum is accelerated until a desired highest crank speed has been reached. With the blocked first free-wheel means the rotational movement in a first direction is transmitted to the salad sieve  3  in the manner previously described. With a stop of the crank movement the salad sieve  3 , analogously to a pull-cord drive, rotates further in the same direction until it comes to a standstill by itself due to the friction, or until the crank is moved in the opposite second direction. In this case, a blocking of the second free-wheel means specifically occurs and thus a jolt-like change in the rotational direction of the salad sieve  3 . With a crank-operated salad spin dryer according to this invention, the user may thus freely choose whether he wants to cause a change in rotational direction or not. It may also be driven again and again in only one direction. 
   As previously mentioned, the spiral spring  13  ensures that the pull-cord in the idle position is always completely wound up, which means that the handle  30  is held indirectly on the lid impinged by spring force, or on the opening  102 . This brings two advantages, first the cord is always accommodated in the inside of the lid except for when one pulls on the handle, and second the grip by way of the prevailing spring force may be held in practically any desired position, also opposite to the force of gravity acting on it. If the handle is formed in the shape of a salad head, then the cord may be fastened to the lower side of the salad head, and in the relieved condition the spring force will hold the salad head in the upright condition on the surface of the lid exactly over the opening  102 . 
   The passage opening  102  may also be arranged at the edge of the lid  1 , and a handle  103  may be held in the idle position horizontally projecting from the lid  1 . The different grip positions may be achieved without additional clamping or retaining means.