Patent ID: 7293728

Claim:
An electric spice mill comprising: (a) a main body for receiving spice corns; (b) a motor mounted in said main body; (c) a grinding unit for grinding the spice corns, said grinding unit being coupled to said motor, said motor being operative to drive said grinding unit; (d) a power unit coupled to said motor, said power unit comprising: i) first and second electric circuits, said first electric circuit comprising first and second contacts and said second electric circuit comprising said motor; ii) a switch in electrical contact with said first and second electric circuits, and wherein said first electric circuit further comprises a resistor positioned between said first contact and said switch; iii) a first actuator being a metallic ball movable between first and second positions and capable of opening and closing said first contact, wherein, in said first position, said metallic ball prevents current flow in said first electric circuit and, in said second position, said metallic ball allows a first current to flow in said first electric circuit and said switch is responsive to said first current in said first electric circuit to allow a second current to flow in said second electric circuit such that said grinding unit is driven by said motor, and wherein said first and second current have respective first and second amperages, said first amperage being smaller than said second amperage; and iv) a spring between said metallic ball and said first contact; and (e) a second actuator capable of opening and closing said second contact, said second actuator being movable between first and second positions, wherein, in said first position, said second actuator prevents current flow in said first electric circuit and, in said second position, said second actuator allows a first current to flow in said first electric circuit.