Patent ID: 7740197

Claim:
A disposal system, comprising a garbage disposal and an integral guard, wherein the guard is comprised of (a) a cylindrical sleeve having an outside diameter less than, the inside diameter of the throat of the disposal, (b) a lip extending outward from the cylindrical sleeve, the lip having an outside diameter greater than the diameter of the throat of the disposal, and (c) bars extending between points on the inside circumference of the cylindrical sleeve, wherein a first set of bars, without any of the first set of bars intersecting another bar of the first set, extends in one direction across the inner circumference of the cylindrical sleeve and a second set of bars, without any of the second set of bars intersecting another bar of the second set, extends in a direction across the inner circumference of the cylindrical sleeve so that the second set of bars cross the first set of bars, thereby forming a criss-crossing pattern of bars.