Patent ID: 7621213

Claim:
A salad spinner comprising: an outer bowl having an open top and a closed bottom with a central pivot; an inner basket having a bottom portion carrying a central bearing recess engageable with the central pivot upon insertion into the outer bowl and provided with a plurality of spaced circumferential ribs; a lid placed over the outer bowl; a drive and brake mechanism combination coupled to the lid, the drive and brake mechanism combination including a rotary drive plate having a raised ring portion at its one side, a plurality of spaced circumferential tabs which mesh with the ribs of the inner basket, and a central hub member, the rotary drive plate being rotatably engageable with the inner basket, a drive assembly engageable with the central hub member of the rotary drive plate for rotating the rotary drive plate which in turn rotates the inner basket by meshing engagement of the tabs with ribs, and a brake assembly including a movable brake pad capable of engaging with the raised ring portion of the rotary drive plate; and a foldable handle to control spinning of the inner basket by operating in a locked position and an unlocked position, and operatively connected with the drive and brake mechanism combination, the handle being folded into the locked position to move the brake pad of the brake assembly to interfere with the raised ring portion of the rotary drive plate to prevent spinning operation of the inner basket, the handle being unfolded into an unlocked position to move the brake pad of the brake assembly to disengage from the raised ring portion of the rotary drive plate, and manipulation of the handle in a horizontal plane enables the drive assembly to cause rotation of the rotary drive plate and the inner basket.