GB2355946A

GB2355946A - Pepper grinding tool

Info

Publication number: GB2355946A
Application number: GB9925944A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hua-Te Wu
Original assignee: Yienn Lih Enterprise Co Ltd
Current assignee: Yienn Lih Enterprise Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-03
Filing date: 1999-11-03
Publication date: 2001-05-09
Also published as: GB9925944D0

Abstract

A pepper grinding tool has two actuating rods (2,2') pivoted on and extending beyond a main holding member (1) for a user to hold. One of the actuating rods (2,2') has a lower depressing protrusion (22) arranged in contact with a crank arm (31) of a crank assembly (3). The crank assembly (3) further has a connecting arm (32). An upper end of the connecting arm (32) is pivoted on the crank arm (31), and its lower end connects to a toothed bar member (41) such that the connecting arm (32) can transfer a displacement of the first actuating rod (2) to a linear displacement of the toothed bar member (41). A ratchet (42) engages the toothed bar member (41), and is connected to a first cylindrical grinding part (5) via a shaft (43). The first grinding part (5) is received in a fixed grinding part (6). and can thus be turned relative to the fixed grinding part (6) to grind pepper into small particulates with a user pressing and releasing the actuating rods (2,2') in a reciprocating manner.

Description

2355946 PEPPER GRINDING TOOL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pepper grinding tool, which is used for grinding pepper, a common seasoning, into finer one to meet the dining need.

The inventor of the present invention devised a pepper grinding tool as shown in Fig.. 6, which was introduced in a U.S. Patent No. 5,730,374 lo and issued on March 24, 1998. The pepper grinding tool of the present invention is devised by the inventor to be capable of being operated only with one hand.

SUNQvLARY OF TBE RqVEIMON The pepper grinding tool of the present invention comprises:

(a) a main holding member having a holding chamber therein for receiving pepper, (b) a first and a second actuating rods pivoted to the main holding member, each having an upper end extending beyond the holding member-, the first actuating rod having a depressing protrusion; (c) a crank assembly including (1) a crank arm pivoted to the main holding member from a lower end, the crank being arranged such that the depressing protrusion of the first advating arm is in contact with an 2 intermediate curved recess thereof-, (2) a connecting arm having an upper end pivoted to an upper end of the crank arm; (d) a transmission assembly including (1) a toothed bar member connected to a lower end of the connecting arm such that the connecting'arm can transfer a displacement of the crank assembly to a linear displacement of the toothed bar member; the toothed bar member having a toothed bar portion on a lower side; (2) a ratchet engaging the toothed bar portion; (3) a shaft fixed to the ratchet; (e) a grinding part assembly including (1) an outer grinding part fixedly received in the holding chamber; (2) an inner grinding part having an upper passed into the outer grinding part, the inner grinding part being connected to a lower end of the shaft; (f) a spring connected to the toothed bar member for biasing same back after same has been displaced by the crank assembly; whereby the actuating rods can be pressed and released reciprocatingly to move the crank assembly and the transmission assembly in order to turn the inner grinding part for grinding the pepper between both the grinding parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

3 The present invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pepper grinding tool of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pepper grinding tool in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another cross-sectional view of the pepper grinding tool in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pepper grinding tool of the present invention under pressing movement of the actuating rod.

Fig. 5 is another cross-sectional view of the pepper grinding tool of the present invention under pressing movement of the actuating rod.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art pepper grinding tool mentioned in the Background.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figs. 1,2 and 3, a pepper grinding tool of the present invention comprises a main holding member 1, a first and a -second actuating rod 2, 2'. a crank assembly 3, a transmission member 4, an inner grinding part 5, and an outer grinding part 6 as the main parts.

The main holding member I has a holding chamber 11 provided for pepper to be held therein, and has two pivoting sockets 12 and a connecting hole 13 above the holding chamber.

The actuating rods 2, 2' are each pivoted to a respectively one of the pivoting sockets 12 from pivoting rods 21, 21" thereof, and have upper 4 ends extending beyond the holding member 1. The first actuating rod 2 further has a depressing protrusion 22.

The crank assembly 3 includes a crank arm 31 and a connecting arm 32. The crank arm 31 has a side protrusion 311 at an inner end portion, a connecting hole 312 at an upper end portion, and a curved recess portion 313 under the connecting hole 312. The crank arm 31 is pivoted on the connecting hole 13 of the main holding member I from the side protrusion 311. The connecting arm 32 has -gaps 321, 322 at an upper end and a lower end thereot and has holes 323, 324 also on the upper and the lower io ends respectively. The upper end of the crank arm 31 is passed into the gap 32 1. and the crank arm 31 is pivoted on the hole 323 of the connecting arm 32 from the upper end connecting hole 312 by means of a pin 33. The crank assembly 3 and the first actuating rod 2 are arranged such that the depressing protrusion 22 of the first actuating rod 2 is positioned above, and in contact with the curved recess portion 313 of the crank arm 31.

The transmission member 4 includes a toothed bar member 41, a tatchet 42 and a shaft 43. The toothed bar member 41 has a connecting protrusion 411 having, a connecting hole 412. A toothed bar portion 414 is provided on a lower side of the toothed bar member 41. The connecting protrusion 411 is passed into the lower end gap 322 of the connecting arm 32, and connected to the connecting arm 32 by means of a pin ( not numbered) passed into the connecting hole 412 and the hole 324.

The ratchet 42 has teeth 421 and a fi-xing hole 422. The teeth 421 engages the toothed portion 414 of the toothed bar member 41 such that the rqtchet 42 can be forced to turn upon linear displacement of the toothed bar member 41. Referring specifically to Figs. 3 and 5, the toothed bar portion 414 of the toothed bar member 41 and the teeth 421 of the ratchet 42 are shaped such that the ratchet 42 will turn on forward linear displacement of the toothed bar member 41 but will not turn back on backward linear displacement of the toothed bar member 41.

The shaft 43 is fixed to the fixing hole 422 of the ratchet 42 from an upper end thereof. The shaft 43 further has a threaded lower end portion 431 connected to the inner grinding part 5.

The outer grinding part 6 is fixedly received in the holding chamber 11 of the main holding member 1. The inner grinding part 5 is passed into the outer grinding part 6 from an upper end portion thereof.

Furthermore, a locating member 15 is provided, having a protruding part 151 and a locating rod 152. The protruding part 151 is connected to a connecting trench 14 in the holding chamber I I of the main holding member 1. The toothed bar member 41 has a locating rod 413 opposing the locating rod 152 of the locating member 15. A spring 16 is located between the locating rods 413, 152 with the locating rods 413, 152 passed into two ends of the spring 16; thus, the toothed bar member 41 is biased away from the locating member 15 by the spring 16.

In using the pepper grinding tool, the user holds the same from the actuating rods 2, 2' with one of his/her hands. 'Men, he/she presses the actuating rods 2. 2' towards each other and releases the pressure in a reciprocating manner. When the actuating rods 2, 2' are pressed, the depressing protrusion 22 of the first actuating rod 2 will move 6 downwardly to force the crank arm 31 to pivot downwards by means of the contact with the curved recess portion 3 13 of the crank arm 3 1. Thus, the upper end portion of the crank arm 31 will force the connecting arm 32 to move in a same direction as the first actuating rod 2, forcing the toothed bar member 41 to slide in the same direction be means of the connection between the connecting protrusion 411 and the lower end of the connecting arm 32. Therefore, the ratchet 42 is turned by toothed bar portion 414 of the toothed bar member 41, making the inner grinding part turn relative to the outer grinding part 6 to grind the pepper between both the grinding parts 5, 6 into small particulates.

When the pressure on the actuating, rods 2, 2' is released, the spring 16 will force the toothed bar member 41, the crank assembly 3 and the first actuating rod 2 to move to the original position; the ratchet 42 will not turn back as earlier menitioned. Thus, the user can press and release theactuating rods 2, 2' in a reciprocating manner.

From the above description, it can be seen that the pepper grinding tool of the present invention has advantages as follows.

1. The pepper grinding tool has a relatively long arm of application so the inner grinding part can be turned easily for grinding the pepper.

2. Only one hand is needed to operate the pepper grinding tool.

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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A pepper grinding toot for grinding pepper into ground particulates comprising:

(a) a main holding member having a holding chamber provided for said pepper to be received therein, said main holding member having a connecting hole and two pivoting sockets therein; (b) a first and a second actuating rods each pivoted on a respective one of said pivoting sockets of said main holding member, said actuating rods having upper ends extending beyond said holding member for permitting a user to hold with a hand, said first actuating rod having a depressing protrusion; (c) a crank assembly including (1) a crank arm pivoted on said connecting hole of said holding.

member from a lower end thereot said crank arm having an upper end and a curved recess portion under said upper end portion thereof, (2) a connecting arm having an upper end pivoted on said upper end of said crank arm, said connecting arm having a lower end; (d) a transmission assembly including (1) a toothed bar member having a connecting protrusion pivoted on said lower end of said lower end of said connecting arm.

said toothed bar member having a toothed bar portion on a lower side thereof, 8 (2) a ratchet having teeth engaging said toothed bar portion, said ratchet and said toothed bar portion being shaped such that said ratchet will be turned upon a forward linear displacement of said toothed bar member and will not be turned upon a backward linear displacement of said toothed bar member, said forward displacement being away from said first actuating rod, (3) a shaft fixed to said ratchet from an upper end thereof-, (e) a grinding part assembly including (1) an outer grinding part fixedly received in said holding chamber; (2) an inner grinding part having an upper part passed into said outer grinding part, said inner grinding part being connected to a lower end of said shaft, (f) a spring connected to said toothed bar member for biasing same in said backward direction, said depressing protrusion of said first actuating rod being capable of forcing said crank arm to pivot downwards from said curved recess portion in order for said connecting arm to force said toothed bar member to slide in said forward direction and turn said ratchet and said inner grinding part, whereby said pepper can be ground into said ground particulates between said grinding parts by reciprocatingly pressing and releasing said actuating rods.

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