U.S. patent application number 13/684206 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-22 for portable grinder.
The applicant listed for this patent is Alan Jei Yen. Invention is credited to Alan Jei Yen.
Application Number | 20140138465 13/684206 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50727003 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140138465 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yen; Alan Jei |
May 22, 2014 |
PORTABLE GRINDER
Abstract
A portable grinder may include a side cover having inner threads
and a cover receiving space, said inner threads used to engage with
middle inner threads of a middle piece; a first grinding piece, one
side of which having a plurality of first grinding protrusions and
a plurality of through holes scattered at various locations between
the first grinding protrusions; and the other side having a
screening unit; a middle piece adapted to receive the first
grinding piece and connect to a second grinding piece through a
bearing; and a second grinding piece having a plurality of second
grinding protrusions facing the first grinding protrusions, wherein
substances to be grinded are disposed in a second receiving space
between first and second grinding protrusions, and the first and
second grinding protrusions of the portable grinder are driven by
gravity to spin to grind the substances therein.
Inventors: |
Yen; Alan Jei; (Diamond Bar,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Yen; Alan Jei |
Diamond Bar |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50727003 |
Appl. No.: |
13/684206 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
241/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 42/14 20130101;
A24C 5/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
241/69 |
International
Class: |
A24B 7/04 20060101
A24B007/04 |
Claims
1. A portable grinder comprising: a side cover having inner threads
and a cover receiving space, said inner threads used to engage with
middle inner threads of a middle piece; a first grinding piece, one
side of which having a plurality of first grinding protrusions and
a plurality of through holes scattered at various locations between
the first grinding protrusions, and the other side having a
screening unit; a middle piece adapted to receive the first
grinding piece and connect to a second grinding piece through a
bearing; and a second grinding piece having a plurality of second
grinding protrusions facing the first grinding protrusions, wherein
substances to be grinded are disposed in a second receiving space
between said first and second grinding protrusions, and the first
and second grinding protrusions of the portable grinder are driven
by gravity to spin and grind the substances therebetween.
2. The portable grinder of claim 1, wherein a first receiving space
is formed between the cover receiving space and the first grinding
piece to receive grinded substances.
3. The portable grinder of claim 2, wherein the grinded substances
are screened by the screening unit after passing through the
through holes on the first grinding piece.
4. The portable grinder of claim 1, wherein the portable grinder
further comprises a string, one end of which attached to a
connecting portion of the portable grinder, and the user holds the
other end to release and pull up the portable grinder to repeat the
grinding process.
5. The portable grinder of claim 1, wherein the first and second
grinding protrusions are made by sharp metals to cut and grind the
substances disposed therebetween.
6. The portable grinder of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of
the first grinding piece is slightly smaller than an inner diameter
of the middle piece, so the first grinding piece is able to fit
into a middle receiving space of the middle piece.
7. A portable grinder comprising: a pair of side covers, each
having inner threads and a cover receiving space, said inner
threads used to engage with middle inner threads of a corresponding
middle piece; a pair of first grinding pieces, one side of each
first grinding piece having a plurality of first grinding
protrusions and a plurality of through holes scattered at various
locations between the first grinding protrusions, and the other
side having a screening unit; a pair of middle pieces adapted to
receive said corresponding first grinding piece and connect to a
corresponding second grinding piece through a bearing; and a pair
of second grinding pieces having a plurality of second grinding
protrusions facing the corresponding first grinding protrusions,
wherein substances to be grinded are disposed in a second receiving
space on both sides of the portable grinder between said first and
second grinding protrusions, and the first and second grinding
protrusions of the portable grinder are driven by gravity to spin
and grind the substances therebetween.
8. The portable grinder of claim 7, wherein a first receiving space
is formed between the cover receiving space and the first grinding
piece on each side of the portable grinder to receive grinded
substances.
9. The portable grinder of claim 8, wherein the grinded substances
are screened by the screening unit after passing through the
through holes on the first grinding piece.
10. The portable grinder of claim 7, wherein the portable grinder
further comprises a string, one end of which attached to a
connecting portion of the grinder, and the user holds the other end
to release and pull up the grinder to repeat the grinding
process.
11. The portable grinder of claim 7, wherein the first and second
grinding protrusions are made by sharp metals to cut and grind the
substances disposed therebetween.
12. The portable grinder of claim 7, wherein an outer diameter of
the first grinding piece is slightly smaller than an inner diameter
of the middle piece, so the first grinding piece is able to fit
into a middle receiving space of the middle piece.
13. The portable grinder of claim 2, wherein the screening unit is
a sieve with a plurality of small openings and the size of the
grinded substances is controlled by the size of the small openings
of the screening unit.
14. The portable grinder of claim 8, wherein the screening unit is
a sieve with a plurality of small openings and the size of the
grinded substances is controlled by the size of the small openings
of the screening unit.
15. The portable grinder of claim 1, wherein the bearing of the
middle piece provide friction between the middle piece and the
second grinding piece, so that a spinning speed difference occurs
to grind the substances therebetween.
16. The portable grinder of claim 15, wherein the largest spinning
speed difference occurs at the moment when the portable grinder is
just pulled up.
17. The portable grinder of claim 7, wherein the bearing of the
middle piece provide friction between the middle piece and the
second grinding piece, so that a spinning speed difference occurs
to grind the substances therebetween.
18. The portable grinder of claim 17, wherein the largest spinning
speed difference occurs at the moment when the portable grinder is
just pulled up.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a portable grinder, and
more particularly to a portable tobacco grinder in which the
gravity triggers the movement of the grinder to grind the tobacco
leaves therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are several types of grinders to grind materials such
as tobacco leaves used in cigarettes or pipes. At an early stage,
user would simply crush tobacco leaves in their hands. With the
advance of mechanical arts, the tobacco leaves can be grinded into
smaller particles in mechanical devices. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,363
to Atkielski, it discloses a compact grinder for material used for
cigarettes, and more particularly a small, compact grinder useful
for materials used in cigarettes which is able to be carried in a
woman's purse, automobile glove compartment and the like, and which
is easily operated to provide freshly ground foreign particle free
material for rolling cigarettes, as shown in FIG. 1. However, when
the grinder is used, the user still has to manually operate the
grinder, which may cause certain level of inconvenience to the
user. Also, this grinder does not serve any entertainment purposes
to the user while he/she is grinding the materials.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,167 to Namakian et al. discloses a
portable leaf grinding device that is used to grind a substance
such as a plurality of compacted leaves into a multiplicity of leaf
particles. As shown in FIG, 2, the portable leaf grinding device is
designed to manually grind a substance into particles and when a
circular cap (12) is rotated, the blades on two grinding disks
(46,62) interact with each other to produce the multiplicity leaf
particles The particles can be immediately used or stored in a
container (102) for later use. However, like Atkielski, the
grinding device does not serve any entertainment purposes while the
user is using the grinder, and the user has to spend efforts to
manually grind the substances therein.
[0004] U.S. Pat. Pub. No.: 2012/0168544 to Chaoui et al. discloses
a tobacco grinder with windows or plastic covered openings that
provide visual access to the interior of the compartment in which
the finely grinded tobacco is collected. As can be seen in FIG. 3,
with these windows or plastic covered openings, the user is able to
visually determine whether sufficient tobacco has been grinded
without the burdensome task of repeatedly opening the compartment.
Even though the user can have a visual access to the interior of
the compartment of the tobacco grinder, similar to Atkielski and
Namakian, the user still has to spend efforts to operate the
tobacco grinder, and the grinder still fails to serve any
entertainment purposes. Therefore, there remains a need for a new
and improved grinding device that can not only save the user's
efforts when grinding the materials therein, but also entertain the
user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
portable grinder that can not only save the user's efforts when
grinding the materials therein, but also serve the entertainment
purposes.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
"yo-yo" style grinder to grind the substances therein, so that the
user can operate the grinder and enjoy playing the yo-yo.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
yo-yo style grinder to more efficiently grind the substances
therein, wherein the grinding process can be repeated several times
when the yo-yo grinder goes back and forth.
[0008] In one aspect, a portable grinder may include a side cover
having inner threads and a cover receiving space, said inner
threads used to engage with middle inner threads of a middle piece;
a first grinding piece, one side of which having a plurality of
first grinding protrusions and a plurality of through holes
scattered at various locations between the first grinding
protrusions, and the other side having a screening unit; a middle
piece adapted to receive the first grinding piece and connect to a
second grinding piece through a bearing; and a second grinding
piece having a plurality of second grinding protrusions facing the
first grinding protrusions, wherein substances to be grinded are
disposed in a second receiving space between first and second
grinding protrusions, and the first and second grinding protrusions
of the portable grinder are driven by gravity to spin and grind the
substances therebetween.
[0009] In one embodiment, a first receiving space is formed between
the cover receiving space and the first grinding piece to receive
grinded substances, and the grinded substances are screened by the
screening unit after passing through the through holes on the first
grinding piece.
[0010] In another embodiment, the portable grinder further
comprises a string, one end of which attached to a connecting
portion of the portable grinder, and the user holds the other end
to release and pull up the portable grinder to repeat the grinding
process. In a further embodiment, the first and second grinding
protrusions are made by sharp metals to cut and grind the
substances disposed therebetween. It is noted that the bearing of
the middle piece provide friction between the middle piece and the
second grinding piece, so that a spinning speed difference occurs
to grind the substances therebetween.
[0011] In another aspect, a yo-yo grinder may include a pair of
side covers, each having inner threads and a cover receiving space,
said inner threads used to engage with middle inner threads of a
corresponding middle piece; a pair of first grinding pieces, one
side of each first grinding piece having a plurality of first
grinding protrusions and a plurality of through holes scattered at
various locations between the first grinding protrusions; and the
other side having a screening unit; a pair of middle pieces adapted
to receive said corresponding first grinding piece and connect to a
corresponding second grinding piece through a bearing; and a pair
of second grinding pieces having a plurality of second grinding
protrusions facing the corresponding first grinding protrusions,
wherein substances to be grinded are disposed in a second receiving
space on both sides of the yo-yo grinder between said first and
second grinding protrusions, and the first and second grinding
protrusions of the yo-yo grinder are driven by gravity to spin and
grind the substances therebetween.
[0012] In one embodiment, a first receiving space is formed between
the cover receiving space and the first grinding piece on each side
of the yo-yo grinder to receive grinded substances, and the grinded
substances are screened by the screening unit after passing through
the through holes on the first grinding piece.
[0013] In another embodiment, the portable grinder further
comprises a string, one end of which attached to a connecting
portion of the portable grinder, and the user holds the other end
to release and pull up the portable grinder to repeat the grinding
process. In a further embodiment, the first and second grinding
protrusions are made by sharp metals to cut and grind the
substances disposed therebetween.
[0014] Comparing with conventional leaf grinders, the present
invention is advantageous because the user can easily and
efficiently operate the yo-yo style grinder without spending too
much effort. The user can simply hold the string at one end and
releases the grinder, and the gravity would cause the grinder to
spin down to drive the first grinding protrusions and the second
grinding protrusions to grind the substances therebetween. The user
can then pull the yo-yo style grinder up, and the grinder would
spin toward the other direction to drive the first and second
grinding protrusions to grind again. The grinding process can be
repeated when the user releases and pulls up the yo-yo style
grinder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art disclosing a compact grinder
for material used for cigarettes, which is able to be carried in a
woman's purse or the like.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art disclosing a portable leaf
grinding device that is used to grind a substance such as a
plurality of compacted leaves into a multiplicity of leaf
particles.
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates disclosing a tobacco grinder with windows
or plastic covered openings that provide visual access to the
interior of the compartment in which the finely grinded tobacco is
collected. a schematic exploded view of the present invention
coupled with a hose.
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of one embodiment of a
portable "yo-yo" style grinder in the present invention.
[0019] FIGS. 4a-4d illustrates an exploded view of FIG. 4 in the
present invention.
[0020] FIG. 4e illustrates an exploded view of FIG. 4 where the
substances can be filled on both sides of the "yo-yo" style grinder
in the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a two-dimensional view of the "yo-yo"
style grinder in the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The detailed description set forth below is intended as a
description of the presently exemplary device provided in
accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not
intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention
may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that
the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished
by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed
within the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0023] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although
any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those
described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention,
the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.
[0024] All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for
the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs
and methodologies that are described in the publications that might
be used in connection with the presently described invention. The
publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the
text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing
date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed
as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate
such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.
[0025] In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and
effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with
the drawings are illustrated as following:
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 4, 4a, 4b and 5, the present invention
provides a portable grinder 400 including a side cover 410, a first
grinding piece 420, a middle piece 430, a second grinding piece 440
and a string 460. The side cover 410 is circular having inner
threads 411 and a cover receiving space 412, wherein the inner
threads 411 are used to engage with middle inner threads 431 of the
middle piece 430, and a first receiving space 413 to contain
grinded substances is formed by the cover receiving space 412 and
the first grinding piece 420.
[0027] The first grinding piece 420, as can be seen in FIGS. 4c and
4d, has a screening unit 423 and a protruding portion 424 on one
side, wherein the protruding portion 424 is circular and defines a
circular receiving space to receive the screening unit 423. In one
embodiment, the screening unit 423 is a sieve with a plurality of
small openings and the size of the openings can be changed
according to the user's preference. On the other side, the first
grinding piece 420 has a plurality of first grinding protrusions
421 and a plurality of through holes 422 scattered at various
locations between the first grinding protrusions 421, so the
grinded substances can be screened by the screening unit 423 after
passing the through holes 422 and collected in the first receiving
space 413. The size of the grinded substances can be controlled by
the size of the openings of the screening unit 423. It is noted
that the outer diameter of the first grinding piece 420 is slightly
smaller than the inner diameter of the middle piece 430, so the
first grinding piece 420 can fit into a middle receiving space 433
of the middle piece 430, and the substances to be grinded can be
placed in a second receiving space 435 (See FIG. 5) between the
first grinding protrusions 421 and second grinding protrusions 441.
Both first and second grinding protrusions (421, 441) are made by
sharp metals adapted to cut and grind the substances therebetween
into smaller pieces. More specifically, the first grinding
protrusions 421 fit into a through opening 432 of the middle piece
430 to align with the second grinding protrusions 441 to more
efficiently grind the substances therebetween.
[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the portable grinder 400 can be
a "yo-yo" style grinder. One end of the string 460 is tightened at
a connecting portion 450 (See FIG. 5) of the portable grinder 400,
and the user can hold the other end of the string 460 and operate
the portable grinder 400 as playing a "yo-yo." When in use, the
substances to be grinded, such as tobacco leaves, are placed in the
second receiving space 435 between the first grinding protrusions
421 and second grinding protrusions 441. After engaging the side
cover 410 with the middle piece 430, the user can hold the string
460 and release the portable grinder 400. As can be seen in FIG. 4,
when the "yo-yo" style grinder 400 is released, the grinder 400
drops down due to the gravity and meanwhile, the gravity-induced
movement drives the entire grinder 400 to spin including the side
cover 410, the first grinding piece 420, the middle piece 430, the
second grinding piece 440. More particularly, when the middle piece
430 and the second grinding piece 440 are spinning, the first
grinding protrusions 421 on the first grinding piece 420 and the
second grinding protrusions 441 on the second grinding piece 440
start to grind the substances therebetween into smaller pieces. The
yo-yo style grinder 400 can be pulled up by the user and the
grinding process continues while the grinder 400 spins towards the
other direction. Under these circumstances, the grinding process
can be repeated as the user plays the yo-yo grinder 400, which not
only serves the purpose of grinding, but also the purpose of
entertainment.
[0029] It is noted that a bearing 434 is located at a bottom
portion of the middle piece to connect with the second grinding
piece 440. The bearing 434 provide friction between the middle
piece 430 and the second grinding piece 440, which causes the
second grinding piece 440 to spin faster than the middle piece 430.
Because of the difference of the spinning speed, the substances
disposed in the second receiving space 435 can be efficiently
grinded into smaller pieces. The largest spinning speed difference
may occur when the user just pull up the grinder 400. For example,
the portable grinder 400 may spin clockwise when the user releases
it and when it is pulled up, the spinning direction of the second
grinding piece 440 suddenly changes to counterclockwise, while the
middle piece 430 still maintains its momentum to spin clockwise. At
this moment, the portable grinder 400 achieves its highest grinding
efficiency due to the largest spinning speed difference between the
second grinding piece 440 and the middle piece 430.
[0030] While the substances (e.g. tobacco leaves) are being
grinded, the grinded portions become smaller particles that may be
able pass the screening unit 423 through the through holes 422 on
the first grinding piece 420. The grinded portions can then be
collected and stored in the first receiving space 413 (See FIG.
5).
[0031] In still an exemplary embodiment, the grinding process can
be conducted on both sides of the yo-yo style grinder 400.' As
shown in FIG. 4e, the yo-yo style grinder 400' has a pair of side
covers (410, 410'), a pair of first grinding pieces (420, 420'), a
pair of middle pieces (430, 430') and a pair of second grinding
pieces (440, 440'), which are symmetrically located on both sides
of the grinder 400'. Under these circumstances, the grinding
process can be more efficient because the user can place the
substances into the second receiving spaces (435, 435') on both
sides, and when the user releases the yo-yo grinder 400', the first
grinding protrusions (421, 421') and the second grinding
protrusions (441, 441') start to grind the substances therebetween.
The grinding process continues when the user pulls up the yo-yo
grinder 400', and repeats when the user releases the yo-yo grinder
400' again. Also, the bearings (434, 434') of the middle piece
(430, 430') provide friction between the middle piece and the
second grinding piece (440, 440'), so that a spinning speed
difference occurs to grind the substances therebetween, and the
highest grinding efficiency may occur when the yo-yo grinder 400 is
just pulled up as explained above.
[0032] Likewise, during the grinding process, the grinded
substances passing through the screening units (423, 423') are
collected in the first receiving spaces (413, 413'). In addition to
serving entertainment purposes, the user can easily and efficiently
operate the yo-yo style grinder 400' without spending too much
effort. The user can hold the string at one end and releases the
grinder 400', and the gravity would cause the grinder 400' to spin
down to drive the first grinding protrusions (421, 421') and the
second grinding protrusions (441, 441') to grind the substances
therebetween. The user can then pull the yo-yo style grinder 400'
up, and the grinder 400' would spin toward the other direction to
drive the first and second grinding protrusions to grind in a
similar manner. The grinding process can be repeated when the user
releases and pulls up the yo-yo style grinder 400' again. It is
noted that the grinder 400' can be more efficient than the grinder
400 illustrated previously since the substances to be grinded can
be filled on both sides of the grinder 400'.
[0033] Having described the invention by the description and
illustrations above, it should be understood that these are
exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as
limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as
limited by the foregoing description, but includes any
equivalents.
* * * * *