Technical background

The invention relates a device for cleaning and grinding of vegetable, especially potatoes, carrot etc.

State of the art

There exist many patent documents describing various embodiments of the manually operated grinders which are based on various arrangement of steel blades on the knives or holders. Such solutions are known from e.g. US 7,415,796 B2, US 7,065,882 B2 or US 2010/0269715A1 or US 201070269352A1. Further, steel wires strained between various stretchers, by which the vegetable skin is peeled in strips are known. But those are hand operated devices where some skill is necessary and the peeling is very slow.

From US 5,845,565 a motor-driven grinder is known, where the motor is placed in the hand grip and the motor turns an axis provided on the whole periphery by flexible blades from plastics, which are cleaning the surface of the vegetable.

Also mechanical grinders especially for potatoes are known based on principle, that the potatoes inside of a vessel are brought into the motion by centrifugal force and the potatoes are brought into the contact with rough surfaces and sharp projections which grind potatoes and the skin is removed. From AT175032 a vessel in the size of a kitched device is known, which is provided on the bottom and on the cylindrical casing by inner portions with rough surface. The rough portions of the bottom and the cylindrical inner casing are divided and through the central axis it is possible to turn the bottom by use of a hand grip provided on the turnable cover. By this way potatoes are brought into the motion and they fall on the bottom and casing rough surfaces. The work with such devices is physically demanded, great effort has to be excerted to bring potatoes into the motion and to keep the whole device stabilized, because the great forces would throw the device down to the ground without the fixation by the operator. Moreover, such device is suitable only for symmetrical vegetable like potatoes, but it is not suitable for long shaped pieces of vegetable as e.g. carrot. Similar solutions are presented also in DE 6600791 U1 or DE 1800292 or US 1 ,418,178 or US 3,762,308. There are various alternatives of the bottom drives by devices constructed on the same principle. In WO 95/30342 an industrial potatoe cleaner is presented where also the removal of the skins respective particles of the skin is foreseen. The machine has a cylindrical bottom assembled from longitudinal and next to each other arranged grinding cylinders of relatively small diameter which create a semi-cylindrical bottom. Those cylinders are turned by high velocity and the grinded potatoes are jumping above them. The cylinders are turned in one direction, so the peeled parts of skins are taken away by the cylinders through gaps between them into the space under the operating area where they fall onto tranporting belts. To enforce potatoes also to shift, a slowly turning endless screw over the cylinders bed is provided, which shifts by its screws the cleaned potatoes. But this is a big and expensive machine not applicable in the household.

The idea of the presented invention is based on another principle when the vegetable is cleaned also mechanically but by individual pieces and in principle vegetable does not move or only in a negligible extend.

With this principle an automatic grinder for fruit's products according US

6,220,153 B1 is working. The document describes a solution, which is intended for grinding of round fruits. The device comprises heads, which have concave profile, and they are arranged next to each other and into a cycle, e.g. three heads, so the profiles create together a semi-cycle bed. The profiles are provided by cutting protrutions and rounded fruits are pressed into those beds, where they are processed by turning heads. The heads can be put closer or further to each other according to the size of the processed fruits. But it is a complicated machine and it has only firm cutting projections.

The document DE 1145316 presents a device for peeling potatoes consisiting of a cylindrical vessel, in a bottom of which a screw axis is arranged and above it aside and diagonally two brushes are provided. This is suitable for potatoes, which are falling down on the screw and thaks to the screw wints they are pushed ahead and brushes grind them and turn them. But this is again a big and expensive machine not applicable in the household.

Document DE2042822 presents a device for grinding vegetable, especially cleaning and grinding potatoes and describes a cylindrical vessel, in which a concave bed created by seven longitudinal brush cylinders are arranged, which are turning. The potatoes are falling down on the bed of turning cylinders and the cylinders are in a contact with jumping potatoes. Beneath the cylinders the parts of skin are leaving. Such solution is not suitable for a kichen in the houshold.

Document US 2,038,018 describes a grinding device for vegetable, where there is a cylindrical vessel, in which a longitudinal turning cylinder-shaped brush is arranged and the vessel is partly open in the upper part and in this part a funnel is welded, the bottom of wich is created by the brush. Into the funnel the potatoes are pouring, the brush grinds them from below and from above the potatoes are showered to sweep the skin away. Nevertheless it is again a complicated and big maschine.

In the document FR 2 768 603 a device for cleaning vegetable is presented which is provided by a turning brush. The device consisits of a cylindrical vessel with an opening, in which two rotating support cylinders are arranged on one wall of the opening as a bed for e.g. carrot and against them along of the opening a cylindrical brush is provided. From above a driving unit is arranged, it is an electrical engine, and in the bottom an opening is arranged through which the vegetable is introduced. The support cylinders and the brush are rotating and the carrot is pushed up and down and after one part of the carrot is grinded by the brush then the carrot is turned and the same is repeated with the other part of carrot, which was hold by the hand of the user before. This is a device suitable for the household kitchen but the production of cylinders is demanding and it is uneasy to choose the appropriate material for the brush which has to have very good shape memory. Otherwise the fibers of the brush are leaning in the direction of the rotation and the cleaning is not sufficient effective.

The aim of the invention is to present an universal device for cleaning and grinding of vegetable which would be really effective, simply to assembly and for operation, stable by work, easy to clean and which would secure a long term working period of the working tools.

Disclosure of the invention

The above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated into some extend by a device for cleaning and grinding vegetable according to the invention where grinding tools are created as grinding segments, which consist of an outer ring provided by means for the transfer of rotation, wherein on the inner wall of the ring radial grinding protrusions are provided, orientated inside of the grinded segment, the protrusions consist of a foot, from which grinding sticks are protruded and the grinding protrusions are provided by sliding supports adjacent to the ring, wherein the grinding sticks are further provided by axial grinding elements and the lowest grinding segment is in engagement with the driving element of the driving unit.

In a preferred embodiment the driving element is realised as a driving bottom connected with the driving unit through an axis.

In other preferred embodiment the means for transfer of the rotation are created as lower protrusions protruding below the lower plane of the ring, the protrusions are provided by open inner cavities for receiving the lower protrusions of the above it arranged another grinding segment.

In other preferred embodiment the device is divided into two halves both closed with a bottom and with an opened other side, wherein on one of the halves means for transfer of the rotation are created as at least three pinions arranged in a circular recess provided on one of the front sides of the ring of the grinding segment and after assembly perpendicular to the axis of the grinding segments, wherein pinions protrude above the front surface of the ring and they are in engagement with front gearing of the ring provided on the opposite side of the rings of the grinding segments then the pinions are arranged, wherein the pinions are arranged on the inner circular surface of the bottom in a receiving boss.

In other preferred embodiment instead of pinions on the inner front circular surface of the bottom the receiving boss with teeth is provided, the teeth are in engagement with the adjacent pinions of the closest segment.

In other preferred embodiment one half is arranged against the other half with teeth on the open front, whereby their bottoms are on the reversed closed fronts of in such a manner arranged essembly and on the adjacent open fronts of the halves the segments are arranged in such a manner, that the front with gearing of one of them is in engagement with the pinion on the front of the other half.

In other preferred embodiment the grinding segment is provided with seven radial grinding protrusions arranged in the regular distances and said radial grinding protrusions have the length greater than the inner radius of the grinding segments.

In other preferrred embodiment the axial grinding elements are created as collars arranged into assemblies with four collars, where the external collars have smaller diameter than the diameter of internal collars and the assembly has an egglike shape, wherein egg-shaped assemblies are three along the grinding stick and the last assembly creates the end of the stick respective of the whole grinding protrusion.

In other preferred embodiment the individual segments are mutually positioned in such a way, that the grinding protrusions of the subsequent grinding segment fulfill, by the view from above, the gaps between the grinding protrusions of the adjacent grinding segment.

In other preferred embodiment on inner surface of the driving bottom the front grinding sties are provided.

In other preferred embodiment the additional part are rough gloves for finishing of vegetable.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be explained by use of drawings where Fig.1 presents a general view on the device for cleaning and grinding vegetable according to the invention with a cover suitable for the root vegetable, Fig 2 presents a view on the upper part of the device from Fig.1 with a cover suitable for potatoes, Fig.3 is a schematical view in a cross-section on the cover according to the Fig.2, Fig.4 presents a view on the grinding segment, Fig.5 is a view on the assembly of the grinding segments, Fig.6 presents a cross-secction along the line A-A from Fig.5 through several rings of the grinding segments from Fig.4, Fig.7 presents a schematical cross-section of the device from Fig.1 , Fig.8 is a schematical cross- section of the driving bottom, Fig.9 presents a schematical view of the holding device for potatoe, Fig.10. presents a schematical view of another embodiment of the holding device for a potatoe, Fig.11 presents a simplified view on the ring of the grinding segment and the principle of its driving for a manual operation in the variant of the device according to the invention, Fig.12 presents a detail of the arrangment of the pinion in the ring, Fig.13 is a schematical cross-section of the device in a manually oparated embodiment with segments according to Fig.11 and Fig.14 presents a schematical view from outside on two interacting devices in the manually operated variant which create one grinding unit.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

In Fig.1 there is a general view on the device 1 according to the invention. It is obvious, that it consists of a base 2, in which a driving unit 3, it means an electrical engine, is arrandged. This topic will be dealt later. On the base 2 an outer casing 4 is provided, which can be cylindrical or slightly conical, as it is shown here. But it can have any shape according to a proposal of the designer. In the casing 4 working grinding segments 5 are free turnable arranged in an assembly presented on Fig.3. From above a cover 6 can be seated on the casing 4, in which a manipulation opening 7 is provided. In this case it is an embodiment suitable for the grinding of root vegetable, e.g. carrot. The opening 7 is relatively small to keep the flying parts of the skin inside of the cover 6 and prevents them to fly away out of the device. The opening is here because of security and simultaneously because of preventing of the flying away of the parts of skin.

There is an amended cover 6 suitable for potatoes on the Fig.2, where there is the same view on the device 1 as on Fig.1 , but the cover 6 has a greater opening 7 more suitable for grinding of potatoes. The wall of the cover 6 is used again as a clash surface for flying-away pieces of the skin, which remain within the device.

On Fig. 3 a schematical view in a cross-section on the cover 6 according to the variant from Fig.2 is shown and it can be seen that it can be provided by a limitation protrusion 13. The cover 6 is fasted on the casing 4 e.g. by screwing and the limitation protrusion 13 is then above the highest grinding segment 5 and it prevents the disangaging of the assembly of segments. This assembly will be discussed later.

From detail on Fig. 4 is can be seen, that the grinding tools are created as grinding segments 5, which have the outer ring 8 and this is provided by means for transfer of the rotation. These means are lower protrusions 9 protruding below the lower plane of the ring 8, and the protrusions 9 are provided by open inner cavities 18 for receiving of the lower protrusions 9 of the above it arranged another grinding segment 5. Between cavities 18 there are partitions 19 in the ring 8 provided. Into them the gaps 20 between the lower protrusions 9 can be laid down. It is shown in detail on Fig.6

The grinding segment 5 from Fig.4 is provided by seven radial grinding protrusions 10 arranged in regular distances, which are orientated inside into the grinding segment 5. Radial grinding protrusions 10 have the length greater then it is the inner radius of the grinding segments 5. Radial grinding protrusions 10 consist of a foot 11, from which grinding sticks 12 are protruded and the grinding protrusions 10 are provided by sliding supports 15 adjacent to the ring 8. The grinding sticks 12 are further provided by collars 14 as axial grinding elements.

Collars 14 are arranged into assemblies 26 with four collars, where the external collars 27 have smaller diameter than the diameter of internal collars 28 and the assembly 26 has an egg-shape form. Egg-shaped assemblies 26 are three along the whole stick 12 and the last assembly 26 creates the end of the stick respective of the whole grinding protrusion 10. But the dimensions of the collars 27,28 can vary.

Radial protrusions 10 are from a flexible material, advantageously from plastics, with a good shape memory to return back to the previous position after bending. To prevent breaking of the grinding protrusion 10 they are provided by leaning sliding supports 15 adjacent to the ring 8. These suppports 15 slide as horizontally along the inner surface of the rig 8 so both vertically by the bending of the grinding protrusions 10 and they absorb the bending forces which appear by grinding.

On Fig.5 there is a view on the assembled group of grinding segments 5 which is arranged in the casing 4. It is advantageous when the individual segments are mutually positioned in such a way, that the grinding protrusions 10 are not over each other but, by the view from above, the grinding protrusions 0 of one segment 5 fulfill the gaps between the grinding protrusions 10 of the subsequent grinding segment 5 and in the similar manner it continues by positioning of other grinding segments 5 so the grinded vegetable is cutted continuously and the grinding protrusions 10 are pressed to it along its whole surface so the vibration is prevented. The assembly of the grinding segments can be strengthened by appropriate but not shown clamps hooked in an approprite manner always in the rims of the segment's assembly. In such a way the assemly becomes more compact.

Fig.6 presents the cross-section A-A from the Fig.5 through more rings, in this case through three rings, of the grinding segments 5 from Fig.4. It is good seen how the protrusions 9 of the upper segment fit in the cavities 18 of the below it arranged segment. By the pressure of the protrusions on the partitions 19, which separate the cavities 18 the torsional moment is transferred from one segment on the other one. Between protrusions 9 below the lower plane of the ring there are gaps 20.

In schematical cross-section on Fig.7 an arrangement of the driving unit 3 in the base 2 is shown. It is seen how the grinding segments 5 are arranged over each other. The lower grinding segment 29 can be with its lower protrusions 9 fitted in the corresponding not shown bottom cavities provided in the driving bottom 16 which are arranged along its periphery. Into these bottom cavities fit the lower protrusions 9 of the lower segment 29 and due to this the lower segment 29 is rotationally carrying along. Into the cavities 18 in the ring 8 of the lower grinding segment 29 the lower protrusions 9 of the grinding segment 5 which are above them will be inserted and so the whole grinding segments 5, 29 assembly will be brought into the rotation.

The driving element in the presented embodiment is the driving bottom 16 connected with the driving unit 3 with a shaft 17, nevertheless it is obvious, that the driving element can be carried out in another way. E.g. the transfer between the engine and the driven element can be carried out by use of gear wheels or by a gear wheel and a tooth rim in the driving bottom. In the driving bottom cavities for fitting of the bottom protrusions 9 of the lowest grinding segment 25 are arranged. It is obvious that there can be more speed regimes at disposal.

On Fig.8 there is a schematical cross-section of the driving bottom 16. On the driving bottom 16 the front grinding sties 12a are provided. These can be carried out similary to the grinding sticks 12 from Fig.4 and they can be provided by collars 14 as radial grinding elements.

The device for cleaning and grinding vegetable in the embodiment with engine is used by root vegetable in such a way, that e.g carrot is pushed up and down through the opening 7 in the cover 6 and after one part of the carrot is grinded by the grinding sticks 12 then the carrot is turned and the same is repeated with the other part of carrot, which was hold by the hand of the user before. The cover is carried out with relatively great opening as it is shown on Fig .1 , so with relative large covering portion 19 which prevents the grinded particles of skin to be thrown out of the most upper grinding segment 5 due to the centrifugal forces.

By grinding of potatoe it is proceeded in the same way but because of its size the opening 7 in cover 6 has to be much larger and on its priphery only smaller covering portion will be provided as it is shown on Fig.2. Because between the surface of the potatoe and the covering portion will be substatially smaller distance then by carrots, such smaller dimensions of the covering portion will be sufficient, to prevent the skin parts to fly away.

To prevent the turnig over of the potatoe in the fingers the potatoe will be spitted on a fork 21. On Fig. 9 there is a schematical view of an embodiment of a fork 21 with a handle 22 which can be used. On Fig.10 another type of the flexible holder 23 is presented, again with a handle 22 and with flexible and differently long shoulder 24 ended by appropriate thorns 25. The shapes of forks or holders are chosen so to prevent the shearing forces to act only in one plane, which can lead to the breaking of the potatoe. After cleaning of one half the potatoe is turned and in the cleaned portion the fork is spitted and the other half with skin is cleaned and grinded.

The operator can instead of holders and forks use a special glove. Embodiments of such gloves are shown on Fig.15 and Fig.16. On Fig.15 there is an embodiment, when the glove 42 is from an appropriateje textile in which the fingers are inserted, wherein below of the fingers and on the palm there are rough surfaces 43 from a rough wire material. Rough surfaces 43 on the fingers enable to keep firm the potatoe and the rough surface on the palm can be applied by finish-grinding. On Fig.16 there is a glove 44, whole knited from wire eyes. This embodiment would be advantageous in that respect, that after use the glove 44 could be rinsed completely because it would be permeable for the stream of water.

It is possible also the embodiment with halves 1a and 1b, where instead of engine the human's hand is the driving unit. This is schematically presented on Fig.11 to 14.

In cross-section these devices for a manual-drive are shown on Fig.13.

First let's comment Fig.11 with a simplified view from above on the ring 8 of the grinding segment 5 for the manual embodiment of the device with the halves 1a and 1b according to the invention, when the closed front side 30 of the grinding segment 5a is provided by gearing 31 and the shaped front surface 32 is provided by a recess 33 made from one side of the front side of the ring 8 for the seating of pinions 34. It is shown in detail on Fig. 10. These recesses 33 are at least three, so there are also three pinions 34. But they can be four or more.

In detail on Fig.12 it can be also seen that the pinions have an axis 35 seated in the corresponding openings 36. For easier seating of the pinions 34 into the ring 8, the inlet edges 37 of the recess 33 are chamferred. The pinions are after the assembly an integral part of each grinding segment 5a.

Now we can return to Fig. 13. The half 1a is created so that the driving element is the teeth boss 39a, which is an integral part of the casing 4. On the surface orientated towards the opening the boss 39a is provided by teeth 41. The lowest grinding segment 5a is then arranged in the casing 4, as a covering, in such way that the teeth 41 of the boss 39a are cooperating with the pinions 34 settled on the shaped front surface 32. And on the closed front side 30 of this lowest grinding segment 5a another grinding segment 5a is laid and again in such a way, that the gearing 31 of the lowest segment is laid on the pinions 34 on the shaped front surface 32 of another segment 5a. The lower side of the casing 4 is closed by a bottom 40 and in that bottom grinding sticks 12a are arranged. These sticks then will clean the top of the potatoe. The bottom 40 prevents the skin parts to fly away.

The half b is created in such a way, that the driving element is receiving boss 39b, which is integral part of the casing 4, as a covering. On the shaped front surface 32b orientated towards the opening is the receiving boss 39a provided by pinions 34. The lowest grinding segment 5a is so fastend firmly in the casing 4. Another grinding segment 5a is cooperating with it in such a way, that the gearing 31 on the front side 30 are cooperating with the pinions 34 settled in the shaped front side 32b of the lowest grinding segment 5a. The lower side of the casing 4 is closed by a bottom 40 and in it bottom grinding sticks 12a are arranged. These sticks then will clean the top of the potatoe.

On the open sides of both halves 1a and 1b of the casings 4 are provided by ending radial circular protrusions 38, which prevents the falling out of the essemblies of segments 5a from casings 4.

It is obvious that when the highest segments 5a are comming into the contact with a potatoe, the lowest segments 5a come due to the pressure of the potatoe into the contact with bosses 39a and 39b and all the segments above them are brought into the rotation.

By the transfer of movement from one segment on another one by use of protrusions 9 and cavities 18 as it is in the basic embodiment on Fig.1 to 8, the grinded potatoe would rotate together with the grinding segments and no grinding would be proceeded. Therefore it is necessary to ensure, that one group of segments rotates by each working movement in the opposite direction than the other group of segments.

This will be achieved just because of the above mentioned arrangement of at least three pinions 34, which are perpendicular after assembly to the axis of the grinding segments 5a, when these pinions 34 protrudes above the front surface of the rings 8 and they are in a mesh with front gearing 31 of the rings 8 of the grinding segments 5a. Due to pinions 34 the movement is transferred from one ring 8 to another in the opposite sense of rotation. So the grinded object is worked in two directions and there is no turning over. It is obvious that the teeth on the pinions and segments has to be done in such a way to enable optimal transfer of forces by minimalization of friction forces.

The casing 4 of the grinding device is snached into the palms of the user and turned over. In the presented embodiment the casing is cylindrical but it can have another ergonomic shape to anable the fingers of the operator to be in the comfortable engagement. Because the average turn of the wrist is possible only in the range of about 90 ⁰ the variant from Fig 13 and 14 is chosen where there are two halves 1a, 1b which creates one grinding device.

Two halves can be used which turn independently to each other in such a manner that the operator gives rotation to each of the halves always in the opposite direction of the turning. The potatoe or carrot are grinded simultaneously from both sides and both halves are always in the engagement.

By such manual embodiment the contact engagement between the open front of one half 1a is provided by a front surface 30 of the highest segment with gearing 31 and of the open front of the other half 1b with the recess 33 of the highest segment with pinions 34. After the pressing-on of the halves 1a and 1b to each other the rotation given to the one of halves 1a, 1b gives automatically rotation to the other half so it is a compulsory rotation. The hand of the operator on the half with the compulsory rotation is also without engagement turning free with casing of that half. After the ending of the rotation scope of the driving half, the roles are changed and up to now free taken-along hand is again in the engagement in the opposite sence of the rotation and so it gives the compulsory rotation to the half which was driving a moment ago. So one continues until the whole vegetable is grinded. The advantage is in the better axis fixation of boths halves and the operator exercises only half-effort because in the each cycle one hand is not in engagement and relaxes.

The directions of the changing rotations are schematically expressed by arrows on the schematic view from outside on Fig. 14 where two interacting halves 1a and 1b of the manual embodiment which creates one grinding device can be seen.