System and method for plugging waste disposer auxiliary port

A waste disposer comprising:

• a housing including an inlet port, an outlet port, and an auxiliary port,
• wherein the auxiliary port includes a substantially cylindrical inner wall, the inner wall defines a channel extending from a first location along an exterior of the housing and a second location along an interior of the housing, and wherein the inner wall includes a first protrusion that extends radially inwardly toward a central axis of the channel;
• and
• a plug having a first end and a second end, wherein the plug is substantially cylindrical in shape, and includes an exterior surface having a first barrier wall portion and a second barrier wall portion, wherein the first barrier wall portion and the second barrier wall portion together at least partly define a first curving indentation,
• wherein the first curving indentation extends substantially axially from the second end toward the first end and wherein the first curving indentation extends circumferentially substantially ninety degrees between the second end and a first internal end of the first curving indentation, and
• wherein the plug further includes a spring extension including a tip portion,
• wherein the auxiliary port and plug are configured so that, when the plug is supported within the auxiliary port in a fully installed position in which the first protrusion extends into the first curving indentation so as to be in contact with or proximate to the first internal end, then the plug is retained axially relative to the auxiliary port along the first central axis at least in part by contact between the first protrusion and one or both of the first barrier wall portion and the second barrier wall portion, and
• wherein the auxiliary port includes a block portion extending radially inwardly from the inner wall, wherein the tip portion engages the block portion when the plug is supported within the auxiliary port in the fully installed position so that there is resistance to the plug being rotated in a first rotational direction.

A method of operating a dishwasher inlet of a food waste disposer having a food conveying section, a motor section, and a grinding section between the food conveying section and the motor section and a housing having a dishwasher inlet, wherein each of the food conveying section, the motor section, and the grinding section, are positioned inside the housing, the method comprising:

• providing a plug having a first end and a second end, wherein the plug is substantially cylindrical in shape, and includes an exterior surface having a first barrier wall portion and a second barrier wall portion, wherein the first barrier wall portion and the second barrier wall portion together at least partly define a first curving indentation, wherein the first curving indentation extends substantially axially from the second end toward the first end and wherein the first curving indentation extends circumferentially substantially ninety degrees between the second end and a first internal end of the first curving indentation;
• inserting the plug into a channel defined by a substantially cylindrical inner wall of the dishwasher inlet, wherein the inner wall includes a first protrusion extending radially inwardly toward a central axis of the channel, and wherein the plug is inserted substantially axially along the central axis of the channel so that the second end of the plug proceeds from a first location along an exterior of the housing toward a second location along an interior of the housing, and
• rotating the plug by substantially ninety degrees in a first rotational direction as the plug is further inserted into the channel, the rotating occurring at least in part when the first protrusion of the inner wall proceeds into and through the first curving indentation until the first protrusion contacts or becomes proximate to the first internal end as the plug is further inserted into the channel,
• whereby the plug attains a fully installed position relative to the dishwasher inlet in which the plug is retained axially relative to the dishwasher inlet along the central axis at least in part by contact between the first protrusion and one or both of the first barrier wall portion and the second barrier wall portion.