Grinder device
AssigneeMcCormick & Company, Incorporated
InventorsMorgan Le Roux, Olivier Rattin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A grinder device is provided. The grinder device may include a container, a cap assembly configured to be friction-fit to the container such that the cap assembly is removably lockable to the container, and a grinding mill disposed within the cap assembly to perform a grinding operation of condiment disposed in the container. The grinding mill may include a movable grinder portion and a fixed grinder portion that are rotatable relative to each other, and the fixed grinder portion is engageable with the container to permit relative rotation between the cap assembly and the container.
Claims13
A grinder device comprising:
- a container;
- a cap assembly configured to be friction-fit to the container such that the cap assembly is removably lockable to the container, the cap assembly including:
- a grinder housing;
- and
- a grinding mill disposed within the grinder housing and configured to perform a grinding operation of condiment disposed in the container;
- wherein:
- the cap assembly is moveable relative to the container between:
- a removal position in which the cap assembly is at least partially separable from the container when opposing, longitudinal separation forces are applied to the cap assembly and the container;
- and
- a locked position in which the cap assembly is not separable from the container when the opposing, longitudinal separation forces are applied to the cap assembly and the container.
A container of a spice grinding device, the container comprising:
- a base at least partially defining a chamber configured to receive a condiment;
- and
- an annular neck that is couplable to a cap assembly that is configured to grind the condiment, the annular neck including an upper annular shoulder, a lower annular shoulder, and a recessed groove defined between the upper and lower annular shoulders;
- wherein:
- the recessed groove includes a plurality of lock beads that project radially outward from an outer circumferential surface of the recessed groove;
- the recessed groove is configured to accommodate a plurality of lock protrusions from the cap assembly to secure the cap assembly to the container while permitting relative rotation of the cap assembly and the container between:
- a locked position in which the lock protrusions are radially aligned with the lock beads;
- and
- a removal position in which the lock protrusions are offset from the lock beads;
- and
- when the cap assembly is secured to the container and opposing separation forces are applied to the cap assembly and the container:
- the cap assembly and container are at least partially separable while in the removal position;
- and
- the cap assembly and container are not separable while in the locked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.