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US 2016/0095474 A1Published application
Salad spinner
AssigneeProgressive International Corporation
InventorsLawrence M. Hauser, Jennifer K. Cotter, Cole Dalton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A salad spinner includes an outer bowl configured to hold an inner basket. The bowl and basket are each configured with a central post supported by a base structure having a pillar and a piston. A helical screw positioned within the pillar engages a drive shaft within the piston in order to rotate the drive shaft as the piston moves upward and downward with respect to the pillar. A spring biases the piston in the upward position to enable reciprocal telescoping movement.
Claims20
A salad spinner, comprising:
- a bowl having a bottom and upwardly extending sidewalls defining an interior space, with a central bowl post extending upwardly from the bottom of the bowl and into the interior space;
- a basket having a central basket post extending upwardly from a bottom of the basket, the central basket post defining a hollow interior and terminating in a cap enclosing the hollow interior, the central basket post being configured to surround a portion of the central bowl post when the basket is positioned within the bowl;
- a base removably attachable to the bowl, the base having a pillar defining a central axis and configured to be received within the central bowl post, the base further having a helical screw positioned within the pillar, wherein the bowl and the basket are supported by the pillar when the base is attached to the bowl;
- a piston positioned on the pillar and configured for axial movement between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the pillar, the piston further engaging the bowl for axial movement of the bowl with the piston as the piston moves between the retracted position and the extended position;
- a driveshaft carried by the piston and engaging the helical screw for rotational movement of the drive shaft with respect to the piston when the piston moves axially along the helical screw between the retracted position and the extended position, the drive shaft further engaging the cap of the central basket post;
- whereby movement of the bowl with the piston between the extended position and the retracted position causes rotation of the driveshaft and rotation of the basket within the bowl.
3 more elements
A salad spinner, comprising:
- a bowl having a bottom and upwardly extending sidewalls defining an interior space, with a central bowl post extending upwardly from the bottom of the bowl and into the interior space, the central bowl post having an inwardly-directed flange positioned on the upper end of the central bowl post, the inwardly-directed flange terminating in a central opening;
- a basket sized and configured to fit within the bowl;
- a base removably attachable to the bowl, the base having a pillar configured to be received within the central bowl post, the base further having a helical screw attached to the base and positioned within the pillar, wherein the bowl and the basket are supported by the pillar when the base is attached to the bowl;
- a piston telescopically attached to the pillar and configured for axial movement between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the pillar, the piston further engaging the bowl for movement of the bowl with the piston as the piston moves between the retracted position and the extended position;
- a driveshaft carried by the piston and engaging the helical screw for rotational movement of the drive shaft with respect to the piston when the piston moves axially along the helical screw between the retracted position and the extended position, the drive shaft further extending through the central opening of the central bowl post and mechanically coupled to the basket;
- whereby movement of the bowl with the piston between the extended position and the retracted position causes rotation of the driveshaft and rotation of the basket within the bowl.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.