Electric seasoning mill

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable in concert in a first direction relative to the main body, the first and second output shafts being rotatable in concert in a second direction relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• means for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first and second output shafts in the first direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first and second output shafts in the second direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a first one-way ratchet operatively coupled to the first output shaft and the first transmission shaft, the first ratchet rotating the first transmission shaft when the first output shaft is rotated in the first direction, the first ratchet not rotating the first transmission shaft when the first output shaft is rotated in the second direction;
• and
• a second one-way ratchet operatively coupled to the second output shaft and the second transmission shaft, the second ratchet rotating the second transmission shaft when the second output shaft is rotated in the second direction, the second ratchet not rotating the second transmission shaft when the second output shaft is rotated in the first direction.

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable in concert in a first direction relative to the main body, the first and second output shafts being rotatable in concert in a second direction relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• means for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first and second output shafts in the first direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first and second output shafts in the second direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• and
• a switch for selectively completing at least a portion of an electrical circuit;
• wherein the switch has first and second contact members and a driving member;
• wherein the first and second contact members are biased so that the first and second contact members are not typically in contact;
• wherein the driving member is movable between a first configuration causing contact between the first and second contact members to complete the at least a portion of the electrical circuit and a second configuration allowing separation between the first and second contact members to not complete the at least a portion of the electrical circuit;
• wherein the motor can be actuated when the driving member is at the first configuration;
• and
• wherein the motor cannot be actuated when the driving member is at the second configuration.

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable together relative to the main body, both the first and second output shafts being rotatable in first and second directions relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• means for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the first direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the second direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• and
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• wherein the means for automatically actuating includes a switch having a channel containing at least one movable member;
• wherein the channel has a first raised region, a second raised region, and a generally flat region connecting the first and second regions;
• wherein first and second contact points are within the first raised region and biased toward a non-contacting configuration;
• wherein third and fourth contact points are within the second raised region and biased toward a non-contacting configuration;
• wherein the at least one movable member is configured to compel contact between the first and second contact points when the main body is tilted so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and to compel contact between the third and fourth contact points when the main body is tilted so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• wherein contact between the first and second contact points completes a first circuit and causes the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the first direction;
• and
• wherein contact between the third and fourth contact points completes a second circuit and causes the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the second direction.

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable together relative to the main body, both the first and second output shafts being rotatable in first and second directions relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• means for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the first direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the second direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a first one-way ratchet operatively coupled to the first output shaft and the first transmission shaft, the first ratchet rotating the first transmission shaft when the first output shaft is rotated in the first direction, the first ratchet not rotating the first transmission shaft when the first output shaft is rotated in the second direction;
• and
• a second one-way ratchet operatively coupled to the second output shaft and the second transmission shaft, the second ratchet rotating the second transmission shaft when the second output shaft is rotated in the second direction, the second ratchet not rotating the second transmission shaft when the second output shaft is rotated in the first direction.

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable together relative to the main body, both the first and second output shafts being rotatable in first and second directions relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• means for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the first direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and for automatically actuating the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the second direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• and
• a switch for selectively completing at least a portion of an electrical circuit;
• wherein the switch has first and second contact members and a driving member;
• wherein the first and second contact members are biased so that the first and second contact members are not typically in contact;
• wherein the driving member is movable between a first configuration causing contact between the first and second contact members to complete the at least a portion of the electrical circuit and a second configuration allowing separation between the first and second contact members to not complete the at least a portion of the electrical circuit;
• wherein the motor can be actuated when the driving member is at the first configuration;
• and
• wherein the motor cannot be actuated when the driving member is at the second configuration.

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable together relative to the main body, both the first and second output shafts being rotatable in first and second directions relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• a switch having a channel containing at least one movable member, the channel having a first raised region, a second raised region, and a generally flat region connecting the first and second regions;
• first and second contact points within the first raised region and being biased toward a non-contacting configuration;
• third and fourth contact points within the second raised region and being biased toward a non-contacting configuration;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• wherein the at least one movable member is configured to compel contact between the first and second contact points when the main body is tilted so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and to compel contact between the third and fourth contact points when the main body is tilted so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• wherein contact between the first and second contact points completes a first circuit and causes the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the first direction;
• and
• wherein contact between the third and fourth contact points completes a second circuit and causes the motor to rotate the first output shaft in the second direction.

An electric seasoning mill, comprising:

• a main body having first and second opposed ends, a first holding room adjacent the main body first end, and a second holding room adjacent the main body second end;
• a motor housed in the main body between the main body first and second ends, the motor having a first output shaft extending toward the main body first end and a second output shaft extending toward the main body second end, the first and second output shafts being rotatable in concert in a first direction relative to the main body, the first and second output shafts being rotatable in concert in a second direction relative to the main body;
• a power supply unit for powering the motor;
• at least one switch to automatically actuate the motor to rotate the first and second output shafts in the first direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the first holding room is below the second holding room, and to automatically actuate the motor to rotate the first and second output shafts in the second direction upon a tilting of the main body so that the second holding room is below the first holding room;
• first and second milling assemblies respectively adjacent the first and second holding rooms, each milling assembly having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion;
• a first transmission shaft operatively coupling the first output shaft and the first milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a second transmission shaft operatively coupling the second output shaft and the second milling assembly rotatable portion;
• a first one-way ratchet operatively coupled to the first output shaft and the first transmission shaft, the first ratchet rotating the first transmission shaft when the first output shaft is rotated in the first direction, the first ratchet not rotating the first transmission shaft when the first output shaft is rotated in the second direction;
• and
• a second one-way ratchet operatively coupled to the second output shaft and the second transmission shaft, the second ratchet rotating the second transmission shaft when the second output shaft is rotated in the second direction, the second ratchet not rotating the second transmission shaft when the second output shaft is rotated in the first direction.