# US 8,464,970 B2 · Under-sink waste processing appliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,970 B2 - Document ID: US8464970B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/326,804 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2012-04-12 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-21 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Scott J. Ceru; Andrew Deakin; Suzanne G. Howard; Martin J. Kay; Peter Riering-Czekalla; Altay J. Sendil; Casey J. Tubman - Inventors: Scott J. Ceru; Andrew Deakin; Suzanne G. Howard; Martin J. Kay; Peter Riering-Czekalla; Altay J. Sendil; Casey J. Tubman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464970B2 ## CPC - E03C 1/2665: {Disintegrating apparatus specially adapted for installation in waste pipes or outlets (disintegrating apparatus per se B02C)} - E03C: DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER (not connected to either water-supply main or to waste pipe A47K; devices of the kind used in the ground E03B, E03F); SINKS ## Abstract An under-sink waste processing appliance includes a waste separator which extracts liquid from organic waste and passes such extracted liquid to a residential drain line. The remaining solid, in the form of organic pulp, is dried in a dryer and deposited in a removable collection receptacle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for processing organic waste from a sink positioned in a countertop, comprising: a waste separator comprising (i) a first waste inlet coupled to a drain of the sink, (ii) a second waste inlet coupled to a waste-receiving slot located in the countertop, (iii) a motor-driven cutter operable to cut organic waste received through the first waste inlet and the second waste inlet, (iv) a liquid outlet for dispelling liquid extracted from organic waste during operation of the motor-driven cutter, and (v) a pulp outlet for dispelling pulp extracted from organic waste during operation of the motor-driven cutter, the pulp outlet being fluidly isolated from the liquid outlet, a dryer comprising (i) a pulp inlet coupled to the pulp outlet of the waste separator, (ii) a drying chamber positioned to receive pulp advanced through the pulp inlet, (iii) a heating element operable to heat and dehydrate pulp positioned in the drying chamber to generate dried solid waste, and (iv) a dried waste outlet for dispelling dried solid waste from the drying chamber, and a removable collection receptacle positioned to receive dried solid waste expelled from the dried waste outlet of the dryer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor-driven cutter comprises an augur. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor-driven cutter comprises one or more centrifugal cutting disks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dryer is operable to generate powder waste. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid outlet of the waste separator is configured to be coupled to a residential drain. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waste separator further comprises a filter to prevent pulp from escaping the waste separator through the liquid outlet during operation of the motor-driven cutter. ### Claim 7 A domestic kitchen assembly, comprising: a kitchen sink positioned in a countertop, the kitchen sink having a drain, a faucet operable to fill the kitchen sink with water, a waste separator comprising (i) a first waste inlet coupled to the drain of the kitchen sink, (ii) a second waste inlet coupled to a waste-receiving slot located in the countertop, (iii) a motor-driven cutter operable to cut organic waste received through the first waste inlet and the second waste inlet, (iv) a liquid outlet for dispelling water from the kitchen sink and liquid extracted from organic waste during operation of the motor-driven cutter, the liquid outlet being configured to be coupled to a drain, and (v) a pulp outlet for dispelling pulp extracted from organic waste during operation of the motor-driven cutter, the pulp outlet being fluidly isolated from the liquid outlet, and a dryer comprising (i) a pulp inlet coupled to the pulp outlet of the waste separator, (ii) a drying chamber positioned to receive pulp advanced through the pulp inlet, (iii) a heating element operable to heat and dehydrate pulp positioned in the drying chamber to generate dried solid waste, and (iv) a dried waste outlet for dispelling dried solid waste from the drying chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The kitchen assembly of claim 7, further comprising a removable collection receptacle positioned to receive dried solid waste expelled from the dried waste outlet of the dryer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The kitchen assembly of claim 7, wherein the motor-driven cutter comprises an augur. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The kitchen assembly of claim 7, wherein the motor-driven cutter comprises one or more centrifugal cutting disks. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The kitchen assembly of claim 7, wherein the dryer is operable to generate powder waste. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The kitchen assembly of claim 7, wherein the waste separator further comprises a filter to prevent pulp from escaping the waste separator through the liquid outlet during operation of the motor-driven cutter. ### Claim 13 A method for processing organic waste from a kitchen sink positioned in a countertop, comprising: advancing organic waste through a drain of the kitchen sink and into a waste separator positioned below the kitchen sink, advancing organic waste through a waste receiving slot located in the countertop and into the waste separator, operating a motor-driven cutter positioned in the waste separator to generate pulp and a separated liquid from the organic waste, advancing the pulp from the waste separator to a dryer, draining the separated liquid from the waste separator to a drain via a fluid path which bypasses the dryer, and heating the pulp in the dryer to form a dried solid waste. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising advancing the dried solid waste into a removable collection receptacle positioned below the dryer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein heating the pulp comprises heating the pulp in the dryer to form solid waste powder. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein operating the motor-driven cutter comprises operating an augur to cut and squeeze organic waste to separate liquid therefrom and generate the pulp. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein operating the motor-driven cutter comprises operating one or more centrifugal cutting disks to cut and squeeze organic waste to separate liquid therefrom and generate the pulp.