Waste disposal with improved cutter plate features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9869077-B2
Application number	US-201314064240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2013
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

In one aspect, a waste disposal for processing waste may generally include a housing and a motor disposed within the housing. The housing may include an inlet defining an open area through the top of the housing. The motor may define a rotational axis. In addition, the waste disposal may include a cutter plate coupled to the motor. The cutter plate may include an upper surface, a side surface and an outer edge defined around an outer perimeter of the cutter plate. The upper surface may define a high point and may have a sloped portion angled downwardly from the high point towards the outer edge. The cutter plate may also define a cutter plate area directly below the open area defined by the inlet. The high point may be defined along the outer surface at a radial location between the cutter plate area and the outer edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A waste disposal for processing waste, the waste disposal comprising:
a housing extending axially between a top and a bottom, the housing including an inlet defining an open area through the top of the housing;
a motor disposed within the housing, the motor defining a rotational axis; and
a cutter plate coupled to the motor for rotation therewith, the cutter plate including an upper surface, a side surface and an outer edge defined around an outer perimeter of the cutter plate at the intersection of the upper and side surfaces, the upper surface defining a high point and having a sloped portion angled downwardly from the high point towards the outer edge, the cutter plate defining a cutter plate area along the upper surface directly below the open area defined by the inlet; and
a cutter lug pivotally coupled to the cutter plate such that the cutter lug is movable relative to the high point defined by the upper surface of the cutter plate,
wherein the high point is defined on the upper surface at a radial location between the cutter plate area and the outer edge that is fixed relative to other portions of the upper surface as the cutter plate is rotated by the motor.

2. The waste disposal of claim 1 , wherein the sloped portion defines varied slope angles along the upper surface of the cutter plate.

3. The waste disposal of claim 2 , wherein the slope angles are varied based on a radial distance defined between the high point and the outer edge of the cutter plate.

4. The waste disposal of claim 3 , wherein the slope angles are varied such that the outer edge is positioned within the housing at a substantially constant axial height around the outer perimeter of the cutter plate.

5. The waste disposal of claim 3 , wherein the slope angles are varied such that a height of the side surface is substantially constant around the outer perimeter of the cutter plate.

6. The waste disposal of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fins projecting axially from the upper surface of the cutter plate.

7. The waste disposal of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of fins extend lengthwise along the upper surface between the high point and the outer edge of the cutter plate.

8. The waste disposal of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of fins define curved profiles along the upper surface.

9. The waste disposal of claim 1 , further comprising a cutter guard projecting axially from the upper surface at a location radially inwardly from the cutter lug.

10. A waste disposal for processing waste, the waste disposal comprising:
a housing extending axially between a top and a bottom;
a motor disposed within the housing, the motor defining a rotational axis; and
a cutter plate coupled to the motor for rotation therewith, the cutter plate including an upper surface, a side surface and an outer edge defined around an outer perimeter of the cutter plate at the intersection of the upper and side surfaces, the upper surface defining a high point and having a sloped portion angled downwardly from the high point towards the outer edge, the high point being radially offset from the rotational axis at a radial location that is fixed relative to other portions of the upper surface as the cutter plate is rotated by the motor; and
a cutter lug pivotally coupled to the cutter plate such that the cutter lug is movable relative to the high point defined by the upper surface of the cutter plate,
wherein the sloped portion is angled downwardly from the high point such that the outer edge is positioned within the housing at a substantially constant axial height around the outer perimeter of the cutter plate.

11. The waste disposal of claim 10 , wherein the sloped portion defines varied slope angles along the upper surface of the cutter plate.

12. The waste disposal of claim 11 , wherein the slope angles are varied based on a radial distance defined between the high point and the outer edge of the cutter plate such that the outer edge is positioned within the housing at the substantially constant axial height.

13. The waste disposal of claim 11 , wherein the slope angles are varied such that a height of the side surface is substantially constant around the outer perimeter of the cutter plate.

14. The waste disposal of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of fins projecting axially from the upper surface of the cutter plate.

15. The waste disposal of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fins extend lengthwise along the upper surface between the high point and the outer edge of the cutter plate.

16. The waste disposal of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fins define curved profiles along the upper surface.

17. The waste disposal of claim 10 , wherein the housing includes an inlet defining an open area through the top of the housing and the cutter plate defines a cutter plate area directly below the open area defined by the inlet, wherein the fixed radial location of the high point is defined along the upper surface between the cutter plate area and the outer edge.

18. The waste disposal of claim 10 , further comprising a cutter guard projecting axially from the upper surface at a location radially inwardly from the cutter lug.

19. The waste disposal of claim 1 , wherein the radial location is defined radially between the cutter plate area and the cutter lug.

20. The waste disposal of claim 1 , wherein the radial location is defined radially between the rotational axis and the cutter lug.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Gormley Joseph Emil
• Vanassche Raymond James

Classifications

• B02C18/062

  with rotor elements extending axially in close radial proximity of a concentrically arranged slotted or perforated ring · CPC title

• B02C18/18

  Knives; Mountings thereof · CPC title

• E03C1/2665 Primary

  Disintegrating apparatus specially adapted for installation in waste pipes or outlets (disintegrating apparatus per se B02C) · CPC title

• B02C18/0092

  for waste water or for garbage · CPC title