, Description:FIELD OF INVENTION:
[001] The present invention relates to home/kitchen appliances, and more particularly to a kitchen grinder having dry and wet grinding capabilities.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
[002] Grinders have existed in market in different forms. The most popular MG Mixer Grinder is an appliance found in almost every kitchen or household. It uses blade for cutting at very high RPM which is not fundamentally grinding and produce a low-quality output because of the heat generated at high RPM. Wet and Dry grinders using abrasive are also there but exists as two independent products in the market. Hence, two different grinders were required for achieving the desired dry and wet grinding, and is thereby cost inclusive.
[003] WIPO Publication No. WO2015056275 provides an improved weight less wet/dry grinder for efficient grinding of both wet food stuffs such as, rice, grains etc. and dry food stuff such as, nuts, beans, coconut etc. The system includes at least two rollers made of sustainable food grade material that rotate about a vertical axis, and which causes the feed material to be flung outwardly towards a base made of sustainable food grade material. The roller and base of the wet/dry grinder can be of various profile shapes. A drum made of plastic material (food grade plastic material) having integrated handle inside which the rollers and base are positioned and rotated for grinding the material (e.g., wet/dry material). A direct drive mechanism for directly connecting the grinding mechanism with an electric motor for providing efficient and direct driving force with respect to the grinding mechanism. An automatic water dispensing mechanism for dispensing the liquid (water) based on the batter consistency.
[004] US Patent Publication No. US20170128949 provides a grindstone corresponding to a rotatable grindstone or a stationary grindstone can be incorporated in a grinding device and is used for grinding raw materials. The grindstone includes a main body part and an outer circumferential ring part that can be detached from each other. The main body part has a coarse grinding part in which coarse grinding grooves corresponding to first coarse grinding grooves and second coarse grinding grooves for initially grinding the raw materials are formed. The outer circumferential ring part has a fine grinding part corresponding to a wall part in which fine grinding grooves for further grinding the raw materials ground by the coarse grinding part are formed. When the main body part and the outer circumferential ring part are assembled, the fine grinding part corresponding to the wall part is located at an outer circumference of the coarse grinding part.
[005] However, the aforementioned prior arts provide conventional solutions having operation and function that are not similar to the subject matter of the present disclosure.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
[006] The principal objective of the present invention is to provide a kitchen grinder distinct from all conventional kitchen/food processors.
[007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen grinder that can perform both Dry and Wet Grinding in a single seamless unit without the need to change any part or accessory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[008] In accordance with the said objectives, the present invention provides a kitchen grinder (100) for dry and wet grinding of food items, the kitchen grinder (100) including a wet grinding jar (110) for wet grinding; a dry grinding chamber (106) for dry grinding, the dry grinding chamber (106) provided beneath the wet grinding jar (110); and a plurality of grinding stones having abrasive surfaces, the plurality of grinding stones being disposed in the wet grinding jar (110) and the dry grinding chamber (106), the plurality of grinding stones having a plurality of abrasive cylindrical rollers (111) disposed in the wet grinding jar (110), and a movable abrasive disc (108) and a stationary abrasive disc (103) disposed in the dry grinding chamber (106), such that a relative rotation among the abrasive surfaces of the plurality of abrasive cylindrical rollers (111), the movable abrasive disc (108), and the stationary abrasive disc (103) provides dry and / or wet grinding of the food items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[009] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a kitchen grinder in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0011] Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the kitchen grinder of Figure 1, wherein various components of the kitchen grinder are shown.
[0012] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to an embodiment as shown in the drawing.
[0014] Figure 1 illustrates a kitchen grinder 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the kitchen grinder 100 is configured for performing both Dry and Wet Grinding in a single seamless unit without the need to change any part or accessory. Further in an embodiment, the kitchen grinder 100 is configured to perform both dry and wet grinding simultaneously. In an example, the kitchen grinder 100 employs abrasion method for achieving dry and wet grinding, as against conventional food processors configured for cutting ingredients at high RPM.
[0015] Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the kitchen grinder 100 of Figure 1, wherein various components of the kitchen grinder 100 are shown. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 together, the kitchen grinder 100 includes a concave lid 115 configured to be fit on a lock 114. The kitchen grinder 100 further includes a dry grinding chamber 106 provided beneath a wet grinding jar 110. In an example, the wet grinding jar 110 is configured for wet grinding operation and the dry grinding chamber 106 is configured for dry grinding operation. In an embodiment, food item meant for wet grinding is fed to the wet grinding jar 110 by removal of the lid 115.
[0016] In an embodiment, the lid 115 includes a concave shape with a central opening, such that the lid 115 functions as a funnel for receiving any food item meant for dry grinding, and feeding the food item to the dry grinding chamber 106 through the central opening. Further, the kitchen grinder 100 includes a feed tube 109 connected to the lid 115 through a passage for the feed tube 109 along a housing 113 for a plurality of abrasive cylindrical rollers 111 (hereinafter referred to as cylindrical rollers 111), a plurality of wipers 112 extending from the housing 113 up to walls of the wet grinding jar 110, and the lock 114, the feed tube 109 being extending inside the dry grinding chamber 106. The food item fed to the lid 115 reaches the dry grinding chamber 106 through the feed tube 109. The housing 113 for the cylindrical rollers 111, and the wipers 112 is mounted on a fixed axle 105, and the cylindrical rollers 111 rotates about a horizontal axis, such that the cylindrical rollers 111 rotate along a lateral surface area. Further, the lock 114 is also screwed on the fixed axle 105. The kitchen grinder 100 further includes a motor housing 102 having a motor or prime mover configured to provide necessary rotary motion required for wet and / or dry grinding of the food items in the kitchen grinder 100.
[0017] In an embodiment, the kitchen grinder 100 further includes a plurality of grinding stones disposed in the wet grinding jar 110 and the dry grinding chamber 106, wherein abrasive surfaces of the plurality of grinding stones are utilized for achieving necessary dry and wet grinding processes in the kitchen grinder 100. The plurality of grinding stones includes the cylindrical rollers 111 (mentioned earlier), a movable abrasive disc 108, a stationary abrasive disc 103, wherein an arrangement of the plurality of grinding stones is like a sandwich such that the stationary abrasive disc 103 is at bottom, the cylindrical rollers 111 is at top, and the movable abrasive disc 108 is provided intermediate to the cylindrical rollers 111 and the stationary abrasive disc 103. In an example, the cylindrical rollers 111, the movable abrasive disc 108, and the stationary abrasive disc 103 include abrasive surfaces, such that a relative rotation among the abrasive surfaces of the cylindrical rollers 111, the movable abrasive disc 108, and the stationary abrasive disc 103 provides necessary dry and / or wet grinding of the food items. The movable abrasive disc 108 along with the wet grinding jar 110 and feed tube 109 is coupled with the rotating axis 104 of the motor. A knob 101 is used for switching on/off the motor and adjusting the stationary abrasive disc 103 for coarseness and fineness of the dry grinding.
[0018] Further in an embodiment, the arrangement of the plurality of grinding stones is such that the cylindrical rollers 111 is disposed in the wet grinding jar 110 around the feed tube 109, and the movable abrasive disc 108 and the stationary abrasive disc 103 are disposed in the dry grinding chamber 106 such that the feed tube 109 passes through a center of the movable abrasive disc 108 up to a thickness of the movable abrasive disc 108 so that the food item for dry grinding fed through the lid 115 is received in the dry grinding chamber 106 between the bottom surface of the movable abrasive disc 108 and an upper surface of the stationary abrasive disc 103. Further, the food items for wet grinding are fed to the wet grinding jar 110 on removal of the lid 115 so as to be received between abrasive surfaces of the cylindrical rollers 111 and the top surface of movable abrasive disc 108.
[0019] In operation, the movable abrasive disc 108 is coupled to the motor of the motor housing 102, and is configured to rotate between the cylindrical roller 111 and the stationary abrasive disc 103 such that relative rotation of the abrasive surfaces of the cylindrical roller 111 and the top surface of the movable abrasive disc 108 are utilized for wet grinding of food items, and relative rotation of the abrasive surfaces of the stationary abrasive disc 103 and the bottom surface of the movable abrasive disc 108 are utilized for dry grinding of food items. After the necessary wet grinding of the food items, the wet batter or mix is removed from the wet grinding jar 110 on removal of the lid 115, and after the necessary dry grinding of the food items, the dry powder or mix is removed from the dry grinding chamber 106 through an outlet 107 provided on the dry grinding chamber 106.
[0020] Hence, the kitchen grinder 100 provides seamless high quality dry and wet grinding of food items using abrasion principle, as against conventional food processors. Further, the kitchen grinder 100 is configured to provide simultaneous dry and wet grinding in a single apparatus, as against multiple apparatuses required in the prior art. Hence, the kitchen grinder 100 provides a cost-effective solution to the problems associated with conventional dry and wet grinding food processors.
[0021] It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present subject matter. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by devising various assembly that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present subject matter, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.
[0022] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0023] It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of a plurality of components or steps may be combined into a single component or step, or the functions or structures of one-step or component may be split among plural steps or components. The present invention contemplates all of these combinations. Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. In addition, while a feature of the present invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the present invention. The present invention also encompasses intermediate and end products resulting from the practice of the methods herein. The use of “comprising” or “including” also contemplates embodiments that “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the recited feature.
[0024] Although embodiments for the present subject matter have been described in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for the present subject matter. Numerous modifications and adaptations of the system/component of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the scope of the present subject matter.

Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A kitchen grinder (100) for dry and wet grinding of food items, the kitchen grinder (100) comprising:
a wet grinding jar (110) for wet grinding;
a dry grinding chamber (106) for dry grinding, the dry grinding chamber (106) provided beneath the wet grinding jar (110); and
a plurality of grinding stones having abrasive surfaces, the plurality of grinding stones being disposed in the wet grinding jar (110) and the dry grinding chamber (106), the plurality of grinding stones having:
a plurality of abrasive cylindrical rollers (111) disposed in the wet grinding jar (110), and
a movable abrasive disc (108) and a stationary abrasive disc (103) disposed in the dry grinding chamber (106), such that a relative rotation among the abrasive surfaces of the plurality of abrasive cylindrical rollers (111), the movable abrasive disc (108), and the stationary abrasive disc (103) provides dry and / or wet grinding of the food items.

2. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wet grinding jar (110) includes a lid (115) configured to be fit on a lock (114), wherein the food item meant for wet grinding is fed to the wet grinding jar (110) by removal of the lid (115).

3. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lid (115) includes a concave shape with a central opening configured to connect with a feed tube (109), such that the lid (115) functions as a funnel for receiving any food item meant for dry grinding, and feeding the food item to the dry grinding chamber (106) through the feed tube (109).

4. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feed tube (109) is connected to the lid (115) through a passage for the feed tube (109) along a housing (113) for the plurality of abrasive cylindrical rollers (111), a plurality of wipers (112) extending from the housing 113 up to walls of the wet grinding jar 110, and the lock (114), the feed tube (109) being extending inside the dry grinding chamber (106).

5. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a motor housing (102) having a motor or prime mover configured to provide necessary rotary motion required for wet and / or dry grinding of the food items is provided in the kitchen grinder (100).

6. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an arrangement of the plurality of grinding stones is like a sandwich such that the stationary abrasive disc (103) is at bottom, the cylindrical rollers (111) is at top, and the movable abrasive disc (108) is provided intermediate to the cylindrical rollers (111) and the stationary abrasive disc (103).

7. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of grinding stones is such that the cylindrical rollers (111) is disposed in the wet grinding jar (110) around the feed tube (109), and the movable abrasive disc (108) and the stationary abrasive disc (103) are disposed in the dry grinding chamber (106) such that the feed tube (109) passes through a center of the movable abrasive disc (108) up to a thickness of the movable abrasive disc (108) so that the food item for dry grinding fed through the feed tube (109) is received in the dry grinding chamber (106) between the bottom abrasive surfaces of the movable abrasive disc (108) and the stationary abrasive disc (103).

8. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the food items for wet grinding are fed to the wet grinding jar (110) on removal of the lid (115) so as to be received between abrasive surfaces of the cylindrical rollers (111) and the movable abrasive disc (108).

9. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable abrasive disc (108) is coupled to the motor of the motor housing (102), and is configured to rotate between the cylindrical rollers (111) and the stationary abrasive disc (103) such that relative rotation of the abrasive surfaces of the cylindrical rollers (111) and the movable abrasive disc (108) are utilized for wet grinding of food items, and relative rotation of the abrasive surfaces of the stationary abrasive disc (103) and the movable abrasive disc (108) are utilized for dry grinding of food items.

10. The kitchen grinder (100) as claimed in claim 9, wherein after the necessary wet grinding of the food items, the wet batter or mix is removed from the wet grinding jar (110) on removal of the lid (115), and after the necessary dry grinding of the food items, the dry powder or mix is removed from the dry grinding chamber (106) through an outlet (107) provided on the dry grinding chamber (106).