阅读说明：本技术 带可计量杯的香料研磨器 (Spice grinder with measuring cup ) 是由 马尼克斯·莫恩斯 西蒙·凡珀特尔勃格 于 2020-02-07 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种具有研磨机构、计量杯和颗粒尺寸调节器的香料研磨器。该香料研磨器以所需数量手动研磨具有所需颗粒尺寸的所需类型的香料。(The invention provides a spice mill having a milling mechanism, a measuring cup and a particle size regulator. The spice mill manually mills the desired type of spice with the desired particle size in the desired amount.)

1. A grinder comprising an inner container and a grinding member, the inner container being disposed within an outer container, wherein the outer container comprises a measuring cup.

2. The grinder according to claim 1, wherein the grinding means comprises: an abrasive handle forming an abrasive mechanism, the abrasive component disposed opposite the inner container, and wherein the rotating inner container is positioned and rotatably coupled to the abrasive handle such that upon rotation of the abrasive handle the inner container rotates with the abrasive handle, the inner container configured to rotate relative to the abrasive component.

3. The grinder according to claims 1 and 2, further comprising: a particle size adjuster for adjusting the particle size of the ground product by controlling the distance between the rotating inner container and the stationary grinding member; and a removable measuring cup for observing the amount of product during or after grinding using the grinding mechanism and dispensing a desired amount of the ground product by twisting the grinder.

4. The grinder according to claims 1-3, characterised in that the measuring cups are transparent, allowing the user to observe the quantity of the ground product as and after it is ground, and/or whereby the measuring cups are graded with visual measuring marks or levels.

5. The grinder according to claims 1-4, wherein the metering marks are equally spaced marking lines on the metering cup indicating the quantifiable units for the metered amount, including grams, milligrams.

6. The grinder according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the grinder further comprises a control mechanism for controlling the amount of the ground product to be filled into the metering cup; the control mechanism is disposed radially between the inner container and the measuring cup about the grinding component, allowing a portion of the ground product to enter the measuring cup from the inner container as the product is ground.

7. The grinder according to claims 1-6, characterised in that the particle size regulator is provided with visible particle size indicia corresponding to a plurality of particle sizes obtainable from the grinder.

8. The grinder according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the fixed grinding member is positioned at an opposite axial distance from the rotating inner container inside the grinder, and the rotating inner container and the fixed grinding member have respective grinding surfaces facing opposite each other.

9. The grinder according to claims 1 to 8, wherein the outer container and the grinding handle together constitute an outer body of the grinder, while the grinding handle is rotatable around the outer container.

10. The grinder according to claims 1-9, wherein the particle size regulator rotates or swivels along the outer container and is locked at a desired particle size marking corresponding to a particular desired particle size, the twisting of the particle size regulator causing the fixed grinding member to move closer to or further away from the rotating inner container according to the desired locked particle size marking, and wherein the grinding member is locked at the desired particle size marking, at a distance corresponding to the locked particle size marking relative to the inner container.

11. The grinder according to claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the product ground by the grinder comprises spices, herbs, berries, other spices such as coffee.

12. A method for manufacturing a portable grinder, the method comprising: providing an outer container associated with a rotating or turning grinding handle, said outer container and said grinding handle forming an outer body of said grinder; providing an inner container inside the outer container of the grinder, the inner container being positioned relative to the rotating or turning grinding handle and configured to rotate with the rotating or turning grinding handle, providing a grinding member positioned opposite the inner container, wherein the inner container is configured to use the twisting grinding handle and to rotate relative to the grinding member; a measuring cup is provided on the outer container.

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to spice mills. More particularly, the present invention relates to an abrading device for a fragrance, the device comprising an inner container and an outer container, and further comprising an abrading component and a measuring cup.

Background

Conventional methods for grinding spices or other condiments include two grinding or grinding members between which the desired condiment is ground. These methods may be manual, automated or semi-automated. Typically, the grinding apparatus may comprise a rotor member which rotates relative to a stator member, the distance between the rotor and stator being adjustable to vary the grinding size. Such an adjustment of the distance between the rotor and the stator can be achieved using a screw system or a thread system. Achieving the proper particle size of the ground flavor becomes extremely important because properly ground flavors have particular tastes and other characteristics. Thus, in grinding perfumes, the appropriate desired particle size is kept in mind to achieve specific characteristics in the ground perfume.

One such solution is disclosed in prior art document US7967229B2, which describes an adjustable grinder comprising a container, a stator, a rotor, a drum and a rotating slide. The container may hold the product to be milled. The stator is positioned on the container. The rotor is positioned opposite the stator and is rotatable relative to the stator. The drum is positioned around the rotor. The rotating slide includes a pointer that can be adjusted such that the distance between the stator and the rotor increases or decreases.

Further prior art document US7984868B2 discloses a grinder comprising a grinder assembly maintained in a housing. The grinder assembly receives a ground material, such as coffee beans. Grinding barbs are provided, one of which is rotated by a grinder drive motor of the grinder assembly. The other barbs are generally non-rotatable for typical grinding operations. Both of these grinding barbs provide a grinding surface against which the beans are ground. The grinding surfaces are spaced apart from each other by a desired dimension to produce a desired coffee grinding effect. An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for adjusting at least a substantially non-rotatable burr to maintain, calibrate, or otherwise adjust a dimension or gap between abrasive surfaces of the burr.

There are solutions to grind coffee to a specific size for optimal taste. The prior art document EP1994866a1 discloses a device for grinding coffee, for example a (semi-) automatic machine for preparing and dispensing beverages, comprising: a housing having at least two milling heads positioned therein, wherein at least one of the milling heads is rotatable; means for driving said at least one rotary grinding head; an inlet for feeding coffee between the grinding heads and an outlet for the ground coffee. Advantageously, the housing and the milling head inside it are coupled to the drive means by an insertion and locking joint which allows its rapid removal and reassembly without the aid of tools. Preferably, the apparatus includes means for adjusting the relative distance between the grinding heads and at least one sensor for measuring such distance and/or a sensor of the rotational speed of the drive shaft.

As disclosed in the examples of the above prior art documents, although the current art discloses grinders for grinding spices or seasonings such as pepper, coffee, etc. while adjusting the particle size, the devices that are usually present are not portable and are manually operated. Further, some current portable solutions fail to include a mechanism that allows the fragrance to be metered while it is being milled, thereby milling only the desired amount of fragrance. Additionally, the dispensing or pouring of the ground fragrance from current devices is often uneven and may become messy when the fragrance is dispensed. And the appropriate amount of fragrance dispensed from the device is unknown, the user typically dispenses the milled fragrance bluntly based on human visual observation.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a portable solution for grinding fragrances that is easy to use, requires minimal effort from the user, and allows for uniform dispensing of the ground fragrances in precise desired amounts.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable, easy to use grinding apparatus having a particle size regulator for grinding different types of fragrances and which includes a means for easily and efficiently metering the amount of fragrance being ground and being dispensed. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple and controlled method to meter and dispense milled perfume. It is a further object of the present invention to make it portable, manually operable and easy to use, requiring minimal effort on the part of the user. To achieve these objects, a grinder is provided comprising an inner container disposed within an outer container, a grinding member preferably disposed opposite the inner container, and the outer container comprising a measuring cup.

The invention comprises a grinder having at least two reservoirs: a first inner reservoir having a cylindrical hollow shape reservoir with an opening at the top for storing/packaging the abrasive article therein. A second outer hollow reservoir houses the inner reservoir and includes a bottom dispensing opening on an opposite side of the top opening of the inner reservoir.

An additional feature of the present grinder is a "twisting" action. The action includes three steps after filling the dispenser with the consumable product. It is first necessary to invert the grinder to release the edible from the internal reservoir to the grinder assembly. The edible product can then be ground. The ground edible product is now contained in an outer reservoir or metering lid. In a final step, the dispenser may be rotated back to the home position, dispensing the abrasive articles through the dispensing opening in the bottom. Alternatively, the abraded objects are dispensed from the top when the metering cap can be opened or detached.

As is clear from the above, the metering cap also provides an improvement in hygiene, since the abraded objects are no longer dispensed via contact with the hand. The inner reservoir is for holding an edible item. This may be one or more edible items such as spices and the like, as well as mixtures thereof. The internal reservoir may also include several compartments to make the grinder more flexible and to hold different contents (e.g. salt and pepper). For example, pepper is placed in one compartment and salt or other spices are placed in another compartment, which may be individually dosed and dispensed, either collectively or separately. The dimensions of the inner and outer containers are selected to ensure that the grinder is convenient to use, has a convenient grip, is metered and is of a volume and type suitable for dispensing the medium. The outer reservoir preferably comprises two components: an upper member and a bottom member. This is done in order to be able to easily open the dispenser and (re) fill the inner reservoir with edible product. The upper and lower parts are preferably joined to each other by fixing means. Such securing means include snaps, connectors, connecting edges or the like. These fastening means should be able to allow easy rotation of the upper and lower parts. The inner reservoir contained in the outer reservoir may be manufactured in one piece with the bottom part of the outer reservoir. The inner reservoir may also be manufactured as a bag, so that when empty, the entire inner reservoir may be replaced for a complete/new inner reservoir/bag. The two outer parts may comprise fixing means, such as fins, for fixing the inner reservoir within the outer reservoir. The securing devices may also direct the movement of the edible items toward the bottom opening of the bottom member.

When the inner storage compartment as shown in fig. 3 comprises more than one compartment, the upper part 1 of the outer storage compartment may provide means for selecting a given compartment 2, which by a rotational movement will only dispense the selected edible item.

In a further improvement of the dosing function, the bottom opening of the outer storage chamber may also be provided with an adjustable dosing means. This may be in the form of a rotating attachment to change the size of the opening. Other means of varying the opening may also be used.

Other attachments with all kinds of functions may also be connected to the bottom opening of the outer reservoir. Such attachments may include further dosing means, grinding means, cutting means or the like.

A further aspect of the invention provides a grinder comprising a rotating inner container; a fixed abrasive component; and an abrading handle forming an abrading mechanism, wherein a rotating inner container is disposed within the outer container for containing a product to be abraded, and a stationary abrading component is disposed opposite the inner container, and wherein the rotating inner container is positioned and rotatably coupled to the abrading handle so as to freely rotate thereon with twisting of the abrading handle, the inner container being configured to rotate relative to the stationary abrading component; a particle size adjuster for adjusting the particle size of the ground product by controlling the distance between the rotating inner vessel and the stationary grinding member; and a measuring cup for observing the amount of the product when grinding using the grinding mechanism and uniformly dispensing the desired amount of the ground product in a controlled manner. The ground product may be removed by twisting, whereby the twisted ground product is dispensed via the bottom part of the outer container, or may be dispensed via a metering cup, which may be opened or removed.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of manufacturing a grinder, the method comprising providing an outer container coupled with a twisted grinding handle, the outer container and grinding handle forming an outer body of the grinder; providing a rotating inner container inside an outer body of the grinder, the rotating inner container positioned relative to the twisted grinding handle and configured to rotate therewith, wherein the rotating inner container is further configured to contain a desired amount of product; providing a stationary abrasive component positioned opposite a rotating inner container, wherein the rotating inner container is configured to rotate relative to the stationary abrasive component using a twisted abrasive handle; providing a measuring cup on the outer container, over the fixed grinding component, covering the outer body of the grinder, while grinding is performed by rotating the inner container relative to the fixed grinding component, wherein the measuring cup is configured for observing the amount of the product and allowing the ground product to pass from the inner container into the measuring cup by a control mechanism, which measuring cup, in a further sub-embodiment according to the invention, may further be configured to uniformly dispense the desired amount of ground product in a controlled manner by opening or removing the measuring cup; and providing a particle size adjuster around the outer container for adjusting the particle size of the ground product by rotating the particle size adjuster along the outer container and by controlling the distance between the rotating inner container and the stationary grinding component.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more particular description of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a spice grinder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a spice mill for milling spices according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a spice mill with its measuring cup removed, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4A and 4B show a sectional side view and a sectional perspective view of a spice mill according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5A and 5B show a bottom view of a spice mill with a cover closed and opened, respectively, according to an embodiment of the invention; and

fig. 6 shows a flow chart illustrating a method of grinding a spice using the spice grinder, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

The subject matter of the present application is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The principles described herein may be embodied in many different forms.

A grinder comprising an inner container and a grinding member, the inner container being disposed within an outer container, wherein the outer container comprises a measuring cup.

The grinder according to claim 1, wherein said grinding means comprises:

an abrading handle forming an abrading mechanism, the abrading component disposed opposite the inner container, and wherein the rotating inner container is positioned and rotatably coupled to the abrading handle such that upon rotation of the abrading handle, the inner container rotates with the abrading handle, the inner container configured to rotate relative to the abrading component.

The grinder according to claims 1 and 2, further comprising: a particle size adjuster for adjusting the particle size of the ground product by controlling the distance between the rotating inner vessel and the stationary grinding member; and a removable metering cup for observing the amount of product as or after grinding using the grinding mechanism and dispensing a desired amount of ground product by twisting the grinder.

The grinder according to claims 1-3, wherein the measuring cup is transparent, allowing the user to observe the amount of ground product as and after it is ground, and/or to grade with visual measuring marks or levels due to the measuring cup.

The grinder according to claims 1-4, wherein the metering marks are equally spaced marking lines on the measuring cup indicating the quantifiable units for the metered amount, including grams, milligrams.

The grinder according to claims 1-5, wherein the grinder further comprises a control mechanism for controlling the amount of ground product to be filled into the metering cup; the control mechanism is disposed radially between the inner container and the measuring cup about the grinding component, allowing a portion of the ground product to enter the measuring cup from the inner container as it is ground.

The grinder according to claims 1-6, wherein the particle size regulator is provided with visible particle size indicia corresponding to a plurality of particle sizes available from the grinder.

The grinder according to claims 1-7, wherein the stationary grinding member is positioned at an opposite axial distance from the rotating inner container inside the grinder, and the rotating inner container and the stationary grinding member have respective grinding surfaces facing opposite each other.

The grinder according to claims 1-8, wherein the outer container and the grinding handle together constitute an outer body of the grinder, and the grinding handle is rotatable around the outer container.

The grinder according to claims 1-9, wherein the particle size regulator is rotated or turned along the outer container and locked at a desired particle size marking corresponding to a specific desired particle size, the twisting of the particle size regulator causing the fixed grinding member to move closer to or further away from the rotating inner container according to the desired locked particle size marking, and wherein the grinding member is locked at the desired particle size marking at a distance corresponding to the locked particle size marking relative to the inner container.

The grinder according to claims 1-10, wherein the product ground by the grinder comprises spices, herbs, berries, other spices such as coffee.

A method for manufacturing a portable grinder, the method comprising: providing an outer container coupled with a rotating or swiveling grinding handle, the outer container and the grinding handle forming an outer body of the grinder; providing an inner container within an outer container of the grinder, the inner container being positioned relative to and configured to rotate with the rotating or spinning grinding handle, providing a grinding member positioned relative to the inner container, wherein the inner container is configured to rotate relative to the grinding member with the grinding handle twisted; a measuring cup is arranged on the outer container.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

The present invention relates to a grinder comprising an inner container and a first (embedded) grinding member, the inner container being arranged within an outer container, a second grinding member preferably being arranged opposite the inner container, and wherein the outer container comprises a measuring cup.

The present invention provides a portable, easy to use spice mill or grinding device comprising a grinding mechanism for grinding spices or other condiments; a particle size regulator and an optional removable metering container or cup for metering the fragrance when grinding the fragrance. The grinding mechanism preferably comprises a fixed part and a rotating part; each having a respective abrasive surface spaced a distance relative to each other. The rotating portion rotates relative to the stationary portion, which, when rotating relative to the stationary portion, grinds the fragrance contained in the grinder. Further, the function of the particle size regulator is to obtain the desired particle size during grinding. Additionally, the metering container may meter the amount of fragrance being ground as it is being ground within the grinder, and the metering container may be selectively removed or opened for efficient dispensing of the ground fragrance from the grinder, or by the twisting motion described above.

Referring to fig. 1-5, which illustrate different views of an exemplary portable spice grinder, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the spice grinder 100 includes an outer container 102, a grinding handle 104, a movable metering cup 106, and a particle size adjuster 108. The outer container 102 and grinding handle 104 constitute the outer body of the grinder 100. The grinding handle 104 is coupled with the outer vessel 102 such that the grinding handle 104 is rotatable along the coupling. In addition, the measuring cup 106 is graduated and provides a visual measuring scale or indicia 110 that allows the user to visually measure the fragrance as it is ground. FIG. 3 shows the measuring cup 106 with the measuring cup removed. In an embodiment, the metering marks 110 may be equally spaced lines of marks on the cup 106 indicating a measurable unit of quantity, such as grams, milligrams, or the like. As the fragrance is ground, the cup 106 can contain the fragrance and the ground fragrance can be correspondingly metered via the metering scale 110. The cup 106 may remain unopened or not removed, or alternatively may be easily removed, easily and controllably dispensing the ground fragrance in precisely metered amounts. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the measuring cup 106 may be manufactured in a suitable shape to contain, measure and dispense the ground fragrance, such as a circular shape as shown in fig. 1-5, a hemispherical shape, a rectangular parallelepiped, or any other shape depending on the design and requirements of the measuring cup 106 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the particle size adjuster 108 is provided with visual indicia 112 indicating the various particle sizes that may be obtained from the grinder 100. The particle size adjuster 108 may be twisted about the visual marker 112 to achieve the desired particle size.

Referring now to fig. 4A and 4B, a grinding mechanism is shown, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Grinder 100 includes a grinding mechanism that further includes a rotating inner container 114 and a stationary grinding member 116. Rotating inner container 114 is positioned in such a way that inner container 114 rotates with abrading handle 104 and is coupled to abrading handle 104. Thus, when a user rotates abrading handle 104, inner container 114 rotates with abrading handle 104. The inner container 114 is driven in rotation by means of a grinding handle 114, the grinding handle 114 forming part of the outer body of the grinder 100. Thus, the outer container 102 and grinding handle 104 together comprise the outer body of the grinder 100, while the grinding handle 104 is rotatable about the outer container 102.

Further, a fixed grinding member 116 is provided inside the grinder 100 at an axial distance from the inner container 114. A fixed abrasive component 116 is positioned opposite the inner container 114 with its respective abrasive surfaces facing toward each other. The abrasive surface of inner container 114 and abrasive component 116 are spaced a distance from each other to produce a flavor abrasive having a particle size that is dependent on the distance between the abrasive surface of inner container 114 and abrasive component 116. This distance may be referred to as the grinding distance and may be controlled and adjusted using the particle size adjuster 108. The smaller the distance between the two abrasive surfaces, the finer the fragrance that is milled.

To grind the desired fragrance, the cover 118 can be opened (as shown in fig. 5B) and the desired amount of fragrance can be loaded into the grinder 100. The inner container 114 contains the amount of fragrance that can be ground using the grinder 100. To grind the fragrance, the user rotates grind handle 104, which in turn rotates inner container 114 rotatably coupled to grind handle 104. A portion of the abrasive surface of the inner container 114 is provided with a plurality of teeth 120 opposite the abrasive surface of the fixed abrasive component 116. In an embodiment, the inner container 114 may be provided with a suitable number of rows of teeth for grinding the fragrance. In an embodiment, the entire abrasive surface of the inner container 114 is provided with a plurality of teeth.

As the abrading handle 104 is twisted, the inner container 114 rotates relative to the oppositely facing fixed abrading component 116. As the inner container 114 rotates relative to the fixed abrasive component 116, the fragrance contained between the respective abrasive surfaces of the inner container 114 and the abrasive component 116 is abraded due to the rotational movement of the inner container 114 and the presence of the plurality of teeth 120 on the abrasive surface of the inner container 114.

In addition, the particle size of the grind may also be selected using the particle size adjuster 108. The regulator 108 is twisted along the outer vessel 102 and locked at the desired particle size indicia 112 corresponding to the particular particle size. If the inner container is a multi-bin container, the conditioner will also allow the user to select which items he wishes to select for grinding. Thus, the user can select a desired fragrance, a desired particle size, rotate the knob 108, and direct the knob 108 toward the indicia 112. Each size indicia 112 corresponds to a predetermined particle size or a predetermined article to be abraded. As the adjuster 108 is rotated, the axial distance between the inner container 114 and the abrasive component 116 may be adjusted. To obtain the desired article and/or the desired particle size, the actuator 108 is rotated to the corresponding marker 112 and locked there. The abrasive component 116 moves closer to the inner container 114 based on the locked particle size indicia 112. When the abrasive component 116 reaches the appropriate distance relative to the inner container 114 according to the locked particle size indicia 112, the abrasive component 116 is locked in that position and becomes stationary during the abrading process. Thus, the user can adjust the particle size to achieve the desired particle size of the ground fragrance and the choice of ground fragrance.

As abrading handle 104 is continuously rotated and twisted, inner container 114 rotates relative to abrading component 116 and abrades the flavorant contained therein. Further, as the grinding continues, the ground fragrance collects in the measuring cup 106. The measuring cup 106 has a transparent lid that allows the user to view the amount of fragrance that is being ground. To obtain the desired amount of ground fragrance, the user must look through the transparent cover and meter the ground fragrance using the metering indicia 110. Once the milled scent reaches the desired metering mark 110 corresponding to the desired amount of milled scent, the user can stop rotating the milling handle 104.

Further, to dispense the ground fragrance from the grinder, the grinding handle 104 is moved back to its original position where the fragrance is filled into the inner container 114. In a particular embodiment, the measuring cup 106 is removed and a precisely metered amount of ground flavor having a desired particle size is neatly dispensed from the grinder 100 without creating any mess. In further embodiments, the metering cap may be opened. Alternatively, the metering cap remains unopened on the container, allowing the product to be dispensed via twisting out of the bottom part of the outer container, because there is a dispensing channel between the inner and outer containers (fig. 4A).

The measuring cup 106 allows for a controlled dispensing function, allowing the user to view the amount of fragrance being milled during the milling process. During grinding, the amount of fragrance being ground is continuously filled into the measuring cup 106 in a controlled manner by means of a control mechanism between the measuring cup 106 and the inner container 114. Thus, a control mechanism is provided between the measuring cup 106 and the inner container 114 to allow only a portion of the ground fragrance to enter the measuring cup 106 when the fragrance is being ground. The control mechanism may be in the form of a series of spaced ribs positioned radially around the grinding component 116 between the metering cup 106 and the inner container 114, wherein the ribs are configured to pass ground fragrance through them and into the metering cup 106 in a controlled manner. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the control mechanism may be provided in many other forms depending on the design and requirements of the grinder, such as ribs, radial tabs around the grinding member 116, etc., without departing from the meaning and scope of the invention.

Thus, in an exemplary situation where the user does not want to grind all of the fragrance contained in the inner container 114, the user may twist the grind handle 104 until the measuring cup is filled to the desired metering mark or level 110. The ground flavor enters the measuring cup 106 through a control mechanism as it is ground. After this, the user can dispense the desired fragrance and the precise amount of milled fragrance within the selected grind size.

In further embodiments, when the user desires to grind the entire amount of fragrance contained in inner container 114, the ground fragrance is also dispensed from closure 118.

Referring to fig. 6, a method of performing a grinding sequence using the spice grinder 100 is shown, the method 200 being read and understood in conjunction with fig. 1-5. At step 202, the method 200 includes filling the grinder 100 with a fragrance to be ground. The cover 118 of the grinder 100 is opened and the fragrance is placed in the inner container 114. The user can put in the desired amount of fragrance or just put in the fragrance freely without metering the amount.

At step 204, the user adjusts the particle size adjuster 108 by twisting the particle size adjuster 108 to the desired particle size indicia 112. The adjuster 108 moves the abrasive component 116 closer to or further away from the inner container 114 based on the set desired particle size indicia 112. The adjuster 108 is locked into this position, locking the abrasive component 116 at a corresponding distance from the inner container 114 according to the desired particle size indicia 112. At step 206, the user turns or rotates the grinding handle 104, which in turn rotates the inner container 114 relative to the stationary grinding member 116, grinding the fragrance contained in the grinder 100.

At step 208, the user maintains a view of the amount of fragrance being ground during the grinding process through the transparent cover of the measuring cup 106 and using the measuring level 110. At step 210, when the amount of ground fragrance reaches the desired level 110, the user may remove or open the measuring cup 106, or twist the container and neatly dispense the precise amount of ground fragrance having the desired particle size.

Advantageously, the present invention provides a portable spice mill for milling and dispensing a desired quantity of spice having a desired particle size in a controlled hygienic manner. The grinder grinds the fragrance into different particle sizes by adjusting the distance between the rotating inner container and the stationary grinding member. The grinder allows for the use of a measuring cup to meter the ground fragrance during the grinding process, while also allowing for the dispensing of the precise desired amount of ground fragrance. The grinder may grind different kinds of spices such as spices, e.g., pepper, berries, salt, herbs, etc., and is not limited to grinding only spices or herbs. The grinder provides an even distribution of the ground flavor with a known desired amount. In embodiments, the spice mill provided by the present invention can be semi-automatic or automatic, in addition to manual operation. For semi-automatic or fully automatic operation, the spice mill can be electrically operated using a cable, or can be battery operated. The battery may be rechargeable or non-rechargeable.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods, apparatus and systems described herein may be embodied in various other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods, devices, and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.