Multi-configuration herb grinder with enhanced crushing efficiency and interchangeable contoured grinding surfaces
View Patent ↗A grinder comprises an upper grinding housing with an upper contoured grinding surface and a lower grinding housing with a lower contoured grinding surface. The lower contoured grinding surface has multiple openings. The upper and lower contoured grinding surfaces have no teeth or protruding, non-smooth features as in conventional grinders. In operation, ground material falls between the openings and is collected in a lower chamber. The grinder includes an upper collection chamber attached to the lower grinding housing and a lower collection chamber attached to the upper collection chamber. An upper cap is removably attached or integrally fixed to the upper grinding housing. The apparatus is made from any suitable material, including stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, zinc, polymer, stone, wood, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, a locking mechanism is provided that secures the lower and upper grinding housings thereby preventing disengagement when not in use.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
an upper grinding housing having an upper contoured grinding surface, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface extends between an outer edge and a center of the upper contoured grinding surface and consists solely of smooth concave upper valleys that form upper ridges where adjacent upper valleys meet, wherein each of the upper ridges extends non-linearly from the outer edge toward the center from a top-down perspective, and wherein the upper contoured grinding surface does not include any flat or planar surfaces between the outer edge and the center;
an upper magnet disposed at the center of the upper contoured grinding surface;
a lower grinding housing having a lower contoured grinding surface, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface extends between an outer edge and a center of the lower contoured grinding surface and consists solely of smooth concave lower valleys that form lower ridges where adjacent lower valleys meet, wherein each of the lower ridges extends non-linearly from the outer edge toward the center from a top-down perspective, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not include any flat or planar surfaces between the outer edge and the center, and wherein the lower contoured grinding surface has a plurality of openings disposed within the lower valleys; and
a lower magnet disposed at the center of the lower contoured grinding surface and configured to magnetically couple with the upper magnet, and wherein the upper contoured grinding surface and the lower contoured grinding surface mate thereby forming a non-planar grinding surface.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper contoured grinding surface has no openings.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, corners, or surfaces that meet at an angle between eighty and one-hundred degrees.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not contain any non-smooth concavities apart from edges of the openings.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper collection chamber attached to the lower grinding housing opposite the upper grinding housing.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the upper collection chamber is attached to the lower grinding housing with a connection mechanism selected from the group consisting of a threaded interface, an interference fit, a magnetic connection, a locking flange, and any combination thereof.
7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a lower collection chamber attached to the upper collection chamber opposite the lower grinding housing.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a mesh screen disposed between the upper collection chamber and the lower collection chamber.
9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the upper collection chamber further comprises:
one or more openings in the bottom surface of the upper collection chamber.
10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the lower collection chamber is attached to the upper collection chamber with a connection mechanism selected from the group consisting of a threaded interface, an interference fit, a magnetic connection, a locking flange, and any combination thereof.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper cap attached to the upper grinding housing opposite the lower grinding housing.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the upper cap is attached to the upper grinding housing with a connection mechanism selected from the group consisting of a threaded interface, an interference fit, a magnetic connection, a locking flange, and any combination thereof.
13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the upper cap is permanently fixed to the upper grinding housing and not removable.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper grinding housing is attached to the lower grinding housing with a magnetic connection when not in use.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, zinc, polymer, stone, wood, and any combination thereof.
16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the apparatus is made from environmentally sustainable or recycled materials.
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the upper contoured grinding surface and the lower contoured grinding surface is rotationally symmetrical.
18 . An apparatus comprising:
an upper grinding housing having an upper contoured grinding surface, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface extends between an outer edge and a center of the upper contoured grinding surface and consists solely of smooth concave upper valleys that form upper ridges where adjacent upper valleys meet, wherein each of the upper ridges extends non-linearly from the outer edge toward the center as viewed in a top-down view, and wherein the upper contoured grinding surface does not include any flat or planar surfaces between the outer edge and the center; and
a lower grinding housing having a lower contoured grinding surface, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface extends between an outer edge and a center of the lower contoured grinding surface and consists solely of smooth concave lower valleys that form lower ridges where adjacent lower valleys meet, wherein each of the lower ridges extends non-linearly from the outer edge toward the center as viewed in a top-down view, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not include any flat or planar surfaces between the outer edge and the center, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface has a plurality of openings disposed within the lower valleys, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface and the lower contoured grinding surface mate thereby forming a non-planar grinding surface, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface and the lower contoured grinding surface are rotationally symmetrical, and wherein the upper ridges and lower ridges are equal in number.
19 . An apparatus comprising:
an upper grinding housing having an upper contoured grinding surface, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface extends between an outer edge and a center of the upper contoured grinding surface and consists solely of smooth concave upper valleys that form upper ridges where adjacent upper valleys meet, wherein each of the upper ridges extends non-linearly from the outer edge toward the center as viewed in a top-down view, and wherein the upper contoured grinding surface does not include any flat or planar surfaces between the outer edge and the center;
a lower grinding housing having a lower contoured grinding surface, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not contain any teeth, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface extends between an outer edge and a center of the lower contoured grinding surface and consists solely of smooth concave lower valleys that form lower ridges where adjacent lower valleys meet, wherein each of the lower ridges extends non-linearly from the outer edge toward the center as viewed in a top-down view, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface does not include any flat or planar surfaces between the outer edge and the center, wherein the lower contoured grinding surface has a plurality of openings disposed within the lower valleys, wherein the upper contoured grinding surface and the lower contoured grinding surface mate thereby forming a non-planar grinding surface;
an upper collection chamber attachable to the lower grinding housing, wherein the upper collection chamber includes a mesh screen; and
a lower collection chamber attachable to the upper collection chamber, wherein the mesh screen provides passage of particles smaller than a predetermined size from the upper collection chamber to the lower collection chamber.