Reduced noise food waste disposer

• US 20030066914A1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insinkerator LLC (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Jara-Almonte, Cynthia C., Berger, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/46.013
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/2665 Disintegrating apparatus specially adapted for installation in waste pipes or outlets disintegrating apparatus per se B02C

Abstract

A food waste disposer having devices to reduce noise is disclosed. The disposer has a food conveying section, a motor section, and a grinding section. To reduce the emitted noise that may result when food waste impacts the various components of the grinding section, in one embodiment, the present invention uses sound reduction layers attached to the external surfaces of the food conveying section, the motor section, and/or the central grinding section. The sound reduction layers may be made of materials that absorb, block, or dampen the emitted noise. The rotating shredder plate may have a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer. The stationary shredder ring may be made of a high-mass material or have a high-mass ring in connection with a stationary shredder ring. These devices may be combined with various disposer inlet baffles.

Claims

1. A food waste disposer comprising:

a housing having an exterior surface; and

a first sound reduction layer composed of a substantially non-porous material positioned adjacent to a portion of the exterior surface.

2. The food waste disposer of claim 1, wherein the first sound reduction layer is positioned adjacent to the portion of the exterior surface with an adhesive.

3. The food waste disposer of claim 1, wherein the substantially non-porous material has a specific gravity of approximately 2.0 to 2.5.

4. The food waste disposer of claim 1, wherein the substantially non-porous material is a rubber-based mastic material.

5. The food waste disposer in claim 1, further comprising a second sound reduction layer positioned adjacent to a portion of the first sound reduction layer.

6. The food waste disposer in claim 5, wherein the second sound reduction layer is selected from the group consisting of a metal foil, a polyethylene film, and a polyester film.

7. A food waste disposer comprising:

a food conveying section having a housing to receive food waste, the housing of the food conveying section having an exterior surface;

a motor section having a housing and a motor, the housing of the motor section having an exterior surface, the motor capable of imparting rotational movement to a motor shaft;

a grinding section disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveying food waste to the grinding section, the grinding section having a grinding mechanism and an exterior surface, at least a portion of the grinding mechanism attached to the motor shaft; and

a first non-porous sound reduction layer attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the food conveying section, the motor section, or the grinding section.

8. The food waste disposer in claim 7, further comprising a second sound reduction layer attached to the first non-porous sound reduction layer.

9. The food waste disposer in claim 8, wherein the second sound reduction layer is a substantially thin metal foil.

10. The food waste disposer in claim 7, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a rotating shredder plate having a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer, the second damping layer disposed between the first and third metallic layers.

11. The food waste disposer in claim 7, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a stationary shredder ring in contact with a high-mass damping ring.

12. The food waste disposer in claim 7, further comprising:

a second sound reduction layer made of a flexible porous foam material and attached to the first non-porous sound reduction layer;

a third sound reduction layer made of a non-porous barrier material and attached to the second sound reduction layer;

a fourth sound reduction layer made of a flexible porous foam material and attached to the third sound reduction layer; and

a fifth sound reduction layer made of a non-porous barrier material and attached to the fourth sound reduction layer.

13. The food waste disposer in claim 7, wherein the food conveying section has an inlet capable of being attached to a drain opening by an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism having a noise baffle.

14. A food waste disposer, comprising:

a housing having an exterior surface; and

a plurality of sound reduction layers positioned adjacent to a portion of the exterior surface.

15. The food waste disposer of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sound reduction layers comprises a first sound reduction layer composed of a substantially porous material positioned adjacent to the portion of the exterior surface.

16. The food waste disposer of claim 15, wherein the substantially porous material is composed of a foam material.

17. The food waste disposer of claim 15, wherein an adhesive attaches the first sound reduction layer to the portion of the exterior surface.

18. The food waste disposer of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sound reduction layers comprises a second sound reduction layer positioned adjacent to a portion of the first sound reduction layer.

19. The food waste disposer of claim 18, wherein the second sound reduction layer is composed of a substantially non-porous material.

20. The food waste disposer of claim 19, wherein the substantially non-porous material is approximately 1.0 to 1.8 lbs. per square foot.

21. The food waste disposer of claim 19, wherein the substantially non-porous material is selected from the group consisting of a rubber, a mass loaded polyvinyl chloride, and a loaded mastic.

22. The food waste disposer of claim 18, further comprising a third sound reduction layer positioned adjacent to a portion of the second sound reduction layer.

23. The food waste disposer of claim 22, wherein the third sound reduction layer is composed of a substantially porous material.

24. A food waste disposer comprising:

a food conveying section having a housing to receive food waste, the housing of the food conveying section having an exterior surface;

a motor section having a housing and a motor, the housing of the motor section having an exterior surface, the motor capable of imparting rotational movement to a motor shaft;

a grinding section disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveying food waste to the grinding section, the grinding section having a grinding mechanism and an exterior surface, at least a portion of the grinding mechanism attached to the motor shaft;

a first sound reduction layer attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the food conveying section, the motor section, or the grinding section, the first sound reduction layer made of a rubber-based mastic material; and

a second sound reduction layer attached to the first sound reduction layer, the second sound reduction layer made of a substantially thin metal foil.

25. The food waste disposer in claim 24, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a rotating shredder plate having a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer, the second damping layer disposed between the first and third metallic layers.

26. The food waste disposer in claim 24, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises stationary shredder ring in contact with a high-mass damping ring.

27. The food waste disposer in claim 24, wherein the food conveying section has an inlet capable of being attached to a drain opening by an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism having a noise baffle.

28. A food waste disposer comprising:

a food conveying section having a housing to receive food waste, the housing of the food conveying section having an exterior surface;

a motor section having a housing and a motor, the housing of the motor section having an exterior surface, the motor capable of imparting rotational movement to a motor shaft;

a grinding section disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveying food waste to the grinding section, the grinding section having a grinding mechanism and an exterior surface, at least a portion of the grinding mechanism attached to the motor shaft;

a first sound reduction layer attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the food conveying section, the motor section, or the grinding section, the first sound reduction layer made of a flexible porous foam material;

a second sound reduction layer attached to the first sound reduction layer, the second sound reduction layer made of a non-porous material; and

a third sound reduction layer attached to the second sound reduction layer, the third sound reduction layer made of a flexible porous foam material.

29. The food waste disposer in claim 28, further comprising a fourth sound reduction layer attached to the third sound reduction layer, the fourth sound reduction layer made of a non-porous barrier material.

30. The food waste disposer in claim 28, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a rotating shredder plate having a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer, the second damping layer disposed between the first and third metallic layers.

31. The food waste disposer in claim 28, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a stationary shredder ring in contact with a high-mass damping ring.

32. The food waste disposer in claim 28, wherein the food conveying section has an inlet capable of being attached to a drain opening by an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism having a noise baffle.

33. A food waste disposer comprising:

a rotating element in the disposer for impacting waste, the rotating element comprising a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers being composed of a damping material.

34. The food waste disposer of claim 33, wherein the rotating element comprises a first metallic layer and a second layer, the second layer attached to the first layer and composed of the damping material.

35. The food waste disposer of claim 33, wherein the rotating element comprises a first metallic layer, a second metallic layer, and a third layer, the third layer composed of the damping material and disposed between the first and second metallic layers.

36. The food waste disposer of claim 35, wherein the first and second metallic layers are composed of stainless steel.

37. The food waste disposer of claim 35, wherein the damping material is a viscoelastic material.

38. A food waste disposer comprising:

a food conveying section having a housing to receive food waste, the housing of the food conveying section having an exterior surface;

a motor section having a housing and a motor, the housing of the motor section having an exterior surface, the motor capable of imparting rotational movement to a motor shaft; and

a grinding section disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveying food waste to the grinding section, the grinding section having a grinding mechanism and an exterior surface, the grinding mechanism comprising;

a rotating shredder plate attached to the motor shaft and having a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer, the second damping layer disposed between the first and third metallic layers, and

a stationary shredder ring disposed about the rotating shredder plate.

39. The food waste disposer in claim 38, wherein the stationary shredder ring is in contact with a high-mass damping ring.

40. The food waste disposer in claim 38, further comprising a first non-porous sound reduction layer, the first non-porous sound reduction layer attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the food conveying section, the motor section, or the grinding section.

41. The food waste disposer in claim 38, further comprising:

a first sound reduction layer made of a flexible porous foam material and attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the food conveying section, the motor section, or the grinding section;

a second sound reduction layer made of a non-porous material and attached to the first sound reduction layer; and

a third sound reduction layer made of a flexible porous foam material and attached to the second sound reduction layer.

42. The food waste disposer in claim 38, further comprising:

a first sound reduction layer made of a rubber-based mastic material and attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the food conveying section, the motor section, or the grinding section; and

a second sound reduction layer made of a substantially thin metal foil and attached to the first sound reduction layer.

43. The food waste disposer of claim 38, further comprising an outer shell surrounding a portion of the exterior surfaces of the food waste disposer, a granular sound reduction layer disposed between the outer shell and the portion of the exterior surfaces.

44. The food waste disposer in claim 38, wherein the food conveying section has an inlet capable of being attached to a drain opening by an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism having a noise baffle.

45. A food waste disposer, comprising:

a housing having an exterior surface;

a shell disposed about a portion of the housing and defining a cavity with the exterior surface; and

a granular material disposed in the cavity.

46. The food waste disposer of claim 45, wherein the granular material is selected from the group consisting of expanded perlite, glass, and low-density polyethylene.

47. The food waste disposer of claim 46, wherein the expanded perlite has a density of approximately 2.0 to 2.5 lbs. per cubic foot.

48. A food waste disposer comprising:

a food conveying section having a housing to receive food waste, the housing of the food conveying section having an exterior surface;

a motor section having a housing and a motor, the housing of the motor section having an exterior surface, the motor capable of imparting rotational movement to a motor shaft;

a grinding section disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveying food waste to the grinding section, the grinding section having a grinding mechanism and an exterior surface, at least a portion of the grinding mechanism attached to the motor shaft;

an outer shell surrounding at least a portion of the food conveying section, motor section and the grinding section, the outer shell forming a cavity between the outer shell and at least a portion of the exterior surfaces of the food conveying section, motor section and the grinding section; and

a granular sound reduction layer disposed in the cavity.

49. The food waste disposer in claim 48, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a rotating shredder plate having a first metallic layer, a second damping layer, and a third metallic layer, the second damping layer disposed between the first and third metallic layers.

50. The food waste disposer in claim 48, wherein the grinding mechanism comprises a stationary shredder ring in contact with a high-mass damping ring.

51. The food waste disposer in claim 48, wherein the food conveying section has an inlet capable of being attached to a drain opening by an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism having a noise baffle.