(19)
(11)EP 2 676 585 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
13.01.2021 Bulletin 2021/02

(21)Application number: 13165843.7

(22)Date of filing:  29.04.2013
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC): 
A47J 42/24(2006.01)

(54)

Nut chopper

Nusshacker

Hachoir noix


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30)Priority: 18.06.2012 US 201261661131 P
22.04.2013 US 201313867383

(43)Date of publication of application:
25.12.2013 Bulletin 2013/52

(73)Proprietor: Progressive International Corporation
Kent, WA 98032 (US)

(72)Inventors:
  • Kent, Joseph
    Seattle, WA Washington 98117 (US)
  • Kaposi, Sascha
    Tacoma, WA Washington 98406 (US)

(74)Representative: Snipe, Benjamin Thomas Fletcher 
Snipe Chandrahasen LLP 35 Kingsland Road
London E2 8AA
London E2 8AA (GB)


(56)References cited: : 
FR-A- 1 424 967
US-A- 2 280 211
FR-A1- 2 338 029
US-A- 3 527 277
  
      
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description

    FIELD OF THE INVENTION



    [0001] This invention relates generally to devices for chopping and grinding nuts and similar food items.

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION



    [0002] Chopping nuts can be a very difficult exercise. Commonly, nuts are chopped using a large kitchen knife pressing downward against nuts that are spread out on a cutting board. This process takes time, and because nuts are often rounded and oddly shaped it is difficult to chop the nuts evenly. It is also common for individual nuts to roll away from the knife, making it challenging and potentially dangerous to chop them. Electronic food processors may be used, but in most cases it is difficult to ensure that the nuts are chopped to a relatively uniform size.

    [0003] A known document, US3527277, discloses a nut chopper having a hopper and a jar. Nuts to be chopped are placed in the hopper to rest on an undulating slotted circular plate. The nuts are chopped by turning of a crank to which a toothed rotary cutter bar is attached. The teeth of the cutter bar extend through the slots as the cutter bar is rotated and press against the nuts to chop them. The chopped nuts are caught in the jar. A problem with this nut chopper is that the width of the slots presents a limitation on the width of the chopped nuts. Document FR2338029 A1 also discloses a chopper.

    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION



    [0004] According to the present invention, there is provided a nut chopper as defined in claim 1. Nuts of a relatively larger size are able to fall through the wider portion of the grate while the narrower portion of the grate only allows smaller nuts to pass through. Accordingly, rotation of the blades in a first direction such that they pass through the nuts on their way through the narrower grate width will chop the nuts to a finer size, while rotation of the blades in the opposite direction such that they pass through the nuts immediately before passing through the wider side of the grate will chop the nuts to a more coarse size.

    [0005] In a further feature of some versions of the invention, the crank may be operated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. As noted above, this allows the nuts to be chopped to a desired size depending on the configuration of the grate. In addition, it allows the hopper and container to be inverted once the nuts are chopped so that the process can be repeated a second time. The second pass of the blade through the nuts results in nuts that are chopped to a finer size.

    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



    [0006] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

    Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred nut chopper.

    Figure 2 is a front view of a handle and set of blades for use with a preferred nut chopper.

    Figure 3 is a perspective view of the handle and set of blades illustrated in Figure 2.

    Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of a preferred nut chopper.

    Figure 5 is a top plan view of a preferred nut chopping grate for use with a nut chopper.


    DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT



    [0007] A preferred example of a nut chopper 10 is shown in the accompanying figures. The exemplary nut chopper includes an upper hopper 30 carried on a lower container 40. Most preferably, a neck 70 is formed at a juncture between the hopper and the container, with the neck being narrower than both the upper hopper and the lower container. Similarly, the hopper is preferably formed in a generally conical or tapered shape, being narrower adjacent the neck and wider at the top. In this configuration, nuts deposited into the hopper are naturally funneled toward the neck of the body of the device for chopping. The wider base of the lower container further adds to the stability of the device, and allows the lower container to serve as a hopper if the device is inverted. In the preferred version, the container body is sized to be hand-held, with one hand holding the container body and another hand operating a crank that drives a set of blades to chop the nuts directed downward by the hopper.

    [0008] In some versions, a lid 31 is formed at the top of the hopper so that nuts can be inserted into the hopper with the lid removed and then the lid can be replaced to allow chopping. In other versions, either with or without a lid, the hopper is removably attached to the lower container such that nuts can be deposited into the hopper when it is removed from the container. Likewise, separation of the hopper from the container allows both the hopper and the container to be cleaned. In one example, a lower rim of the hopper may be friction-fitted into an upper rim of the lower container that generally forms the neck of the main container body.

    [0009] A grate 50 is positioned within the neck of the container, preferably supported by a flange or seat extending radially inward from an inner sidewall of the neck. In the preferred version of the invention as best seen in Figure 4, the neck 70 is formed at an upper end of the lower container 40 and the flange or seat is provided along an inner sidewall of the neck.

    [0010] The grate is formed with a plurality of parallel elongated slots or openings allowing chopped nuts to fall through the grate, as best seen in Figure 5. In one version of the invention, the parallel openings are all substantially uniform and generally rectangular or oblong in shape. In another version, such as the illustrated version, the grate includes a first half and a second half, each of the slots having a portion in the first half and a portion in the second half of the grate. The elongated slots are generally formed in two halves, with the portion of the slots in the first half being wider than the portion of the slots in the second half.

    [0011] As illustrated in the version of Figure 5, the grate is substantially circular in shape, with each of the first half and second half forming semicircular portions of the circular grate (as viewed in Figure 5, the first half is at the lower portion of the page and the second half is at the upper portion of the page). In this version, each of the openings formed in the grate extends continuously from the first half to the second half, but at a location generally along the center of the grate the openings are narrower in a first direction and wider in the second direction. In other versions of the invention the grate may be square or have a different perimeter shape.

    [0012] The grate 50 of the preferred version therefore includes several parallel slots or openings and in one example it includes six such openings. The slots include wider portions at the first side, for example opening portions 51, 52, 53, each of which transitions to a narrower opening portion at the second side, for example 54, 55, 56. Together the narrower and wider opening portions join together to form continuous slots.

    [0013] The grate may be formed from a unitary section of metal in which the openings are stamped or otherwise formed in the metal plate to form the grate. Alternatively, the grate may be formed from plastic, ceramic, or other materials.

    [0014] The grate 50 may further include a series of peripheral flanges formed about the perimeter of the grate, with the flanges 81, 82 separated by a gap. The gap is sized and positioned to receive a peg 83 formed on an interior seat formed within the neck in order to allow the grate to be aligned properly within the neck 70, and thereby ensure that the blades rotate uniformly in an aligned manner between the parallel openings.

    [0015] The chopper includes a crank handle 20 supporting a series of parallel blades, for example 21-26, mounted on an axle for rotation. Most preferably, there is a single blade for each opening in the grate. Accordingly, in a version of the invention in which there are six openings in the grate, six blades are provided. Each blade further has a length defined in a direction perpendicular to the axle and parallel to the blade edge, with the length of the blade being close to but slightly less than the length of the corresponding grate opening. When a circular grate is used, the blades positioned in the center of the set of blades (for example, blades 23 and 24 as best seen in Figure 3) will preferably be longer than those at the outside of the set of blades (for example, blades 21 and 26) because the slots or openings of the grate may be formed to be longer at the center of the grate than at the outer portion, along the perimeter of the grate.

    [0016] The axle 28 portion of the crank 20 is carried on the body of the chopper, preferably being supported above the grate 50 in the vicinity of the neck 70 of the device. In order to allow the blades to pass evenly through the grate, the axle is mounted perpendicularly to the parallel openings in the grate. In one version, the neck includes a pair of openings 41, 42 formed in the neck of the body of the chopper to support the axle. As best seen in Figure 4, a distal end of the axle may be configured to be received by a bearing 60 which is seated in one of the openings 42 sized to mount the bearing. A proximal end of the axle, relatively closer to the crank handle, may be seated in a smaller opening 41 sized to receive the axle for rotation.

    [0017] As shown, in one version of the invention six blades 21-26 are provided, one for each opening. Each blade has a length that is slightly shorter than the length of the opening from one side of the grate to the opposite side (with the length of the slots being defined in a direction parallel to the plane of the blade). In addition, the blades are preferably mounted such that they are angularly offset with respect to one another about the axle on which they are supported. Thus each blade is positioned at a slightly different angular orientation about the axle, as shown in Figure 3. When viewed from a perspective in which the viewer is looking along the line of the axle, each of the blades is positioned such that the axle extends substantially through the center of the blade, with each of the blades being substantially uniformly offset from each adjacent blade. Accordingly, with six blades each blade is angularly offset from the next adjacent blade by an angle of about 30 degrees.

    [0018] In one example, the axle 28 is formed with a non-circular cross-section, such as a rectangular or oval cross section. Each of the blades 21-26 is formed with a correspondingly shaped bore 29 so that the blade may be carried on the axle, with the axle passing through the bore. As best seen in Figure 4, the non-circular bore is formed in each of the blades in a sequentially offset angle, thereby allowing each of the separate blades to be angularly offset from an adjacent blade in a sequential fashion. This angular arrangement reduces the number of blades being urged through the grate at any one time, thereby reducing the amount of force required to cause the blades to pass through the grate.

    [0019] The blades are separated from one another by spacers, for example 61, 62, to ensure even distribution of the blades and to allow for alignment and separation from one another so that the blades will fit smoothly through a respective opening within the grate.

    [0020] As best seen in Figure 4, the blades are shaped as an elongated hexagon, having a pair of opposing apexes on opposite sides of the axle. As the axle is offset slightly above the surface of the grate, the shallow angle of the edge of the blade that first passes through the grate allows for a larger area that passes through the grate at substantially the same time, thereby preventing the blade from merely pushing the nut along the surface of the grate instead of forcing the blade through the nut.

    [0021] The axle is connected to a crank and a handle to allow the axle, and therefore the blades, to be rotated. Preferably the handle is mounted for manual rotation in either direction. In the preferred version, the axle and crank are formed as a single unitary component, with the handle pivotally secured.

    [0022] In use, nuts are placed in the hopper and the hopper is secured atop the lower container. Rotation of the crank causes the blades to rotate in a first direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the handle. If the first direction is defined by arrow A in Figure 4, in which the blades pass through the narrow half of the grate openings as the blades move from the hopper to the container then nuts will be pressed downward by the blades and against the narrow half of the grate (that is, the portion of the grate having narrower openings). Consequently, nuts will tend to fall though the grate only when they are chopped small enough to fit through the narrow openings.

    [0023] If the crank is rotated in the opposite direction, such that the blades pass from the hopper and through the wider half of the openings and then into the container, nuts will be chopped above the wider openings and then pass through into the container when they are small enough to fit through the wider openings. Thus, by choosing to rotate the crank in either direction the user can selectively chop nuts to either a coarse or fine size.

    [0024] Once the nuts are chopped and pass through the grate, they can be chopped again if desired to make them finer. Thus, the device can be inverted so that the container becomes the hopper and the hopper becomes the container. This feature is best implemented in a version in which both the container and the hopper are tapered toward the neck to approximate an hourglass shape. Rotation of the crank and the blades causes the nuts to be chopped yet again, making finer pieces of nuts.

    [0025] In a preferred version, one or both of the hopper and container is transparent and includes volumetric markings 11 to allow the user to see the volume of nuts that have been chopped.

    [0026] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.


    Claims

    1. A nut chopper (10), comprising:

    a main body having a hopper (30) configured to hold a plurality of nuts and a container (40) positioned below the hopper (30);

    a grate (50) positioned to support the plurality of nuts in the hopper (30), the grate (50) having a plurality of slots; and

    a plurality of blades (21-26) carried on an axle (28) and positioned adjacent the grate (50) for rotational movement of the plurality of blades (21-26),

    whereby when the axle (28)is rotated the plurality of blades (21-26) is rotated through the plurality of slots in the grate (50),

    wherein each of the plurality of slots includes a length in a direction parallel to a plane defined by a corresponding one of the plurality of blades (21-26), each of the plurality of slots further having a first slot width defined over a first portion (51, 52, 53) of the slot and a second slot width over a second portion (54, 55, 56) of the slot, the first slot width being greater than the second slot width,

    characterized in that each one of the plurality of blades (21-26) is angularly offset about the axle (28) from each of the remaining of the plurality of blades (21-26), and in that each of the blades (21-26) is positioned such that the axle extends substantially through the center of the blade, wherein the angular offset of each of the plurality of blades from the adjacent one of the remaining blades (21-26) on each side of the blade about the axle (28) is substantially uniform about the axle.


     
    2. The nut chopper (10) of claim 1, further comprising a crank (20) and a handle secured to the axle for enabling manual rotational movement of the axle (28).
     
    3. The nut chopper (10) of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first slot width extends for a first half of the slot length and the second slot width extends for a second half of the slot length.
     
    4. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a neck (70) formed at a juncture between the hopper (30) and the container (40), the grate (50) being seated in the neck (70).
     
    5. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the axle (28) is rotatable in both a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction.
     
    6. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body is invertible whereby the container (40) is configured to hold the plurality of nuts in the inverted position and in the inverted position the plurality of blades (21-26) is configured to pass through the plurality of nuts and the plurality of slots (51-56) when the axle (28) is rotated.
     
    7. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of blades comprises a central bore (29), the axle (28) further having a non-circular cross-section whereby the axle (28) is received within the central bore (29) of each of the plurality of blades (21-26) to drive the plurality of blades (21-26).
     
    8. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of blades (21-26) comprises 6 blades, each one of the six blades being angularly offset from at least one of the other plurality of blades (21-26) by an angle of about 30 degrees.
     
    9. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the perimeter of the grate is substantially circular.
     
    10. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of slots includes at least one central slot positioned at an interior of the grate (50) and at least one outer slot positioned relatively closer to the perimeter of the grate, the central slot having a length greater than the length of the outer slot.
     
    11. The nut chopper (10) of claim 10, wherein the plurality of blades (21-26) includes at least one central blade positioned to pass through the central slot and at least one outer blade positioned to pass through the outer slot, the central blade being longer than the outer blade.
     
    12. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising volumetric markings formed on the container (40).
     
    13. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the grate (50) is positioned between the axle (28) and the container (40).
     
    14. The nut chopper (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hopper is removable from the container (40) and further wherein the axle (28) and blades are removable from the hopper (30).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Nusszerkleinerer (10), der Folgendes umfasst:

    einen Hauptkörper mit einem Trichter (30), der konfiguriert ist, um mehrere Nüsse zu halten, und einen Behälter (40), der unter dem Trichter (30) positioniert ist;

    ein Gitter (50), das positioniert ist, um die mehreren Nüsse in dem Trichter (30) zu unterstützen, wobei das Gitter (50) mehrere Schlitze aufweist; und

    mehrere Klingen (21-26), die auf einer Achse (28) getragen werden und neben dem Gitter (50) für eine Drehbewegung der mehreren Klingen (21-26) positioniert sind,

    wodurch, wenn die Achse (28) gedreht wird, die mehreren Klingen (21-26) durch die mehreren Schlitze in dem Gitter (50) gedreht werden,

    wobei jeder der mehreren Schlitze eine Länge in einer Richtung parallel zu einer Ebene beinhaltet, die durch eine entsprechende eine der mehreren Klingen (21-26) definiert ist, wobei jeder der mehreren Schlitze ferner eine erste Schlitzbreite, die über einem ersten Abschnitt (51, 52, 53) des Schlitzes definiert ist, und eine zweite Schlitzbreite, über einem zweiten Abschnitt (54, 55, 56) des Schlitzes, aufweisen, wobei die erste Schlitzbreite größer als die zweite Schlitzbreite ist,

    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jede der mehreren Klingen (21-26) winkelmäßig um die Achse (28) von jeder der übrigen mehreren Klingen (21-26) versetzt ist, und dass jede der Klingen (21-26) so positioniert ist, dass sich die Achse im Wesentlichen durch die Mitte der Klinge erstreckt, wobei der Winkelversatz jeder der mehreren Klingen von einer der jeweiligen nebenliegenden übrigen Klingen (21-26) auf jeder Seite der Klinge um die Achse (28) im Wesentlichen gleichförmig um die Achse ist.


     
    2. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach Anspruch 1, der ferner eine Kurbel (20) und einen an der Achse befestigten Griff zum Ermöglichen einer manuellen Drehbewegung der Achse (28) umfasst.
     
    3. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, wobei sich die erste Schlitzbreite über eine erste Hälfte der Schlitzlänge und die zweite Schlitzbreite über eine zweite Hälfte der Schlitzlänge erstreckt.
     
    4. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, der ferner einen Hals (70), der an einer Verbindungsstelle zwischen dem Trichter (30) und dem Behälter (40) gebildet ist, umfasst, wobei das Gitter (50) im Hals (70) eingesetzt ist.
     
    5. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Achse (28) sowohl im Uhrzeigersinn als auch gegen den Uhrzeigersinn drehbar ist.
     
    6. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Hauptkörper umkehrbar ist, wodurch der Behälter (40) konfiguriert ist, um die mehreren Nüsse in der umgekehrten Position zu halten, und wobei in der umgekehrten Position die mehreren Klingen (21-26) konfiguriert sind, um durch die mehreren Nüsse und die mehreren Schlitze (51-56) hindurchzugehen, wenn die Achse (28) gedreht wird.
     
    7. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei jede der mehreren Klingen eine zentrale Bohrung (29) aufweist, wobei die Achse (28) ferner einen nicht kreisförmigen Querschnitt aufweist, wodurch die Achse (28) innerhalb der zentralen Bohrung (29) jeder der mehreren Klingen (21-26) empfangen wird, um die mehreren Klingen (21-26) anzutreiben.
     
    8. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die mehreren Klingen (21-26) 6 Klingen umfassen, wobei jede der sechs Klingen winkelmäßig von mindestens einer der anderen mehreren Klingen (21-26) um einen Winkel von etwa 30 Grad versetzt ist.
     
    9. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Umfang des Gitters im Wesentlichen kreisförmig ist.
     
    10. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die mehreren Schlitze mindestens einen zentralen Schlitz, der an einer Innenseite des Gitters (50) positioniert ist, und mindestens einen äußeren Schlitz, der relativ näher am Umfang des Gitters positioniert ist, beinhalten, wobei der zentrale Schlitz eine Länge aufweist, die größer als die Länge des äußeren Schlitzes ist.
     
    11. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach Anspruch 10, wobei die mehreren Klingen (21-26) mindestens eine zentrale Klinge, die so positioniert ist, dass sie durch den zentralen Schlitz hindurchgeht, und mindestens eine äußere Klinge, die so positioniert ist, dass sie durch den äußeren Schlitz hindurchgeht, beinhalten, wobei die zentrale Klinge länger als die äußere Klinge ist.
     
    12. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, der ferner auf dem Behälter (40) ausgebildete Volumenmarkierungen umfasst.
     
    13. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Gitter (50) zwischen der Achse (28) und dem Behälter (40) positioniert ist.
     
    14. Nusszerkleinerer (10) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Trichter aus dem Behälter (40) herausnehmbar ist und wobei ferner die Achse (28) und die Klingen aus dem Trichter (30) herausnehmbar sind.
     


    Revendications

    1. Hachoir à noix (10), comprenant :

    un corps principal comportant une trémie (30) configurée pour contenir une pluralité de noix et un récipient (40) positionné sous la trémie (30) ;

    une grille (50) positionnée pour supporter la pluralité de noix dans la trémie (30), la grille (50) comportant une pluralité de fentes ; et

    une pluralité de lames (21-26) portées sur un essieu (28) et positionnées de manière adjacente à la grille (50) pour un mouvement de rotation de la pluralité de lames (21-26),

    permettant ainsi à la pluralité de lames (21-26) de tourner à travers la pluralité de fentes dans la grille (50) lorsque l'essieu (28) tourne,

    dans lequel chaque fente de la pluralité de fentes comprend une longueur dans une direction parallèle à un plan défini par une lame correspondante de la pluralité de lames (21-26), chaque fente de la pluralité de fentes ayant en outre une première largeur de fente définie sur une première partie (51, 52, 53) de la fente et une seconde largeur de fente sur une seconde partie (54, 55, 56) de la fente, la première largeur de fente étant supérieure à la seconde largeur de fente,

    caractérisé en ce que chaque lame de la pluralité de lames (21-26) est décalée de manière angulaire autour de l'essieu (28) de chacune des autres lames de la pluralité de lames (21-26), et en ce que chacune des lames (21-26) est positionnée de telle manière que l'essieu s'étende sensiblement à travers le centre de la lame, dans lequel le décalage angulaire de chaque lame de la pluralité de lames par rapport à une lame adjacente des lames (21-26) restantes de chaque côté de la lame autour de l'essieu (28) est sensiblement uniforme autour de l'essieu.


     
    2. Hachoir à noix (10) selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre une manivelle (20) et une poignée fixée à l'essieu pour permettre un mouvement de rotation manuel de l'essieu (28).
     
    3. Hachoir à noix (10) selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel la première largeur de fente s'étend sur une première moitié de la longueur de fente et la seconde largeur de fente s'étend sur une seconde moitié de la longueur de fente.
     
    4. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre un col (70) formé à un point de jonction entre la trémie (30) et le récipient (40), la grille (50) étant positionnée dans le col (70).
     
    5. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'essieu (28) peut tourner à la fois dans le sens horaire et dans le sens antihoraire.
     
    6. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le corps principal est inversible, permettant ainsi au récipient (40) d'être configuré pour maintenir la pluralité de noix dans la position inversée, et dans la position inversée, la pluralité de lames (21-26) sont configurées pour traverser la pluralité de noix et la pluralité de fentes (51-56) lorsque l'essieu (28) est tourné.
     
    7. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel chaque lame de la pluralité de lames comprend un alésage central (29), l'essieu (28) comportant en outre une section transversale non circulaire, permettant ainsi à l'essieu (28) d'être reçu à l'intérieur de l'alésage central (29) de chaque lame de la pluralité de lames (21-26) afin d'entraîner la pluralité de lames (21-26).
     
    8. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la pluralité de lames (21-26) comprennent 6 lames, chacune des six lames étant décalée de manière angulaire d'au moins une lame de l'autre pluralité de lames (21-26) d'un angle d'environ 30 degrés.
     
    9. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le périmètre de la grille est sensiblement circulaire.
     
    10. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la pluralité de fentes comprennent au moins une fente centrale positionnée à l'intérieur de la grille (50) et au moins une fente extérieure positionnée relativement plus près du périmètre de la grille, la fente centrale ayant une longueur supérieure à la longueur de la fente extérieure.
     
    11. Hachoir à noix (10) selon la revendication 10, dans lequel la pluralité de lames (21-26) comprennent au moins une lame centrale positionnée pour passer à travers la fente centrale et au moins une lame extérieure positionnée pour passer à travers la fente extérieure, la lame centrale étant plus longue que la lame extérieure.
     
    12. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre des marquages volumétriques formés sur le récipient (40).
     
    13. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la grille (50) est positionnée entre l'essieu (28) et le récipient (40).
     
    14. Hachoir à noix (10) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la trémie peut être enlevée du récipient (40), et en outre dans lequel l'essieu (28) et les lames peuvent être enlevés de la trémie (30).
     




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    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



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    Patent documents cited in the description