A handheld, portable fruit or vegetable washer having washing fluid storage chamber, a washing chamber and a screened cap. Disk or other valves operate between the washing chamber and the fluid storage chamber and between the washing chamber and the screened cap. The fluid storage chamber is typically in the bottom of the washer and holds enough fluid for several washes. Items to be washed are entered into the washing chamber from the removable top while washing fluid is entered by partially opening one of the valves. After closing that valve, agitation is typically accomplished by shaking the unit. After washing, the other valve is opened, and the spent wash fluid can be drained through the screened top. The portable unit is particularly useful for picnics and the like where several different types of items may need different degrees of washing. A removable scrubbing liner can line the washing chamber.

A handheld, portable fruit or vegetable washer having washing fluid storage chamber, a washing chamber and a screened cap. Disk or other valves operate between the washing chamber and the fluid storage chamber and between the washing chamber and the screened cap. The fluid storage chamber is typically in the bottom of the washer and holds enough fluid for several washes. Items to be washed are entered into the washing chamber from the removable top while washing fluid is entered by partially opening one of the valves. After closing that valve, agitation is typically accomplished by shaking the unit. After washing, the other valve is opened, and the spent wash fluid can be drained through the screened top. The portable unit is particularly useful for picnics and the like where several different types of items may need different degrees of washing. A removable scrubbing liner can line the washing chamber.

A removable bin for a dryer comprises a substantially circular floor portion and a wall portion. The wall portion comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion comprises a plurality of zones arranged along a height of the lower portion and extending along a perimeter of the lower portion. Each zone defines a respective area of the lower portion. Each of the zones comprises a number of openings for drainage, and each zone has a respective density of openings. Each of the openings is defined by one or more circumferential edges, with the circumferential edges being molded. The respective density of openings in each of the zones increases towards the bottom of the bin.

A drainage device for separating fluids from solid material and evacuating the fluids so that the fluid and resulting steam is impeded from reentering the device and contaminating the solid material still remaining therein is provided. The drainage device provides an inner perforated wall defining an item cavity allows for storing the solid material, while draining the fluid therefrom. A outer solid wall connected to the inner perforated wall enables continued and directed drainage of the evacuating fluid through providing a channeling void between the outer and inner walls that fluidly communicates with a discharge opening. The discharge opening is circumscribed by a supporting neck extending from a support base, while the solidity of the outer wall provides a physical barrier against germ-carrying splashback contaminating the perforated inner wall.

A drainage device for separating fluids from solid material and evacuating the fluids so that the fluid and resulting steam is impeded from reentering the device and contaminating the solid material still remaining therein is provided. The drainage device provides an inner perforated wall defining an item cavity allows for storing the solid material, while draining the fluid therefrom. A outer solid wall connected to the inner perforated wall enables continued and directed drainage of the evacuating fluid through providing a channeling void between the outer and inner walls that fluidly communicates with a discharge opening. The discharge opening is circumscribed by a supporting neck extending from a support base, while the solidity of the outer wall provides a physical barrier against germ-carrying splashback contaminating the perforated inner wall.

A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for use with a bowl and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing formed to mate with the bowl; b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to the housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation; c) a handle pivotally attached to the housing and oriented to move in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotation wheel; and d) gears connecting the handle to the rotation wheel. Also disclosed are an automatic clutch that engages the rotation wheel only when the handle is moved in one direction, and a braking mechanism that includes a disk having a diameter substantially smaller than the rotation wheel.

A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for use with a bowl and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing formed to mate with the bowl; b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to the housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation; c) a handle pivotally attached to the housing and oriented to move in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotation wheel; and d) gears connecting the handle to the rotation wheel. Also disclosed are an automatic clutch that engages the rotation wheel only when the handle is moved in one direction, and a braking mechanism that includes a disk having a diameter substantially smaller than the rotation wheel.

Food drying devices (e.g., salad spinners) include an outer housing and a perforated inner container rotatably supported within the outer housing. An inner cover closes the inner container, and this inner cover includes a first part of a rotation producing system that rotates the inner container with respect to the outer housing. An outer cover closes the outer housing. The outer cover includes two support regions, each having an opening. A rotation mechanism includes a base portion extending through one support region opening and a second part of the rotation producing system (which engages the first part). A switch device includes a button extending through the other support region opening of the outer cover. Pressing this button moves a braking surface to engage and stop the inner cover, and sliding this button moves a lock member to engage and switch the rotation mechanism between locked and unlocked configurations.

Food drying devices (e.g., salad spinners) include an outer housing and a perforated inner container rotatably supported within the outer housing. An inner cover closes the inner container, and this inner cover includes a first part of a rotation producing system that rotates the inner container with respect to the outer housing. An outer cover closes the outer housing. The outer cover includes two support regions, each having an opening. A rotation mechanism includes a base portion extending through one support region opening and a second part of the rotation producing system (which engages the first part). A switch device includes a button extending through the other support region opening of the outer cover. Pressing this button moves a braking surface to engage and stop the inner cover, and sliding this button moves a lock member to engage and switch the rotation mechanism between locked and unlocked configurations.

The present invention discloses a vegetable dehydrator, which includes a barrel body and an upper cover, wherein the upper cover is detachably engaged with a top of the barrel body, a dehydration basket and a separator plate are provided between the barrel body and the upper cover, a top of the dehydration basket is clamped and fixed with the separator plate, and a center of an inner bottom surface of the barrel body is provided with a limiting protrusion which supports and makes the dehydration basket to rotate freely on a tip of the limiting protrusion. According to the present invention, a knob and a driving mechanism are provided, hands are released after the knob is twisted, and a buckle fixed above the dehydration basket is driven by gears due to a tension of a tension spring, so that the dehydration basket can rotate.