FOOD WASTE DISPOSER THROAT BAFFLE APPARATUS AND METHOD

Baffles for food waste disposers, systems employing such baffles, and methods of assembling, manufacturing, fabricating, or operating such baffles or baffle systems are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a baffle for implementation in connection with a waste disposer includes a rim portion, a plurality of flaps, and a plurality of living hinges, where the rim portion, living hinges, and flaps constitute a single integrally-formed structure. The respective living hinges permit the respective flaps to be rotatable about respective axes that respectively are substantially tangent to respective locations along or proximate to the rim portion, so that the respective flaps can be rotated to respective closed positions. Either the living hinges or at least one additional component tend to cause the respective flaps to remain at the respective closed positions when already at those respective positions, or to return to those respective positions when not at those respective positions.