WO2022122531A1

WO2022122531A1 - Device for producing juice from whole fruit or vegetables

Info

Publication number: WO2022122531A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/083918
Authority: WO
Inventors: Serge Crasnianski
Original assignee: Photo-Me Limited
Priority date: 2020-12-10
Filing date: 2021-12-02
Publication date: 2022-06-16
Also published as: FR3117311A1; FR3117311B1

Abstract

This device for extracting juice from whole fruit or vegetables comprises:  a bowl (6) for pressing and extracting the juice, consisting of two cylindrical portions that are non-concentric but communicate with each other: • an upper portion (10) incorporating a rotating peripheral ring (12); and • a lower portion (11) for removably receiving a member for destructuring and pressing the juice, the latter consisting of a rotary grater (17), rotated in the destructuring phase in the same direction as the rotation of the rotating ring (12), and of which the base (19) consists of a screen positioned within the lower portion (11) of said bowl (6), and a static screw (16), acting as a press, the axis of revolution of which coincides with the axis of revolution of the grater (17), said screw being provided at the peripheral surface thereof with at least two helical threads capable of forming an endless screw.  at least one compartment for receiving the remnants of the fruit or vegetable after pressing.

Description

JUICE PRODUCTION DEVICE FROM WHOLE FRUITS OR VEGETABLES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables. More specifically and in a non-exhaustive manner, this device is intended to obtain juice from apples, pears, and in general from fruits or vegetables with pulp.

At the same time, this device is intended for domestic or professional use, and in the latter case with the assistance of a third party or self-service.

PRIOR STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Devices for extracting juice, especially fruit, but also vegetables, are widely used. They implement, in general, either the principle of pressing or centrifugal pressing, or the principle of extraction.

The first makes it possible to collect, in addition to the juice, also the must or the pulp of the fruit. The second, on the other hand, only makes it possible to obtain the juice from the fruit or vegetable, and is therefore less rich in taste, but especially in terms of vitamins.

With regard to the first method of obtaining, in this case by pressing, the devices are conventionally made up of a grinder, intended to cut the fruit or the vegetable in question, so as to produce a kind of pulp, said grinder being associated with a pressing member, typically consisting of a rotating worm, with a vertical or horizontal axis of rotation, and capable of extracting the juice from the pulp thus formed.

In general, such devices comprise a pressing member, separated from the pressing screw by a filter. Thus, the pulp of the crushed fruit is pushed by the rotating worm screw towards another zone of the device to separate the juice from the fruit or vegetable pulp. This type of device has a certain number of drawbacks. Among these, we can cite the need to implement a large diameter auger, in order to be able to grind a whole fruit or vegetable. In fact, most of these devices only accept quarters of fruit or vegetables cut beforehand, and therefore generating an additional step for obtaining juice.

Another difficulty faced by the designers of such devices lies in the evacuation of the waste resulting from the pressing or filtration operation. This difficulty is all the more exacerbated when one wishes to obtain a fruit or vegetable juice likely to oxidize quickly in contact with air, such as in particular apples. It is therefore necessary, in this case, to carry out close periodic cleaning and evacuation of the waste resulting from the pressing operation, requiring the design of an architecture capable of favoring these cleaning and evacuation operations.

In addition, when such devices are intended to be used independently, that is to say in self-service, there is also a double difficulty arising from the compactness of the device, in addition to the ability to clean its different constituents easily and efficiently.

The objective sought by the present invention aims to solve these various technical problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention thus relates to a device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables, comprising:

■ a bowl for pressing and extracting the juice, receiving said fruit or said whole vegetable,

■ at least one compartment for receiving the remains of the fruit or vegetable after pressing,

■ a support frame for the various components, incorporating at least one motor capable of carrying out the pressing and extraction operation. According to the invention:

■ the pressing and extraction bowl consists of two cylindrical parts that are not concentric but communicate with each other:

• an upper part for destructuring the fruit or vegetable, incorporating a rotary peripheral ring with an axis of rotation coinciding with the axis of revolution of said upper part, and

• a lower part in free communication with the upper part and of smaller diameter than the latter, intended to removably receive a member for destructuring and pressing the juice, said member emerging within the upper part over a distance at least equal at the height of the crown;

■ the respective positioning and dimensions of the upper part and the lower part are chosen so that within the upper part, the destructuring and pressing member is locally tangent, to within clearance, with the side wall inner crown;

■ said destructuring and pressing unit is itself made up of:

• a rotary grater, with symmetry of revolution, whose axis of revolution coincides with the axis of revolution of the lower part of the pressing and extraction bowl, said grater being rotated, during the step of destructuring the fruit or vegetable in the same direction as the rotation of the crown, and whose base consists of a sieve positioned within the lower part of said bowl,

• a static screw, acting as a press, also rotationally symmetrical, and whose axis of revolution coincides with the axis of revolution of the grater, said screw being provided on its peripheral surface with at least two helical threads capable of forming an endless screw.

In other words and according to a first aspect of the invention, the juice production device consists not of grinding, but of grating the fruit or vegetable from which it is desired to extract the juice, this grating operation resulting from the progress of the whole fruit or vegetable in contact with the outer periphery of a rotary grater, said grater generating pulp or fruit or vegetable must in the volume defined between said grater and the pressing screw. Due to the rotation of said grater and in contact with the pressing screw, the pulp or must progresses towards the lower zone of the grater acting as a filter, and is pressed radially so as to extract the juice, which in turn passes radially through the filter screen.

The various constituents of this device are removable, and can therefore be easily extracted from the device with a view to cleaning them on the one hand, to allow the effective collection of the juice on the other hand, and finally to ensure the differentiated collection of waste. other than fruit or vegetable juice.

According to the invention, the crown has vertical radial streaks on its internal wall. In doing so, these streaks make it possible on the one hand to ensure the progress of the fruit or vegetable in the direction of the grater, and more precisely of the outer peripheral wall of said grater, but also an effective pressing of said fruit against the grater, in order to ensure the effective destructuring of the fruit or vegetable.

In order to allow the effective rotation of said crown, the latter is provided with means capable of cooperating with an electric motor. For example, the crown has at its outer upper edge teeth capable of cooperating with a toothed pinion actuated in rotation by means of a motor, in particular electric. This is an example of means for rotating said crown. Other means are possible, without escaping the invention.

According to the invention, the speed of rotation of the crown is lower than the speed of rotation of the rasp.

The upper part of the bowl also has an inclined ramp, so as to orient the fruit or vegetable ending at the level of said upper part in the direction of the internal wall of the crown, then and simultaneously in the direction of the grater, this in the objective to promote the progress of the fruit or vegetable towards the grater. According to the invention, the bottom of the upper part of the bowl is provided with a through hole, positioned substantially contiguous to the emergence zone of the destructuring and pressing tool, said through hole allowing communication from the bottom from the upper part of the bowl with a compartment for receiving the elements of the fruit or vegetable that have not passed through the volume defined between the grater and the pressing screw.

Ideally, in order to facilitate the evacuation of this waste, said upper part of the bowl comprises a scraper, substantially tangent with a generatrix of the grater, so as to evacuate the maximum amount of waste possible in the direction of the through light.

According to a variant of the invention more specifically intended for self-service use, the device is provided with a receiving member for at least one whole fruit or vegetable, surmounted by a basket for receiving the fruits or vegetables, said basket communicating by means of a chute with the upper part of the bowl, the diameter and structure of which allow distribution of the fruits or vegetables one by one.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The way in which the invention can be implemented and the resulting advantages will become clearer from the example of embodiment which follows, given by way of indication and not limitation, in support of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of the device of the invention in operational position.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation illustrating the removable nature of the various constituents entering into the constitution of the device of the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the bowl for pressing and juicing according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the bowl of Figure 3 in exploded view.

Figure 5 is a schematic representation in perspective of the screw press according to the invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic representation in perspective of the pressing screw of the invention and the rotary grater.

Figure 7 is a schematic representation seen from above of the bowl for pressing and extracting the juice according to the invention. FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating more precisely the zones of action within said bowl.

Figure 9 is a schematic detail view of the bottom of the upper part of the pressing and extraction bowl of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

There is therefore shown in relation to Figure 1 a schematic view of the juice production device according to the invention in the operational position. Basically, this device comprises a base (1) receiving the various constituents of this device. Typically, this device consists, in the example described, of a receiving basket (2), in this case for apples, communicating with a bowl for pressing and extracting juice (6), protected in the operational position by a retractable cover (3), and a means for receiving the juices (4) (in this case a bottle) on the one hand and a receptacle (5) for skin type waste and remaining pulp on the other hand.

One of the objectives targeted by the invention is to allow the removable nature of these various constituents with a view to cleaning them on a regular basis, and emptying the receptacle(s) (5) for receiving the waste from the fruit. Thus, in Figure 2, an exploded view has been shown, after having retracted the protective cover (3), the bowl (6), received in particular on a motor shaft (7), the function of which will be described later, and oriented so that a second motor (9) actuates a toothed pinion (8) whose function will also be described later.

In relation to Figures 3 and 4, the bowl for pressing and extracting the juice has been shown more precisely.

According to the invention, this bowl (6) consists of two cylindrical parts, respectively upper (10), also called "upper bowl", and lower (11), also called "lower bowl", in free communication with one the other. More precisely, the lower part (11) has a smaller diameter than that of the upper part (10), and its axis of revolution is offset with respect to the axis of revolution of the upper part (10). This lower part (11) is intended to removably receive a member of destructuring and pressing (16, 17) described in more detail later. However, and as can be seen for example in Figure 3, or in Figure 9, this destructuring and pressing member emerges within the upper part (10) from a height substantially close to that from the upper part.

Said upper part (10) is intended to receive the whole fruit or vegetable, from which the juice is to be extracted. For this purpose, the upper part (10) is provided with a rotary crown (12), with an axis of revolution and of rotation coinciding with the axis of revolution of said upper part (10). This rotary crown (12) has a height substantially equivalent to that of the upper part (10). It is rotated by means of the electric motor (9) and the toothed pinion (8) meshing with teeth (14) made at the level of the upper outer edge of said crown, as can be clearly observed in particular on Figure 3.

As a corollary, this rotary crown (12) has substantially vertical radial teeth (13) intended, as will be described later, to promote the progress of the fruit or vegetable ending at the level of the upper part (10) in the direction of the visible part of the destructuring and pressing member, and able to promote this actual operation of destructuring.

Said destructuring and pressing member appears in more detail in FIG. 4 on the one hand, but also in FIGS. 5 and 6 on the other hand.

This body is basically made up of two parts: a grater (17), also rotating, extending in its lower part by a sieve (19), and a static pressing screw (16).

As already mentioned above, this pressing screw (16) is received in the lower part (11) of the bowl (6). However, it emerges in the upper part (10) of the bowl, as can be seen in Figure 3. It is kept suspended statically at this level by a suitable device, the fixing nut of which has been shown. reversible (15) on a spacer (29) secured to the bowl (6), for example in Figures 3 and 4. On the other hand, the grater (17) is rotatable, moreover in the same direction of rotation as the crown (12) in the destructuring phase of the fruit or vegetable. This rotation is ensured by means of an electric motor integrated in the base (1), the end of the motor shaft (7) of which has been shown in FIG. 2, fitting onto a sleeve (23) provided for this purpose shown in Figure 6.

With regard more specifically to the grater (17), the latter is in fact made up of two zones which are coaxial and integral with one another, respectively an upper zone (18) provided with through orifices (22), generating cutting protrusions in relief on its outer peripheral wall, and capable of ensuring the actual destructuring of the fruit, in particular of the apple, when the latter comes into contact at its outer periphery, and a lower zone (19), acting as a sieve , and therefore provided with through holes of much smaller dimensions.

As already indicated, this rotary grater (17) is also intended to cooperate with the static press screw (16), which can be better observed in FIG. 5. This rotationally symmetrical press screw (16), whose axis of revolution coincides with the axis of rotation of the rasp (17), present on its peripheral envelope two types of helical threads respectively (20) and (21). It can be observed that these two types of nets are distinct; the upper zone of said pressing screw (16) is intended to allow the progress of the destructured fruit resulting from the action of the grater (18) on the fruit in the direction of the lower zone (19). As a corollary, the lower part of the pressing screw has an outer casing of the largest diameter, and a reduction in the pitch of the helical thread (21). Indeed, it is recalled that at this level, the press screw has the function of ensuring the pressing of the pulp resulting from the destructuring of the fruit against the sieve (19), and thus, the formation of juice, said juice crossing the sieve (19) to then be collected in the lower zone of the bowl (6).

In normal operation, that is to say, when one is in the juice production phase, the crown (12) and the grater (17) rotate in the same direction, and in the example described, in the trigonometric direction, admittedly at different speeds. However, said crown having an independent motor to ensure its rotation, can turn in the opposite direction, and this with the aim of unclogging the bowl (6), in particular in the event that an accumulation of fruit or vegetable at the level of the action of the grater (17), likely to hinder the proper functioning of the device. In order to promote the operation of the bowl (6) and its constituents, the bottom of the upper part (10) receives a hopper or ramp (24), sloping, capable of ensuring the progress of the fruit (or vegetable) coming from example of the basket (2), so as to induce the progress of the fruit, first against the internal wall of the rotary crown (12) on the one hand, then in the direction of the emerged part of the grater (17) within the upper part (10) of said bowl. Moreover, FIG. 8 shows the zone (26) for receiving the fruit which substantially and partly coincides with the said hopper (24), and the zone (27) for destructuring the fruit, zone at the end of which the rasp (17) tangent to the clearance near the internal wall of the rotary crown (12).

Furthermore and in order to evacuate the elements of the fruit that have not passed through the volume defined by the grater and the pressing screw, and therefore typically the skin of the fruit or vegetable, and therefore always located on the outer wall of said grater , the bottom of the upper part of the bowl is provided with a scraper (28), tangent to the grater according to one of the generatrices of the latter, in order to induce the detachment of the rest of the fruit present on the external wall of the grater and its fall through a through hole (25) formed in the bottom of the upper part (10) of the bowl (6) at the level of a receptacle (5) for collecting waste from the fruit.

As can be seen, these various components are all removable and can therefore be removed in an extremely simple manner, in order to allow their periodic cleaning, in particular when such a device is made available in self-service, in addition to their emptying. just as easily.

One can also see the whole advantage of the particular design of the pressing and extraction bowl, and in particular of the cooperation of the rotary crown (12) with the grater (17), which allows, due to the presence of the teeth ( 13) on the one hand, and the particular shape of the ramp (24) on the other hand, to ensure not only the progression of the fruit at the level of the rotary grater, but also the absence of any risk of ejection fruit at this level. Furthermore, from the diagram adopted, it is observed that the pulp of the destructured fruit passes through the grater (17) from the outside inwards, and after obtaining this pulp, is conveyed to the lower zone of the assembly consisting of the press screw (16) and the grater (17) to then be filtered by the sieve (19), the juice resulting from this pressing operation coming out in the direction of the outside to then be collected, for example, within a bottle (4) or equivalent (4).

Claims

CLAIMS Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables, comprising:

■ a bowl (6) for pressing and extracting the juice, receiving a whole fruit or vegetable,

■ at least one compartment (5) for receiving the remains of the fruit or vegetable after pressing, characterized:

■ in that the pressing and extraction bowl (6) consists of two non-concentric cylindrical parts but communicating with each other:

• an upper part (10) for destructuring the fruit or vegetable, incorporating a rotary peripheral ring (12) with an axis of rotation coinciding with the axis of revolution of said upper part, and

• a lower part (11) in free communication with the upper part (10) and of smaller diameter than the latter, intended to removably receive a member for destructuring and pressing the juice, said member emerging within the upper part (10) of the bowl (6) over a distance at least equal to the height of the rotary crown (12);

■ in that the positioning and the respective dimensions of the upper part (10) and the lower part (11) of the bowl (6) are chosen so that within said upper part (10), the organ destructuring and pressing is locally tangent, to the nearest clearance, with the inner side wall of the rotary crown (12);

■ and in that said destructuring and pressing member consists of:

• a rotary grater (17) with symmetry of revolution, whose axis of revolution coincides with the axis of revolution of the lower part (11) of the bowl (6), said grater being rotated, in phase destructuring in the same direction as the rotation of the rotary crown (12), and whose base (19) consists of a sieve positioned within the lower part (11) of said bowl (6),

• a static screw (16), acting as a press, also with symmetry of revolution, and whose axis of revolution coincides with the axis of revolution of the grater (17), said screw being provided on its surface peripheral, of at least two helical threads (20, 21) capable of constituting an endless screw.

2. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to claim 1, characterized in that the bowl (6) for pressing and extracting and the member for destructuring and pressing the juice are mounted in such a way removable.

3. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the rotary crown (12) has on its internal wall vertical radial streaks (13).

4. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rotary crown (12) is provided with means capable of cooperating with an electric motor, in order to ensure its rotation.

5. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotary crown (12) has at its outer upper edge teeth (14) capable of cooperating with a toothed pinion (8) actuated in rotation by means of an electric motor.

6. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the destructuring phase of the fruit or vegetable, the speed of rotation of the rotary crown (12 ) is lower than the speed of rotation of the rasp (17).

7. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the upper part (10) of the bowl (6) has an inclined ramp (24), such so as to orient the fruit or vegetable ending at said upper part in the direction of the internal wall of the rotary crown (12), then and simultaneously in the direction of the grater (17).

8. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the bottom of the upper part (10) of the bowl (6) is provided with a through hole (25), positioned substantially contiguous to the emergence zone of the destructuring and pressing member, said through-hole (25) allowing the bottom of the upper part (10) of the bowl to communicate with a receiving compartment (5) elements of the fruit or vegetable that have not passed through the volume defined between the grater and the pressing screw. Device for producing juice from whole fruits or vegetables according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper part (10) of the bowl (6) comprises a scraper (28), substantially tangential with a generatrix of the grater (17 ), so as to evacuate the maximum possible waste in the direction of the through light (25).