GB2629910A

GB2629910A - A juicer

Info

Publication number: GB2629910A
Application number: GB2405227.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Cronin Stephen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-04-17
Filing date: 2024-04-12
Publication date: 2024-11-13
Also published as: IE20240192A2; GB202405227D0; IE20230099A2

Abstract

A juicer comprises a juicing station 3 with a juicer head 4, for extracting juice from a fruit segment, preferably mounted on an upstanding support post 5 and connected to a juice dispenser. Included is a fruit segment loading station 14, a carriage 10 for delivery of a fruit segment between the loading station and the juicing station, and a drive for the carriage. The head may have a juicing cone 6 mounted on a driveshaft 7 which is connected to a juicer drive motor 8. The carriage may have a plurality of separate fruit segment holders 11 and rotatably mounted within a juice collecting tray 9 and connected to a motor to deliver a fruit segment from the loading station. Juice extracted is collected in the collection tray and delivered to an outlet spout in recess 16 for discharge into a receptacle. A plurality of segment holders may be included, and may have gripping spikes (58, Fig 16). An indexing mechanism may control the carriage to feed each fruit segment from the loading station to the juicing station and then back again for removal and disposal. Splash protection tube (25, Fig 7) may direct juice towards the carriage.

Description

A JUICER

Introduction

This invention relates to juicers, in particular for citrus fruit.

Background to the Invention

It is known to provide an electric citrus juicer having a cone that rotates via a motor as a user holds a fruit segment, typically a hemispherical half of an orange or grapefruit, against the cone to extract the juice from the fruit segment. The citrus juicers are popular with domestic users and small businesses, as they are low cost, faster than manual juicing and removes the strain of twisting the fruit segment (as the cone is automatically driven by a motor). However, these juicers are relatively slow, requiring a user to load a fruit segment, apply and maintain pressure while the juice is being collected, unload the fruit, and repeat until enough juice is collected. For example, for one glass of orange juice, a minimum of two oranges are needed. This means the process is repeated four times. This process is labour intensive which is generally undesirable, particularly in a café or bar setting. In a commercial setting where large quantities of juice are required, the user needs to constantly apply pressure while juicing. This can cause strain on the user over time and is a danger as the user's hand comes close to the rotating cone. Some juicers have tried to address this issue with handles and caps to apply the pressure on the orange segment. However, this process still requires the user to monitor and engage each fruit segment with the device, again wasting time. These devices are often hinged arms or caps, and as such, the handle or cap does not apply downward concentric force on the orange segment, often moving it from the centre point on the juice cone which is not optimal for juicing. It is further not optimal for juicing, as it is easier to juice the rind of the fruit, which is unpleasant to taste, and all of the juice from the juice filled centre of the fruit segment may not be collected.

Fully automated electric citrus juicers are also known. These juicers automatically load, slice and juice oranges. They are commonly used in large commercial settings such as large cafes, bars and supermarkets. The complexity, size and format of these machines mean they are very expensive to purchase and maintain. They are -2 -therefore unattractive for domestic users or small cafes, bars and restaurants. The fully automated juicers are usually very large and heavy due to the complexity of fully automating the juicing process. This makes them impractical for domestic users and commercial enterprises where space is limited. Typically, known automated citrus juicing machines are specifically designed to juice oranges within a certain size range and thus are not really suitable for juicing smaller oranges or citrus fruits that greatly vary in size. Due to the complexity and extreme forces needed for the fully automated juicing process, and the fruit size limitation, the existing fully automated juicers often require downtime and maintenance.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming at least some of the aforementioned problems with existing citrus juicers.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a juicer, including: a juicing station with a juicer head for extracting juice from a fruit segment, the juicing station being connected to a juice dispenser for delivery of juice extracted from the fruit segment to the juice dispenser, a fruit segment loading station, a carriage for delivery of a fruit segment between the loading station and the juicing station, and a drive for the carriage.

In another embodiment of the invention, the carriage drive includes an indexing mechanism for controlling movement of the carriage.

In another embodiment, the carriage has a plurality of separate fruit segment holders, and the carriage and indexing mechanism are operable to sequentially position each fruit segment holder at the juicing station. -3 -

In another embodiment, the juicing station comprises a juicer head mounted above the carriage and having a juicing cone mounted on a rotatable driveshaft which is connected to a drive motor, the driveshaft being movable between a retracted disengaged position remote from the carriage and an extended operating position for engagement with a fruit segment within a fruit segment holder of the carriage.

In another embodiment the driveshaft is rotatably mounted on the juicer head and connects through gears with the juicer drive motor, the gears being mounted within a gearbox housing, a cylindrical collar projects downwardly from the gearbox housing, rotatably mounted within the collar is a cylindrical drive sleeve which is drivably connected by an upper end cap of the drive sleeve to a final drive gear for rotation of the drive sleeve within the collar, the driveshaft being mounted within the sleeve, opposed guide pins projecting radially outwardly at an upper end of the driveshaft, the guide pins being slidably engagable within complementary helical guide slots in the drive sleeve and projecting outwardly through opposed vertical guide slots in the collar, the vertical guide slots constraining the drive shaft to move vertically outwardly until clear of lower ends of the vertical guide slots for rotation of the drive sleeve within the collar.

In another embodiment the juicer head is mounted on an upright support post and is pivotally mounted on the support post for movement between a lowered juicing position and a raised stored position.

In another embodiment locking means is provided for locking the juicer head in the lowered juicing position, or in the raised stored position.

In another embodiment, the locking means comprises a spring-loaded locking pin.

In another embodiment, the carriage is rotatably mounted within an associated juice collecting tray and drivably connected to a carriage drive motor.

In another embodiment, the juice collecting tray is mounted on top of a main body which houses a drive motor for the carriage, the juice collecting tray having a central through-hole for through-passage of a drive shaft from the drive motor for engagement with a -4 -drive connector on the carriage for rotation of the carriage.

In another embodiment, the juice collecting tray has a sloped floor which slopes downwardly towards a juice outlet of the juice collecting tray.

In another embodiment, the support post for the juicer head is upstanding at a side of the main body and the juicer head projects inwardly from the support post over the main body.

In another embodiment, the carriage has four fruit segment holders, and the indexing mechanism is operable to rotate the carriage through 90° in each indexing step.

In another embodiment, the carriage is rotatable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis of rotation.

In another embodiment, each fruit segment holder has a hemispherical bowl configuration for reception of a hemispherical fruit segment, at least one opening in the fruit segment holder for drainage of juice from the fruit segment holder.

In another embodiment a plurality of fruit gripping spikes are provided on an inside face of each fruit segment holder.

In another embodiment, a splash protection tube is mounted about the juicing cone and driveshaft to direct juice towards the carriage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a juicer according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the juicer; -5 -Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the juicer; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the juicer; Fig. 5 is a side sectional elevational view of the juicer; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the juicer, shown in another position of use; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the juicer, shown in another position of use; Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the juicer; Fig. 9 is a detail elevational view of portion of the juicer; Fig. 10 is a detail elevational view showing the juicer portion of Fig. 9 in another position of use; Fig. 11 is a detail elevational view showing the juicer portion of Fig. 9 in another position of use; Fig. 12 is a detail exploded elevational view of the juicer portion shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is a detail elevational view of the juicer portion shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 14 is a detail sectional elevational view taken along the line A-A of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a detail perspective view of a juice collector tray portion of the juicer; Fig. 16 is a detail perspective view of a rotatable carriage portion of the juicer; Fig. 17 is a detail exploded perspective view of portion of another juicer; Fig. 18 is a detail exploded perspective view of the juicer portion of Fig. 17; and Fig. 19 is a detail exploded perspective view of portion of another juicer. -6 -

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Fig. 1 to Fig. 16 thereof, there is illustrated a juicer according to the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The juicer 1 has a main body 2 forming a housing. A juicing station 3 is provided at a rear of the main body 2 having a juicer head 4 mounted on an upstanding support post 5 at a rear of the main body 2. The juicer head 4 has a juicing cone 6 mounted on a driveshaft 7 which is drivably connected to a juicer drive motor 8. A juice collecting tray 9 sits on top of the main body 2. A carriage 10 having a plurality of separate fruit segment holders 11 is rotatably mounted within the juice collecting tray 9 and is drivably connected to a motor 12 (Fig. 5) housed within the main body 2 for rotation of the carriage 10 to deliver a fruit segment (mounted in a fruit segment holder 11) from a loading station 14 at a front of the main body 2 to the juicing station 3 for extraction of juice from the fruit segment mounted within the fruit segment holder 11 located at the juicing station 3.

Juice extracted from the fruit segment at the juicing station 3 is collected in the juice collection tray 9 and delivered to an outlet spout 15 located in a recess 16 at a front of the main body 2 for discharge into a glass or other drinking vessel, jug or the like. It will be noted that a plurality of separate fruit segment holders 11 are provided, and an indexing mechanism controls the carriage 10 to feed each fruit segment (mounted in a fruit segment holder 11) in tum from the loading station 14 to the juicing station 3 and then back to the loading station 14 for removal and disposal.

The support post 5 is of channel section and the juicer head 4 is pivotally mounted at an upper end 20 of the support post 5 for pivotal movement between a lowered juicing position, as shown in Fig. 1, and a raised stored position, as shown in Fig. 7, to provide easy access to the juicer head 4 for cleaning. A spring-loaded locking pin 22 mounted at the upper end 20 of the support post 5 is engagable with the juicer head 4 to lock the juicer head 4 in either the lowered juicing position or the raised stored position. The juicer head 4 projects outwardly from the support post 5 in a cantilevered arrangement, extending radially inwardly from the support post 5 over the cylindrical main body 2.

The driveshaft 7 is rotatably mounted on the juicer head 4 and connects through gears 24 with the juicer drive motor 8 (see Fig. 5). A transparent splash protection tube 25 is -7 -demountably attached to the juicer head 4 by bayonet type connectors 26 to enclose the juicer cone 6 which is freely rotatable within the splash protection tube 25. Any other suitable type of connector, such as a snap connector or screw connector for example, could alternatively be used instead of the bayonet connectors 26.

Referring in particular to Fig. 9 to Fig. 14, the juicer head 4 is shown in more detail. The gears 24 are mounted within a gearbox housing 30. A cylindrical collar 31 projects downwardly from the gearbox housing 30. Rotatably mounted within the collar 31 is a cylindrical drive sleeve 32 which is drivably connected by an upper end cap 33 to a final drive gear 24 for rotation of the drive sleeve 32 within the collar 31. The driveshaft 7 is mounted within the drive sleeve 32.

Diametrically opposed guide pins 35 project radially outwardly at an upper end of the driveshaft 7. These guide pins 35 are slidably engagable within complementary helical guide slots 36 in the drive sleeve 32 and project outwardly through opposed vertical guide slots 37 in the collar 31. The vertical guide slots 37 constrain the drive shaft 7 to move vertically until clear of lower ends of the vertical guide slots 37.

Operation of the juicer drive motor 8 acting through the gears 24 rotates the drive sleeve 32 within the collar 31. The guide pins 35 travel down the helical guide slots 36 and down the vertical guide slots 37 until clear of a lower end 38 of the collar 31 and then the driveshaft 7 rotates with the drive sleeve 32 to rotate the juicing cone 6 mounted at the bottom of the driveshaft 7 to squeeze juice from a fruit segment mounted in a fruit segment holder 11 on the carriage 10 positioned below the juicer head 4.

After juice extraction, the juicing drive motor 8 reverses direction and the driveshaft 7 is retracted back up into the drive sleeve 32. A spring 39 may be mounted about the driveshaft 7 and within the drive sleeve 32 to snap the pins 35 back into the vertical guide slots 37.

Fig 15 shows the juice collecting tray 9 which sits on a top 40 of the main body 2 (see Fig. 8) within a raised peripheral wall 41 extending around the top 40 of the main body 2. A sloping floor 42 of the juice collecting tray 9 directs juice to an outlet 43. An upright cylindrical peripheral wall 44 extends upwardly from the floor 42 and has an inwardly projecting annular support rail 45 upon which the carriage 10 sits and rotatably engages. -8 -

A splash panel 46 may be provided at a rear portion of the wall 44 which locates at the juicing station 3. A central through hole 47 in the floor 42 allows through passage of a drive shaft 48 (see Fig. 8) from the carriage drive motor 12 housed within the main body 2 for engagement with the carriage 10.

Fig. 16 shows the carriage 10 which has a cylindrical outer wall 50 with an inwardly projecting annular rail 51 at a bottom of the outer wall 50 which seats on and rotatably engages the support rail 45 on the juice collecting tray 9. A perforated base 52 within the annular rail 51 supports four fruit segment holders 11. Each fruit segment holder 11 has a cylindrical outer wall 53 upstanding on the base 52. A concave fruit segment support 54, in this case comprising a central ring 55 with outwardly extending radial arms 56, is mounted within the outer wall 53. Each fruit segment holder 11 has a hemispherical bowl configuration which is upwardly open for reception of a hemispherical fruit segment, such as half an orange for example.

Fruit gripping spikes 58 are provided on an upper face of each arm 56 to securely grip a fruit segment and prevent the fruit segment rotating during juicing. It will be noted that large openings 59 in the base 52 and fruit segment holders 11 allow juice to flow freely to the juice collecting tray 9 beneath the carriage 10.

A hexagonal central drive connector 60 engages with the driveshaft 48 (see Fig. 5) for indexed rotation of the carriage 10 on the juice collecting tray 9 to sequentially present each fruit segment holder 11 in turn at the loading station 14 for loading/unloading a fruit segment and at the juicing station 3 for squeezing juice from each fruit segment presented there. An indexing mechanism associated with the carriage 10 is operable to rotate the carriage 10 through 90° in each indexing step. The carriage 10 is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation in a horizontal plane on top of the main body 2 beneath the juicer head 4.

Referring to Fig. 17 and Fig. 18, there is shown portion of another juicer indicated generally by the reference numeral 70. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case a rubber scraper blade 71 is provided on an underside of the carriage 10 to deliver squeezed juice to a juice collecting sump 72 at a lowest point of the floor 42 of the juice collecting tray 9 feeding a juice outlet 73. A perforated grating 74 is mounted across a mouth of the sump 72. -9 -

Referring to Fig. 19, there is shown portion of another juicer indicated generally by the reference numeral 80. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case a pulp collecting bin 81 is provided in the floor 42 of the juice collecting tray 9 with a second coarse grating 82 mounted across an inlet to the pulp collecting bin 81.

The terms "comprise" and "include", and any variations thereof required for grammatical reasons, are to be considered as interchangeable and accorded the widest possible interpretation.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

-10 -CLAIMS1. A juicer, including: a juicing station with a juicer head for extracting juice from a fruit segment, the juicing station being connected to a juice dispenser for delivery of juice extracted from the fruit segment to the juice dispenser, a fruit segment loading station, a carriage for delivery of a fruit segment between the loading station and the juicing station, and a drive for the carriage.
2. The juicer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carriage drive includes an indexing mechanism for controlling movement of the carriage.
3. The juicer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carriage has a plurality of separate fruit segment holders, and the carriage and indexing mechanism are operable to sequentially position each fruit segment holder at the juicing station.
4. The juicer as claimed in claim any preceding claim, wherein the juicing station comprises a juicer head mounted above the carriage and having a juicing cone mounted on a rotatable driveshaft which is connected to a drive motor, the driveshaft being movable between a retracted disengaged position remote from the carriage and an extended operating position for engagement with a fruit segment within a fruit segment holder of the carriage.
5. The juicer as claimed in claim 4, wherein the driveshaft is rotatably mounted on the juicer head and connects through gears with the juicer drive motor, the gears being mounted within a gearbox housing, a cylindrical collar projects downwardly from the gearbox housing, rotatably mounted within the collar is a cylindrical drive sleeve which is drivably connected by an upper end cap of the drive sleeve to a final drive gear for rotation of the drive sleeve within the collar, the driveshaft being mounted within the drive sleeve, opposed guide pins projecting radially outwardly at an upper end of the driveshaft, the guide pins being slidably engagable within complementary helical guide slots in the drive sleeve and projecting outwardly through opposed vertical guide slots in the collar, the vertical guide slots constraining the drive shaft to move vertically outwardly until clear of lower ends of the vertical guide slots for rotation of the drive sleeve within the collar.
6. The juicer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the juicer head is mounted on an upright support post and is pivotally mounted on the support post for movement between a lowered juicing position and a raised stored position.
The juicer as claimed in Claim 6, wherein locking means is provided for locking the juicer head in the lowered juicing position, or in the raised stored position.
The juicer as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the locking means comprises a spring-loaded locking pin.
9. The juicer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carriage is rotatably mounted within an associated juice collecting tray and drivably connected to a carriage drive motor.
10. The juicer as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the juice collecting tray is mounted on top of a main body which houses a drive motor for the carriage, the juice collecting tray having a central through-hole for through-passage of a drive shaft from the drive motor for engagement with a drive connector on the carriage for rotation of the carriage.
11. The juicer as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the juice collecting tray has a sloped floor which slopes downwardly towards a juice outlet of the juice collecting tray.
12. The juicer as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the support post for the juicer head is upstanding at a side of the main body and the juicer head projects inwardly from the support post over the main body.
13. The juicer as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein, the carriage has four fruit segment holders, and the indexing mechanism is operable to rotate the carriage through 90° in each indexing step.
14. The juicer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carriage is rotatable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis of rotation.
15. The juicer as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 14, wherein each fruit segment holder has a hemispherical bowl configuration for reception of a hemispherical fruit segment, at least one opening in the fruit segment holder for drainage of juice from the fruit segment holder.
16. The juicer as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 15, wherein a plurality of fruit gripping spikes are provided on an inside face of each fruit segment holder.
17. The juicer as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 16, wherein a splash protection tube is mounted about the juicing cone and driveshaft to direct juice towards the carriage.