JP3953845B2 - Centrifuge and juicer equipped with the device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is used in a juicer for making juice from materials such as vegetables and fruits, and particularly relates to a centrifuge having a means capable of adjusting the amount of fiber and pulp contained in juice and a juicer equipped with the device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional juicer is equipped with a centrifuge that is rotated by the driving force of an electric motor. The centrifuge has an inverted frustoconical centrifuge cage, an adjustment ring fitted outside the centrifuge cage, and the like. ing. When juice is made using this type of juicer, materials such as chopped vegetables and fruits are pressed against a cutter provided at the bottom of the centrifugal basket with a push rod called a piston. The material pressed against the cutter is pulverized by a cutter that rotates at high speed integrally with the centrifugal basket and slid down into fibers and pulp.
[0003]
The material that has been slid down is guided toward the upper end of the centrifuge basket along the filter portion inclined by the centrifuge basket due to the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the centrifuge basket. In this guiding process, the liquid component passes through the filter portion by centrifugal force, and is collected in the container through the juice receiving chamber disposed on the outer periphery of the centrifugal separation basket.
[0004]
A conventional centrifugal separator used for this juicer is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-11209. As shown in FIG. 14, the centrifugal separator 1 includes a holding frame 3 that is detachably connected to a driving body 2 that is rotationally driven by an electric motor (not shown), a filter 4 that is integrally held by the holding frame 3, and a holding unit. A cutter 5 fixed inside the frame 3 is provided.
[0005]
A large number of slit-shaped small holes 4 a that allow the juice to pass through are formed in the entire filter 4, and a plurality of through holes 4 b through which fibers and pulp are passed are formed in the lower part of the filter 4. An annular groove 3a is formed on the upper surface of the holding frame 3, and a ring 6 is rotatably fitted in the annular groove 3a. An insertion hole 3b penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in the bottom wall of the annular groove 3a, and two engagement holes 3c penetrating in the horizontal direction are formed in the outer peripheral wall of the annular groove 3a.
[0006]
On the other hand, an opening / closing wall 6a for opening / closing the through hole 4b of the filter 4 is formed on the upper edge of the ring 6, and an engaging leg 6b inserted into the insertion hole 3b of the holding frame 3 is formed on a part of the lower edge of the ring 6. Formed on the outer surface of the ring 6 is a protrusion 6 c that engages with the engagement hole 3 c of the holding frame 3.
[0007]
The engagement holes 3c of the holding frame 3 and the protrusions 6c of the ring 6 constitute a positioning mechanism. When the ring 6 is rotated and the protrusions 6c are engaged with one of the engagement holes 3c of the holding frame 3, When the through hole 4b of the filter 4 is closed and the protrusion 6c is engaged with the other engagement hole 3c, the through hole 4b of the filter 4 is opened.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a centrifugal separator 1, since the engagement hole 3c of the holding frame 3 with which the projection 6c of the ring 6 engages is provided through the outer peripheral wall of the annular groove 3a horizontally, the holding frame It is necessary to provide a slide core in the mold for molding 3, so that the manufacturing cost of the centrifugal separator 1 increases.
[0009]
Then, an object of this invention is to provide the centrifuge which can be manufactured cheaply, and the juicer provided with this apparatus.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 has a substantially inverted frustoconical filter that allows the juice content of the material to pass through, and is provided with a hole of a predetermined size that allows the fibers of the material to pass therethrough. A centrifuge cage, an adjustment ring that has a closing portion for closing the hole and is rotatably fitted to the outside of an annular holding frame provided at the lower portion of the centrifuge cage, and the adjustment ring is rotated. A centrifuge provided with a positioning mechanism for switching between the closed position where the closed portion closes the hole and the non-closed position where the closed portion is not closed ;
The positioning mechanism includes an engaging convex portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the annular holding frame, and a concave portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the adjustment ring and engaged with the engaging convex portion.
The engaging convex portion extends in the vertical direction, and the upper surface of the engaging convex portion is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter .
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a juicer provided with a centrifugal separator 11 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the juicer. This juicer includes a main body 12, and a mounting table 12 a on which a juice case 14 with a lid 13 is placed is provided below the main body 12.
[0012]
An electric motor 15 for rotationally driving the centrifugal separator 11 is installed inside the main body 12. A front end portion of the output shaft 15a of the electric motor 15 protrudes from the upper surface of the main body 12, and a coupling 15b is provided at the front end portion. The coupling 15b is detachably connected to a coupling 22a (see FIG. 5) at the bottom of the centrifugal separator 11, and the centrifugal separator 11 is rotated by an electric motor 15.
[0013]
A separation case 16 in which a cylindrical juice receiving chamber 16a is formed on the upper surface of the main body 12 and a grazing receiving chamber 16b is integrally formed outside the juice receiving chamber 16a surrounds the centrifuge device 11. The separation case 16 is covered with a lid case 17. The lid case 17 is provided with an input cylinder 17a into which materials such as chopped vegetables and fruits are input. A piston 18 which is a push rod for pressing the input material into the input cylinder 17a. Is to be inserted.
[0014]
3 is a side view of the centrifugal separator 11, FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. The centrifugal separator 11 includes a mortar-shaped centrifugal basket 21, a holder 22 fixed to the lower part of the centrifugal basket 21, and an adjustment ring 23 that is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the lower part of the centrifugal basket 21. Have. The holder 22 rotatably holds the adjustment ring 23 so as not to be detached from the centrifugal basket 21, and a coupling portion 22 a that is detachably connected to the coupling 15 b of the main body 12 is provided on the lower surface of the holder 22. ing.
[0015]
As shown in the bottom view of FIG. 6, the centrifugal basket 21 includes a metal filter member 24, and the upper end of the filter member 24 is supported by an annular reinforcing frame 25 made of a synthetic resin material. The lower end is supported by an annular holding frame 26 made of a synthetic resin material.
[0016]
The filter member 24 has an inverted frustoconical shape, and a pair of split filter halves 31, 31 are fixedly formed at a pair of fixing portions 32, 32, respectively. Most of the filter member 24 is formed with a large number of slit-shaped small holes 33 that allow liquid juice to pass therethrough. Further, the filter member 24 is formed with elongated reinforcing portions 34 without the small holes 33 extending in the vertical direction, and the reinforcing portions 34 are provided at a total of eight locations including the fixing portions 32 at intervals of 45 degrees in the circumferential direction. It has been.
[0017]
The two reinforcing portions 34 that are 90 degrees away from the fixing portion 32 have a round hole-shaped first that allows a relatively large fiber or pulp that does not pass through the slit-like small hole 33 and the juice to pass therethrough. Each of the discharge holes 35 is formed. In addition, the four reinforcing portions 34 that are 45 degrees apart from the fixing portion 32 have round hole shapes that allow a relatively small fiber or pulp and a juice component to pass through with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the first discharge hole 35. The second discharge holes 36 are respectively formed. These two first discharge holes 35 and four second discharge holes 36 are formed on the same circumference along the annular holding frame 26. A cutter 37 for shredding the material is fixed inside the annular holding frame 26 with screws 38.
[0018]
Here, as shown in the partially enlarged perspective view of FIG. 7, a pair of protrusions 40, 40 are integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface 26a of the annular holding frame 26 at intervals of 180 degrees. The protrusions 40 and 40 are provided at positions corresponding to the reinforcing portions 34 including the fixing portions 32 and 32 of the filter member 24, respectively. The protrusions 40 and 40 extend in the vertical direction (vertical direction), the upper surfaces of the protrusions 40 and 40 are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter member 24, and the surfaces of the protrusions 40 and 40 are almost vertical. Yes.
[0019]
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the adjustment ring 23, and FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the adjustment ring 23 shown together with the protrusion 40 of the annular holding frame 26. The adjustment ring 23 is made of a synthetic resin material, and includes a ring main body 41 having an inner peripheral surface 41 a that can slide on the outer peripheral surface 26 a of the annular holding frame 26. On the upper surface of the ring main body 41, a total of four first protrusions (blocking portions) 42 that close the first discharge holes 35 of the filter member 24 and a total of four first protrusions (blocking portions) 42 that close the second discharge holes 36 of the filter member 24. A second protrusion (blocking portion) 43 is provided.
[0020]
A pair of locking pieces 44, 44 that can engage with the pair of protrusions 40, 40 of the annular holding frame 26 are formed at two opposing positions on the inner peripheral surface 41 a of the ring main body 41. . Each locking piece 44 is shaped like a cantilever spring by an L-shaped gap 45 penetrating in the vertical direction, and its free end 44a can be bent in the radial direction.
[0021]
The end portion of the gap 45 between the free end 44a of the locking piece 44 and the wall portion 41b opposed to the free end 44a in the circumferential direction is engaged with the engagement gap 45a with which the projection 40 of the annular holding frame 26 engages. It is said that. Further, a first recess 44 b and a second recess 44 c are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the locking piece 44 to engage with the protrusion 40 of the annular holding frame 26. A pair of positioning mechanisms 46 and 46 are configured by the protrusions 40 and 40 of the centrifugal basket 21 and the locking pieces 44 and 44 of the adjustment ring 23.
[0022]
At this time, since the convex portion 44d between the first concave portion 44b and the second concave portion 44c of the locking piece 44 is close to the base portion of the locking piece 44, the protruding portion 40 of the annular holding frame 26 gets over the convex portion 44d. At that time, a large force is received from the locking piece 44. For this reason, the height of the convex portion 44d is slightly lowered so that the adjustment ring 23 can be rotated with the same force, and the same click feeling can be obtained regardless of the rotational position.
[0023]
The protrusion 40 of the annular holding frame 26 formed in this way and the engagement gap 45a, the first recess 44b, and the second recess 44c of the adjustment ring 23 have the following positional relationship. That is, when the protrusion 40 is engaged with the second recess 44c as shown in FIG. 9, all the first protrusions 42 and second protrusions 43 are connected to all the first discharge holes 35 and the first discharge holes 35 as shown in FIG. 2 Positioned to close the discharge hole 36. Further, when the projection 40 is engaged with the first recess 44b as shown in FIG. 10, the first projection 42 is positioned at a position to close the first discharge hole 35 as shown in FIG. 43 is positioned at a position where the second discharge hole 36 is opened. Then, when the projection 40 is engaged with the engagement gap 45a as shown in FIG. 12, all the first projections 42 and the second projections 43 are connected to all the first discharge holes 35 as shown in FIG. The second discharge hole 36 is positioned to be opened.
[0024]
Next, the operation of the juicer configured as described above will be described.
[0025]
Prior to disposing the centrifuge 11 in the separation case 16 attached to the main body 12, the desired rotation position of the adjustment ring 23 described above is obtained in order to obtain a juice corresponding to the desired fiber and pulp content. Set to. Thereafter, the centrifugal separator 11 is set in the separation case 16 so that the coupling 22 a is coupled to the coupling 15 b of the electric motor 15. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, a lid case 17 is attached to the separation case 16, and the juice case 14 is placed on the placement table 12a.
[0026]
When the centrifuge 11 is driven and rotated in one direction by the drive of the electric motor 11, a material such as a chopped vegetable or fruit is used at the bottom of the centrifuge basket 21 of the centrifuge 11 using the piston 18. Is pressed against a cutter 37 provided in The material pressed against the cutter 37 is pulverized and slid down by the high-speed rotation of the cutter 37.
[0027]
The material slid down moves toward the upper end of the centrifugal cage 21 along the inclined surface of the filter member 24 of the centrifugal cage 21 by the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the centrifugal separator 11.
[0028]
During this movement process, the liquid component passes through the small hole 33 of the filter member 24 by centrifugal force, is discharged into the juice receiving chamber 16a of the separation case 16 disposed on the outer periphery of the centrifugal basket 21, and is collected in the juice case 14. It is done.
[0029]
On the other hand, for example, when the adjustment ring 23 is held at a rotation position that closes the first discharge hole 35 and the second discharge hole 36, solid components such as fibers and pulp of the slid down material are small holes 33. Without being transmitted, it is discharged from the upper end of the centrifugal basket 21 into the debris receiving chamber 16b of the separation case 16 by centrifugal force and collected as debris in the debris receiving chamber 16b.
[0030]
Further, when the adjustment ring 23 is in a rotation position where the first discharge hole 35 is closed and the second discharge hole 36 is opened or a position where the first discharge hole 35 and the second discharge hole 36 are opened, the adjustment ring 23 depends on the position. The solid component such as fiber or pulp is discharged from the first discharge hole 35 and the second discharge hole 36 opened in this manner into the juice receiving chamber 16a of the separation case 16, and is stored in the juice case 14 together with the liquid component.
[0031]
Therefore, by adjusting the rotation position of the adjusting ring 23, it is possible to make a clear juice with few fibers and pulp, juice containing a small amount of solid components such as fiber and pulp, and juice containing a large amount of these solid components. .
[0032]
The centrifugal separator 11 of this embodiment has the following effects.
[0033]
Since the protruding portion 40 of the annular holding frame 26 of the centrifugal cage 21 extends in the vertical direction, and the upper surface of the protruding portion 40 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter member 24, the upper surface of the protruding portion 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the filter member 24. There is no gap between them. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a slide core in the mold for forming the annular holding frame 26, and the manufacturing cost of the centrifugal basket 21 can be reduced. Further, since the gap is not provided, fibers or the like are not caught on the protrusion 40, and the rotation movement of the adjustment ring 23 caused by the fibers or the like caught on the protrusion 40 may be hindered. Is prevented.
[0034]
Furthermore, since the protrusion 40 is provided at a position corresponding to the reinforcing portion 34 including the fixing portion 32 of the filter member 24, the small hole 33 of the filter member 24 is not blocked, and juice discharge is hindered. Not. Since the gap 45 of the adjustment ring 23 is opened in the vertical direction, even if the fibers and pulp flowing out from the first discharge hole 35 and the second discharge hole 36 enter the gap 45, the fibers and pulp enter the gap 45. Hard to remain.
[0035]
Further, since the gap 45a, the first recess 44b, the second recess 44c and the gap 45 with which the protrusion 40 is not engaged can be cleaned by flowing tap water, it can be stored hygienically and the adjustment ring 23 is rotated. A click feeling can be reliably obtained when positioning.
[0036]
And since the projection part 40 was provided in the lower part of the centrifuge basket 21 and the adjustment ring 23 was also arrange | positioned in the lower part of the centrifuge basket 21, the gravity center of the centrifuge basket 21 fell, rotation of the centrifuge basket 21 was stabilized, Vibration and noise are reduced.
[0037]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the filter member 24 has the two types of the first discharge holes 35 and the second discharge holes 36 in addition to the small holes 33 has been described. Needless to say, the present invention can also be applied to the case where there are other discharge holes.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the engaging convex portion of the centrifugal basket extends in the vertical direction, and the upper end of the end portion that is the outer side of the engaging convex portion is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter. There is no need to provide a slide core in the mold for forming the centrifuge, and the manufacturing cost of the centrifugal basket can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a juicer equipped with a centrifugal separator according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a juicer equipped with a centrifuge according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the centrifugal separator, and shows a state in which all the first protrusions and second protrusions are positioned at positions that respectively close all of the first discharge holes and second discharge holes.
FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of the centrifugal separator.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a centrifugal separator.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the centrifugal basket.
FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a centrifugal basket.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the adjustment ring.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which a protrusion is engaged with a second recess.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the protrusion is engaged with the first recess.
FIG. 11 is a view showing a state in which the first protrusion is positioned at a position closing the first discharge hole and the second protrusion is positioned at a position opening the second discharge hole.
FIG. 12 is a view showing a state in which a protrusion is engaged with an engagement gap.
FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which the first protrusion and the second protrusion are positioned at positions where the first discharge hole and the second discharge hole are opened, respectively.
FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional centrifugal separator.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Centrifugal apparatus 21 Centrifugal cage 23 Adjustment ring 24 Filter member 26 Annular holding frame 33 Small hole 34 Reinforcement part 35 1st discharge hole 36 2nd discharge hole 37 Cutter 40 Protrusion part 42 1st protrusion 43 2nd protrusion 44 Locking Piece 44a free end 44b first recess 44c second recess 45 gap 45a engagement gap 46 positioning mechanism

Claims (3)

A centrifugation basket a predetermined size hole in which passes and fibers of said material having a generally inverted frusto-conical filter for transmitting juice Ingredients provided in the filter, closing portion for closing the hole And an adjustment ring that is rotatably fitted to the outside of an annular holding frame provided at the lower part of the centrifugal cage, and a closed position in which the closing portion closes the hole by rotating the adjustment ring And a non-blocking position that is not closed, and a positioning mechanism that is switchably positioned in both positions ,
The positioning mechanism includes an engagement convex portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the annular holding frame, and a concave portion that is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the adjustment ring and engages with the engagement convex portion.
With extending the engagement projection in the longitudinal direction, a centrifugal separator, wherein a top surface of the engaging portion has abutted against allowed on the outer peripheral surface of the filter. The filter has a filter portion in a region having a large number of small holes that allow juice to pass through, and a reinforcing portion in a region that extends to the upper and lower ends with a predetermined width and does not have the small holes,
The centrifugal separator according to claim 1, wherein the engaging convex portion is provided at a position of a reinforcing portion of the filter . A juicer comprising the centrifugal separator according to claim 1.

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