AU2007200856B2

AU2007200856B2 - Device for cleaning the filter pipes used to extract fruit juice

Info

Publication number: AU2007200856B2
Application number: AU2007200856A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Juan Antonio Sanchez De Leon Rodriguez Roda
Original assignee: ESPAN FOOD MACH; Food Machinery Espanola SA
Current assignee: Food Machinery Espanola SA
Priority date: 2007-02-27
Filing date: 2007-02-27
Publication date: 2014-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-27
Also published as: AU2007200856A1

Abstract

Device for cleaning the filter pipes used to extract fruit juice, consisting of a cylindrically shaped tube (1) that runs telescopically through the inside of the filter pipe (2), and some circumferential openings (3) have been made at one end of this interior tube (1) through which previously injected pressurized air is expelled along its entire length. The interior tube (1) includes an air inlet (5) that has been provided at one end, and this air inlet (5) is connected to a surrounding chamber (6) with the same configuration as the interior tube (1) and in turn is connected to the openings (3) that this tube has at its other end for cleaning the filter pipe (2).

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S):: Food Machinery Espanola, S.A. ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia INVENTION TITLE: Device for cleaning the filter pipes used to extract fruit juice The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5102 H:\shntenvovenNRPobl\DCC\SB'I\553919_ I Ldoc-30/01/2014 -1 The present invention relates to a device for cleaning a filter pipe used to extract fruit juice. The known procedure for extracting juice from 5 fruit, in particular citric fruits, is to introduce the fruit in a machine that performs this function. To this end, the fruit is channeled and pushed by feed forks to receptacles that receive the fruit, where the fruit is deposited. At the same time, this machine is provided 10 with other receptacles that are located above and are vertically aligned with the receptacles that receive the fruit and that move vertically to trap the fruit. A cutter then makes a circular incision at the top and 15 bottom of the piece of fruit and, when the upper and lower receptacles compress and squeeze the fruit, the juice exits through a filter pipe located below the receptacles towards a juice collector. 20 The filter pipe into which the fruit juice enters has holes all along its surface that become obstructed when the fruit pulp gets stuck in them. Therefore the machinery has to be stopped every once in awhile (approximately every 6 or 7 hours) to clean the filter pipe, thus diminishing the 25 performance and autonomy of this machinery. The invention provides a device for cleaning a filter pipe used to extract fruit juice comprising a cylindrically shaped tube that runs telescopically through the inside of 30 the filter pipe, the tube having, at one end thereof, circumferential openings through which previously injected pressurized air is expelled along its entire length.

H:\sht\lntenoven\NRPor\DCCSBn553919 I .doc-30/01/2014 -2 The preferred embodiments of the invention eliminate structural and functional drawbacks of the prior art. 5 Preferred embodiments of the invention enable the extraction of fruit juice in conventional machines without the need to interrupt the process every once in a while. Although the injection of air is specified, any type of 10 fluid can be injected into the interior tube that will perform the same function and will succeed in keeping all the holes of the filter pipe clean, expelling all the impurities that, during the normal process phase, stick to these holes made along the filter pipe. 15 In this way, the filter pipe is automatically cleaned, which enables the machine to run uninterruptedly throughout its work cycle. In addition, the performance of this machine is considerably enhanced, with the resulting improvement of 20 its autonomy. The present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 25 Figure 1 shows a section of a unit formed by a filter pipe and an interior tube for cleaning it; Figure 2 shows a detail of holes of the filter pipe and connection thereof to an opening where pressurized air exits; and 30 Figure 3 shows a section of the interior tube running through the inside of the filter pipe.

H:sbt\Intenvovcn\NRPoItbl\DCC\SBf\553919 II.doc-30/01/21)14 -3 To clearly show the nature and scope of the advantageous application of the device for cleaning filter pipes according to a preferred embodiment of the claimed invention, following is a description of its structure with 5 reference to the drawings. The device (1) for cleaning the filter pipes used to extract fruit juice is composed of a cylindrically shaped tube (1) that runs telescopically through the inside of the 10 filter pipe (2), and some circumferential openings (3) have been made at one end of this interior tube (1) through which pressurized air is expelled along its entire length, expelling the impurities that stick to the holes (4) made all along the surface of the filter pipe (2). 15 The pressurized air inlet (5) has been provided at one end of the interior tube (1), in such a way that it is connected to a surrounding chamber (6) with the same configuration as the interior tube (1), and which in turn is 20 connected to the openings (3) that the interior tube (1) has at its other end for cleaning the filter pipe (2). Although the injection of air is specified, any type of fluid can be injected into the interior tube (1) that will 25 perform the same function and will succeed in keeping all the holes (4) of the filter pipe clean, expelling all the impurities that, during the normal process phase, stick to these holes made along the surface of the filter pipe (2). 30 The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an -4 acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. 5 Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a 10 stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning a filter pipe used to extract fruit juice comprising a cylindrically shaped tube that runs 5 telescopically through the inside of the filter pipe, the tube having, at one end thereof, circumferential openings through which previously injected pressurized air is expelled along its entire length. 10

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the tube includes an air inlet at its other end, the air inlet being connected to a surrounding chamber with the same configuration as the tube and in turn being connected to the openings for cleaning the filter pipe. 15

3. A device for cleaning a filter pipe used to extract fruit juice, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.