AU2020101778A4

AU2020101778A4 - Juice extraction module for juicer

Info

Publication number: AU2020101778A4
Application number: AU2020101778A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jong Boo Kim
Original assignee: Nuc Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nuc Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-09
Filing date: 2020-08-12
Publication date: 2020-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-30
Also published as: AU2014268259A1; AU2018200553A1; AU2017202583A1; AU2020200479B2; AU2018200553B2; AU2014101316A4; AU2020101778B4; AU2018100086B4; AU2018100086A4; AU2020200479A1; AU2017202583B2

Abstract

Disclosed is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container 100 formed with a juice discharge port 101, a sieve 200 positioned inside of container 100, a screw 300 positioned inside of sieve 200, and a lid 400 coupled to a top end of container 100 and 5 formed with an input port 410. A crushing portion 500 is formed on a top end of screw 300, crushing portion 500 having a crushing blade 510 formed thereon. A crushing processing portion 600 extends from the lower end of input port 410 to accommodate crushing portion 500. Crushing processing portion 600 comprises a crushing processing surface 610 and a material guide surface 620. Material guide surface 620 extends from the 10 lower end of input port 410 and is inclined toward the rotational axis of screw 300 to guide material from the lower end of the input port toward crushing portion 500. 1/4 FIG1 400 410 100 101 102

Description

1/4

FIG1

400

410

100 101

JUICE EXTRACTION MODULE FOR JUICER

BACKGROUND i. Cross-reference to other applications The disclosure in this specification is related to that in Australian Patent Application No. 2020200479 (Publication No. AU 2020200479 Al), Australian Patent Application No. 2018200553 (Publication Nos. AU 2018200553 Al and AU 2018200553 B2), Australian Patent Application No. 2018100086 (Publication Nos. AU 2018100086 A4 and AU 2018100086 B4), Australian Patent Application No. 2017202583 (Publication Nos. AU 2017202583 Al and AU 2017202583 B2), Australian Patent Application No. 2014268259 (Publication No. AU 2014268259 Al), Australian Patent Application No. 2013342295 (Publication No. AU 2013342295 B2), Australian Innovation Patent Application No. 2014101316 (Publication Nos. AU 2014101316 A4 and AU 2014101316 B4), International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2013/009696 (Publication No. WO 2014/073816 Al), and Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2013-0034337, 10-2013 0034357, 10-2012-0148417 and 10-2012-0126516, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by way of reference. 1. Field The present disclosure relates to a juice extraction module for a juicer. 2. Description of the Related Art In general, a juicer includes a main body, and a juice extraction module mounted onto the main body. The juice extraction module includes a container having a juice extraction space, a lid having an input port through which a material is input into the container, a screw for extracting juice from the material in the container, and a sieve for separating juice and residues from each other. The main body includes a driving motor for rotating the screw, and a shaft of the driving motor is connected to the screw in the juice extraction module. In the conventional juicer, the material should be chopped into such a size that the screw can extract juice. As an example, Korean Patent No. 10-0793852 discloses a juicer configured to cut or sever a material by a screw blade protruding from a central axis of a screw toward a lateral side of an uppermost end. However, in the above technique, when a material has a size larger than the length of the screw blade, the material should be chopped in advance into a size smaller than the length of the screw blade. In addition, Korean Patent No. 10-0966607 discloses a juicer having a grater provided in an entire upper surface over a screw to crush a material just before juice is extracted. However, there are problems in that the crush using the grater is achieved at a speed higher than an ordinary low speed of the juicer and also a user should press the material against the grater by a large force in order to prevent the rotation of the material due to the high speed of the grater. Also, since the conventional juicer cuts the material and then mills the cut pieces of the material while they are pressed against a sieve in a juice extraction process, the sieve may be deformed in a moment by the pressed cut pieces. Such deformation destroys a molding for holding a shape of the sieve or decreases the bond between the molding and the sieve to generate a gap between the molding and the sieve causing a leakage of residues and a decrease in juice extraction efficiency. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application. Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. It would be advantageous to provide a juice extraction module for a juicer that reduces or eliminates the inconvenience of requiring that material for juicing be chopped or cut before being input into the juice extraction module.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, the juice extraction module including: a container formed with a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw to extract juice from a material, the screw being rotatable about a rotational axis; and a lid coupled to a top end of the container, the lid having an input port through which said material is input into the juice extraction module in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, a lower end of the input port being offset from a top portion of the screw in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, wherein the top portion of the screw has a spiral blade formed thereon and narrows toward a top end of the screw, wherein a first material processing portion extends from the lower end of the input port to accommodate the top portion of the screw, the first material processing portion comprising a first material processing surface and a material guide surface, wherein a first material processing zone for subjecting said material to a first material processing action is defined between the first material processing surface and the top portion of the screw, wherein the material guide surface extends from the lower end of the input port and is inclined toward the rotational axis to guide said material from the lower end of the input port toward the top portion of the screw, and

wherein a second material processing zone for subjecting said material to a second

material processing action is defined between a bottom portion of the screw and the sieve.

Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, the juice extraction

module including:

a container formed with a juice discharge port;

a sieve positioned inside of the container;

a screw to extract juice from a material, the screw being rotatable about a rotational axis and having top and bottom portions spaced apart along the rotational axis; and a lid coupled to a top end of the container, the lid having an input port through which said material is input into the juice extraction module in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, a lower end of the input port being offset from the top portion of the screw in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, wherein the top portion of the screw has a spiral blade formed thereon and narrows toward a top end of the screw, wherein the input port is proportioned to accommodate material having a diameter of greater than the shortest distance between the rotational axis and an inner circumferential surface of a top end of the sieve, wherein a first material processing portion extends from the lower end of the input portion to accommodate the top portion of the screw, the first material processing portion comprising a first material processing surface and a material guide surface, wherein a first material processing zone for subjecting said material to a first processing action is defined between the first material processing surface and the top portion of the screw, wherein the material guide surface extends from the lower end of the input port and is inclined toward the rotational axis to guide said material from the lower end of the input port toward the top portion of the screw, and wherein a second material processing zone for subjecting said material to a second processing action is defined between the bottom portion of the screw and the sieve.

Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer comprising a container provided with a juice extraction space defined therein, a screw for extracting juice from material in the container, and a lid coupleable with the container, the lid being provided with an input port through which the material is input, wherein in an upper portion of the screw, a crushing portion is formed and has a spiral crushing blade formed thereon, wherein on an inner surface of the lid, a crushing processing portion is formed to protrude upward from a top end of the juice extraction space and accommodate the crushing portion therein, wherein the crushing portion extends above the top end of the juice extraction space and is positioned to be accommodated in the crushing processing portion, wherein the crushing processing portion is connected with the input port, and wherein rotation of the screw causes material input through the input port to be crushed between the crushing portion and the crushing processing portion and passes downwardly along a spiral path defined between the crushing portion and the crushing processing potion, the spiral path reducing in size between its upper and lower ends.

A top apex of the crushing processing portion (600) may be formed with a shaft

hole into which a central shaft (310) of the screw (300) is rotatably fittable.

A region of the input port (410) may partially overlap with a top end region of the

sieve (200) and be out of the top end region of a sieve (200).

An inner surface of the crushing processing portion (600) may be provided with a

material guide surface (620) which smoothly connects the sieve (200) and the input port

(410), the material guide surface extending to the outside of the top end region of the sieve

(200).

The crushing processing portion (600) may cover an entire bottom region of the

input port (410) at a height at which the crushing processing portion (600) is connected to a

bottom end of the input port (410).

The crushing portion (500) may have one or more auxiliary crushing blades

formed thereon, wherein the auxiliary crushing blade(s) assist the crushing blade (510) to

crush the material more effectively.

The material guide surface (620) may continue from the input port (410) while

overlapping with the input port (410) and be formed to be inclined toward a central axis of

the crushing portion (500).

One or more milling blades (630) may be formed on an inner surface of the

crushing processing portion (600).

The screw (300), including the crushing portion (500), may be formed in unitary

one-piece construction. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, the juice extraction module including: a container comprising a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw to extract juice from a material, the screw being rotatable about a rotational axis and having top and bottom portions vertically arranged along the rotational axis, the bottom portion of the screw being accommodated within the sieve and the top portion of the screw extending out of the sieve; a lid coupled to a top end of the container, the lid having: a top portion that includes an input port through which said material is input into the juice extraction module, and a bottom portion that receives said material from the input port, wherein the top portion of the screw has a spiral blade formed thereon, extends above a top end of the sieve and narrows toward a top end of the screw, wherein the bottom portion of the lid includes a screw accommodating portion configured to accommodate the top portion of the screw, wherein a first material processing zone in which said material is subjected to crushing, in use, is defined between the top portion of the screw and an interior surface of the lid above the top end of the sieve, wherein a second material processing zone in which said material is subjected to juicing, in use, is defined between the bottom portion of the screw and the sieve, and wherein the input port is proportioned to accommodate material of up to a first diameter in size, the first diameter being greater than the shortest distance between the rotational axis of the screw and an inner circumferential surface of the top end of the sieve. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container formed with a juice discharge port, a sieve positioned inside of the container, a screw positioned inside of the sieve to rotate about a rotational axis and extract juice from a material, and a lid coupled to a top end of the container and formed with a input port through which the material is input, the juice extraction module comprising: a top portion of the screw defining a crushing portion, the crushing portion comprising a crushing blade formed thereon; and a crushing processing portion connected to the input port and defined in a bottom portion of the lid, the crushing processing portion accommodating the crushing portion of the screw, an inner surface of the crushing processing portion including a crushing processing surface and a material guide surface, wherein the input port comprises an opening formed in a top portion of the lid, and wherein the material guide surface continues from the input port and is inclined toward the rotational axis, whereby the material guide surface guides the material so that the material begins to be crushed by the crushing blade, and wherein the crushing blade crushes the material within the crushing processing portion formed in the bottom of the lid, in advance of the material reaching the sieve. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, comprising: a container comprising a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw positioned inside of the sieve to rotate about a rotational axis and extract juice from a material, a top portion of the screw defining a crushing portion which includes a crushing blade formed thereon; and a lid coupled to a top end of the container and comprising an input port through which the material is input, a bottom portion of the lid comprising a crushing processing portion connected to the input port, the crushing processing portion accommodating the crushing portion of the screw and having an inner surface that includes a crushing processing surface, wherein the input port comprises an opening formed in the lid, and wherein the crushing blade crushes the material within the crushing processing portion formed in the bottom of the lid, in advance of the material reaching the sieve. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, the juice extraction module including: a container comprising a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw to extract juice from a material, the screw being rotatable about a rotational axis and having top and bottom portions spaced apart along the rotational axis, the bottom portion of the screw being accommodated within the sieve and the top portion of the screw extending out of the sieve; a lid coupled to a top end of the container, the lid having: a top portion that includes an input port through which said material is input into the juice extraction module, the input port having an upper input end distal from the sieve and a lower, discharge end proximal to the sieve, the lower end of the input port being offset from the top portion of the screw in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, and a bottom portion that receives said material from the input port, wherein the top portion of the screw has a spiral blade formed thereon and narrows toward a top end of the screw, wherein the lid comprises a material guide surface that is inclined toward the rotational axis to guide said material from the input port toward the top portion of the screw, wherein the bottom portion of the lid includes a screw accommodating portion configured to accommodate the top portion of the screw, wherein a first material processing zone in which said material is subjected to crushing, in use, is defined between the top portion of the screw and an interior surface of the lid above a top end of the sieve, wherein a second material processing zone in which said material is subjected to juicing, in use, is defined between the bottom portion of the screw and the sieve, and wherein the input port is proportioned to accommodate material of up to a first diameter in size, the first diameter being greater than the shortest distance between the rotational axis of the screw and an inner circumferential surface of a top end of the sieve. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container formed with a juice discharge port, a sieve positioned inside of the container, a screw positioned inside of the sieve to rotate about a rotational axis and extract juice from a material, and a lid coupled to a top end of the container and formed with a input port through which the material is input, the juice extraction module comprising: a top portion of the screw defining a crushing portion that narrows toward a top end of the screw, the crushing portion comprising a crushing blade; and a crushing processing portion connected to the input port and defined in a bottom portion of the lid, the crushing processing portion defining a recess for accommodating the crushing portion of the screw, an inner surface of the crushing processing portion including a crushing processing surface and a material guide surface, wherein a distance between the crushing processing surface and the crushing blade of the screw reduces in a rotational direction in which the crushing blade rotates about the rotational axis during operation such that a first distance between the crushing processing surface and an outer edge of the crushing blade at a first location rotationally adjacent the input port is greater than a second distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at a second location rotationally adjacent the first location and such that the second distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at the second location is greater than a third distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at a third location rotationally adjacent the second location, wherein the material guide surface continues from the input port and is inclined toward the rotational axis, whereby the material guide surface guides the material so that a lateral side of the material begins to be crushed by the crushing blade, and wherein the crushing blade crushes the material within the crushing processing portion formed in the bottom of the lid, in advance of the material reaching the sieve. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, comprising: a container comprising a residue discharge port and a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw positioned inside of the sieve to extract juice from a material, and a lid coupled to a top end of the container and having an input port through which the material is input, wherein a top portion of the screw defines a crushing portion that narrows toward a top end of the screw, the crushing portion having a crushing blade, wherein the lid comprises a crushing processing portion that is connected to the input port and accommodates the crushing portion, wherein the input port is offset outwards from a rotational axis of the screw and has a width larger than the shortest distance from the rotational axis of the screw to an inner circumferential surface of a top end of the sieve, wherein a portion of the crushing processing portion comprises a material guide surface for assisting guidance of the material from the input port to the sieve wherein an inner surface of the crushing processing portion comprises a crushing processing surface, and wherein a distance between the crushing processing surface and the crushing blade of the screw reduces in a rotational direction in which the crushing blade rotates about the rotational axis during operation such that a first distance between the crushing processing surface and an outer edge of the crushing blade at a first location rotationally adjacent the input port is greater than a second distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at a second location rotationally adjacent the first location and such that the second distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at the second location is greater than a third distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at a third location rotationally adjacent the second location, and wherein the material guide surface continues from the input port and is inclined toward the rotational axis of the screw, whereby the material guide surface guides the material so that a lateral side of the material begins to be crushed by the crushing blade. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, comprising: a container comprising a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw positioned inside of the sieve to rotate about a rotational axis and extract juice from a material, a top portion of the screw defining a crushing portion which includes a crushing blade; and a lid coupled to a top end of the container and comprising an input port through which the material is input, a bottom portion of the lid comprising a crushing processing portion connected to the input port, the crushing processing portion comprising a recess to accommodate the crushing portion of the screw and having an inner surface that includes a crushing processing surface, wherein a distance between the crushing processing surface and the crushing blade of the screw reduces in a rotational direction in which the crushing blade rotates about the rotational axis during operation such that a first distance between the crushing processing surface and an outer edge of the crushing blade at a first location rotationally adjacent the input port is greater than a second distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at a second location rotationally adjacent the first location and such that the second distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer edge of the crushing blade at the second location is greater than a third distance between the crushing processing surface and the outer diameter of the crushing blade at a third location rotationally adjacent the second location. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container comprising a juice discharge port, a sieve positioned inside of the container, a screw positioned inside of the sieve to extract juice from a material, and a lid coupled to a top end of the container, the lid comprising an input port through which the material is input, the juice extraction module comprising: a crushing portion defined by a top portion of the screw, the crushing portion narrowing toward a top end of the screw and comprising a crushing blade; and a crushing processing portion defined in a bottom portion of the lid, the crushing processing portion being connected to the input port and comprising a recess for accommodating the crushing portion, wherein an inner surface of the crushing processing portion comprises a crushing processing surface, a distance between the crushing processing surface and the crushing blade reducing in a direction in which the crushing blade runs from the input port, wherein the crushing blade crushes the material within the crushing processing portion in advance of the material reaching the sieve, wherein a portion of the inner surface of the crushing processing portion comprises a material guide surface that continues from the input port and is inclined toward a central axis of the crushing portion, whereby the material guide surface guides the material so that a lateral side of the material begins to be crushed between the crushing blade and the inner surface of the crushing processing portion, wherein a first lateral side of the material input through the input port is engaged by the crushing blade while an opposite lateral side of the material is pushed outwards to bear against the inner surface of the crushing processing portion, whereby the material is crushed between the crushing blade and the inner surface of the crushing processing portion. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container 100 formed with a juice discharge port 101, a sieve 200 positioned inside of the container 100, a screw 300 positioned inside of the sieve 200 to extract juice from a material, and a lid 400 coupled to a top end of the container 100 and formed with a input port 410 through which the material is input. The juice extraction module includes a crushing portion 500 formed on a top end of the screw 300 to be narrowed upward, the crushing portion 500 having a crushing blade 510 formed thereon; and a crushing processing portion 600 connected to the input port 410 and formed in a bottom of the lid 400 to be concave for accommodating the crushing portion 500, wherein the crushing blade 510 crushes the material in advance within the crushing processing portion 600. According to one embodiment, the crushing blade 510 is formed so that the material input through the input port 410 is crushed while a lateral side of the material is pushed outwards, and the crushing processing portion 600 is provided with an inner surface to hold the material pushed outwards by the crushing blade 510, whereby the material can be crushed between the crushing blade 510 and the inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600. According to one embodiment, the crushing processing portion 600 is formed to cover an entire bottom region of the input port 410 at the height of the crushing processing portion 600 connected to a bottom end of the input port 410. According to one embodiment, a bottom region of the input port 410 is positioned to be offset within a semicircle region of a circle having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the crushing processing portion 600 with a central shaft 310 of the screw 300 as a center. According to one embodiment, the inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 comprises a crushing processing surface 610 formed to be increasingly close to the crushing blade 510 in a direction in which the crushing blade 510 runs from the input port 410. According to one embodiment, the inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 comprises a material guide surface 620 continuing from the input port 410 and formed to be inclined toward a central axis of the crushing portion 500, whereby the material guide surface 620 guides the material so that a lateral side of the material begins to be crushed by the crushing blade 510. According to one embodiment, a bottom end of the material guide surface 620 may conform to an inner surface of the sieve 200. According to one embodiment, the crushing portion 500 passes over a top end of the sieve 200 and is accommodated in the crushing processing portion 600, and the crushing blade 510 cooperates with the crushing processing portion 600 to crush the material. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container 100 formed with a residue discharge port 102 and a juice discharge port 101; a sieve 200 positioned inside of the container 100; a screw 300 positioned inside of the sieve 200 to extract juice from a material, and a lid 400 coupled to a top end of the container 100 and formed with a input port 410 through which the material is input, wherein a crushing portion 500 is formed on a top end of the screw 300 to be narrowed upward, the crushing portion 500 having a crushing blade 510 formed thereon, wherein the lid 400 is formed with a crushing processing portion 600, the crushing processing portion 600 being connected to the input port 410 and accommodating the crushing portion 500, wherein the input port 410 is disposed to be offset outwards from a central axis of the screw 300 and has a width larger than the shortest distance from the central axis of the screw 300 to an inner circumferential surface of a top end of the sieve 200, wherein the crushing processing portion 600 is formed with a material guide surface for assisting guidance of the material from the input port 410 to the sieve 200. The crushing blade 510 and the crushing processing portion 600 are formed so that a distance between the crushing blade 510 and an inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 is gradually reduced by the rotation of the crushing blade 510 The crushing processing portion 600 comprises a crushing processing surface 610, the crushing processing surface 610 is formed with at least one milling blade 630. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container 100 formed with a juice discharge port 101, a sieve 200 positioned inside of the container 100, a screw 300 positioned inside of the sieve 200 to extract juice from a material, and a lid 400 coupled to a top end of the container 100 and formed with a input port 410 through which the material is input, the juice extraction module comprising: a crushing portion 500 formed on a top end of the screw 300 to be narrowed upward, the crushing portion 500 having a crushing blade 510 formed thereon; and a crushing processing portion 600 connected to the input port 410 and formed in a bottom of the lid

400 to be concave for accommodating the crushing portion 500, wherein an inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 includes a crushing processing surface 610 formed to be increasingly close to the crushing blade 510 in a direction in which the crushing blade 510 runs from the input port 410, and the crushing blade 510 crushes the material in advance within the crushing processing portion 600. Also disclosed herein is a juice extraction module for a juicer, which includes a container 100 formed with a juice discharge port 101, a sieve 200 positioned inside of the container 100, a screw 300 positioned inside of the sieve 200 to extract juice from a material, and a lid 400 coupled to a top end of the container 100 and formed with a input port 410 through which the material is input, the juice extraction module including: a crushing portion 500 formed on a top end of the screw 300 to be narrowed upward, the crushing portion 500 having a crushing blade 510 formed thereon; and a crushing processing portion 600 connected to the input port 410 and formed in a bottom of the lid 400 to be concave for accommodating the crushing portion 500, wherein an inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 comprises a material guide surface 620 continuing from the input port 410 and formed to be inclined toward a central axis of the crushing portion 500, whereby the material guide surface 620 guides the material so that a lateral side of the material begins to be crushed by the crushing blade 510, and the crushing blade 510 crushes the material in advance within the crushing processing portion 600. A conventional juicer has inconvenience and difficulty in that an increase in length of a screw blade increases an entire outer diameter of a screw, and thus, a sieve, a container and a lid should be manufactured large so as to be fitted to the screw. However, in at least some embodiments of a juice extraction module according to the present disclosure, a material having a diameter larger than a length of a screw blade can be used, and the material can be crushed into a size suitable for extracting juice without increasing an outer diameter of a screw by a crushing processing portion and a crushing portion accommodated in the crushing processing portion and cooperating with the crushing processing portion. An embodiment of the present invention may reduce or eliminate the inconvenience and cumbersomeness that a user should chop a material before the material is input. In addition, in an embodiment disclosed herein, a space between the crushing blade and the crushing processing portion may be gradually narrowed and the material may be caught and simultaneously dragged into between the crushing blade and the crushing processing portion, so that the material is effectively crushed while being automatically supplied to the screw without a user needing to push the material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a juice extraction module for a juicer embodying principles disclosed herein; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the juice extraction module of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a lid of the juice extraction module shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the lid taken along line A-A of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the lid taken along line B-B of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a front view showing a screw having a crushing portion provided on a top end thereof as a portion of the juice extraction module shown in Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT Hereinafter, embodiments of the presently disclosed principles will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are provided only for illustrative purposes so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the principles disclosed herein. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments but may be implemented in other forms. In the drawings, the widths, lengths, thicknesses and the like of elements may be exaggerated for convenience of illustration. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a juice extraction module for a juicer according to one embodiment of principles disclosed herein; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the juice extraction module of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a lid of the juice extraction module shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the lid taken along line A A of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the lid taken along line B-B of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a front view showing a screw having a crushing portion provided on a top end thereof as a portion of the juice extraction module shown in Fig. 1. Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, a juice extraction module for a juicer according to one embodiment of principles disclosed herein includes a container 100 having a juice extraction space defined therein and having a juice discharge port 101 and a residue discharge port 102 respectively formed in one and another sides of an outer surface thereof, a sieve 200 installed inside of the container 100 to separate juice from material residues generated in juice extraction, a screw 300 installed inside of the sieve 200 to extract juice from the material, and a lid 400 installed to a top end of the container 100 and formed with an input port 410, through which a material is input. Although not shown, an opening/closing means for selectively opening and closing the juice discharge port 101 of the container 100 may be applied to the juice extraction module. As the opening/closing means, a cock valve may be used. The cock valve includes a valve body moving forward or backward in the juice discharge port 101, wherein a leading end of the valve body may be oriented toward the juice discharge port 101. In addition, the cock valve may include a juice discharge cock, which may be selectively connected to the juice discharge port 101 by the valve body. As a means for opening and closing the juice discharge port 101, a variety of means may be employed in addition to the above structure. The top end of the screw 300 defines a crushing portion 500 having a shape that narrows upwardly. The crushing portion 500 has a crushing blade 510 formed thereon, wherein the crushing blade 510 extends in the shape of a spiral having a width that gradually narrows upward, toward a top apex of the crushing portion 500. A central shaft 310 of the screw 300 may extend from the top apex of the crushing portion 500. The lid 400 has a crushing processing portion 600 formed in a bottom thereof defining a concave extending upward from a face coupled with the container 100 in order to accommodate the crushing portion 500. The crushing processing portion 600 has a shape that gradually narrows toward a top apex corresponding to the crushing portion 500. In addition, the top apex of the crushing processing portion 600 is formed with a shaft hole, into which the central shaft 310 of the screw 300 is rotatably fitted. While being connected with the input port 410, the crushing processing portion 600 cooperates with the crushing portion 500 to serve to crush the material input through the input port 410. The crushing blade 510 is inserted and positioned in the crushing processing portion 600, and the crushing blade 510 cooperates with the shape of an inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 to crush the material. The input port 410 is offset toward one side with respect to a central axis of the screw 300 and simultaneously should have such a large bottom width W (or inner diameter) that a large-sized material such as an apple is allowed to be input without being pre-chopped. The sieve 200 has the largest inner diameter at the top end thereof, and thus, a distance from the central axis of the screw 300 to the sieve 200 is set up to be largest at the top end of the sieve 200. The bottom width of the input port 410 is set up to be larger than the shortest distance from the central axis of the screw 300 to an inner circumferential surface of the top end of the sieve 200. Accordingly, as viewed from the top, a region of the input port 410 partially overlaps with a top end region of the sieve 200 and is out of the top end region of the sieve 200. In contrast, a conventional juicer has a small-sized input port so as to be generally positioned inside of a region of a sieve. Also, the crushing processing portion 600 is formed to cover the entire bottom region of the input port 410 at the height of the crushing processing portion 600 connected to the bottom end of the input port 410. Further, the input port 410 is within a circle region having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the crushing processing portion 600 with the central shaft 310 of the screw 300 as the center, and more preferably, is positioned to be offset within one side of semicircle regions into which the circle region is divided by a line passing through the central shaft 310. In addition, the inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600, particularly an inner crushing processing surface 610 is formed to be increasingly close to the crushing blade 510 of the crushing portion 500 in a direction in which the crushing blade 510 runs from the bottom end of the input port 410. Accordingly, when the material is expelled out by the crushing blade 510, the material is held by the inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600, so that a lateral side of the material is crushed by the crushing blade 510, and the material is dragged into the crushing processing portion according to the rotation of the crushing portion. This facilitates automatically crushing the material even if a user inputs the material and then does not push the material again. The crushing portion 500 further has one or more auxiliary crushing blades formed thereon, which assist the crushing blade 510 to crush the material more effectively. In such a case, the crushing blade 510 first crushes the material, and the auxiliary crushing blades may crush the material more finely. Also, as the material is dragged into the crushing processing portion, a downward force on the screw is generated, so that there is an effect of suppressing upward movement of the screw generated by accumulation of material residues between a bottom surface of the screw and a floor surface of the container. As mentioned above, a portion of the input port 410 extends out of the top end region of the sieve 200. A material guide surface 620 is provided on the inner surface of the crushing processing portion 600 to guide the material input through the input port 410 toward the sieve 200. That is, the material guide surface 620 is provided as an element for smoothly connecting the sieve 200 and the input port 410, part of which extends laterally outwardly of the sieve, such that an uncut apple can be fed into the input port. Also, the material guide surface 620 continues from the input port 410 while overlapping with the input port 410 and is formed to be inclined toward the central axis of the crushing portion 500, thereby causing a lateral side of the material to begin to be crushed by the crushing blade 510. In order to improve crushing processibility, one or more milling blades 630 may be further formed on the crushing processing surface 610. In this embodiment, the plurality of milling blades 630 are spaced apart from each other and extend from an upper portion of the crushing processing surface 610 to a lower portion thereof, and each of the milling blades 630 is increasingly close to the crushing blade 510 as it goes from the upper portion toward the lower portion. The crushing portion 500 passes over the top end of the container 100 and sieve 200 and is accommodated and positioned in the crushing processing portion 600 positioned in the lid 400. The crushing portion 500 and the crushing processing portion 600 cooperate with each other to crush the material input through the input port 410, thereby making it possible to smoothly extract juice from the material even if the user does not chop the material in advance. Since the juice is extracted from the material in the sieve 200, after it is crushed as described above, there is an effect of preventing the sieve 200 from being deformed. In addition, a lateral side of the material is processed by the crushing blade 510, which is facilitated by forming the crushing portion 500 to have a length suitable for the height of the material. Thus, the protruding length of the screw blade need not extend in order to cut the material itself. Further, a sieve insertion step 420 may be formed in a bottom of the crushing processing portion 600 to be snugly fitted to the top end of the sieve 200. The bottom end of the material guide surface 620 meets the sieve insertion step 420 in a stepwise manner, wherein the bottom end of the material guide surface 620 is formed to conform to an inner surface of the top end of the sieve 200. Accordingly, the material crushed through the crushing processing portion 600 is smoothly guided into the sieve 200 along the material guide surface 620. As will be apparent from a reading of the present disclosure as a whole:

• the term "concave", when used herein as a noun means a "recess" or to be

"recessed"; and • the term "crush" means to break up into smaller portions, with a corresponding meaning applying to similar terms, such as "crushing" and "crushed". As described above, it can be seen that the illustrated embodiments provide a juice extraction module for a juicer having a structure that facilitates crushing a material in advance prior to the material passing to the sieve, which reduces or eliminates an inconvenient procedure of needing to chop or cut material before it is input.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and applications can also be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A juice extraction module for a juicer, the juice extraction module including: a container formed with a juice discharge port; a sieve positioned inside of the container; a screw to extract juice from a material, the screw being rotatable about a rotational axis; and a lid coupled to a top end of the container, the lid having an input port through which said material is input into the juice extraction module in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, a lower end of the input port being offset from a top portion of the screw in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, wherein the top portion of the screw has a spiral blade formed thereon and narrows toward a top end of the screw, wherein a first material processing portion extends from the lower end of the input port to accommodate the top portion of the screw, the first material processing portion comprising a first material processing surface and a material guide surface, wherein a first material processing zone for subjecting said material to a first material processing action is defined between the first material processing surface and the top portion of the screw, wherein the material guide surface extends from the lower end of the input port and is inclined toward the rotational axis to guide said material from the lower end of the input port toward the top portion of the screw, and wherein a second material processing zone for subjecting said material to a second material processing action is defined between a bottom portion of the screw and the sieve.
2. The juice extraction module of claim 1, wherein the first material processing

action comprises rotation of the screw causing the blade on the top portion of the screw to

press the material against the first material processing surface and thereby crush the

material before it passes to the second material processing zone, and wherein the second

material processing action comprises rotation of the screw causing the bottom portion of the screw to press the material against the sieve and thereby extract juice from the material.
3. The juice extraction module of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower

end of the input port is offset from the rotational axis of the screw, in a direction

perpendicular to the rotational axis of the screw, within a semicircle region of a circle

having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the first material processing portion, the

circle being centred on the rotational axis of the screw.
4. The juice extraction module of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a

distance between the first material processing surface and the blade of the screw reduces in

a rotational direction in which the blade rotates about the rotational axis during operation.
5. The juice extraction module of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a length

of the blade, measured perpendicular to the rotational axis from a root of the blade to an

outer edge of the blade, is less than the maximum diameter of material that can be

accommodated by the input port.

FIG 1 2020101778

1 00

This data, for application number 2013342295, is current as of 2014-11-24 09:59 AEST