EP3883760A1

EP3883760A1 - Device for mechanical extraction of essences for olfactory analysis

Info

Publication number: EP3883760A1
Application number: EP19809194.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roberto Messineo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-11-23
Filing date: 2019-11-19
Publication date: 2021-09-29
Also published as: WO2020105072A1; IT201800010521A1

Abstract

A device (1) for mechanical extraction of essences includes a hollow body (3) and a plunger (2) provided with a compression element (4) on one of its ends. The plunger (2), sliding inside the hollow body (3) as a result of actuation by an external pressure, interacts, by means of the compression element (4), with a substance (11) to be analysed, in solid, liquid or both solid and liquid form, causing the outflow of aromatic essences in gaseous form towards the outside of the device (1) through at least one opening (8).

Description

TITLE: DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL EXTRACTION OF ESSENCES FOR

OLFACTORY ANALYSIS

DESCRIZIONE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for mechanical extraction of essences for olfactory analysis of solid, liquid or both solid and liquid substances, without using carrier substances, propellants and/or artificial enhancers .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

From the prior art, several types of devices for olfactory analysis are known, characterized by a different and specific configuration depending on the purpose of use and/or on the type of substance to be analysed. The volatile substances which separate, in form of gas, by evaporation or sublimation from the liquid and solid phases, possibly induced by a mechanical action (pressure, forced ventilation...), reach, in a more or less concentrated form, the sense of smell of the user. The odorous components of the volatile substances, especially in natural products, are attributable to aromatic compounds including alcohols, fatty acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, terpenes, etc., which, varying from substance to substance, generate different aromas in terms of intensity, complexity and quality.

The devices for olfactory analysis (hereinafter also referred to as "diffusers" for simplicity) can, for example, be installed in schools and/or facilities provided with educational laboratories, such as for example scientific museums designed in an interactive form, with different functions based, in particular, on the characteristics of the users (age, field of study, training course, etc . ) .

In particular, in nursery schools and kindergartens, the instrument can be used as a support for development activities and sensory exploration or stimulation of the sense of smell, while in primary school it can be used in olfactory and food education courses and, later, in paths aimed at spreading a multisensory knowledge of natural plants and getting to know the therapeutic properties of individual essences (naturopathic use) . Finally, in first and second grade secondary schools of, the device can be a useful didactic tool in lessons focused on the functioning of the sense organs and their connection with the human nervous system, or it can provide an integrative support to the theoretical and systematic study of plants, medicinal essences and their therapeutic principles.

In addition, the same devices can be used in psycho- pedagogical centers and/or in the medical field, particularly in alternative medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy. Their use is suitable for active experimentation sessions, aromatherapy, for studying the effects of natural substances on our body by inhalation, etc .

Finally, it is possible to envisage the use of such devices in the food sector: in catering facilities (catering institutes, gastronomic science laboratories); in the food production and processing sector (wine cellars, coffee, tea and other infusions processing centers, coffee roasters, cheese factories, etc.) or in haute cuisine (tasting courses, etc.) . The possibility of directly associating an olfactory sensation with the information belonging to the sphere of taste allows the user to feel a multisensory experience.

The main mechanical-action olfactory devices include pressure or vacuum diffusers (nebulizers, atomizers, aerosol instruments) and bulb sprayers.

Traditional diffusers are bound to use substances in liquid phase, mainly constituted of essences or concentrates dispersed in a carrier medium, for example water, alcohol, ether, etc., and are not able to treat and analyzing substances in solid or highly viscous fluid state. This significantly reduces the quantity of substances to be analyzed, which, especially in case of natural substances, appear, in their ordinary form, in solid phase. In addition to this, the same substances are often mixed, in order to increase their aromatic power, to artificial enhancers, usually of chemical origin, which contribute to a perceptible alteration of the fragrance, thus causing difficulties in their recognition. The carrier and/or propellant substances themselves, employed to facilitate and stimulate the extraction of the product, involve the same problems.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Object of the present invention is to provide a device for the mechanical extraction of essences for olfactory analysis which overcomes the main defects and the most serious constraints of the known art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which allows the mechanical extraction of essences, in particular natural essences, in a solid, liquid or both solid and liquid form without the use of artificial carriers, propellants and/or enhancers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This purpose is achieved with a device for mechanical extraction of essences as described in the enclosed claims.

It is provided, according to the invention a device for mechanical extraction of essences including a hollow body and a plunger provided with a compression element on one of its ends. Said plunger, sliding inside the hollow body, as a result of actuation by an external pressure, interacts, by means of the compression element, with a substance to be analysed, in solid, liquid or both solid and liquid form, accommodated inside a containing element, causing the outflow of aromatic essences in gaseous form towards the outside of the device through at least one opening sited on the bottom wall. Advantageously, and particularly in case of a substance to be analysed in solid form, the compression element can present a pointed end.

The containing element can coincide, in a particularly suitable embodiment for substances to be analyzed in totally or mainly solid phase, with the aforesaid hollow body, inside which the user can insert a quantity of food substance, for example coffee beans, ground cocoa, tea leaves, etc. In the case in which the substance to be analysed is present in a totally or partially liquid phase, or is generally composed of a fluid, the containing element is preferably a porous support, for example an artificial sponge. In presence of a fluid characterised by low viscosity, such as an aromatic liquid, an infusion, etc., the porous support will be able to absorb and retain said substance. On the other hand, in the case in which the substance to be analyzed consists of a high viscosity fluid, such as honey, not totally absorbable by a traditional porous support, the containing element acts as a wettable support, which, by retaining on the surface molecules of substance, enables a release of the essences of the same when it is compressed and subjected to a flow of compressed air. In the case in which the substance to be analysed has a predominantly solid phase, it is possible to interpose the same porous support between the at least one opening and the substance to be analyzed, with the function of filtering it, separating the gaseous phase from the liquid and solid phases thereof, so that only the gaseous phase can escape from the at least one opening of the device .

To achieve this same goal, in a preferred embodiment, a selecting element, such as a fine mesh sieve filter, can be inserted between the containing element and at least one opening .

To the device, or to the series of devices, in particular where the specific substances to be analysed are many, it is possible to associate a single or multiple counter displayer. This, in addition to performing a mere function of support and cataloguing of the various devices, can be accompanied by informative statements showing the main descriptive information regarding the various substances to be analysed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments made by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial section view of a device for olfactory analysis according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a hollow body of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a plunger of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of multiple displayer for devices according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a plunger of a single displayer for devices according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figures 1 - 3, with 1 has been indicated a device for mechanical extraction of essences according to the invention.

The device 1 essentially comprises a hollow body 3 and a plunger 2 able to slide, substantially sealingly, inside it. In the embodiment shown, the hollow body 3 consists of a cylinder with a circular section. For the sake of simplicity, in the following description, the hollow body 3 will be called "cylinder", without this being intended as restricting the invention. Said cylinder 3 has a side wall, a bottom wall, arranged perpendicularly to the side wall, and an open mouth at the end opposite to the bottom wall. The bottom wall is provided with at least one opening or through hole 8 with reduced section with respect to the section of the cylinder 3. The plunger 2 has, on one of its ends, and in particular on the end to be inserted into the cylinder 3, a compression element 4. Advantageously, in particular in case of a substance to be analyzed 11 in solid phase, the compression element 4 can have a pointed end. This latter, by interacting with the substance 11, in view of the greater pressure exerted, at constant force imparted to the plunger 2, promotes the compression of the substance 11 enabling, in some cases, a fragmentation and/or a squeezing thereof, facilitating thus the extraction of aromas. In order to improve the coupling between the plunger 2 and the cylinder 3, and in particular to limit the pressure losses while the device is being operated, at least one integrated sealing element 10 is provided, consisting, in a preferred embodiment, in at least a ring seal placed on the plunger 2, around the compression element 4. Other arrangements and shapes of the sealing element 10 are also possible.

The cylinder 3 can be made of a transparent plastic material. In this way, the user is able to view the contents of the device in order to easily associate the essence extracted from the device 1 to the substance 11 which is analyzed. Alternatively, a jacket (not shown in figures) may be provided to hide from the user the view of the substance 11 contained within the cylinder 3. This may be of particular utility in the ludic/didactic field, and in particular for stimulate the sense of smell regardless of visual support.

The plunger 2, sliding inside the cylinder 3, as a result of actuation by an external pressure, for example a pressure supplied by a user, interacts, by means of the compression element 4, with a substance to be analysed, in solid, liquid or both solid and liquid form, accommodated inside a containing element 7 of the device 1.

By substance to be analyzed 11 is here generally meant a natural or artificial substance, in particular for alimentary use, from which, through the device 1 according to the invention, qualitative olfactory information can be obtained, such as: perfume quality, intensity, aroma complexity, etc., but, possibly, also quantitative characteristics .

The substance to be analyzed 11 may be constituted by a solid phase, or a liquid phase, or, again, have both a solid and a liquid phase. The most common solid substances that can be used include: coffee (in beans or ground), cocoa (in powder or in the form of chocolate), tea (in dried leaves), aromatic herbs, spices, etc. The aforesaid solid substances can be otherwise treated with a solvent (preferably water) to prepare infusions, extracts, decoctions and distillates, which can also be analyzed by means of the device 1. Finally, to substances that have both a solid and a liquid phase, belong both the solid substances characterized by a high content of water which, at the mere manipulation, and even more so as a consequence of a compression, tend to release a fluid component, (fresh vegetables are an example thereof) , and properly two-phase substances, such as mixtures, colloidal systems, emulsions, or simply very viscous fluids not directly attributable to liquids and which, therefore, need to be treated specifically. Among these two-phase substances we can mention, for example: dairy products, food sauces, toothpaste, gels, etc.

The containing element 7 coincides, in an embodiment, with the aforesaid hollow body 3, inside which the user can insert a quantity of substance to be analyzed 11, for example coffee beans, ground cocoa, tea leaves, etc. This solution is particularly suitable for substances to be analyzed 11 in a totally or predominantly solid phase. In the case in which the substance to be analysed 11 is present in a totally or partially liquid phase, or is generally composed of a fluid, the containing element 7 preferably consists of a porous support, for example an artificial sponge. In presence of a fluid characterised by low viscosity, such as an aromatic liquid, an infusion, an extract, etc., the porous support will be able to absorb and retain said substance 11. The structural characteristics of this support can be selected and varied according to the substance 11 which must be contained therein. In particular, different materials and/or different densities or permeability coefficients of the same can be chosen.

On the other hand, in the case in which the substance to be analyzed consists of a high viscosity fluid, such as honey, not totally absorbable by a traditional porous support, the containing element 7 acts as a wettable support, which, by retaining on the surface molecules of substance, enables a release of the essences of the same when it is compressed and subjected to a flow of compressed air .

In the case in which the substance to be analysed has a predominantly solid phase, it is possible to interpose the same porous support between the at least one opening 8 and the substance to be analyzed 11, with the function of filtering it, separating the gaseous phase from the liquid and solid phases thereof, so that only the gaseous phase can escape from the at least one opening 8 of the device 1.

To achieve this same goal, a selecting element 9, configured, in a preferred embodiement, as a fine mesh sieve filter, can be inserted between the containing element 7 and at least one opening 8. In presence of a substance to be analyzed 11 in a predominantly solid phase, the selection element can also be designed to replace the porous support, since the two elements would carry out the same function. Otherwise, in case of substance 11 in a predominantly or totally fluid/liquid phase, the selection element 9 can be inserted to integrate the porous support, with an evident improvement in the filtration effect.

The compression element 4, interacting with the containing element 7, causes the substance 11 to release the aromatic essences contained therein. This release can occur by crushing the same substance 11, by friction, squeezing or simply by the agitation induced by the reciprocal movement of the constituent elements of the device 1. At the same time, the increase in pressure in the volume of air contained within of the cylinder 3, caused by the internal sliding of the plunger 2, causes the escape of a quantity of gas from the at least one opening 8. Said quantity of gas, passing through the containing element 7, carries with it the volatile components produced as a result of the interaction between the compression element 4 and the substance 11. The increase in velocity of the outgoing gas flow, caused by the smaller section of the at least one opening 8 with respect to the section of the cylinder 3 (Venturi effect) , involves an increase in turbulence and, therefore, an increase in the diffusion of the aroma of the substance 11. In this way, as previously mentioned, the device 1 according to the invention allows the extraction of essences without the use of artificial carrier substances, propellants and/or enhancers, including: inert gases (nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide...), alcohols and/or oils, commonly used in traditional technology diffusers. These substances, by mixing or emulsifying the substances to be analyzed 11, necessarily contribute to a perceptible alteration of the fragrance.

Finally, a covering element 6 may be associated to the bottom wall of the cylinder 3. Said element 6, which in a non-use phase of the device 1 covers the at least one opening 8, prevents, on one hand, impurities from penetrating inside and, at the same time, the volatile substances of the substance 11 to disperse in the environment .

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate, in a schematic and non limiting manner, respectively a multiple counter displayer and a single counter displayer 100 for devices 1 according to the invention. These displayers 100, in addition to performing a mere function of support and cataloguing of the various devices 1, which can be inserted into the support holes 101, can be provided with informative indications, schematically indicated with 102 and showing the main descriptive information about the different substances 11 to be analyzed. With 103 has been indicated a recess, located in the base of the multiple displayer 100, inside which, in the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 4, a correspondingly shaped element (for example cubic), not shown in the figures, can be inserted, on which explanatory captions and legends can be affixed to facilitate the user in the analysis and olfactory tasting of the substances 11. Said captions and legends, preferably accompanied by identification numbers, may refer to a corresponding number affixed to the respective device, for example on the covering element 6, for an easy recognition of the product. Other embodiments are also possible. In particular, the multiple displayer 100 may include a series of compartments, also possibly numbered, in which the substances 11 to be analyzed are placed in a free and accessible form. In this way, the user is offered the possibility of associating to the olfactory sensation also a visual and tactile feedback of the substance 11, for a multisensory experience.

In order to adapt the device 1 to the support holes 101, a support element 5 can be provided (Figures 1, 3) which can be coupled to an end of the plunger 2.

Claims

TI TLE : DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL EXTRACTION OF ESSENCES FOROLFACTORY ANALYSIS CLAIMS

1. Device (1) for mechanical extraction of essences, including :

a hollow body (3), which has a side wall, a bottom wall provided with at least one opening (8) with reduced section with respect to the section of said body (3), and an open mouth at the end opposite to the bottom wall, and is able to contain a substance to be analyzed (11) from which the essences must be extracted; and

a plunger (2) substantially sealingly slidable inside the hollow body (2);

characterized in that the plunger (2) has a compression element (4) on the end to be inserted into the hollow body (3); and in that, when said plunger (2) is being slid inside the hollow body (3) as a result of actuation by an external pressure, the compression element (4) interacts with the substance (11), causing the outflow of aromatic essences in gaseous form from the device (1) through the at least one opening (8) .

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a containing element (7), consisting of a porous support able to absorb and/or retain said substance (11) in case this latter has a liquid phase or both a liquid and a solid phase, and able to filter and separate the gaseous phase thereof from the liquid and solid phases, is placed inside the hollow body (3), near the at least one opening (8) ,

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, wherein said porous support consists of an artificial sponge,

4. Device (1) according to claim 2, wherein a selecting element (9) is placed between the containing element (7) and the at least one opening (8), in order to separate the gaseous phase of the substance to be analyzed ill) from the liquid and/or solid phases thereof.

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the selecting element (9) is a fine mesh sieve filter.

6. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one sealing element (10) is provided in order to limit pressure losses in the system plunger (2) / hollow body (3) while the device (1) is being operated.

7. Device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the sealing element (10) consists of at least one ring seal placed on the plunger (2), around the compression element (4) .

8. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the compression element (4), placed on the plunger (2), has a pointed end.

9. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body (3) is made of a transparent plastic material. 10, Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a covering element is placed over the hollow body (3) in order to hide the substance (11) contained therein.