FR3004382A1 - DISCONTINUOUS FRUIT PRESSURIZATION DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for discontinuous fruit pressing, comprising a tank (2) equipped in the upper part with an inlet opening (3) and at the bottom of an outlet (4), said tank ( 2) internally comprising means (7) for compressing fruit, characterized in that said compression means (7) consist of at least one lattice (8) movable, separating said bowl (2) between a first upper space (10) for receiving said fruits and a second lower space (11) for receiving the juice flow during compression, said compression means (7) further comprising means for actuating the movement of said mesh (8) from a low position to a high position, so as to decrease said first space (10) and proportionally increase said second space (11), compressing the fruit against the upper inner wall of said tank (2).

Description

The present invention is in the agricultural field, in particular viticulture. The invention is particularly directed to the step of pressing fruit, in particular grapes, in order to extract the juice. For this purpose, the invention relates to a device for discontinuous pressing of fruits. In a known manner, the pressing of fruit, in particular grapes, is a mechanical operation consisting in squeezing the fruits in order to extract the juice, namely the liquid part of the must, separating it from the rest of the fruits, thus constituting the marc. . This step is currently carried out by means of a press. The latter generally consists of a tank, inside which the fruits are poured. Movable means are actuated so as to exert pressure on the volume of fruit, compressing them so that their juice flows naturally through a perforated wall, through orifices or drains arranged within this portion of the tank, under the effect of gravity, to the outside of the tank where it is recovered, especially after a filtration step. Two types of techniques are used to carry out this pressing, according to whether it is carried out continuously or discontinuously. The present invention relates exclusively to pressing carried out batchwise. In this context, a widespread solution is to use an envelope, made of a material whose porosity, on the one hand, allows the passage of the juice through and, on the other hand, prevents the passage of the rest of the pressed fruit . Such an envelope may be in the form of a membrane of woven or mesh material, in particular a grid or a lattice. In addition, according to a first solution, said envelope is provided fixed, against which the fruits are pressed. Document FR 2 722 731 describes such an envelope constituting the lower part of the tank, forming a cage. A movable membrane internally divides the volume of said, into a first space on the side of said cage at which the fruits are placed and a second space located above. In addition, said membrane provides a tight separation between these spaces and consists of an elastic material, so that the injection of a fluid, in particular compressed air or water, into said second upper space dilate the membrane, which then applies a compressive force to the fruit on the other side. In sum, the increase in the volume of the second space causes the volume of the first space to decrease, thus compressing the fruits, which press against the said cage. The juice then flows through the latter to the outside of the tank. In addition, the bottom wall of said tank has internally perforated projections extending substantially radially so as to increase the contact surface with the fruits to be pressed. It should be noted that this solution may require that said tank is located within a hermetic enclosure supplied with gas. In addition, such a chamber makes it possible to extract the oxygen present and, thus, to limit the phenomenon of oxidation of the fruits when they are pressed. The amount of sulphites added to chemically limit this oxidation can then be reduced. Such a system requires the evacuation of the juices as and when pressing, especially to a fractionation belon, through valves, controlled automatically, providing pressure compensation. Such a solution requires a large amount of neutral gas to provide the anti-oxidation function and thus substantial and complex storage and gas supply means. An example of such a solution is described in WO 2005/051642. The present invention consists of an alternative solution, by providing a device for discontinuous fruit pressing using the upward movement of a trellis, to compress and press said fruits against the inner wall of the trough, at the upper level, ensuring gravity flow of gravity through said mesh. More particularly, this displacement can be actuated by energizing said lattice, in particular by winding this lattice around a tree. To do this, such a device comprises a tank equipped in the upper part of an inlet opening and in the lower part of an outlet, said vessel internally comprising fruit compression means introduced by said opening. In addition, it is characterized in that said compression means consist of at least one movable provided trellis, separating the interior volume of said trough between a first upper receiving space of said fruits and a second lower receiving space of the trough. flow of the juice during compression, said compression means further comprising means for actuating the movement of said mesh from a low position to a high position, so as to decrease said first space and proportionally increase said second space, by compressing the fruits contained within said first space against at least a portion of the upper inner wall of said tank, and vice versa. Thus, the tensioning by winding of said mesh ensures the compression of the fruits by lifting them, separating the grounds of the juice flowing naturally by gravity through said mesh, which also plays a filtering role, to fill the lower part of said tank without the fruit soaking in the juice. Moreover, in the case of grapes, the tension of the mesh winding can be adjusted so as to apply a greater or lesser compressive force to the fruits, making it possible to extract different compounds and to obtain juices. with distinct taste and quality characteristics. In addition, during the filling of the tank, it is possible to maintain the trellis in tension, bringing it in the upper part of said tank. As filling progresses, the weight of the fruits then applies a force that progressively unfolds the trellis. Thus, the fruits are not poured directly into the bottom of the tank, not being altered by this fall.

Advantageously, said lattice also plays a first filter role, in addition to its pressing function. According to other characteristics, preferred but not limiting, said lattice may comprise an end made integral with said vessel, said actuating means comprising at least one winding shaft secured to the opposite end of said trellis, so that the rotation in one direction of said shaft ensures the tensioning of the mesh and its passage from said low position to said high position, and vice versa.

According to a first embodiment, said lattice may consist of an arrangement of longitudinal elements connected and articulated together so as to form an apron. Preferably, said elements may be in the form of rods traversed transversely by cables. According to one embodiment, said compression means may comprise motor means and rotational actuation of said shaft in an extreme position in tension of said lattice to a relaxed position, and vice versa, through intermediate positions. According to another embodiment, said vessel is rotatably mounted around its longitudinal median axis, so as to pass from a loading position to an unloading position, and vice versa. In particular, said shaft is located in the upper part of said vessel. In addition, the device according to the invention greatly simplifies the installation necessary to effect the pressing, in particular to overcome a belon of fractionation of different juices from successive pressings.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments of the invention, with reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 represents a view schematized by transparency according to a transverse vertical view of a simplified embodiment of the preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic view in longitudinal vertical section of a simplified embodiment of said device; - Figures 3 to 6 show schematically, in a vertical cross section, four successive stages during the pressing of fruits; and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a detail of an embodiment of the lattice of said device. The present invention relates to a device 1 for pressing batch fruit. Thus, said device 1 is designed to operate according to a successive repetition of pressing cycles, in particular requiring a stopping step at the time of loading with fruits, at the time of the emptying of the juice, as well as at the time of unloading the fruits. once compressed. It will be noted that the recovery of the juice resulting from the pressing can take place continuously or else during a step of emptying the entire stock of pressed juice in a pressing cycle. Such a device 1 comprises a tank 2. It can be of any shape, preferably cylindrical. It can be oriented along different axes, from horizontal to vertical positions via inclined positions. Preferably, its longitudinal axis extends horizontally or substantially horizontally. In addition, said tank 2 has at least one closed lower part, namely that it forms a sealed tank bottom at its bottom. Preferably, the tank 2 constitutes a completely closed enclosure. In addition, said tank 2 is sized to receive a quantity of fruit to be pressed and to store the entire amount of juice from said fruits after and during pressing. In addition, said tank 2 is equipped in the upper part 5 with an inlet opening 3 and in the lower part with an outlet 4. Firstly, said inlet 3 may be provided resealable, by means of covers 5 adapted. This closure can be carried out preferentially in a sealed manner. It is through this opening 3 that are placed the fruits 10 in the tank 2, including spilling. Moreover, said outlet 4 is also reclosable, in particular by means of a drain valve 40, allowing or not the flow of the juice once the fruit is pressed from the bottom towards the outside of said tank 2 In addition, said outlet 4 may consist of a housing 41, commonly called a "box", forming a recovery tank formed through said vessel 2 and under the bottom thereof. Such a housing 41 receives the first juice resulting from pressing, in particular self-pressing. Said housing 41 can also internally receive, removably, filtering means, in particular in the form of a basket. As such, the tank 2 may be inclined at a slight slope or have an inclined bottom 6, forming at least one decreasing slope facing said outlet 4 then located at a low point, so as to guide the flow of juice. In addition, the outlet 4 may be equipped with filtration means to recover fruit remains present in the juice, such as fruit pulp. These filtering means may be in the form of a filter basket, consisting of a fine mesh, whose spacing allows only liquid. Such a basket is removable, in order to remove it for cleaning. As such, it will be noted that said tank 2 may be provided with an access hatch 22, in order to allow passage for the purpose of maintenance and cleaning of the various elements that it encloses. According to the preferred embodiment, as can be seen in FIG. 1, this access hatch 22 can be made at the level and through one of the end faces of said tank 2. This arrangement makes it possible in particular to introduce and extracting the different elements constituting the device 1, in particular elements of a length equivalent to the length of the tank 2.

Advantageously, the tank 2 internally comprises means 7 for compressing fruit introduced by said opening 3. In particular, these compression means 7 make it possible to press the fruits contained in the tank 2 to bring out the juice, which is then flow naturally, under the effect of gravity to the outlet 4 located in the lower part of said tank 2. On the one hand, said compression means 7 consist of at least one mesh 8. This constitutes a mobile part of the compression means 7. In short, it is the displacement of said mesh 8 which will apply pressure to said fruit to extract the juice. In addition, one end 9 of said mesh 8 can be secured to said vessel 2. In particular, said end 9 is fixed to the inner wall of the vessel 2, in the upper part. Furthermore, the mesh 8 separates the interior volume of the tank 2 between a first upper space 10 for receiving said fruits and a second lower space 11 for receiving the flow of the juice during compression. Advantageously, said compression means 7 comprise means for actuating the displacement of said mesh 8 from a low position to a high position, so as to reduce said first space 10 and proportionally increase said second space 11, by compressing the fruits contained in FIG. within said first space 35 against at least a portion of the upper inner wall of said tank 2. Conversely, the actuating means ensure the movement of said mesh 8 from said upper position to said lower position. Note that this displacement can be effected by intermediate positions, where said lattice 8 can be maintained in these positions.

Thus, as a function of the displacement of said lattice 8, the respective volumes of said upper and lower spaces 10 vary proportionally. In particular, during compression, the volume of the upper space 10 where the fruits are located decreases, while the lower volume 11 increases accordingly, leaving room to allow the reception and storage of the juices flowing. during this pressing. The change of these volumes is visible in Figure 1, showing the lattice 8 in two high and low positions. In addition, in the low dotted position, the lower volume is almost zero, said lattice resting against the inner wall of the tank 2, under the weight of the fruits that fill almost the entire volume of the tank 2, corresponding to the volume of the upper space 10. It will also be noted that, in this initial configuration where the tank 2 is filled with fruit, visible in dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 3, in which the tank 2 is filled, a self-heating phenomenon occurs. pressing fruits from the weight of the fruits thus piled up. This first self-pressing juice then flows along the bottom to be recovered at the outlet 4, in particular within its housing, preventing the juice stagnates in contact with the fruit. On the other hand, said actuating means further comprise at least one winding shaft 12 made integral with the opposite end 13 of said trellis 8, so that the rotation in one direction of said shaft 12 ensures the tensioning of the trellis 8 and the compression of the fruits against at least a portion of the upper inner wall of said tank 2. In particular, the tensioning corresponding to the winding of the mesh 8 around the shaft 12, decreases the length of said mesh 8 to inside the enclosure, and conversely the unwinding increases its length during the rotation in the opposite direction. According to a different embodiment, said end 9 of the mesh 8 secured to the inner wall of the tank 2 can be replaced by a winding shaft similar to the shaft 12, ensuring the tensioning of said mesh 8 by its two ends by simultaneous winding or shifted said shafts, and conversely during unwinding. In addition, the compression speed can be doubled without changing the winding speed of each shaft. More precisely, according to an additional characteristic, said compression means 7 comprise means 14 for motorizing and actuating in rotation said shaft 12 in an extreme position in tension of said lattice 8 to a relaxed position, and vice versa, through intermediate positions. These motorization means 14 may be located internally, but preferably externally to said tank 2, the axis of the shaft 12 sealingly traversing the end side walls of the tank 2, as shown in the specific embodiment of FIG. FIG. 2. Moreover, it will be noted that said shaft 12 may be located in the upper part of said tank 2, so as to ensure a tension of the lattice 8 which tends to last at least in the upper half, or even the third or fourth 2. Thus, the mesh 8 serves as a net to receive the fruits when they are introduced inside the tank 2, through the inlet opening 3, said covers 5 are then open. Figure 3 shows this step of introducing the fruits inside the tank 2. A dotted line shows the mesh 8 which can be positioned in height, already stretched. As the filling progresses, the mesh 8 relaxes, under the weight of said fruits or by actuation of the drive means 14 unwinding said shaft 12, the winding shaft 12 then leaving the mesh 8 to unfold until to reach its low position, schematized by a continuous line. Once the tank 2 filled with fruit, the inlet opening 3 is closed. The net formed by the mesh 8 is then stretched, by rotating the shaft 12, applying a pressure force to the fruits which are raised and crushed against the upper wall of the tank 2, leaving room for the lower level of the tank 2 to the juice that flows then. Figure 4 shows several compressive forces applied by the mesh 8 when the winding shaft 12 rotates on itself and causes winding and thus powering. In this figure also appear in dotted lines the low position in which was the mesh 8 before the start of its power, and an intermediate position during the pressing operation. As can be seen in FIG. 5, once the mesh 8 has reached the upper position, it is kept there the time to evacuate the juice from the bottom of the tank 2. To do this, the outlet 4 is then opened, allowing the flow to the juice. FIG. 1 shows an example of the juice level 24 reached in the lower part of the tank 2, whereas the pressed fruits are not in contact, lifted and compressed against the upper inner wall of said tank 2. It will be noted that the device 1 can be equipped with a sensor 23 verifying in real time the juice level 24 in the tank 2, so as to trigger the opening of the outlet 4 if a threshold level is exceeded. Such a sensor 23 may be electronic but also mechanical, in the form of at least one float. In particular, it may be a tube outside said tank 2 and connected thereto, within which the level of juice 24 rises proportionally to the filling level of the tank 2. Thus, it is possible to visually note the level of pressed juice 24 reached and manually trigger the drain. The triggering threshold of the sensor 23 may at least be located at the lowest point of the mesh 8 when in the high position of tension, preferably below this height. In particular, several levels may correspond to different thresholds, depending on successive pressing cycles, for the extraction of different juices with distinct characteristics. In this respect, a first pressing cycle makes it possible to extract the first vintage from a given quantity of fruit. This first cuvée is extracted from a first tensioning in winding of the mesh 8. Then, the latter can be relaxed by unrolling it partially, so as to crumble and detach the fruit cake previously compressed. This retrieval step is performed without manual intervention, simply by unfolding the trellis 8, which leaves the pile of fruits dislocated under the effect of gravity when it is relaxed. Then, a new tension by winding is applied to the mesh 8 to operate a new compression of the fruits and obtain a juice. This retrieval operation can be performed successively several times, to obtain a first and a second size. Of course, the juices from each step can be extracted before the next step. These crumbling steps are visible in Figure 4, when the mesh 8 returns to the intermediate position, shown schematically by the dotted line located at the center of the tank 25 2. The crumbling is therefore to pass the mesh 8, by unwinding, from its upper position, to this intermediate position. Once the juice is extracted, the tank 2 must be emptied of the compressed fruit residues. To do this, the inlet opening 3 is open and said tank 2 is turned over, as can be seen in FIG. 6. It will be noted that, in this inverted position, said trellis 8 can retain its position because of the tension which It is applied to it, or it can fall, under the effect of gravity, facilitating the expulsion of the pressed fruit towards the inlet 3. To do this, said tank 2 is articulated in rotation about its longitudinal median axis 15 , so as to move from a loading position to an unloading position, and vice versa. In addition, suitable drive means may be provided to drive said tank 2 in rotation about its axis 15. In addition, these motorization means may be mounted externally at a bearing structure 16, within which said tank 2 is pivotally mounted. In addition, hubs 21 may be mounted externally integral with each end of the vessel 2, aligned along its axis 15, and cooperating within complementary cradles formed within said supporting structure 16. Said motorization means then ensure the implementation rotation of the vessel 2 relative to this structure 16.

Advantageously, said mesh 8 may consist of a flexible flat surface, namely flexible or semi-rigid. In addition this surface may be provided elastic, but preferably non-elastic. In addition, this surface is porous, allowing the fluid constituting the juice to pass through, but not the other solid residues. The trellis 8 then acts as a filter. Note that the porosity of the lattice 8 depends on the spacing of the elements that constitute it. In short, this spacing determines the particle size of the particles 25 through said mesh 8. According to a first embodiment, the mesh 8 may consist of a perforated surface, such as a mesh or mesh, or even a perforated sheet. It can be made of plastic or metal material.

According to a second embodiment, the mesh 8 may consist of a fabric, woven or not. This canvas is not waterproof and lets the juice filter. It may consist of a natural or synthetic material, preferably a weave of natural and / or synthetic fibers.

According to another embodiment, said mesh 8 may consist of an arrangement of longitudinal elements 17 connected and hinged together so as to form an apron. In sum, the mesh 8 is a kind of flap whose longitudinal elements form the blades. According to the preferred embodiment, as visible in FIG. 7, said elements 17 are in the form of rods 18 traversed transversely by cables or wires 19. Said rods 18 may consist of bars of plastic, composite or metallic material , In particular, the latter may receive in attachment said rods 18, in particular by passing through holes provided for this purpose. In sum, the cables 19 are spaced at regular intervals along each rod 18, connecting them and imparting to said mesh 8 a planar shape over its width, namely along the length of the tank 2 (the length of the trellis 8 s' wrapping and unrolling around the tree 12). These regular connections also make it possible to apply a homogeneous force across the entire width of said mesh 8. In addition, the rods 18 may be provided contiguous, articulated to each other solely by sliding a rod against the two adjacent rods to which it is connected. This tightening then becomes all the more tight as the tension applied to the lattice 8 is large, namely as it winds around the shaft 12, and vice versa. However, in no way limiting, a fixed game between said rods 18 may be provided, especially in a spacing of a millimeter, especially at least one millimeter, for example between 1 and 10 millimeters, in particular 3 millimeters. In addition, each end of the cables 19 or the end rod 18 is fixed at the inner wall of the vessel 2, while each opposite end of said cables 19 or the opposite end rod 18 is fixed to the Thus, in the manner of a shutter or rolling shutter, it surrounds around the shaft 12 when the latter is actuated in rotation in one direction, and takes place when it is rotated in the other direction. As such, said mesh 8 is hooked to said shaft 12 5 so as to follow a winding from above. In other words, the mesh 8 is wound by the top of the shaft 12 by the side located internally to the tank 2. This direction of winding prevents the fruits contained within the trellis 8 to be taken inside the turns winding around the shaft 12. In addition, said device 1 comprises, in the upper part of the shaft 12, the inner side of the tank 2, closure means of the the upper space located between the inner wall of said tank 2 and the winding shaft 12. Such closure means may be in the form of a blade or a scraper 20 secured along a its longitudinal edges with said inner wall of the tank 2 and free at the opposite longitudinal edge, coming into contact with the mesh 8. Thus, during winding, this scraper 20 rubs against the upper face of the mesh 8, blocking the fruits by keeping them in the upper compression space. In addition, this scraper 20 can be provided articulated, so as to remain in contact with the mesh 8 by following the increase and decrease in the diameter around said arbrel2 reciprocally during winding and unwinding. According to an additional characteristic, the device 1 may comprise inside its tank 2 at least one cleaning ramp, provided with nozzles projecting a fluid, under pressure, against the inner walls. Such a ramp is supplied with cleaning fluid via a connection from outside said tank 2. Note that this ramp is positioned near or in contact with the inner wall, so as not to prevent the winding or the unfolding. 8. Thus, once cleaned, the tank 2 can be used for storing other products. To do this, simply relax the lattice 8 which will leave accessible the entire volume of the tank 2, or to remove it completely by separating it from the inner wall and the winding shaft 12. According to another characteristic , since the closing of the inlet 3 by the covers 5 can be carried out in a sealed manner, the internal atmosphere of the tank 2 can be controlled, in particular by increasing or decreasing its pressure, but also by replacing the air by a neutral gas, ie without oxygen, so as to limit the oxidation of fruit and juice during the pressing operation. To do this, hermetic means, pumping and gas supply are provided, adapted accordingly. Thus, it is possible to perform the pressing and storage of the juices completely in a controlled atmosphere, preferably neutral, without adding gas during the pressing operation. Therefore, the device 1 of batch pressing according to the invention allows squeezing fruit, in particular grapes, to recover the juice, easily and quickly through a simple operation, with a lattice playing a pressing role but also filter. In addition, it includes only a few moving mechanical parts, which are easy to replace and maintain, limiting the costs of implementation and implementation. Thus, the invention ensures that all the pressing and storage of juices can be performed and contained in the same sealed tank, without the marc does not soak in the juice during pressing and without using an additional tank. Moreover, the invention makes it possible to ensure the crumbling operation easily, without adding a dedicated system for this purpose, the unfolding of the trellis sufficient for itself to perform this operation. In addition, the invention makes it possible, through a single and single enclosure, to considerably simplify a possible supplementary system for managing the internal atmosphere, without loss or waste of neutral gas, or even to operate under vacuum, especially under vacuum.

Claims (7)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device (1) for discontinuous fruit pressing, comprising a tank (2) equipped in the upper part with an inlet opening (3) and in the lower part of an outlet (4), said tank (2) internally comprising means (7) for compressing fruit introduced by said opening (3), characterized in that said compression means (7) consist of at least one trellis (8) provided movable, separating the interior volume from said trough ( 2) between a first upper space (10) for receiving said fruits and a second lower space (11) for receiving the flow of the juice during compression, said compression means (7) further comprising means for actuating the moving said lattice (8) from a low position to a high position, so as to decrease said first space (10) and proportionally increase said second space (11), by compressing the fruits contained within said first space (10) against the least one part of the upper inner wall of said tank (2), and vice versa. 2. Pressing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said lattice (8) comprises an end (9) secured to said vessel (2), said actuating means comprising at least one shaft of winding (12) made integral with the opposite end (13) of said trellis (8), so that the rotation in one direction of said shaft (12) ensures the tensioning of the trellis (8) and its passage from said position low towards said high position, and vice versa. 3. Pressing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said lattice (8) consists of an arrangement of longitudinal elements (17) connected and articulated to each other so as to form an apron. 4. Pressing device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said elements (17) are in the form of rods (18) traversed transversely by cables (19). 5. Pressing device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said compression means (7) comprise means (14) for motorization and rotational actuation of said shaft (12) according to a extreme position in tension of said lattice (8) to a relaxed position, and vice versa, through intermediate positions. 6. Pressing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said vessel (2) is mounted articulated in rotation about its longitudinal median axis (15), so as to pass from a position loading at an unloading position, and vice versa. 7. Pressing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said shaft (12) is located in the upper part of said vessel (2).