GB2574831A

GB2574831A - Juicer device and method for its operation

Info

Publication number: GB2574831A
Application number: GB201810025A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Michell Andrew
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-06-19
Filing date: 2018-06-19
Publication date: 2019-12-25
Also published as: GB201810025D0

Abstract

A device and method for juicing fruits or vegetables is provided. The device comprises: a head 1 and a neck 3 arranged along a longitudinal axis 5, the head 1 having a piercing portion 6 adapted to pierce an external skin of the fruit or vegetable to allow insertion of the head 1 into the interior of the fruit or vegetable; and at least one blade portion 4a, 4b extending laterally away from the longitudinal axis 5. The lateral extent LB of the blade portion 4a, 4b from the longitudinal axis 5 is greater than the corresponding lateral extent LN of the neck 3 from the longitudinal axis 5. In use, the head 1 of the device is inserted into the fruit or vegetable by piercing the external skin of the fruit of vegetable with the piercing portion 6 of the head 1 of the device and moving the head 1 of the device within the fruit or vegetable such that the blade portion 4a, 4b of the head compresses the pulp within the fruit or vegetable to liberate the juice. The present invention allows for juicing of fruits or vegetables without an additional cutting step.

Description

JUICER DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ITS OPERATION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices and methods for juicing fruits or vegetables, and particularly, although not exclusively, to devices and method for juicing fruits or vegetables by hand.

Background

A wide variety of devices for juicing fruit or vegetables are known. Typical known fruit juicers (for example lemon squeezers) generally require the fruit to be cut in half to expose the pulp before juice can be extracted. Additionally, they require a secondary method of capturing pips or pulp to exclude them from the extracted juice. See for example US 7337711 B2 and US 2011/0219959.

A small number of fruit juicers exist which can be inserted directly into uncut fruit. See for example US 2012/0312176 A1. However, such designs are both inefficient at juice extraction and may require considerable user strength to compress the fruit pulp to extract the juice.

The present invention has been devised in light of the above considerations.

Summary of the Invention

The fruit or vegetable juiced described here may help to reduce or overcome one or more of the above issues.

Accordingly, in a first aspect there is provided a device for extracting juice from a fruit or vegetable, the device having a head and a neck arranged along a longitudinal axis, wherein the head comprises:

a piercing portion adapted to pierce an external skin of the fruit or vegetable to allow insertion of the head into the interior of the fruit or vegetable, and at least one blade portion extending laterally away from the longitudinal axis; wherein the lateral extent of the blade portion from the longitudinal axis is greater than the corresponding lateral extent of the neck from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the head is moveable in the interior of the fruit or vegetable to move the blade portion in the interior of the fruit or vegetable to liberate the juice.

In a second aspect there is provided a method of extracting juice from a fruit or vegetable, the method including the steps of:

providing the device of the first aspect;

providing a fruit or vegetable;

inserting the head of the device into the fruit or vegetable by piercing the external skin of the fruit of vegetable with the piercing tip portion of the head of the device; and moving the head of the device within the fruit or vegetable such that the blade portion of the head compresses the pulp within the fruit or vegetable to liberate the juice.

Preferably, the step of moving the head of the device within the fruit or vegetable includes rotating the head of the device within the fruit or vegetable such that the blade portion of the head compresses the pulp within the fruit or vegetable to liberate the juice.

Accordingly, the invention allows for juicing of a fruit or vegetable without the need to perform a separate cutting step before insertion of the juicing device, because the piercing portion of the head of the device allows for the whole head to be inserted into an otherwise uncut fruit or vegetable directly through the skin.

Additionally, in comparison to some known juicers, the juicer according to the present invention may further provide some or all of the following advantages: providing satisfactory juicing whilst reducing or minimising the size of the hole created in the skin of the fruit or vegetable by the juicer; reducing or minimising compression of the fruit or vegetable pulp during the insertion step; and improving compression of the fruit or vegetable pulp to provide efficient juice extraction when the head is moved or rotated within the fruit or vegetable.

In particular, because the lateral extent of the blade portion from the longitudinal axis is greater than the corresponding lateral extent of the neck from the longitudinal axis, once the head is inserted into the fruit the device can be more easily angled about the neck of the device at the insertion point of the fruit to allow for lateral movement of the head within the fruit as well as rotation of the head within the fruit. This can allow for more complete juice extraction compared to devices not having such a neck portion.

The lateral extent of the blade portion from the longitudinal axis is here used to refer to the maximum length of the blade portion in its extension direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device. The corresponding lateral extent of the neck from the longitudinal axis is here used to refer to the width of the neck in the same direction. As the skilled person understands, where the neck is axisymmetric, the total lateral extent of the neck will be twice the lateral extent of the neck from the longitudinal axis.

The total lateral extent of the head may be selected as appropriate for the desired application. For example, for a device designed for juicing fruits such as lemons, the lateral extent of the head may be e.g. 5 cm or less. For a device designed for juicing e.g. grapefruit, the lateral extent of the head may be selected to be larger to provide more efficient extraction of juice from the larger fruit. The lateral extent of the head may therefore be e.g. 10cm or less.

Preferably the neck is immediately adjacent the head, such that at least a part of the neck is insertable into the fruit or vegetable to be juiced.

The piercing tip portion may be part of a wider sharpened edge region of the head. Such a sharpened edge region may include a sharpened edge region of the blade portion(s).

The head of the device may comprise a hollow internal cavity, and at least one drainage hole formed through an outer wall of the head thereby allowing juice to enter into the hollow internal cavity. In this way, rather than juice running down the sides of the device for collection, as in embodiments not comprising such a hollow internal cavity, the head can provide a convenient conduit for passage of liberated juice out of the fruit or vegetable.

Where the device has such a hollow internal cavity, this cavity may be in fluid communication with an internal drainage channel running longitudinally through the neck of the device, thereby allowing juice to flow under gravity from the internal cavity of the head, through the neck of the device.

The number of drainage hole(s) is not particularly limited, and may be selected as appropriate for the intended use of the device. Accordingly, there may be a plurality of drainage holes formed through an outer wall of the head. The drainage hole(s) may be formed through an outer wall of the blade portion(s) of the head, and/or through any other portion of the head. It may be advantageous to provide the drainage hole(s) in an outer wall of the blade portion(s) for most efficient extraction of juice.

The size and shape of the drainage hole(s) is not particularly limited, although the size and/or shape of the drainage hole may be selected to prevent the passage of pips and/or pulp through the drainage hole. The drainage hole(s) may comprise e.g. slits or perforations through an outer wall of the head.

The head may comprise more than one blade portion. For example, the head may comprise 2, 3, 4 or 5 blade portions. Providing a greater number of blade portions may increase juice extraction efficiency. Providing fewer blade portions may allow for increase manufacturing simplicity. Accordingly, the number of blade portions may be selected as appropriate to balance these factors. The blade portions may be axisymmetrically positioned on the head about the longitudinal axis. For example, where there are two blade portions, these may be directly opposed, at about 180° from one another. Axisymmetrically positioned blade portions may increase juice extraction efficiency.

The blade portions may have one or more internal ridges. Where there are multiple blade portions, such ridges may be formed at the intersection between respective blade portions. Providing such internal ridges can help to prevent lateral flow of juice within the blade portions of the head during rotation of the device, which can assist in more efficient juice extraction.

The head may have surface texture which assists in disrupting and damaging the pulp of the fruit or vegetable when the head is rotated or otherwise moved within the fruit, thereby increasing juice extraction. The surface texture may be selected to assist in channelling of liberated juice across the surface of the head away from the fruit or vegetable. This may be particularly beneficial in embodiments where the head does not comprise a hollow internal cavity which provides a conduit for liberated juice. For example, the head may have a surface texture comprising one or more longitudinally-oriented grooves. Such grooves may be approximately evenly distributed across the surface of the device. This may help to ensure that a satisfactory amount of liberated juice is channelled across the surface of the head away from the fruit or vegetable for collection.

The at least one blade portion may be laterally moveable, such that the blade portion can be made to extend laterally further than the lateral extent of the neck only after the head has been inserted into the fruit or vegetable. By providing blade portion(s) which are laterally moveable, it may be possible to reduce or minimise the size of the hole created by the device in the external skin of the fruit or vegetable.

The device may further comprise a body connected to the neck of the device. The head and neck may be supported by such a body. The size and shape of the body is not particularly limited, and may be selected as appropriate for the desired application of the device. The body may generally extend along the longitudinal axis of the device, as an extension of the neck. Alternatively or additionally, the body may extend perpendicularly from the neck. The body may comprise a drainage channel and/or a juice reservoir in fluid communication with an internal drainage channel running longitudinally through the neck of the device. Where the body comprises a juice reservoir, this may be integrally formed within the body. Alternatively, the juice reservoir may be provided in a removable portion of the body. Providing the juice reservoir in a removable portion of the body may allow for more easy access to the reservoir. Such removable portion comprising a juice reservoir may be used directly as a drinking vessel. Alternatively or additionally, such removable portion may comprise one or more volume indicators (e.g. volume markings), such that the removable portion can be used as a measuring device.

The body may comprise a handle portion to assist in gripping of the device to allow for ease of rotation of the head within a fruit or vegetable. Alternatively or additionally, the body may comprise a connection portion for connection of the device to an external container.

The body may comprise a collar portion disposed circumferentially around the neck of the device. Preferably, the collar portion is disposed between the neck and a body of the device, to allow at least a part of the neck to be inserted into the fruit or vegetable to be juiced, whilst acting as an insertion stop to prevent over-insertion of the device (which could lead to e.g. the device undesirably piercing the entire way through the fruit or vegetable). Providing such a circumferential collar can block liberated juice from leaking past such collar and dirtying a user’s hands. The collar portion may extend laterally out from the base of the neck. Preferably, the collar portion comprises a laterally extending portion, and an upstanding rim portion. In this way, a fruit to be squeezed can partially rest on the upstanding rim portion, thus defining a space between the fruit and the laterally extending portion, to allow for juice collection. Where the device has a collar with an upstanding rim portion, the rim portion may optionally be constructed of a flexible material such that it conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the fruit or vegetable from which juice is being extracted, thereby minimising leakage of juice. The size and shape of the collar portion is not particularly limited, and may be selected as appropriate for the typical dimension of the fruit or vegetable to be juiced. Additionally, whilst the collar portion is generally described as circumferential, it may have different shapes at different sites around the circumference of the device. In some embodiments, the collar portion may conveniently also be a connection portion for connection of the device to an external container.

There may be at least one drainage channel formed in the collar portion, to help direct juice collecting at the collar portion to e.g. a juice reservoir. Accordingly, such drainage channel(s) formed in the collar portion may be in fluid communication with a drainage channel formed in the neck of the device and/or with a drainage channel formed through the body of the device. Alternatively, where the collar portion acts as a connection portion for connection of the device to an external container, the drainage channel(s) may comprise perforations in the collar to allow juice collecting at the collar portion to pass through the collar portion into the external container.

The device may further comprise a powered mechanism to rotate the head relative to the neck of the device. Providing a powered mechanism e.g. a battery or mains powered motor which provides rotation of the head, may increase the ease of use of the device, in particular for users having disabilities, or for older, frailer users, who may not be able to exert sufficient force to rotate the head in the fruit or vegetable effectively without assistance.

The material of the device is not particularly limited, but should be of sufficient strength to resist compression and torsion forces as the head is rotated about a longitudinal axis through the neck, or otherwise moved relative to the fruit or vegetable. Metals (e.g. aluminium) or plastics may be particularly suitable.

The devices may be manufactured in two or more separate pieces which are subsequently attached together. For example, the device may be manufactures in two halves which are subsequently fitted together using e.g. a longitudinal tongue and groove arrangement, or a hinge arrangement. A fluid-tight seal may be achieved by close opposition of the two halves. A rubber seal may be interposed between each of the two or more pieces of the device to assist in providing a fluid-tight seal.

The invention includes the combination of the aspects and preferred features described except where such a combination is clearly impermissible or expressly avoided.

Summary of the Figures

Embodiments illustrating the principles of the invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an enlarged exploded isometric view of the head of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 1;

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the head of another embodiment having three blade portions from the axial drainage channel;

Figure 6 shows a plan view of the head shown in figure 5;

Figure 7 shows a front elevation of the head of a further embodiment having external drainage grooves;

Figure 8 shows a cross-section view in the horizontal plane through the head shown in figure 7;

Figure 9 shows an exploded isometric view of a further embodiment of the invention, draining to a collection vessel;

Figure 10 shows an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention in use;

Figure 11 shows an isometric view of a variant of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 -4;

Figure 12 shows a front elevation of an embodiment with a pivot to allow expansion of the head within the fruit or vegetable; and

Figure 13 shows a front elevation of an embodiment in which the head is made to expand laterally after insertion to the fruit or vegetable.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Aspects and embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Figures 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the invention, having a head 1 as a top section of the juicer. The head is designed for direct and complete insertion into uncut fruit or vegetables. The head is connected to a body 2 of the juicer via neck 3, such that rotation and other movements of the body of the juicer are transferred to the head via the neck. Here, the head, neck and body of the juicer are integrally formed in two respective halves, which are subsequently joined together to form the device: the two halves of the devices can be seen in Fig. 2 and 3, which are exploded views. Here, a longitudinal tongue 19 and groove 20 arrangement is used to fix the two halves of the device together, achieving a fluid-tight seal by close opposition of the two halves.

The head comprises two opposed blade portions 4a, b that extend laterally away from the longitudinal axis 5 of the device, and a piercing portion 6 defined between the two blade portions, the piercing portion being adapted to pierce an external skin of the fruit or vegetable to allow insertion of the head into the interior of the fruit or vegetable.

The lateral extent LB of each of the blade portions from the longitudinal axis is greater than the corresponding lateral extent LN of the neck from the longitudinal axis. In other words, the total lateral extent of the head is greater than the total lateral extent of the neck. Upon insertion of the head 1 into a fruit or vegetable and rotation or other movement of the head within the fruit or vegetable, the blade portions 4 are forced against the pulp of the fruit or vegetable, resulting in compression of the pulp and liberation of the juice.

Here, the head, including its opposing blade portions, is hollow, and has relatively thin outer walls that define a single contiguous internal cavity 8, best seen in Figs. 4 and 6. This internal cavity, defined by the outer walls of the head, is in fluid communication with a central axial drainage channel 9 running longitudinally from the base of the head through the neck 3 to the body 2 of the juicer. Here, the central axial drainage channel extends throughout the entire body of the device, such that liberated juice is discharged at the base of the body of the squeezer.

As shown in Fig. 4, the lateral extent of each the blade portion is greater than their width (which in this case, is approximately equal to the width of the neck 3). The effect of this is that the transverse crosssectional area of each of the blade portions is relatively small and narrow in comparison to the longitudinal cross-sectional area. This shape is beneficial, because it can help to minimise displacement of the pulp during insertion of the head into the uncut fruit or vegetable, thus reducing juice extraction during insertion to minimise the chance of leakage. Additionally, the relatively large longitudinal crosssectional area of each blade portion helps to maximise the volume of pulp compressed during rotation of the head about the neck.

Each of blade portions 4a, b comprises a plurality of slit-shaped drainage holes 10 through an outer wall of the blade portion. These drainage holes allow juice to enter the hollow cavity inside the head once it has been squeezed from the pulp during rotation or movement of the head inside the fruit or vegetable. The slit shape of the drainage holes helps to prevent passage of pips and/or pulp of the fruit or vegetable from which juice is to be extracted. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1-4, the width of the slits is selected to be smaller than the minimum diameter of the pips of the fruit or vegetable from which juice is to be extracted. This excludes pips from the juice that is squeezed through the holes into the internal cavity within the device. In some other embodiments (such as that shown in Fig. 9, discussed below), the holes through the outer walls of the head are sufficiently small to exclude most of the pulp from the juice that drains into the head, resulting in a smooth juice without bits. Whilst in practice, such drainage holes may be located at any site on the head, including on one or both faces of the blade portions, here each blade portion comprises drainage holes on a single face such that juice will pass through these holes and enter the internal cavity of the head predominantly during rotation of the head in one direction but not the other.

Advantageously, an internal ridge 11 (shown in Fig. 3) is disposed within the internal cavity 8 of the head 1, at the intersection of the two blade portions 4 a, b. This ridge acts to limit the lateral flow of juice within the head during rotation of the head, and assist in channelling liberated juice towards the central drainage channel 9. This internal ridge is longitudinal and is present symmetrically on both halves of the head of the juicer such that when the two halves are brought together the respective ridges on each half of the juicer come into opposition. This helps to prevent lateral flow of juice within the internal cavity 8 of the head. The ridge stops short of central drainage channel 9 so that juice can flow in the intended downward direction through the neck of the juicer. Whilst not shown in Fig. 5 or 6 (discussed below), a similar construction may be used in embodiments having 3 (or more) blade portions: multiple similar ridges may be disposed at the intersection of each respective blade portion, to prevent flow of juice between respective blade portions.

The body 2 of the juicer comprises a collar portion disposed circumferentially around the neck of the device. The collar here comprises a laterally extending portion 16, and an upstanding rim portion 15. In this way, during juicing of a fruit (as shown in Fig. 2), the fruit can partially rest upon to upstanding rim portion 15, such that a space is defined superiorly by the outer surface of the fruit or vegetable being squeezed, and inferiorly by the upper surface of the laterally extending collar portion 16. This space is designed to collect the small amount of juice that leaks down the outer surface of the head and neck, plus juice that leaks directly from the hole made in the fruit.

The collar here has multiple feeder channels 17, which are formed to be in fluid communication with the main drainage channel 9 running longitudinally through the neck to the body of the device. These feeder channels allow juice which collects at the collar to drain to the main drainage channel. Here, the diameter of the feeder channels 17 is selected to be smaller than the minimum diameter of the pips of the fruit or vegetable being squeezed. Such pips therefore remain caught at the collar portion of the device, and are excluded from the final juice collected. Provision of this collar portion also provides the additional benefit that it acts to preventing juice from running onto the hand of the user holding the body of the juicer. The upstanding rim region of the collar is here constructed of a flexible material such that it conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the fruit or vegetable from which juice is being extracted, thereby minimising leakage of juice.

Figures 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the invention having three blade portions, 4a, b, c that extend laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the device. Here, the blade portions are axisymmetrically arranged at approximately 120° from one another. A piercing portion 6 is defined between the three blade portions, the piercing portion being adapted to pierce an external skin of the fruit or vegetable to allow insertion of the head into the interior of the fruit or vegetable. The device otherwise has many features in common with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1-4: the head comprises an internal cavity 8 in fluid communication with a central axial drainage channel 9 running longitudinally from the base of the head through the neck 3 to the body 2 of the juicer, and each of the blade portions has a plurality of drainage holes formed through an outer surface of the blade portion to allow passage of liberated juice into the internal cavity of the head. Additionally, the body comprises a collar having laterally extending portion 16 and an upstanding rim portion 15, and the collar has multiple feeder channels 17 formed through the collar and in fluid communication (not shown) with the axial drainage channel 9.

Figures 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the invention. Similarly to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 4, here, the head 21 of the device comprises two opposed blade portions 24a, b extending laterally away from the longitudinal axis 5 of the device. The lateral extent LB of the blade portions from the longitudinal axis is greater than the corresponding lateral extent LN of the neck 23. Here, the head is solid rather than hollow, and has a plurality of longitudinally oriented grooves 12 on its exterior surface whose primary function is to guide the direction of flow of juice that has been extracted. As a result of these grooves the head of the juicer has an irregular surface shape which helps to compress and disrupt the fruit or vegetable pulp to maximise juice extraction. The orientation of the grooves is arranged to guide juice flow downwards under gravity, towards the neck region.

The device further comprises a body 22 comprising a circumferential collar portion 25 (see in part in Fig. 7) having a plurality of drainage channels 27 which allow for juice captured by the collar portion to drain via small holes into the hollow interior of the neck or body of the juicing device for collection.

Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment of a two-blade-portion device where the head 31 and neck 33 of the device are connected to a body 32 comprising a collar portion 35. Here, the collar portion conveniently also acts as a connection portion for connection of the device to an external container. A plurality of drainage holes 36 are formed through both the head 31 of the device and the collar portion of the body of the device. Accordingly, when using this embodiment for juicing a fruit of vegetable, juice collected in the head 31 or at the collar portion 35 of the body can drain directly into the external container. In this embodiment, the plurality of drainage holes are all of a similar size and shape. The size of the holes may be selected to be sufficiently small to exclude most or all of the pulp from the juice that drains into the head, resulting in a smooth juice without bits.

Figure 10 shows yet another embodiment of the invention in use. The general form of the head 1 and neck 3 of the invention is identical to that described above in relation to Fig. 1-4 (i.e. the device has two opposed blade portions 4a, b, each having a plurality of drainage holes 10, and the head comprises a hollow internal cavity (not shown)). However, here, the head 1 and neck 3 are supported on a body 42 comprising two handle portions 44a, b protruding laterally from the neck. This configuration can assist the user in in rotation of the head of the device once it is inserted into the fruit or vegetable, as the handle portions provide some additional leverage. If this device is orientated with the head uppermost, juice will drain directly out of the device through the central axial drainage channel 9 running through the neck, which drainage channel is in fluid communication with the internal cavity of the head. If, on the other hand, the device is orientated the other way up (as shown in Fig. 10), with the head beneath the neck, juice will pool in the head within the fruit, so can be accessed by use of a straw passed down the neck into the head. When held in this orientation flavour, alcohol or other additive, can be added down the neck prior to the juice being extracted via the straw.

Figure 11 shows a variant of the embodiment described above in relation to Fig. 1-4. It is generally similar to the above-described embodiment, except that here, the body 2 of the device comprises a juice reservoir formed in a removable portion 13 of the body. The juice can be accessed by removing the removable portion of the body. Here, the removable portion of the body has a series of volume indicators 14. In this way, the removable portion can be used as a measuring device. Conveniently, the main body portion has a transparent panel 7 to allow a user to see the volume of juice which has collected in the removable portion of the body.

Figure 12 shows an embodiment in which there is a pivot 50 at the neck 3 off the device, such that, after insertion into the fruit or vegetable, the head can be expanded by lateral movement of the blades. With movement of the blades within the fruit or vegetable, juice is liberated to drain through the drainage holes 10 into the cavity within the head, and thereby out of the device under gravity.

Figure 13 shows another embodiment in which the head of the device can be expanded by lateral movement of the blades. This is performed after insertion into the fruit or vegetable. In this embodiment, traction on the central core 63 causes compression of the blades 61, causing them to flex, and therefore their lateral movement. The collar 62 helps ensure that juice liberated drains via the intended longitudinal channel 60.

***

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.

Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” and “include”, and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term “about” in relation to a numerical value is optional and means for example +/-10%.

Claims

Claims:

1. A device for extracting juice from a fruit or vegetable, the device having a head and a neck arranged along a longitudinal axis, wherein the head comprises:

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the head comprises a hollow internal cavity, and at least one drainage hole formed through an outer wall of the head thereby allowing juice to enter into the hollow internal cavity.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the hollow internal cavity of the head is in fluid communication with an internal drainage channel running longitudinally through the neck, thereby allowing juice to flow under gravity from the internal cavity of the head, through the neck of the device.

4. The device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the size of the drainage hole is selected to prevent the passage of pips and/or pulp through the drainage hole.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the head comprises two or more blade portions.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the blade portions are axisymmetrically positioned on the head about the longitudinal axis.

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the head comprises a surface texture optionally including one or more longitudinally-oriented grooves.

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the at least one blade portion is laterally moveable, such that the blade portion can be made to extend laterally further than the lateral extent of the neck only after the head has been inserted into the fruit or vegetable.

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a body connected to the neck of the device.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein the body comprises a handle portion.

11. The device according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the body comprises a collar portion disposed circumferentially around the neck of the device.

12. The device according to claim 11 further comprising at least one drainage channel formed in the circumferential collar.

13. The device according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a reservoir for liberated juice.

14. The device according to claim 13 wherein the reservoir is located in a removable collection vessel.

15. The device according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a powered mechanism to rotate or incline the head relative to the body of the device.

16. A method of extracting juice from a fruit or vegetable, the method including the steps of: providing the device of any one of claims 1 to 16;

providing a fruit or vegetable;

inserting the head of the device into the fruit or vegetable by piercing the external skin of the fruit or vegetable with the piercing portion of the head of the device; and moving the head of the device within the fruit or vegetable such that the blade portion of the head compresses the pulp within the fruit or vegetable to liberate the juice.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of moving the head of the device within the fruit or vegetable includes rotating the head of the device within the fruit or vegetable such that the blade portion of the head compresses the pulp within the fruit or vegetable to liberate the juice.