WO2003079825A1

WO2003079825A1 - Fruit juicing machine, particularly for citrus fruits, with washing device

Info

Publication number: WO2003079825A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/001081
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michele Gurrieri
Original assignee: Michele Gurrieri
Priority date: 2002-03-25
Filing date: 2003-03-24
Publication date: 2003-10-02
Also published as: ITMI20020619A1; AU2003220796A1; ITMI20020619A0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fruit juicing machine (1), particularly for citrus fruits, with a washing device (17). The machine comprises a lower cup(3), in which there is a first receptacle (4) that is open upward and is suitable to receive a fruit (5) to be juiced, and an upper cup (6), in which there is a second receptacle (7) that is open downward and faces the first receptacle (4) in an upward region. An opening (8) is formed in the bottom of the first receptacle (4) and is connected to the upper axial end of a tubular filter (9) that is orientated substantially vertically and is surrounded by a juice collector (10). The upper cup (6) can move along a substantially vertical direction toward or away from the lower cup (3). Moreover a plunger element (13) is inserted through the lower end of the tubular filter (9) and is movable along the axis of the tubular filter (9). The machine is provided with washing elements (17), which comprise at least. one nozzle (18)for dispensing a pressurized washing liquid that can be inserted in the tubular filter (9).

Description

FRUIT JUICING MACHINE, PARTICULARLY FOR CITRUS FRUITS, WITH WASHING DEVICE Technical Field

The present invention relates to a fruit juicing machine, particularly for citrus fruits, with a washing device. Background Art

Fruit juicing machines, particularly for citrus fruits, for example of the type described in European patents EP-359,198 and EP-442,535, are known.

These machines substantially comprise a lower cup, which forms a receptacle that is open upward and is suitable to receive the fruit to be juiced, and an upper cup, which forms a receptacle that is open downward and faces the receptacle of the lower cup in an upward region. On the bottom of the receptacle of the lower cup there is an opening, which is connected to the upper axial end of a tubular filter, which is orientated so that its axis is substantially vertical and is surrounded by a juice collector. At said opening there is a blade that is meant to form a hole in the portion of the fruit that rests on the bottom of the receptacle of the lower cup.

The upper cup can move along a substantially vertical direction toward or away from the lower cup. When the upper cup moves toward the lower cup, the fruit inteφosed between the two cups is pressed, causing first its piercing on the part of the blade and then its gradual juicing.

The extracted juice drips into the tubular filter, which is closed in a downward region by a plunger element, which can slide axially along the tubular filter in order to make the juice exit through the side walls of the tubular filter. The juice thus filtered gathers in the juice collector, which is connected to a juice dispensing duct. The peel of the fruit falls outside the juice collector and is collected in a bin arranged in a downward region. The more fibrous part of the fruit and the seeds, which have penetrated in the tubular filter and have been retained inside it, are discharged downward into said bin, since they have failed to pass through the side walls of said filter, through a passage that is formed axially in the plunger element.

These machines are particularly appreciated, since they are capable of dispensing a juice that is particularly sweet, because during juicing it makes hardly any contact with the peel, is seedless, without rind and without albedo.

However, these machines are not free from problems and drawbacks, particularly as regards their washing.

These machines are in fact generally washed manually only at the end of the working day, and for this reason during the day, particularly if the machine is used only periodically, bacterial proliferation can occur very easily on the parts of the machine that remain soiled by juice and other parts of the fruit.

The part of the machine that is most affected by infrequent washing is the tubular filter, since after the machine has not been used for a few hours the tubular filter can easily become partially clogged due to the drying of the juice. This partial clogging is harmful not only due to bacterial proliferation problems but also because during subsequent use it subjects the machine to an additional stress in order to compensate for the load losses caused by the partial clogging. If the machine is used with long intervals of inactivity during a day, the tubular filter can gradually clog, possibly causing unwanted fatigue of the machine.

The manual washing operation is itself awkward, since it easily causes unwanted splashing of dirty water in the vicinity of the machine. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems mentioned above, by providing a fruit juicing machine, particularly for citrus fruits, that has a device that considerably simplifies the washing operations.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a machine with a device that can wash it automatically at preset intervals so as to prevent the drying of the juice and of other parts of the fruits, in the regions of the machine that are most sensitive as regards cleaning, and so as to avoid bacterial proliferation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine with a device that can wash the machine even without the voluntary intervention of an operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine that can be obtained, by virtue of modifications that are simple to perform, from currently commercially available machines. This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a fruit juicing machine, particularly for citrus fruits, which comprises a lower cup in which there is a first receptacle that is open upward and is suitable to receive a fruit to be juiced, and an upper cup, in which there is a second receptacle that is open downward and faces the first receptacle in an upward region, an opening being formed in the bottom of said first receptacle, said opening being connected to the upper axial end of a tubular filter that is orientated substantially vertically and is surrounded by a juice collector, said upper cup being movable along a substantially vertical direction toward or away from said lower cup, a plunger element being furthermore provided which is inserted through the lower end of said tubular filter and can move along the axis of said tubular filter, characterized in that it comprises washing means, which comprise at least one nozzle for dispensing a pressurized washing liquid that can be inserted in said tubular filter. Brief description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the machine according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic front elevation view of the machine according to the invention, with the washing device inactive;

Figure 2 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of the machine according to the invention, with the washing device in operation;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2, taken along the line III-III; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of some elements of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows the same detail of the machine illustrated in Figure 2 with a constructive variation of the washing device in operation. Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to the cited figures, the machine according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a supporting structure 2, which supports, in a per se known manner, a lower cup 3, in which there is a first receptacle 4 that is open upward and is suitable to receive a fruit 5 to be juiced, and an upper cup 6, in which there is a second receptacle 7 that is open downward and faces the first receptacle 4 of the lower cup 3 in an upward region.

An opening 8 is formed in the bottom of the receptacle 4 of the lower cup 3 and is connected to the upper end of a tubular filter 9, which is orientated so that its axis is substantially vertical and is surrounded by a collector 10 for the juice.

The inside of the collector 10, proximate to its bottom, is connected to a juice dispensing duct 11.

The upper cup 6 can move in a per se known manner along a substantially vertical direction toward or away from the lower cup 3. In particular, by virtue of its movement toward the lower cup 3, the upper cup 6 produces the gradual juicing of a fruit 5 arranged in the receptacle 4 of the lower cup 3 and, by virtue of its movement away from the lower cup 3, allows to insert in the receptacle 4 a fruit 5 to be juiced.

At the opening 8 there is, in a per se known manner, a blade 12, which is meant to cut into the base of the fruit 5 when its juicing begins. The machine also comprises a plunger element 13, which is inserted through the lower end of the tubular filter 9 and can move, in a manner that is coordinated with the movement of the upper cup 6 toward or away from the lower cup 3, along the axis of said tubular filter in order to juice the parts of the fruit that collect in the tubular filter 9, so as to cause the exit of the filtered juice through the side walls of the tubular filter 9. The filtered juice gathers in the collector 10, from which it is dispensed through the dispensing duct 11.

The plunger element 13 is crossed axially by a passage 14, which gradually allows the parts of the fruit that do not pass through the side walls of the tubular filter 9 to fall below into a suitable collection bin 15.

The peel of the fruit 5, at the end of the juicing process, also falls into the collection bin 15, passing between the lower cup 3 and the blade 12.

The machine is further provided with a device for automatically loading, in each instance, a fruit 5 into the receptacle 4. Said device is shown only partially in Figures 1 and 2 and is designated by the reference numeral 16.

In particular, the machine according to the invention is preferably of the type described in the above cited patents EP-359,198 and EP-442,535.

According to the invention, the machine has washing means, generally designated by the reference numeral 17, which comprise at least one nozzle 18 for dispensing a pressurized washing liquid, which is preferably constituted by water. The nozzle 18 can be inserted within the tubular filter 9 so as to primarily wash the core of the machine, which is indeed constituted by the tubular filter 9. More particularly, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the washing means 17 comprise a duct 19, which has a vertical axis and is connected to means 20, such as for example a pump, for feeding the pressurized washing liquid and is connected to the nozzle 18.

The duct 19 supports the nozzle 18, preferably at its upper end, and is connected to movement means 21, which can be actuated so as to move the duct 19 along its axis for the insertion or extraction of the nozzle 18 in or from the passage 14 and for its movement along the axis of the tubular filter 9.

The movement means 21 can be constituted by a pneumatic cylinder 22, as shown, which is connected by means of the stem 23 of its plunger to the duct 19 and can be connected on command to a compressor 24 for its actuation.

As an alternative, the movement means can be constituted by other linear actuators of a known type. Preferably, the nozzle 18 is a nozzle of the type that can rotate about its own axis, which when it is inserted in the tubular filter 9 coincides substantially with the axis of the tubular filter 9. The nozzle 18 is provided so as to propel a jet of the washing liquid along a radial component with respect to the tubular filter 9 and along a tangential component in order to produce the rotation of said nozzle about the axis of the tubular filter 9. Furthermore, the jet delivered by the nozzle 18 also has an upward vertical component, so as to also reach the blade 12 and the receptacles 4 and 7 of the cups 3 and 6 when it is inserted in the tubular filter 9.

As an alternative, the nozzle 18 can be inserted in the tubular filter 9 from above, as shown in the constructive variation shown in Figure 5, instead of from below as shown in Figures 1 to 4. In this constructive variation, the assembly constituted by the nozzle 18, the duct 19 and the pneumatic cylinder 22 is inverted with respect to what is provided in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, and in the upper cup 6 there is an axial passage 30 through which the nozzle 18 can be inserted in the tubular filter 9 and removed from it. It should be noted that in this constructive variation also, the nozzle 18 can be pushed downward until it enters the passage 14 in order to wash it. The nozzle 18, which is arranged at the lower end of the duct 19, can be provided so as to produce a jet that is orientated in a direction that has a radial and tangential component with respect to the tubular filter 9, as already described, and optionally with a vertical component that is orientated upward or downward according to the washing requirements.

In Figure 5, the elements of the machine and of the washing device that, apart from the inverted orientation, correspond to the same elements already described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 have been designated by the same reference numerals.

Conveniently, there are control means 25, which are functionally connected to the movement means 21 and to the means 20 for feeding the pressurized washing liquid.

Such control means 25 preferably comprise a programmable or programmed electronic control unit, which is suitable to actuate the feeder means 20 and the movement means 21 according to a preset program.

Furthermore, the control means 25 comprise at least one timer for the activation of the feeder means 20 and the movement means 21 if the machine is unused for a preset time.

Preferably, in addition to this timer there is also another timer for delimiting the intervention time of the feeder means 20 and of the movement means 21. Below the plunger element 13 there is the collection bin 15, where the washing liquid and the dirt entrained by said liquid collect together with the waste parts of the juiced fruits. Preferably, the collection bin 15 has a perforated bottom, so as to retain the larger waste parts of the juiced fruits and allow the smaller parts and the washing liquid to drip into another hermetic bin 26 that is arranged below.

Advantageously, the bottom of the bin 26 can be connected to a duct for discharging the collected washing liquid, or there can be an emptying pump with a minimum and maximum level sensor, which automatically empties the bin 26 when a preset degree of filling is reached. The operation of the machine as regards its washing is as follows. During normal use of the machine, the nozzle 18 is extracted upwardly or downwardly by the assembly which carry on the juicing of the fruit, so as to not hinder in any way the operation of the machine.

After a preset time of non-use of the machine, the control element 25 automatically actuates the movement means 21 and the feeder means 20. As a consequence of this actuation, the nozzle 18 is inserted, through the passage 14 or through the passage 30 , into the tubular filter 9 and dispenses a jet of washing liquid onto the walls of the tubular filter 9, onto the blade 12 and toward the receptacles 4 and 7. Part of the washing liquid flows into the collection bin 15, while another part of the washing liquid exits from the dispensing duct 11.

In this manner, the parts of the machine that are in contact with the juice and where harmful bacterial proliferation may occur more easily are washed. Moreover, the washing of the tubular filter 9 effectively avoids its clogging and maintains the functionality of the machine at fully satisfactory levels.

After a preset activation time, the feeder means 20 and the movement means 21 are deactivated after the nozzle 18 has again been placed outside of the assembly which carry on the juicing of the fruit. It should be noted that the actuation of the washing means can be automatic, as described above, or can be controlled directly by an operator.

In practice it has been found that the machine according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since the washing means, by acting on the parts of the machine that are most subject to stagnation of juice residues, allow to keep the machine in fully satisfactory functionality and hygiene conditions.

Moreover, if automatic activation of the washing means is provided, the washing cycles and therefore the hygiene and functionality are not dependent on a voluntary action and therefore are ensured even in case of negligence on the part of the user. The machine thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2002A000619 from which this application claims priority are incoφorated herein by reference.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A fruit juicing machine, particularly for citrus fruits, comprising a lower cup in which there is a first receptacle that is open upward and is suitable to receive a fruit to be juiced, and an upper cup, in which there is a second receptacle that is open downward and faces the first receptacle in an upward region, an opening being formed in the bottom of said first receptacle, said opening being connected to the upper axial end of a tubular filter that is orientated substantially vertically and is surrounded by a juice collector, said upper cup being movable along a substantially vertical direction toward or away from said lower cup, a plunger element being further provided which is inserted through the lower end of said tubular filter and can move along the axis of said tubular filter, characterized in that it comprises washing means, which comprise at least one nozzle for dispensing a pressurized washing liquid that can be inserted in said tubular filter.

2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said washing means comprise a duct that has a vertical axis and is connected to means for feeding said pressurized washing liquid and to said at least one nozzle, said duct supporting said at least one nozzle and being connected to movement means that can be actuated in order to move said duct along its axis for its insertion in, or extraction from, the tubular filter and for its movement along the axis of said tubular filter.

3. The machine according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said at least one nozzle is mounted proximate to the upper or lower end of said duct.

4. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one nozzle can rotate about the axis of said duct.

5. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one nozzle has a direction for dispensing the washing liquid that has a radial component and a tangential component with respect to said tubular filter.

6. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one nozzle has a dispensing direction for the washing liquid that has a vertical component that is orientated upward or downward.

7. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said nozzle can be inserted from below into said tubular filter through a passage formed axially in said plunger element.

8. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said nozzle can be inserted from above into said tubular filter through a passage formed axially in said upper cup.

9. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises control means that are operatively connected to said movement means and to said means for feeding the pressurized washing liquid.

10. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means comprise a programmed or programmable electronic control element, which is suitable to activate said feeder means and said movement means according to a preset program.

11. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means comprise at least one timer for the activation of said feeder means and said movement means if the machine is not used for a preset time.

12. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means comprise two timers: a first timer for the activation of said feeder means and of said movement means if the machine is not used for a preset time, and a second timer for limiting the intervention time of said feeder means and of said movement means.

13. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that below said plunger element there is at least one bin for collecting the washing liquid and the removed dirt.

14. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for removing the washing liquid

: and dirt from said at least one collection bin.

15. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for emptying said at least one collection bin.