CN101877980A - Juicer with attachment for soft fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable chute and an optional soft-fruit cutting disc are provided as accessories or attachments for fruit and vegetable juicers. The chute is fitted inside the juice collector of the juicer and is used to transfer juice and pulp ejected by the cutting disc toward the juicer's outlet.

Description

Juicer with attachment for soft fruit

technical field

The present invention relates to juicers and juicer accessories, and more particularly to accessories for juicing soft fruits.

Background technique

Fruit and vegetable juicers are well known. A universal fruit and vegetable juicer is shown in the applicant's published PCT specification No. PCT/AU2004/000828 (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) publication number WO2005/002404). This type of fruit and vegetable juicer is especially suitable for juicing fruits such as apples and pineapples and vegetables such as carrots and celery. Juicers of the type described above work by bringing fruits and vegetables into contact with rotating cutting (or grating) discs. The cutting disc has fine teeth that break the fruit or vegetable into juice and pulp. The juice and pulp are separated by a fine mesh that is attached to the cutting disc and rotates with it. The juice is collected for consumption, while the pulp is collected separately for reuse or discarded.

Juicers of this common type are not particularly suitable for soft fruits such as bananas, soft pairs and mangoes. In the case of most soft fruits, the pulp or fruit solids tend to clog the fine mesh and prevent the extraction of juice. Additionally, the pulp or fruit solids in many soft fruits are desirable and can form an acceptable component of a product that is collected for consumption.

Rather than proposing a special purpose juice extractor for soft fruit, the present invention seeks to provide components that can be used in conventional juice extractors. The part may be provided in a new juicer or sold as an aftermarket accessory. These components, when fitted to a conventional juicer, greatly enhance the performance of a conventional juicer by providing improved results in the handling of soft fruit.

Contents of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a fruit and vegetable juicer suitable for juicing soft fruits.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an accessory that can be used to adapt a juice extractor for the extraction of soft fruits.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a juice extractor with interchangeable cutting discs to adapt the juice extractor to hard and soft fruits.

Therefore, a soft fruit cutting disc and a removable soft fruit chute are provided. The soft fruit cutting disc is characterized by the absence of the usual frusto-conical screen filter. The chute fits within the juice collector of the juicer and serves to divert the juice and pulp thrown by the cutting disc towards the outlet of the juicer.

Description of drawings

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a known fruit and vegetable juicer;

Fig. 2 is the perspective view of soft fruit chute;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a soft fruit cutting disc;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a soft fruit chute and cutting disc fitted to a juicer of the type depicted in Figure 1; and

Fig. 5 is the top view of soft fruit chute.

Detailed ways

A juice extractor of the type disclosed in the above-referenced PCT publication is depicted in FIG. 1 . The juice extractor 10 comprises a housing 11 with a transparent cover 12 . The cover has a metal feed tube 13 which directs fruit and vegetables towards a rotating cutting disc and screen filter assembly 14 . The cutting disc and filter assembly 14 is driven by a motor (not shown) carried within the housing 11 . The pan and filter assembly 14 is located within a removable metal juice collector 15 . In normal operation, juice passes through the frusto-conical filter 16, is collected in the juicer collector 15 and exits the outlet 17 of the device. Typically, the pulp is collected around the interior of the filter 16 , thrown upwards and outwards, and collected by a removable pulp collector container 18 .

To adapt a juicer of the type depicted in Figure 1 for juicing soft fruit, the cutting disc and filter assembly 14 are removed. The conventional cutting disc and filter assembly 14 is then replaced by two separate components, the soft fruit cutting disc 30 (see FIG. 3 ) and the soft fruit chute 20 (see FIG. 2 ).

Referring to FIG. 3 , the soft fruit cutting disc 30 includes a base 31 characterized by fins 32 extending radially outward from the generally cylindrical periphery of the base 31 . As will be further explained, the fins help create airflow and mechanical propulsion that is beneficial for juice collection. The fins may be configured with apexes defining an optional concave front surface 37 . The fins may also resemble generally smoothly sloped or symmetrical berms 39 . Smooth or berm-shaped fins are less noticeable and do not create excessive airflow. Excess airflow may force juice under seal 26 (see below). The upper surface of the cutting disc includes a stainless steel cutting surface 33 . Cutting surface 33 includes a central cutting blade 34 and a generally circular array of perforations formed by individual cutting blades or teeth 35 . Only some arrays of teeth are shown in FIG. 3 . In a preferred embodiment, there is a peripheral edge or diameter 36 that has no teeth, blades or cutting surfaces. The soft fruit cutting disc 30 includes a coupling (not shown) on its underside, which allows the soft fruit cutting disc 30 to be used as a replacement for a conventional cutting disc and filter assembly 14 without further modifications.

In a preferred embodiment, the outer edge 38 of the top or upper surface of the cutting disc extends radially beyond the feed tube 48 (see FIG. 4 ). By extending towards the protective mesh 46, the extension of the edge 38 of the pan provides an easily cleanable upper surface.

The soft fruit cutting disc 30 is combined with the soft fruit chute 20 (as shown in Figure 2). The chute comprises a generally tubular outer sheath 21 and a generally cylindrical inner sleeve 22 . As shown in Figure 4, the sheath 21 fits within the juice collector 15 and has an upper rim 23 positioned above a horizontal rim 41 of the juice collector. The sheath upper rim structure 23 is guided by and cooperates with the rim 41 of the juice collector to precisely position the juice collector and allow for a more precise fit with the cover 49 . The sheath positions the inner sleeve in alignment or alignment with the cutting disc. The sheath 21 supports an integral handle 24 having a positioning notch 25 . As suggested in FIG. 4 , the handle 24 and positioning notch 25 allow precise positioning or orientation of the soft fruit chute 20 relative to the lip extending between the juice collector 15 and the pulp collection area 18 .

The lower end of the soft fruit chute 20 is preferably formed as a polymer seal 26 which is softer than the chute. The seal 26 is molded onto a lip formed along the lower rim of the sheath 21 . The lower part of the chute 20 also incorporates a discharge channel or manifold 27 whose lower edge 28 is likewise formed as a polymer seal.

As shown in Figure 4, the manifold 27 leads to the opening to the juicer outlet 17 and is preferably sealed around this opening. Thus, virtually all the juice and pulp thrown by the soft fruit cutting disc 30 can be efficiently collected in the chute 20 . The air flow created by the fins 32 or berms 39 drives the juice and pulp thrown by the cutting discs towards and into the distribution chute 17 . The flaps 32 or berms 39 also help push the juice and pulp towards the distribution chute 17 . It should be noted that in some embodiments the chute 17 has an internal integral mesh 44 which prevents fingers or foreign objects from being inserted into the outlet through the open mouth 45 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the chute 20 also includes a protective spacer web 46 interconnecting the outer sheath 21 with the inner cylindrical sleeve 22 . The net 46 prevents accidental and dangerous contact with the cutting surface 33 or the like when the pulp collector 18 is not installed. The sleeve 22 is intended to receive the lower part of the feed tube 48 held by the transparent cover 49 of the juicer. The inner diameter of the upper end of the sleeve 22 is chamfered or piloted to better receive the feed tube. There is a smooth snug fit or narrow gap between the feed tube and the inside of the sleeve 22 . In the preferred embodiment, the minimum spacing between the underside of the cover 49 and the upper limit of the sleeve 22 securely positions the chute 20 between the cover and the bottom interior of the juicer collector 15 .

It will be appreciated that the present invention replaces the cutting disc (with blades and strainer) of a conventional juicer with a cutting disc without a strainer. In some embodiments of the invention, a cutting disc of the type shown in FIG. 1 may be used as long as the screen 16 is removable from the base of the cutting disc. In this way, a base with blades can be used with the chute 20 as described above.

Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to specific details of construction, these are to be construed by way of illustration and not limitation as to the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A chute for a fruit and vegetable juicer comprising: Outer sheath and inner casing; said sheath is adapted to fit within said fruit and vegetable juicer such that said inner sleeve is aligned with a cutting disc of said fruit and vegetable juicer; The inner sleeve is adapted to receive a feed tube of the fruit and vegetable juicer. 2. The chute of claim 1, wherein: A mesh extends between the inner sleeve and the sheath. 3. The chute of claim 1, wherein: The outer sheath has a rim that cooperates with a rim of the fruit and vegetable extractor to position the fruit and vegetable extractor. 4. The chute of claim 1, wherein: The chute has a handle for positioning the chute relative to a lip formed on the fruit and vegetable juicer. 5. The chute of claim 1, wherein: The sheath has a lower end that includes a polymeric seal that is softer than the sheath. 6. The combination chute and cutting disc according to claim 1, comprising: A base having an upper surface having an array of cutting blades and a coupling for attachment to a fruit and vegetable juicer. 7. The combination of claim 6, wherein: The base does not have a strainer. 8. The combination of claim 6, wherein: The base also includes radial fins that improve airflow in the fruit and vegetable juicer. 9. The combination of claim 6, wherein: The diameter of the upper surface is larger than the diameter of the feed tube. 10. The chute of claim 1, wherein: The upper end of the sleeve is guided to help receive the feed tube. 11. The chute of claim 1, wherein: The outer sheath has a drainage channel. 12. The chute of claim 11, wherein: The discharge channel leads to an outlet of the fruit and vegetable juicer. 13. The chute of claim 12, wherein: The discharge channel seals the outlet of the fruit and vegetable juicer. 14. An apparatus comprising a fruit and vegetable juicer having a chute and cutting disc combination according to claim 6.

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