Patent Application
20120192727
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a juice extractor, and in particular to a juice extractor with a brake device which allows the user to stop the operation of the juice extractor when in need.
2. The Prior Arts
The juice extractors in the market nowadays usually have a feed channel with a food pusher. The food pusher pushes fruits or vegetables down the feed channel and presses them against a blade disk at the bottom. Thus the fruits or vegetables are chopped and ground into juice.
A power switch controls the motor of the conventional juice extractors. In other words, when the power switch is turned on, the motor drives the blade disc to rotate continuously; whereas, when the power switch is turned off, the motor and the blade disc stops rotating. However, there is no brake device for the conventional juice extractors so that when the user needs to stop the operation of the juice extractor, there is no way but to wait until the blade disc stops by itself after the switch is turned off. This may cause dangerous results.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a juice extractor with a brake device which stops the operation of the juice extractor when needing to ensure safe operation to the users.
According to the present invention, a brake device for a juice extractor is provided and includes a brake disc connected to the driving shaft of the motor and a brake frame pivotably connected to the main body. An operation member is movably connected to the main body so that the user can operate the operation member to drive the brake frame to control the brake frame to apply a force to the brake disc to stop the driving shaft of the motor. Or to release the brake frame from the brake disc to allow the driving shaft to drive the blade disc to cut the food.
The juice extractor includes a main body in which a cutting device and a brake device are located. The cutting device includes a motor with a driving shaft and a blade disc is connected to the driving shaft. The brake device includes an operation member movably connected to the main body, a spring connected to the main body, a brake frame pivotably connected to the main body, and a brake disc connected to a driving shaft. The operation member has a push member which contacts the brake frame and the spring. When the operation member is moved in a first direction, the push member releases a force applied to the brake frame and the spring, so that the brake frame applies a force to the brake disc to brake the juice extractor; when the operation member is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the push member applies a force to the brake frame and the spring, so that the brake frame releases a force applied to the brake disc.
Preferably, the brake frame has a torsion spring which stores energy when the brake frame releases a force applied to the brake disc. When the push member releases a force applied to the brake frame, the torsion spring drives the brake frame to an original position.
Preferably, the main body has a stop flange and the operation member has a guide member. When the operation member is moved to a position in the second direction, the guide member is stopped by the stop flange so that the operation member moves to shift the push member.
Preferably, the stop flange extends from a top of the main body and the operation member is a U-shaped link. The guide member is located on two sides of the U-shaped link.
Preferably, the brake disc includes a brake surface which is in contact with the brake frame so as to reduce the noise caused by the braking action. The brake frame includes a part with high friction coefficient which is in contact with the brake surface. The part with high friction coefficient is rubber, plastic, or any suitable material.
The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
With reference to the drawings and in particular to
The brake device 3 includes an operation member 31 movably connected to the main body 1, a spring 34 connected to the main body 1, a brake frame 35 pivotably connected to the main body 1, and a brake disc 37 connected to the driving shaft 211. The operation member 31 is a U-shaped link and the two push members 32 extend through a slot 14 defined through the two sides of the main body 1, so that the push members 32 are rotatable in the slot 14 and movable in the slot 14 relative to the main body 1. A guide member 33 is located on two sides of the U-shaped operation member 31 and the guide member 33 is a roller in this embodiment. The main body 1 has two stop flanges 12 extending from the top thereof and each stop flange 12 includes an inclined surface 121 on its side so that the guide member 33 moves along the inclined surface 121 and reaches the top of the stop flange 12.
The brake frame 35 is pivotably connected to the main body 1 by a pivot 351 which preferably is cooperated with a torsion spring 36 which has two ends contacting the inside of the main body 1 and the brake frame 35. The lower end of the brake frame 35 and the lower end of the spring 34 are in contact with the top of the push members 32. Preferably, the brake frame 35 includes a part 352 with high friction coefficient which is in contact with the brake surface 371. The part 352 with high friction coefficient can be rubber, plastic, compound material, or any suitable material. The brake disc 37 is fixed to the driving shaft 211 between the blade disc 22 and the motor 21. The brake disc 37 has an annular brake surface 371 which is located corresponding to the upper end of the brake frame 35.
Referring to
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.
