The present invention relates generally to small appliances, and more particularly to juicers and tools for cleaning juicers.
A juicer is a small appliance that extracts juice from fruits and vegetables. There are two general types of juicers—centrifugal and masticating. Centrifugal juicers use a rapidly spinning cutter/strainer 10 within a housing of the juicer, such as is illustrated in
The cutter/strainer is typically removable from the juicer housing for cleaning. However, even with the cutter/strainer removed from the housing, it is difficult to thoroughly clean the cutter/strainer, especially the mesh wall. Conventional scrub brushes are difficult to use with the frusto-conical shape of the cutter/strainer, as it is difficult to apply the necessary cleaning force while maintaining the brush in appropriate contact with the surfaces of the cutter/strainer that need to be scrubbed.
It has heretofore not been discovered how to create a cleaning brush for a centrifugal juicer that is capable of applying the necessary cleaning force while maintaining the brush in appropriate contact with the surfaces of the cutter/strainer that need to be scrubbed. The juicer brush of the following disclosure accomplishes the above and other objectives and overcomes at least the above-described disadvantages of conventional devices and methods for cleaning juicers.
A cleaning brush for cleaning a cutter/strainer of a centrifugal juicer is disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the subject appliance, the cleaning brush comprises a front curved wall having a front surface and a back surface, a plurality of frictional cleaning elements projecting from the back surface, and a rear curved wall having a front surface and a back surface, a plurality of frictional cleaning elements projecting from the front surface. The front and rear curved walls are hingedly affixed to each other and movable between an open position and a closed position. The curve of the front curved wall and the curve of the rear curved wall correspond such that the front and rear curved walls nest when the brush is in the closed position. The cleaning brush as disclosed herein allows for simultaneous cleaning of both sides of the cutter basket and further allows a user to apply pressure on the brush to increase the efficacy of the brush. As a result, a user is able to safely, quickly, and efficiently clean the appliance.
In addition to the cleaning brush, as described above, other embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods for cleaning a cutter/strainer of a centrifugal juicer using the above-described cleaning brush.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the disclosure, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the disclosure, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “lower,” “bottom,” “upper,” and “top” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly,” “outwardly,” “upwardly” and “downwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device, and designated parts thereof, in accordance with the present disclosure. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a,” “an” and “the” are not limited to one element, but instead should be read as meaning “at least one.” The terminology includes the words noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout,
Juicer brush 20 comprises a generally planar floor 24, a first wall 22 (which may also be termed a front wall) that is integral with or otherwise affixed to the floor 24 and that slopes upward and outward from the floor 24, and a second wall 26 (which may also be termed a rear wall) that is hingedly affixed to the first wall 22. The second wall 26 is hingedly affixed to the first wall 22 via hinge 28. The hinged affixation of the second wall 26 to the first wall 22 allows the second wall to hingedly move between (i) an open position (shown in
The first and second walls 22, 26 are curved, and have the same general curvature as the wall 12 of the cutter/strainer 10. As such, the first wall 22 and the second wall 26 are generally parallel to each other when the brush 20 is in the closed position, and the first wall 22 and the second wall 26 are generally parallel to the sloped wall 12 of the cutter/strainer 10 when the brush 20 is in the closed position and in position to clean the cutter/strainer. The floor 24 of the brush 20 is generally circular or rounded to correspond to the generally circular shape of the floor 14 of the cutter/strainer 10, although other shapes may be used. The angle between the floor 24 and the first wall 22 (and between the floor 24 and the second wall 26 when the brush is in the closed position) is generally the same as the angle between the floor 14 and the wall 12 of the cutter/strainer 10. As such, the floor 24 is generally parallel to the floor 14 of the cutter/strainer 10 and the first wall 22 and the second wall 26 are generally parallel to the sloped wall 12 of the cutter/strainer 10 when the brush 20 is in the closed position and in position to clean the cutter/strainer.
Even when the brush 20 is in the closed position, a space 36 is defined between the first wall 22 and the second wall 26. The space 36 and the angle of the first and second walls 22, 26 enable the brush 20 to fit properly around the wall 12 of the cutter/strainer 10 when in position to clean the cutter/strainer, as shown in
A plurality of protrusions 30 may be formed on the first wall 22 and/or on the second wall 26. The protrusions 30 help a user securely grip the brush 20 during use. In use, a user will typically grip the top edge of the brush 20 (i.e., where the first wall 22 and the second wall 26 meet), such that the user's thumb applies grasping pressure to the first wall 22 and the user's fingers apply grasping pressure to the second wall 26, or vice versa. Any suitable number, shape, and/or arrangement of protrusions may be used. In
A plurality of frictional cleaning elements 32 project downward from the floor 24 of the brush 20. Additionally, a plurality of frictional cleaning elements 34 project from the first wall 22 toward the second wall 26 (when the second wall is in the closed position) and a plurality of frictional cleaning elements 34 project from the second wall 26 toward the first wall 22 (when the second wall is in the closed position). The frictional cleaning elements 32 would typically (although not necessarily) be arranged such that the entire floor 14 of the cutter/strainer 10 is scrubbed at some point as the brush 20 is rotated around the cutter/strainer 10. Similarly, the frictional cleaning elements 34 would typically (although not necessarily) be arranged such that the entire wall 12, interior and exterior, of the cutter/strainer 10 is scrubbed at some point as the brush 20 is rotated around the cutter/strainer 10.
A plurality of frictional cleaning elements 38 may be arranged at or near the junction of the floor 24 and the first wall 22 (this area may be termed the “transition area,” as it is the transition between the floor 24 and the first wall 22), and be angled (downward and backward) to be able to reach the junction of the wall 12 and the floor 14 of the cutter/strainer 10 during cleaning. The frictional cleaning elements 38 arranged at or near the transition area would typically be longer than the other frictional cleaning elements in order to reach the junction of the wall 12 and the floor 14 of the cutter/strainer 10 during cleaning.
The frictional cleaning elements 32, 34, 38 may each comprise a plurality of bristles (the frictional cleaning elements 32, 34, 38 are illustrated as cylinders for simplicity). Any suitable number and arrangement of bristles may be used. For example, the bristles may be arranged in tightly-packed circular groupings of about 50-100 bristles each. The bristles may be grouped together into discrete groupings, or may be generally evenly distributed across the bottom surface of the floor 24 and the opposing surfaces of the first and second walls 22, 26. If in discrete groupings, any suitable number and/or shape of groupings may be used. For example, the bristles may be arranged in straight or curved lines (e.g., radial lines or concentric circles on the floor; parallel lines on the first and second walls), which may be broken or spaced in one or more places or generally continuous. Alternatively, the bristles may be arranged in geometric groupings (e.g., square, rectangular, circular). The bristles may be any suitable length (including having different length bristles in different locations). In one exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the bristles projecting from the floor are about 7 mm in length, the bristles projecting from the first and second walls are about 7-8 mm in length, and the bristles projecting from the transition area are about 11 mm in length. The bristles may be constructed from any suitable semi-rigid, durable material, such as nylon.
Alternatively, the frictional cleaning elements 32, 34, 38 may comprise a plurality of “squeegee”-type blades or blocks. Any suitable number and/or shape of squeegee blades/blocks may be used. Such squeegee blades/blocks may be constructed of any suitable semi-rigid, durable material, such as rubber or silicon. In another optional embodiment, the frictional cleaning elements 32 may comprise a combination of bristles and squeegee blades/blocks.
The spacing of the first and second walls 22, 26 (i.e., the size of the space 36) and the length of the frictional cleaning elements 34 on the first and second walls 22, 26 may be selected such that the distal ends of the bristles reach about the midpoint between the first and second walls 22, 26 when the brush is in the closed position. Such spacing/length ensures that the bristles contact and apply the desired scrubbing force to both sides of the wall 12 of the cutter/strainer 10. The positions of the frictional cleaning elements 34 on the first and second walls 22, 26 may be selected such that the plurality of frictional cleaning elements projecting from the first wall 22 do not contact any of the plurality of frictional cleaning elements projecting from the second wall 26 when the brush is in the closed position and not in use.
The curvature of the first wall and the second wall generally correspond such that the first and second walls are in a nested-type configuration when the brush is in the closed position (but the first and second walls are not actually in contact with each other, except at the hinge, the projection 44, and possibly other parts of the top edges of the walls). The curvature of the first wall and the second wall generally correspond to the curvature of the sloped mesh wall of the specific cutter/strainer with which the cleaning brush is to be used. The angle of the first wall and the second wall relative to the floor of the cleaning brush generally corresponds to the slope of the sloped mesh wall of the specific cutter/strainer with which the cleaning brush is to be used. In one exemplary embodiment, the angle of the first wall and the second wall relative to the floor of the cleaning brush is about 123°.
Referring now to
A projection 44 from the first wall toward the second wall (or alternatively a projection from the second wall toward the first wall, or both) maintains a desired distance between the first and second walls (i.e., gap 36) when the brush is in the closed position. Any other suitable mechanism may be used for maintaining a desired distance between the first and second walls when the brush is in the closed position.
In use, the brush 20 is opened by moving the second wall 26 away from the first wall 22, as seen in
In alternative embodiments of the disclosure (not illustrated), the juicer brush may comprise the first and second walls, with frictional cleaning elements, but the floor of the juicer brush may be omitted. In other alternative embodiments of the disclosure (not illustrated), the juicer brush may comprise the first and second walls, with frictional cleaning elements, but the floor of the juicer brush may not have any frictional cleaning elements.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/129,309, which was filed Mar. 6, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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