The present invention relates to the technical field of juicing, in particular to a juicer.
With advancement in living standards, more people want to have healthy diet, and want to obtain necessary nutrients from their diet. However, for people who have unbalanced diet and are poor in body function, this issue can be effectively remedied by drinking squeezed juice. As a common device for squeezing food, juicers are always a key concern of people.
Currently, due to a market demand, there are various juicers on the market, which are mainly divided into the following types: 1. centrifugal juicers, which cut food into small pieces using blades that rotate at high speeds, and separate, through a filter screen, particles from juice by centrifugal force; 2. grinding-type juicers, which crush food by spiral drills and then extract juice by using a filter; and 3. squeezing-type juicers, which extract juice by squeezing food. However, the centrifugal juicers are very noisy and are difficult to work for a long time; the grinding-type juicers have poor efficiency and are time-consuming in juicing; and the squeezing-type juicers have a too low juice extraction rate with too much juice residue. Moreover, for most of the juicers, cleaning after use is very troublesome, which increases burden on their users.
In conclusion, the existing juicers on the market have a problem of failing to provide a combination of high-speed juicing, high juice extraction rate, small noise, no cleaning requirement, and long-time work.
In view of the above problems in existing technologies, this invention provides a juicer including a fixed plate and an up/down propulsion assembly for juicing, so that the working time of the juicer is longer. Moreover, the juicer includes a motor driver and therefore, it is more efficient and has a greater driving force. Consequently, juice is extracted more thoroughly. The juicer also includes a juicing bag, for the purpose of requiring no cleaning.
A specific technical solution is as follows:
A juicer comprises a frame, an actuator, and a juicing bag. The frame is a hollow frame formed by four plates which can be detachably assembled. An inner wall of the hollow interior of the frame is arranged as a mounting surface. A surface of the hollow interior of the frame directly facing the mounting surface is a fixed surface. The actuator is detachably attached on the mounting surface. The actuator can reciprocate linearly between the mounting surface and the fixed surface. The juicing bag is arranged between the actuator and the fixed surface.
The actuator comprises stationary parts, moving parts, a driving rod, action blocks and a driver. The stationary parts and the moving parts are both symmetrically arranged. An end of a moving part is hinged between two stationary parts via a long shaft pin. The driving rod and the action blocks are arranged between the symmetrically arranged moving parts. And the action block is hinged, via a short shaft pin, to an end of the moving part backing to the end to which the stationary part is connected. The driving rod passes through the action blocks to be connected with the driver.
In the juicer described above, each stationary part is arranged to have a U shape, and two moving parts are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the stationary part.
In the juicer described above, the driving rod is a threaded rod, and one action block distant from the driver includes a threaded hole matching the driving rod.
In the juicer described above, an end of a moving part that is connected to a stationary part has a gear structure with a fan shape, and the gear structures of two symmetrically arranged moving parts on the same side of a same stationary part mesh with each other.
In the juicer described above, each moving part includes a connecting rod that can amplify force generated by the driver.
In the juicer described above, an action block close to the driver is associated with a bearing block, the bearing block is fixed on the action block and at the same time, hinged to a moving part via a short shaft pin.
In the juicer described above, two ends of a plate of the frame facing the mounting surface are hinged to the frame via shaft pins.
In the juicer described above, a transmission is provided between the driver and the driving rod.
In the juicer described above, the driver is a motor.
In the juicer described above, one of the stationary parts of the actuator is detachably attached on a mounting plate, and the other stationary part is associated with a propulsion plate.
In the juicer described above, the long shaft pins and the short shaft pins are associated with gaskets and clamping rings.
Advantageous effects of the above described technical solution include: 1. As the juicer uses a fixed plate and an actuator for juicing, its operation is convenient and noise is low; 2. up-and-down movement of a structure including a threaded rod and action blocks is used for juicing, so that repeatability is higher and working time is longer; 3. a motor is used for driving and a transmission is also used to work together with the driver, lifting force is increases and action is accelerated, and consequently juicing efficiency is improved and juice extraction rate is increased; and 4. a juicing bag is used, so that juice does not sputter onto components of the juicer and therefore, the juicer requires no cleaning.
The above described juicer comprises a hollow frame which is fixedly arranged, an actuator arranged in the hollow interior of the frame, and a juicing bag arranged between the hollow interior of the frame and the actuator. The structural design is reasonable and the layout is compact. A mounting surface is arranged in the frame, and a surface facing the mounting surface within the frame is a fixed surface. An actuator is attached on the mounting surface. A propulsion plate is provided on one side of the actuator distant from the mounting surface. The actuator drives the propulsion plate to reciprocate linearly between the mounting surface and the fixed surface. Consequently, food placed between the propulsion plate and the fixed surface is continuously squeezed to execute juicing. Noise is small. Also, a motor used for driving and a transmission increases driving force of the actuator. Juice is squeezed out more thoroughly and juicing efficiency is higher. With a combination of a threaded rod and action blocks, actions can be generated quickly, the reciprocating performance is high, and the working time is efficiently prolonged. Because a juicing bag is arranged between the actuator and the fixed surface, the juice squeezed out does not sputter onto components of the juicer, which achieves the objective of requiring no cleaning.
In the drawings: 1. frame; 11. front fixed plate; 12. rear fixed plate; 13. left side plate; 14. right side plate; 15. hinge hole; 16. bump; 2. actuator; 211. first stationary part; 212. second stationary part; 221. first moving part; 222. second moving part; 223. third moving part; 224. fourth moving part; 23. driving threaded rod; 241. first action block; 242. second action block; 25. driver; 26. transmission; 27. bearing block; 28. short shaft pin; 29. long shaft pin; 3. propulsion plate; 4. juicing bag; 40. gasket; 50. clamping ring.
In order to make it easy to understand the implementing technical means, creative features and achieved objects and effects of the present invention, the technical solutions provided by the present invention are described in detail with the following embodiments in conjunction with
Specifically, the frame 1 is hollow and is detachably formed by four plates, i.e., the front fixed plate 11, the rear fixed plate 12, the left side plate 13 and the right side plate 14. The left side plate 13 and the right side plate 14 of the frame 1 are both vertically arranged with a gap between them. One end of the left side plate 13 is provided with a hinge hole 15 and the same end of the right side plate 14 is also provided with a hinge hole 15. The front fixed plate 11 is arranged at the end of the left side plate 13 and of the right side plate 14 where the hinge holes 15 are arranged. The rear fixed plate 12 is arranged at the end of the left side plate 13 and of the right side plate 14 that is distant from the hinge holes 15. The rear fixed plate 12 curves towards the front fixed plate 11. Several symmetrically arranged bumps 16 are fixedly provided on a large plane of the front fixed plate 11 that is close to the end of the left side plate 13 and of the right side plate 14 where the hinge holes 15 are arranged. The bumps 16 have fixing holes (not shown) matching the hinge holes 15 in the left side plate 13 and the right side plate 14. The front fixed plate 11 is hinged to the left side plate 13 and the right side plate 14 via shaft pins (not shown).
The large plane of the rear fixed plate 12 that is close to the front fixed plate 11 is a mounting surface. The large plane of the front fixed plate 11 on which the bumps 16 are provided is a fixed surface.
On the mounting surface, the actuator 2 is arranged in the direction from the rear fixed plate 12 to the front fixed plate 11. The propulsion plate 3 is arranged on one side of the actuator 2 facing away from the rear fixed plate 12. The actuator 2 serves as a moving component of the device, and rises and descends linearly in a reciprocating manner between the rear fixed plate 12 and the front fixed plate 11.
More specifically, the actuator 2 comprises stationary parts, moving parts, a driving rod, action blocks, shaft pins, a driver 25, a bearing block 27, a transmission 26, a gasket 40, and a clamping ring 50. The stationary parts include a first stationary part 211 and a second stationary part 212 which are both arranged to have a U shape. The first stationary part 211 is detachably attached on the mounting surface of the rear fixed plate 12. The opening of the U shape of the first stationary part 211 is arranged to face the front fixed plate 11. The second stationary part 212 is fixedly attached on the side of the propulsion plate 3 that is close to the rear fixed plate 12. The opening direction of the U shape of the second stationary part 212 is arranged to face the opening direction of the U shape of the first stationary part 211.
Both side surfaces of the U-shaped opening of the first stationary part 211 and of the second stationary part 212 are symmetrically provided with moving parts including the first moving parts 221, the second moving parts 222, the third moving parts 223, and the fourth moving parts 224. All these moving parts are arranged in pairs and have the same overall shape. One of each pair of the first moving parts 221 and one of each pair of the fourth moving parts 224 are hinged to one side of the U shape of the first stationary part 211 via a long shaft pin 29 and are symmetrically arranged. One of each pair of the first moving parts 221 and one of each pair of the fourth moving parts 224 are hinged to the other side of the U shape of the first stationary part 211 via a long shaft pin 29. And each long shaft pin 29 passes through the corresponding pair of moving parts. One of each pair of the second moving parts 222 and one of each pair of the third moving parts 223 are hinged to one side of the U shape of the second stationary part 212 via a long shaft pin 29 and are symmetrically arranged. One of each pair of the second moving parts 222 and one of each pair of the third moving parts 223 are hinged to the other side of the U shape of the second stationary part 212 via a long shaft pin 29. And each long shaft pin 29 passes through the corresponding pair of moving parts.
One end of each moving part has a connecting hole (not shown) and the other end of each moving part has a fan-shaped gear structure. A same area of the end of each moving part that is close to its gear structure has a rotating hole (not shown). The moving parts are hinged to the stationary parts by means of the rotating holes (not shown) and the long shaft pins 29.
The connecting hole of each first moving part 221 is hinged, via a short shaft pin 28, with the connecting hole of each second moving part 222 located on the same side of the U shape of the stationary part as the first moving part 221. The connecting hole of each third moving part 223 is hinged with the connecting hole of each fourth moving part 224 that is located on the same side of the U shape of the stationary part as the third moving part 223. The fan-shaped gear structure of each first moving part 221 meshes with the fan-shaped gear structure of each fourth moving part 224 that is located on the same side of the U shape of the stationary part as the first moving part 221. The fan-shaped gear structure of each second moving part 222 meshes the fan-shaped gear structure of each third moving part 223 that is located on the same side of the U shape of the stationary part as the second moving part 222.
There is an action block between the hinged parts of each pair of the moving parts. The action blocks include the first action block 241 and the second action block 242. The first action block 241 is between the hinged parts of two first moving parts 221 and two second moving parts 222. The first action block 241 is hinged with each pair of the first moving parts 221 or each pair of the second moving parts 222 via a short shaft pin 28. A threaded hole (not shown) is provided in the first action block 241 in the direction parallel to the rear fixed plate 12 and perpendicular to the axis of the short shaft pin 28. The second action block 242 is between the hinged parts of two third moving parts 223 and two fourth moving parts 224. The first action block 241 is hinged with each pair of the first moving parts 221 or each pair of the second moving parts 222 via a short shaft pin 28. A through hole (not shown) is provided in the second action block 242 in the axial direction of the threaded hole (not shown) in the first action block 241, that is, the threaded hole (not shown) in the first action block 241 is coaxial with the through hole (not shown) in the second action block 242.
The driving rod is a driving threaded rod 23. The driving threaded rod 23 passes through the threaded hole (not shown) in the first action block 241 and the through hole (not shown) in the second action block 242. One end of the driving threaded rod 23 passes through the through hole (not shown) in the second action block 242 and is connected with the bearing block 27. The bearing block 27 is detachably attached on the second action block 242 and is further hinged to each pair of the third moving parts 223 and each pair of the fourth moving parts 224 via a short shaft pin 28. The bearing block 27 includes several bearings (not shown). The use of the structure of a threaded rod and action blocks enables high repeatability, so that the working time is prolonged.
A transmission 26 is provided on one side of the bearing block 27 facing away from the second action block 242. And a driver 25 is provided on one side of the transmission 26 facing away from the bearing block 27.
Specifically, a juicing bag 4 is arranged between the propulsion plate 3 and the fixed surface of the front fixed plate 11 of the frame 1. The juicing bag 4 is used to contain food, in order to prevent juice from sputtering onto components of the juicer during squeezing. Accordingly, the juicer requires no cleaning.
In one embodiment, the juicing bag 4 is pre-sealed to prevent leakage during the squeezing process.
When a user puts food into the juicing bag 4 and places the juicing bag 4 between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 of the frame 1, the user may start the driver 25. The driver 25, through the transmission 26 and the bearing block 27, drives the driving threaded rod 23 to rotate. Since one end of the driving threaded rod 23 is connected to the bearing block 27, the rotation of the driving threaded rod 23 drives the first action block 241 to reciprocate in the axial direction of the driving threaded rod 23. As the symmetrically arranged moving parts are hinged to the moving blocks via the short shaft pins 28, when the first action block 241 moves towards the second action block 242, the included angle between the first moving part 221 and the second moving part 222 and the included angle between the third moving part 223 and the fourth moving part 224 get closer to 180°. Consequently, the distance between the first stationary part 211 and the second stationary part 212 is longer, and the distance between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 of the frame 1 is shorter. Thus, the food in the juicing bag 4 is squeezed to produce juice.
The propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 preferably has an area of at least 200 cm2, and more preferably 300-400 cm2, for exerting pressure on food in a preferred model designed for home (consumer) use. Other consumer designs preferably have areas of less than 1000 cm2, or more preferably less than 700 cm2 or 500 cm2, which will limit the overall size and bulkiness of the appliance for consumer use. For industrial applications, the area between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 preferably is larger in order to produce more juice. Industrial juicers preferably produce at least 1 liter juice for moderately juicy food. Industrial juicers can have areas of 1000-2000 cm2, or more preferably 1500-2000 cm2, and possibly as large as 2500 cm2.
When the first action block 241 moves away from the second action block 242, the included angle between the first moving part 221 and the second moving part 222 and the included angle between the third moving part 223 and the fourth moving part 224 get closer to 0°. Consequently, the distance between the first stationary part 211 and the second stationary part 212 is shorter and further the distance between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 of the frame 1 is longer. Thus, it is convenient to take out the juicing bag 4 and the juice. Since each of the moving parts has a fan-shaped gear structure and the gear structures of two symmetrical moving parts meshes with each other, when the first action block 241 moves towards or away from the second action block 242, the second action block 242 also moves towards or away from the first action block 241 at the same speed. It ensures that when the second stationary part 212 rises or descends linearly in a reciprocating manner, the second stationary part 212 stays horizontal along with the first stationary part 211. So that the squeezing process is more stable, the food is more uniformly squeezed, and more juice is produced.
In one embodiment, the driver 25 generates a torque force and drives the driving threaded rod 23 to rotate. Because the driving rod 23 is threaded, a force is generated. The generated force is exerted on the connecting rods of the moving parts and can be amplified by the connecting rods of the moving parts to generate a propelling force. The propelling force is exerted on the stationary part 212 associated with the propulsion plate 3 and propels the propulsion plate 3 to move towards or away from the front fixed plate 11.
The force F2 is exerted on the connecting rods of the moving parts. At one extreme of the pressing movement, the included angle between the first moving part 221 and the second moving part 222 is close to 180°. The connecting rods of the moving parts amplify the force F2, resulting in a propelling force F3 that is greater than the force F2. In
Travel of the propulsion plate 3 under these large forces can produce up to 95% juice by weight, for example in some trials with watermelon and pomegranate. Table 1 below lists various foods and more typical amounts of juice extracted in experiments:
The large propelling force is because the driving threaded rod 23 significantly amplifies the torque force F1 provide by the driver 25. In the embodiment of
The angle between the connecting rod 710 and the propelling force F3 changes as the second moving part 222 moves. But when the angle is below 45°, the propelling force F3 is greater than the force F2.
The propulsion plate 3, driven by the propelling force, can travel for a long distance (“propulsion distance”). In the current preferred consumer design, the distance between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 can be up to 70 mm to allow insertion of food, including whole fruits. In most cases, the propelling force presses food from an initial thickness of 70 mm to a final thickness of 5 mm or less, and more preferably less than 2 mm or even less than 1 mm. In industrial designs, the initial gap between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11 can be much larger to allow more front, for example up to 500 mm or more.
As shown in
As a preferred embodiment, the first stationary part 211 is detachably arranged on the rear fixed plate 12 via a threaded fastener (not shown), which facilitates later maintenance and repair.
As a preferred embodiment, each of the shaft pins is associated with a gasket 40 and a clamping ring 50, which not only make the hinge joint firmer but also facilitates disassembly, thereby facilitating later maintenance and repair work.
As a preferred embodiment, the driver 25 includes a motor, which is convenient to control and quick to start. And using the transmission 26 can increase lifting force, accelerate the action, and improve the juicing efficiency while increasing juice extraction rate.
The juicer provided in this embodiment comprises a frame 1, an actuator 2 and a juicing bag 4, which is reasonable in structural design and compact in layout. The driver 25 on the actuator 2 drives the driving threaded rod 23 to rotate. The rotation of the driving threaded rod 23 drives the first action block 241 and the second action block 242 to move towards or away from each other, causing the second stationary part 212 to move away from or close to the first stationary part 211, further pushing the propulsion plate 3 to move towards or away from the front fixed plate 11 of the frame 1 to squeeze food put in the juicing bag 4 between the propulsion plate 3 and the front fixed plate 11, thereby achieving the juicing object. As a squeezing structure is adopted, noise during juicing is small and experience effect is better. Moreover, as the structure of the threaded rod and the action blocks is adopted, repeatability is high and working time is longer. The driver 25 includes the motor, which is convenient to control and can be quickly started. Using the transmission 26 increases lifting force, accelerates the action, and improves juicing efficiency, and at the same time increases juice extraction rate. Using the juicing bag 4 to contain food prevents juice from sputtering onto components during squeezing, and therefore, no cleaning is required.
The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the invention, which are not intended to limit the embodiments and protection scope of the invention. For a technical person skilled in the art, it should be appreciated that all the solutions obtained by equivalent substitutions and obvious variations made by using the contents of the description and the drawings of the present invention should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201610822658 | Sep 2016 | CN | national |
This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application Serial No. 201610822658.X, “A Juicer,” filed on Sep. 14, 2016. This application is also a continuation-in-part of PCT Patent Application Serial No. PCT/CN2016/100442, “A Juicer,” filed on Sep. 27, 2016. The subject matter of all of the foregoing is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/CN2016/100442 | Sep 2016 | US |
Child | 15656421 | US |