Juice extractor with hydraulic control of extraction back pressure
First Claim
1. A juice extractor comprising:
- means for supporting the exterior of a fruit and separating the peel therefrom;
a strainer tube mounted to receive juice and pulp of the fruit;
an orifice tube having upper and lower ends, the upper end movable within the strainer tube;
a drive mechanism engaging said orifice tube for reciprocating the orifice tube within the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the lower end of the orifice tube;
a valve assembly positioned at the lower end of the orifice tube, said valve assembly further comprising;
a piston having a shaft movable into an extended position within the orifice tube and a retracted position where core can be discharged from the lower end of the orifice tube; and
means for applying a predetermined amount of hydraulic pressure onto the piston to extend the shaft into the orifice tube and apply back pressure, wherein core is discharged when the pressure of the core against the shaft and piston exceeds the back pressure to retract the shaft.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A juice extractor includes a mechanism for supporting the exterior of a fruit and separating the peel therefrom, such as upper and lower cups having cutters to cut plugs. A strainer tube is mounted to receive juice and pulp of the fruit. An orifice tube has upper and lower ends and the upper end is moveable within the strainer tube. A reciprocating drive mechanism engages the orifice tube and reciprocates the orifice tube within the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collect the core material and discharge core out of the lower end of the orifice tube. A valve assembly is positioned at the lower end of the orifice tube. The valve assembly includes a piston having a shaft moveable into an extended position within the orifice tube, and a retracted position where core can be discharged from the lower end of the orifice tube. A predetermined amount of hydraulic pressure is applied onto the piston to extend the shaft into the orifice tube and apply back pressure. The core is discharged from the pressure of the core pulp against the shaft and piston and exceeds the back pressure to retract the shaft. A sensor can also sense when the cylinder shaft is not retracted or moved in a period of machine cycles, indicative that core is not being discharged from the orifice tube. The juice extractor can be shut down after a predetermined period of time after determining that the shaft has not retracted or extended.
82 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A juice extractor comprising:
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means for supporting the exterior of a fruit and separating the peel therefrom; a strainer tube mounted to receive juice and pulp of the fruit; an orifice tube having upper and lower ends, the upper end movable within the strainer tube; a drive mechanism engaging said orifice tube for reciprocating the orifice tube within the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the lower end of the orifice tube; a valve assembly positioned at the lower end of the orifice tube, said valve assembly further comprising; a piston having a shaft movable into an extended position within the orifice tube and a retracted position where core can be discharged from the lower end of the orifice tube; and means for applying a predetermined amount of hydraulic pressure onto the piston to extend the shaft into the orifice tube and apply back pressure, wherein core is discharged when the pressure of the core against the shaft and piston exceeds the back pressure to retract the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A juice extractor comprising:
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means for supporting the exterior of a fruit and separating the peel therefrom; a strainer tube mounted to receive juice and pulp of the fruit; an orifice tube having upper and lower ends, the upper end movable within the strainer tube; a drive mechanism engaging said orifice tube for reciprocating the orifice tube within the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the lower end of the orifice tube; a valve assembly positioned at the lower end of the orifice tube, said valve assembly further comprising; a piston having a shaft movable into an extended position within the orifice tube and a retracted position where core can be discharged from the lower end of the orifice tube; means for applying a predetermined amount of pressure onto the piston to extend the shaft into the orifice tube and apply back pressure, wherein core material is discharged when the pressure of the core against the shaft and piston exceeds the back pressure to retract the shaft; a sensor for determining when the shaft has not retracted indicative that core is not being discharged from the orifice tube; and extractor shut down means responsive to the sensor for shutting down the juice extractor after a predetermined period of time from the time when the sensor has determined pulp is not being discharged. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A juice extractor comprising:
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a strainer tube mounted to receive juice and pulp of the fruit; an orifice tube having upper and lower ends, the upper end movable within the strainer tube; reciprocating drive means engaging said orifice tube for reciprocating the orifice tube into and out of the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the lower end of the orifice tube; and hydraulic valve control means positioned adjacent the orifice tube to extend the shaft into the orifice tube and apply back pressure, wherein core is discharged when the pressure of core contained in the orifice tube against said hydraulic valve control means exceeds the back pressure. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A juice extractor comprising:
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means for supporting the exterior of a fruit and separating the peel therefrom; a strainer tube mounted to receive juice and pulp of the fruit; an orifice tube having upper and lower ends, the upper end movable within the strainer tube; reciprocating drive means engaging said orifice tube for reciprocating the orifice tube into and out of the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the lower end of the orifice tube; a valve assembly mounted at the lower end of the orifice tube, said valve assembly further comprising; a valve body forming a piston cylinder, and having an opening adjacent the lower end of the orifice tube; a piston mounted within the piston cylinder and having a shaft extending out of the opening of the valve body and movable into an extended position within the orifice tube and a retracted position where core can be discharged from the orifice tube, means for applying pressure onto the piston to extend the shaft into the orifice tube and apply back pressure, wherein core is discharged when the pressure of the core against the shaft and piston exceeds the back pressure to retract the shaft; and sensor means for sensing when the shaft has not retracted for a predetermined period of time indicative that core is not being discharged from the orifice tube. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of operating a juice extractor comprising the steps of:
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supporting the exterior of a fruit and peeling the peel therefrom; receiving the juice and pulp within a strainer tube; reciprocating an orifice tube into and out of the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the bottom of the orifice tube; hydraulically biasing a piston having a shaft that extends into the orifice tube to apply back pressure into the orifice tube when the shaft is extended into the orifice tube; and discharging core from the orifice tube when the pressure of the core against the shaft and piston exceeds the back pressure and the shaft is retracted. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of operating a juice extractor comprising the steps of:
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receiving the juice and pulp within a strainer tube; reciprocating an orifice tube into and out of the strainer tube for generating pressure within the strainer tube to separate juice and pulp within the strainer tube, collecting core, and discharging core out of the bottom of the orifice tube; biasing a piston having a shaft that extends into the orifice tube to apply back pressure into the orifice tube when the shaft is extended into the orifice tube; and discharging core from the orifice tube when the pressure of the core against the shaft and piston exceeds the back pressure and the shaft is retracted; determining when the shaft has not retracted or extended; and shutting down the juice extractor after a predetermined period of time after determining that the shaft has not retracted or extended. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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Specification