Device for juicing citrus fruits

Abstract

Device for juicing a citrus fruit, the device comprising a cylinder (1) which is open at both ends and has at least one opening (2) on the side, characterized in that the device has a closure (3) which can be inserted into an upper end of the cylinder (1) and which locks it in a liquid-tight manner, and furthermore a bowl-shaped holder (4) which is designed to receive at least the lower third of the citrus fruit in a circumferentially supporting manner.

Description

Introduction

[0001] The invention relates to a device for juicing citrus fruits. In particular, the invention relates to a device for manual, convenient and safe juicing. State of the art and disadvantages

[0002] Devices for manually juicing citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons are already known. They comprise a cylinder open at both ends and at least one opening on the side. When the juicer is inserted into a citrus fruit, its juice flows into the interior of the cylinder through the base and the side opening. By tilting the fruit, the juice can be poured out from the top. This process can be repeated several times, provided that not all the juice is extracted, for example, by squeezing the fruit immediately.

[0003] A disadvantage of the known solutions, however, is that with repeated, staggered extraction, the juice in the cylinder comes into contact with the outside air and can thus oxidize; this particularly affects vitamin C, which is known to be present in citrus fruits but degrades over time. Furthermore, the fruit, which is usually rounded at the bottom, cannot stand upright; if it tips over, the liquid already collected in the cylinder spills out. For the same reason, the fruit should be held in the hand while squeezing; however, this quickly leads to the hand becoming wet with juice, which is undesirable. Problem of the invention and solution

[0004] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a device and a method which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0005] The invention is intended to provide a juicer that, during multiple, time-delayed uses, keeps the juice in the freshest possible state, prevents the fruit from tipping over, and prevents unwanted wetting of the hand when using the juicer.

[0006] The problem is solved by a device according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims, the following description, and the figures. Description

[0007] The device is designed for juicing citrus fruits, particularly lemons or oranges. With appropriate adjustments to the dimensions, however, the device can also be used with larger (e.g., grapefruits) or smaller (e.g., tangerines) citrus fruits.

[0008] The device comprises a cylinder open at both ends and with at least one opening on each side. The cylinder's height is, for example, 7 ± 2 cm, its diameter at the top is, for example, 25 ± 5 mm, and its wall thickness is, for example, 3 ± 1.5 mm.

[0009] The device is characterized by a seal that can be inserted into the upper end of the cylinder and locks it in a liquid-tight manner. The seal separates the interior of the cylinder containing the liquid from the outside air, so that already squeezed juice stays fresh longer and does not oxidize. Furthermore, this ensures that if the fruit tips over, the juice remains in the cylinder and is not spilled.

[0010] According to the invention, the device further comprises a bowl-shaped holder designed to support at least the lower third of the citrus fruit. The holder thus ensures that the fruit remains securely in an upright position during and after juicing, which helps prevent unwanted leakage of the juice contained in the cylinder. Furthermore, the fruit does not need to be held in the hand when using the device; this avoids wetting the hand with the liquid during juicing.

[0011] The invention thus avoids the disadvantages known from the prior art.

[0012] The invention provides a juicer which, during repeated, time-delayed use, keeps the juice in the freshest possible state, prevents the fruit from tipping over, and prevents unwanted wetting of the hand when using the juicer.

[0013] Various embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cylinder has two opposing, slot-shaped lateral openings. The slots are vertical and have a width of 1.0 ± 0.5 cm and a height of 2.5 ± 1 cm. The juice enters the cylinder's interior through the slots, where it collects. The slots cover approximately 30% of the circumference. A larger proportion of slots can weaken the mechanical stability, while a smaller proportion may result in the liquid entering the cylinder too slowly.

[0015] In one embodiment, the lower end of the cylinder has a rim designed to cut through the citrus fruit. This makes it easier to drive the cylinder into the interior of the citrus fruit, since the center of a citrus fruit often contains areas with a higher lignin content (core, etc.).

[0016] In one embodiment, the cylinder tapers from top to bottom. This makes it easier to drive into the fruit. When the cylinder is upright, the angle to the vertical is, for example, 8 ± 5°. The difference in diameter between the top and bottom edges of the cylinder is, for example, 5 ± 2 mm, or 15 ± 5%.

[0017] In a further embodiment, at least part of the upper half of the cylinder has a thread on its outer surface, making it easier to screw into the citrus fruit. The thread is preferably a coarse thread with a pitch of 20–30° and a projection of 3 ± 1 mm beyond the cylinder's outer surface. The thread also ensures that the cylinder, once screwed in, remains in the fruit.

[0018] Preferably, the upper end of the thread is designed to transition into a collar that completely encircles the circumference. This has the advantage of creating a mechanical, force-fit seal on the outside of the cylinder between the interior of the fruit and the environment. This ensures that any juice that collects between the cylinder's surface and the fruit, and which has not flowed into the interior of the cylinder, is retained at the cylinder's surface and cannot escape unintentionally.

[0019] Preferably, the cylinder has a pouring aid at its upper end. This allows for more precise pouring of the juice from the cylinder. The pouring aid can also be formed by a simple, protruding tab attached only to the outer edge, which then serves as a guide for the liquid and as a defined drip aid.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a sieve that can be inserted into or is already inserted into the cylinder. This sieve is designed to retain any fruit kernels that may enter the cylinder, preventing them from escaping, as they are not suitable for consumption. Preferably, it is fixed just above the side openings. For this purpose, the cylinder can have one or two tapered sections on its inner surface, which serve as stops for the lower and, optionally, also the upper edge of the sieve. The sieve can be inserted around its circumference into an elastic ring, e.g., made of rubber, which, due to its static friction, secures the sieve in the cylinder and seals it around its circumference. For cleaning, however, the sieve and ring can be easily removed from the cylinder without tools.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the closure is made of cork. This material is sufficiently elastic and does not alter the taste of the juice; moreover, as a natural material, it is particularly well-suited for use with natural liquids. The cork can simply be inserted; twisting, as might be necessary with a plastic closure, is not required.

[0022] In another embodiment, the holder has a grating surface on its inner side, near its upper rim. This surface is designed to prepare foods such as grated ginger, which can be consumed in fruit juices, into an easily edible form. It is also advantageous that no additional grater is required, and that the grated food collects in the bowl-shaped holder and can then be easily poured out, for example, into a drinking vessel.

[0023] The diameter of the holder is, for example, 9 ± 2 cm, and the rasping surface intended for the rasp is 10 ± 3 mm wide when viewed from above.

[0024] The grating surface in question preferably has multiple rows of pyramid-shaped protrusions with sharp points. Such a surface is well-suited for grating food, easy to clean, and—depending on the material of the support—particularly easy to manufacture. For example, one pyramid has a base area of ​​4 ± 1 mm and a height of 3 ± 1 mm.

[0025] Preferably, the grating surface has a shallower angle towards its edge than the inner wall below it. This means that the grating surface is horizontal or slightly inclined inwards, but less steeply inclined than the inner surface of the bowl-shaped holder below it. In this way, the grating surface can be used for grating even if a piece of fruit is already placed in the holder, as the grating surface remains accessible. Thus, the fruit does not need to be removed from the holder before the grating surface can be used.

[0026] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cylinder and holder are made of a glazed ceramic. This material exhibits good stability and also allows for the production of both the friction surface of the holder intended for rubbing and the lower rim of the cylinder, which is designed for easier insertion. The glaze makes the surface resistant, prevents it from absorbing liquids, makes it easy to clean, and increases its hardness. Character description

[0027] The invention is explained below using figures as examples. Fig. 1 an exploded view of the device according to the invention; Fig. 2 the assembly of the device according to the invention; Fig. 3 the assembly of the device according to the invention with a citrus fruit.

[0028] In the Fig. Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the device according to the invention. The cylinder 1 is shown in the center. It is open at both ends and has two opposing slot-shaped openings 2 on its sides. The lower end of the cylinder 1 has a rim 5 designed for cutting the citrus fruit; in particular, by rotating it about its longitudinal axis, the cylinder 1 can be easily driven into the interior of the fruit. This is further simplified by the cylinder 1 becoming narrower from top to bottom, especially its lower section containing the openings 2. The upper half of the cylinder 1 has a thread 6 on its outer surface, by means of which the cylinder 1 can be effectively screwed into the citrus fruit. The upper end of the thread 6 is designed such that it transitions into a collar 7 that completely encircles the circumference and serves as a closure for the opening made in the fruit.At its upper end, cylinder 1 has a pouring aid 8. This is designed as a protruding nose.

[0029] Above cylinder 1, a sieve 11 is shown, which is enclosed by an elastic ring. The sieve 11 can be inserted into the interior of the cylinder and serves to retain, for example, fruit seeds. When assembled, the sieve 11 is located just above the side openings 2.

[0030] Above the sieve 11, a closure 3 in the form of a cork, which seals the cylinder in a liquid-tight manner, is shown.

[0031] Below the cylinder 1 is a bowl-shaped holder 4, designed to hold the lower third of a citrus fruit (not shown). The holder 4 has a grating surface 9 on its inner side, near its upper rim. This grating surface 9 has multiple rows of pyramid-shaped protrusions with sharp points. It is also evident that the grating surface 9 has a shallower angle towards its rim than the inner wall 10 below it. Thus, the grating surface 9 remains accessible even when a fruit is present in the holder 4.

[0032] The Fig. Figure 2 shows the components of the device in assembly. Some of the previously introduced reference numerals have been omitted here. It can be seen that the closure 3 is inserted into the upper end of the cylinder 1 and seals it liquid-tight. The cylinder 1 is placed in the tray.

[0033] The Fig. Figure 3 shows the components of the device in assembly, with the cylinder 1 partially inserted into a citrus fruit (without reference numerals). Fruit juice can thus accumulate inside the cylinder 1 (not visible), which cannot escape due to the closure 3. The holder 4 supports the fruit so that it cannot fall over, and a person using the device does not touch the fruit with their hands when the cylinder 1 is driven into it. Reference symbol list 1 cylinder 2 openings 3 Closure 4 brackets 5 Rand 6 threads 7 collars 8 Pouring aid 9 friction surface 10 Interior wall 11 sieves

Claims

Device for juicing a citrus fruit, the device comprising a cylinder (1) which is open at both ends and has at least one opening (2) on the side, characterized in that the device has a closure (3) which can be inserted into an upper end of the cylinder (1) and which locks it in a liquid-tight manner, and furthermore a bowl-shaped holder (4) which is designed to receive at least the lower third of the citrus fruit in a circumferentially supporting manner. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder (1) has two opposing slot-shaped lateral openings (2). Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the lower end of the cylinder (1) has a rim (5) designed to separate the citrus fruit. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylinder (1) becomes narrower from top to bottom. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a part of the upper half of the cylinder (1) has a thread (6) on its outside by means of which it can be screwed into the citrus fruit. Device according to claim 5, wherein the upper end of the thread (6) is designed such that it transitions into a collar (7) that completely encircles the circumference. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cylinder (1) has a pouring aid (8) at its upper end. Device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a sieve (11) that can be inserted or is inserted into the cylinder (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure (3) is made of cork. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (4) has a rasping surface (9) on the inside in the area of ​​its upper edge. Device according to claim 10, wherein the friction surface (9) has a plurality of pyramid-shaped protrusions with sharp points in several rows. Device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the rasping surface (9) has a shallower angle towards the edge than the inner wall (10) adjoining below this rasping surface (9). Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein cylinder (1) and holder (4) are made of a glazed ceramic.

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