Household appliance for extracting juice from sugar cane

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household apparatus for extracting juice (J) from sugarcane, comprising a body in two parts formed, respectively, of an upper compartment (1) containing a mechanism (3) for manually crushing the cane and having, respectively, a cane inlet (10), a crushed cane outlet (11), and a juice spout (12), and a lower compartment (2) supporting the upper compartment (1), characterized in that said crushing mechanism (3) comprises a set of three knurled cylinders (31a, 31b, 31c) driven in counterclockwise rotation in pairs by a series of gears (32) which mesh with an external crank (4) and between which the cane is manually inserted between the inlet (10) and outlet (11). Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE FOR EXTRACTING SUGAR CANE JUICE Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the agri-food sector and more particularly that of the extraction of sugar cane juice.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a mechanical appliance for household use capable of and intended for crushing sections of sugar cane to extract the juice. State of the prior art

[0003] There is already equipment used in the food industry to grind freshly cut sugar cane to extract various constituents, including liquid components to prepare cane sugar and rum after distillation.

[0004] However, this equipment is generally bulky and structurally complex because it must meet demanding specifications and produce with high yields.

[0005] Consequently, this equipment is not compatible with domestic use and cannot in any way be adapted to become household appliances.

[0006] However, there is a growing demand for products of natural origin that can be produced on site at their place of domestic consumption, as can be the case, for example, with orange juices using citrus presses.

[0007] However, this objective implies having mechanical means which are, at the same time, powerful enough to crush sugar cane, compact enough to adapt to the household appliance environment, simple to use, safe enough to comply with current standards and easy to maintain. Statement of the invention

[0008] In this context, the invention aims to provide an innovative technical solution to meet public demand while offering a compromise between all these requirements with a simple, reliable and ergonomic household sugar cane juice extraction device.

[0009] This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a household appliance for extracting sugar cane juice comprising a body in two parts formed, respectively, of an upper compartment containing a mechanism for manually crushing the canes and comprising, respectively, a mouth for inlet of the canes, an outlet for the crushed canes and a spout for discharging the juice, and of a lower compartment supporting the upper compartment, characterized in that said mechanism of grinding comprises a set of three knurled cylinders driven in reverse rotation two by two by a series of gears which are engaged with an external crank and between which the rods are engaged between the inlet mouth and the outlet mouth.

[0010] According to an advantageous characteristic of the apparatus of the invention, the knurled cylinders have the same diameter and their respective axes extend in parallel and in a triangular arrangement.

[0011] According to another advantageous characteristic, the set of knurled cylinders comprises two upstream cylinders mounted opposite each other and delimiting, between their respective lateral faces, a first neck.

[0012] Furthermore, the set of knurled cylinders comprises a downstream cylinder mounted opposite one of the two upstream cylinders and delimiting, between their respective lateral faces, a second neck.

[0013] According to a specific embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, the first neck has a width of 1.5 mm and the second neck has a width of 1.0 mm.

[0014] According to another variant embodiment, the set of knurled cylinders is mounted inside a removable frame housed in the upper compartment and comprising two lateral flanges ensuring, on either side, the support of the series of gears.

[0015] In this latter variant, the frame comprises a lower wall supporting a filter opening vertically into the cane juice discharge spout.

[0016] Furthermore, the invention provides that the lateral flanges of this frame are assembled to each other by an elastically deformable intermediate element.

[0017] Preferably, the upper compartment is closed by a removable cover.

[0018] Preferably, the frame supports a transverse shaft connected, on the one hand, to the series of gears and, on the other hand, to said crank through an orifice provided in the side wall of the upper compartment.

[0019] According to a characteristic specific to the implementation of the invention, it is provided that the series of gears and the shaft of the crank are assembled so that the crank actuates the grinding mechanism by a counterclockwise rotation.

[0020] According to still other characteristics of the invention, the lower compartment comprises two support uprights of the upper compartment connected at their base by an intermediate base providing a housing for a container under the cane juice evacuation spout.

[0021] According to a specific variant, the base of the lower compartment is provided with an underlying wedging suction cup actuated by a pivoting tab retractable in said base.

[0022] Another object of the invention is a domestic use of the cane juice extraction apparatus as described above, characterized in that said apparatus is fed by means of pre-cut and calibrated cane sections which are introduced into the grinding mechanism via the inlet mouth of the upper compartment while operating said crank counterclockwise.

[0023] The apparatus of the invention has a simple and compact structure and an ergonomic design. Its grinding mechanism can be cleaned quickly and easily by removing the top cover to access the frame containing the knurled cylinders. In addition, the suction cup under the base allows the apparatus to be stabilized and immobilized during use.

[0024] The crank intended for actuating the grinding mechanism integrated in the apparatus of the invention turns counterclockwise, which makes it possible to balance the forces when starting the action because the user pushes on the sugar cane while pulling on the crank. However, the canes being rigid and resistant, thanks to the specific structure of this grinding mechanism, the user develops more force by activating his biceps than by pushing with his triceps, which makes it easier to crush the canes.

[0025] Furthermore, when there is a knot of canes, the upper wall of the frame can be lifted by compressing the elastically deformable connecting element, which makes it possible to increase the clearance between the knurled cylinders and to allow the cane to pass more easily, thus avoiding exerting excessive forces on the crank.

[0026] The device of the invention is intended for individuals and its completely manual operation is secure because it does not require the use of any electric motor.

[0027] In addition, its low mass, its small size and its robustness make it a completely portable and autonomous device whose very silent operation allows it to be used anywhere, day or night. brief description of the figures

[0028] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, which illustrate:

[0029] [Fig.l]: a front view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention for extracting cane juice.

[0030] [Fig.2]: a perspective view of the embodiment of the device of [Fig.l] (without the crank).

[0031] [Fig.3]: a partial exploded perspective view of the device of [Fig.l].

[0032] [Fig.4]: a detailed perspective view of an embodiment of the mechanism of grinding integrated into the apparatus of the invention.

[0033] [Fig.5]: a detailed and top view of the upper compartment of the apparatus of the invention with its grinding mechanism.

[0034] [Fig.6]: a schematic plan view of the configuration of the knurled cylinders of the grinding mechanism of [Fig.4].

[0035] [Fig.7]: a partial side view of the apparatus of the invention in the position of use.

[0036] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs in the description and in the figures.

[0037] Naturally, the embodiments of the extraction apparatus of the invention illustrated by the figures presented above and described below are given only as non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided that different modes can be proposed and combined with each other to propose others. DETAILED description of an embodiment

[0038] The invention relates to the agri-food sector and is more particularly concerned with a mechanical device intended for the extraction of sugar cane juice.

[0039] It is known to crush and press sugar cane to extract a sweet juice intended to be used in the composition of various drinks. These operations are generally carried out on an industrial or at least artisanal scale, in particular, for the preparation of spirits such as rum. However, the equipment used for these operations is not compatible with domestic use.

[0040] The invention aims to offer consumers a small-sized, simple-structured mechanical device for extracting sugar cane juice in a household setting.

[0041] For this purpose and as illustrated, in particular, by figures 1 and 2, the invention consists of an apparatus comprising a body in two parts formed, respectively, of an upper compartment 1 and a lower compartment 2 supporting the upper compartment.

[0042] The upper compartment is here made in the form of a substantially cylindrical housing 1 which contains an independent mechanism 3 intended for the manual crushing of the canes. This apparatus is designed to be easily used manually but it is possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, to provide that this cane crushing mechanism can be associated with an electric motor via an adapter and operate in an at least partially automatic and possibly programmable manner.

[0043] The upper compartment comprises, respectively, an inlet mouth 10 for the canes, an outlet mouth 11 for the crushed canes from the mechanism 3 (dry and fibrous residues) and a spout or teat 12 for discharging the juice J extracted from the canes ([Fig.6]). The inlet mouth 10 is located opposite the outlet mouth 11 on the opposite side of the housing. The upper compartment 1 is closed by a removable cover 13 provided with a handle 13a.

[0044] The two mouths 10, 11 are arranged opposite each other through the side wall of the housing 1 while the spout 12 passes through the lower wall of the housing 1 to allow a gravitational flow of the juice J into the lower compartment 2, as described below.

[0045] For safety reasons, the inlet 10 and outlet 11 mouths of the cane C are extended by projecting lips so as to prevent the accidental introduction of fingers into the grinding mechanism.

[0046] The juice outlet spout 12 J is preferably extended by a small pipe in order to flow the juice into a larger container outside the device.

[0047] The cane crushing mechanism 3 comprises a set of three knurled cylinders 31a, 31b, 31c driven in reverse rotation two by two by a series of gears 32 in the form of toothed wheels of different diameters. The gears 32 are engaged with an external crank 4 ([Fig.l]) via a shaft 4L

[0048] This mechanism 3 is mounted inside a removable frame 33 housed in the upper compartment 1. The frame 33 comprises two lateral flanges 33a, 33b ensuring, on either side, the support of the series of gears 32. The lower wall 33c of the frame 33 supports a filter 5 ([Fig.3]) opening vertically into the cane juice discharge spout 12 J.

[0049] The frame 33 supports a transverse shaft 34 connected, on the one hand, to the series of gears 32 and, on the other hand, to the crank 4 through an orifice 14 provided in the side wall of the upper compartment 1. The shaft 34 is preferably made of stainless steel and drives the toothed wheels of the gears 32. If necessary, this shaft is welded onto the crank 4 in order to keep the latter embedded in the apparatus. Similarly, in order to ensure the fixing and stability of the gears, the knurled cylinders and the toothed wheels can be welded onto their axes.

[0050] The rods, which are preferably previously cut into sections C or sticks calibrated according to the dimensions of the mouth 10, are manually introduced into the housing 1 via the mouth 10 then engaged and crushed between the knurled cylinders of the mechanism 3 up to the outlet mouth 11 of the upper compartment 1, as illustrated by [Fig.6].

[0051] The knurled cylinders 31a, 31b, 31c have the same diameter D and their respective axes extend in parallel and in a triangular arrangement, as illustrated in plan by [Fig.5].

[0052] More specifically, in the embodiment shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the mechanism 3 comprises two upstream cylinders 31a, 31b mounted opposite each other and a downstream cylinder 31c mounted opposite one of the two upstream cylinders. The knurled cylinders delimit, between their respective lateral faces and on the path of the rods inside the housing 1, respectively, a first neck 30a after the inlet mouth 10 of the upper compartment 1 and a second neck 30b before the outlet mouth 11. Thus, the first neck 30a ensures, together with the coarse grinding, the driving and guiding of the sections of cane inside the frame 33 after the mouth 10 while the second neck 30b ensures, for its part, finer grinding and jointly ensures the guiding and driving of the crushed cane towards the outlet mouth 11 of the housing 1.

[0053] According to a specific embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, the first neck 30a has a width of 1.5 mm while the second neck 30b is narrower and has a width of 1.0 mm.

[0054] According to an improved variant of the invention, the flanges 33a, 33b forming the side wall of the frame 33 are each made up of two superimposed parts assembled together by an elastically deformable intermediate connecting element 35, made, for example, with a silicone-type elastomer. Indeed, it turns out that when a section of rod introduced into the device has a knot, the mechanism 3 is likely to become blocked. In this case, and thanks to the improvement provided by the invention, the knurled cylinders can move apart and the necks 30a, 30b widen, forcing the upper part of the two flanges to lift. The excess space thus offered to the rod, thanks to the deformation of the connecting element 35, allows it to pass between the cylinders while avoiding imposing excessive stress on the crank 4.

[0055] In the embodiment illustrated by [Fig. 4], the upper wall 33d of the frame 33 is connected to only one of the side plates (here the plate 33b) by another connecting element 36 which is also elastically deformable. If necessary, the cover 13 is itself provided at its base with a seal 13b (Figures 1 and 6) made of elastomer which can also be compressed when the upper part of the frame 33 is lifted. The cover 13 has lateral notches allowing better gripping, in particular, with wet hands. In the upper wall 33d are provided two orifices allowing it to be gripped and lifted to access the mechanism ([Fig. 3]).

[0056] Furthermore, the invention provides that the series of gears 32 and the shaft 41 are assembled so that the user actuates the grinding mechanism 3 by performing a counterclockwise rotation of the crank 4, as illustrated in [Fig. 6]. This mode of actuation makes it possible to balance the forces at the beginning of the grinding phase by pushing on the rod C while pulling on the crank 4. The forces exerted on the body of the device are thus reduced, which makes it possible to avoid its destabilization. Indeed, the user exerts more force by activating his biceps rather than pushing with his triceps. On the contrary, a mode of actuation of the crank by clockwise rotation would require either an additional gear and therefore a greater weight and volume. important, i.e. a grip of the crank in the low position and therefore a weaker lever arm because closer to the support plane of the device.

[0057] The lower compartment 2 comprises two uprights or columns 21 for supporting the upper compartment 1 connected at their base by an intermediate base 22 providing a housing for a container (not shown) arranged under the spout 12 for discharging the cane juice. Preferably, the base 23 of the lower compartment 2 is provided with an underlying suction cup 23 for wedging actuated by a pivoting tab 23a retractable into the base. This suction cup 23 of the click-clack type makes it possible to temporarily fix the device on a table or on a work surface.

[0058] It is emphasized that all features, as they emerge for a person skilled in the art from the present description, the drawings and the attached claims, even if concretely they have only been described in relation to other determined features, both individually and in any combinations, can be combined with other features or groups of features disclosed herein, provided that this has not been expressly excluded or that technical circumstances make such combinations impossible or meaningless.

Claims

Claims

1. Household appliance for extracting juice (J) from sugar cane comprising a body in two parts formed, respectively, of an upper compartment (1) containing a mechanism (3) for manually crushing the canes and comprising, respectively, a mouth (10) for inlet of the canes, a mouth (11) for outlet of the crushed canes and a spout (12) for evacuating the juice, and of a lower compartment (2) supporting the upper compartment (1), characterized in that said crushing mechanism (3) comprises a set of three knurled cylinders (31a, 31b, 31c) driven in reverse rotation two by two by a series of gears (32) which are engaged with an external crank (4) and between which the canes are manually engaged between the inlet mouth (10) and the outlet mouth (11), the set of knurled cylinders (31a, 31b, 31c) being mounted inside a removable frame (33) housed in the upper compartment (1) and comprising two lateral flanges (33a, 33b) ensuring,on either side, the support of the series of gears (32), said frame (33) supporting a transverse shaft (34) connected, on the one hand, to the series of gears and, on the other hand, to said crank (4) through an orifice (14) made in the side wall of the upper compartment (1), the series of gears (32) and the shaft (34) of the crank (4) being assembled so that the crank actuates the grinding mechanism (3) by an anticlockwise rotation.,

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the knurled cylinders (31a, 31b, 31c) have the same diameter (D) and in that their respective axes extend in parallel and in a triangular arrangement.

3. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the set of knurled cylinders comprises two upstream cylinders (31a, 31b) mounted opposite each other and delimiting, between their respective lateral faces, a first neck (30a).

4. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the set of knurled cylinders comprises a downstream cylinder (31c) mounted opposite one (31a) of the two upstream cylinders and delimiting, between their respective lateral faces, a second neck (30b).

5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (33) comprises a lower wall (33c) supporting a filter (5) opening vertically into the spout (12) for discharging the cane juice.

6. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral flanges (33a, 33b) of the frame (33) are assembled to each other by an elastically deformable intermediate element (35).

7. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper compartment (1) is closed by a removable cover (13).

8. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower compartment (2) comprises two uprights (21) supporting the upper compartment (1) connected at their base by an intermediate base (22) providing a housing for a container under the spout (12) for discharging the cane juice.

9. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the base (22) of the lower compartment (2) is provided with an underlying wedging suction cup (23) actuated by a pivoting tab (23a) retractable in said base.

10. Domestic use of the cane juice extraction apparatus (J) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said apparatus is fed by means of pre-cut and calibrated cane sections (C) which are introduced into the grinding mechanism (3) via the inlet mouth (10) of the upper compartment (1) while operating the crank (4) in an anticlockwise direction.

Images