citrus juicer

Abstract

To provide a citrus squeezer capable of smoothly cutting the sepal membrane of a citrus fruit and easily removing the pulp from the tip of a rod-like projection. [Solution] The disclosed citrus juicer (101) has a base (1) and a plurality of rod-shaped protrusions (3) erected on the base (1). The rod-shaped protrusions (3) are arranged in a cross shape with a portion (10) of the base (1) spaced apart, with two rods arranged along each arm of the cross. Each of the rod-shaped protrusions (3) has a blade (5) at its tip. The blade (5) has a single "V"-shaped recess along its cutting edge (7). In a plan view, the cutting edge (7) of the blade (5) is aligned along the circumferential direction of an imaginary circle centered on the portion (10). The rod-shaped protrusions (3) are set so that the higher the tip, the closer they are to the portion (10).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a citrus juicer. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of this type of citrus juicer is described in Patent Document 1. This juicer has a flat base and plate-like elements arranged radially on the base, increasing in height as they approach the radial central axis. The plate-like elements are inserted into the pulp side of a citrus fruit cut in half and rotated to extract juice. However, this conventional device has a problem in that the plate-like elements encounter strong resistance from the citrus fruit when being rotated, requiring a great deal of force to overcome this resistance.

[0003] The juicer disclosed in Patent Document 2 by the applicant of the present application solves this problem. This juicer has multiple rod-shaped protrusions standing on a gripping base, with their tips formed into blades or points. Because the tips are blades or points, the membrane of the citrus fruit sac can be easily cut or broken, making it possible to juice citrus fruits without requiring excessive force.

[0004] Through further trial and error, the inventors of the present application found that it is desirable for the tips of the rod-shaped projections to be blades, and that the blades be oriented along the circumference or close to the circumference in order to effectively cut the meningeal membrane, and that providing the blades with irregularities allows for even smoother cutting (Patent Document 3).However, the inventors themselves found that there was still room for improvement. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] French Patent Publication FR2908277A1 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5005794 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-202098 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Through further trial and error, the inventor of the present application found that if the tip of the rod-shaped projection is a blade, and if the blade is oriented circumferentially or close to the circumferential direction, and the tip has a single "V" shaped notch, it is more desirable for smooth cutting of the sepal membrane and easy removal of the pulp from the tip. The present invention was made based on the knowledge gained through such trial and error by the inventor of the present application, and aims to provide a citrus juicer that allows smoother cutting of the sepal membrane and easy removal of the pulp from the tip of the rod-shaped projection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a citrus juicer comprising a base and a plurality of rod-shaped protrusions erected on the base. The rod-shaped protrusions are arranged to surround or sandwich a portion of the base. Each of the rod-shaped protrusions has a blade at its tip. The blade has a single "V"-shaped recess along the cutting edge. In a plan view, the cutting edge of the blade is aligned in a direction closer to the circumferential direction than the radial direction of an imaginary circle centered on the portion of the base. The rod-shaped protrusions are set so that the higher the tip, the closer they are to the portion.

[0008] According to this configuration, the juice can be extracted by cutting a citrus fruit in half and inserting the rod-shaped projections into the pulp from the cut surface while rotating the base and the citrus fruit relative to each other. The multiple rod-shaped projections are arranged to surround or sandwich a portion of the base, and the closer to the portion of the base, the higher their tips are, allowing the rod-shaped projections to efficiently enter the interior of the halved citrus fruit. The cutting edges of the blade-like portions, in a plan view, are aligned in a direction closer to the circumferential direction than the radial direction of an imaginary circle centered on the portion of the base, and the blade-like portions have a single "V"-shaped recess along the cutting edges. This allows the rod-shaped projections to smoothly cut or break the semen membrane of the citrus fruit and easily remove the pulp remaining at the tips of the rod-shaped projections.

[0009] The second aspect of the present invention is a citrus juicer according to the first aspect, wherein the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions are arranged with the one portion spaced apart, in a cross shape with the one portion as the center, and with two or three rods arranged along each arm of the cross. According to this configuration, each rod-shaped protrusion can be easily reached by hand, and therefore, the fruit pulp remaining on the rod-shaped protrusion can be easily removed.

[0010] A third aspect of the present invention is the citrus juicer according to the first aspect, wherein the rod-shaped protrusions are arranged in three radial directions that divide the imaginary circle into three equal parts around the one portion, with two or three rod-shaped protrusions arranged along each of the radial arms. The citrus juicer further includes another rod-shaped protrusion standing on the one portion of the base. According to this configuration, each rod-shaped protrusion can be easily reached by hand, and therefore, the fruit pulp remaining on the rod-shaped protrusion can be easily removed.

[0011] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a citrus juicer according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the cutting edge of the blade portion is aligned along the circumferential direction of the imaginary circle in a plan view. This configuration allows the membrane to be cut or broken more smoothly.

[0012] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a citrus juicer according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the base has a shape of a tray for holding the juice of the citrus fruit, and the tray has a plurality of protrusions protruding outward from the edge, and one of the plurality of protrusions forms a spout for pouring the juice. With this configuration, the juice squeezed from the citrus fruit can be collected in the tray and poured out from the spout. Furthermore, because there are multiple protrusions protruding outward from the edge of the tray, including the spout, when the juicer is placed on a table or held in the hand, these protrusions prevent the juicer from slipping in the hand or between the fingertips in the rotational direction due to the movement of the citrus fruit. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the citrus juicer according to the fifth aspect, the base portion including the one portion and corresponding to the central portion of the upper surface of the tray is raised upward to a height equal to or higher than the height of the edge of the tray, and the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions are provided upright on the raised portion. With this configuration, when squeezing citrus fruits using the squeezer, the citrus fruits can be prevented from coming into contact with the edge of the tray and being prevented from rotating.

[0013] A seventh aspect of the present invention is a citrus juicer according to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the base further comprises a shield provided on the upper surface of the tray inside the spout to prevent the citrus seeds from flowing into the spout. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the seeds from flowing out when the juice is poured from the spout onto the outside of the tray. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, according to the present invention, a citrus juicer can be obtained that can more smoothly cut the sepal membrane and easily remove the pulp from the tip of the rod-shaped projection. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a citrus juicer according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of the citrus juicer of FIG. 1, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the AA cutting line. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective view illustrating the blade configuration of the citrus juicer of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a citrus juicer according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view illustrating a citrus juicer configuration according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the configuration of the citrus juicer according to the embodiment of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a citrus juicer according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line BB. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a citrus juicer according to one embodiment of the present invention. This citrus juicer (hereinafter referred to as "juice") 101 has a base 1 and multiple rod-shaped protrusions 3. The base 1 is a member that supports the multiple rod-shaped protrusions 3. For example, the base 1 has a shape that can be held by hand and rotated alternately in forward and reverse directions, and in the illustrated example, is disk-shaped or cylindrical. The multiple rod-shaped protrusions 3 are inserted into the flesh of a halved citrus fruit 50, such as a lemon or mandarin orange, and are rotated forward and reverse together with the base 1 to cut or break the semen membrane (not shown in the illustration) of the citrus fruit 50, thereby squeezing out the juice. In the illustrated example, eight rod-shaped protrusions 3 are erected on the upper surface of the base 1. For example, the base 1 and the multiple rod-shaped protrusions 3 can be integrally formed by resin molding. The base 1 and the rod-shaped protrusion 3 may be hollow. In the present invention, the term "rod-shaped" means that the external shape is rod-shaped, and includes such cylindrical shapes.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the wringer 101, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the AA cutting line. The rod-shaped protrusion 3 is arranged to surround a portion 10 of the base 1. In the illustrated example, the portion 10 is set at the center of the circular planar contour of the base 1. The rod-shaped protrusion 3 has a blade portion 5 at its tip, and the cutting edge 7 of the blade portion 5 is aligned in the circumferential direction of an imaginary circle centered on the portion 10 in plan view. The rod-shaped protrusion 3 is also set so that the tip becomes higher the closer it is to the portion 10.

[0018] In the illustrated example, the multiple rod-shaped projections 3 are spaced apart from one another at the one portion 10, are arranged in a cross shape centered on the one portion 10, and two rods are arranged along each arm of the cross. The multiple rod-shaped projections 3 may also be arranged in three along each arm of the cross. In this case, it is desirable that the rod-shaped projections 3 are not only configured so that their tips are higher the closer they are to the one portion 10, but also so that their tips swell as they approach the one portion 10, i.e., so that the height gradually changes as they get higher. This allows the tips of the rod-shaped projections 3 to better match the shape of the halved citrus fruit 50. By arranging the multiple rod-shaped projections 3 in a cross shape, a wide gap is ensured between adjacent rod-shaped projections 3 in the circumferential direction, making it easy to reach each rod-shaped projection 3 and thereby easily removing any pulp remaining on the rod-shaped projections 3.

[0019] 3 is a perspective view illustrating the shape of the blade portion 5 of the wringer 101. As shown in the illustrated example, the blade portion 5 has a single "V"-shaped recess along the cutting edge 7. Since the blade portion 5 has a single "V"-shaped recess along the cutting edge 7, the cutting edge 7 corresponds to a virtual cutting edge without the recess, as indicated by the two-dot chain line in the illustration. In the illustrated example, the length of the cutting edge 7 (i.e., the blade length) is set to be equal to the diameter of the body 9 of the rod-shaped protrusion 3.

[0020] Returning to FIG. 1 , to use the juicer 101 configured as above, for example, the peripheral surface of the base 1 is held in one hand and a citrus fruit 50 cut in half is held in the other hand. Then, while the rod-shaped protrusions 3 are pushed into the cut surface of the citrus fruit 50, the juicer 101 is rotated, for example, alternately in both forward and reverse directions. The citrus fruit 50 may be rotated, or both may be rotated in opposite directions. This allows juice to be squeezed out of the citrus fruit 50. The rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged to surround the portion 10 of the base 1, and are configured so that their tips are higher as they approach the portion 10. This allows the rod-shaped protrusions 3 to efficiently enter the interior of the citrus fruit 50 cut in half. In particular, the cutting edge 7 of the blade portion 5 of the rod-shaped projection 3 is aligned in the circumferential direction of an imaginary circle centered at the one portion 10 in a plan view, and the blade portion 5 has a single "V"-shaped recess along the cutting edge 7, so that as the blade rotates, the membrane of the citrus fruit 50 is easily cut or broken, allowing the juice inside to be squeezed out. Furthermore, due to its structure, the blade portion 5 is less likely to chip if it is made of plastic. Furthermore, the pulp remaining at the tip of the rod-shaped projection 3 can be easily removed.

[0021] The juicer 101 can be placed on or fixed to a table such as a dining table. The base 1 can be held by hand so as not to rotate, or the base 1 can be held and rotated alternately in both forward and reverse directions.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a citrus juicer according to another embodiment of the present invention. This juicer 102 is suitable for use by placing it on or fixing it to a table or other surface. In the juicer 102, the base 1 is shaped like a tray for holding citrus juice. The tray formed by the base 1 has a spout 21 that protrudes outward from the edge and allows the juice to be poured out. In addition, a hook 22 protrudes outward from the edge, allowing the juicer 102 to be hung and stored when not in use. By using the juicer 102, the juice squeezed from the citrus fruit can be stored in the tray formed by the base 1, and can also be poured out through the spout 21.

[0023] In the juicers 101, 102, the upper surface of the base 1 may not be flat, but may have a raised shape, for example, centered on the one portion 10. Furthermore, the planar outline of the base 1 is not limited to a circle, but may be irregularly shaped to make it easier to grip, and a protrusion may be provided on a portion of the periphery to serve as a knob that can be held with fingers. With the knob, the juicers 101, 102 can be placed on a table, and the base 1 or the citrus fruit 50 can be rotated alternately in forward and reverse directions while holding the knob with fingers. Alternatively, the juicers 101, 102 can be used as electric juicers by connecting the base 1 to an electric rotation power source so that the one portion 10 serves as the center of rotation.

[0024] In the juicers 101 and 102, the cutting edge 7 of the blade portion 5 is aligned in a plan view along the circumferential direction of an imaginary circle centered on the one portion 10. In contrast, if the cutting edge 7 of the blade portion 5 is aligned in a direction closer to the circumferential direction than the radial direction of the imaginary circle centered on the one portion 10 in a plan view, the effectiveness of cutting or breaking the semen membrane of the citrus fruit 50 can be increased accordingly.

[0025] In the wringers 101 and 102, the rod-shaped projection 3 has a cylindrical body 9, but it may have another shape. For example, the body 9 may be an elliptical cylinder or a prismatic column.

[0026] In the juicers 101 and 102, the rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged so as to surround the portion 10 of the base 1, and an example has been shown in which they are arranged in a cross shape around the portion 10. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged in three directions, for example, at 120° angles to each other. Furthermore, instead of being arranged so as to surround the portion 10, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged so as to sandwich the portion 10, that is, a configuration in which the rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged in two opposite directions at 180° angles to each other around the portion 10. Even in such a configuration, the citrus fruit 50 can be squeezed with a reasonable efficiency.

[0027] 5 and 6 are top and bottom perspective views illustrating the configuration of a citrus juicer according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this juicer 103, similar to the juicer 102 (FIG. 4), the base 1 is shaped like a tray for holding the juice of the citrus fruit 50 and includes a spout 21 and a hook 22. The base 1 also includes multiple protrusions 25 projecting outward from the edge of the tray. The spout 21 and the hook 22 are included in the protrusions 25. These protrusions 25 prevent the juicer 103 from slipping in the hand or between the fingertips in the rotational direction due to the movement of the citrus fruit when the juicer 103 is used on a table or held in the hand. This allows for more efficient squeezing of the citrus fruit 50. The shape of the base 1, including the multiple protrusions 25, resembles a turtle, providing a design that is both functional and playful.

[0028] The base 1 of the juicer 103 has a portion 27 that is raised upward, corresponding to the center of the upper surface of the tray. The rod-shaped protrusions 3 are erected on the raised portion 27. The portion 27 is raised to a height equal to or higher than the height of the edge of the tray. This prevents the citrus fruit 50 from coming into contact with the edge of the tray and being prevented from rotating when the juicer 103 is used to juice the citrus fruit 50.

[0029] The base 1 of the juicer 103 is provided with a shield 29 on the upper surface of the tray, inside the spout 21, that prevents the seeds of the citrus fruit 50 from flowing into the spout 21. The juice of the citrus fruit 50 can flow out into the spout 21 without being hindered by the shield 29. In this way, the shield 29 restricts the flow path of the juice to selectively prevent the seeds of the citrus fruit 50 from flowing out. The width of the restricted flow path 31 is set, for example, to be equal to or greater than 3 millimeters and equal to or less than 5 millimeters.

[0030] FIG. 7 illustrates the configuration of a citrus juicer according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, with (a) being a plan view and (b) being a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the BB section line. This juicer 104 differs from the juicer 101 (FIG. 2) in the number and arrangement of the rod-shaped protrusions 3. That is, in the juicer 104, the rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged in three radial directions that divide an imaginary circle centered on the one portion 10 into thirds in the circumferential direction, with two to three rod-shaped protrusions 3 arranged along each radial arm. In the illustrated example, two rod-shaped protrusions 3 are arranged along each arm. Furthermore, in the juicer 104, rod-shaped protrusions 3 are also erected on the one portion 10 of the base 1. The cutting edges 7 of the blade portions 5 of the rod-shaped protrusions 3 arranged other than at the one portion 10 are aligned in the circumferential direction of the imaginary circle centered on the one portion 10 in a plan view. In this configuration in which two or three rod-shaped projections 3 are arranged in three directions, even if the rod-shaped projections 3 are arranged in one location 10, each rod-shaped projection 3 is easy to reach, thereby making it possible to easily remove the remaining fruit pulp adhering to the rod-shaped projections 3. The inventors of the present application have also confirmed this using a prototype. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 base, 3 rod-shaped protrusion, 5 blade, 7 cutting edge, 9 body, 10 part, 21 spout, 22 hook, 25 protrusion, 27 raised part, 29 shield, 31 flow path, 50 citrus fruit, 101, 102, 103, 104 citrus fruit squeezer.

Claims

1. a base portion and a plurality of rod-shaped protrusions erected on the base portion; the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions are arranged to surround or sandwich a portion of the base, Each of the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions has a blade-shaped portion at a tip thereof, The blade has a single "V" shaped recess along the cutting edge; the cutting edge of the blade portion extends in a direction closer to a circumferential direction than a radial direction of an imaginary circle centered on the one portion in a plan view, The tip portions of the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions are higher as they approach the one portion.

2. 2. The citrus juicer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions are arranged with the one portion spaced apart, arranged in a cross shape with the one portion as a center, and two or three rod-shaped protrusions are arranged along each arm of the cross.

3. the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions are arranged in three radial directions that divide the imaginary circle into three equal parts in the circumferential direction with the one portion as the center, and two or three rod-shaped protrusions are arranged along each of the radial arms, The citrus juicer of claim 1 , further comprising another rod-shaped projection standing on the portion of the base.

4. 4. The citrus juicer according to claim 1, wherein the cutting edges of the blade portions of the plurality of rod-shaped protrusions arranged to surround or sandwich a portion of the base are aligned along the circumferential direction of the imaginary circle in a plan view.

5. the base has a shape of a tray for holding citrus juice, the tray having a plurality of projections projecting outward from a rim; The citrus juicer according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of protrusions forms a spout for pouring out the juice.

6. a portion of the base that includes the one portion and corresponds to the center of the upper surface of the tray is raised upward to a height equal to or higher than the height of the edge of the tray; The citrus juicer according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of rod-shaped projections are provided upright on the raised portion.

7. 6. The citrus juicer of claim 5, wherein the base further comprises a shield disposed on the upper surface of the tray inside the spout to prevent the citrus seeds from flowing into the spout.

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