Citrus Press Comb Discharge to Reduce Width and Improve Skin Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fruit presses with fixed rams and pivoting dies require additional space for skin discharge, compromising the overall width advantage due to lateral skin ejection and reliance on rubber-elastic bands for skin removal.
Innovation Solution
A discharging comb with fingers that engage grooves in the rams, allowing for a non-obstructive pressing process and efficient skin ejection into a collecting container without increasing the press's overall width, by pivoting between a lowered starting position and a raised discharging position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rubber-elastic bands are used to discharge skins laterally during pivoting, then skin discharge is achieved, but the overall width increases and operational reliability depends on band function
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge direction is changed from lateral (width direction) to vertical (height direction). The discharging comb moves vertically to guide skins downward into the collecting container, eliminating the need for lateral discharge space and preserving the compact width advantage of the pivoting die design
Solution Approach 2:
A discharging comb with fingers is introduced as an intermediary device between the ram and the collecting container. The comb fingers engage with skins and guide them vertically into the container, providing a reliable discharge mechanism that does not depend on rubber-elastic bands and does not increase overall width
2Ease of operation
If a discharging device is added to discharge skins, then skin discharge is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discharging comb serves multiple functions: it guides skins vertically, prevents clogging by maintaining open discharge paths, and can be integrated with the existing press head structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The discharging comb is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adapt to different operating conditions. The comb can move vertically to clear any blockages and maintain efficient skin discharge, providing dynamic functionality without requiring complex mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient skin discharge without adding to the press's width, ensuring operational reliability and maintaining the compact design of the fruit press.
Implementation Method 1
the fingers form a discharging chute, along which the pressed skin halves are ejected into a collecting container
Data Source
AI summary
A press for citrus fruits has a press head, which executes a press stroke and includes two accommodating dies, each for one fruit half. The dies are arranged on either side of a blade and are pivoted in opposite directions via parallel shafts between an upper accommodating position and a lower pressing position. Rams are assigned to the press head and interact with the dies in the lower pressing position A discharging device for discharging the skins of the pressed fruit halves. Includes a comb whose fingers engage in grooves of the rams. The grooves are oriented in the direction of the parallel shafts. The comb is displaceable between a lower starting position, with fingers lowered in the grooves, and a discharging position, with fingers raised above the rams and sloping down toward the shafts to a discharging opening.