Fruit Press Circular-Sector Recess Design for Larger Nut Diameters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fruit presses are limited in accommodating larger nuts due to fixed diameters of pressing recesses and rollers, requiring larger presses or complex adjustments, which increase design effort and handling difficulties.

Innovation Solution

The pressing recesses have a central cross-section in the form of a circular sector with a rounded apex, and pressing punches follow this shape, allowing larger nuts to be accommodated without enlarging the rollers, with adapted pressing rams for optimal juicing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the diameter of pressing rollers is increased to accommodate larger nuts, then the maximum nominal diameter of pressable nuts is increased, but the overall size of the fruit press must be increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaximum nominal diameter of pressable nutsVSAvoidoverall size of fruit press
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing recesses transition from hemispherical shape to circular sector shape with rounded apex, fundamentally changing the geometric dimensioning. This allows the circumferential length of cross-sections to increase without increasing the roller diameter, enabling larger nuts to be pressed while maintaining the same press size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the pressing recesses from spherical coordinates (radius, polar angle, azimuthal angle) to a circular sector configuration defined by radii and arc lengths. This parameter transformation allows independent optimization of pressing surface area from roller diameter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If two pressing units with different diameters are provided to accommodate larger diameter range, then the diameter range of pressable nuts is increased, but the design complexity and number of components increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediameter range of pressable nutsVSAvoidnumber of pressing units and sorting device
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single pressing roller design with circular sector recesses serves multiple functions: it can press nuts of various diameters from small to large within a continuous range, replacing the need for multiple specialized pressing units. The universal design eliminates the requirement for sorting devices and complex changeover mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of moving object

If the shape of pressing recesses is changed from hemispherical to circular sector with rounded apex, then the circumferential length of cross-sections is increased, but the manufacturing complexity of the rollers increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircumferential length of pressing recess cross-sectionsVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity of pressing rollers
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The circular sector shape with rounded apex utilizes continuous curved surfaces that can be generated by standardized manufacturing processes such as CNC machining or roller forming. The geometry maintains rotational symmetry around the roller axis, simplifying toolpath generation and tool selection compared to arbitrary complex shapes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP4588365A1Fruit press
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 CITROCASA GMBH
  • EP4588365A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4588365A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4588365A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fruit press for nuts is described with two pressing rollers (2) arranged on either side of a knife (8), which can be driven in opposite directions and form pressing recesses (6) distributed over the circumference, and with two punch heads (3) provided below the pressing rollers (2), which can be driven in opposite directions to the pressing rollers (2), which carry pressing punches (7) distributed over the circumference and interacting with the pressing recesses (6) of the pressing rollers (2).In order to achieve an adaptation to larger nominal diameters of the nuts, it is proposed that the pressing recesses (6) have a central cross-section in the form of a circular sector with a rounded apex region (11) between the two radials (12) delimiting the circular sector in a central plane (10) perpendicular to the axis of rotation of their pressing roller (2), and that the pressing punches (7) of the punch heads (3) have a contour following the central cross-section of the pressing recesses (6) at a distance in a projection parallel to the axis of rotation of the punch heads (3).