Fruit Press Handling Unit Design for Quick-Release Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fruit press designs require significant handling effort for cleaning, as pressing rollers and ram heads need to be repeatedly removed and reattached from shafts, and the design complexity is high due to the need for screw anchors and dismantling of the handling unit.

Innovation Solution

The pressing rollers and ram heads are axially supported by a front mount with radial insertion slots, allowing them to be pivoted out for removal, eliminating the need for screw anchors and simplifying the design by transferring forces to the frame, and the blade guide is integrated with the rear wall or front mount for joint cleaning with the handling unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If pressing rollers and ram heads are detachably pushed onto parallel conical shafts and held by axial securing screws, then the pressing tools can be removed for cleaning, but the handling effort and time required for repeated removal and reattachment is considerable

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEase of cleaningVSAvoidTime for removal and reattachment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing tools (pressing rollers and ram heads) are segmented from the shafts and securing mechanism, allowing them to be detached as complete units for cleaning. The handling unit is further segmented into modular components that can be independently removed and cleaned.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing tools are pre-assembled on the handling unit with all necessary components (pressing rollers, ram heads, blade guide) before being mounted on the shafts. This preliminary assembly reduces the time required for repeated removal and reattachment during cleaning cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the handling unit is fastened by screw anchors to diagonal shafts, then the pressing tools can be removed as a unit, but the handling effort remains considerable and additional design effort is required

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEase of removing handling unitVSAvoidComplexity of screw anchor connection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The screw anchors and complex fastening mechanism are extracted from the design. Instead of using diagonal shafts with screw anchors, the pressing tools are directly mounted on parallel shafts with simple axial securing screws, eliminating the need for complex anchor connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using diagonal shafts that require complex anchor connections, the design inverts the approach by using parallel shafts with simple axial securing. This simplifies the connection mechanism and reduces handling effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of manufacture

If pressing rollers and ram heads are supported on conical shafts, then the shafts can provide mounting support, but the conical shape creates forces that push the tools off the shafts

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveSimplicity of shaft mountingVSAvoidForce resistance of connection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The conical shaft design creates asymmetric force distribution that pushes tools off the shafts. The invention applies asymmetry in reverse by using parallel shafts with axial securing screws that create symmetric, balanced force distribution, preventing the tools from being pushed off during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Productivity

If the blade guide is integrated with the rear wall or front mount, then all components can be cleaned together, but the blade must be driven in synchronism with pressing tools

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEfficiency of cleaning operationVSAvoidSynchronization requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade guide is merged with the rear wall or front mount of the handling unit, creating an integrated assembly that can be removed and cleaned as a single unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate cleaning operations for the blade guide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The handling unit serves multiple functions: it supports the pressing tools, provides the blade guide integration, and enables synchronized operation. This multi-functionality allows the blade to be driven in synchronism with the pressing tools through the common handling unit structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11903402B2Fruit press

Publication Date: 2024.02.20 CITROCASA GMBH

AI summary

A fruit press has shafts which are mounted in a frame for two pressing rollers, which can be driven in opposite directions, and for two ram heads, which are provided below the pressing rollers and form pressing rams that interact with pressing recesses of the pressing rollers. The fruit press has a blade, which is displaceable in a blade guide between the pressing rollers. The pressing rollers and the ram heads, which can be removed from their respective shafts, are held between a rear wall and a front mount of a handling unit detachably fastened to the frame. To achieve advantageous design conditions, the pressing rollers and the ram heads, which are supported axially on the front mount, are detachably held between bearing projections of the rear wall and receptacles in the region of the front mount.