Horizontal Juicer Layout for Stable Pulp Ejection and Easy Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Horizontal masticating juicers face issues with mechanical stability, cumbersome liquid collection, and difficult filter cleaning due to pulp residue, which affects their commercial success and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A horizontal juice extractor design with a spindle and drivetrain configuration that expels pulp proximal to the drivetrain and juice distal to it, featuring a pulp restriction element and a telescopic or modular filter for improved aesthetics, user friendliness, and ease of cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the juice outlet is positioned at the distal end of the main body relative to the drivetrain, then the aesthetic appearance is improved and juice collection accessibility is improved, but the mechanical stability may be compromised due to the housing structure
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a proximal housing portion and a distal housing portion that are separable from each other. This segmentation allows the juice outlet to be positioned at the distal end for improved accessibility and aesthetics, while the proximal portion containing the drivetrain maintains mechanical stability. The separable design also allows for easy cleaning and maintenance of both sections.
2Manufacturing precision
If the filter apertures are small for effective pulp separation, then the juice quality is improved, but the cleaning difficulty increases as pulp residue accumulates in the apertures
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is designed with elastomeric material that provides flexibility. This dynamic property allows the filter to be easily removed and cleaned by flexing or rinsing, while maintaining small apertures for effective pulp separation during operation. The elastomeric nature enables the filter to return to its original shape after cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter is designed as a removable component that can be easily detached from the housing for cleaning. Users can remove the filter, rinse it under running water to remove pulp residue, and reinsert it. This discards the accumulated pulp waste while recovering the clean filter for continued use.
3Productivity
If the liquid collection area is spread over a large area through multiple outlets, then the juice extraction efficiency is improved, but the liquid collection becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple juice outlets in the distal housing portion are merged into a single centralized juice collection point. This allows juice to flow from multiple extraction locations into one collection area, maintaining high extraction efficiency while simplifying liquid collection. Users only need to position one container under the centralized outlet.
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
Enhances mechanical stability, improves juice collection accessibility, and simplifies the cleaning process by positioning the pulp outlet near the drivetrain and juice outlet away from it, providing a more appealing and user-friendly design.
Implementation Method 1
a spindle extending through the food processing chamber for transporting food from the food entry section through the food compression section, said spindle comprising a body and a helical member extending from said body
Implementation Method 2
a drivetrain adapted to rotate the spindle
Implementation Method 3
said spindle terminating at the pulp restriction element, the pulp restriction element comprising a plurality of apertures causing food pulp transported by the spindle to be expelled into the food pulp outlet
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a horizontal juice extractor (100) comprising a main body delimiting a food processing chamber (110) comprising a juice outlet (140), a food entry section (112) having a food inlet (130) and a food compression section (114) extending from the food entry section and having a food pulp outlet (150); a spindle (120) extending through the food processing chamber for transporting food from the food entry section through the food compression section, said spindle comprising a body (122) and a helical member (123) extending from said body; and a drivetrain (160) adapted to rotate the spindle, wherein the food compression section (114) is located in between the food entry section (112) and said drivetrain (160). The food entry section (112) comprises said juice outlet (140) at or near a distal end of said main body relative to the drivetrain, wherein the juice outlet (140) is vertically displaced relative to the food inlet (130).