Horizontal Vineyard Press With Internal Juice-Drainage Conduits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wine press designs face challenges in optimizing filling and drainage operations during tank rotation, leading to inefficient evacuation of free juices and potential clogging of drainage means.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates internal conduits that divert material from the axial filling orifice to drainage means, positioning outlets closer to the drainage points, and includes a control unit to manage tank rotation based on filling levels, ensuring parallel filling and drainage optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the axial filling orifice is positioned close to the longitudinal axis of rotation to enable filling during tank rotation, then the filling operation can proceed during rotation (shorter operating cycles), but the distance for juice evacuation to drainage means increases, slowing down free juice evacuation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilling speedVSAvoidjuice evacuation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces internal conduits as intermediary elements that transport material from the axial filling orifice (near the rotation axis) to the drainage means (at the tank periphery). These conduits act as mediators, bridging the distance gap and enabling both rapid filling through the axial orifice and efficient drainage to the periphery without requiring long juice travel paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the tank interior by introducing separate internal conduits for different material streams. One conduit system handles incoming material from the axial filling orifice, while another system handles outgoing juices to the drainage means. This segmentation allows independent optimization of filling and drainage paths, enabling them to operate in parallel without interfering with each other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the tank rotates continuously during filling to prevent clogging of drainage means, then drainage reliability improves, but the complexity of operation increases and processing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage reliabilityVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The internal conduits are pre-installed and positioned within the tank before operation begins. The conduit outlets are strategically located near the drainage means from the start, so that when filling occurs, material is automatically directed along the optimal path to drainage points. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for dynamic rotation control during filling, as the geometric configuration itself prevents clogging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the outlet of internal conduit is positioned far from the longitudinal axis to enable filling during rotation, then filling capability is maintained, but the outlet distance from drainage means increases, reducing drainage efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilling capabilityVSAvoidjuice evacuation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the internal conduit outlet at a specific location that simultaneously satisfies both requirements: it is positioned to receive material during tank rotation (maintaining filling capability) while also being located close to the drainage means (maximizing evacuation speed). The outlet is strategically placed at the periphery of the tank where drainage infrastructure is located, creating a local optimization point that fulfills both functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This configuration accelerates the evacuation of free juices and reduces the need for tank rotation, preventing drainage clogging, thereby enhancing processing capacity and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

said tank being further equipped with at least one pressurization orifice, said tank comprising at least one membrane, said membrane sealingly separating the interior volume of the tank into a so-called treatment chamber, into which said axial filling orifice opens, and at least one so-called control chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The presence of one or more internal conduits for diverting the material to be pressed from the axial filling orifice of the tank towards the drainage means makes it possible to direct the material to be pressed and bring it closer to at least part of the drainage means

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP4342665B1Press, in particular for use in the vineyard field
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 BUCHER VASLIN
  • EP4342665B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4342665B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4342665B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Press, comprising a tank, a support frame on which the tank is arranged substantially horizontally and means (16) for draining the juices from the tank, said tank having a cylindrical body (18) closed at each of its ends by a flange (17), one of which is provided with an axial filling orifice (4), said tank comprising at least one pressurization orifice (5), a membrane (6) for separating the tank into a treatment chamber (7), into which said axial filling orifice (4) opens, and at least one control chamber (8), into which one or more of the pressurization orifices (5) opens.The treatment chamber (7) includes at least one internal conduit (11) connected at the inlet (110) to the axial filling orifice (4) of the tank and extending along the flange (17) provided with the axial filling orifice (4) from said axial filling orifice (4) to the drainage means (16), this internal conduit (11) opening at the outlet inside the treatment chamber (7) at at least one outlet location (111) away from the longitudinal axis of rotation of the tank.