Juicer Reservoir and Feed Chute Design for Safer Juice Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal juicers face issues such as rapid pulp buildup in filters, difficulty in cleaning, safety hazards due to large feed chutes, inefficient juice extraction, separation of juices, and cumbersome storage and usage, leading to reduced efficiency and user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A food processing device with an adjustable height base, a liquid reservoir with a translucent member for viewing, a valved outlet for controlled juice flow, and innovative shredder disc configurations, including a rocking feed chute and a mixing element to prevent juice separation, along with safety features like a contoured pusher plunger and inward-directed ribs to prevent accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a large feed chute is used to decrease food preparation time, then convenience is improved, but safety hazard increases due to child's hand access
Solution Approach 1:
The feed chute is divided into two distinct openings: a large opening for efficient food insertion and a small protected opening that prevents hand access. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve convenience (large opening) and safety (small protected opening), resolving the technical contradiction between ease of operation and safety hazards.
2Productivity
If a truncated conical filter screen is used to separate liquids from solids, then juice extraction is improved, but pulp buildup increases and cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a traditional truncated conical filter screen where pulp accumulates at the bottom, the patent inverts the approach by using a horizontal filter screen positioned at the top of the collection vessel. This inversion allows pulp to be easily removed from the top surface while juice drains through the screen into the vessel below, significantly reducing cleaning difficulty while maintaining extraction efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If juice is collected in an external receptacle, then juice storage is enabled, but juice separation occurs and fresh taste is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the juice collection function with the device itself by incorporating an internal collection vessel directly into the juicer structure. This integration allows juice to be collected and stored within the device, eliminating the need for external receptacles. The vessel includes a mixing element that continuously agitates the juice to prevent separation, thereby maintaining homogeneity and fresh taste while enabling storage capability.
4Ease of operation
If a low pour spout is used to allow normal height glasses, then ease of use is improved, but storage difficulty increases due to juicer height
Solution Approach 1:
The pour spout is designed to be adjustable in height, allowing users to dynamically change its position based on the situation. When a normal height glass is being used, the spout can be positioned low for easy pouring. When storage is needed, the spout can be raised or repositioned to reduce the overall device height. This dynamic adjustability resolves the contradiction between ease of use and storage difficulty.
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 efficiency by reducing pulp buildup, improving safety, allowing for easier cleaning, and enabling efficient juice extraction and storage, while providing user-friendly operation and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
The shredded food is propelled outward radially from the center of the shredding disc by centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
The rotation of the truncated cone filter screen through centrifugal force, forces liquids, including juices, through the filter screen and into a collection vessel, while simultaneously directing solids, such as pulp, to be propelled diagonally upward
Data Source
AI summary
The subject application is directed to a food processing device to extract juice. The device includes an inlet coupled to a disintegrator. The inlet is configured to accept food items and the disintegrator configured to disintegrate food items passed through the inlet. The device further includes a separator that accepts the disintegrated food items and separates out the liquid components from the food item. The device further includes a reservoir that is coupled to the separator for accepting and holding the liquid components. The reservoir includes a translucent member for viewing of liquid levels within the reservoir, and a valved outlet. The valved outlet is configured to allow or prevent the flow of liquid from the reservoir through the valved outlet.