A masticating separator for separating fruit or vegetable juice from fruit or vegetable pulp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Masticating juicers are difficult and time-consuming to clean due to pulp fibers getting stuck in the sieve perforations, and the design can lead to solid food entering the juice passageway, making cleaning challenging.
Innovation Solution
A masticating separator design that eliminates the need for a sieve by incorporating an elongate aperture in the inner wall, allowing juice to flow from the cavity to the juice passageway, and featuring a separable inner wall for easy cleaning, with a conically shaped arrangement to enhance juice extraction and pulp guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sieve with perforations is used to separate juice from pulp, then juice separation is achieved, but pulp fibers get stuck in the perforations making cleaning difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the sieve component entirely from the juicing system. Instead of using a perforated sieve for separation, the design employs a solid conical surface that directs pulp toward a collection chamber, eliminating the perforations that trap fibers and make cleaning difficult.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary collection chamber between the auger and the juice outlet. This chamber receives pulp from the auger and allows juice to be extracted through a filter, separating the functions of pulp handling and juice filtration, thereby eliminating the need for a perforated sieve in direct contact with pulp.
2Productivity
If the auger is located inside the housing forming a chamber that opens into the juice passageway, then the auger can process food, but solid food can enter the juice passageway making it difficult and time-consuming to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the housing into distinct segmented sections: a food processing chamber for the auger, a collection chamber for pulp, and a separate juice passageway. These segments are connected through controlled openings, preventing solid food from directly entering the juice passageway while maintaining efficient food processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary collection chamber between the auger processing area and the juice passageway. This intermediate space captures pulp and directs it away from the juice path, preventing solid food contamination of the juice passageway while preserving the auger's food processing function.
3Productivity
If a conically shaped sieve is used to increase pressure on crushed pulp, then juice extraction is improved, but the sieve structure becomes difficult to clean due to fiber entanglement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the conical pressure-generating function from the sieve structure. The conical surface is retained as a smooth, solid component in the collection chamber that compresses pulp against the wall, while the filtration function is moved to a separate filter element, eliminating the complex perforated conical sieve structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary filter element that handles the separation function, allowing the conical chamber structure to focus solely on pressure generation and pulp direction. This separates the compression function from the filtration function, simplifying the overall structure and making cleaning easier.
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
Simplifies the cleaning process, improves juice extraction efficiency, and prevents pulp fibers from getting trapped, ensuring maximum juice extraction and easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure imparted on the crushed pulp and juice increases as it is urged along the housing due to the area of the chamber formed between the conically shaped sieve and auger reducing as the sieve converges towards the open end of the housing
Implementation Method 2
The auger is slowly rotated about its longitudinal axis by a manual handle or a motor, and the fruit or vegetable is crushed by the helical blade
Implementation Method 3
an elongate aperture is formed in the inner wall and extends radially between the cavity and the juice passageway, so that, when the auger is rotated about its longitudinal axis to urge pulp and juice along the cavity, juice in the cavity is urged to flow through the aperture to the juice passageway
Implementation Method 4
juice in the cavity is urged to flow through the aperture to the juice passageway
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a masticating separator for separating fruit or vegetable juice from fruit or vegetable pulp. The masticating separator comprises a housing (21), an inner wall (43) in the housing (21), an auger (22,71) rotatably mounted in the housing (21), a cavity (46) defined between an outer surface (39,86) of the auger (22,71) and the inner wall (43) to receive pulp and juice, and a juice passageway (44) separated from the cavity (46). An elongate aperture (52) is formed in the inner wall (43) extending between the cavity (46) and the juice passageway (44). Therefore, when the auger (22,71) is rotated about its longitudinal axis to urge pulp and juice along the cavity (46), juice in the cavity (46) is urged to flow through the aperture (52) to the juice passageway (44).