Automatic squeezer with the entire squeezing unit interconnected by a support independent of the drive unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic squeezers require complex and time-consuming assembly and removal of individual elements for cleaning, which hinders efficiency and hygiene due to frequent malfunctions and contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
The design integrates a drive module and a squeezing module with a supporting casing that allows the entire squeezing unit to be assembled and removed as a block, facilitating quick and thorough cleaning by transmitting movement through interconnected shafts and providing safety elements for secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individual elements of the squeezing unit are attached with wing nuts to allow easy removal, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases and individual elements are not supported during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The squeezing unit is divided into separate functional elements (drums, shafts, wings) that can be independently assembled and removed. Each element has a specific function and can be detached through the wing nut mechanism, allowing maintenance without disassembling the entire machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a support structure that acts as an intermediary between the individual squeezing elements and the machine frame. This support provides structural stability during assembly while enabling easy removal through wing nuts, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If individual drums are secured with a stop element attached to the frame, then ease of operation is improved for securing all drums, but assembly and removal of each drum individually is still required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple securing functions into a single integrated support structure that holds multiple drums simultaneously. The support element with multiple attachment points allows all drums to be secured or removed together as a group, rather than individually, significantly reducing assembly and removal time.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a removable wall is provided to separate the squeezing area from the machine frame, then hygiene is improved by preventing frame contamination, but assembly and removal operations become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the entire squeezing unit as a removable module that can be detached from the machine frame as a complete assembly. This modular design allows the entire squeezing area to be removed for cleaning, preventing frame contamination while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate assembly steps required by partial removable components.
4Productivity
If the squeezing unit elements are interconnected forming a block, then productivity is improved by enabling block removal for cleaning, but individual element support and alignment becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The squeezing unit is segmented into modular elements connected through standardized interfaces with alignment features. This segmentation allows the entire unit to be removed as a block for efficient cleaning, while the modular design with guide features simplifies reassembly by ensuring proper alignment of individual elements during block reconstruction.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a squeezing machine of the type in which the juice is obtained in a squeezing unit comprising at least one male drum (5) and at least one female drum, the female drum (4) having recesses for holding the fruit and the male drum having protrusions that insert in the recesses of the female drum to catch the fruit, the squeezing unit (2) and other auxiliary elements are joined to each other, preferably by a casing, such that they can engage and be released from the drive element (1) as a single block.