Abstract:
A fruit squeezer is disclosed. This fruit squeezer forms two transmission movements synchronously in two directions by means of a transmission member to drive the passive pressing cover and the passive rotating member of the fruit squeezer thereby squeezing the fruit by means of forces formed by more than two transmission movements and rotations for obtaining perfect fruit juice.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a fruit squeezer, and more particularly to a utensil for obtaining fruit juice by means of squeeze method. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Because of nutrition and deliciousness, fruit has been become a kind of popular daily food for most people. Moreover, the fruit generates fruit juice by means of processing methods, for example, squeeze, rapid cutting, and water and additives mixing method, wherein the squeeze method is mostly applied to orange and tangerine. The present invention also relates to a fruit squeezer in particular. 
   This kind of method for squeezing fruit is, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,167 (first reference) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,374 (second reference), wherein the squeezing method disclosed in the first reference employs a transmission structure, which is driven by a rotating handle, to squeeze fruit juice out of the fruit in annular direction, e.g. horizontal direction (defined as X-axial direction) and longitudinal direction (defined as Z-axial direction). The second reference employs a transmission structure, which is driven by a rotating handle, to squeeze the fruit in vertical direction (defined as Y-direction). The squeezing operation is completed after collecting the fruit juice. 
   In these two above-mentioned conventional methods, different directions for exerting pressure are applied to the squeezing process for fruit. Nevertheless, for either one of above-mentioned methods, the requirement for squeezing fruit juice out of the fruit in a three-dimensional space in three directions (i.e. X, Y, and Z axial directions) does not satisfied. Consequentially, it is impossible to make the best use of the squeezer and to squeeze the fruit juice out of the fruit fully. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the aforementioned problems of the conventional technique, the present inventor provides an improved structure to satisfy the main object for squeezing fruit in a three-dimensional space in three directions (i.e. X, Y, and Z axial directions) thereby squeezing fruit juice out of the fruit fully. 
   Another object of the present invention is to accomplish the process for squeezing the fruit by means of one action. Furthermore, the preset invention further employs a protrudent rib of a protrudent part with radian to generate spiral rotary cutting and squeezing results during the squeezing process of the fruit thereby further squeezing the fruit juice out of the fruit. 
   In view of the aforementioned problems of the conventional technique, the present invention designs a fruit squeezer to overcome the foregoing problems. This fruit squeezer comprising:
         a base inside which a lateral rod is mounted and a first bevel gear having at least one protrudent driven wall on a side portion thereof is pivotally mounted;   a rotating handle fixed to a first end of the lateral rod of a transmission member and exposed to the outside of the base;   the transmission member comprising:
           an upright rack mounted on the inside of the base; and   the lateral rod having a gear corresponding to and engaging with the upright rack, and a second bevel gear corresponding to and engaging with the first bevel gear;   
           a passive pressing cover fixed to the upright rack, the passive pressing cover having a cambered hollow trench on its bottom; and   a passive rotating member mounted inside the base, the passive rotating member comprising a supporting plate on its upper portion and a corresponding trench on its lower portion corresponding to the protrudent driven wall, the supporting plate comprising a protrudent part corresponding to the cambered hollow trench, the protrudent part comprising at least one protrudent rib on its edge.       

   The passive pressing cover and the passive rotating member are driven by rotation of the rotating handle that drives the lateral rod to engage the gear and the second bevel gear of the lateral rod with the upright rack and the first bevel gear respectively. Consequently, two transmission movements are formed synchronously in two directions and the passive pressing cover and the passive rotating member of the squeezer are driven by means of a transmission member thereby squeezing the fruit by forces formed by more than two transmission movements and rotations so as to obtain perfect fruit juice. 
   The other features and preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an elevation view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded elevation view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic, cross sectional view showing movement of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic, cross sectional view taken along A—A of  FIG. 1  showing another movement of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view showing that a passive pressing cover of the present invention is lifted. 
       FIG. 6  is a top view showing usage status of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The content of the present invention will become more apparent for the examiners from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the present invention relates to a fruit squeezer  1 , which comprises: a base  11 , a rotating handle  12 , a transmission member  13 , a passive pressing cover  14 , and a passive rotating member  15 . 
   Inside the base  11 , a fixing bracket  111  for lateral rod is mounted to allow a lateral rod  132  to penetrate and rotate inside a through hole  114  that forms on the lower portion of the fixing bracket  111 . Moreover, a first bevel gear  113  is pivotally mounted inside the base  11 . In accordance with this pivotal mounting embodiment, a protrudent sleeve  112  having an upward opening is mounted inside the base  11 . The first bevel gear  113  is sleeved onto the outside of the protrudent sleeve  112 , wherein the first bevel gear  113  comprises a plurality of convex teeth  113 A, and a plurality of protrudent driven walls  113 B are mounted on a side portion of the first bevel gear  113 . 
   The rotating handle  12  is fixed to a first end  135  of the lateral rod  132  of the transmission member  13  and exposed to the outside of the base  11 . 
   The transmission member  13  primarily comprises an upright rack  131  on the inside of the base  11 , wherein the upright rack  131  comprises a plurality of convex teeth  131 A. 
   The lateral rod  132  is mounted inside the base  11 , and a gear  133  having a plurality of convex teeth  133 A is mounted in a position close to the first end  135 , wherein the convex teeth  133 A are disposed to correspond to and engage with the convex teeth  131 A of the upright rack  131 . A second bevel gear  134  having a plurality of convex teeth  134 A is mounted on the lateral rod  132  at a distance away from the gear  133  and close to second end  136  of the lateral rod  132  so as to correspond to and engage with the convex teeth  113 A of the first bevel gear  113 . 
   The passive pressing cover  14  is fixed to the upright rack  131  and driven by upward and downward movements of the upright rack  131  to perform corresponding upward and downward movements. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a cambered hollow trench  141  is formed on the bottom of the passive pressing cover  14  to fit for the profile of general fruit. 
   The passive rotating member  15  having a rotating plate  151  is mounted inside the base  11 , wherein the rotating plate  151  is inserted into protrudent sleeve  112 . A corresponding trench  151 A is formed on the bottom of the rotating plate  151  in a position corresponding to the protrudent driven walls  113 B. Moreover, a supporting plate  152  is assembled on the rotating plate  151  in a position corresponding to the passive pressing cover  14 . Furthermore, a protrudent part  153  is mounted on the supporting plate  152 , and at least one protrudent rib  154  with radian is formed along the edge of the protrudent part  153  in a position corresponding to the cambered hollow trench  141 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  through  FIG. 5 , when user holds and rotates the rotating handle  12 , the lateral rod  132  of the transmission member  13  is driven by the rotating handle  12  to perform rotation, and the upright rack  131  is driven by the gear  133  of the lateral rod  132  to move upwardly and downwardly, wherein the gear  133  comprises the convex teeth  133 A that corresponds to and engages with the convex teeth  131 A of the upright rack  131 . Moreover, since the passive pressing cover  14  is fixed to the upright rack  131 , it is also driven by the upward and downward movements of the upright rack  131  to perform corresponding movements in the same direction. At this moment, if a fruit is disposed on the supporting plate  152 , the fruit is squeezed in vertical direction (i.e. Y-axial direction). 
   Furthermore, the convex teeth  134 A of the second bevel gear  134  on the lateral rod  132  corresponds to and engages with the convex teeth  113 A of the first bevel gear  113  since the lateral rod  132  of the transmission member  13  is interactively driven by the rotation of the rotating handle  12 . Accordingly, the first bevel gear  113  is driven to perform rotation and drive the corresponding trench  151 A formed on the bottom of the rotating plate  151  by means of the protrudent driven walls  113 B thereby interactively rotating the rotating plate  151  and the supporting plate  152 . Besides, the fruit is also squeezed in annular direction by the protrudent rib  154  that mounts on the edge of the protrudent part  153  (i.e. X-axial direction and Z-axial direction) so as to fully squeeze the fruit in every direction. 
   A further description is made with reference to  FIG. 6 . Since the protrudent rib  154  of the protrudent part  153  comprises radian that provides a spiral rotary cutting result in the annular movement, the fruit is squeezed fully. 
   In conclusion, the advantages and features of the present invention are listed as follows: 
   1. The present invention provides a fruit squeezer to satisfy the requirement for squeezing fruit in a three-dimensional space in three directions (i.e. X, Y, Z axial directions) thereby squeezing the fruit juice out of the fruit fully. 
   2. The present invention accomplishes the process for squeezing the fruit by means of one action of rotating the rotating handle. 
   3. The preset invention further employs the protrudent rib of the protrudent part with radian to generate spiral rotary cutting and squeezing results during the squeezing process of the fruit thereby further squeezing the fruit juice out of the fruit. 
   In view of the description above, the present invention satisfies requirements for patentability namely utility, novelty, and nonobviousness. It is therefore submitted the present invention for a patent. 
   With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.