Patent Description:
Fruit juice extraction in the commercial sector.

Since <NUM>, the inventor has devoted time and attention to the development of fruit juice extractors, filing the first patent application N° <CIT> for a commercial-scale machine with the following characteristics: a machine developed for processing citrus fruit in general with no manual contact, comprised of a tubular chassis attached to an extraction compartment in which is installed the geared motor actuating a crankshaft that in turn axially displaces a peeler cup against another peeler cup in order to press the fruit released by a trigger located on a mouth of a fruit tray, there being a central shaft in one of the above-mentioned peeler cups and a perforation tube for juice extraction in the other, such that all solid wastes are discharged into a basket while the liquid runs through a filter, flowing sequentially through a tube in a horizontal "S" shape.

Within the line of research pursued by the inventor, the technology was improved and an application was filed under N° MU7501780-<NUM> for the machine's feeding system, describing the steady supply into the machine in a synchronized manner through a feeding arm positioned transversely in the feeding mouth, preventing the fruit from passing, and as the mobile peeler cup moves towards the static, i. e fixed, peeler cup, there is a displacement of said arm allowing a fruit to fall into the container, and so on successively, such that, in each cycle a fruit falls directly into the peelers.

Progressing with the state of the art, this inventor filed an application under N° MU7502884-<NUM>, whose purpose was to improve the feeding system even more by introducing a fruit stirrer on the top tray and a new dispensing device provided with a helical spring placed transversely to the feeding mouth, allowing only one fruit to fall at a time.

Analyzing the indicated state of the art for the line of progression developed by this inventor, the first issue to be addressed with regard to <CIT> is the shape and arrangement of the waste basket, as in the prior art it is located very far away from where the extraction occurs. Thus, bearing in mind that the fruit peel and bagasse are expelled randomly, in addition to the possibility that a piece of fruit may "burst", under these conditions the wastes stick to the walls of the machine until reaching the basket. Thus, to remove the wastes present inside the basked, it is necessary to remove the latter out of the machine. It is even harder to clean the walls surrounding the peelers, especially the walls placed between said peelers and said basket.

The second issue to be addressed consists of the so-called second stage of the fruit, which is when it is positioned over the mobile peeler, since, as it is formed by blades its outer shape does not favor the sliding of fruit during linear movement. In this context, another technical issue noted by the inventor relates to the fruit wastes, which are thrown towards the top part of the machine, as the peeler is hollow.

In order to solve the issue of the distance of the waste basket, the inventor designed a surrounding tilting basket that takes advantage not only of the distance factor but also of its constructive form. In this invention, the walls of the surrounding tilting basket are close to the peelers which, in addition to helping to solve the waste removal, also makes the machine very compact, yet highly productive. On the other hand, the side walls of the above-mentioned surrounding tilting basket have semicircular conformations, thus allowing a rotational displacement so that the waste can be very easily removed.

With regard to the second aspect addressed, that is, the fruit slipping over the mobile peeler, the inventor introduced a fruit-rack, such rack being positioned on the outer top face of the mobile peeler and having movements consistent with it. This means that the fruit rests on a smooth and more suitable surface, mainly due to its arched shape according to a much larger radius than that of the fruit itself, constituting a tubular structure that releases the fruit. This fruit-rack also serves as a deflector for waste, not allowing them to fly upwards in order to keep the top part of the machine clean.

In other words, when compared to the mentioned documents constituting the state of the art, the most relevant innovations in this invention are related to the parts of the machine configured after the dispenser or feeder device, considering the characteristic operating cycle of this type of juice extractor.

With this new machine, according to the invention, it may be said that the fruit goes through three stages, all synchronized by the mobile peeler movement. In the first stage, the fruit rests on the transverse spring, still inside the feeder; in the second stage, by the contact action of the spring release means during the linear movement of the mobile peeler towards the fixed peeler, the fruit falls on the fruit-rack being kept above the mobile peeler by the action of the transverse spring; in the third stage, the fruit falls between the fixed and mobile peelers, promoting the peeling of the fruit and the extraction of the juice itself almost simultaneously.

In more technical terms, in this invention, a helical transverse spring is arranged between the feeder tube and the fruit-rack set, which at first retains the fruit present in the (vertical) feeder, or dispenser (first stage), with the activation of this spring being done by means inserted in the above-mentioned fruit-rack set that is actuated by the same axle that moves the mobile peeler, such that the fruit waiting on the rounded fruit-rack constitutes the second stage, wherefrom such fruit will be released into the peeler set only when the fruit movement component (present on the fruit-rack set) touches such fruit during the linear movement, making it fall to the third stage, between the peelers, which is the act of peeling the fruit and extracting the juice simultaneously. In other words, in an almost simultaneous operation, the helical transverse spring is touched by the spring actuators, releasing the fruit lined up in the feeder to fall on the above-mentioned fruit-rack.

Thus, the fruit going through the dispenser falls on the top part of the mobile peeler and then on the inside of the peeler during the next cycle, when the juice is extracted. Assuming that the dispenser or feeder tube is full, at each cycle there will be one fruit in each of the mentioned stages.

Among other advantages that are clear from the preceding description, the advantages rated as relevant to this invention may be listed as follows:.

The details of the construction and operation of the invention are set forth below, with the appended drawings disclosing a preferred construction for the machine, which may be altered provided that the scope of the invention is maintained. The Figures are:.

The improvements to a juice extraction machine addressed by this application for a Patent of Invention are improvements to be implemented in a juice extraction machine (M), comprising a fruit-rack set (<NUM>) with arched cross-section and whose movement is synchronized with the drive axle of the mobile peeler (<NUM>), said fruit-rack (<NUM>) being coupled to the mobile peeler set (<NUM>) through fittings (<NUM>), including in the machine a transverse spring (<NUM>) fixed at the bottom of the feeder/dispenser tube (<NUM>), said transverse spring (<NUM>) whose means of actuation (<NUM>) are provided on the fruit-rack set (<NUM>); the improved machine (M) comprises a tilting waste basket (<NUM>) in its front side, said tilting waste basket (<NUM>) having substantially semi-circular sides (<NUM>) close to the mobile (<NUM>) and fixed (2B) peelers aligned with each other, with the latter being concatenated with the filter and piston set (<NUM>), that is mounted inside the fixed peeler (2B) (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

In a preferred and compact construction, the machine (M) presents a flat and leveled support base (<NUM>) that is rectangular in the version herein presented, that receives, in its bottom front part, a housing for a drip tray (<NUM>), in addition to flat vertical side-cowlings (<NUM>), rear vertical cowlings (<NUM>), top cowlings (<NUM>) that form a top front surface (<NUM>) for receiving actuation buttons or displays, one of which is an emergency button (<NUM>), a general switch (<NUM>), an on-switch (<NUM>), an off-switch (<NUM>), in addition to LED indicator lights (<NUM>) for peels and (19B) open (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

Just above the surface (<NUM>) there is a cowling (<NUM>) that receives a fruit funnel (<NUM>), containing in a front plane a sizer element (<NUM>) of the maximum and minimum sizes of fruit, said fruit funnel (<NUM>) consisting of a wired element that communicates with the feeder/dispenser (<NUM>) inside the machine, with this funnel having an receiving rim (<NUM>) and a cylindrical wire conduit (<NUM>) projecting towards the inside of the machine, at a slight slant that is sufficient to allow the fruit to move forward through gravity. The electro-electronic part of the machine is a commonplace solution and is not object of this protection, with the components listed for clarification purposes and for allowing a person skilled in the matter to reproduce the product, with a market solution (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

The top cowling (<NUM>) has in the rear part thereof an articulation mechanism (<NUM>) that moves it into the open or closed position, while internally a metal structure is configured in rectangular sheeting sections (<NUM>) that apply to the sides, that are supported on the bottom metal frame (<NUM>) of the support base (<NUM>), with the latter receiving the sheet metal sections (<NUM>), with the rear ones (<NUM>) having openings (<NUM>) in order to provide a means of ventilation for the gear-motor set (<NUM>) that drives the mobile peeler (<NUM>) and fruit-rack set (<NUM>), while the front section is a solid metal sheet (<NUM>) with curved edges (<NUM>) attached to the sheet metal structure (<NUM>), said solid metal sheet (<NUM>) surmounted by a thin metal sheet with front slots (<NUM>), above which are the pivot points (<NUM>) of the tilting basket (<NUM>) whose sides are approximately semicircular (<NUM>), with such basket having a free end in flap projected in transversal extension (<NUM>) that acts in a spring-pin locking device (<NUM>) to keep it latched in the closed position, while the front metal sheet (<NUM>) of said basket includes a pulling element (<NUM>) made from plastic or similar (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

The front metal sheet (<NUM>) has an inverted ramp surface (convex) such that when articulated to the open position the tilting basket (<NUM>), forms a ramp surface (<NUM>) that allows easier waste cleaning (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

In the rear part of the machine is the gear-motor set (<NUM>), which is in turn fixed to the base in sheet metal sections affixed to the structure (<NUM>) of the metal base (<NUM>) and to the structure in rectangular metal sheet sections (<NUM>), this fixation being done by means of screws or other conventional means (<FIG> and <FIG>).

Projecting from the top end of the gear-motor set (<NUM>) is a crank arm (<NUM>) whose pivotable end (<NUM>) couples to an axle (<NUM>) with a pulley (<NUM>) that in turn operates inside a guide (<NUM>) in a transverse position to the machine, with such guide (<NUM>) receiving, at the opposite ends, the fitting of opposing cylindrical axles (<NUM>) passing through the metal sheet side guides (<NUM>) and the guide (<NUM>) and supported on the front ends (47B) of the structural part of the machine, said metal sheet side guides (<NUM>) having recessed rectangular areas (<NUM>) where the helical springs (<NUM>) with plastic stoppers (<NUM>) act, whose extended linear movements are limited by the recessed rectangular areas (<NUM>), thus defining the maximum extension of displacement of said plastic stoppers (<NUM>), through converting the rotating movement of the crank arm (<NUM>) into the linear movement of the guide (<NUM>). The opposing parallel axles (<NUM>) of the mobile peeler (<NUM>) are coupled to the guide (<NUM>), said opposing parallel axles (<NUM>) being integrally coupled to the guide (<NUM>) and passing through the structure of the machine in bushings (<NUM>) incorporated into the structural sheet (<NUM>), and with such opposing parallel axles (<NUM>) extending to the opposite sides of the mobile peeler (<NUM>), where they are attached to the diamond-shaped base (53B) in order to endow the latter with alternating linear to-and-fro movements (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

Said substantially diamond-shaped base (53B) has opposing vertices along the largest direction of the diamond with holes (<NUM>) for the passage of said axles (<NUM>); with said base providing vertical housings (<NUM>) that receive the fittings (<NUM>) of the fruit-rack set (<NUM>), with the latter comprising a base/support (<NUM>) provided with a concave arch (<NUM>) whose radius is larger than that of the fruit (F) that it will receive, with substantially "C"-shaped arms (<NUM>) projecting on both opposite sides from the rear part of such fruit-rack, with internal reinforcement elements (<NUM>) whose ends are fitted with substantially "U"-shaped supports that receive axles with pulleys (<NUM>) for actuating the helical transverse spring (<NUM>) for releasing or retaining the fruit (F) during the operating stages of the machine (M) (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

When linearly moved, the substantially "C"-shaped arms (<NUM>) with the pulleys (<NUM>), adjacent to the mobile peeler set (<NUM>) reach the transverse spring (<NUM>) that runs through an axial cross-section (4B) of the feeder/dispenser (<NUM>), with said transverse spring (<NUM>) being supported by the spring supported pulleys (<NUM>) parallel and fixed to the sides of the machine casing, releasing the fruit (F) that falls by gravity into the cradle base/support (<NUM>); said cradle base/support (<NUM>) consists of a smooth surface (<NUM>) with an elongated cross-section whose center (<NUM>) is slightly recessed into a "V"-shape forming an arch (<NUM>) such that it prevents damage to the fruit (F) and favors its slipping; on the front part of the smooth surface (<NUM>) is a rounded cut-out (63B) whose linear movement either limits the passage of the fruit or releases it into the next stage (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

The filter (<NUM>) arranged on the front part of the machine (M) communicates with the inner part of the fixed peeler (2B) and with the "S"-shaped liquid releasing tube (<NUM>) through the actuator (<NUM>). The fixation of the filter and piston set (<NUM>) to the machine (M) is made by a transverse blade (<NUM>) affixed to the axles (<NUM>) by conventional means and with a front lid (<NUM>) capable of being removed when necessary (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>).

According to the invention, with this new machine (M) the fruit (F) goes through three stages, all synchronized by the movement of the mobile peeler (<NUM>). In the first stage, the fruit (F) rests on the transverse spring (<NUM>), still inside the feeder/dispenser (<NUM>); in the second stage, by the contact action of the transverse spring release means (<NUM>) during the linear movement of the mobile peeler (<NUM>) towards the fixed peeler (2B), the fruit (F) falls on the fruit-rack set (<NUM>) being kept above the mobile peeler (<NUM>) by the action of the transverse spring (<NUM>); in the third stage, the fruit (F) falls between the fixed (2B) and mobile (<NUM>) peelers promoting the extraction of the juice. At each new cycle and with the feeder/dispenser (<NUM>) full, one fruit (F) remains at each stage.

Claim 1:
A juice extraction machine (M) comprising:
a fixed peeler (2B) and a mobile peeler (<NUM>) actuated by a gear-motor set (<NUM>) with a crank arm (<NUM>), the mobile peeler (<NUM>) being interconnected to the gear-motor set (<NUM>);
a cowling (<NUM>) with a fruit funnel (<NUM>) communicating with a feeder-dispenser tube (<NUM>) in the machine;
an arched section fruit-rack (<NUM>) whose movement is synchronized with a mobile peeler (<NUM>) drive axle;
the funnel having a receiving rim (<NUM>) and a cylindrical wire conduit (<NUM>) at a ramp to allow the fruit to move forward through gravity;
wherein the feeder-dispenser tube (<NUM>) includes a transverse spring (<NUM>) attached at the bottom of the feeder-dispenser tube (<NUM>) for retaining the fruit;
the fruit-rack (<NUM>) being positioned on an outer top face of the mobile peeler and arranged to serve as a waiting stage before the fruit falls onto the peelers;
the fruit-rack (<NUM>) being attached to the mobile peeler (<NUM>) through fittings (<NUM>); and wherein the transverse spring is arranged between the feeder dispenser tube and the fruit-rack;
there being spring-release means of actuation (<NUM>) of the transverse spring (<NUM>), provided on the fruit-rack (<NUM>) for releasing the fruit from inside the feeder-dispenser tube to fall on the fruit rack through linear movement of the mobile peeler towards the fixed peeler.