With Foraminous Separator Adjacent Comminutor Patents (Class 99/513)
  • Patent number: 6247393
    Abstract: The present invention proposes an apparatus for making soybean milk, wherein a cover body is connected to the opening of a container, and a fixing tank is extended form the cover body toward the inside of the container. A motor is installed in the fixing tank. A reaming blade is extended from the motor. A through passage is installed downwards from a position away from the center of the cover through the fixing tank to a cup-shaped component. A fixedly-joining device is installed at the inner edge of the opening of the cup-shaped component to be correspondingly joined with a fixedly-joined device installed at the bottom end of the peripheral surface of the fixing tank. The reaming blade is placed in the cup-shaped component. The periphery of the cup-shaped component is formed to be a filtering net. An electro-thermal tube is connected from the bottom edge of the cover into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Inventor: Kwei Tang Chang
  • Patent number: 6223652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a kitchen appliance comprising a container and a housing accommodating an electric motor. The container comprises a bottom, a removable lid, and a bearing for supporting a tool which is drivable in the container by the motor. A filter can be placed in the container around the tool and can be filled with ingredients such as fruits or vegetables. After activation of the tool, liquids and juices are obtained from these ingredients which pass through strainer openings of the filter. According to the invention, the filter is held in a fixed position in the container during operation in that the filter is locked in between the bottom and the lid of the container. In a first embodiment of the kitchen appliance, the filter is locked in between the bottom and the lid of the container in that the filter has a length which substantially corresponds to a distance between the bottom and the lid of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Edgard G. Calia, Henk S. De Jong
  • Patent number: 6202547
    Abstract: A juicer having a stationary cutter and a rotary cutter is provided to fully grind fruit or vegetable fed into the juicer so that as much juice as possible is produced from the ground fruit or vegetable. The rotary cutter is mounted in a strainer basket and fixed onto a main shaft of an operating motor of the juicer so as to rotate along with the main shaft when the motor is started. The stationary cutter is fixedly connected to a lower end of a feed tube downward extended from a top cover of the juicer to closely locate above and face against the rotary cutter. The stationary and the rotary cutters are provided on lower and upper surfaces, respectively, with a plurality of cutter blades at an inner area and a grinding zone around an outer peripheral area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Inventors: Rong-Yuan Tseng, Kuo-I Ling
  • Patent number: 6164196
    Abstract: A press for food products adapted to be reduced to a puree, comprising a working bowl (12) closed by a removable cover (21) and enclosing a rotatable press tool (23) comprising a central vertical shaft (27) which carries at least one pressing blade (30) whose external edge extends toward the lateral wall of the bowl (12), and which is coupled in rotation to a drive shaft (19) of a motor group by means of a coupling device (38). The blade (30) is maintained in contact against a sieve (40) fixed under the action of a return spring (44) associated with the blade-carrying shaft (27) so as to effect, upon turning, the pressing and the passage of the food products through the sieve, and the assembly formed by the blade (30) and the shaft (27) which carries the blade (30) being moreover adapted, in the case in which the blade (30) encounters a hard body, to rise against the force of the return spring (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Moulinex S.A.
    Inventors: Joel Deschamps, Marc Marriere
  • Patent number: 6155161
    Abstract: A soya milk processing apparatus includes a container and a grinding element that fits to a top of the container. An electric motor 18 having a drive coupling is supported above the grinding element so that the drive coupling of the grinding element can be engaged as required. The motor is supported on a bracket that allows the motor and its drive coupling to move downwards and upwards so that the container and the grinding element can be removed when a processing cycle has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Chiaphua Industries Limited
    Inventor: Jackson Chak Sang Chan
  • Patent number: 6135019
    Abstract: A filter assembly for a blender including a hollow cylindrical filter member, a main cap member, and a plunger assembly. The main cap member encloses a top opening of the blender such that the filter member is positioned within the container of the blender and surrounds the blade member located at the base of the container. A pusher plate of the plunger assembly forces the fruit pieces toward the bland member to be processed, where the fruit juice from the fruit pieces is allowed to flow through perforations on the filter member from a pulp compartment to a juice compartment while pulps are retained within the pulp compartment and the fruit juice can be poured out from an off-centered spout of the main cap member to be consumed without pulps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Shang-Wei Chou
  • Patent number: 6112649
    Abstract: This invention relates to a safety switch structure of a mixer adjustable for a juice extractor in which one safety switch is bound to a main body to which a mixer adjustable for a juice extractor is connected in turns; the bound switch is operated by each special pressing device; the pressing devices are installed to be connected to the pressing devices installed separately at the juice extracting cup and the mixing cup, whereby each safety switch is operated when each juice extracting cup or mixing cup is connected to the main body so that all of the juice extracting cup and the mixing cup used in two ways can be used safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Ulim Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong Deuk Jeong
  • Patent number: 6065861
    Abstract: A blender includes a motor base having a heating seat, a blender seat, a strainer and a container having a cutter blade on the bottom and a cap on the top. In operation, the container is placed on the blender seat of the motor base. The soup or juice is put into the container through the cap and is blended using the blade. Then, the soup or juice is transferred into a heating container through a second filter. After boiling the soup or juice in the heating container, a delicious soup will be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Quality & Strength Inc.
    Inventor: Farmer Chen
  • Patent number: 6058833
    Abstract: An automatic grater for producing vegetable and fruit paste mainly includes a grating disc and a rotational retainer screwed around a motor rotational shaft to rotate at high speed along with the rotational shaft. Vegetable and/or fruit can be fed into the grater to contact with the rapidly rotated grating disc and be grated into paste that falls in the also rapidly rotated rotational retainer. The paste is thrown by a centrifugal force to pass a side opening between a lid and the rotational retainer and be collected in a paste collector connected to the side opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventors: Kuo-I Ling, Rong-Yuan Tseng
  • Patent number: 6050180
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable juicer having a cover, a filter sieve, a collection bowl, a collection bowl top orifice, and a feeding tube located within the cover, wherein the cover has a helical recess extending upward from and in pulp-extraction communication with the collection bowl periphery. The helical recess in the cover also has a beginning portion and an ending portion in communication with a pulp outlet. The pulp outlet extends from the ending portion of the helical recess to provide controlled exit of the pulp from the helical recess for collection. The feeding tube is located in the cover so as to not disrupt pulp extraction through the helical recess, whereby pulp is efficiently and automatically extracted from the filter sieve area while the juice is collected in the collecting bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignees: Omega Products, Inc., Moline Manufacturing
    Inventor: Gary Moline
  • Patent number: 6029568
    Abstract: A juice extractor is provided that includes an induction motor supported by a housing and having a rotatable shaft that is operably interconnected with comminuting basket adapted to pulverize food products, e.g., fruit and/or vegetables, into juice bearing pulp. The comminuting basket extracts the juice from the pulp and ejects the juiceless pulp. A servo-control mechanism is arranged in electrical and controlling cooperation with the induction motor, and is responsive to the rate of rotation of the shaft for maintaining the shaft at a substantially constant rate of rotation when the induction motor is in a power-on state and the comminuting basket is comminuting the food products. A bowl is positioned in substantially surrounding relation to the comminuting basket so as to (i) collect the juice and (ii) direct the juice to an exit opening in the bowel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: L'Equip, Inc.
    Inventors: James Pascotti, B. S. Kim
  • Patent number: 6012385
    Abstract: A centrifugal watermelon juice extractor including a main housing having an upper section and a lower section removably coupled together. The upper section has first and second openings through a lower end thereof offset from a center opening thereof. The upper section has a peripheral flange extending upwardly from an interior surface thereof. The peripheral flange contains the first opening interiorly thereof. The second opening is disposed exteriorly of the peripheral flange. The upper section has an angularly disposed ramp secured to an outer surface of the peripheral flange. The ramp has a lower portion disposed over the second opening. A motor is disposed within the lower section of the main housing. A funnel member is removably received within the peripheral flange of the upper section of the main housing and operatively coupling with the motor. The funnel member has a mesh cylindrical side wall. The mesh cylindrical side wall is defined by apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Inventor: Edwin Gibson
  • Patent number: 5924357
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable juice extractor includes a motor base, a rotary disk rotatably mounted on the top of the motor base, a housing secured on the top of the motor base and containing a socket defined in the bottom thereof for receiving the rotary disk therein, a funnel-shaped strainer hood rotatably mounted in the housing and having a bottom wall secured to the rotary disk to rotate therewith, and a tapered wall containing a plurality of meshes formed therein, and a cutter disk rotatably mounted in the housing and secured to the bottom wall of the strainer hood to rotate therewith. A cover is mounted to the top of the housing and includes a feed tube having a first end portion extending outward from the cover, and a second end portion extending inward from the cover and located adjacent to the cutter disk, and a baffle device formed in the cover and located adjacent to the cutter disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventor: Ming-Sung Chen
  • Patent number: 5906154
    Abstract: Juice extractor, is disclosed, for crushing fruits or leaves, or root of green vegetable for extracting green juice, wherein, considering the incomplete juice extraction of the related art juice extractor, the present invention is provided with thread end portions and vacant portions at a rear portion of a screw for enhancing a crushing effect, and a fore end portion with reduced diameter at a fore end thereof, to which fore end a juice extracting member having detachable extracting net member and mounting member is coupled for secondary extraction, that improves a juice extraction efficiency, whereby further improving a pressing effect of the raw material for extracting juice, which provides a better yield, allowing an easy removal of remnants accumulated inside of the juice extracting components, to maintain the extractor clean, reducing a ratio of elasticity degradation caused by a prolonged use, and using in making noodle, as an alternative use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Dong-A Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Kyu Yoon, Yun Ja Kang
  • Patent number: 5896812
    Abstract: A fruit or vegetable juicer comprises a housing enclosing a motor group having an output shaft which projects into a basin secured to the housing. The output shaft drives a working tool disposed in a bowl in rotation. The bowl is movably mounted within the basin and is covered by a cover having a chute for the introduction of foodstuff, and a locking/unlocking device ensures maintenance of the bowl and the basin when the cover is in a locked condition. The bowl and the cover also comprise mutual hooking elements which permit the extraction from the basin of an assembly comprised of the bowl, the working tool and the cover, when the cover is in an unlocked condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Moulinex Espana S.A.
    Inventors: Sanjuan Antonio Basora, Albert Ferrer
  • Patent number: 5819641
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multifunctional food processing machine, comprising: a main part, having a first tooth element on the upper side, a second tooth element around the first tooth element on the upper side and a motor, which drives a rotational movement of the first and second tooth elements, the motor being controlled by a switch; and a processing part, sitting on the upper side of the main part, the processing part having a casing, a rotatable third tooth element, which engages with the first tooth element or the second tooth element, and a processing unit, which is connected with the third tooth element, rotating therewith, and housed in the casing; wherein the processing unit rotates, as controlled by the switch, so as to process food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventor: Maxwell Hsu
  • Patent number: 5802964
    Abstract: A fruit juice extraction apparatus for processing citrus fruit in general, without manual contact, comprising a tubular chassis having mounted thereon an extraction box affixed to a gearmotor for actuating an crank and rod assembly which dislocates one concave hemisphere against another concave hemisphere, thereby pressing fruit released by a trigger positioned on an opening in a tray in which one of the concave hemispheres has a central pin and on the other a perforating tube for the extraction of the juice, the solid residues of the fruit being released into a receptacle and the liquid passing through a filter, then falling into a reservoir which has outlet ports therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventor: Carlos Neto Mendes
  • Patent number: 5778769
    Abstract: A new rice rinsing system for cleaning natural grown rice without having to get hands wet. The inventive device includes a cylindrical water bowl having an open upper end, a closed lower end and a cylindrical side wall therebetween. A cylindrical shaft extends upwardly from the closed lower end. A cylindrical rice holder is provided having an open upper end, a closed lower end and a cylindrical side wall therebetween. The closed lower end and the cylindrical side wall of the rice holder are perforated. A hollow cylindrical sleeve extends upwardly from the closed lower end of the rice holder. The cylindrical sleeve has an open lower end for receiving the cylindrical shaft of the water bowl therein when the rice holder is positioned within the water bowl. A water bowl lid is dimensioned for covering the open upper end of the water bowl. The water bowl lid has a centrally disposed aperture therethrough with a cylindrical collar extending upwardly therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Inventor: Albert A. Dodson
  • Patent number: 5771791
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multipurpose juice extractor having a closed lower chamber for collecting residue of ground material in a compartment next to another compartment for grinding material. Juice extracted from the ground material flows via a juice outlet into a juice collector. The juice collector is provided with built-in electric heating means and can be directly heated on the juice extractor to cook the juice collected therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Inventors: Kuo-I Ling, Rong-Yuan Tseng
  • Patent number: 5761993
    Abstract: A juice-extractor also serving as a grinder suitable for extracting juice from water-containing materials, such as vegetables, fruits, soybeans, and for grinding dry material into powder, such as coffee beans, green beans, nuts. In addition to elements similar to that of a juice-extractor, such as the funnel, the top cover, the lower grinding disc, the meshes-containing filter, the residue collector, the juice flow guider, and the base, the grinder also includes a bag made of air-pervious fabric and a rotational retainer having a closed side wall. When the juice-extractor is to serve as a grinder to grind a dry material into powder, the air-pervious bag is used to replace the residue collector and the rotaional retainer is used to replace the meshes-containing filter, so that powder produced from the grinding can be directly sent into the bag instead of the juice flow guider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Inventors: Kuo-I Ling, Rong-Yuan Tseng
  • Patent number: 5743176
    Abstract: A point of sale juice extractor where diverse types of fruit to be processed are fed from a storage bin through an auger to a grater plate. The juice is released from the fruit at the grater plate and is centrifuged into a collector pan while the waste pulp by-product is discharged into a waste container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: David N. Anderson, Wayne C. Sherman
  • Patent number: 5738003
    Abstract: A counter current extractor including an elongate housing with a screw conveyor therein and having a strainer at one end thereof to filter a liquid phase out of the counter current extractor, wherein the strainer is provided with a clearing member to prevent the strainer from remaining clogged with particulate material and wherein liquid being fed into the counter current extractor is spilled into the extractor so as to flow in a cascade over and through a solid phase in the extractor, the liquid being maintained at a desired level by a control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Processing Technologies International Limited
    Inventor: Timothy R. Lang
  • Patent number: 5720219
    Abstract: A fruit juice extraction apparatus for processing citrus fruit in general, without manual contact, comprising a tubular chassis having mounted thereon an extraction box affixed to a gearmotor for actuating a sliding assembly which dislocates one concave hemisphere against another concave hemisphere, thereby pressing fruit released by a trigger positioned on an opening in a tray in which one of the concave hemispheres has a fruit peeler and on the other a perforating tube for the extraction of the juice, the solid residues of the fruit being released into a receptacle and the liquid passing through a filter, then falling into a reservoir which has outlet ports therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Inventor: Carlos Neto Mendes
  • Patent number: 5720218
    Abstract: A fruit juice extraction apparatus for processing citrus fruit in general, without manual contact, comprising a tubular chassis having mounted thereon an extraction box affixed to a gearmotor for actuating an crank and rod assembly which dislocates one concave hemisphere against another concave hemisphere, thereby pressing fruit released by a trigger positioned on an opening in a tray in which one of the concave hemispheres has a central pin and on the other a perforating tube for the extraction of the juice, the solid residues of the fruit being released into a receptacle and the liquid passing through a filter, then falling into a reservoir which has outlet ports therein, each of the concave hemispheres having its concave surface defined by a plurality of spaced-apart radial blades of at least two different lengths and depending from a base mounted to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Inventor: Carlos Neto Mendes
  • Patent number: 5690021
    Abstract: The strainer insert is a cylindrical chamber having strainer openings about a portion of its circumference. The strainer chamber is open at both ends. The bottom end is attached to a mounting base which is attached to a blender base. When the strainer chamber is attached in a blender it is completely contained in the blender mixing chamber and it encloses the blender blades. Items such as fruits or vegetables may then be placed in the strainer chamber and the open end closed with a lid. When the blender is activated the blender chops or cuts up the items into solid pieces and produces a liquid. The liquid passes through the strainer openings to be poured out of the blender mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Inventor: Ronald Grey
  • Patent number: 5680812
    Abstract: An improved barrel extruder for extracting oil from seeds and other vegetable matter comprises a barrel screw that extends a substantial distance from the barrel downstream end and substantially through an extractor head. The extractor head is divided into three sections comprising a screen section and a port section where oil is extracted under extreme pressure and a tip section where the pulp is forced through a narrow gap to provide back pressure to the pulp in the port section. Under the extreme pressure developed in the port section, a substantial portion of the oil content of the oil seed or vegetable matter is extracted from the pulp. The extractor head is configured to permit the screen section and port section and separately the tip section to be easily exchanged for oil seeds and vegetable matter with different pulping characteristics and oil volume or percentage content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Inventor: Helmut Linsgeseder
  • Patent number: 5671664
    Abstract: A food processing apparatus for washing, aeration drying, and blending food product. The apparatus comprises a food product container having a mating lid, a mesh basket insert, and a network of tubing having a plurality of spray nozzle apertures for producing a cleansing mist, and drying airstream, directed toward the enclosed food product. The container further includes a fitting for enabling communication between the tubing network and a water source and an air source, and a valved drain outlet. Blender blades are rotatably mounted to the container floor and driven by a motorized base which supports the container during normal operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Inventor: Glenn R. Jacobson
  • Patent number: 5669289
    Abstract: A strainer assembly including a base formed at a central portion thereof with a rectangular projection having a cylindrical upper portion with external threads, the base having a plurality of holes, a cylindrical filter arranged on the base and having an open top, the cylindrical filter having an inner bottom formed with a plurality of protuberances around a periphery thereof and an outer bottom formed with a plurality of downwardly depending projections adapted to fit into the holes of the base, a circular cutter having a rectangular opening at a central portion thereof adapted to engage with the rectangular projection of the base and a plurality of recesses adapted to engage with the protuberances of the cylindrical filter, and a cap threadedly engaged with the external threads of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Inventor: Tse-Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 5669292
    Abstract: A juicer including a main body formed with a cylindrical recess having an open top, a dreg outlet extending the main body and being communication with the cylindrical recess, an electric motor arranged within the main body and and provided with an output axle extending upwardly out of the main body, a cylindrical filer disposed within the main body and driven by the output axle of the motor, a lid adapted to engage with the top of the main body, and a dreg displacing tool arranged in the lid, the characterized in that the lid is formed with a first tubular portion, a second tubular portion, an annular cavity between the first and second tubular portions, the second tubular portion having an upper end formed with two opposite protuberances at an inner side of said upper end, a cap mounted on the first tubular portion, a spring fitted within the annular cavity with an upper end of the spring bearing against the cap, the dreg displacing tool including an axle, a scraper extending from the axle and located an ang
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Inventor: Tse-Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 5662032
    Abstract: A juicer attachment for a blender is disclosed. Blenders include a motor, a blade member having a bore and being driven by the motor, and a jar protruding into the bore of the blade member. The juicer attachment has a hollow base with a side wall and a lip for securing the juicer attachment to the blender by disposing the base in the bore of the blade member with the lip of the base being in contact with the jar. The juicer attachment also includes a hollow filter disposed in the jar. The filter has perforations and at least one step forming a lower side wall and an upper side wall. The side wall of the base is coupled with the lower side wall of the filter. The juicer attachment further includes a lid with a bore and a step forming a lower side wall. The lower side wall of the lid is coupled with the upper side wall of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Inventor: Joseph P. Baratta
  • Patent number: 5628247
    Abstract: The automatic citrus fruit juicer has a fixed frame with an upper platform and a lower platform. A first drum with a vertical axis is rotatably mounted and actuated between the platforms and is crossed by holes for the passage of fruit juice. A second drum with a vertical axis is rotatable eccentrically outside the first drum and is provided with lateral pressing means for pressing its inner surface toward the outer surface of the first drum at a citrus fruit squashing region. A unit for cutting fruits into two halves is mounted above the drums at an opening of the upper platform provided to allow the fruit halves to drop between the drums so that the cut surfaces of the citrus fruits rest against the surface of the first drum. The lower platform is provided with a hole for the exit of the fruit juice and with a chute for removing the peels of the squashed fruit halves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: A.I.D. Agriculture Industrial Developments S.p.A.
    Inventors: Cesare Palumbo, Salvatore Torrisi
  • Patent number: 5598772
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for extracting juice or pulp from food produce. It is particularly useful in the food conserves industry for separating the juice or pulp of fruit and vegetables from the skins and seeds. A tubular strain, provided with an inlet and a discharge outlet for refuse by-products, has at its centre a shaft bearing a plurality of spatulas, each of which has an extremity set very close to a surface of the strain; each of the spatulas bears at its peripheral end a plate made of a hard material, which projects radially from the main body and delimit a free zone between the front face and the peripheral extremity of the spatula. The tubular strain exhibits holes which are of progressively or step-by-step diminishing diameter, going from the inlet to the discharge outlet, and also exhibits an annular support which surrounds the strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Rossi & Catelli s.p.A.
    Inventor: Camillo Catelli
  • Patent number: 5592873
    Abstract: A juice extractor comprising a grinding chamber provided with a pair of helical gears for crushing juice material and a compression chamber disposed beneath and communicated with the grinding chamber and provided with a pair of rotating spiral screws. The spiral ridges of the spiral screws have cut-outs which engage with annular ribs formed on the interior surface of the compression chamber so that the residue produced by the helical gears of the grinding chamber is pressed against the annular ribs by the curved surfaces of the spiral ridges of the rotating spiral screws, thus further squeezing out juice from the residue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Angel Life Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mun-Hyon Lee
  • Patent number: 5495795
    Abstract: Apparatus for extracting juice from comestibles such as fruits and vegetables. The extractor has a base which includes a motor with a vertically oriented output shaft and a housing for the motor. A blade basket detachably mounted on and driven by the output shaft comminutes the comestibles and extracts their juice, and a juice bowl surrounding the blade basket collects the juice. A safety interlock keeps the motor from being turned on unless the juice bowl is locked to the base of the juice extractor and a blade basket isolating cover is locked to the juice bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Trillium Health Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Harrison, Bong-Sool Kim, Robert D. Lamson
  • Patent number: 5490453
    Abstract: An improved centrifugal fat extraction apparatus for removing surface liquid from food which comprises a housing assembly having mounted at its bottom a self-centering drive assembly having a shaft extending vertically from the self-centering drive assembly within the housing assembly, a rotatable spindle mounted onto the shaft, a means for rotating the spindle at a variable speed between 750 and 1200 rpm for approximately a 45 second time span, and a rotatable cylindrical slotted basket capable of holding foods. The self-centering drive assembly prevents undesirable vibration from being imparted to the housing assembly as the result of eccentric loading of the foods into the slotted basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: SAS TV Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer L. Mackay
  • Patent number: 5479851
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable juicer has a rotatable horizontal grating disc integral with and surrounded by a substantially frusto-conical filter sieve the sides of which project upwardly and outwardly from the grating disk, a feed tube arranged above the disc and a food pusher insertable into the tube to press food down on to the grating disc for grating, pulp and juice thereby produced flying upwardly and outwardly, the juice passing through the filter and the pulp passing over the filter for subsequent collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Breville Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen J. McClean, Richard W. Yallop
  • Patent number: 5458056
    Abstract: An extraction tower for the extraction of slices includes an outer tower casing having an inside wall and a bottom region; arresters disposed along the inside wall; a sieve disposed in the bottom region; a tubular shaft centrally disposed in the casing and having a toothed rim at a top end thereof and conveyor vanes disposed over its length; a bearing which holds a bottom end of the tubular shaft; a rotary drive including a plurality of drive units which are distributed around a periphery of the tubular shaft and which are connected to the tower casing, each of the drive units including a drive pinion which engages the toothed rim; a plain bearing; a guide for guiding the bottom end in the bottom region near the sieve, the guide including a central journal which is disposed in the plain bearing as far as the sieve extends and wherein a clearance exists between the plain bearing and the central journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Braunschweigische Maschinen-Bauanstalt AG
    Inventor: Siegfried Matusch
  • Patent number: 5452650
    Abstract: A juicer or a juice extractor having a vertically-arranged grinding chamber and compression chamber. The material to be ground into juice is first ground in the grinding chamber and then compressed in the compression chamber by a pair of Archimedes' screws; and in this case, the direction of movement of the material in the compression chamber is designed so as to be opposite to that in the grinding chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Inventor: Mun-Hyon Lee
  • Patent number: 5451415
    Abstract: A method for dejuicing grapes uses a dejuicer comprises a closed tank provided with a dejuicer grid and an inflatable membrane in the tank which is pressurized to force juice out of the harvested grapes through the grid. A conveyor in the tank remove the dejuicer grapes from the tank. Harvested grapes are placed in said tank and the juice is allowed to flow naturally. The inflatable membrane mounted in the tank is then pressurized to force out further juice through the grid and the juice is collected from the tank. The membrane is then depressurized and the tank is emptied by actuating the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Somavi
    Inventors: Didier Pera, Jean Pera
  • Patent number: 5433144
    Abstract: A food processor including a motor housing base to hold a motor, a work bowl mounted around a top support on the motor housing base and having a front opening, a strainer basket fastened to a lid and turned within the work bowl by the motor, a cutter disposed within the strainer basket and turned by the motor, a top cover covered on the work bowl, a trash basket pivoted to the motor housing base and supported on a platform on the motor housing base adjacent to the front opening of the work bowl to collect trash from the work bowl, and a scraper slidably fastened to the top cover and by sliding block for removing trash from the strainer basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Inventor: Chin-Lung Lee
  • Patent number: 5421248
    Abstract: A multi-food processor and juice extractor is provided that includes a container which houses a filter assembly. The assembly is operatively connected to a shaft for rotating the assembly within the container. The food is milled within the filter assembly by a plurality of cutters integral with the assembly, and after filtering, juice and/or particulate food matter is received from a juice outlet. Food dregs collecting along an inside wall of the filter assembly is removed by a stopper. A rotary control knob is provided to place the stopper into either an engaged or disengaged position. The stopper expels the dregs by utilizing centrifugal force created by the spinning filter assembly. A spring attached to the control knob automatically returns the stopper to the disengaged position upon releasing the control knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Airlux Electrical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Maxwell Hsu
  • Patent number: 5419251
    Abstract: Extraction, especially of firm fruit such as cranberries, with improved yields of high quality, low tannin juices by using an improved countercurrent extractor employing longitudinal members positioned between adjacent flights and reinfusion of decharacterized, extracted fruit pieces with infusion syrups, such as juices from fruits other than that extracted, to produce a fruit food product of various flavors having a desired level of inherent soluble fruit component, without the need to bleed off spent syrup as a byproduct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold L. Mantius, Peter R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5417152
    Abstract: Controls for the electric motors of juice extractors and other devices. The control keeps the motor at a constant speed under changing loads, and the control may allow the operator to select one of multiple operating speeds. Typically, the control will also include a safety switch which keeps the motor from being energized unless conditions consonant with safe operation of the device powered by the motor have been met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Inventor: Robert G. Harrison
  • Patent number: 5396836
    Abstract: A juice extractor includes a main body equipped with a motor, a gear box having a first shaft and a second shaft to which torque of the motor is transmitted, a housing having a flange connecting surface at the front of the main body, and a pair of squeezing rollers accommodated by the housing and connected to the second shaft so as to receive torque therefrom. First and second clutch gears are alternatively connected to the first and second shafts by a clutching fork extending into the gear box. A connecting gear is connected to the clutch gears. A threaded portion extending to the front of the gear box from the connecting gear is received in a threaded hole in the housing to enable the housing to be separated from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Inventor: Jong Gill Kim
  • Patent number: 5392699
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a vegetable and fruit juice processor having safety features. The processor has a housing mounted on the base, a motor mounted in the housing and provided with a transmission shaft extending through the top of the housing. In addition there is a switching set for controlling the operation of the motor, a driving body fastened to a top end of the transmission shaft, a rotary cutting body having a covering portion and a support portion, a toothed cutter mounted on the covering portion, a filtration screen surrounding the support portion, and a cap. The processor has a cover body with a receiving space having a first receiving slot and a second receiving slot, the first receiving slot being provided at the bottom thereof with a slope of a predetermined angle of inclination; and a channel disposed in an outer wall of the receiving space such that the channel is in communication with a front edge of the first receiving slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Inventor: Chun-Ya L. Tai
  • Patent number: 5381730
    Abstract: A juice extractor for extracting juice from raw juice containing materials includes a raw material supply hopper of a housing engaged with a main body. The juice extractor includes a pair of squeezing rollers engaged with each other and mounted in the housing. Each of the rollers includes a helical gear and a screw at its leading end portion. A filter surrounds the leading end portions of the squeezing rollers and a discharge section plate is mounted at the leading end portion of the housing and has a discharge pressure adjusting device. Ring gears made of synthetic resins are mounted at both sides of the helical gear of one of the squeezing rollers whereby an interval between the helical gears of squeezing rollers is maintained. Grooves are formed at both sides of the threads of the helical gears of each of the squeezing rollers at a location beneath the raw juice material supply hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Inventor: Jong Gill Kim
  • Patent number: 5359926
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of fruit and vegetable juice and puree extractors in general. More precisely, it relates to a rotary-type extractor having at least two refinement stages arranged vertically and coaxially and being activated by a single, common motorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Metro International S.R.L.
    Inventor: Carlo Sassi
  • Patent number: 5355785
    Abstract: A grape dejuicer comprises a closed tank provided with a dejuicer grid and a membrane in the tank which is pressurized to force juice out of the harvested grapes through the grid. Conveyor means in the tank remove the dejuicer grapes from the tank. Harvested grapes are placed in said tank and the juice is allowed to flow naturally. The membrane is then pressurized to force out further juice through the grid. The membrane is then depressurized and the tank is emptied by actuating the conveyor means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Somavi
    Inventors: Didier Pera, Jean Pera
  • Patent number: 5289763
    Abstract: An apparatus for extracting juice and pulp from vegetables and fruits is provided having a base containing an electric motor, and a bowl removably attached to the base. The motor has a drive shaft which projects into the interior of the bowl for receiving process tools. The bowl is provided with a strainer which is equipped with a skirt which fits inside the central tube surrounding the drive shaft. The driving shaft has a spindle fitted thereon in two orientations, one in which the strainer remains static during operation and one in which the strainer is driven rotationally when the driving shaft is turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Robot Coupe (S.A.)
    Inventors: Claude Le Rouzic, Andre Gateaud, Michel Fleche
  • Patent number: 5275834
    Abstract: The starting product is rich in broken-down plant cell walls. Water is added, if necessary, to obtain a mixture suitable for the subsequent shearing treatment. The product is subjected to a shearing stress before extrusion, to obtain product containing a water-soluble polysaccharide fraction greater than that which exists in nature, without changing the overall chemical composition. The modified product is obtained in the form of crushable aggregates. If the starting product is derived from higher plants naturally rich in pectins, the latter (which have a dry matter content of at least 70%) are extracted from the water-soluble fraction by precipitation by an alcohol or by its multivalent salts. The extraction residue consists of edible fibres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
    Inventors: Jean F. Thibault, Guy Della Valle, Marie-Christine Ralet