Juice press apparatus and methods
AssigneeGoodnature Products, Inc.
InventorsDale Wettlaufer, Eric Wettlaufer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A juice pressing machine and methods for pressing juice from a foodstuff includes embodiments having a removable pressing chamber and one or more filters which may be assembled and loaded with macerated foodstuff to form thin layers separated by a pressing plate. Once a juicing operation has been completed, the pressing chamber can be removed from the machine for emptying the pressed filters and solids contents therein. The empty pressing chamber may then be rinsed if needed and reattached to the machine for a subsequent pressing operation with newly filled filter(s). The platen may also be easily removed from the machine for cleaning as desired.
Claims20
A juicing machine, comprising:
- a frame comprising a press chamber well, the press chamber well having a top opening;
- a press chamber received in the press chamber well, the press chamber comprising a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a back wall, a bottom wall, and an interior space;
- a platen positioned in the press chamber, the platen configured to move relative to the press chamber, the platen comprising a plurality of fluid pathways;
- and
- a disposable filter positioned in the interior space of the press chamber, the disposable filter comprising a liquid permeable filter material having a predetermined tensile strength, the disposable filter configured to receive a foodstuff and to allow juice expressed from the foodstuff to pass through, the filter further configured to engage the platen such that the filter includes unsupported sections that span the plurality of fluid pathways;
- wherein, during a juicing operation, a pressing force of a predetermined magnitude is applied against the foodstuff in the disposable filter in a direction normal to the platen;
- and
- wherein the predetermined magnitude of the pressing force, the predetermined tensile strength of the filter material, and a size of the unsupported sections are such that a resulting tensile force on the unsupported sections of the filter is less than the predetermined tensile strength of the filter material.
A method for extracting juice from a macerated foodstuff using a juicing machine that includes a frame, a press chamber, and a platen, the frame configured to removably receive the press chamber, the press chamber comprising a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a back wall, a bottom wall, and an interior space, the platen comprising fluid pathways, each of the fluid pathways having a pathway area, the method comprising:
- installing a filter into the interior space of the press chamber, the filter being liquid permeable and having a predetermined tensile strength, the filter comprising a front wall and first and second lateral sides;
- loading a macerated food stuff into the filter;
- supporting the first and second lateral sides of the filter with the first and second side walls of the press chamber;
- spanning the filter over the fluid pathways of the platen such that the filter comprises unsupported areas;
- applying, with the platen, a pressing force of predetermined magnitude to the filter and the macerated food stuff therein;
- passing juice from the macerated food stuff through the filter and into the fluid pathways;
- and
- wherein the pressing force, the predetermined tensile strength, and the pathway area are such that a resulting tensile force on the unsupported areas of the filter is less than said predetermined tensile strength of a material of said filter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.