Extrusion Assembly for a Micro Puree Machine

An extrusion assembly for a micro puree machine, the extrusion assembly comprising:

• a bowl having a sidewall defining an interior volume;
• a plunger engageable with a driven shaft configured to axially move the plunger within the interior volume of the bowl;
• and
• a plunger drive inhibitor configured to restrict axial movement of the plunger within the interior volume of the bowl when a predetermined limit of force is reached or exceeded,
• the plunger drive inhibitor comprising:
• a power input sensor, and
• a controller in communication with the power input sensor,
• wherein the power input sensor is configured to measure a power input to a motor that is configured to drive the driven shaft.

A method of controlling an extrusion assembly of a micro-puree machine, the method comprising:

• establishing a power input threshold for a motor that is configured to drive a driven shaft of a plunger;
• initiating an extrusion process for the extrusion assembly;
• monitoring a power input to the motor during the extrusion process;
• identifying that the power input to the motor exceeds the power input threshold;
• and
• shutting off the motor based on the power input threshold being exceeded by the power input to the motor.

A micro puree machine, comprising:

• a bowl having a sidewall defining an interior volume;
• a plunger engageable with a driven shaft configured to axially move the plunger within the interior volume of the bowl;
• a first plunger drive inhibitor configured to restrict axial movement of the plunger within the interior volume of the bowl when a predetermined limit of force is reached or exceeded,
• the first plunger drive inhibitor comprising a sensor configured to translate an applied axial load on the plunger into an electrical signal,
• wherein, upon axial movement of the driven shaft, the sensor is configured to measure a current corresponding to a force experienced by the plunger;
• a second plunger drive inhibitor configured to restrict axial movement of the plunger within the interior volume of the bowl when a predetermined limit of force is reached or exceeded,
• the second plunger drive inhibitor comprising:
• a power input sensor, and
• a controller in communication with the power input sensor,
• wherein the power input sensor is configured to measure a power input to a motor that is configured to drive the driven shaft;
• and
• a third plunger drive inhibitor configured to restrict axial movement of the plunger within the interior volume of the bowl when a predetermined limit of force is reached or exceeded,
• the third plunger drive inhibitor comprising a current sensor disposed on a circuit board of an extrusion motor of the micro-puree machine,
• wherein the circuit board is configured to shutoff the extrusion motor upon the current sensor measuring a current input into the extrusion motor that exceeds an input current threshold.