The invention provides a citrus juicer (100) comprising: an enclosure (20) defining a cavity (24) for produce for pressing (10) containing a fluid, and an opening for introducing the produce for pressing into the cavity; a cannula (50) for engaging in the produce for pressing, a second portion (54) arranged outside the cavity, and a through opening (58) extending between the first and second portions; an inflatable extensible membrane (80) for compressing the produce for pressing engaged on the first end of the cannula in order to extract the fluid out from the cavity; and an ejector device for discharging the pressed produce.

A fruit squeezing system, with a feed system and cutting and squeezing devices with a pair of cup assemblies that are vertically displaceable by vertical displacement device and rotationally, in opposite directions, by rotation device; below these a cutting assembly with a blade and peel extraction device; and one pair of fixed squeezer balls, each of these below one of the cup assemblies, for the vertical squeezing of the fruit halves by the vertical displacement of the cup assemblies. The system has a first motor exclusively for the operation of the vertical displacement device; device for the measurement of the intensity thereof, and a control unit which independently governs the first motor and halts it when the intensity measured exceeds a pre-set range of values.

A fruit press has shafts which are mounted in a frame for two pressing rollers, which can be driven in opposite directions, and for two ram heads, which are provided below the pressing rollers and form pressing rams that interact with pressing recesses of the pressing rollers. The fruit press has a blade, which is displaceable in a blade guide between the pressing rollers. The pressing rollers and the ram heads, which can be removed from their respective shafts, are held between a rear wall and a front mount of a handling unit detachably fastened to the frame. To achieve advantageous design conditions, the pressing rollers and the ram heads, which are supported axially on the front mount, are detachably held between bearing projections of the rear wall and receptacles in the region of the front mount.

A squeezer unit (1), comprising: two female drums (2) with an internal cavity (3), with a central shaft, which can rotate in opposite directions, comprising a number of cavities (4) to house a fruit to be squeezed, two male drums (5) with an internal cavity (6), with a central shaft, located below the female drums (2), in such a way that each male drum (5) can rotate in a direction opposite to that of the corresponding female drum (2) located above the same, the male drums (5) comprising a number of protrusions (7) which can be coupled to the cavities (4) of the female drums (2) to squeeze out the juice, a support (8) for the squeezer unit (1) comprising a frontal plate (9) which can be coupled to the male drums (5) and the female drums (2),
where each of the female drums (2) and the male drums (5) comprises a frontal extension (10) which is coaxial with its central axis, each frontal extension (10) being integral with the body of the corresponding drum (2, 5), and the frontal plate (9) of the support (8) of the squeezer unit (1) comprises, on its side facing the female drums (2) and the male drums (5), four protrusions (12, 15), in such a way that when the squeezer unit (1) is in the assembled position, the extensions (10) of the female drums (2) and the male drums (5) are coupled to the corresponding protrusions (12, 15) of the frontal plate (9) of the support (8).

An overhead conveyor and wash assembly is provided for a citrus oil extractor. In one embodiment, a spray manifold is connected to a drive chain and has nozzles for applying a cleaning solution and water to the extractor rollers. A wiper bar assembly is pendulously suspended from the spray manifold and conveys citrus fruits through the extractor as needed. The wiper bar assembly is moved to a raised position to be retracted to the input end of the extractor. A second embodiment uses a spray manifold pendulously suspended from drive chains and conveys citrus fruit through the extractor as needed and also sprays cleaning solution and water as needed.

Improved juicing head of the type with juicing heads present in juicing systems, where the fruit to juice is housed in a recess of a female element and is guided to meet the head of a male element that is temporarily inserted in the recess, pressing the fruit and extracting the juice, wherein the head comprises ribs on its surface, said ribs arranged transverse to the direction of motion of the head.

A two stage system for extraction of oil from whole citrus fruit is provided. The first stage is known in the art and includes a first plurality of toothed rollers which convey citrus as the teeth penetrate and rupture oil glands. The oil passes into a first water pan. A novel second stage uses a second plurality of toothed rollers to continue the penetration and rupturing of oil glands. The second plurality of rollers are positioned in an isolated second pan to partially submerge the citrus. A middle phase liquor with extremely low oil concentration is transferred into said second pan to initiate desorption of oil from the citrus. The desorption technique in one embodiment increases yield by 4% or more. This technique is expected to increase yield even more as the recovery by the first stage is reduced.

The present invention relates to a novel citrus juicer.

Juicing unit having a support for an automatic juicing machine of the type in which the juicing unit comprises one or more female drums that move synchronously with one or more male drums that allows easy removal of the juicing unit as a whole for cleaning, such that the support comprises two plates with different openings that sandwich between them the main elements of the juicing unit such as the male and female drums, both plates being joined by at least one removable rod that is fastened via an anchor that allows a strong coupling and easy opening, such plates additionally comprising elements for anchoring to other elements of the juicing unit as well as elements for anchoring to the main body of the juicing machine.

A squeezer unit (1), comprising: two female drums (2) with an internal cavity (3), with a central shaft, which can rotate in opposite directions, comprising a number of cavities (4) to house a fruit to be squeezed, two male drums (5) with an internal cavity (6), with a central shaft, located below the female drums (2), in such a way that each male drum (5) can rotate in a direction opposite to that of the corresponding female drum (2) located above the same, the male drums (5) comprising a number of protrusions (7) which can be coupled to the cavities (4) of the female drums (2) to squeeze out the juice, a support (8) for the squeezer unit (1) comprising a frontal plate (9) which can be coupled to the male drums (5) and the female drums (2),
where each of the female drums (2) and the male drums (5) comprises a frontal extension (10) which is coaxial with its central axis, each frontal extension (10) being integral with the body of the corresponding drum (2, 5), and the frontal plate (9) of the support (8) of the squeezer unit (1) comprises, on its side facing the female drums (2) and the male drums (5), four protrusions (12, 15), in such a way that when the squeezer unit (1) is in the assembled position, the extensions (10) of the female drums (2) and the male drums (5) are coupled to the corresponding protrusions (12, 15) of the frontal plate (9) of the support (8).