Fruit injector

Details Fruit injector Fruit injector

2001-02-26

2002-05-21

Smith, Scott A. (Department: 3721)

Package making

With contents treating

Reshaping

C053S115000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06389783

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fruit injector and more particularly, the present invention relates to a device suitable for squeezing citrus fruit juice into a container and plunging the rind and other material into the container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is known in the beverage industry, some beverages are enjoyed by consumers where the beverage may include a section of citrus fruit. Typical is the situation where a slice of lime or lemon is inserted into a beer bottle. As it is presently conducted, the user simply squeezes the section of citrus fruit over the top of the container, in this case a beer bottle, and subsequently inserts the rind into the bottle. This is a rather messy affair and results in the juice being squeezed out over the hand of the user and elsewhere as opposed to being within the bottle itself.
It would be desirable if there were a device suitable for squeezing and subsequently injecting citrus material into a bottle. The present innvention addresses this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus suitable for squeezing and subsequently injecting a fruit segment into a container.
A further object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a device for injecting a fruit into a container, comprising: a hollow body having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet adapted for disposition over a container top; a plunger slidably mounted within the body for reciprocal movement within the body; and a compression member moveably mounted to the body to compress the fruit, whereby a compressed fruit may be injected into the container through the outlet of the body.
The body may be composed of suitable material which permits numerous uses and is not susceptible to damage during washing. To this end the body may be compsed of plastic materials such as polyethylene, polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, etc. In order to compress the fruit within the body, a compression member is provided as indicated above. This member may be mounted to the body either by suitable pivot or flex point or may be slidably moveable relative to the body by a raceway and pin arrangement with the concept being that the compression member is moveable from a load position where the piece of fruit is inserted into the body to a compression position where the material is squeezed in order to discharge the juice into the bottle. In terms of the plunger and the moveable member, similar material as that indicated for the body may be employed to construct these elements and the plunger may include stops or other suitable projections thereon for urging a slice into the bottle neck or container top, etc.
In use, the user moves the compression member into a loading position where the segment of fruit is inserted into the body. The compression members then urge against the fruit and the compression action of the compression member together with the fruit being urged against the plunger results in the juice being discharged from the cells of the fruit and into the container top. The plunger may then be activated to plunge or inject the rind into the container through the outlet in the body.
The present invention allows injection of the segment of fruit into a container in the absence of any mess, while maximizing the amount of juice extraction.
Having thus described the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1759357 (1930-05-01), Lacey
patent: 3030748 (1962-04-01), Moses

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