WO1999035945A2

WO1999035945A2 - Washing apparatus for vegetables and particularly for fruit and greens

Info

Publication number: WO1999035945A2
Application number: PCT/IT1999/000003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franco Corazza
Original assignee: Tec Service S.R.L.
Priority date: 1998-01-15
Filing date: 1999-01-13
Publication date: 1999-07-22
Also published as: ITPD980008A1; ITPD980008A0; WO1999035945A3; AU2072799A

Abstract

Apparatus for washing vegetable foodstuffs comprises a compressed-air generator (2) and a diffuser (3) which diffuses the air in a washing fluid in which the vegetables to be washed are immersed, the diffuser (3) being placed in the fluid beneath the vegetables being treated so that the compressed air bubbling through the fluid brings about relative motion between the vegetables and the washing fluid.

Description

WASHING APPARATUS FOR VEGETABLES AND PARTICU.LARLY FOR FRUIT .AND GREENS

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to apparatus for washing vegetable foodstuffs such as fruit, vegetables and the like. High usage use of anti-parasitic agents and chemical substances for treating food products leads to a need to subject fruit and vegetables to thorough washing to remove the residues therefrom before consumption. Moreover, thorough washing is required in order adequately to remove earth, organic residues and other impurities.

PRIOR .ART At the moment this washing is performed, at the domestic level, by repeated immersion in water, for example, contained in a household sink. However, this operation is laborious and tiresome for the person engaged thereon and the result achieved is sometimes uncertain both in terms of the efficiency of the washing and in terms of damage to the product treated.

At the industrial or semi-industrial level, fruit and vegetables are washed by apparatus with water jets, brushing members, mechanical agitators, and other similar devices for bringing about relative motion between the washing fluid and the vegetables being treated. This apparatus is not suitable for domestic use, however, since it requires specific electrical and hydraulic connections and clearly dedicated spaces, that is, it cannot be integrated in the normal domestic fittings and is generally bulky. Moreover, the vigorous mechanical action exerted may cause damage to the vegetables treated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The main object of the invention is to provide apparatus designed structurally and functionally to overcome all of the problems complained of with reference to the prior art mentioned.

This object is achieved by the invention by means of apparatus for washing vegetable foodstuffs comprising agitator means for bringing about relative motion between the vegetables immersed in a washing fluid and the washing fluid itself and characterized in that the agitator means comprise a compressed-air generator and a diffuser which diffuses the air in the washing fluid and which can be placed in the fluid beneath the vegetables being treated so that the compressed air bubbling through the fluid brings about the relative motion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof illustrated, by way of non- limiting example, in the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of washing apparatus according to the invention, in the operating condition, Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the washing apparatus of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a detail of the apparatus of the previous drawings .

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to the drawings mentioned, apparatus for washing vegetable foodstuffs such as fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and the like, formed in accordance with the present invention, is generally indicated 1 and comprises, in its most common form, a compressed-air generator 2 and an air-diffuser 3 connected to one another by means of a flexible pipe 4.

The compressed-air generator 2 is preferably constituted by a centrifugal electrical compressor 5, by an electric fan, or even simply by a bottle of compressed air or other gas rechargeable from the exterior, contained in a box-like casing 6 arranged for wall mounting wall or suspended mounting in the vicinity of a sink 7.

The casing 6 defines a compartment which is closed by a removable cover 8 and in which the diffuser 3 and the pipe 4 are normally housed when the apparatus 1 is not in use . The diffuser 3 is preferably of a flattened toroidal shape with a ring of holes or nozzles 9 distributed uniformly on a surface 10 thereof which faces towards the opening of the sink 7, that is, away from the bottom of the sink, in use. The apparatus 1 is preferably equipped with a basket 11 for holding the vegetables to be washed. In the operative position, this basket 11 is disposed in the sink 7 and remains slightly raised from the bottom thereof by virtue of the provision of feet 12. Heavy contaminants of the vegetables being washed can thus be deposited in the bottom of the sink 7 where the water is subject to little movement. The apparatus 1 is also preferably equipped with means for adjusting the flow-rate of the air output by the diffuser 3 as required, the means being constituted, for example, by an electronic regulator of the rate of rotation of the motor of the electric compressor 5, or by a valve for choking the pipe 4 , or by another device known to an expert in the art . In order to use the apparatus of the invention, the basket 11 is put in the sink 7, the diffuser 3 is placed in the bottom of the basket, the vegetables to be washed are deposited in the basket, and the sink is filled with water. When the compressed-air generator 2 is switched on, the air output by the diffuser is bubbled through the water 3 and the vegetables being treated, creating relative motion between the water and the vegetables locally, bringing about an intensive washing action. In spite of the intensiveness of the action, the vegetables are not damaged because the contact with the air and the moving water is particularly delicate. Basically, the bubbling effect achieved is similar in some ways to that generated by some water-massage devices but without jets of water or high turbulence. This effect is particularly evident and valued for washing very- delicate vegetable foodstuffs such as grapes and mushrooms. The latter in particular frequently have caps the undersides of which, if they have gills, hold many organic residues and are easily damaged by any handling. The apparatus of the invention enables them to be washed thoroughly without causing any damage.