Press

1. A juice press comprising:

a housing constructed and arranged as a tabletop appliance, the housing having an opening located at an upper region of an upper portion of the housing and a dispensing outlet at a lower region of the upper portion of the housing;

a pair of opposing platens disposed within the upper portion of the housing between the opening and the dispensing outlet, with at least one of the pair of opposing platens being movable relative to the housing, the upper portion of the housing and the pair of opposing platens constructed and arranged to receive a cartridge, which contains cut food matter produce, when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing and between the pair of opposing platens, wherein the dispensing outlet is constructed and arranged to receive a portion of the cartridge so that the portion of the cartridge is extendable through and beyond the dispensing outlet external to the juice press; and

a drive system disposed within the housing and coupled to the movable platen, the drive system constructed and arranged to apply a force to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens to press the cut food matter produce contained in the cartridge to cause resulting juice to flow from the cartridge without any portion of the juice press being in contact with the juice flowing through the portion of the cartridge extendable through and beyond the dispensing outlet, the drive system including:

a drive component coupled to the moveable platen, the drive component configured to move the movable platen toward the other platen of the pair of opposing platens;

a temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the housing between the pair of opposing platens;

wherein the temperature sensor is integrated with at least one of the housing and at least one of the opposing platens; and

an electromechanical system coupled to the drive component and constructed and arranged to move the drive component, the electromechanical system including a transmission driven by a motor, with the transmission operatively coupled to the drive component, the electromechanical system being programmed to receive an output of the temperature sensor and control operation of the drive component according to an output of the temperature sensor.

2. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply at least 6,700N to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

3. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply 7,700N to 44,500N to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

4. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply 8,900N to 53,400N to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

5. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply at least 17,800N to the cartridge during a final movement of the movable platen.

6. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein a total displacement of the movable platen is about 38 mm.

7. The juice press according to claim 6 , wherein a gap between 4 mm and 9 mm is present between the pair of opposing platens after the movable platen has been fully displaced by the drive system.

8. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a base, wherein the movable platen is movable in a horizontal direction parallel to the base.

9. The juice press according to claim 1 , further comprising an on/off switch configured to activate the electromechanical system.

10. The juice press according to claim 1 , further comprising a dispensing area defined in a face of the housing, wherein when cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens, the portion of the cartridge extendable through and beyond the dispensing outlet is extendable into the dispensing area.

11. The juice press according to claim 10 , wherein the dispensing area is defined in a face of the housing and below the dispensing outlet.

12. The juice press according to claim 11 , wherein the dispensing area further comprises a shelf for receiving and supporting a serving container.

13. The juice press according to claim 1 , further comprising a dispensing area defined in a face of the housing and below the dispensing outlet.

14. The juice press according to claim 13 , wherein the dispensing area further comprises a shelf for receiving and supporting a serving container.

15. The juice press according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the platens includes a concave pressing surface.

16. A juice press comprising:

a housing constructed and arranged as a tabletop appliance, the housing having an upper portion, the upper portion having an opening located at an upper region of the upper portion and a dispensing outlet at a lower region of the upper portion, the housing further having a base opposite the upper portion and a dispensing area defined in a face of the housing between the base and the upper portion;

a pair of opposing platens disposed within the upper portion of the housing, with at least one of the pair of opposing platens being movable relative to the housing, the upper portion of the housing is constructed and arranged to receive a cartridge, which contains cut food matter produce, through the opening at the upper portion and between the pair of opposing platens, and the dispensing outlet is constructed and arranged to receive a portion of the cartridge so that the portion of the cartridge is extendable through and beyond the dispensing outlet and into the dispensing area external to the juice press; and

a drive system disposed within the housing and coupled to the movable platen, the drive system constructed and arranged to apply a force to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens to press the cut food matter produce contained in the cartridge to cause resulting juice to flow from the cartridge without any portion of the juice press being in contact with the juice flowing through the portion of the cartridge extendable through and beyond the dispensing outlet, the drive system including:

a drive component coupled to the moveable platen, the drive component configured to move the movable platen toward the other platen of the pair of opposing platens, wherein the movable platen is movable in a horizontal direction parallel to the base; and

a motor operatively coupled to the drive component to drive the drive component;

a temperature sensor embedded in the pair of opposing platens; and

a temperature regulation component embedded in the pair of opposing platens; and

a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and temperature regulation component and programmed to, when the output of the temperature sensor indicates the cartridge is below a desired temperature, cause the temperature regulation component to heat the cartridge.

17. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply at least 6,700N to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

18. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply 7,700N to 44,500N to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

19. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply 8,900N to 53,400N to the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the opening of the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

20. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein the drive system is constructed and arranged to apply at least 17,800N to the cartridge during a final movement of the movable platen.

21. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein a total displacement of the movable platen is about 38 mm.

22. The juice press according to claim 21 , wherein a gap between 4 mm and 9 mm is present between the pair of opposing platens after the movable platen has been fully displaced by the drive system.

23. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein the drive system includes a transmission driven by the motor, with the transmission operatively coupled to the drive component.

24. The juice press according to claim 16 , further comprising an on/off switch configured to activate the motor.

25. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein the dispensing area further comprises a shelf for receiving and supporting a serving container.

26. The juice press according to claim 16 , further comprising a temperature regulation element adapted to control a temperature of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the housing between the pair of opposing platens.

27. The juice press according to claim 26 , wherein the temperature regulation element is integrated with at least one of the housing and at least one of the opposing platens.

28. The juice press according to claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the platens includes a concave pressing surface.