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KR-20260067928-A - household whey separator

KR20260067928AKR 20260067928 AKR20260067928 AKR 20260067928AKR-20260067928-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for filtering yogurt to separate whey, and more specifically, to a household whey separator configured with an extrusion member that moves up and down according to an electrical signal, thereby enabling the convenient and rapid production of Greek yogurt at home and the removal of moisture from tofu or vegetables, so that a single device can be used for various functions. The present invention is configured such that, in order to separate whey from yogurt, a housing (10) having an internal space is divided into an upper housing (11) and a lower housing (12), a first storage chamber (20) for accommodating yogurt and a second storage chamber (30) for accommodating whey are respectively configured above and below the lower housing (12), a lifting/lowering system (50) for operating an extrusion member (40) located inside the first storage chamber (20) up and down is installed inside the upper housing (11), the upper housing (11) which is coupled to the upper part of the lower housing (12) is configured to be coupled and uncoupled by a detachable means (70), and a detection member (60) for determining the upper and lower position of the extrusion member (40) is installed inside the upper housing (11).

Inventors

  • 김영환

Assignees

  • 김영환

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241106

Claims (4)

  1. A household whey separator is characterized by being configured such that, in order to separate whey from yogurt, a housing (10) having an internal space is divided into an upper housing (11) and a lower housing (12), a first storage room (20) for accommodating yogurt and a second storage room (30) for accommodating whey are respectively configured on the upper and lower sides of the lower housing (12), a lifting/lowering system (50) for operating an extrusion member (40) located inside the first storage room (20) up and down is installed inside the upper housing (11), the upper housing (11) which is coupled to the upper side of the lower housing (12) is configured to be coupled and uncoupled by a detachable means (70), and a detection member (60) for determining the upper and lower position of the extrusion member (40) is installed inside the upper housing (11).
  2. In Article 1, A household whey separator characterized in that the above lifting/lowering system (50) includes a motor (51) and a lifting/lowering body (52), fixes the extrusion member (40) to the lower end of the lifting/lowering body (52), and combines a rack (53) formed on one side of the lifting/lowering body (52) with a pinion (54) fixed to the rotation axis of the motor (51).
  3. In Article 1, A household whey separator characterized by the above detection member (60) having multiple detection elements (61) installed above and below, so that the upper and lower positions of the lifting/lowering body (52) can be determined by an electrical signal and a detection piece (62) installed on the lifting/lowering body (52).
  4. In Article 1, A household whey separator characterized in that the lower housing (12) is composed of a first body (13) and a second body (14), respectively, and a filter member (80) is installed on the bottom surface of the first body (13).

Description

Household whey separator The present invention relates to a device for filtering yogurt to separate whey, and more specifically, to a household whey separator configured with an extrusion member that moves up and down according to an electrical signal, thereby enabling the convenient and rapid production of Greek yogurt at home and the removal of moisture from tofu or vegetables, so that a single device can be used for various functions. Generally, it is widely known that yogurt can improve digestive ability by activating the stomach and promoting the secretion of digestive juices, which increases stomach acid, and thus its consumption is on the rise. Milk, the raw material for yogurt, is generally known to contain water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. In particular, fat is the most important component, and milk from which this fat has been removed is called skim milk. When acid or rennet is added to the skim milk, a coagulated substance is formed, which is called curd, and its main component is casein, the main protein of milk. The aqueous solution remaining after removing this curd is called whey and contains 20% of the total protein. Recently, Greek yogurt, known as a health food, is produced by removing the aforementioned whey. Compared to regular yogurt, it has a firmer texture and richer flavor due to the removal of moisture. It contains more than 1.5 times the amount of protein, while sodium and sugar content are less than half. Furthermore, it is known to contain 100 million lactic acid bacteria per gram, which helps strengthen muscles and bones, boost immunity, and aid in bowel regularity to promote gut health. In particular, its lower lactose content compared to regular yogurt makes it beneficial for people with lactose intolerance; however, due to nutrient loss during the whey removal process, the potassium and calcium content tends to be relatively low. A conventional method for producing such Greek yogurt is known, in which yogurt is placed in a cheesecloth or similar material and pressure is applied to remove the whey, after which the remaining protein solids are collected. In addition, recently, there is a method in which a container for holding yogurt and a pressurizing means for compressing the yogurt are integrated, allowing the user to manually press the pressurizing means to separate the whey. While this method allows for easy production of Greek yogurt at home, it has presented problems, such as requiring significant effort and time due to the need for manual operation, as well as the inability to produce Greek yogurt of the desired quality. In particular, the aforementioned conventional whey separators had a problem in that they could only be used for the unique function of manufacturing Greek yogurt and could not be used for various other functions. In other words, there are many instances where moisture needs to be removed during the cooking process of tofu or vegetables at home; however, since this task requires the use of a separate device, the process was not only cumbersome but also inefficient. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line AA of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the lifting/lowering system and extrusion member of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the detection member of the present invention. The structure of the present invention and the operation and effects thereof are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings as follows. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the present invention is configured such that a housing (10) having an internal space is divided into an upper housing (11) and a lower housing (12), and a first storage room (20) for accommodating yogurt and a second storage room (30) for accommodating whey extracted from yogurt are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the lower housing (12), and a lifting/lowering system (50) for operating an extrusion member (40) located inside the first storage room (20) up and down is installed inside the upper housing (11). It is preferable that the above housing (10) be made of stainless steel or plastic, which ensures sufficient mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, in order to be used as the frame of the entire device. The first storage chamber (20) and the second storage chamber (30) are provided inside the lower housing (12), and the size and shape of the upper housing (11), the lower housing (12), the first storage chamber (20), and the second storage chamber (30) are configured according to the needs and uses. When processing a large amount of yogurt, the external shape can be made large, and preferably, making it cylindrical is advantageous for the extrusion member (40) to move up and down. The extrusion member