权利要求：
THE FOLLOWING IS CLAIMED:
1. A juicer machine comprising: a grinder assembly configured to grind food, the grinder assembly comprising a hopper, a motor, and a blade unit, the blade unit being rotatable by the motor about an axis of rotation, the blade unit comprising a front and a rear, the front of the blade unit comprising: a first platform that is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation; a second platform that is generally parallel to the first platform and is non-planar with the first platform; an edge extending between the first platform and the second platform; a plurality of teeth extending from the first platform; and a press assembly configured to receive the ground food from the grinder assembly and to press juice from the ground food.
2. The juicer machine of claim 1, wherein at the blade unit is liquid impermeable.
3. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of the first platform and a plurality of the second platform, wherein each of the first platforms is bordered by at least two of the second platforms.
4. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein the edge is generally parallel to the axis of rotation.
5. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein the second platform is recessed, in a direction along the axis of rotation, relative to the first platform.
6. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the first and second platforms are shaped as approximately a sector of a circle.
7. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein the front of the blade unit is metal and the rear of the blade unit is plastic.
8. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the edge and the plurality of teeth are visible from a perspective of a user looking down an inlet chute of the hopper.
9. The juicer machine of any of the preceding claims, wherein a center of gravity of the blade unit is positioned on the axis of rotation.
10. A blade unit for cutting multiple types of produce, the blade unit comprising:
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a front comprising a first cutter adapted to cut a first type of produce and a second cutter adapted to cut a second type of produce; and a rear comprising a central connection port; wherein the blade unit is liquid impermeable and is adapted to rotate about a central axial axis.
11. The blade unit of claim 10, wherein: the first cutter comprises a raised platform and a plurality of teeth; and the second cutter comprises a recessed platform and an edge.
12. The blade unit of claim 10 or 11, wherein the first cutter comprises a first row of teeth and a second row of teeth, the first and second rows of teeth at an acute angle relative to each other.
13. The blade unit of any of claims 10-12, wherein the second cutter comprises a recessed sector of a circle and an edge.
14. The blade unit of any of claims 10-13, wherein the blade unit further comprises a circular outer periphery.
15. The blade unit of any of claims 10-14, wherein the center of gravity of the blade unit is positioned on the central axial axis.
16. The blade unit of any of claims 10-15, further comprising fasteners that couple the front and the rear.
17. The blade unit of any of claims 10-16, further comprising a gasket between the front and the rear.
18. The blade unit of any of claims 10-17, wherein the front is metal and the rear is plastic.
19. A juicer machine comprising the blade unit of any of claims 10-18.
20. A juicer machine comprising: a grinder assembly configured to grind food, the grinder assembly comprising an input chute; a press assembly configured to press juice from the ground food, the press assembly comprising a fixed platen and a movable platen, the movable platen positioned rearward of the fixed platen; and
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a basin configured to removably connect to the fixed platen such that the basin is positioned forward of the fixed platen and under the input chute.
21. The juicer machine of claim 20, wherein the basin is configured to hang from the fixed platen.
22. The juicer machine of claim 20 or 21, wherein the basin comprises a lip that connects to a top edge of the fixed platen.
23. The juicer machine of any of claims 20-22, wherein the basin removable from the fixed platen by lifting the basin off the fixed platen.
24. The juicer machine of any of claims 20-23, wherein, when the basin is connected to the fixed platen, a vertical line drawn from an end of the input chute intersects the basin.
25. A juicer machine comprising: a frame comprising a well with a top opening; a press chamber configured to receive a ground food, the press chamber being removable from the well through the top opening, the press chamber comprising a movable platen and a fixed wall; and a linear actuator connected to the frame, the linear actuator comprising: an electric motor; a press shaft assembly comprising an internally threaded tube, the press shaft assembly having an end that is engageable with the movable platen; and a lead screw comprising a rotatable externally threaded rod; wherein rotation of the lead screw causes the press shaft assembly to translate the movable platen along a horizontal axis toward the fixed wall, thereby compressing the ground food in the press chamber and expelling juice.
26. The juicer machine of claim 25, wherein the electric motor comprises a stepper motor.
27. The juicer machine of claim 25 or 26, wherein the linear actuator further comprises a plurality of gears mechanically connected with the electric motor and the lead screw.
28. The juicer machine of any of claims 25-27, wherein the electric motor is positioned under the lead screw.
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29. The juicer machine of any of claims 25-28, further comprising a grinder assembly configured to receive a food and to convert the food to the ground food, the grinder assembly comprising a blade disk with multiple teeth that concurrently contact the food.
30. The juicer machine of any of claims 25-29, further comprising: an electronic sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a force applied by the linear actuator to the movable platen; and an electronic processor configured to control the linear actuator using the signal.
31. The juicer machine of claim 30, wherein the electronic sensor comprises a strain gauge.
32. The juicer machine of claim 30, wherein an end of the lead screw is connected to a support plate of the frame, and wherein the support plate comprises the electronic sensor.
33. A juicer machine comprising: a frame comprising a support; a press chamber removably coupled to the frame, the press chamber configured to receive a ground food, the press chamber comprising a movable platen and a fixed wall; a lead screw assembly fixedly connected with the support and engageable with the movable platen; an electric motor configured to drive the lead screw assembly such that the lead screw assembly applies a pressing force to the movable platen and such that a resulting force is transmitted through the lead screw assembly to the support; an electronic sensor connected to the support, the electronic sensor configured to detect a deflection of the support due to the resulting force and to output a signal indicative of the deflection; and an electronic processor configured to control the lead screw assembly using the signal.
34. The juicer machine of claim 33, wherein the support comprises a plate.
35. The juicer machine of claim 33 or 34, wherein the electronic sensor comprises a strain gauge.
36. The juicer machine of any of claims 33-35, wherein the lead screw assembly is fixedly connected with the support by a castle nut.
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37. A method of operating a juicer machine that includes a movable platen, a fixed platen, a linear actuator, an electronic sensor, and an electronic processor, wherein the method comprises, under the control of the electronic processor: advancing, with the linear actuator, the movable platen toward the fixed platen at a first speed; detecting, with the electronic sensor, a threshold amount of force applied by the linear actuator to the movable platen; and in response to the detection of the threshold amount of force, advancing, with the linear actuator, the movable platen toward the fixed platen at a second speed, the second speed being less than the first speed.
38. A method of detecting breakage of a bag during operation of a juicer machine that includes a movable platen, a fixed platen, an actuator, a force sensor, and an electronic processor, wherein the method comprises, under the control of the electronic processor: advancing, with the actuator, the movable platen toward the fixed platen such that a food between the movable platen and the fixed platen is compressed; monitoring, with the force sensor, a force applied by the actuator to the movable platen during the compression of the food; detecting a decrease discontinuity in the force; and activating a bag-break response action.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the bag-break response action comprises stopping the advancing of the movable platen.
40. The method of claim 38 or 39, wherein the bag-break response action comprises outputting an audible or visual alarm.
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