DE9208543U1 - Device for opening or closing a screw cap - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS D-4830 Gütersloh, Vennstraße

Telephone: (05241)13054

Dipl.-Ing. Gustav Meldau Date: 24.06.92

DipLPhys. Dr. Hans-Jochen Stxauß Our reference: L 750

Mister

Klaus Langenbach

Bachstrasse 14

4780 Lippstadt

Device for opening or closing a screw cap

The invention relates to a device for opening or closing a screw cap on a vessel or container.

When it comes to screw caps that have to be opened or closed by hand, household tools are often used to make it easier to remove a lid from a glass or bottle. The tools used are intended to increase the friction between the palm of the hand and the lid to be opened in order to enable a better grip. For example, it is often difficult to open jam jars or pickle jars easily with

- 2 - L750

by hand, as the tight fit of the screw cap causes the palm of the hand to slip on the painted or enamelled smooth lid surface due to sweating in the palm of the hand. The tight and firm fit of the lids on the jars is often caused by the fact that the goods in the jars are filled while they are warm, so that after the goods have cooled down, a vacuum forms under the lid surfaces. This vacuum then pulls the lid onto the rim of the jar and onto the thread flanks of the screw cap. To overcome this tight fit of the lid caused by the vacuum, it is necessary to apply a breakaway torque, which is often not possible with the bare palm of the hand. To increase the frictional connection, either a towel or a damp cloth is used to apply the necessary breakaway torque.

The disadvantage of these household aids is that they are not sufficiently suitable for creating the necessary frictional connection. Slipping on the lid surface cannot be prevented even with the help of towels or rags, even if the towel or rag is moistened to improve grip. It is not uncommon for the rag or towel to not be sufficiently moistened.

It is therefore the object of the invention to design a device for opening or closing a screw cap on a vessel or container in such a way that, while ensuring a non-slip grip, the necessary breakaway torque can be transferred to a lid closure by hand.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the closure opener itself consists of a flap-like rubberized material, and the closure opener has at least one surface with a

- 3 - . ■- -■■- L 750

roughened structure. Producing the cap opener from a rag-like rubberized material made it possible, on the one hand, to lay it like a cloth on the lid to be unscrewed. Using rubberized material ensures that sufficient friction is created, which is further reinforced by a roughened structure on the surface that lies on the lid surface. Making the cap opener rag-like also makes it possible for the cap opener to be used on different types and sizes of lid. It can therefore be easily laid on the lid surface, and it can be pressed onto the edge of the lid with your hands.

The surface advantageously has parallel longitudinal or transverse grooves that form raised areas between them. Providing the surface resting on the lid surface with raised areas so that the spaces formed between the longitudinal or transverse grooves act like suction cups due to the pressure of the hand on the lid surface increases the friction and adhesive force of the closure opener.

The material and the raised areas are conveniently made of a foam-like rubber mixture. Using a foam-like rubber mixture makes the cap opener easy to grip and does not cause pain when pressing the palm of the hand against the lid to be opened.

Conveniently, the closure opener has a surface area that corresponds approximately to the area of the palm of the hand.

The essence of the invention is explained in more detail using the following figures as examples, in which:

Figure 1: A side view of the inventive

- 4 - L750

cap opener;

Figure 2: A top view of the surface with the roughened structure;

Figure 3: A perspective view of the cap opener with a container;

Figure 4: Another perspective view showing the application of the cap opener.

Figures 1 and 2 show a closure opener 1 according to the invention for opening and closing a screw cap 2 on a vessel or container 3. The closure opener 1 consists of a flap-like rubberized material 4. The closure opener 1 has a surface 5 which is provided with a roughened structure 6. The roughened surface 5 is formed by longitudinal or transverse grooves 7 running in the material 4, so that peg-like elevations 8 protrude from the surface 5. The material 4 and the elevations 8 consist of the same foam-like rubber mixture.

Figures 3 and 4 show how the closure opener 1 according to the invention is handled. First, the closure opener 1 is placed with its roughened, structured surface 5 in accordance with the direction of the arrow 9 on the lid surface of a screw cap 2, so that the flap-like closure opener 1 covers the lid with its edge areas. The palm of the hand is then placed approximately in the middle of the closure opener 1, with the finger surfaces and the palm of the hand covering the edge area of the lid and pressing the closure opener 1 onto the lid surface. A moment is then introduced in the direction of the arrow 10 to open the screw cap 2. The other palm is placed around the container body to support the reaction moment.

Claims (1)

PATENT ATTORNEYS D-4830 Gütereloh, Vennstiaße 9 Telephone: (05241)13054 Dipl.-Ing. Gustav Meldau Date: 24.06.92 Dipl.Phys. Dr. Hans-Jochen Strauß Our reference: L 750 Protection claims 01. Device for opening or closing a screw cap on a vessel or a container, characterized in that the cap opener (1) itself consists of a tab-like, rubberized material (4), and the cap opener (1) has at least one surface (5) with a roughened structure. 02. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface (5) has parallel longitudinal or transverse grooves (7) which form surfaces with elevations (8) between them. 03. Device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the material (4) and the elevations (8) consist of a foam-like rubber mixture. 04. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure opener (1) has a surface area which corresponds approximately to the surface area of the palm of the hand.