GB2062592A

GB2062592A - Bottle opener

Info

Publication number: GB2062592A
Application number: GB8032802A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gotheneix E P
Current assignee: Gotheneix E P
Priority date: 1979-10-18
Filing date: 1980-10-10
Publication date: 1981-05-28
Also published as: IT8053598V0; ES253718U; BR8006694A; ES256643Y; DE8027777U1; ES256643U; IT8068592A0; IT1129322B; ES253718Y; FR2467819A1; AR218401A1

Abstract

An opener for bottles which are closed by a crown cap comprises an integral body having a semi-annular wall 2 with an upper flat edge for engaging portion of the bottom edge of the skirt of the crown cap, an intermediate shroud 3 with a cap engaging edge 12 for pivotally resting on the crown cap and a lever handle 4 for causing the crown cap to be unseated from the bottle by a tractioning force exerted by the upper flat edge of the semi-annular wall on the portion of the edge of the skirt with which it is engaged, the arrangement being such that the lever handle and the neck of the bottle can be grasped by one hand and the forces applied to the neck of the bottle and the lever handle are in opposition thereby preventing toppling of the bottle; in this way, the bottle can be opened with one hand. An alternative embodiment having a two-piece, pivoted body is also described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in bottle openers The present invention relates to a bottle opener and more particularly to an opener for bottles which are closed by a crown cap.

Although bottle openers for withdrawing the crown cap from a bottle are well known in the art, they have all been conceived for use with both hands, one for holding the bottle and the other for actuating the opener, either by exerting an upward or downward force on the opener. From the art known to me it would seem that nobody has been able to conceive an opener of the type mentioned, which can be used with only one hand. This is particularly desirable since very often a person having to open a bottle only has one free hand since the other is occupied holding for example a tray.

Although bottle openers which operate by exerting a downward force thereon can under very special circumstances be used with only one hand, this is not normal since the forces acting on the opener and on the bottle are not in equilibrium.

The crown cap to be withdrawn must be lifted off the bottle by raising one peripheral portion with regard to another and this requires that the bottle opener be pivoted with regard to the longitudinal geometric axis of the bottle in a plane common to that axis. This produces a toppling force on the bottle which is only absorbed by the surface on which the bottle rests if there is substantial friction between this surface and the bottom of the bottle.

This frictional relationship is normally not present and therefore a person can not open a bottle with only one hand even by using this type of opener; the only solution is to hold the bottle with the other hand.

It is even more evident that bottle openers operating by exerting an upward force thereon, can only be used if the bottle is held downwardly by the user's other hand or by an external force.

The foregoing problem can be overcome by providing a bottle opener conceived so that the user's hand can grip the opener and the bottle neck simultaneously whereby upon closing his hand, the user will apply two forces (of equal value but in opposition) to the neck of the bottle and the opener thus establishing a balanced system of forces. This is possible if the distance between the bottle neck and the opener is small enough to enable the four fingers of the user's hand to extend about the neck of the bottle and the thumb about the opener.

Consequently according to the present invention there is provided a bottle opener for opening bottles closed by a crown cap, said opener comprising means for engaging a small portion of the bottom edge of the skirt of the crown cap; and lever means having one end for tractioning said first mentioned means, an intermediate portion for resting on the crown cap at a position diametrically spaced from said small portion of the bottom edge engaged by said first mentioned means, and a handle portion adapted to define an acute angle with the neck of the bottle provided with the crown cap to be withdrawn therefrom, when said opener is positioned thereon, said lever means being adapted to be drawn by one hand towards the neck of the bottle by a compression force exerted by the hand between the neck of the bottle and said lever means, whereby said means for engaging the bottom edge of the crown cap pivots about said contact point defined by the intermediate portion and the top of the crown cap, unseating the crown cap from the bottle.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the enclosed drawings, in which several embodiments are disclosed which facilitate the comprehension of the principle of the invention, and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the bottle opener in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the opener of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a lateral view of the neck of a bottle provided with a crown cap and in which the crown cap is shown as having been partially unseated by use of the opener of figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the bottle opener, seen when applied to the crown cap of a bottle and held in place by a hand, ready for withdrawing the crown cap from the bottle;; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the opener shown in Figure 4.

Referring in first place to the embodiment of figures 1 to 3, it will be seen that opener 1 comprises a body consisting of a semi-annular wall 2, integral with an intermediate shroud 3 which in turn is integral with a handle 4.

Semi-annular wall 2 has an upper flat edge 5 which is formed by spaced apart indentations 6, 7 which extend into wall 2. Edge 5, between indentations 6 and 7 is adapted to engage (at A) a small portion of the bottom edge 8 of the skirt 9 of the crown cap 10 (as shown in figure 3).

Since crown caps are generally slightly conically shaped, wall 2 is also inclined, as shown at the left hand end of figure 2.

Shroud 3 has an inner cap engaging surface 11 with a cap engaging edge 1 2 for resting on the crown cap 10 at a position diametrically spaced from the portion A of the edge 8 of cap 10 which is engaged by flat edge 5.

Handle 4, as shown in figure 2, forms an obtuse angle with the structure of wall 2 and shroud 3, so that when the opener is positioned on a bottle which is closed by a crown cap, handle 4 will form an acute angle with the neck of the bottle, the handle 4 and the neck of the bottle being sufficiently close to each other to enable the user to grasp both with one hand and draw handle 4 towards the neck of the bottle by a compressive force exerted by closing the hand.

It will be seen that shroud 3 and handle 4 define lever means which serve to traction flat edge 5 upwardly due to the rigid interconnection between wall 2 and shroud 3; said lever means have an intermediate portion which is defined by cap engaging edge 12 and in fact acts as a pivot point between the tractioning end of the lever and the actuated handle 4 thereof.

If desired, shroud 3 can be magnetized so that the cap does not fall off the bottle when it is opened, but it remains retained to shroud 3.

For use. the bottle opener of figures 1 and 2 is positioned over cap 10 with edge 5 in contact with edge 8 and with edge 12 resting on the top flat face 13 of cap 10. The neck of the bottle and handle 4 are grasped with one hand and by closing that hand the portion of edge 8 in contact with edge 5 is forced upwards causing a deformation in the upper flat face 13 of cap 10 (see Figure 3). This deformation continues until the bottom face 11 of shroud 3 rests flatly against the upperface 13 of cap 10 at which time continued movement of handle 4 towards the neck of the bottle will fully unseat cap 1 0 from the mouth of the bottle.

Since the force exerted (see figure 3) by the thumb and by the fingers on the handle 4 and the neck of the bottle are substantially in opposition, the bottle will not tend to topple over.

In figures 4 and 5 an alternative embodiment is shown which is structurally different to the embodiment just described, but which is based on the same concept, that is to provide an opener which can be used with only one hand.

The embodiment of figures 4 and 5 comprises a hook 20 having a free end for engaging (at A) the bottom edge 8 of the skirt 9 of cap 10, the other end of hook 20 being pivoted by a pivot pin 22 to a lever-handle 21 adapted to rest on cap 10 so that when the opener is set on that cap of a bottle to withdraw the cap, handle 9 forms an acute angle with the neck of the bottle and is sufficiently close thereto to enable the user to grasp both with one hand and draw handle 9 towards the neck of the bottle by a compressive force exerted by closing the hand.

Obviously if desired two spaced apart hooks 20 could be pivoted at 22 to lever handle 21 so that each one engages a different circumferential point of bottom edge 8.

A spring 23 is mounted about pivot pin 22 and has legs extending into contact with hook 20 and lever handle 21, to normally bias hook 20 towards lever handle 21.

Claims

1. A bottle opener for opening bottles closed by a crown cap, said opener comprising means for engaging a small portion of the bottom edge of the skirt of the crown cap; and lever means having one end for tractioning said first mentioned means, an intermediate portion for resting on the crown cap at a position diametrically spaced from said small portion of the bottom edge engaged by said first mentioned means, and a handle portion adapted to define an acute angle with the neck of the bottle provided with the crown cap to be withdrawn therefrom, when said opener is positioned thereon, said lever means being adapted to be drawn by one hand towards the neck of the bottle by a compression force exerted by the hand between the neck of the bottle and said lever means, whereby said means for engaging the bottom edge of the crown cap pivots about said contact point defined by the intermediate portion and the top of the crown cap, unseating the crown cap from the bottle.

2. A bottle opener as in claim 1, wherein said opener comprises an integral body having a) a semi-annular wall with an upper flat edge for engaging a small portion of the bottom edge of the skirt of the crown cap; b) an intermediate shroud shaped portion with an inner cap engaging edge; and c) a handle forming an obtuse angle with the wall and shroud structure.

3. A bottle opener as claim 1, wherein said opener comprises a hook having a free end for engaging the bottom edge of the skirt of a crown cap; and a lever-handle, pivoted to the other end of said hook and adapted to rest on the cap, during use.