GB2170172A

GB2170172A - Can opener

Info

Publication number: GB2170172A
Application number: GB08500231A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fung Lin
Original assignee: IP WAI MANUFACTORY Ltd
Current assignee: IP WAI MANUFACTORY Ltd
Priority date: 1985-01-04
Filing date: 1985-01-04
Publication date: 1986-07-30
Also published as: GB8500231D0

Abstract

A can opener has a pair of relatively pivotable levers 1,2; a toothed drive wheel 4 is mounted on one of these levers 1 and a cutting wheel 7 is mounted by means of a slider 6 on the same lever for relative movement along that lever for gripping and releasing a can rim, and the slider of the movable wheel is pivoted at 8 to the other lever 2 which is coupled to lever 1 by a force-multiplying toggle link 10 so that when the levers are squeezed together, the wheels are moved towards one another with a magnified force. The lever 1 is provided with a bottle cap remover 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Can opener This invention relates to can openers.

One common form of can opener, available in both hand-held and wall-mounted forms, comprises a pair of levers pivoted one on another so that they can be squeezed together. The levers carry a toothed drive wheel and a cutting wheel, which are brought together when the handles are squeezed, so that the toothed wheel traps the edge of a can against the cutting wheel. The toothed wheel has a handle which is then rotated to drive the can past the cutting wheels so that the latter cuts the can open. Can openers of this kind are often awkward to use and unreliable.

According to the present invention, a can opener has a pair of relatively pivotable levers, the toothed drive wheel and the cutting wheel are mounted on one of these levers for relative movement along that lever for gripping and releasing a can between them, and the thus movable wheel is coupled to the other lever in a force-multiplying manner so that when the levers are squeezed together, the wheels are moved towards one another with a magnified force.

This provides a can opener which is very easy and reliable to use, thanks to the force multiplication and the use of a sliding rather than pivoting relative motion of the drive wheel and cutting wheel.

In a preferred arrangement, one lever carries the drive wheel near one end and also carries a slide on which the cutting wheel is mounted. The other lever has one end pivotally coupled to the slide, and at an adjacent position is hinged to the first lever by an intermediate link.

One of the levers may also be provided with a bottle cap removed and/or a tooth for opening beer cans.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view showing the can opener in its open position.

Figure 2 is a side view showing the can opener in its closed position, and Figure 3 is a view of the can opener on the arrow III in Figure 1.

The illustrated can opener comprises a first lever 1 and a shorter second lever 2, both of pressed metal or alternatively of moulded plastics material. The first lever 1 has a handle portion at one end, and at the opposite end is a bottle opener 3 and adjacent to this, a toothed metal drive wheel 4 attached to a plastics knob 5 by which the toothed wheel can be rotated. The toothed wheel stands just clear of the profile of the lever so that it can be fitted under the edge of a can in the usual manner.

A slide 6 for example of pressed sheet metal is mounted on the lever 1 adjacent to the drive wheel and its knob, and can move along the lever 1 towards and away from the drive wheel. It carries a freely rotatable cutting wheel 7 at its end nearer the drive wheel 4. The arrangement is such that, if the slide is moved towards the drive wheel, the cutting edge of the cutting wheel 7 overlaps the edge of the toothed drive wheel so as to cut into the end of a metal can held so as to be trapped between the two wheels. When a can is thus trapped, the knob 5 is turned so that the drive wheel 4 makes the can move past the cutting wheel 7, whereby the latter cuts the can open.

In order to move the slide 6, it is coupled at a pivot 8 to one end of the second lever 2. Close to this pivot 8, the second lever has a pivot 9 by which it is pivoted to a link 10 of which the other end is pivoted at 11 to the first lever 1 so that the angle 8-11-9 is an acute angle. Consequently, when a user squeezes together the handle portions of the levers 1,2, the pivot 8 will be caused to move along the lever 1 thereby causing the slide 6 and cutting wheel 7 to move towards the toothed drive wheel 4 in order to trap a can. This position is shown in Figure 2.

The arrangement of the linkage comprising the levers, link 10, and the pivots between them is such that the amount of linear movement of the slide 6 is very much less than the amount of relative movement of the handles. Typically, a maximum possible movement of the levers of 43 mm, produces a slide movement of only 8.5 mm. Correspondingly, the force applied to the cam by the cutting wheel is five times that applied to the handles of the levers.

In the illustrated embodiment, each lever is of sheet metal pressed to a channel section, with the hollow sides of the respective channels facing one another. The link 10 is accommodated within the channels. The slide is of sheet metal bent to a substantially rectangular tubular cross section, with pressed-out lugs 12 which fit over the end of the lever 2. To locate the toothed drive wheel and the shaft which connects it to the knob 5, a channelsection support 13 is fixed inside the channel of the lever 1.

The bottle opener is formed by an opening cut into the web and flanges of the channel-section lever 1 leaving a web portion 14 at the end, to form a jaw 15.

Adjacent to this, the web of the channel-section lever 1 is pressed to form a tooth 16 to be fitted under the edge of a bottle cap in order to lift the cap by pivoting the lever 1 about the web portion 14.

It will be observed that the levers and link 10 and their associated pivots form in effect a toggle linkage. However other forms of mechanical coupling for converting pivoting of the lever handles into longitudinal sliding of the cutter wheel can be provided as alternatives.

The described can opener is made entirely of metal with the exception of the knob 5 of plastics material. However, other parts of the can opener can be made of plastics material if convenient.

It will be understood that the levers are normally held apart by a relatively weak spring, for example a V-shaped leaf spring acting between the lever 2 and the link 10.

The described can opener has been found to be very easy and convenient, and reliable in use.

1. A can opener which has a pair of relatively pivotable levers, a toothed drive wheel and a cutting

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Can opener This invention relates to can openers. One common form of can opener, available in both hand-held and wall-mounted forms, comprises a pair of levers pivoted one on another so that they can be squeezed together. The levers carry a toothed drive wheel and a cutting wheel, which are brought together when the handles are squeezed, so that the toothed wheel traps the edge of a can against the cutting wheel. The toothed wheel has a handle which is then rotated to drive the can past the cutting wheels so that the latter cuts the can open. Can openers of this kind are often awkward to use and unreliable. According to the present invention, a can opener has a pair of relatively pivotable levers, the toothed drive wheel and the cutting wheel are mounted on one of these levers for relative movement along that lever for gripping and releasing a can between them, and the thus movable wheel is coupled to the other lever in a force-multiplying manner so that when the levers are squeezed together, the wheels are moved towards one another with a magnified force. This provides a can opener which is very easy and reliable to use, thanks to the force multiplication and the use of a sliding rather than pivoting relative motion of the drive wheel and cutting wheel. In a preferred arrangement, one lever carries the drive wheel near one end and also carries a slide on which the cutting wheel is mounted. The other lever has one end pivotally coupled to the slide, and at an adjacent position is hinged to the first lever by an intermediate link. One of the levers may also be provided with a bottle cap removed and/or a tooth for opening beer cans. An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view showing the can opener in its open position. Figure 2 is a side view showing the can opener in its closed position, and Figure 3 is a view of the can opener on the arrow III in Figure 1. The illustrated can opener comprises a first lever 1 and a shorter second lever 2, both of pressed metal or alternatively of moulded plastics material. The first lever 1 has a handle portion at one end, and at the opposite end is a bottle opener 3 and adjacent to this, a toothed metal drive wheel 4 attached to a plastics knob 5 by which the toothed wheel can be rotated. The toothed wheel stands just clear of the profile of the lever so that it can be fitted under the edge of a can in the usual manner. A slide 6 for example of pressed sheet metal is mounted on the lever 1 adjacent to the drive wheel and its knob, and can move along the lever 1 towards and away from the drive wheel. It carries a freely rotatable cutting wheel 7 at its end nearer the drive wheel 4. The arrangement is such that, if the slide is moved towards the drive wheel, the cutting edge of the cutting wheel 7 overlaps the edge of the toothed drive wheel so as to cut into the end of a metal can held so as to be trapped between the two wheels. When a can is thus trapped, the knob 5 is turned so that the drive wheel 4 makes the can move past the cutting wheel 7, whereby the latter cuts the can open. In order to move the slide 6, it is coupled at a pivot 8 to one end of the second lever 2. Close to this pivot 8, the second lever has a pivot 9 by which it is pivoted to a link 10 of which the other end is pivoted at 11 to the first lever 1 so that the angle 8-11-9 is an acute angle. Consequently, when a user squeezes together the handle portions of the levers 1,2, the pivot 8 will be caused to move along the lever 1 thereby causing the slide 6 and cutting wheel 7 to move towards the toothed drive wheel 4 in order to trap a can. This position is shown in Figure 2. The arrangement of the linkage comprising the levers, link 10, and the pivots between them is such that the amount of linear movement of the slide 6 is very much less than the amount of relative movement of the handles. Typically, a maximum possible movement of the levers of 43 mm, produces a slide movement of only 8.5 mm. Correspondingly, the force applied to the cam by the cutting wheel is five times that applied to the handles of the levers. In the illustrated embodiment, each lever is of sheet metal pressed to a channel section, with the hollow sides of the respective channels facing one another. The link 10 is accommodated within the channels. The slide is of sheet metal bent to a substantially rectangular tubular cross section, with pressed-out lugs 12 which fit over the end of the lever 2. To locate the toothed drive wheel and the shaft which connects it to the knob 5, a channelsection support 13 is fixed inside the channel of the lever 1. The bottle opener is formed by an opening cut into the web and flanges of the channel-section lever 1 leaving a web portion 14 at the end, to form a jaw 15. Adjacent to this, the web of the channel-section lever 1 is pressed to form a tooth 16 to be fitted under the edge of a bottle cap in order to lift the cap by pivoting the lever 1 about the web portion 14. It will be observed that the levers and link 10 and their associated pivots form in effect a toggle linkage. However other forms of mechanical coupling for converting pivoting of the lever handles into longitudinal sliding of the cutter wheel can be provided as alternatives. The described can opener is made entirely of metal with the exception of the knob 5 of plastics material. However, other parts of the can opener can be made of plastics material if convenient. It will be understood that the levers are normally held apart by a relatively weak spring, for example a V-shaped leaf spring acting between the lever 2 and the link 10. The described can opener has been found to be very easy and convenient, and reliable in use. CLAIMS

1. A can opener which has a pair of relatively pivotable levers, a toothed drive wheel and a cutting wheel mounted on one of these levers for movement relative to one another along that lever for gripping and releasing a can rim between them, and the thus movable wheel being coupled to the other lever in a force-multiplying manner so that when the levers are squeezed together, the wheels are moved towards one another with a magnified force.

2. A can opener as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive wheel is fixed in position on the said one lever and the drive wheel is movable along that lever by the other lever.

3. A can opener as claimed in claim 1 in which the said one lever carries the drive wheel near one end and also carries a slide on which the cutting wheel is mounted, and the other lever has one end pivotally coupled to the slide, and at an adjacent position is hinged to the first lever by an intermediate link.

4. A can opener as claimed in claim 3 in which the link and the other lever form a toggle linkage.

5. A can opener as claimed in any preceding claim in which one of the levers is provided with a bottle cap remover and/or a tooth for opening beer cans.

6. A can opener substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.