GB2201146A

GB2201146A - Removing bottle stopper

Info

Publication number: GB2201146A
Application number: GB08800564A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Ronald Mackey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-01-13
Filing date: 1988-01-12
Publication date: 1988-08-24
Also published as: GB8800564D0

Abstract

A two-piece cork remover comprises a gas reservoir compartment (10) also containing a spring-controlled valve stem (5'') disposed above the fixedly pierced top (8') of a pressurized gas cartridge (3) and that is sealed by the gas pressure to store gas in the reservoir compartment until the valve stem is depressed, as by an actuating button, (7) thereby to open the seal and permit transfer of the gas in the reservoir compartment, as backed by the gas in the cartridge, along a passageway (16) external to the valve body and along the outside of the gas cartridge to a cork-piercing needle (9). <IMAGE>

Description

Device for Removing a Bottle Stopper The present invention relates to container stopper removing devices, being more particularly, though not exclusively, concerned with the gas-pressurized release of wine bottle corks and the like, the term "cork" being used herein tri a generic sense to embrace stopper or other capping devicee for liquid-carrying and other containers and the like, Prior apparatus for effecting gas-pressure release of, for example wine bottle corke and the like range from disposable one-time-use pressurized gas bombe, cartridges or cylinders that apply gas under pressure through a cork-penetring needle into the air space in the neck of the bottle above the wine level to force the cork out of the neck, to multi-use apparatus employing velves for effectively opening and closing the pierced ga9. cylinder outlet region or for repetitively piercing end sealing the gas cylinder cap, ae described, for example. in United States Letters Ratent Nos. 4,317,390 and 4,646,956 The use of repetitive piercing and sealing of the gas cylinder or its immediate outlet region, however, is attendant with gas-leakage problems and a significant variation in the performance efficacy during successive uses of the device, particularly as the volume of rema.i.n ing gas in the cylinder or cartridge diminishes. Relatively complicated, costly and adjustment-necessary valve structures have, moreover, beenn required, as well.

An object of the present invention, on the other hand, is to provide a new and improved cork-removal apparatus of this character that obviates touch disadvantages and difficulties and that, to the contrary, enables a fixed and controlled single penetration of a gas cylinder, that is adapted for multi and repetitive use with a simple refillable and inexpensive combined valve system and gas reservoir chamber or compartment that is remarkably gas tight and provides markedly improved uniformity of operation for successive or repetitive uses.

A further object is to provide an improved gas-presaurized cork remover of more general utility, as well.

Other and further objects will occur be explained hereinafter and are more particularly delineated in the appended claims.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a cork removal apparatus comprising, in combination, housing means having upper and lower housing portions detachably secured to one another, said lower housing portion having a recess accommodating a pressurized gas-containing cartridge and communicating at a lower end thereof with cork-piercing hollow needle means, said upper housing portion including valve means having a valve body and resiliectly depressible valve stem means supported within a gas reservoir compratment in said valve body aid carrying sealing means sealing an upper end of said reservoir compartment, said vavle means having a lower end threaded onto an upper end of said cartridge and means fixedly piercing said upper end of said cartridge with said reservoir compartment communicating with the pierced upper end of said cartridge, button means resiliently actuatable to depress said valve stem means to open the seal made by said sealing means and thereby unseal said upper end of said reservoir compartment, passageway means external to said valve body and communicating with said reservoir compartment upon opening of said seal for transferring gas from said cartridge stored in said reservoir compartment, as backed by the pressurized gas in said cartridge, through said passageway means, into and through said lower recess of said lower housing portion externally of said gas cartridge, and out of said housing through said needle means.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 of which is a longitudinal section of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in normal inoperative state; Figure 2 is a similar view of the apparatus in use, shown applied for the removal of a wine bottle cork; Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary schematic views similar to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, diagramatically illustrating pressurized gas storage and use; and Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, of a modification embodying a preferred form with a permanently attached needle cover.

Referring to Figure 1, the stopper cork remover apparatus is shown comprising a cylindrical housing, as of plastic or metal or the like, having a lower internally recessed housing portion 1 containing within its recess 1' a pressurized gas cylinder 3 (such as CO2 or the like), and an upper housing portion 2 detachably threaded at 2' to the lower portion I and internally containing a valving system 5 actuated by a pivotal top button 7.The bottom wall of the lower housing portion recess 1' is apertured at 4 to permit pressured gas that may be released from the cylinder 3 under action nf th. valving system , , as later explained, to exit from near terminal openinge 9' in depending hollow necdie 9 adaprad to pen@tiale the stopper or cork 11 in, for example, a wine bottle or ohter con tamer W, Fig. 2, into the space S above the contents level L, to force the cork 11 upward and out of the bottle.

Turning to the details of the valving system, the valve body 5 contains, from bottom to top, a lover housing and cylinder otop 6 axially mounting the gas cylinderpiercing pin or tube 8 that fixedly punctures the gas cylinder top at 8', when threaded upnn the upper neck of the gas cylinder, as shown. The valve stem spring 5' bears upon the top of tne piercing tube housing 6 and extends upwardly within a chamber or compartement 10, that serves both to contain the spring 5' and as a gas reser- voir external to the cylinder 3, and against a valve stern 5" that terminates in an extension and stem seal 5'" protruding just below the top-actuating button 7.A lower O-ring 0 along the underside of the piercing tube housing and cylinder stop 6 serves as a peripheral gas cylinder seal after the piercing of the gas cylinder. Once the gas cylinder cap is pierced, the gas enters the piercing tube 8 and travels into the reservoir chamber 10 around the valve n?:em ape 5' contained therein, being sealed therein in the position of Fig. 1 by the valve stem seal o". The preferred fabrication of the valve stem extension is to contain an "O"-ring which enable expansion under pressure to prevent leakage through the top of the device. Through an upper side hole 15 and comunicating lateral slot passageway 16, flow communication is established with recess l' when actuation occurs (Fig. 2); but in the quiescent sate (Fig. l), the gas is sealed in the chamber 10 and cannot communicate wit the passageway Is.

In operation, once the protective needle cover 9" is threaded off the insert needle holder and cover lock 13, Fig. 1, and pierces the bottle cork 11 or the like, Fig.

2, gas from the cylinder 3 passes, as before explained, to the reservoir chamber 10. containing the valve stem spring 5' , being contained or trapped in this reservoir volume external to the gas cylinder as pressure is exerted on the head of the valve stem 5" and in turn on the cylinder seal O-ring O located under the valve stem head. Thus, in accordance with the invention, the initial release and sealing technique above-described employs the gas pressure to effect the seal--i.e., the higher the pressure from the cylinder 3, the better the seal. This stored condition is shown in Fig. 3, with the shading rePresenting the pressurized gas.

Upon depression of the actuation button 7 about its pivot or dowel 7' and in opposition to the lateral return spring 7", the valve stem extension 5"' to one side of, but i'just under, said pivot 7' and the valve stem 5" are depressed, Fig. 2, allowing gas in the valve spring gas reservoir chamber 10 and its back-up from the cylinder 3 to travel around the valve stem through the before-en- tioned side hole 15 in the valve body dozy the lateral slot passageway 16 in the upper housing portion 2 external to the valve body and into the recess 1' of the lower housing potion surrounding the gas cylinder 3 and down through the needle 9, exiting at its side holes 9', as before explained. This condition is illustrated by the shaded gas paths of Fig. 4.

As previously stated, and unLike some of said prior patent proposals, the invention thus always keeps the piercing pin or tube in a fixed position and at fixed depth in the pierced gas cylinder or cartridge 3 and does not re-insert into it or try to valve the cylinder outlet in each use, with attendant leakage and other problems.

The reservoir of gas is sealed in the valve spring compartment or chamber 10 above the gas cylinder 3 until the actuation button is depressed, thence the gas stored in the reservoir compartment 10 and additional backup gas under pressure from the cylinder 3 becomes released via recesses 16 and 1, through the needle 9 until the actuator button is released and the System is restored to the inoperative position of Pig. 1, end with a new supply of gas stored and sealed in the valve stem gas revervoir compartment 10 again. This operation provides substantial uniformity of operation during repetitive uses.

The gas cylinders or cartridges 3 are readily attached by unlocking or unscrewing the upper and lower housing portions 2 and 1 at 2', threading the neck of a cylinder 3 into the insert 8' of the upper housing portion tightly by hand, causing the piercing tube 8 to penetrate the gas cylinder the desired amount or depth, sealing same with O-ring 0, and re-threading or locking the upper and lower housing portion at 2'.

In the preferred embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, added safety is provided by means of a permanent larger diameter needle protective cover 9'" that receives the bottle top, Figure 6 (preferably transparent as of "Lexan" plastic or the like to permit operational viewing)* instead of the removable sheath cover 9 of Figure 1, and an improved seal for preventing gas escape is also provided through locating the O-ring 0" right under the valve stem extension seal 5'". A lateral relief valve 4' comprising a ball 14 spring urged at 15' normally to close off communication with the opening 4 is also provided to prevent excessive pressure on the bottle to-be-opened. In operation, Figure 6 (with gas flow represented by the shading), the bottle top is received within the cover 9"' through its base 23, forcing the stripper plate 22 against the spring 19 slidingly upwardly within the cover as the needle tube 9 penetrates the cork 11. As before, gas is shown forced around the valve stem S,' and laterally outwardly and then downwardly in the space 16 about the gas cylinder 3, out the opening 4 and through tho noodle tube 9, exiting through the needle side apertures 9' to pressurize the volume between the cork II and the wine level L and force the cork Out,

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Cork-removal apparatus comprising in combination, housing means having upper and lower housing portions detachably secured to one another, said lower housing portion having a recess accommodating a pressurized gas-containing cartridge and communicating at a lower end thereof with cork- piercing hollow needle means, said upper housing portion including valve means having a valve body and resiliently depressible valve stem means supported within n gas reservoir compartment in said valve body and carrying sealing means sealing an upper end of said reservoir compartment, said valve means having a lower end threaded onto an upper end of said cartridge and means fixedly piercing said upper end of said cartridge with said reservoir sompartment communicatiny with the pierced upper end of said cartridge, button means resiliently actuatable to depress said valve stem means to open the seal made by s & d sealing means and ttlereby unseal said upper end of said reservoir cotnpaxtmetlt, passageway means external to said valve body and communicating with said reservoir compartment upon opening of said seal for transferring gas from said cartridge stored in said reservoir compartment, as backed by the pressurized gas in said cartridge, through said passageway means, into and through said lower recess of said lower housing portion externally of said gao cartridge1 and out of said housing through said needle means
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises o-ring means carried by said valve stem means and depressible with said valve stem means to unseal said upper end of said reservoir compartment and permit communication of gas from said reservoir compartment to said passageway through lateral hole means in said valve body.-3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the pressure of the gas communicated from said cartridge to said reservoir compartment urges said sealing means closed.- 4.Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said valve stem means is provided with a valve stem extension protruding under said button means and depressible under actuation of said button means to depress sald valve stem means and open said seal. -- 5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, including means resiliently urginy said button means to a non active position about a pivot disposed to one side and slightly above the top of said valve stem extension.-6.Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said upper and lower housing portions are cylindrical and said valve stem extension is sealed by O-ring sealing means undergoing expansion under pressure of gas exiting said reservoir compartment to prevent leakage of such gas.-- 7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , including further sealing means provided between said piercing means and a top of said gas cartridge and pertpherally sealing said top of said gas cartridge.-8. - Apparatus according to Claim 7 , wherein said further sealing means comprises an o-ring seal.-9.Apparatus according to Claim 1 , wherein said cartridge piercing means comprises a piercing tube fixed at a predetermined depth through said top of said cartridge and communicating gas from said cartridge to said reservoir compartment.-- 10. Apparatus according to Clair 1 , wherein protective oover means is provided for said needle means, detachable therefrom to permit said needle means to penetrate a bottle cork and the like.-11. - Apparatus according to Claim 1, including pressure-relief valve means provided near said lower housing portion recess and said needle means to prevent excessive gas pressure on the bottle from which the cork is to be removed.-12.A device according to Claim 1 , including protective cover means provided for said needle means and of cross-section adequate to receive a bottle lleck containing a cork and the like said cover means being provided with spring biased plate means against which th. bottle neck is urged for insertion into said cover means, such urging sliding said plate means upwardly of said cover means and causing said needle means to penetrate the cork.-13.A two-piece cork removal device comprising, in combination, a housing having first and second portions detachably secured to one another; valve means defining a gas reservoir compartment and threaded onto a fixedly pierced top of a pressurized gas cartridge disposed within a recess of said housing, said reservoir compartment containing a resiliently depressible valve stem; means for sealing gas in said reservoir compartment until said valve stem is depressed; and means for depressing said valve stem to open the seal made by said sealing means and thereby allowing transfer of the gas in said reservoir compartment, as backed by the gas in said cartridge, along.a passageway external to said reservoir compartment and along the outside of said gas cartridge within said housing, said housing albo having means for connecting cork-piercing hollow needle means thereto to receive the transferred gas for discharge from said housing. -- 14. A device according to Claim 13, including protective cover means provided for said needle means and of cross-section adequate to receive a bottle neck containing a corX and the like, said cover means being provided with spring biased plate means against which the bottle neck is urged for insertion into said cover means, such urging sliding said plate means upwardly of said cover means and causing said needle means to penetrate the corL,-- 15. A device for removing a stopper from a bottle or other container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accopanying drawings.