WO1992008668A1

WO1992008668A1 - Mechanism for a corkscrew and an implement for cracking the protective shells of foodstuffs

Info

Publication number: WO1992008668A1
Application number: PCT/FR1991/000910
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacques Beauvir
Original assignee: Jacques Beauvir
Priority date: 1990-11-19
Filing date: 1991-11-19
Publication date: 1992-05-29
Also published as: EP0558641B1; AU9058691A; FR2669320B1; FR2669320A1; DE69103767D1; EP0558641A1

Abstract

A mechanism for a corkscrew and an implement for cracking the protective shells of foodstuffs consists of a rotary activating head, a tubular body having a bearing area, and a threaded element which is rigidly fixed to an operative element such as a corkscrew or a plunger and rotationally blocked in relation to the body, and cooperates with the screw thread on an intermediate component which is linked to the body via a screw thread running in the opposite direction to the first screw thread. Said rotary head (4) is bell-shaped and can cover most of the tubular body (3) which itself is at least as long as the operative element (2), said head being further rigidly fixed to the intermediate component (9) which screws onto the threaded portion (5) of the operative element and projects axially within said head (4).

Description

"Mechanism for corkscrew and utensil to break food protection shells".

The invention relates to a mechanism for a corkscrew and utensil for breaking the food protection shells. To remove a stopper closing the neck of a container, it is known to use a corkscrew in which the pigtail is extended by a threaded part cooperating with an arm nut able to bear, in the phase of extraction of the stopper, on the bearing of a support, itself resting on the neck of the container. Although providing a multiplication of the human effort necessary to drive the cork, this mechanical corkscrew requires significant effort, traumatizing the fingers of the user and limiting its application.

It is the same for nutcrackers composed of a threaded rod screwing radially into the wall of a hollow body of fragmentation or composed of articulated levers.

German patent 120684 discloses a corkscrew mechanism composed of a rotary actuating head, a tubular body with an end zone of support on the neck of the container and a threaded element which, integral with the pigtail, is locked in rotation relative to the body and is screwed into the internal thread of an intermediate piece, itself screwed into the body but with a thread of direction different from that of the first thread, to obtain, during the rotation of this intermediate piece, a differential translational movement of the pigtail and less force on the actuating member. This member, constituted by a spider with several arms, does not make it possible to fully benefit from the reduction in the resistant force perceived on this member because, for high resistant forces and despite the use of two threads in the opposite direction, the low contact surface between the spider and the user's fingers leads to a high pressure exerting a traumatic force on these fingers.

To this, it should be added that the general shapes and the length of the current corkscrews do not facilitate their handling and, above all, hinder the positioning of the tip of the pigtail in the center of the cork, thus promoting deterioration. of this plug and preventing its re-use. Finally, when this corkscrew is not in use, and for example stored in a pocket, its pigtail has no protection and can injure the user.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by providing a mechanism, for corkscrew and utensil for breaking food shells, which is ergonomic, that is to say suitable for taking full hand, eliminates any traumatic effect and allows its use by people who do not have a great manual tightening force.

In this mechanism, of the type comprising a rotary head, a tubular body and an intermediate piece whose connection with the active element, such as pigtail or piston, is ensured by a thread of pitch different from the thread ensuring its connection with the tubular body, the rotary head has the shape of a bell which can cover most of the tubular body, itself having a length at least equal to the length of the active element, and this head is integral with the intermediate piece screwing the threaded element of _^ the active element and projecting axially within the head.

Due to its shape, the rotary head can very easily be fully grasped, which improves hand grip and, by increasing the contact surface with the hand, facilitates the transmission of motor forces, while reducing perception resistant effort, therefore the risk of trauma. 'When this mechanism is in the deployed storage position, the tubular body protrudes from the rotary head and constitutes a housing for protecting the active element, enabling the utensil to be placed in a pocket without risk of accident.

When in its reverse position, that is to say with the tubular body almost completely capped by the rotary head, this mechanism is very compact, which, when applied to a corkscrew, facilitates positioning pigtail in the center of the cap.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate piece is traversed right through by an axial channel opening to the outside of the head, while the threaded element of the active element is integral with a radial expansion lock, mounted sliding in the aforementioned channel and a radial expansion lock, capable, when the mechanism is in the deployed storage position, to bear on the outer face of the head.

This safety device, in particular for children, locks in the storage position the various constituent elements of the mechanism and opposes any operation thereof and any unwanted exit from its active element.

Of course, to release the mechanism, it suffices to act on the radially expanding latch, at the same time as the actuating head is rotated, to allow the displacement of the intermediate piece in the body and the retraction of the latch in his channel.

In one embodiment of this mechanism, more particularly concerning its application to utensils for breaking the shells of

LOCATION food protection, the active element consists of a piston whose rod, on the one hand, is linked in rotation to a threaded sleeve, itself screwed into the intermediate piece, and on the other hand, is slidably mounted in this socket under the control of a compression spring, disposed in this socket and tending to drive the piston away from the rotary head.

With this arrangement, when the piston comes into contact with the shell of the food, the spring is compressed and, by the increase in resistance which results therefrom, it indicates to the user that it is approaching the rupture of the food shell. This encourages the user to reduce the effort he gives to the actuating head.

Thus, during the brutal rupture of the shell, the effort is insufficient to cause the crushing of its contents, as is the case with current utensils.

After rupture of the shell, the spring takes over from the actuation head and continues the fragmentation action by relaxing, without however crushing the pulp or the flesh contained in the shell.

Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting examples, several embodiments of this mechanism in the case of its application to corkscrews and utensils to break food protection shells.

Figures 1 and 2 are side views in cross section of a first embodiment of this mechanism in the case of its application to a corkscrew and, respectively, when it is in the insertion position in the cork and in the end of extraction of this plug position, Figure 3 is a sectional view along III-III of Figure 1, Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing an alternative embodiment of the mechanism, Figure 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 5 showing another embodiment of this mechanism,

Figure 7 is a side view in cross section of another embodiment of the mechanism and in the case of its application to a utensil to break the food protection shells, Figure 8 is a sectional view along VIII- VIII of FIG. 7 showing the mechanism in the same position as that of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the mechanism with the piston at the end of the stroke, Figures 10 and 11 are partial views, respectively in cross section and side view with partial section showing alternative embodiments of the fragmentation body of the utensil.

In FIGS. 1 to 6, the reference 2 designates the active constituent element by the pigtail, 3 the tubular body of the mechanism and 4 its rotary actuating head.

The pigtail 2 is secured to a threaded element 5 which, in FIGS. 1 to 5, consists of a cup mounted to slide and wedged in translation in the tubular part 3a of the body 3. This cup 5 is secured to longitudinal ribs opposite 6, visible in FIG. 3, and capable of sliding in two complementary grooves 7 opening out from the internal face of the tubular part 3a of the body. This bowl is provided with a threaded bore 8 into which is screwed an intermediate piece constituted by a rod 9? threaded at 10 and projecting axially from the bottom of the head 4, of which it is integral. On the threaded end 11 of the tubular part 3a of the body 3 is screwed a base 3b comprising, in its part intended to come into contact with the ring 1 of a bottle, shown in FIG. 2, a lining 3c made of elastic material .

As shown in Figure 2, the tubular part 3a of the body has a length at least equal to that of the pigtail 2, so as to constitute housing for the latter. This part is provided, at its end opposite to that comprising the base 3b, with an external thread 12 cooperating with a thread 13 formed inside the head 4. This is bell-shaped and can cover the entire body 3, with the exception of its base 3b. The threaded connection 12-13 is provided by a thread in the opposite direction to that of the threaded connection 8-10 between the bowl 5 and the rod 9. Preferably, each of these threaded connections is made by a thread with two offset threads.

This mechanism comprises, in the bottom of the rotary head 4, at least one anti-blocking washer 15, made of a material with a low coefficient of friction, while the bowl 5 comprises, in its bottom, another washer 16 of the same type.

Figure 1 shows the corkscrew when it is in the engagement position of the tip of the pigtail 2 in the cap. In this position, the rotary head 4 is completely screwed onto this body, that is to say until contact with the washer 15 on the threaded upper end of this body. The corkscrew thus has the appearance of a punch, and is therefore very compact, which facilitates its grasping with one hand, while the other hand holds the neck of the container.

LOCATION In other words, this compactness favors the grip of the corkscrew and the introduction of the tip of the pigtail 2 at the center of the cork.

To bring the corkscrew to this position, it suffices to rotate, in a clockwise direction, the rotary head 4 relative to the body 3.

After having introduced the pigtail into the center of the plug and having screwed the pigtail until the lining 3c is in abutment on the ring of the container 1, the plug can be extracted. For this, it is necessary to rotate the head 4 anticlockwise. Under these conditions, the body 3 is pressed by its base 3b on the ring of the container, under the reaction effect resulting from the extraction of the plug. During this rotation, tolerated by the two concentric and opposite threaded connections, the rotary head 4 moves relative to the body 3, while simultaneously the intermediate piece 5 is moved relative to the rotary head 4.

Because of the opposite direction of the threads, these two movements are added and thus communicate to the pigtail and the plug 18 during extraction, a movement of movement greater than that apparent from the head 4. More precisely, if the two threads have steps of the same value, the displacement of the plug is twice as large as the displacement of the head 4 on the body.

It should be noted that, in addition to a gain in the overall size of the corkscrew, this arrangement makes it possible to reduce the effort to be exerted on the rotary head 4. This has the advantage of eliminating any trauma on the actuating fingers the rotary head 4 and allow the use of this corkscrew by people with little strength in their hands.

As shown in Figure 2, when the corkscrew is in extraction, corresponding moreover to its storage position, the end of the threaded rod 9 is supported on the washer 16 which, like the washer 15 and thanks to its low coefficient of friction, constitutes an anti-blocking means of the mechanism and therefore makes it possible to pivot the rotary head 4 in the opposite direction to remove the plug 18 adhering to the pigtail 2. In this position, the pigtail 2 is completely integrated inside the body 3. The corkscrew can thus be stored horizontally or vertically, in which case it can be placed on the diametrical face of its base 3b, since the tip of the pigtail 2 is below this face inside the body.

Due to its structure, this corkscrew protects the user who can thus keep the corkscrew in his pocket, but also ensures safety for children.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the axial rod 9 is traversed by an axial channel 20 in which can slide an axial stud 22 projecting from the bottom of the bowl 5. At its free end, this stud is provided with a radially expanding lock, generally designated by 23.

In the embodiment shown, this lock is constituted by a peripheral rib 24 projecting from the end of the pin 22, end split in a cross at 25 to have a certain elasticity. As shown in FIG. 5, when the corkscrew reaches the end of the cork extraction, the locking notches, formed by the rib 24 and which until then were housed in the channel 20, come to bear on the upper face of the head 4.

When the user wishes to bring the corkscrew into its position for insertion into the cork, it suffices for him to bring the locking notches together while he pivots the control head 4 clockwise. watch.

This simple device locks the corkscrew in the storage position and prevents it from being handled by children. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 differs from the previous one by the fact that the intermediate piece 27, projecting inside the head 31, is in the form of a socket and has an external thread 28 and an internal thread 29. In its bottom, ensuring its connection with the head 31, this bushing is traversed by a bore 30. It is screwed into an internal thread 32, formed at the upper end of the body 33. As for the threaded element of the active element , it consists of a pin 34, threaded externally at 35 and screwed into the threaded bore 29 of the sleeve 27.

The lower end of the element 34 is integral with notches 36 formed, for example, by the ends of a radial rod crossing the axis. As in the previous embodiment, these notches cooperate with internal longitudinal grooves 37 of the body 33.

Of course, the threaded connections 35-29 and 32-28 have reverse pitches and are composed of threads with several threads.

The upper end of the axis 34 is integral with a radial expansion lock 23, capable of passing through the bore 30.

Finally, the rotary head 31 is provided, at the inner end of its skirt, with a seal 26 in contact with the peripheral face of the body 33 to prevent fouling of the threads by dust, while anti-washers

REPLACEMENT blockages 15-16 are arranged, respectively, at the top of the body 33 and at the top of the axis 34 to cooperate with planar faces opposite, respectively, of the head 31 and of the bottom of the socket 27.

The utensil shown in Figures 7 to 9 is more particularly intended for breaking the claws of crustaceans but can also be used for breaking nuts. Its mechanism is similar to that described with reference to FIG. 6, insofar as the body 33, the rotary head 31 and the intermediate piece in the form of a socket 27, are identical and where the only differences relate to the active element, constituted by a piston 40 intended to cooperate with the facing wall 42 of a fragmentation body 43.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 9, the fragmentation body 43 is composed of a tubular part 43a forming a receptacle and a "T" end 43b screwed onto the end thread 11 of the body 33 of the mechanism. The piston 40 is screwed directly to the lower free end of an axial rod 44. It is locked in rotation with the possibility of longitudinal sliding in the body 33 by a transverse pin 45 whose central part passes through a longitudinal lumen 46 of the rod 44 and the ends of which are slidably mounted in the grooves 37 of the body 33. The pin 45 also ensures the connection of the piston 40 with a bushing 47 having externally a thread 48 screwing into the internal thread 29 of the intermediate piece 27.

The rod 44 extends inside the sleeve 47. It is provided, in this part, with a flange 49 whose face turned on the piston side is pressed against a sliding washer 50, interposed between it and the bottom of the socket. The other face of the flange 49 serves as a support for a compression spring

52, the other end of which rests on a nut 53 screwed inside the sleeve 47. This nut forms a guide bearing for the free end of the rod 44 which passes through it. Finally, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the mechanism of the utensil is also provided with a locking device constituted by a radially expanding lock 23 fixed to the free end of the rod 44. This lock cooperates with a frustoconical face 54 formed in the intermediate part 27, downstream of an orifice 55 tolerating the passage of this lock. At rest, and as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the piston 40 is fully housed in the tubular body 33 and does not interfere with the introduction of any food into the receptacle 43a of the fragmentation body.

After unlocking the lock 23, it suffices to break a clamp crustaceans, introduce it into the receptacle 43a and rotate the head 31. As soon as the piston 40 comes into contact with the clamp, and while the operator continues to rotate the head 31, the spring 52 is compressed . As a result, the operator perceives on the head 31 the increase in resistance due to the compression of the spring and adapts the force which it exerts on this head until fragmentation of the clamp is obtained. As soon as the shell thereof is fragmented, and even if the operator stops actuating the head 4, the compression spring 52 relaxes and perfects the breaking force by forcing the piston 40 to move, from a length corresponding to its compression stroke. As a result, the fragmentation is continued without the piston ensuring complete crushing of the food contained in the shell.

The utensil in FIGS. 7 and 9 is more particularly intended for breaking crustacean tongs and comprises a piston 40 whose active face is in the form of a gutter, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fragmentation receptacle 43.

In the context of its specific application to the cracking of nuts, this utensil may include, as a replacement for the body 33 and as shown in FIG. 10, a blind tubular body 57, forming a crucible, associated with a piston 58 having a hemispherical bearing face 59 It can also, in the context of a more general application, and as shown in FIG. 11, have the form of a broken ring 60 comprising a cavity 62, for wedging the nuts without hampering the tightening of the shellfish elements.

It appears that thanks to the thread 11 of the body 33 of the mechanism, the same mechanism can be used with different fragmentation bodies, depending on the needs of the user.

It is obvious that the mechanism of FIGS. 1 to 6, can be substituted for that of FIGS. 7 to 11, by means of the change of its active element, and that that of FIGS. 7 to 11 can also be used to form a corkscrew, even if in this case the spring 52 is irrelevant, since each of these mechanisms provides the same advantages resulting from the combination of two reverse pitch threads with a rotary head in the shape of a bell.

Claims

1. Mechanism for a corkscrew and utensil for breaking the food protection shells, of the type composed of a rotary actuating head, a tubular body comprising a support zone and a threaded element which, integral with an active element, formed by a pigtail or a piston, is set in rotation relative to the body and cooperates with a thread of an intermediate piece whose connection with the body is ensured by a thread of direction different from the first thread, characterized in that the rotary head (4-31) has the shape of a bell which can cover the largest part of the tubular body (3- 33), itself having a length at least equal to the length of the active element (2-40), and is integral with the intermediate piece (9-27), screwing with the threaded element (5-34-37) of the active element, and projecting axially inside of this head (4-31).

2. Mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate piece (9-27) is traversed right through by an axial channel (20-30-55) opening out to the outside of the head (4-31) , while the threaded element (5-34-47) of the active element (2-40) is integral with a radial expansion lock (23), mounted to slide in the aforementioned channel mounted to slide in the aforementioned channel suitable , when the mechanism is in the deployed storage position, to rest on the outside of the head.

3. Mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the free end of the lock (23) is split crosswise at (25) and is provided with a peripheral rib (24) forming locking notches and unlocking member.

4. Mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the threaded element of the active element is constituted by a bowl (5) whose bottom is integral with the active element, whose external face is provided with means (6) for guiding in translation and for stopping in rotation, cooperating with complementary means (7) formed inside the tubular body (3) and whose internal bore is provided, at least locally, a thread (8) able to cooperate with the external thread (10) of a rod (9) projecting axially from the bottom of the rotary head (4), while this rotary head is provided with an internal thread (13 ) screwed onto an external thread (12) of the body (3).

5. Mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rotary head (31) is integral with a sleeve (27) having an external thread (28) cooperating with a thread (32) formed internally at the end of the body (37), while the threaded element of the active element, is constituted by a pin (34) which, being screwed by a thread outside (35) in an internal thread (29) of the aforementioned bushing (27), is mounted free in translation in the body (33), but is locked in rotation therein by cooperation of notches (36) with grooves internal longitudinal (37) of this body.

6. Mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tubular body (3-33) comprises, at its free end, an external thread (11) for fixing a part comprising the zone d 'support and constituted either by a base (3b) supporting the neck of a container, or by a fragmentation body (43-57-60).

7. Mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the active element consists of a piston (40) whose rod (44), on the one hand, is linked in rotation to a threaded sleeve (47), itself screwed into the intermediate piece (27), and, on the other hand, is slidably mounted in this bushing (47) under the control of a compression spring (52), disposed in this bushing ( 47) and tending to drive the piston (40) away from the rotary head (31).

8. Mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotational connection of the rod (44) with the sleeve (47) and the rotation setting of the piston (40) relative to the body (33) are provided by a pin transverse (45), the central part of which passes through an oblong longitudinal lumen (46) of the central rod (44) and of the diametrical holes of the sleeve (47), and the ends of which are slidably mounted in longitudinal grooves (37) inside the tubular body (33).

9. Mechanism according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the compression spring (52) is interposed between a flange (49) of the axial rod (44) of the piston (40) and a nut (53 ), screwed to the end of the housing of the sleeve (47) containing the spring, this nut (53) comprising an axial bore forming a guide bearing for the free end of the rod (44) passing through it.