EP0968129A1

EP0968129A1 - A screw cap opener

Info

Publication number: EP0968129A1
Application number: EP97913124A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Reidar Vaden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-02-20
Filing date: 1997-11-26
Publication date: 2000-01-05
Also published as: DK9700086U3; AU5048898A; WO1998037010A1

Abstract

An opener for screw caps (1) has the shape of a body (3) with an internal, throughgoing aperture (4) with a greater opening at the bottom than at the top and delimited by a surface with a frustro-conical shape (5) and provided with a number of carriers (6), the inner egdes (9) of which are situated at a distance (a) from the frusto-conical surface (5), and which are able to engage a screw cap (1). The opener may be utilized for caps with different diameters. It is easy to operate and the required force for removing a cap is minimal. It has a simple design and as a consequence is cheap to manufacture.

Description

A Screw Cap Opener

The present invention concerns an opener for screw caps, for example for bottles.

Normally screw caps are screwn off manually. It is a disadvantage that by new bottles relatively much force is often necessary for this action. In occupations where many screw cap are unscrewn daily this operation may result in sore wrists and fingers. Permanent damages to wrists and fingers may appear with such a work load through a long period of time.

It is the purpose of the present invention to indicate an opener for screwing off screw caps and which may be used for screw caps with different size and whereby the said damages may be avoided. This is achieved by designing the opener as indicated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Claim 2 concerns a preferred embodiment of the carriers of an opener according to the invention.

Claim 3 concerns a special mutual orientation of the carriers of an opener according to the invention.

By the features of claim 4 it is achieved, that the carriers simultaneously lift the cap upwards when the opener is turned counterclockwise in the case of caps with right-handed thread.

Claim 5 concerns another embodiment of the carriers of an opener according to the invention.

Claim 6 concerns an insert for use in an opener according to the invention, whereby the opener may be utilized for removing screw caps with lesser diameter. The invention will be described further in the following with reference to the drawing, on which:

Fig. 1 shows a horizontal view of an opener according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows the opener in a section on the line I-I on Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 shows an elevated section in an opener according to the invention,

Fig. 4 shows a section through the opener on the line II-II on Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 shows an elevated section through an opener according to the invention where the opener is placed in position on a screw cap to be screwn off a bottle,

Fig. 6 shows an elevated section through an opener according to the invention in which is placed an insert for screwing off screw caps with small external diameter,

Fig. 7 shows an elevated section through an insert for an opener according to the invention, and

Fig. 8 shows the insert in a section on the line III-III on Fig. 7.

An opener for screwing off a screw cap 1 from e.g. a bottle 2 and as shown on the drawing consist of a body 3 that internally has an aperture 4 shaped as a truncated cone with the larger opening at the bottom.

At the inner surface 5 in the aperture 4 the body 3 is provided with a number of carriers 6 that may engage a screw cap 1. The carriers are extended mainly from the bottom 7 to the top 8 of the body 3.

The body 3 can be made of synthetic material, e.g. nylon, or from any other suitable material. The carriers 6 may be in the form of steel blades moulded into the body 3 or fastened onto it in another way. The carriers may be designed with an inner edge 9 facing the screw cap 1 and with cutting edges 11 and 12. The edge 9 is situated at a distance a from the surface 5. The distance a may be the same in the full length of a carrier 6, and it can be identical for all carriers.

As shown, the carriers 6 may have the same orientation. As shown on Fig. 3 they can have an orientation as to form an angle v less than 90° with the bottom surface 7 in the body 3. The carriers 6 may also have a nonlinear form.

The opener according to the invention may also comprise a further body or insert 14 with an external shape fitting with the internal shape of the frustro- conical surface 5.

The insert 14 may, as shown on Fig. 7, be designed with external guide areas 15. On the external side of the insert 14 or in the guide areas 15 there is provided grooves 16 for receiving the carriers 6 when the insert is mounted in body 3.

The insert 14 is provided with an internal opening 17 with the shape of a truncated cone. At the internal side 18 the insert is provided with a number of carriers 19, that can be shaped and placed in a way similar to the carriers in the body 3.

In order to keep the insert 14 in place in the body 3, this body 3 and the body 14 are provided with a lock for keeping the parts together. As shown, this lock may comprise one or more projections or tongues 20 to engage a recess 21 formed at the bottom of the body 3. At the top the opener may be provided with a handle 22 having drilled holes 23 for not shown screws by which the opener can be screwed onto the underside of e.g. an upper cupboard.

The opener as shown and described is only an example serving as an illustration of the invention.

Claims

1. An opener for screwing off screw caps (1), for example from bottles, characterized in that the opener is shaped as a body (3) with an internal, frustro-conical aperture (4) with a greater opening at the bottom than at the top, and that the body (3) at the internal surface (5) in the aperture (4) is provided with a number of carriers (6) for engaging a screw cap (1), the carriers (6) extending mainly from the bottom (7) to the top (8) of the body (3).

2. An opener according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriers (6) have the form of steel blades with an internal edge (9) with cutting edges

(11,12), where the carriers (6) are fastened to the inner side of the body (3), for example moulded into the body, and where the internal edge (9) is situated at a distance (a) from the internal surface of the truncated cone (5).

3. An opener according to claim 1 and 2, characterizedin that the carriers (6) are rectilinear and have the same orientation.

4. An opener according to claim 1-3, characterized in that the carriers (6) form an angle (v) less than 90┬░ with the bottom surface (7) in the body (3).

5. An opener according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the carriers (6) do not have a rectilinear form.

6..An opener according to claim 1, characterizedin that the opener comprises a further body or insert (14) having an external form complementary to or provided with guide areas (15) fitting with the internal surface (5) of the body (3), and which is designed with grooves (16) for receiving the carriers (6) and with an internal throughgoing aperture (17) with the form of a truncated cone with carriers (19) on the inner side (18).