The present invention relates to the field of kitchen tools, and more particularly to kitchen tools and methods for overcoming the torque needed to open vacuum sealed jars.
Many foods are sold in jars that are sealed before the cooked contents cool to create an internal vacuum condition to securely hold the jar cap in place and effectively protect the contents from becoming contaminated. Vacuum sealing pertains both to jar caps with full threading requiring a complete rotation or more to be removed and quick-release jar caps requiring less than a quarter turn to be removed. A problem exists in that removing vacuum-sealed jar caps requires the application of significantly more torque, in the range of 33% to 100% more torque, than needed to remove the same caps without vacuum seals. Because of this greater torque requirement, many people have difficulty removing a cap from a vacuum sealed jar. When the person is older, or has less hand strength than average, removing a vacuum-sealed cap from a jar becomes a major challenge.
Over the years, different devices have been developed and sold to attempt to overcome the problem of removing the vacuum-sealed jar cap. Some of these devices serve as a tool to increase the gripping force and torque the person can apply to the cap through leverage. Some are simply an elastomeric frictional pad to increase the amount of grip the person applies with the same force. Some are electrically driven clamping chuck devices to unscrew jar caps. In all cases, the vacuum has to be overcome, and traditionally a greater torque has been the available means to do so. The present invention overcomes the problem through a novel and simple approach.
The jar opening apparatus and method of the invention provides means for relieving the vacuum under which a jar cap is sealed to reduce the torque required for opening the jar. A sharply pointed pin is mounted to a plunger that can be depressed against the force of a compression spring. The jar opening apparatus is placed on a vacuum-sealed jar cap to be opened. When the plunger is depressed, the pin is extended through an orifice in a base portion to punch a hole through the jar cap, releasing the vacuum. The compression spring then retracts the pin into the orifice, and ambient air enters the jar to relieve the vacuum and reduce the amount of torque needed to open the jar. In the preferred embodiment, a magnetic pad is mounted to the base of the jar opening device securing attachment to the jar cap during use, and to a refrigerator or other steel surface for storage.
The present invention is best understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which like elements are identified by similar reference numerals and wherein:
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According to the description herein, the present invention is directed to puncturing the cap of a vacuum-sealed jar so as to reduce the pressure differential on the jar cap and lessen the torque needed to rotate and remove the cap. An implement is used for puncturing the cap, and the implement is then removed from the punched hole. With a hole made through the cap, the pressure within the jar equalizes with ambient pressure allowing the cap to be rotated and removed more easily.
The apparatus 20 for removing jar caps sealed under vacuum is depicted as a cap punch device shown residing on top of cap 12. Cap punch device 20 has a head 24 mounted to a plunger 26 that is adapted for being moved downwardly in response to downward pressure on head 24. While head 24 is illustrated as being hemi-spherical, other shapes including flat are applicable within the scope of the present invention. Plunger 26 is partly encased in a housing 28 that is affixed to a base 30. In the preferred embodiment, a magnetic pad 32 is assembled to the lower surface of base 30. Magnetic pad 32 removably holds cap punch device 20 to jar cap 12 during use. When cap punch device 20 is not being used, magnetic pad 32 allows temporary mounting of cap punch device 20 on a convenient steel surface, for example a panel of a refrigerator. Magnetic pad 32 is formed of flexible sheet magnetic material, as is known. Alternatively, base 30 may be formed of a magnetized plate.
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While the description above discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is contemplated that numerous variations and modifications of the invention are possible and are considered to be within the scope of the claims that follow.