Patent Application
20200024116
Not applicable to this application.
Example embodiments in general relate to a bottle cap opener and launcher for opening bottles and thereafter launching the removed bottle caps.
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Bottle openers have been in use for many years as convenient tools for opening bottles, and even as decorative items. However, many bottle openers are not very portable, and some are even permanently or semi-permanently mounted near where bottles are stored or drinks are served.
In addition, some very portable bottle openers are available, but often have protrusions or shapes that make them likely to be hooked on or entangled with other objects when carried in a person's pocket or purse. In addition, previous bottle openers have made no provision for being used for entertainment, such as by launching bottle caps, or by their appearance.
An example embodiment is directed to a bottle cap opener and launcher. The bottle cap opener and launcher includes a pry tooth having a shaft, a pry end, and a second end, and a body having a first surface and a collar cavity within the body, the collar cavity having an inner surface defined by a shelf between the collar cavity and the first surface, wherein the pry tooth shaft extends into the collar cavity through an opening in the shelf.
The embodiment also includes a collar movably positioned in the collar cavity, the collar having a coupling end coupled to the pry tooth shaft at the second end, and a compression spring within the collar cavity, positioned over the shaft between the shelf and the coupling end of the collar, wherein the pry tooth and the collar are movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
In some example embodiments, the opening and the collar cavity are cylindrical, and may further be coaxial to each other. In still another example embodiment, the body further comprises a pry tooth recess in the first surface, and an inner surface of the pry tooth recess defines a surface of the shelf. In addition, in embodiments having a pry tooth recess, the recess may also be cylindrical and may further be coaxial with the collar cavity. An inner surface of the pry end may contact the first surface when the pry tooth is in the retracted position, or it may contact an inner surface of the pry tooth recess.
The opener is adapted to remove crown bottle caps and launch them for entertainment. The opener can launch or fling bottle caps to provide a novel, interesting, and fun mechanism that may be used in a game or for personal entertainment. The opener also features improved portability and ease of storage. The opener includes a pry tooth that can be extended for use, and then retracted for improved aesthetics and compactness. The pry tooth can automatically retract once the bottle is opened.
In still another example embodiment, the device may comprise a launcher-only version that is more compact, but may still be used to launch bottle caps as with the previous embodiments, wherein the collar is longer, narrower, and is held directly in a user's hand. This embodiment may have a pry tooth having a shaft, a pry end, and a second end, a body having a first surface and a shaft opening. The pry tooth shaft may extend through the shaft opening and the body may be slidable on the pry tooth shaft. Example embodiments may also include a collar having a coupling end coupled to the pry tooth shaft at the second end, and a compression spring positioned between the collar and the body, such that the compression spring urges the body toward the pry end. In this embodiment, the body is movable between a relaxed position and a compressed position on the pry tooth shaft, since the collar and the pry tooth are held stationary by the user, the compressed position referring to the condition of the spring.
In example embodiments of the launcher version, the body may also comprise a raised flange extending from the first surface, such as a circular flange. In addition, the shaft opening may have a circular cross section, and an inner surface of the pry end can contact the first surface when the body is in the relaxed position.
The pry tooth shaft may in some embodiments be cylindrical, and further, the shaft opening may have a circular cross section. In addition, the pry tooth shaft may be cylindrical and coaxial with the collar. The collar may have different shapes, and may be cylindrical, square, hexagonal, etc.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the embodiments of the bottle cap opener and launcher in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional embodiments of the bottle cap opener and launcher that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the bottle cap opener and launcher in detail, it is to be understood that the bottle cap opener and launcher is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The bottle cap opener/launcher is capable of other embodiments and of being used, made, and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Example embodiments will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference characters, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the example embodiments herein.
A. Overview.
An example bottle cap opener and launcher generally comprises a body 12 that holds a collar 20 and a pry tooth 30, wherein the collar can be pressed to cause the pry tooth to extend outwardly from the body. The pry tooth 30, in the extended position, can be used to pry caps off of bottles. The body 12 also serves as a lever to allow the user to operate the opener. The body may have a collar cavity 15, which may be a generally cylindrical opening. The collar 20 can be pushed like a pushbutton to extend the pry tooth 30 for use. The cavity 15 may also have an inner surface 19, with a shaft opening 11 which leads to a pry tooth recess 17.
The opening 11, along with collar cavity 15 and pry tooth recess 17, form a shelf 16 between the collar cavity 15 and the pry tooth recess 17. The shelf may also comprise an inner surface 25 that faces into the pry tooth recess, and against which the inner surface 34 of the pry end rests when the pry tooth 30 is retracted.
To use the opener, a user first extends the pry tooth 30 from the body 12 by depressing the push button face 22, which in turn compresses the compression spring 40. The pry end 33 of the pry tooth 30 is then exposed and available to be positioned under a bottle cap, at which point the bottle cap 50 can be pried off. For entertainment or to play a target game, a user may hold the freed bottle cap 50 with the ends of the fingers and maintain the location of the bottle cap 50 after it is removed, beneath the extended pry tooth 30 with the top of the bottle cap still against the leverage face 13 of the body 12. The user can then quickly let go of the bottle cap 50, and the return of the compression spring 40 to its original position will forcibly retract the pry tooth 30 while at the same time flinging the bottle cap 50 away from the user. Alternatively, a user may load a loose bottle cap 50 into the pry tooth by depressing the push button face 22 to extend the pry tooth 30 and may use the loose bottle cap to pry the pry tooth 30 out to its fullest extent. The bottle cap 50 may then be released, again launching it as described above.
The opening 11, along with collar cavity 15 and pry tooth recess 17, form a shelf 16 between the collar cavity 15 and the pry tooth recess 17. The shelf may also comprise an inner surface 25 that faces into the pry tooth recess, and against which the inner surface 34 of the pry end rests when the pry tooth 30 is retracted.
In an alternative embodiment, the device can be configured in a smaller version that is a launcher only. In such an embodiment, the launcher 10 generally comprises a body 12 that holds a pry tooth 30, with the compression spring 40 surrounding the pry tooth 30 between the body 12 and the collar 20, which acts as a handle in this embodiment.
B. Body.
As best shown in
The body 12 must be of sufficient strength to withstand the forces needed to repeatedly pry off bottle caps. The body 12 and its sub-elements may be best understood with reference to
The body may have a collar cavity 15, which may be a generally cylindrical opening. The body 12 may have a collar cavity 15 into which the collar 20 can be pushed to extend the pry tooth 30 for use, as shown for example in
The shelf 16 serves to provide an inner cavity surface 19 on the collar side. This inner cavity surface 19 provides a face to hold a compression spring 40 in place within the collar cavity 15. The shelf 16 acts to prevent the compression spring 40 and collar 20 from being pulled out of the body 12 when the pry tooth 30 is being used to pry off a bottle cap. The shelf 16 also serves to maintain compression on the compression spring 40 when the bottle cap opener 10 is not being used.
The force of the compression spring 40 retracts and holds the pry tooth 30 in position in the pry tooth recess 17 as shown, for example, in
The first surface 13, or leverage face 13 of the body 12 will generally be placed in contact with the top face of a bottle cap 50 during use, as shown in
The body 12 can have a variety of structural variations which are generally tied to functional variations. The leverage face 13 can be of different lengths in any number of embodiments in order to help with leverage. The first alternative embodiment is shown in
The carry attachment 14 can be a simple through hole to attach a lanyard or key ring. The carry attachment 14 can also be of the form shown in the second alternative embodiment of
In an alternative embodiment, such as the launcher-only version shown in
C. Collar.
As mentioned above, the collar 20 prevents the pry tooth 30 from being pulled completely out of the body 12. The collar 20 also serves to retain the compression spring 40 on the shaft 31 of the pry tooth 30. The collar 20 can also help lessen lateral forces on the pry tooth 30 by limiting its play in the body 12. The collar 20 also serves in some example embodiments as a pushbutton to allow the pry tooth 30 to be extended, by a user pushing on face or pushbutton surface 22 of the collar, as shown for example in
The collar 20 can be of any height in order to extend out from the body 12 far enough for a user to push on the push button surface 22 in any of the example embodiments. As shown in
The dimensions of the collar 20 can vary widely depending on the design of the bottle opener without changing the underlying functions described above in the detailed description of the collar 20. The collar may be constructed of strong material to withstand the forces of prying off a bottle cap. The collar 20 may attach to the top of the pry tooth 30 to prevent the pry tooth 30 from being pulled out of the body 12 as the bottle opener is used. There may be a relatively strong connection between the collar 20 and pry tooth 30 to prevent inadvertent separation, but there should also be a way to combine the two with relative ease.
In one example embodiment, the collar 20 may simply be a locknut threaded onto the coupling end 32 of the pry tooth 30, as shown in
Thread lock materials or devices may also be used in order to prevent the female threaded collar 20 from backing off the male threads of the coupling end 32 of the pry tooth 30. The collar sidewall 23 may contact the collar cavity 15 of the body 12 when the bottle opener is used. When a user is prying a bottle cap off a bottle there is considerable force pulling against the pry tooth 30 tending to pull the pry tooth 30 out of the body 12. In addition to this force, there is a smaller torque force on the pry tooth 30 that pulls the pry end 33 away from the bottle cap. To prevent this force from pulling the pry end 33 out from beneath the bottle cap, the collar sidewall 23 will transfer the force to the body 12 by pushing against the wall of the collar cavity 15. Simply put, the collar 20 sitting in a rather snug collar cavity 15 helps keep the pry tooth 30 aligned in the body 12 when the pry tooth 30 is being used to open bottles.
Conversely, if the collar 20 fits loosely in collar cavity 15, the pry tooth 30 may come out from beneath the bottle cap and not function properly. The degree to which the collar sidewall 23 pushes on the collar cavity 15 of the body 12 also depends on the size of the shaft opening 11 in the shelf 16 through which the shaft 31 of the pry tooth 30 passes. Other functions of the collar 20 are to secure the compression spring 40 on the shaft 31 of the pry tooth 30, and provide a push button face 22 for extension of the pry tooth 30. An alternative embodiment, as shown in
In the alternative, launcher-only embodiment described above, the collar 20 is much longer, and is also external to the body 12, as best shown in
D. Pry Tooth.
The pry tooth 30 extends from the lower portion of the body 12 to engage a bottle cap 50 for removal. The pry tooth 30 is generally of a size and shape that allows an edge to be placed under the bottle cap. The pry tooth 30 is generally made of strong material, such as metal, to withstand the forces of prying. The pry tooth 30 in each embodiment may be round when viewed down its long axis, although of course other shapes are possible. The pry end 33 was 0.25 inches in diameter in all of the prototypes. The shaft 31 was 0.125 inches in diameter in all of the prototypes of the opener. The shaft 31 diameter being smaller than the pry end 33 diameter creates a lip onto which the bottle cap 50 is placed during removal. The pry tooth 30 extends from the body 12 roughly 5 millimeters in all of the prototypes. A crown bottle cap 50 is roughly 7 millimeters tall.
The pry end 33 may be positioned to slightly pull up the edge of a bottle cap by the time the leverage face 13 is flat across the top of the bottle cap. This tight fit of the bottle cap 50 in between the pry end 33 of the pry tooth 30 and the leverage face 13 helps assure proper leverage on the bottle cap 50 during removal. The pry end 33 may be roughly 1.5 millimeters thick from the outermost edge to the start of the shaft 31. This dimension is important because the pry end 33 must fit between the crown cap of the bottle and the outside wall of the bottle.
For example, if the pry end 33 were 3 millimeters from the edge to the shaft, it might not fit beneath the crown cap as in
E. Compression Spring.
The compression spring 40 serves as a means of retracting the pry tooth 30 when not in use. When the pry tooth 30 is engaged under a bottle cap, the compression spring 40 may become fully compressed and help transfer forces from the body 12 of the bottle cap remover. The compression spring 40 is generally constructed of material to help transfer forces without getting damaged when fully compressed, yet compressible with one finger if necessary for extension of the pry tooth 30.
The choice of compression spring 40 must be carefully paired with the size of pry tooth 30 used and the design of the shelf 16 in the body 12. The compression spring 40 should be strong enough to allow full retraction of the pry tooth 30 into the pry tooth recess 17, yet also allow a user to extend the pry tooth 30 with relative ease with one finger pushing on the pushbutton face 22 of the collar 20. The compression spring 40 may have a number of parameters altered from the above description and still perform as designed and described herein. A flexible rubber sleeve or possibly two magnets with repelling poles could also be implemented to retract the pry tooth in the same fashion as the compression spring 40.
F. Fabrication of an Example Embodiment.
The body 12 may be made from a solid block of material. The collar cavity 15 may be drilled from one side, and the pry tooth recess 17 drilled on the other. The shaft opening 11 in the shelf 16 is then drilled to connect the cavity and the recess. The pry tooth shaft 31 has a coupling end 32 that is threaded and thread locker tape may be placed on these threads. The shaft 31 is passed up through the shelf 16 from the pry tooth recess 17, and compression spring 40 is placed on the shaft 31 as it sits in the collar cavity 15. The collar coupling end 21 is then threaded onto the pry tooth coupling end 32. The resulting, main components of the opener 10 are shown prior to assembly in
In order to use the invention, a user pushes down on the push button face 22 of the collar 20 to extend the pry tooth 30 and compress the compression spring 40. The pry end 33 is then placed beneath the edge of a bottle cap and the leverage face 13 of the body 12 is placed on top of the bottle cap 50. The user then applies pressure to the bottle cap opener 10 in a fashion that pries the cap off the bottle, as shown in
G. Alternative Embodiments.
The combination of bottle opener and key holder is expected to help the marketability of the example embodiments.
Also, as discussed above, an embodiment may be made and used that is more compact, and is just a launcher. In this embodiment, shown generally in
In use, this embodiment is the same or similar to other embodiments when launching bottle caps 50, as the edge of the bottle cap 50 is leveraged between the pry tooth 30 and the body 12 and launched when a user holds and then releases the bottle cap 50.
The components of this alternative embodiment may be made of any of the materials discussed above, and may also have varied shapes and sizes. For example, the collar 20 may be cylindrical, substantially (e.g., mostly) cylindrical, or have a square, rectangular, hexagonal (as shown, for example, in
As shown in
Because the flange 60 hold the bottle cap 50 in place without input from a user, a user can also use another bottle cap or other object, rather than just a fingertip, to hold and launch the cap. As with the previous embodiment, the spring 40 is held in position by pry tooth shaft 31, and is compressed between the body 12 and the collar 20. The spring 40 may be sized so that it is partially compressed even at rest, as shown in
Another benefit of the flange 60 in this embodiment is that it makes shots more accurate, due to the flange 60 engaging the lower surface of the bottle cap 50 when the cap is released, preventing the cap from launching to the left or right of its intended path.
H. Operation of Preferred and Alternative Embodiments.
In general use, the user first extends the pry tooth 30 from the body 12 by depressing the push button face 22, which in turn compresses the compression spring 40 as seen in
In use, the pry tooth end 33 is secured beneath the edge of the bottle cap and pulled toward the user to lodge the pry end 33 beneath the edge of the bottle cap 50 while pressing the body 12 down so the leverage face 13 comes into contact with the top of the bottle cap 50. The user then pulls upwards on the end of the body 12 with the pry tooth 30 while pushing downwards on the other end of the body 12 as in
As a user becomes more familiar with the operation, the user can hold the freed bottle cap 50 with the ends of the fingers and maintain the location of the bottle cap 50 beneath the extended pry tooth 30 with the top of the bottle cap still against the leverage face 13 of the body 12. The user can then let go of the bottle cap 50 and the return of the compression spring 40 to its original position will quickly retract the pry tooth 30 while at the same time flinging the bottle cap 50 away from the user. Alternatively, a user may load a loose bottle cap 50 into the pry tooth by depressing the push button face 22 to extend the pry tooth 30 and using the loose bottle cap to pry the pry tooth 30 out to its fullest extent as in
With regard to launching bottle caps, the alternative embodiment of
To launch a bottle cap 50, as shown in
The user can thus launch, flip, or fling the bottle cap 50 at a particular target, bottle, or cup, while taking part in a game, such as an indoor version of miniature “golf,” using bottle caps and cups or other targets. If the body 12 starts to stick on the shaft 31 or becomes difficult to move into the compressed position, a drop of oil may be placed on the shaft 31 or in the opening 11 in the body so that smooth operation may resume.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the bottle cap opener and launcher, suitable methods and materials are described above. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. The bottle cap opener and launcher may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/511,877 filed on Jul. 15, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/699,127 filed Jul. 17, 2018. Each of the aforementioned patent applications, and any applications related thereto, is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62699127 | Jul 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16511877 | Jul 2019 | US |
| Child | 16574798 | US |
