Patent Application
20200166073
This document relates generally to the connector field and, more particularly, to a new and improved carabiner wherein the gate section incorporates a bottle opener feature that may be utilized to remove a bottle cap from a bottle even without opening the receiver of the carabiner.
A carabiner is a well-known type of a connector. A carabiner includes a hook section and a gate section that usually form a D-shaped or oblong body outlining a receiver. The gate section is connected by a spring-hinge to the hook section and may be pivoted open to allow access to the receiver and then pivoted closed to contain an attachment in the receiver within the body of the carabiner.
Carabiners may be utilized for a number of different applications in various environments. For example, a carabiner may be incorporated into a motor vehicle to act as a tie-down for different items in a cargo compartment such as the cargo area behind the rear seat of a sport utility vehicle. In such an embodiment, the carabiner may be mounted to the floor, the sidewall trim or the rear seat defining the storage compartment.
This document relates to a new and improved carabiner wherein the gate section incorporates a bottle opener feature. That gate section may be removed and then utilized to conveniently and effortlessly remove a bottle cap from a bottle. Alternatively, the gate section may be maintained connected to the hook section and used to remove a bottle cap from a bottle even without opening the gate section and removing any attachment from the receiver of the carabiner.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a new and improved carabiner is provided. That carabiner comprises: (a) a body having a hook section and a gate section defining a receiver, (b) a pivot connecting the gate section to the hook section and (c) a bottle opener feature projecting from the gate section outboard of the receiver.
More particularly, the bottle opener feature may include (a) a first lug, (b) a second lug and (c) a jaw defined between the first lug and the second lug. The first lug may be U-shaped. The second lug may be U-shaped.
The hook section may extend through the first jaw. The pivot may include trunnion carried on the gate section and a bearing carried on a first end of the hook section. The trunnion may extend across the second lug.
The gate section may include a cantilever spring. A catch may be carried on the hook section on the first end adjacent the bearing. Further, the cantilever spring may include a pin engaged in the catch.
In accordance with an additional aspect, an apparatus is provided comprising a trim panel, such as found in the cargo compartment of a motor vehicle, and a carabiner releasably attached to the trim panel. That carabiner may include a body having a hook section and a gate section defining a receiver. The carabiner may further include a pivot connecting the gate section to the hook section. Further, the carabiner may include a bottle opener feature carried on the gate section and projecting from the gate section outboard of the receiver.
Still further, the bottle opener feature may include (a) a first lug, (b) a second lug and (c) a jaw defined between the first lug and the second lug. Advantageously, that bottle opener feature may be utilized to remove a bottle cap from a bottle either with the gate section connected to the hook section or with the gate section removed from the hook section. Further, it should be appreciated that the bottle opener feature may be utilized to remove the bottle cap without requiring one to open the receiver and remove any attachment from the receiver of the carabiner. Thus, it should be appreciated that the bottle opener feature is versatile and easy to use.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a new and improved method is provided of opening a bottle. That method comprises the steps of: (a) removing a carabiner from a trim panel of a motor vehicle, (b) positioning a jaw of a bottle opener feature carried on the carabiner into engagement with a bottle cap on the bottle and (c) prying the bottle cap off of the bottle using the jaw. Still further, the method may include the step of (d) opening the bottle without opening the receiver of the carabiner. Alternatively, or in addition to step (d), the method may include opening the bottle without removing any attachment from the receiver of the carabiner.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the carabiner, the apparatus and the related method of opening a bottle. As it should be realized, the carabiner, apparatus and method are all capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the carabiner, the apparatus and the method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the carabiner, the apparatus and the method and together with the description, serve to explain certain principles thereof.
In
In
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the carabiner, the apparatus and the method, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
As best illustrated in
A pivot, generally designated by reference numeral 32, connects the gate section 28 to the hook section 26. More particularly, as best illustrated in
As should also be appreciated from viewing
More particularly, the bottle opener feature 40 includes a first lug 42, a second lug 44 and jaw 46 defined between the first lug and the second lug. In the illustrated embodiment, the first lug 42 is U-shaped. Similarly, the second lug 44 is U-shaped. In the illustrated embodiment, it should be appreciated that the hook section 26 extends through the first lug 42. Further, the trunnion 34 extends across the second lug 44.
The gate section 28 includes a cantilever spring 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the cantilever spring is formed as an integral portion of the gate section 28. This cantilever spring 48 tends to bias the gate section 28 toward the closed position illustrated in
A catch 50 is carried on the hook section 26 at the first end 38 adjacent the bearing 36. The cantilever spring 48 includes an integral pin 52 that engages in the catch 50 when the gate section 28 is connected to the hook section 26.
When the gate section 28 is in the closed position, the distal end 52 of the gate section 28 is aligned with and juxtaposed to the second end 54 of the hook section 26 thereby completely closing the receiver 30 formed within the body 22. When closed, any attachment or cord C is retained within the receiver 30 of the carabiner 14. In contrast, when gate section 28 is displaced against the biasing force of the cantilever spring 48 into the open position illustrated in
As best illustrated in
After removing the carabiner 14 from the trim panel 12, the method includes the step of positioning the jaw 46 of the bottle opener feature 40 into engagement with the bottle cap BC on the bottle B (see particularly
As illustrated in
Alternatively, it should be appreciated that, if desired, the gate section 28 may be removed from the hook section 26 by snapping the trunnion 34 out of the bearing 36 and the pin 52 out of the catch 50. The gate section 28 may then be utilized free of the hook section 26 to open the bottle B with the bottle opener feature 40 in the manner described above and illustrated in
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
