Patent Application
20150158709
The present invention relates to container openers and, more particularly, to a multi-purpose container opener device.
Currently, people, and especially children and the elderly, often experience difficulty breaking the tamper seal and opening various containers found around the home. These containers include, but are not limited to, prescription vials and other twist off closures. In addition, these same people often experience difficulty opening ring top cans.
As can be seen, there is a need for a multi-purpose container opening device that may open multiple types of container lids, seals and the like.
In one aspect of the present invention, a multi-use container opening device comprises: a base having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises at least one cap receiver and a first pivot post, wherein the second end comprises a second pivot post; a cap engagement lever arm comprising a first pivot hole, wherein the first pivot post of the base engages with the first pivot hole; a ring-top opener shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a sharpened nose, wherein the second end comprises a second pivot hole, wherein the second pivot post of the base engages with the second pivot hole; and a cover having a first end and a second end, comprising at least two holes, wherein the cover attaches to the base having the at least two holes aligned with the first pivot post of the base and the second pivot post of the base, wherein the cap engagement lever arm and the ring-top opener shaft are sandwiched in between the cover and the base.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of opening a ring top container comprises: providing a multi-use container opening device comprising a base having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises at least one cap receiver and a first pivot post, wherein the second end comprises a second pivot post, a cap engagement lever arm comprising a first pivot hole, wherein the first pivot post of the base engages with the first pivot hole, a ring-top opener shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a sharpened nose, wherein the second end comprises a second pivot hole, wherein the second pivot post of the base engages with the second pivot hole; and a cover having a first end and a second end, comprising at least two holes, wherein the cover attaches to the base having the at least two holes aligned with the first pivot post of the base and the second pivot post of the base, wherein the cap engagement lever arm and the ring-top opener shaft are sandwiched in between the cover and the base; depressing an end of the ring-top opener shaft position lock release rocker to release a retainer ledge from the ring-top shaft open position locking notch; rotating the ring-top opener shaft into an open configuration; moving a sharpened nose of the ring-top opener shaft under the ring of a container top; pushing down on device, thereby lifting the ring of the container top; pushing the ring-top opener shaft through the ring until the stop on the shaft engages the top of the container; pulling up on the device to break the seal and open the container.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-use container opener that may include a base having a first end and a second end. The first end may include at least one cap receiver and a first pivot post, while the second end may include a second pivot post. A cap engagement lever arm may include a first pivot hole. The first pivot post of the base may engage with the first pivot hole. A ring-top opener shaft may have a first end and a second end, and may have the first end include a sharpened nose, and the second end may include a second pivot hole. The second pivot post of the base may engage with the second pivot hole. A cover having a first end and a second end may include at least two holes. The cover may attach to the base having the at least two holes aligned with the first pivot post of the base and the second pivot post of the base. The cap engagement lever arm and the ring-top opener shaft may be sandwiched in between the cover and the base.
As is illustrated in
In certain embodiments, a second container opener component 33 may be placed on the base 12. In certain embodiments, a ring-top opener shaft 22 may have a first end 23 and a second end 25. The ring-top opener shaft 22 may be placed so that a second pivot hole 34 of the ring-top opener shaft 22 may engage with the second pivot post 36. The second end 25 of the ring-top opener shaft 22 may include the second pivot hole 34 and along the second pivot hole 34 may be a ring-top shaft open position locking notch 32 and a ring-top shaft closed position locking notch 31. The first end 23 of the ring-top opener shaft 22 may include a sharpened nose 26. Towards the sharpened nose 26 along the first end 23 may be a edge stop 24 located on a base side of the ring-top opener shaft 22.
In certain embodiments, a spring 30 and a ring-top shaft position lock release rocker 28 may attach to the base 12. The ring-top shaft position lock release rocker 28 may include a third pivot hole 50 and a retainer ledge 51. The third pivot hole 50 may engage with a third pivot post 52 located along the base 12. The retainer ledge 51 of the ring-top shaft position lock release rocker 28 may engage and slide into the ring-top shaft open position locking notch 32 for an open configuration and slide into the ring-top shaft closed position locking notch 31 for a closed configuration. The spring may be made from a material such as foam, metal or the like.
A cover 14 may attach to the base 12. The cover 14 may include at least two holes 46. The at least two holes 46 may align with the first pivot post 40 and the second pivot post 36, thereby sandwiching the cap engagement lever arm 18 and ring-top opener shaft 22 in between the cover 14 and the base 12. In certain embodiments, at least two latch pins 16 may be inserted into the at least two holes 46 of the cover 14, and engaging with the first pivot post 40 and the second pivot post 36 as well as at least two latch pin holes 48 located on the base 12. In certain embodiments, a plurality of cover support tabs 42 may be located on the first end 11 of the base 12.
In alternate embodiments, both the first container opener component 29 and the second container opener component 33 may each be a cap engagement lever arm 18. An alternate embodiment 54 such as shown in
In alternate embodiments, a ring-top can shaft with an integral handle 66 may be included. The ring-top can shaft with an integral handle 66 may have an sharpened nose area 70 along a first end 71. The first end 71 may also include an edge stop 75. The cross section of the first end 71 may be similar to what is shown in
A method for using the present invention may include the following. In certain embodiments, the device works through rotation of the cap engagement lever arm 18 to temporarily pinch container caps 76 between itself and the circumference of one of the cap receivers 44 on the base 12. The various diameter cap receivers 44 may all be tangent on one side which may allow the cap engagement lever arm 18 to contact whichever size cap 76 may be inserted and opened. Once a cap 76 may be temporarily pinched and retained, the entire device 10 may be rotated counter clockwise to break tamper seals and release thread tension from the cap 76 so that the cap 76 may be removed from the container 78. The ring-top opener shaft 22 may function through use of a sharpened nose 26 to initially select and raise a pull tab 80 of the can 84. The pull tab 80 may be ring shaped. Leveraging the sharp nose 26 under the ring shaped pull tab 80, the operator 86 may then push downward on the device 10. This action may cause the ring-top opener shaft 22 to push against the top edge of the can 84 which may cause the can 84 edge to temporarily serve as a fulcrum. The operator 86 may then start pushing the device 10 downward which may result in the pull tab 80 being forced upward a sufficient amount to then push the remainder of the ring-top opener shaft 22 through the center of the ring shaped pull tab 80. Once the edge stop 24 on the base side of the ring-top opener shaft 22 reaches the opposing top edge of the can 84, the operator 86 may then lift the device 10. This action may force the can 84 top edge to again act as a temporary fulcrum. The leverage provided by the upward force may cause the attached ring shaped pull tab 80 to pull up on the cover 82 of the can 84. Pulling up on the cover 82 of the can 84 may prompt the retaining seal of the can 84 to tear thereby opening the can 84.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
