FR2787432A1 - Bottle opener has handle with component for stressing lower edge of skirt, and another component for supporting zone opposite upper edge of skirt - Google Patents

Abstract

The bottle opener is formed of an entirely plastic single piece comprised of a handle (100) with a component (220) for stressing the lower edge of a cylindrical skirt crimped with a cap, and another component (230) that supports a zone opposite the upper edge of the skirt adjacent the cap closure wall.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of bottle openers.

  Many devices have already been proposed for the opening of

bottle caps.

  However, the known devices are not entirely satisfactory. To the knowledge of the inventor, all known devices comprise, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 10 appended, a lever arm L adapted to bear, on the one hand in L1 on the upper surface S of the capsule C and on the other hand in L2 under the edge of the skirt

  cylindrical J of the cap set on the neck of the bottle.

  All of these known devices have the main function of strongly deforming the capsule C so that it escapes the neck of the bottle. But it is not uncommon for the lever L to contact the glass neck of the

  bottle and operates an at least partial break thereof.

  Furthermore, the resulting deformation of the capsules prohibits any attempt to reposition the capsules on the neck of the bottle or at least prohibits closing the bottle tightly with the

deformed capsule.

  The object of the present invention is to propose a new bottle opener device which avoids the drawbacks of prior devices and

  has improved performance.

  The present invention aims in particular to propose a bottle opener adapted to avoid any risk of breakage of the bottle neck. Another object of the present invention is to provide a

  bottle opener adapted to limit deformation of the capsule.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle opener adapted to allow the bottle to be closed so

waterproof after uncapping.

  These aims are achieved in the context of the present invention by means of a bottle opener formed from a single piece made of plastic material comprising a handle provided with first means capable of coming to urge the lower edge of the cylindrical skirt set with a capsule and second means capable of bearing on an opposite zone of the edge

  upper of said skirt adjacent to the closure wall of the capsule.

  Other features, purposes and advantages of this

  invention, will appear on reading the detailed description which follows,

  and with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples, and in which: - Figures 1 and 2 show two perspective views of a device according to the present invention, - Figure 3 shows a side view of this device, - Figure 4 shows a top view of the same device, - Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device along the cutting plane referenced VV in Figure 4, - Figure 6 shows a bottom view of the device according to the present invention, - Figure 7 shows an end view of the device according to the present invention, - Figures 8 and 9 schematically show two successive steps of setting up the device according to the present invention on a capsule bottle, and - Figure 10 previously described schematically illustrates a device

  classic according to the state of the art.

  The bottle opener in accordance with the present invention illustrated in the appended figures comprises a handle 100 provided with means 200 for gripping the capsule C. The handle 100 can be the subject of numerous variant embodiments. According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the appended figures, the handle 100 is generally rectilinear. It is formed by a flat blade with a rectangular outline. However, the handle 100 has a longitudinal rib of median stiffening 110 on its surface.

  upper 102, half-width thereof.

  By way of nonlimiting example, the handle 100 has a length of the order of 80 to 100 mm, a width of the order of 23 mm and a

thickness of the order of 5 mm.

  The rib 110 preferably has a height of the order of 4 mm and a width of the order of 5 mm. The gripping means 200 are produced on a shaped body 210

  general of U, in side view, provided on the end of the handle 100.

  This body 210 comprises a core 212 and two wings 214, 216. The two wings 214 and 216 which are parallel to each other, extend perpendicular to the handle 100. The core 212, for its part, is placed between the two wings 214 and

  216 extends parallel to the handle 100.

  A first wing 214 is connected by its base opposite the core 212

  on one end of the handle 100.

  Thus the core 212 is offset relative to the handle 100,

parallel to it.

  The core 212 is formed from a generally planar plate. However, the core 212 is provided with a recess 213, at mid-width on the end of its upper surface adjacent to the wing 214. This recess 213 is intended to serve as a support for the thumb of the user during the handling of the bottle opener. Without this embodiment being limiting, the recess 213

  preferably has a generally frustoconical shape.

  Furthermore, the wing 214 is provided at its base, on its internal surface at

  U, of a projecting rib 220 parallel to the core 212.

  This rib 220 is intended to bear under the edge of the skirt set with the capsule C. Preferably to facilitate the engagement of the device on a capsule C, as can be seen in the appended figures, the rib 220 has on its surface lower a frustoconical centered curvature 222. This curvature 222 defines an engagement edge which

  widens away from the core 212.

  The second wing 216 is preferably formed by two pillars 2160

  2162 generally straight adjacent to the corners of the core 212.

  The height of the pillars 2160, 2162 is preferably of the order of 9 mm. These pillars 2160, 2162 are delimited internally by coaxial cylindrical surfaces, the radius of curvature of which is at least substantially equal to the external radius of the capsule C. The pillars 2160, 2162 are however delimited on the outside by two orthogonal facets between they which extend the sides of the core 212. It is thus defined between the internal surface of the wing 214 and the internal surface of the pillars 2160 and 2162 a volume complementary to the transverse size of the capsule C. Furthermore the device comprises a wall 230 on the internal surface of the core 212, between the pillars 2160 and 2162. This wall 230 has a rectangular outline, the sides of which are respectively parallel to the edges of

soul 212.

  The top of the wall 230 is preferably flat. It is defined by a rectilinear generator inclined relative to the internal surface of the core 212, diverging with respect to this internal surface in the direction of a

approximation of the handle 100.

  The purpose of this low wall 230 is to rest on the upper edge of the cylindrical skirt of the capsule C, at the level of an area

  diametrically opposite to the rib 220.

  The wing 214 and the core 212 preferably have a width identical to that of the handle 100, ie of the order of 23 mm and a thickness of the order

5 mm.

  The height of the wing 214 is preferably of the order of 8 mm, while

  that the core preferably has a length of the order of 35 mm.

  As indicated above, the device according to the present invention is made in one piece and only based on plastic. Preferably the device is made from polyacetal or polyamide. To use the device in accordance with the present invention and to uncap a bottle, it suffices to engage the rib 220 under the edge of the cylindrical skirt of the capsule C, in the inclined position of the device, between the capsule C and the flared collar adjacent to the bottle neck Co as illustrated in FIG. 8, then to tilt the device by raising the handle 100, to exert a lever arm on the capsule C at two diametrically opposite points defined respectively by the

rib 220 and the wall 230.

  Due to the bottle opener structure according to the present invention and due to its intrinsic elastic properties, thanks to its plastic construction, during this stress on the capsule C, an elastic balance is obtained between the deformation of the capsule C and the deformation of the bottle opener, so that the capsule C is removed from the neck of the bottle without major deformation. Thus the capsule C can be replaced later on the neck of the bottle and again ensure

the sealing thereof.

  This characteristic is particularly advantageous in the case of carbonated drinks because it allows the integrity of the drinks to be preserved when they are not consumed in their entirety in one take. Of course the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments which have just been described but extends to all

variants according to his spirit.

  According to yet another variant, the device can be provided with a

  magnet to facilitate its suspension on any suitable metal support.

Claims (19)

  1. Bottle opener characterized in that it is formed of a single piece made of plastic material comprising a handle \ 100) provided with first means (220) capable of coming to urge the lower edge of the cylindrical skirt set with a capsule and second means (230) able to bear on an opposite zone of the upper edge of said skirt   adjacent to the closure wall of the capsule.   2. Bottle opener according to claim 1, characterized in that it   is made on the basis of polyacetal or polyamide.   3. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by   the fact that the first and second biasing means (220, 230) are   formed on a U-shaped body (210) located at one end of the handle (100).   4. Bottle opener according to claim 3, characterized in that the body (210) comprises a core (212) and two wings (214, 216) parallel to each other, which extend perpendicular to the handle (100), a first wing (214) connected by its base opposite the core (212) on one end of the handle (100) so that the core (212) is offset by   relative to the handle (100), parallel to the latter.   5. Bottle opener according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized by   the fact that the body (210) defines a volume complementary to the transverse size of the capsule C.   6. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by   the fact that the handle (100) is formed by a flat contour blade rectangular.   7. Bottle opener according to claim 6, characterized in that the handle (100) has a longitudinal rib of median stiffening   (110) on its upper surface (102), halfway across the latter.   8. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by   the fact that the handle (100) has a length of the order of 80 to 100   mm, a width of around 23 mm and a thickness of around 5 mm.   9. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 8, taken into account   combination with claim 4, characterized in that the core (212) is provided with a recess (213), half-width on the end of its surface   upper adjacent to the wing (214) connected to the handle (100).   10. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by   the fact that said first means comprise a rib (220) projecting from the internal surface of a wing (214) connected to the handle (100). 11. Bottle opener according to claim 10, characterized in that the rib (220) has a centered curvature on its lower surface. frustoconical (222).   12. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 11 taken into account   combination with claim 4, characterized in that the wing (216) of the body opposite the handle (100) is formed by two pillars (2160,   2162) generally rectilinear adjacent to the corners of the core (212).   13. Bottle opener according to claim 12, characterized in that   the height of the pillars (2160, 2162) is of the order of 9 mm.   14. Bottle opener according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized   by the fact that the pillars (2160, 2162) are delimited internally by coaxial cylindrical surfaces, the radius of curvature of which is at least substantially equal to the external radius of the capsule C.   15. Bottle opener according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized   by the fact that the second means comprise a low wall (230) on the   internal surface of the core (212), between the pillars (2160, 2162).   16. Bottle opener according to claim 15, characterized in that the low wall (230) has a rectangular outline whose sides are   respectively parallel to the edges of the core (212).   17. Bottle opener according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized   by the fact that the top of the wall (230) is plane and defined by a rectilinear generator inclined relative to the internal surface of the core (212), diverging with respect to this internal surface in the direction of a approximation of the handle (100).   18. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized   by the fact that the walls (212, 214) which carry the first and second   biasing means (220, 230) have a thickness of the order of 5 mm.   19. Bottle opener according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized   by the fact that it includes a magnet.