GB2362870A

GB2362870A - Ring-pull opening tool

Info

Publication number: GB2362870A
Application number: GB0013428A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Arthur Allum
Original assignee: George Wilkinson
Current assignee: George Wilkinson
Priority date: 2000-06-03
Filing date: 2000-06-03
Publication date: 2001-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-03
Also published as: GB2362870B; GB0013428D0

Abstract

A ring-pull tool for engaging and opening the ring-pull of a container comprises a first, handle portion 18 to enable leverage of the ring-pull tool and a second portion 16 positioned proximal one end of the tool and bifurcated and/or adapted to grip the ring-pull. A curved intermediate portion 24 preferably having a lower face of a resilient or non-slip material may abut against the container in use.

Description

1 Ring-Pull Tool 2362870 This invention relates to a tool for engaging a

ring-pull on a container, thereby to facilitate opening of the container, in particular ring pulls located on the top of cans containing food.

Ring-pulls are widely used as means of opening metal containers, especially hand held food and drink containers. While many people can readily open such containers by inserting a finger in the ring of the pull fastener, a considerable force is often required to tear the ring- pull open. This is particularly troublesome for users lacking physical strength and dexterity, such as elderly and physically disabled consumers. Consequently, such consumers often avoid containers with such openers or are obliged to resort to the use of electric can openers or the like to open such containers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tool which allows ring pull fasteners to be opened more easily.

In a first aspect the invention provides a ring-pull tool for engaging and opening the ring-pull of a container, comprising a first, handle, portion to enable leverage of the ring-pull tool and a second portion for engaging the ring pull.

Preferably, the second portion is bifurcated and/or adapted to grip the ring-pull. The second portion may be positioned proximal one end of the tool, and a body portion may be located between the first and second portion. Preferably, the body portion is curved and may comprise a nonslip and/or relatively high friction region, especially compared to the second portion. Preferably, the body portion comprises a resilient material.

2 In a second aspect the invention provides ring-pull tool for engaging a ring pull of a container, comprising an curved portion with a first and a second end, a handle extending from the first end of the curved portion; engaging means extending from the second end of the curved portion, said engaging means configured so that the tool may engage the ring pull of an unopened container as a lower face of the curved portion abuts against an outer face of the container; wherein the engaging means comprise two separate pinnacled or pronged portions.

In a third aspect the invention provides a ring-pull tool for engaging a ring pull of a container, comprising an curved portion with a first and a second end; a handle extending from the first end of the curved portion; engaging means extending from the second end of the curved portion, said engaging means configured so that the tool may engage the ring pull of an unopened container as a lower face of the curved portion abuts against an outer face of the container as a lower face of the curved portion abuts against an outer face of the container; wherein the lower face of the curved portion is made of a resilient material.

Preferably, the bifurcated device comprises a slot and/or the two Pinnacled or pronged portions are separated by the slot. The -slot may comprise two proximal faces, that operably engage the inner and outer edges a ring pull as the container is opened. Preferably, the slot comprises two adjacent and substantially parallel faces, that operably engage the inner and outer edges a ring pull as the container is opened. The substantially parallel faces may be joined by a generally orthogonal end face. The pinnacles or pronged portions may have an approximately rectangular cross section. The first pinnacled or pronged portion extends a greater distance from the second end of the curved portion than the second pinnacled or pronged portion.

Preferably, the distance between the two proximal faces is between 3 and 10 mm, and more preferably the distance is approximately 7 min. Preferably, the distance between 3 the two substantially parallel faces is between 3 and 10 mm, preferably approximately 7 inin.

Preferably, the handle and curved portions form a generally "J-shaped" ring pull tool.

Preferably, the resilient material is SANTOPRENE (TM).

The invention will now be described by reference to the following schematic drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a ring-pull tool according to one aspect of the invention; Figure 2 shows a sectioned view along lines D-D of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a sectioned view along lines A-A of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a sectioned view along lines B-B of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a sectioned view along lines C-C of Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a sectioned view along lines E-E of Figure 1; Figure 7 shows an enlarged view of part of the pinnacled end of the tool as seen in the direction of arrow G in Figure 1, and:

Figure 8 shows the tool of Figure 1 engaging the ring-pill of a container, part way through the opening process.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by reference to Figures 1 to 8. In a preferred form the ring-pull tool 10 comprises an arcuate portion 12 with a first 4 end, 14 extending to a handle portion 18. The core 50 (see Figures 3 and 4) of the handle portion 18 is formed from a rigid material covered by a resilient outer layer 52 preferably made of plastics material such as SANTOPRENE (TM). The handle is contoured to facilitate easy gripping and includes recess 22 near the top of the handle, sized to allow easy finger gripping. The resilient outer layer 52 further enhances the grip by providing a cushioning action.

Near the top of the handle the tool is provided with a hole 20 that tapers slightly inwardly from both sides towards a centre line F-F (see Figure 3). This facilitates easy storage of the tool on a hook or the like when not in use.

The arcuate portion 12 comprises a main section 60 made of rigid material with a generally "H-Shaped" cross section (see Figure 5), a curved upper surface 62 and a curved lower face 66. The curved lower face is lined with a resilient and/or frictional layer of material 68 such as a plastic like SANTOPRENE (TM). Indentions 70 in the lower face 66 are provided so that the outer face of the resilient layer 68 is continuous with the outer lower side face of main section 60. The "H-shaped" contour of main section 60 results in arcuate slot 24 (see Figure 1) on each side face of the arcuate portion. The ends of arcuate slot 24 are generally semi- circular in shape.

From the second end 16 of the arcuate portion 24 two prongs or pinnacles 30, 32 extend outwardly. The first prong 32 is generally rectangular cross section (see Figure 6) and narrowing to an apex with a sharply pointed tip as viewed from the side (see Figure 1) and a relatively blunt curved tip as viewed from the end or above (see Figure 7). The second prong 32 has a similar shape but is somewhat shorter, hence when viewed in section along line E-E (see Figure 6) the second prong has a generally rectangular cross section of area smaller than the corresponding cross sectional area of the first prong. The two prongs (or pinnacles) are separated by a generally rectangular slot 3 8 formed from the inner surface of the first prong 42 and the inner surface of the second prong 44 and an end wall 40. Preferably, inner walls 42 and 44 are generally planar, approximately parallel and approximately tangential to the first end 16 of the arcuate portion. Preferably, the end wall is planar and orthogonal to the inner walls 42 and 44. The resilient (for example, SANTOPRENE TM) outer layer (shown shaded in Figure 1) covers only the handle and the lower part of the arcuate portion and does not extend to the pronged portion of the tool.

Figure 8 shows the tool in engaging the ring portion B of a ring-pull during the opening of a container. In use, the first prong is located under the pull ring, the lower surface of the arcuate portion C resting on the surface of the container D. A lever action is provided by the user gripping handle 18 and pulling it in direction P. This results in the first prong 42 being raised upwardly from surface D and in the ring being firmly gripped in slot 42. Further movement of the tool in direction D completes the opening process.

The two prongs in combination with the slot allow both the inner circumferential edge a, and the outer circumferential edge a2of the ring A to be gripped simultaneously by abutting against inner surfaces 42 and 44 respectively. This helps prevent slippage of the ring-pull from the engaging portion of the tool. That part of the arcuate portion C in contact with a surface of the container D is also less liable to slip during the opening process owing to the resilient material 68 providing a gripping and cushioning effect, possibly partly as a result of an increased area of contact between the arcuate portion and the container surface.

The improved grip of the ring pull and the reduced tendency for slip of the lower part of the arcuate portion make the tool particularly suitable for users lacking in strength and dexterity, such as young children, elderly people or disabled people.

Portion 12 can for example be elliptical or have some other curved profile. Indeed, item 12 can have a discontinuous lower surface, for example two curved portions with a flat portion in the vicinity of point C (see Figure 8). In any event, the use of an outer 6 resilient iayer in the vicinity of point D will impart advantageous reduced slip performance when the tool is in use. Handle 18 is preferably formed integrally with the arcuate/curved portion of the tool but this is not an essential requirement. Thus handle 18 may me made separately and attached to the arcuate/curved portion of the tool. While the contoured soft grip characteristics of handle 18 are preferable these features are not essential and may be replaced by a rigid handle or a handle that is not contoured for easy grip.

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Claims

Claims

A ring-pull tool for engaging and opening the ring-pull of a container, comprising a first, handle, portion to enable leverage of the ring-pull tool and a second portion for engaging the ring pull.
2.
3.

A ring-pull tool according to Claim I wherein the second portion is bifurcated and/or adapted to grip the ring-pull.

A ring-pull tool according to any preceding claim wherein the second portion is positioned proximal one end of the tool.
4. A ring-pull tool according to any preceding claim comprising a body portion located between the first and second portion.
5. A ring-pull tool according to Claim 4 wherein the body portion is curved.
6. A ring-pull tool according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein the body portion comprises a non-slip and/or relatively high friction region, especially compared to the second portion.
7. A ring-pull tool according to Claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein the body portion comprises a resilient material.
8. A ring-pull tool for engaging a ring pull of a container, comprising a curved portion with a first and a second end; a handle extending from the first end of the curved portion; engaging means extending from the second end of the curved portion, said engaging means configured so that the tool may engage the ring pull 8 of an 'unopened container as a lower face of the curved portion abuts against an outer face of the container; wherein the engaging means comprise two separate pronged portions.
9. A ring-pull tool according to any preceding claim comprising a bifurcated second portion and/or two pronged portions separated by a slot.
10. A ring-pull tool according to Claim 9 wherein the slot comprises two proximal faces, adapted operably simultaneously to engage the inner and outer edges of a ring pull as the container is opened.
11. A ring-pull tool according to Claim 9 or 10 wherein the slot comprises two adjacent and substantially parallel faces, operably to engage the inner and outer edges a ring pull as the container is opened.
12. A ring-pull tool according to Claim 10 or 11 wherein the distance between the two proximal faces is between 3 and 10 mm, preferably approximately 7 mm.
13. A ring-pull tool according to Claim I I or 12 wherein the substantially parallel faces are joined by a generally orthogonal end face.
14. A ring-pull tool according to any of Claims 8 to 13 wherein at least one of the pronged portions have an approximately rectangular cross section.
15. A ring-pull tool according to any of Claims 8 to 14 wherein one of the pronged portions extends a greater distance from the second end of the curved portion than the other pronged portion.
16. A ring-pull tool according to any preceding Claim wherein the portions form a generally "J-shaped" ring pull.

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17. A ring-pull tool for engaging a ring pull of a container, comprising an curved portion with first and a second ends; a handle extending from the first end of the curved portion, engaging means extending from the second end of the curved portion, said engaging means configured so that the tool may engage the ring pull of an unopened container as a lower face of the curved portion abuts against an outer face of the container as a lower face of the curved portion abuts against an outer face of the container, and wherein a lower face of the curved portion is made of a resilient or non-slip material.
18. A tool according to any preceding claim wherein the handle is made of a resilient material such as "SANTOPRENE" (TM).