US3858313A

US3858313A - Electric can opener

Info

Publication number: US3858313A
Application number: US331029A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tokio Yamaguchi
Original assignee: SEIWA DENKI CO Ltd
Current assignee: SEIWA DENKI CO Ltd
Priority date: 1972-02-10
Filing date: 1973-02-09
Publication date: 1975-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-07

Abstract

In an electric can opener, there is provided a handle with a cutter which may be readily attached or removed. On finishing the opening of a can, the handle is automatically displaced to switch open the supply source so that the motor stops. A push button of a switch for driving the motor can be readily and securely assembled with the can opener housing. A can pushing spring is provided so that the rotation torque for starting a can rotating roller is small. Moreover, taking apart and assembling of the electric can opener may be easily and securely done.

Description

United States Patent [191 Yamaguchi Jan. 7, 1975 1 ELECTRIC CAN OPENER [75] Inventor: Tokio Yamaguchi, Aichi-ken, Japan [73] Assignee: Seiwa Denki Company, Ltd.,

Aichi-ken, Japan 22 Filed: Feb. 9, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 331,029

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,968,094 1/1961 Sachs 30/9 X 3,060,566 10/1962 Herbig 30/4 R 3,315,352 4/1967 Scott 30/4 R 3,688,398 9/1972 Aberer 30/4 R 3,688,400 9/1972 Aberer 30/4 R 3,689,998 9/1972 Hahn 30/4 R Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-George B. Oujevolk [57] ABSTRACT In an electric can opener, there is provided a handle with a cutter which may be readily attached or re moved. On finishing the opening of a can, the handle is automatically displaced to switch open the supply source so that the motor stops. A push button of a switch for driving the motor can be readily and securely assembled with the can opener housing. A can pushing spring is provided so that the rotation torque for starting a can rotating roller is small. Moreover, taking apart and assembling of the electric can opener may be easily and securely done.

5 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures Patented Jan. 7, 1975 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Jan. 7, 1975 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 7, 1975 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 7, 1975 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 7, 1975 3.858313 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 7, 1975 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ELECTRIC CAN OPENER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electric can opener which opens a can, automatically cutting the upper periphery of the can by means of a rotating cutter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the prior art, there are electric can openers having a removably attached handle with a rotating cutter and a can pushing spring. This handle is vertically movable so that the motor is driven by pushing a button with the handle. The motor drives a roller in the devide which will turn the can. However, such a can opener has the following defects:

1. When a cutter edge and adjacent parts of an electric can opener is contaminated by decay material on it, the dirty parts near the cutter must be cleaned and sterilized. But a complete cleaning is difficult because the cutter is provided with a spring and other accessories. For this reason, some can openers have an ar rangement to separate the dirty cutter and the rotatable frame to which the cutter is attached, however, the complicated connecting and detaching mechanism causes difficulties and the separation is not easily done.

2. To open a can in the electric can openers of the prior art a handle is pushed down to cut the can cover and simultaneously the driving of a motor by closing a switch rotates a can rotating member to cut open the can cover periphery. When the can is opened, the switch for the power source is turned off manually by raising the handle so the operation is complicated and is not performed automatically.

3. When assembling the push button to the device, the bottom surface of the push button is attached to a spring member. The holding of the upper part so as to project freely out of the device is troublesome and can cause a failure of the assembling operation and the switch will not function.

4. When a can cover periphery is cut with a cutter and the can is rotated by a can rotating member to open the can, the can is attracted towards the can opener body by a rotation torque of the can rotating member which presses on the outer side wall of the can so that the displacement of the can during rotating must be prevented.

In the prior art devices, a free edge of a resilient metal is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the can periphery and the upper surface of the can is pushed with force to prevent the displacement of the can.

Moreover, the vertical part of the can is rough and easily engaged which increases the friction force so that the can rotating member cannot properly function, sometimes because of slip and abrasion. In this case further load torque is applied therefore a strong torque is required.

That is, in the prior art devices, since'the upper edge of the can is pushed by strong spring pressure, there is a braking action at the start which requires a strong starting torque. There is then an increase of the dimensions and weight of the device which increases the packing charge and freight of an electric can opener thus gives rise to an increase of the cost.

5. In assembling an electric can opener of the prior art, first an inner mechanism is attached and tightened to a housing and then a rear cover is fastened thereto. This not only requires several steps, but also taking apart and assembling, cleaning and repair is difficult and inconvenient.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electric can opener in which a cutter, together with a handle may be readily attached to and detached from the housing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric can opener in which the handle is automatically raised to interrupt a supply source when the can opening is finished.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pressure spring driving a can apart from a can opener body without the necessity of upper pressure so that a starting rotation torque of the can traveling roller is minimized.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide an assembling arrangement wherein an inner mechanism, a housing and a rear cover are simultaneously and correctly assembled and also easily taken apart.

Some of the key features of the present invention are:

l. The handle together with the cutter may be easily attached and may not slip after engaging because the handle is securely connected to a small portion of a connecting pin. Therefore, when a particular part near the cutter is dirty, the handle together with the cutter may be removed at once to be cleaned or sterilized.

2. the motor will stop automatically on finishing the opening of a can.

3. The steps of assembling the switch member are substantially decreased to improve mass production.

4. The starting rotation torque of the can rotating member is small, smooth traveling and decrease of brake load permits a small driving motor. Therefore, the motor may be small, compact and light weight. The device as a whole is of smaller size with economy-.of packing and shipping.

5. The plate for the device, including an inner mechanism therein is die case. The housing and rear cover may be simultaneously assembled. The taking apart and assembling of the device may be performed easily in a short time and without particular skill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly stated, the present invention contemplates an improvement in an electric can opener having a housing member, with a power supply push-button switch, a removable handle member with a rotating cutter and a can pressing spring attached to said housing member and said handle member being vertically movable and pushing said push button to effect switching to turn on a driving motor, and a can rotator pro vided in the housing member turning the can, the improvement therein wherein: there is a shaft aperture in said housing member; a handle shaft for the handle passing through said shaft aperture, is provided in one of said members; there is an elongated arc-shaped guide passage in said handle member along a part of the circumference adjoining said shaft aperture in said housing; there is a connecting pin inserted in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage, said pin having a neck portion of small diameter for insertion in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage and an enlarged diameter portion said small diameter portion being slidably moveable in said elongated guide passage; and, and enlarged retaining groove at one end of said elongated guide passage in which the large diameter portion of said pin falls by the movement of the handle member. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of an electric can opener according to the inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing and a handle unassembled;

FIG. 3 is a partly perspective view of the housing and handle in an assembled state;

FIG. 4 is an example of an embodiment wherein an arcuate surface is used;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view wherein the cover of a can is opened;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view around a push button;

FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c areperspective explanations of the assembling of the push button which is inserted in a hole;

FIG. 8 is a partly exploded view for explanation of the push button and switch assembly;

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment wherein a pressure spring is attached by a side surface of a can;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a pressure spring according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an explanation for mounting of a pressure spring according to the prior art;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the can opener according to the inventive concept; and,

FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the assembled can opener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Attaching and Removing of Handle Referring to FIG. 1, a pressure spring 2 for preventing oscillation and for smooth traveling of a can is fixed to a front side of a handle 1. A rotating arm 3 is attached to an extension of the pressurespring 2 and a magnet 4 is suspended to an end portion of the rotating arm. A round cutter 6 is fixed to a cutter holder 5 and attached to a handle 1 from the front thereof obliquely downwards. A pressure spring 7 is disposed between the round cutter 6 and the base of the cutterholder 5 so that round cutter 6 is always located in a forward position. A can rotating member 9 is attached to a housing 8 at the lower side of the round cutter 6. Handle 1 is attached to the housing 8 with a vertical movable handle shaft 11.

Referring to FIG. 2, handle shaft 11 is inserted in the housing 8 without screw threads. An elongated arcuate hole 12, line an arc-shaped keyhole is cut in the handle around the handle shaft 11, this hole serves as a guide passage. The hole 12 consists of a circular hole portion 12a and a long arcuate portion 12b connected thereto. At the rear side of the handle, that is, at a front side of the housing 8 is provided an engaging hole 13 in which the above mentioned handle shaft 11 is inserted. There is also an engaging pin 14 to be inserted in the circular hole 12a of the arcuate shaped hole 12.

The engaging pin 14 consists of a small diameter portion 15 at the neck and a large diameter portion 16 at the base, the large diameter portion 16 is constructed to pass through the circular hole portion 12a, the small diameter portion 15 being inserted in the elongated hole portion 12b. Thus, the handle does not slip out because of engaging at the neck portion when the elongated hole 12b is located at the small neck portion 15.

Instead of the circular hole 12a and the arc-shaped elongated hole 1212, as shown in FIG. 4, an arc-shaped surface 10 consisting of arc-shaped concave groove 10a for inserting the larger diameter portion 16 an elongated passage for the smaller diameter portion 15 on an arc-shaped 11a around the shaft 11 may be used. The foregoing construction simplifies the engaging and detaching mechanism of the handle.

After cutting open the can, the handle 1 is in an elevated position. The circular hole 12a or the arc-shaped concave groove 10a is then located at the guide shaft 16 of the engaging pin 14, and the handle is slipped out by pulling forward. In order to insert the handle 1 to the housing 8, the circular hole 12a or the arc-shaped concave groove 10a is then located at the guide shaft 16 of the engaging pin 14, and the handle is slipped out by pulling forward. In order to insert the handle 1 to the housing 8, the circular hole 12a or the arc-shaped concave groove 10a is aligned with the large diameter portion 16 of the engaging pin 14 and pushed to the rear so that the circular hole 1211 or the arc-shaped concave groove 10a is put in the small diameter portion 15 of the engaging pin 14 for engagement. As shown in FIG. 3, when pushing down the handle 1, the elongated hole 12b or the arc-shaped concave groove slides along the small diameter neck portion 15 does not slip out.

Automatic Handle Operation Mechanism Handle 1 has afront piece with a pressure spring 2 for preventing the elevation of the can A by a reaction force on the cutting of the cover and for smoothing the movement of the can A. Attached to the cutter holder from a front surface of the handle 1 extending obliquely downwards is a round cutter 6 and the cutter pressure spring 7. The handle 1 is attached to a front surface of box-type housing 8 and moves vertically by means of handle shaft 11 in the left end of handle 1. Handle shaft 11 is disposed in the upper position against the horizontal axis line of can cutting point P of the cutter 6, and moreover in the housing 8, can rotating member 9, i.e., a rose roller which rotates along the can A is attached near the bottom of the round cutter 6.

As shown in FIG. 6, a push button 30 is provided in the front surface of the housing 8 for closing a switch 22 consisting of a resilient contact arm 22b connected to a motor 21 and a movable contact arm 22a. When the handle 1 is pushed down, it presses moveable arm 22a onto contact arm 22b.

A receiving member 23 which receives and guides the contour wall of the can is arranged at the front of the housing 8 so that the contour of the can A is positioned in a slightly oblique direction of the front surface. As the can rotating member 9 rotates the can A begins to rotate, and, as shown in FIG. 5 the position of the handle shaft 11 is arranged so that the rotation moment Q of the resultant force F against the handle shaft 11 is opposite to rotation moment R (in direction of arrow a") according to the downward pressure of handle 1, the resultant force F corresponding to reaction force f against the cutter shearing force and another reaction force f caused by elasticity of the pressure spring 2 and the push button 30.

Raising the handle 1, the can A is put on the can rotating member 9 and then the handle 1 is pushed down. The round cutter 6 cuts into the upper periphery of the can and at the same time the push button 30 is pushed by the handle 1 so the switch 22 turns on and the motor 21 starts to rotate the can rotating member 9.

The can A rotates so that the upper surface is pushed by the pressure spring 2 and the can contour wall contacts the contour wall receiving member 23. Thus the can cover is cut open.

When the can rotates, a resultant force F formed by reaction force f against the shearing force of the cutter and a reaction force f caused by pressure spring 2 and the push button is applied to the handle 11 in the left upward direction as shown in FIG. 5 so that the pressing portion of handle 1 is applied with a downward rotating force around the handle shaft 11 shown as arrow a, and the handle 1 is pushed down to continue the can cutting.

After completion of can cover cutting, the shearing forcef of cutter becomes zero and an upward reaction force f is created, the handle 1 is given this upward force around the handle shaft 11 shown at arrow The handle 1 is automatically moved upward so the switch 22 turns off; the motor 21 stops rotating and the rotation of the can also stops. The open can cover is attracted and held by magnet 4 which is attached through a rotating arm 3 to the pressure spring 2.

CONSTRUCTION OF PUSH BUTTON As shown in FIG. 6, the insulated switch 22 is mounted in a switch box at an upper part within housing 8, on one side of the switch a moveable arm 22a being obliquely mounted and on the other side a resilent contact arm 22b, so that when the lower part of the handle pushes down, the push button reaches the movable contact 22a so as to contact the resilent control arm 22b when the handle is pushed down.

The construction of the push button 30 is shown in FIG. 7a. Push button 30 has a long body 31. Near the base of the body 30 there are a suitable number of short upward resilient engaging stopper segments 32. In an upper plate 8a of the housing 8 there is a push-button hole 33 in which the bush button 30 is inserted.

In order to assemble the push button 20 to the switch member, stopper segments 32 of the push-button body 30 are pushed into push-button hole 33 against the resiliency thereof as shown in FIG. 7b, the moveable contact arm 22a is pushed down by the lower surface of body 31. The resilient stopper segments 32 are extended in a direction perpendicular to the shaft center of body 31, and simultaneously the resilient stopper segments 32 are pushed upward by elasticity of the movable contact arm 22a and the end portion of the resilient stopper segments 32 are engaged to lower surface of the push-button hole 33 as shown in FIG. 70. Thus the resilient stopper segments 32 of the push button body 31 are connected to a lower periphery of the button hole 33 and the push-button will not fall out.

STRUCTURE OF PRESSURE SPRING In prior art devices, the shape of the pressure spring 2 fixed to the front side of the handle 1 is lower and of downward V-shape arranged in the perpendicular direction to periphery plane of the can as shown in FIG.

5 or the lower end of the oblique plate pressure spring 2a, is arranged perpendicularly to the can periphery plane and upper surface of the can is strongly pushed so that the can rotating member requires large rotating torque.

The structure of a pressure spring 40 according to the present invention is shown as FIG. 10 wherein the lower end is folded into a U-shape. One end is obliquely arranged in the forward direction so that a pressure is applied to a front surface of the handle 1 and the free edge is slightly turned up horizontally to constitute a tongue 41. The other end is turned up to form an L- shaped portion 42, in which a hole 43 is provided at the vertical surface for fixing to the handle 1 and another 44 is at upper horizontal surface for fixing the rotating arm 3.

The pressure spring 40 is arranged at a front surface of the handle 1 so that the tongue 41 pushes the can A in a direction away from the housing.

Since a tongue 41 of the pressure spring 40 projects forwards the outer periphery of the can A is pushed forward by the forward central part of tongue 41 on engaging can A. That is, the can is pushed in a direction away from the can opener housing 8 to prevent the can rotating member 9 from contacting the can wall. so that load in the thrust direction is applied and there is no brake load to the can rotating member 9.

Moreover, because there is no upper pressure caused by can rotation torque, the can rotating member 9 may be small.

ASSEMBLING STRUCTURE A die-cast plate 51 as a base consituting the inner mechanism integrally forms a switch box member 52, a motor bracket member 53 and a gear bearing member 54, and also forms inner main part B to which a can wall receiving member 23 is integrally mounted, the housing 8 and a cover 55.

The die-cast plate 51 is provided with a suitable number of

hollow bosses

56 and 57 to assemble the housing 8 and the cover 55, and at the same time the receiving member 23 is attached and disposed for receiving a can. A guide shaft 59 is fixed by nut 60 and a hollow boss 58 which constitutes a guide hole for a fixing boss 61 acting as a guide pin attached to the cover 55 is also provided.

At a rear surface of the housing 8 enclosing the diecast plate 51,

boss receptacles

62 and 63 having thread receiving portion on the inside are provided at positions corresponding to hollow

bosses

56 and 57 of the die-case plate 51, the

boss receptacles

62, 63 and respectively contacting

hollow bosses

56, 57 and S8. A lower fixing member 64 is mounted at the inner surface of the bottom of housing 8, a hole 65 being provided to a lower portion of the cover 55 corresponding to the fixing member 64.

The front surface of the housing 8 is provided with an aperture 66 to which the above mentioned can receiving member 23 is inserted and also a hole 67 for a forward gear member is provided.

At the upper portion of the rear surface of the cover 55 is mounted a fixing bolt 61 to be inserted in a hollow boss 58 constituting a guide hole of the die-cast plate 51, and near the center are provided fixing bosses 68 and for hollow insert tubes at positions corresponding to hollow

bosses

56 and 57 of the die-cast plate 51, the fixing bosses 68 and 75 being inserted in

hollow holes

56 and 57 respectively. An opening 65 is provided near the lower part of the cover 55. The handle member 1 is attached to upper forward part of the housing 8.

Reference numerals

73 and 74 indicate reinforcement bosses for reinforcing a motor support.

to assemble the can opener, a switch box is mounted at the switch box portion 52 of the die-cast plate 51, a motor is mounted at the motor bracket portion 53, and gear parts are mounted at the gear bearing portion 54, also a can receiving member 23 is affixed. The die-cast plate 51 to which these inner mechanism parts are mounted are inserted in the housing 8.

in this case, the hollow boss 58 of the die-cast plate 51 is arranged to align with the center of the boss receptacle 70 and other

hollow bosses

56 and 57 are also arranged to align with

boss receptacles

62 and 63 respectively. The can receiving member 23 projects from the aperture 66 of the housing 8.

The cover 55 is mounted so as to insert the fixing boss 61 of the cover 55 to a hole of the hollow boss 58 of the die-cast plate 51, and at the same time the fixing bosses 68 and 75 of the cover 55 are inserted in the respective

hollow bosses

56 and 57 of the housing 8.

The boss receptacles 62 and 63 of the housing 8 are engaged to front of the

hollow bosses

56 and 57 of the die-cast plate, and the fixing

bolts

71 and 72 are inserted behind the cover 55, passing through the fixing bosses 68, 75 and the

hollow bosses

56, 57 to be fastened to the inner screw threads of the

boss receptacles

62 and 63.

Moreover, the fixing bolt 72 is passed through the lower hole 65 of the cover 55 to be fastened to the lower fixing member 64 at lower bottom parts of the body.

I claim:

1. In an electric can opener having a housing member (8) with a power supply push-button switch, a removable handle member (I) with a circular rotating cutter (6) and said handle member being vertically movable and pushing said push-button to effect switching to turn on a driving motor, and a can rotator provided in the housing member turning the can, the improvement therein including:

a. a shaft aperture (13) in said housing member;

b. a handle shaft (11) for the handle member (1) passing through said shaft aperture (13), the handle member (1) having a handle pressure portion, the center of the cutter (6) being arranged near said shaft l1) and the handle pressure portion being far from said shaft on the sarne side as said cutter center, said handle shaft (11) being disposed in an upper position in a horizontal plane of the cutting point (P) of the cutter (6), a resilient pressure spring element (40) attached to said handle (1) and a push-button projecting from said housing (8) so disposed that rotation moment, according to resultant force (F) combined by a reaction force (f,) against the cutter shearing force and another reaction force (f against the pressure spring element (40) and the push-button (30) is opposite to rotation moment (R) according to force pushing down the handle pushing portion relative to the handle shaft (11);

c. an elongated arc-shaped guide passage (l0, 12) in said handle member along a part of the circumference around said handle shaft (l1);

d. a connecting pin (14) inserted in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) said pin having a neck portion of small diameter (15) for insertion in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) and an enlarged diameter portion (16) said small diameter portion being slidably movable in said elongated guide passage (l0, 12);

e. an enlarged retaining groove (10a, 12a) at one end of said elongated guide passage (l0, 12) in which the large diameter portion (16) of said pin (14) falls by the movement of the handle member (1);

f. said push-button switch being a resilient pushbutton switch (22) with a push-button body (31) made of an electric insulator having resiliency, a suitable number of engaging segments (32) projecting in one direction around the push-button aperture means in said housing member defining a push-button hole (33) so arranged that when said push-button is inserted in said button hole (33) against said resilient push-button switch (22) said engaging segments (32) will engage the lower surface of the button hole (33); and,

g. said resilient pressure spring element (40) on said handle member wherein one side of said resilient spring element has an inverted L-shape crosssection fixed to the handle while the other side is extended and turned outwards into a U-shaped cross-section to form an oblique plate, at the end of said oblique plate there being a tongue, said resilient spring element (40) being close to the cutter (6), so that said resilient spring element acts to push said oblique plate towards the side wall of a can when engaging the can between said cutter (6) a can rotating member (9).

2. An electric can opener according to claim 1, including an inner main part (b) in which a switch box (52) a motor bracket (53) and gear bearing (54) on a die-cast plate (51) are integrally molded and a shell receiving member (23) is integrally attached; a housing (8) and a cover (55); said inner main part (B) being provided with hollow boss parts (56, 57, 58) through which fixing bolts (71, 72) can pass, boss receptacles (62, 63, being provided in a position corresponding to said boss parts in said housing (8) and cover (55), motor supporting reinforcement bosses (73, 74) and fixing bosses (61, 68, 75) being arranged and an aperture (66) for can receiving parts being provided in the housing (8), whereby said housing (8) inner main part (B) and cover (55) can all be readily assembled in one operation.

3. In an electric can opener having a housing member with a power supply push-button switch, a removable handle with a rotating cutter and said handle being vertically movable and pushing said push-button to effect switching to turn on'a driving motor, and a can rotor provided in the housing member turning the can, the improvement therein, wherein; there is:

a. a shaft aperture (13) in said housing member;

b. a handle shaft (11) for the handle (1) passing through said shaft aperture (13) and a pressure spring (2) attached to said handle;

c. an elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) in said handle along a part of the circumference around said handle shaft (11);

d. a connecting pin (14) inserted in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage 10, 12) and an enlarged diameter portion (16) said small diameter portion being slidably movable in said elongated guide passage (10, 12); e. an enlarged retaining groove (10a, 12a) at one end of said elongated guide passage (10, 12) in which the large diameter portion (16) of said pin (14) falls by the movement of the handle member (1); and, said push-button (30) projecting from said housing (8) and being so disposed that rotation moment according to resultant force (F) combined by a reac- 10 tion force (f against the cutter shearing force and another reaction force f2) against the pressure spring (2) and the push-button (30) is opposite to rotation moment (R) according to force pushing down the handle relative to the handle shaft (11), the handle thus engaging said push-button during the operation of the can opener holding the pushbutton down due to the foregoing reaction forces.

4. An electric can opener according to claim 3 including a cutter (6), wherein in relation to the handle shaft (11) the center of the cutter (6) is arranged near said shaft (11) and the handle pressure portion is far from said shaft on the same side as said cutter center, said handle shaft (11) being disposed in an upper position in a horizontal plane of the cutting point (P) of the cutter.

5. An electric can opener according to claim 4 said push-button (30) having a push-button body (31) made of an electric insulator having resiliency, a suitable number of engaging segments (32) projecting in one direction around the push-button body (31), so that when said push button is inserted in a button hole (33) against said resilient push-button switch (22) said engaging segments (32) will engage the lower surface of the button hole (33).

Claims

1. In an electric can opener having a housing member (8) with a power supply push-button switch, a removable handle member (1) with a circular rotating cutter (6) and said handle member being vertically movable and pushing said push-button to effect switching to turn on a driving motor, and a can rotator provided in the housing member turning the can, the improvement therein including: a. a shaft aperture (13) in said housing member; b. a handle shaft (11) for the handle member (1) passing through said shaft aperture (13), the handle member (1) having a handle pressure portion, the center of the cutter (6) being arranged near said shaft (11) and the handle pressure portion being far from said shaft on the same side as said cutter center, said handle shaft (11) being disposed in an upper position in a horizontal plane of the cutting point (P) of the cutter (6), a resilient pressure spring element (40) attached to said handle (1) and a push-button pRojecting from said housing (8) so disposed that rotation moment according to resultant force (F) combined by a reaction force (f1) against the cutter shearing force and another reaction force (f2) against the pressure spring element (40) and the push-button (30) is opposite to rotation moment (R) according to force pushing down the handle pushing portion relative to the handle shaft (11); c. an elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) in said handle member along a part of the circumference around said handle shaft (11); d. a connecting pin (14) inserted in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) said pin having a neck portion of small diameter (15) for insertion in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) and an enlarged diameter portion (16) said small diameter portion being slidably movable in said elongated guide passage (10, 12); e. an enlarged retaining groove (10a, 12a) at one end of said elongated guide passage (10, 12) in which the large diameter portion (16) of said pin (14) falls by the movement of the handle member (1); f. said push-button switch being a resilient push-button switch (22) with a push-button body (31) made of an electric insulator having resiliency, a suitable number of engaging segments (32) projecting in one direction around the push-button aperture means in said housing member defining a push-button hole (33) so arranged that when said push-button is inserted in said button hole (33) against said resilient push-button switch (22) said engaging segments (32) will engage the lower surface of the button hole (33); and, g. said resilient pressure spring element (40) on said handle member wherein one side of said resilient spring element has an inverted L-shape cross-section fixed to the handle while the other side is extended and turned outwards into a U-shaped cross-section to form an oblique plate, at the end of said oblique plate there being a tongue, said resilient spring element (40) being close to the cutter (6), so that said resilient spring element acts to push said oblique plate towards the side wall of a can when engaging the can between said cutter (6) a can rotating member (9).

2. An electric can opener according to claim 1, including an inner main part (b) in which a switch box (52) a motor bracket (53) and gear bearing (54) on a die-cast plate (51) are integrally molded and a shell receiving member (23) is integrally attached; a housing (8) and a cover (55); said inner main part (B) being provided with hollow boss parts (56, 57, 58) through which fixing bolts (71, 72) can pass, boss receptacles (62, 63, 70) being provided in a position corresponding to said boss parts in said housing (8) and cover (55), motor supporting reinforcement bosses (73, 74) and fixing bosses (61, 68, 75) being arranged and an aperture (66) for can receiving parts being provided in the housing (8), whereby said housing (8) inner main part (B) and cover (55) can all be readily assembled in one operation.

3. In an electric can opener having a housing member with a power supply push-button switch, a removable handle with a rotating cutter and said handle being vertically movable and pushing said push-button to effect switching to turn on a driving motor, and a can rotor provided in the housing member turning the can, the improvement therein, wherein; there is: a. a shaft aperture (13) in said housing member; b. a handle shaft (11) for the handle (1) passing through said shaft aperture (13) and a pressure spring (2) attached to said handle; c. an elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) in said handle along a part of the circumference around said handle shaft (11); d. a connecting pin (14) inserted in said elongated arc-shaped guide passage (10, 12) and an enlarged diameter portion (16) said small diameter portion being slidably movable in said elongated guide passage (10, 12); e. an enlarged retaining groove (10a, 12a) at one end of said elongaTed guide passage (10, 12) in which the large diameter portion (16) of said pin (14) falls by the movement of the handle member (1); and, f. said push-button (30) projecting from said housing (8) and being so disposed that rotation moment according to resultant force (F) combined by a reaction force (f1) against the cutter shearing force and another reaction force f2) against the pressure spring (2) and the push-button (30) is opposite to rotation moment (R) according to force pushing down the handle relative to the handle shaft (11), the handle thus engaging said push-button during the operation of the can opener holding the push-button down due to the foregoing reaction forces.