Patent ID: 6257474
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: B26F,B67B,Y10T

Abstract:
An ampoule opener for opening a glass ampoule, the ampoule having a top, a neck, and a height, the ampoule opener comprising:(a) a container having a top end, a bottom end, and an axis, said container being generally cylindrical and transparent, said top end being closed, said bottom end being open, said container being adapted to contain the top of an ampoule after the ampoule is opened;(b) a base having a top portion, a bottom portion, an inner edge, and an outer edge, said base being generally annular and including a pair of diametrically opposite apertures disposed through the bottom portion;(c) attachment means for removably attaching said bottom end of said container to said top portion of said base;(d) a flap assembly attached to and extending radially inwardly from the inner edge of said base, said flap assembly being generally planar and perpendicular to the axis of said container;said flap assembly comprising a diaphragm, said diaphragm having at least one slit, said slit dividing said diaphragm into at least one flap, said slit being adapted to receive the top of the ampoule with the ampoule extending generally parallel to said axis of said container;(e) a pair of scoring assemblies connected to said base through the pair of diametrically opposite apertures disposed through said bottom portion of said base;each of said scoring assemblies including a finger grip, a spring, a rod, and a blade;each said finger grip being located near said outer edge of said base, each said finger grip being connected to a said blade by a scoring assembly rod;said spring biasing said blade of its corresponding said scoring assembly in a radially outward direction, each said blade being adapted to score the neck of the ampoule.