Patent ID: 6581497
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: B67B

Abstract:
A container-restraining and closure-rotating assembly, comprising:a base plate; the base plate having a first end and a second end; the base plate having a first side and a second side extending between the first and second ends; the base plate having a mounting point at the first end of the base plate; means for removably attaching the first end of the base plate on an edge portion of a counter at the mounting point of the base plate so that, when a user of the container-restraining and closure-rotating assembly faces the counter, the first side of the base plate is to the left of the mounting point; a container-restraining means mounted on the first side of the base plate having a container-gripping strap for encircling and engaging an outer sidewall surface of a container located on a surface of the counter adjacent the first side of the base plate and for restraining the container from counterclockwise rotation by tightening about the outer sidewall surface of the container when a counterclockwise rotational force is applied to the container; the container-gripping strap being adjustable to fit sidewall surfaces of containers having different size and shaped horizontal cross sections; the container-restraining means including a first mounting head with a strap engaging surface facing away from the first side of the base plate, a first end of the container-gripping strap being secured within the first mounting head to the base plate, an intermediate container-gripping loop portion of container-gripping strap extending out through a first slot in the strap engaging surface of the first mounting head and in through a second slot in the strap engaging surface of the first mounting head, and a free end of the container-gripping strap extending out through a third slot in the first mounting head whereby the free end of the container-gripping strap may be pulled to bring the container-gripping strap into contact with an outer sidewall surface of a container located within the container-gripping loop portion of the container-gripping strap and a counterclockwise torque on the container automatically tightens the container-gripping loop portion of the container-gripping strap about the sidewall surface of the container with part of the container-gripping loop portion clamped between the sidewall surface of the container and the strap engaging surface of the first mounting head to restrain the container from counterclockwise rotation; and a closure-rotating means; the closure-rotating means having a handle with a first end and a second end and a closure-gripping strap at the first end of the handle for encircling and engaging a closure of a container restrained by the container-restraining means and tightening about the container closure when a counterclockwise rotational force is applied to the container closure by the closure-gripping strap through a counterclockwise rotational movement of the handle of the closure-rotating means to grip the container closure and rotate the container closure counterclockwise relative to the container being held by the container-restraining means to unscrew the container closure from the container held by the container-restraining means; and the closure-gripping strap being adjustable to fit container closures having different size and different shaped horizontal cross sections; the closure-rotating means including a second mounting head with a strap engaging surface, a first end of the closure-gripping strap being secured within the second mounting head to the handle, an intermediate closure-gripping loop portion of closure-gripping strap extending out through a first slot in the strap engaging surface of the second mounting head and in through a second slot in the strap engaging surface of the second mounting head, and a free end of the closure-gripping strap extending out through a third slot in the second mounting head whereby the free end of the closure-gripping strap may be pulled to bring the closure-gripping strap into contact with an outer sidewall surface of a container closure located within the closure-gripping loop portion of the closure-gripping strap and a counterclockwise torque on the container closure automatically tightens the closure-gripping loop portion of the closure-gripping strap about the sidewall surface of the container closure with part of the closure-gripping loop portion clamped between the sidewall surface of the container closure and the strap engaging surface of the second mounting head to rotate the container closure counterclockwise.