Abstract:
A box opener that includes a shaft extending along a longitudinal dimension. The shaft supports a box broaching wedge, operatively supported by the end of the shaft. The wedge narrowing from a base that is at least 2 cm (0.79 in) in dimension transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the shaft to a blunt edge spaced from the base by at least 2 cm (0.79 in).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority from provisional application Ser. No. 60/389,587, filed Jun. 18, 2002. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The problem of opening boxes of syrup for use in soda fountains is one that was recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,372. These boxes contain a plastic bag filled with syrup. The general term for this type of container is a “bag-in-box,” abbreviated as “BIB.” Referring to  FIG. 1  of the present application, at one end of this type of a box  2  there is a perforated, U-shaped seam  4 , defining a flap  6 . Underneath the flap  6  is the tube for connecting the syrup box to the receptive soda fountain hardware. 
     The person tasked with opening the box, typically a young employee with little experience, cannot use a utility knife because there is a great likelihood that in doing so the plastic bag holding the syrup would be sliced open, creating a mess for all involved. Typically the young employee punches the perforated seam with his or her fist and or knuckles, potentially injuring his or her hand and giving rise to an expensive worker&#39;s compensation claim. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,372 (&#39;372) discloses a tool adapted for opening syrup boxes. Unfortunately, the patent discloses a tool made largely of stainless steel that is welded together, an expensive production technique that would result in a sales price unlikely to appeal to the operator of a fast food establishment working on a slim margin. Moreover, the tool itself appears to have an unfortunate design that would not facilitate the broaching of a syrup box to the extent necessary or desirable in a hand tool. Lip  28  does not appear to protrude outwardly from the base by more than about a centimeter, which would not appear to be enough to affirmatively tear the box apart at the seam. For whatever reason the tool disclosed in the &#39;372 patent does not appear to have achieved widespread distribution. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a first separate aspect, the present invention is a box opener that includes a shaft extending along a longitudinal dimension. The shaft supports a box broaching wedge, operatively supported by the end of the shaft. The wedge narrowing from a base that is at least 2 cm (0.79 in) in dimension transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the shaft to a blunt edge spaced from the base by at least 2 cm (0.79 in). 
     In a second separate aspect, the present invention is a method of doing business, comprising distributing inexpensive, polymer injection molded box openers. Each of the box openers includes a shaft extending along a longitudinal dimension and having an end. A box broaching wedge is supported by the end of the shaft. The wedge narrows from a base to a blunt edge. 
     In a third separate aspect, the present invention is a method of opening a box having a perforated seam defining a flap. The method makes use of a box opener that includes a shaft extending along a longitudinal dimension and that supports a box broaching wedge. The wedge includes a slanted side wall and a blunt edge. The box opener is held so that the blunt edge is aligned with the seam and the slanted side wall is over the flap. The box opener is then pushed inwardly so that the edge breaks the seam and the slanted side wall pushes inwardly against the flap. 
     The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art soda fountain syrup box, showing a person equipped with a box opener according to the present invention, engaged in the act of opening the box. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial expanded view of the soda fountain syrup box, the box opener and person of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a box opener according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the box opener of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the box opener of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the box opener of  FIG. 3 , taken along line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the box opener of  FIG. 3 , taken along line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In a preferred embodiment the present invention is a box opener  10  that includes a shaft  12  that terminates in a first stop wall  14  and a second stop wall  16 . In turn, first stop wall  14  supports a first opening wedge  18  and the second stop wall  16  operatively supports a second opening wedge  20 . 
     The first opening wedge  18  has a width  118  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7  for definitions of dimension) of about 1.8 cm (0.7 in) and includes a first long side wall  22 , having a length  122  of about 3 cm (1.18 in), a first short side wall  24  has a length  124  of about 7 mm (0.28 in) and a first slanted side wall  26 , which meets side wall  22  at an angle  126  of 45° to form a first blunt edge  28 . A first interior support wall  32 , provides support to first opening wedge  18 . 
     The second opening wedge  20  has a width  120  of about 2.6 cm (1.02 in) and includes a second long side wall  34  having a length  134  of about 5.5 cm (2.2 in) and a second short side wall  36  having a length  136  of about 2.3 cm (0.91 in). A second slanted side wall  38  extends from second short side wall  36  to form an angle  138  of 45° with the second long side wall  34 , at a second blunt edge  40 . A second interior support wall  42  provides structural support to the second opening wedge  20 . 
     In a preferred embodiment the second blunt edge  40  is 2 mm (0.78 in) thick. A sharper second blunt edge  40  would also fall within the scope of the invention, however. Edges  28  and  40  must be sufficiently blunt that neither one will cut through the plastic liner of a syrup box. 
     Box opener  10  may be injection molded from a polymeric resin. Using this technology, it is actually quite difficult to obtain an edge sharp enough to cut through the lining of a syrup box. 
     Both stop walls  14  and  16  are round, have a diameter  114  of about 7.6 cm (3 in) and are about 1 mm (0.04 in) thick. The shaft  12  has a length  112  of about 11.1 cm (4.4 in) and includes ribs  12 A for ease of grasping by a user. In one preferred embodiment, the interior  12 B of shaft  12  forms a cross in transverse dimension, for added transverse strength. 
     The advantages of box opener  10  should now be readily apparent. As noted in the Background section and as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , syrup boxes  2  have a perforated seam  4  in the form of a shallow U, defining a flap  6 . A person who desires to open a syrup box may take the box opener  10 , grasp it by the shaft  12 , align the first blunt edge  28  with the perforated seam  4  and orient box opener  10  so that the first slanted side wall  24  is positioned over the flap  6 . If the person then pushes down, the first slanted side wall  26  will push the flap  6  inwardly as edge  28  breaks the seam. This same exercise may then be repeated with the second opening wedge  20 , to increase the size of the seam  4  breakage and push a larger portion of the flap  6  inward. 
     Because box opener  10  is an injection molded polymer device, it can be produced inexpensively, relative to prior art devices. Accordingly, it can be offered at a price that would make it attractive to beverage vendors who could distribute it for free or for a very small charge and for restaurants having soda fountains to provide to their employees to avoid the expense of worker&#39;s compensation claims and ease one of the many tasks faced by their employees. 
     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.