Abstract:
Embodiments of an improved jar opener and method for loosening jar lids particularly suitable for persons with arthritic hands are generally described herein. The jar opener includes first and second leveraging elements coupled by a threaded rod and a dual-axis hinge assembly. The jar opener includes curved cut-out regions of different curvatures and the dual-axis hinge assembly includes selectable pivot points to accept jar lids of various diameters.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present invention pertain to jar openers and methods for loosening jar lids. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many persons have difficulty loosening jar lids, particularly elderly persons because of reduced strength and persons with arthritic hands. It can be difficult for such persons to grip the lid of a jar with sufficient strength while turning the lid. Thus, there are general needs for improved jar openers and methods for loosening jar lids that are particularly suited for elderly persons and persons with arthritic hands. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a jar opener in accordance with some embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the jar opener of  FIG. 1  in accordance with some embodiments; and 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the operation of the jar opener of  FIG. 1  in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Examples merely typify possible variations. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a jar opener in accordance with some embodiments. Jar opener  100  is configured for loosening a jar lid using human force and includes first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104 , a threaded rod  106  coupling the leveraging elements  102  and  104  and a dual-axis hinge assembly  108 . The leveraging elements  102  and  104  have a handle end  114  and the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  couples the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  opposite the handle end  114 . 
     The first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  have at least two sets of oppositely positioned curved cut-out regions  110 A and  110 B located between the threaded rod  106  and the dual-axis hinge assembly  108 . The two sets of oppositely positioned curved cut-out regions  110 A and  110 B accept jar lids of different sizes. Threaded rod  106  is at least partially threaded and is provided through elongated holes  122  and  124  in the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104 . The elongated holes  122  and  124  are located between the curved cut-out regions  110 A and  110 B and the handle ends  114  of the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , both the elongated holes  122  and  124  have a greater elongation toward the insides  118  of the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  and have a lesser elongation toward the outsides  116  of the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104 . The greater elongation on the insides  118  of the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  may allow for the threaded rod  106  to pass through both the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  as the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  are separated to accept jar lids of different sizes. 
     The first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  have a length selected to provide sufficient leverage to rotate a jar lid when the jar lid is tight. To loosen a jar lid, one hand may be placed on one of the leveraging elements and another hand may be placed on the jar. The leveraging element may be rotated counterclockwise with respect to the jar. Once the jar lid is loosened, the jar lid may easily be removed. The operation of jar opener  100  is described in more detail below. 
     In the embodiments illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the first set of the curved cut-out regions  110 A that is located closer to the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  has a greater concave curvature for smaller-diameter jar lids. The second set of cut-out regions  110 B that is located further from the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  has a lesser concave curvature for larger-diameter jar lids. In these embodiments, either the first set of the second set of the curved cut-out regions is selectable by an operator depending on the size of the jar lid. 
     The dual-axis hinge assembly  108  includes a connecting member with bolts  111  provided therethrough to provide dual pivot points. In some embodiments, the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  includes three jar-size selection holes  109 , which may be arranged in a straight line. Two furthest apart of the jar-size selection holes  109  are selectable for use as pivot points for larger-diameter jar lids. Two closer of the jar-size selection holes  109  are selectable for use as pivot points for smaller-diameter jar lids. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the furthest apart jar-size selection holes have been selected and bolts  111  are illustrated as being provided through the furthest apart jar-size selection holes  109  leaving the center jar-size selection hole  109  open. 
     In some embodiments, each of the opposite positioned curved cut-out regions  110 A and  110 B have gripping surfaces  112  comprising a gripping material disposed thereon. The gripping material may comprise a rubber-like or soft plastic material to help prevent slippage on the jar lid during operation. An adhesive may be used to adhere the gripping material to the leveraging elements  102  and  104 . 
     In some embodiments, the threaded rod  106  may have a hooked-end to inhibit passage through the first leveraging element  102 . The leveraging elements  102  and  104  may be at least eighteen inches long to provide sufficient leverage. A rubber or plastic washer  126  and a wing nut  128  may be provided on the threaded rod  106  opposite the hooked end. Rotation and tightening of the wing nut  128  may bring the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  closer together. In this way, when a jar lid is positioned within one set of the opposite positioned curved cut-out regions (e.g., region  110 A) and when the wing nut  128  is tightened, the leveraging elements  102  and  104  are configured to tightly squeeze the jar lid to allow the leveraging elements to be rotated by human force to loosen the jar lid from a jar without slippage of the jar lid. Accordingly, an elderly person or a person with arthritic hands does not need to have the strength to grip the lid of a jar, but simply needs to rotate one of the leveraging elements. The rubber or plastic washer  126  may help to prevent the wing nut  128  from loosening during use. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the jar opener of  FIG. 1  in accordance with some embodiments. The side view of the jar opener illustrated in  FIG. 2  shows the outside  116  of first leveraging element  102  and the dual-axis hinge assembly  108 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the elongated hole  122  through the first leveraging element  102  has a greater elongation  208  toward an inside of the first leveraging element  102  and has a lesser elongation  206  toward the outside  116  of the first leveraging element  102 . Similarly, for second leveraging element  104  (not illustrated in  FIG. 2 ), elongated hole  124  ( FIG. 1 ) provided through the second leveraging element  104  has a greater elongation toward an inside of the second leveraging element  104  ( FIG. 1 ) and has a lesser elongation toward the outside  116  ( FIG. 1 ) of the second leveraging element  104 . 
     The dual-axis hinge assembly  108  includes a connecting member  209  and bolts  111  to provide for the dual pivot points. The dual-axis hinge assembly  108  also includes metal washers  214  and nuts  212  to retain bolts  111 . The elongation of the elongated holes  122  and  124  in conjunction with the dual pivot points allows the threaded rod  106  ( FIG. 1 ) to pass through both the first and the second leveraging elements  102  and  104  when the jar-size selection holes  109  are selected for either the smaller-diameter jar lids or the larger-diameter jar lids. 
     The selection of the jar-size selection holes  109  on the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  comprises inserting a bolt  111  through each of the selected jar-size selection holes  109  and further inserting each bolt  111  through a hole in each one of the leveraging elements to provide the dual pivot points. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the operation of the jar opener  100  of  FIG. 1  in accordance with some embodiments. A lid  302  of a jar  304  is positioned within one set of the opposite positioned curved cut-out regions. The wing nut is tightened and the first and second leveraging elements may tightly squeeze the jar lid  302  to allow the leveraging elements to be rotated by human force to loosen the jar lid  302  from the jar  304  without slippage of the jar lid  302 . To loosen the jar lid  302 , one hand may be placed on one of the leveraging elements and another hand may be placed on the jar  304  and the leveraging element may be rotated counterclockwise with respect to the jar  304 . 
     In the example illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the lid  302  is positioned within the opposite positioned curved cut-out region that is further from dual-axis hinge assembly  108 . The two closer of the jar-size selection holes  109  have been selected for use as pivot points as having bolts  111  provided therethrough. The combination of the three jar-size selection holes  109  and the two sets of opposite positioned curved cut-out regions  110 A and  110 B ( FIG. 1 ) provide up to four different configurations to accept jar lids that greatly vary in size. For example, smaller jar lids may be positioned between curved cut-out regions  110 A and the two closer jar-size selection holes  109  may be selected. For slightly larger jar lids, curved cut-out regions  110 B may be used with the two closer the jar-size selection holes  109 . For larger jar lids, curved cut-out regions  110 A may be used with the two further apart jar-size selection holes  109 . For even larger jar lids, curved cut-out regions  110 B may be used with the two further apart jar-size selection holes  109 . As can be appreciated, jar opener  100  is suitable for loosening a wide range of sizes of jar lids. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , in some embodiments, a method of loosening a jar lid with a jar opener, such as jar opener  100 , is disclosed herein. The method includes positioning the jar lid  302  within one set of the opposite positioned curved cut-out regions (e.g., region  110 A), and tightening the wing nut  126  to cause the first and second leveraging elements  102  and  104  to tightly squeeze the jar lid  302 . The method also includes rotating one of the leveraging elements by human force to loosen the jar lid  302  from a jar  304  without slippage of the jar lid  302 . The method may include placing one hand on only one of the leveraging elements and gripping the jar with another hand while rotating one leveraging element. 
     In some embodiments, the method of loosening the jar lid may also include selecting a first set of the curved cut-out regions  110 A located closer to the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  with a greater concave curvature for smaller-diameter jar lids, or selecting a second of the curved cut-out regions  110 B located further from the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  with has a lesser concave curvature for larger-diameter jar lids. In some embodiments, the method of loosening the jar lid may also include selecting two furthest apart of the jar-size selection holes  109  for use as pivot points for larger-diameter jar lids, and selecting two closer of the jar-size selection holes  109  for use as pivot points for smaller-diameter jar lids. Selecting of the jar-size selection holes  109  of the dual-axis hinge assembly  108  may include inserting a bolt  111  through each of the selected jar-size selection holes  109 , and inserting each bolt through one of the leveraging elements to provide two pivot points. 
     The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b) requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to limit or interpret the scope or meaning of the claims. The following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.