Can opener

Abstract: A can opener for opening a can having a lid joined to a main body by a rim, in which the can is opened by cutting through an outer part of the rim joining the lid with the main body of the can, in which the can opener comprises a cutter wheel (40) for engaging and cutting the said outer part of the rim, a rotatable drive wheel (26) for engaging the inner part of the rim, and having a pair of body members (16,18) such that one body member (18) supports the cutter wheel (40) and has a substantially flat surface in the region of the nip between the cutter wheel (40) and the drive wheel (26), and the integral handle of the other body member (16) having an undersurface which is substantially flat and also substantially in the same plane as the substantially flat surface on the said one body member (18). When the body members and their integral handles are pivoted to allow the can opener to be fitted over the rim of a can, those two surfaces will rest on the top of the rim of a can and will align the axis of the cutter wheel (40).

Description: This invention relates to can openers. In particular the invention relates to a can opener of the type which will remove the lid of a can by making a cut through the outer part of the join between the lid and the wall of the can. An example of such a can opener is shown in United States Patents No 4734986 to which reference is directed. The can opener shown in that Patent makes a thin cut around the rim through the material of the lid itself where it is folded over and around the top of the upright wall of the can. The lid is then removed from the rest of the can by means of a gripping mechanism which levers the lid from the remainder of the can. Such a can opener has a number of advantages over existing can openers in that the remaining top edge of the opened can is not sharp. Thus what is in fact exposed is the turned over top edge of the side wall of the can and that is smooth and so unlikely to cut a user who may hold it or touch it. Also the top edge is still well reinforced by the remaining folded-over material of the can and so, when the can is gripped, it still retains it's shape. Further, since the cut takes place only on the outside of the can wall and there is no penetration through into the interior of the can, no metal filings or the like will contaminate the contents of the can and the possibly unhygenic cutting knife does not contact the contents of the can. We have found that it is of importance that there be closed tolerances in the positioning of the cutting knife on a can to be opened and it is an object of the invention to achieve this. According to the invention there is provided a can opener for opening a can having a lid joined to a main body by a rim, in which the can is opened by cutting through an outer part of the rim joining the lid with the main body of the can, in which the can opener comprises a cutter wheel for engaging and cutting the said outer part of the rim, a rotatable drive wheel for engaging the inner part of the rim, a pair of body members pivoted to one another and having integral handles extending generally in a direction away from the axis of pivoting, the body members being arranged, upon pivoting relative one another, to move the drive wheel and cutter wheel towards and away from one another respectively to allow the can opener to be fitted over the rim of a can to be opened and to grip the rim between the cutter wheel and drive wheel so that, upon rotation of the drive wheel, the can opener orbits around the rim of the can and the cutter wheel can complete a cut around the outer part of the rim characterised is that member supports the cutter wheel and has a substantially flat surface in the region of the nip between the cutter wheel and the drive wheel, the integral handle of the other body member having an undersurface which is substantially flat and also substantially in the same plane as the substantially flat surface on the said one body member, whereby when the body members and their integral handles are pivoted to allow the can opener to be fitted over the rim of a can, those two surfaces will rest on the top of the rim of a can and will align the axis of the cutter wheel so that at least in the plane containing them it is parallel with the upright axis to the can. This has the advantage that the circular cutting edge on the cutting wheel will be accurately aligned in the direction of the cut to be made and ensures that, as the body members and the handles are pivoted together to bring the drive wheel and cutter wheel close together to grip the rim, the initial penetration of the rim by the cutting edge will be accurately aligned in the desired direction of the cut to be made. As a result an improved consistency of cutting from one can to another can be achieved. It is preferred that the said one body member which supports the cutter wheel also have a further contact surface on the opposite side of the drive wheel from the cutter wheel. This contact surface should be spaced downwardly from the said substantially flat surface on the said one body member by an amount substantially equal to the inner depth of the rim, that is to say the height of the rim above the central top region of the lid. Thus, this further contact surface will rest on the top of the lid and ensure that the axis to the cutter wheel is also aligned so as to parallel with the upright axis of the can in a direction transverse to a plane containing them. In effect with this additional contact surface there is a three point contact with the can when the body members are pivoted to their open position and the can opener placed over the rim of a can to opened which guides the user so that, as the handles are closed, the cutter wheel is kept in correct alignment to penetrate the rim. The invention will now be illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of can opener according to the invention; Figure 2 is an underneath view; Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view showing the can opener in use on the first step of opening a can; Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the area circled in Figure 4 and marked 5 in the case of one can; Figure 6 is an enlarged detail similar to Figure 5 but showing the case of a different can; Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 2; Figure 8 is an underneath view showing the can opener in the opened position; Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail showing the second step in the removal of the can lid; Figure 10 is a detail similar to Figure 9 showing the lid being removed; Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 3 of another form of can opener according to the invention; Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 5 of that said another form of can opener; and Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 3 of yet another form of can opener according to the invention. The can opener 10 shown in Figures 1 to 10 of the drawings comprises a pair of handles 12 and 14 which are integrally formed with body portions 16 and 18, respectively. The latter are pivoted to one another about a spigot 20 (Figure 3) which is integral with the body portion 16 and which extends into a corresponding opening 22 in the body portion 18. A spindle 24 passes through the spigot 20, the spindle being formed at one side with a drive wheel 26. This has on its outer face, serrations, teeth or the like to allow it to grip the inside of a can rim 29 so that, when it is rotated, it will drive the can opener 10 around a can 30 to be opened. At its other side, the spindle is joined to a crank 32 by means of which the wheel 26 can be manually rotated. As best seen in Figure 3, the axis 34 of the spindle 24 is offset from the axis 36 of the spigot 20. In this way, when the handles 12 and 14 are opened up to the position shown in Figure 8 by pivoting the portions 16 and 18 about the spigot 20, the drive wheel 26 is moved away from a cutter wheel 40 and so can be placed over the rim 29 of a can to be opened, and conversely, when the handles are brought together as shown in Figure 2 and grasped in the hand of a user, the drive wheel 26 is moved in closer to the cutter wheel 40 so that the rim 29 of the can is gripped between the two. Integrally formed with the body portion 18 is an upstanding shaft 44 (Figures 6 and 7) on which the cutter wheel 40 is idly and rotatably mounted. The cutter wheel comprises a circular cutting edge 46 and an integral circular flange 48. The other cylindrical face 49 of this is of slightly larger diameter than the cutting edge 46 so that the face 49 can bear against an upright side wall 50 of the can 30. The flange also has a slightly inclined cam edge 51 formed on its upper face which is designed to engage below the rim 29 of a can. This edge 51 is angled at about 80° to the axis of rotation of the cutter wheel. It could however be angled say from 75° to 85° to the axis of rotation. It is, however important that the edge 51 penetrate under the rim 29 which will normally be 1 to 1.5mm larger in diameter than the side wall 50 and move the cutter wheel 40 if required as explained below. The cutter wheel 40 is held in place on the shaft 44 by an end cap 52 riveted or screwed to the shaft 44. However, between the end cap 52 and the wheel 40 is a resilient washer 54 of elastomeric material, and in turn between the washer 54 and the wheel 40 is a thin metal washer 55. Referring to Figure 5, this shows in detail the construction of the rim 29 of a can 30. The top of the side wall 50 of a can is bent over in the shape of a "U" whilst the edge of a lid 62 is bent up around the inside of the side wall, over the top of the bent-over side wall, down around the outside of that bent-over portion in a region 63 and finally its end is bent up inside and so trapped by the bent-over top of the side wall. In a can opener of the invention it is the bent-over portion of the lid 62 in the region 63 which is cut by the cutting edge 46. The surface 64 of the body portion 18 between the cutter wheel 40 and drive wheel 26 is flat and transverse to the axis of the rotation of the two wheels. In addition and as best seen in Figures 1 and 4 the undersurface 65 of the handle 14 is in the same plane as that surface 64. Therefore when the body portions and their respective handles are pivoted open to enable a can rim 29 to enter between the drive wheel 26 and cutter wheel 40, the top of the rim 29 can rest on the surface 64. Because this is flat right across the width of the body portion 16 the resting of the surface on the rim will align the axis 45 with the upright axis of the can. In addition with the handles 12 and 14 opened up as in Figure 8 or even further than that, the surface 65 can additionally rest on the rim 29 (shown diagrammatically by the broken line 29 in Figure 8) and assist in ensuring this alignment. At the outer end of the body member as formed an integral downwardly extending lug 76 having a lower flat contact surface 78. This extends downwardly by an amount approximately equal to the height of the rim 28 above the top surface of the lid 62. In this way, by resting the contact surface 76 on the lid 62 when the can opener is placed over the rim 29 of a can to be opened, one can ensure that the axis 45 of rotation of the cutter wheel 40 is accurately parallel to the upright axis of the can. In the removal of the lid 62, the handles 12 and 14 are first of all opened up by pivoting them apart in the direction of the arrows 70 (Figure 2) to the position shown in Figure 8. This opens up a gap between the drive wheel 26 and the cutter wheel 40 as has been described. The can opener can then be placed over the top of a can 30 with the rim 29 between the wheels 26 and 40. The handles are then brought to their closed position as shown in Figure 2. This causes the rim 29 to be gripped between the wheels 26 and 40 and the teeth or serrations 27 of the drive wheel engage tightly with the inside of the rim 29. At the same time, the cutting edge 46 is forced through the material of the lid in the region 63. As has been explained above the surface 64 and 65 ensure that the cutting edge 46 is accurately aligned in the direction around the rim 29 in which the circular cut is to be made. Also, the contact of the contact surface 78 with the top of the lid 62 ensures that the cutting edge 46 enters the material of the lid precisely in a direction at right angles to the upright side wall 60 of a can. Next the crank 32 is rotated whilst the user grips the handles 12 and 14 with his other hand. The rotation causes the can opener 10 to orbit around the can and make a complete circular cut through the material of the lid in the region 63. It will be seen best form Figure 5 that, when the handles are fully closed, the edge 51 of the flange 48 has engaged under the lower edge of the rim 29, the cylindrical outer face 49 of the flange 48 contacting the outer face of the side wall 50 of the can. The depth d of a rim 29 varies widely from can to can and may even vary around an individual can. This can lead to inconsistent cutting and so as to avoid this it will be seen that, if the depth d is greater than the minimum envisaged in Figure 5, i.e. the situation in Figure 6, then the cam surface 51 still engages under the lower edge of the rim 29 but draws the cutter wheel 40 downwardly, so compressing the washer 54. The spacing a between the cutting edge 46 and the lower edge of the rim 29 remains constant and is of course fixed by the relative positions of the flange 48 and cutting edge 46. Consistent cutting results can therefore be achieved. Once a complete circular cut has been made, the handles 12 and 14 are opened up and the can released. At the same time, the washer 54 will restore the cutter wheel 40 to its position shown in Figure 5 if it was moved away from this in the sense shown in Figure 6. Integrally formed with the body member 18 is an upstanding arcuate wall 66. Its axis is centered on the axis of the shaft 44, and it extends angularly for approximately 180°, half and half on either side of a line A (see Figure 2) which is an extension of a line joining the axes of the cutter wheel 40 and drive wheel 26 when the can opener is in the position shown in Figure 2. The wall 66 could extend angularly for more or less, e.g. from about 45° to about 220°, half and half on either side of the line A. In practice if it extends for more than 180° this can lead to difficulties in assembling the can opener whereas 180° is a preferred extent so that the wall not only supports the shaft to prevent bending away in the sense of a direct line between the axes of the cutter wheel and drive wheel but also supports the shaft to prevent sideways bending as the can opener makes a cut. As best shown in Figures 5 and 6, the inside face 68 of the wall has a diameter approximately the same as that of the outer cylindrical face 49 of the flange 48. That face 49, therefore, abuts the face 68 and in this way the wall can buttress the shaft 44 during a cutting operation, so preventing substantial distortion of the shaft 44 and consequently misalignment of the cutting edge 46 with the rim 28. This is despite the fact that the body member 18 and its integral shaft 44 are moulded from synthetic plastics material. To further enhance the stiffness of the arrangement, each body member 16 and 18 may be provided along its edge with an integral arcuate flange 72 which extends into a corresponding shaped slot 74 on the edge of the handle 12 or 14 of the other body member. Thus the flanges 72 can slide easily within their respective slots 74 as the handles and body members are pivoted. However, when the can opener is in a position for making a cut, i.e. the position shown in Figure 2, the flanges 72 are wholly received in their respective slots 74 and the body members 16 and 18 then buttress and reinforce one another to prevent twisting and bending of the members when under a can opening load. Again this assist in keeping the cutting edge 46 in the required close tolerances for accurate and consistent can opening. Upon removal of the can opener 10 the lid 62 will still appear to be intact on the can. it can be removed by levering it off using a mechanism 80, which as best shown in Figure 2, is provided on one side of the body portion 18. This mechanism 80 is shown in more detail in Figures 9 and 10 and comprises a metal lever arm 82. This is mounted in an outer metal frame 83 and hinges about its lower end 84. It is resiliently urged outwardly by a resilient member 85 and has an integral hook 86. The latter corresponds in position to the position of the cutting edge 46. Therefore, when the mechanism 80 is placed over the rim of a can as shown in Figure 9, the lever arm 82 is resiliently retracted until the hook 86 snaps into the cut made in the material of the lid 62 in the region 64. Now when the whole can opener is levered up, the hook 86 forces the severed portion of the lid off from the rest of the can to open it. An advantage of a can opener according to the invention is apparent form Figure 10 in that the exposed top edge of the can after opening is not sharp since it is not a cut edge but is in fact the turned or bent over top edge of the side wall 50 of the can. In the modified form of can opener shown in Figures 11 and 12 there is provided a modified drive wheel 125. Other parts of the can opener can be the same as described in connection with Figures 1 to 10 and similar parts are given similar reference numerals. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the lower edge 130, that is to say the edge which is adjacent to the lid of the can when in use, of the outer face 126 of the drive wheel 125 has a chamfer or bevel 131. This chamfer or bevel 131 is at an angle of about 45° and extends to a depth slightly greater than the serrations or teeth 27. We have found that by providing this chamfer or bevel 131, the drive wheel 125 gives a better grip when cutting the small diameter corners of rectangular cans. It seems that a reason for this may be because the rim 28 in such corners is often not very upright but is angled outwardly so that, without the chamfer 31, only the lower edge of the face 126 of the wheel 125 would contact the rim so that the major portion of a serration or tooth does not contact the rim. A detail of another modified form of can opener is shown in Figure 13 where the drive spindle 224 differs from that shown in the embodiments of Figures 1 to 12. Other parts of the can opener can be the same as described in connection with either Figures 1 to 10 or Figures 11 and 12 and similar parts are given the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 10. Referring to Figure 13, the drive spindle 224 is rotatably journaled in a steel sleeve 237 embedded within the material of the spigot 20. At spaced regions 238 and 239 adjacent the ends of the sleeve 237, the spindle 224 has a diameter such that the spindle is a good mating fit within the sleeve. In this way good rotational support is provided for the spindle. In a central region 240, however, the spindle is of reduced diameter so as to leave a gap 241 between the spindle 224 and 237. This gap could, for example, be of a radial distance of around 0.4mm because there is therefore no contact between the spindle and sleeve in this central region, there is therefore no friction created from the region during rotation of the shaft. Also a lubricating grease can be provided within the gap 241 for lubrication of the sliding surfaces in the regions 238 and 239. In these latter regions, however, there is a good mating fit between the interior of the sleeve and the exterior of the shaft so that good rotational support is given. Desirably the interior surface of the sleeve and exterior surface of the shaft have been hardened and tempered to HRC of 56 to reduce frictional forces.

Claims: A can opener for opening a can having a lid joined to a main body by a rim, in which the can is opened by cutting through an outer part of the rim joining the lid with the main body of the can, in which the can opener comprises a cutter wheel (40) for engaging and cutting the said outer part of the rim, a rotatable drive wheel (26) for engaging the inner part of the rim, a pair of body members (16, 18) pivoted to one another and having integral handles extending generally in a direction away from the axis of pivoting, the body members (16, 18) being arranged, upon pivoting relative one another, to move the drive wheel (26) and cutter wheel (40) towards and away from one another respectively to allow the can opener to be fitted over the rim of a can to be opened and to grip the rim between the cutter wheel (40) and drive wheel (26) so that, upon rotation of the drive wheel (26), the can opener orbits around the rim of the can and the cutter wheel (40) can complete a cut around the outer part of the rim characterized in that one body member (18) supports the cutter wheel (40) and has a substantially flat surface in the region of the nip between the cutter wheel (40) and the drive wheel (26), the integral handle of the other body member (16) having an undersurface which is substantially flat and also substantially in the same plane as the substantially flat surface on the said one body member (18), whereby when the body members and their integral handles are pivoted to allow the can opener to be fitted over the rim of a can, those two surfaces will rest on the top of the rim of a can and will align the axis of the cutter wheel (40) so that at least in the plane containing them it is parallel with the upright axis to the can. A can opener as claimed in Claim 1 in which the said one body member (18) which supports the cutter wheel (40) also has a further contact surface on the opposite side of the drive wheel (26) from the cutter wheel (40). A can opener as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the cutter wheel is rotatably supported on a shaft (44) upstanding from one of the body members (18), a circular flange (48) of diameter greater than the cutter wheel (40) also being supported on the said shaft (44), and an arcuate support wall (66) upstanding from the said one body member (18) and being centered on the axis of rotation of the cutter wheel (40), the circular flange (48) being arranged to bear against the support wall (66) to assist in supporting the shaft (44) and cutter wheel (40) during cutting of the rim of a can. A can opener as claimed in Claim 3 in which the circular flange (48) is mounted outwardly of the cutting edge. A can opener as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the two pivoted body members (16, 18) have at least one cooperating flange and recess (72, 74) such that engagement of the flange in the recess reinforces the said one body member by the other. A can opener as claimed in Claim 5 in which and at the edge of at least one handle where it abuts the other body member, there is provided said recess (74) into which a corresponding arcuate shaped flange (72) of the other handle fits. A can opener as claimed in Claim 6 in which a pair of said cooperating flanges and recesses (72, 74) are provided, the edge of each handle where it abuts the other body member having and a said flange extending into engagement with a corresponding said recess in the other body member.

Inventors: KOO HONG-WAH VINCENT, KOO, HONG-WAH VINCENT
Applicants: IBL PRODUCTS LTD, IBL PRODUCTS COMPANY LTD
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B67B7
IPC codes: B67B7