Abstract:
A self-centering and self-gripping corkscrew is provided. A centering and locking mechanism is integrated into the bottle receiving opening of the corkscrew such that in one downward motion a bottleneck is securely gripped and automatically centered under the cork removing device (e.g., a worm screw). The centering and gripping mechanism is spring biased downward and utilizes compression techniques configured into an outer mechanism (contained within the bottle receiving opening of corkscrew) and the body of the corkscrew to simultaneously grip and align the bottle with the axis of the cork removing device. The locking mechanism is part of the centering mechanism and allows the corkscrew to remain locked onto the bottleneck (after centering and gripping) during activation of the cork removing device and removal of the corresponding cork. An upward motion opposite the locking motion disengages the mechanism, removing the corkscrew from the bottle.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present principles relate to corkscrews. More particularly, it relates a self-centering and self-gripping corkscrew. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    Corkscrews come in many different shapes and sizes. Among the most common of corkscrews is a “winged” corkscrew where the arms or handles move in conjunction with the worm as it engages the cork. These winged corkscrews have a bottom opening that the user places on the corked bottle and then manually engages the knob to rotate the worm into the cork. As the worm proceeds into the cork, the winged arms or handles rise upward. Downward pressure on the handles causes the ledge in the bottom opening to contact the top of the bottle and thereby extract the cork from the same. 
         [0005]    Several drawbacks with known winged corkscrew designs exist. One of which is that the user must hold the device in engagement with the top of the bottle while simultaneously rotating the worm using the knob. This is primarily because the bottom opening is sized to receive most any size bottle and remains loose around the neck of the bottle until the worm engages the cork. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that the loose bottom receiving opening more often than not causes the worm to engage the cork “off-center” from the same. This results in a crooked engagement with the cork, and sometimes even causes the worm to breach a side of the cork, thus creating cork pieces that can fall into the bottle. 
         [0006]    The self-centering and griping corkscrew of the present principles overcomes all the shortfalls of known winged corkscrew designs. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    According to an implementation, the corkscrew includes a self-centering and self-gripping mechanism positioned within a bottle-receiving opening of the corkscrew. The self-centering and self-gripping mechanism is configured to receive, secure and center a bottleneck received therein with a cork-removing device of the corkscrew. 
         [0008]    According to another implementation, the corkscrew includes a body having a bottle receiving opening. A cork-removing device is positioned within the body. A self-centering and self-gripping mechanism is positioned within the bottle-receiving opening of the body, and is configured to receive, secure and center a bottleneck received therein with the cork-removing device. 
         [0009]    According to yet another implementation, the corkscrew includes a body having a bottle receiving opening. A cork-removing device is positioned within the body and has an axis along which the cork-removing device travels. A self-centering and self-gripping mechanism is positioned within the bottle-receiving opening of the body, and is configured to receive, secure and center a bottleneck received therein with the cork-removing device. 
         [0010]    These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present principles will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present principles may be better understood in accordance with the following exemplary figures, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the corkscrew according to an implementation of the present principles; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged exploded perspective view of self-centering and self-gripping mechanisms of the corkscrew according to an implementation of the present principles; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  shows a schematic view of the self-centering and self-gripping features of the corkscrew in the relaxed, un-engaged position, according to an implementation of the present principles; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  shows a schematic view of the self-centering and self-gripping features of the corkscrew in the engaged or locked position around the top of a corked bottle, according to an implementation of the present principles; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the corkscrew of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  with the bottom cover removed, according to an implementation of the present principles; and 
           [0017]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show cross-sectional view of the corkscrew in the relaxed, un-engaged position and the engaged position, respectively, according to an implementation of the present principles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The present principles are directed to corkscrews for removing corks from corked bottles. 
         [0019]    The present description illustrates the present principles. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the present principles and are included within its spirit and scope. 
         [0020]    All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the present principles and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. 
         [0021]    Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present principles, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure. 
         [0022]    Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present principles, as well as other variations thereof, means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, and so forth described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present principles. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment”, as well any other variations, appearing in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0023]    In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the self-centering/self-gripping corkscrew  10  includes several known and familiar parts. A body  12 , includes the oppositely positioned arms  14  which are held in place by corresponding pins  16 . The worm  20  is connected to the handle or knob  18  via a worm pin  22 . The left and right cores  26  are positioned within the body around the worm  20 . According to one preferred implementation, the self-centering/self-gripping corkscrew mechanism  30  is positioned within the bottle receiving opening on the bottom of the corkscrew. Once assembled, the bottom cover  24  encloses the bottom of the corkscrew and any remaining visible portions of the self-centering/self-gripping corkscrew mechanism  30 . Although shown with a worm  20 , those of skill in the art will appreciate that other cork removing devices could be implemented without departing from the intended scope of the present principles. For example, an auger could replace the worm, or alternatively, a needle capable of piercing the cork and delivering air into the bottle to force the removal of the same. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the details of the self-centering/self-gripping corkscrew mechanism  30  are shown. The self-centering/self-gripping corkscrew mechanism  30  includes an inner pair of compression fittings  34  and an outer pair of compression fittings  32 . The inner pair of fittings  34  having a soft bottleneck-engaging surface that can be made of any suitable flexible material, such as, for example, rubber, nylon, silicone, TPE, foam, etc. and a bottle top engaging flange  35 . The outer pair of fittings  32  fit around the inner pair  34 , and includes a plurality of pins  40  which cooperate with slots in the body and the spring  36  to self-center and lock/grip the corkscrew onto the neck of the corked bottle. The upper surface  42  of the outer fittings  32  is configured to receive and seat the bottom of the spring  36 . Although the exemplary embodiment is shown with a winged corkscrew design, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the principles discussed herein can be applied to any corkscrew having an appropriate body and cork removing device. 
         [0025]    The details of the operation of the self-centering and self-gripping/locking corkscrew will now be described in conjunction with  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 3A-4B , the body  12  of the corkscrew includes slots  50  which, as shown, are angularly configured toward an axis A of the worm  20 . The angular configuration of the slots  50  provide for the gripping of the bottleneck by compressing the inner mechanism part  34  around the bottleneck. The posts  40  on the respective outer pair of fittings are configured to be positioned within the slots  50 . As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 4A , the posts  40  are positioned at the bottom of each slot  50 , thus indicating the relaxed or un-engaged position of the same. At the top of each slot  50  is a slight offset  52  which is part of the locking system. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , when assembled, the tabs  44  of fittings  32  fit into the slots  45  of the opposing fittings  32  so that fittings  32  remain vertically constrained to one another. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 3B and 4B , when the top of a corked bottle is received and the corkscrew is pressed down on the same, several things occur: 1) the top of the bottle contacts the bottle-top-engaging flanges  35 ; 2) as the corkscrew is pushed downward, the posts  40  are caused to ride up the slots  50 , thus causing the outer  32  mechanism (and thereby the inner mechanism  34  to be urged inward toward the center plane, which results in the inner mechanism  34  engaged around the bottleneck; and 3) at the top of the slots  50 , the posts  40  “snap” or “lock” into the slot offsets  52 .  FIGS. 3B and 4B  show the corkscrew in the engaged or locked position with a bottleneck  100  locked therein. The length or “travel” of the slots  50  are a matter of design choice, however, in this configuration, the average travel of the slots  50  is 8.5 mm. Thus, it will be apparent from the foregoing, that the slots  50 , in conjunction with posts  40  of the outer  32  mechanism allow the bottleneck to be compressed by the inner mechanism  34  in a manner that guarantees the same to be centered with respect to the cork removing device axis A (i.e., the worm  20 ) every time. The compression performed by the angular disposition of the slots  50  with locking offset  52 , can be, for example, 1.5 mm. This compression can be changed in accordance with the angle of the slots  50  and also considering the softness or firmness of the interior engaging surface  38  of the inner mechanism parts  34 . 
         [0029]    In accordance with other implementations, the posts  40  and the slots  50  can be reversed as to their disposition. Alternatively, the posts  40  and slots  50  can be replaced with structural equivalents such as, for example, a guide and a corresponding guide surface. For example, a guide of any shape and appropriate size can be positioned on the exterior surface of the outer mechanism parts  32 , and a corresponding and mating inner guide surface can be disposed on an inside surface of the body such that the guide and inner guide surface cooperate to perform the desired compression/gripping and centering of the received bottleneck. Of course, in the alternative, the guide could be positioned on the inside surface of the body while the inner guide surface is integrated into the outer mechanism parts  32 . 
         [0030]    As shown in the cross-sectional views of  FIGS. 5A and 5B , it will be apparent that the spring  36  biases the centering and gripping mechanisms downward. Thus, in the presence of downward pressure, the spring  36  compresses, while the posts  40  ride up the slots  50 , which causes the outer mechanism  32  to compress around the inner compression fittings  34 , which then compress around and against the bottleneck  100 . When the posts  40  reach the top of slots  50  and snap or lock into the corresponding offsets  52 , the corkscrew has now “gripped” the top of the bottle and is perfectly centered the same with the worm  20 , and will remain there without any user assistance. The user can then engage the knob  18  and turn the worm into the cork. Once the worm engages the cork sufficiently to allow the use of the wing arms, the user can then withdraw the cork from the bottle. 
         [0031]    During the withdrawal of the cork from the bottleneck, the posts  40  will remain engaged with the offsets  52 , clamping the bottleneck. After the cork is completely removed, the user pulls the body upwards with sufficient force to override the offsets  52 , removing the body  12  from the bottleneck. The bias of the centering and gripping mechanism from spring  36  causes the mechanism to return to the bottom position. 
         [0032]    Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the corkscrew  10  and the parts thereof can be fabricated using one or more of many different materials. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, plastic, metal, wood, ceramic or any other structurally sound food-safe material. 
         [0033]    These and other features and advantages of the present principles may be readily ascertained by one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art based on the teachings herein. It is to be understood that the teachings of the present principles may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processors, or combinations thereof. 
         [0034]    Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present principles is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art without departing from the scope or spirit of the present principles. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present principles as set forth in the appended claims.