Abstract:
A disclosed bottle cap removal tool provides for removal of a bottle cap without damage to the bottle cap. Removal of a bottle cap without damage is useful for collectors and crafters. The disclosed bottle cap removal tool includes a cavity within ae housing with an open front end for receiving a bottle cap secured to a bottle. A lip extends inward into the cavity for engaging a bottom edge portion of a bottle cap. The lip contacts a sufficient portion of the bottom edge of the bottle cap to enable removal of the cap with a slight upward movement of the housing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/275,848 filed Jan. 7, 2016. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This disclosure generally relates to a tool for removing a cap from a bottle. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a tool for removing a cap from a bottle without damage to the bottle cap while also holding the cap. 
         [0003]    Craft beers are increasing in popularity and expanding the selection and style of beer available for consumption. Each of the craft beers and different craft breweries have unique artwork for the bottles, packaging and bottle caps. The bottle caps are not an item that is typically recycled but includes unique artwork that has generated a new genre for collectors and crafty minded people. Many will create collections for the different bottle caps, or create displays utilizing bottle caps with unique artwork. 
         [0004]    Typical bottle cap removal tools result in destruction, or at the very least bending of the bottle cap. Bending or other deformation of the bottle cap reduces the desirability for use as part of a unique artwork or inclusion as part of a collection. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A disclosed bottle cap removal tool includes a housing defining a front face and a length. A cavity within the housing is open at a front end and extends from the front face to a back surface. The bottom surface of the cavity is open. A front face of the housing is open for receiving a bottle cap secured to a bottle. A lip extends inward into the cavity for engaging a bottom edge portion of a bottle cap. The lip contacts a sufficient portion of the bottom edge of the bottle cap to enable removal of the cap with a slight upward movement of the housing. The lip may be an integral or separate part of the removal tool and defines a depth within the cavity for receiving a bottle cap. 
         [0006]    The disclosed bottle cap removal tool provides for the removal of bottle caps without the need of excessive force in such a matter so as to prevent damage to the removed bottle cap. Removal without damage a bottle cap is desirable to collectors and crafters. 
         [0007]    Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples. 
         [0008]    These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a cap removal tool according to an example embodiment of this disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a cap within the cap removal tool. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the cap removal tool. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the cap removal tool. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the cap removal tool. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is bottom view of another cap removal tool. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is front view of the cap removal tool shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a cap removal tool mounted to a fixed structure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a side view of another cap removal tool. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a side view of another cap removal tool including a channel for removed bottle caps. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , an example removal tool  10  is schematically shown and includes a cavity  18  for receiving a bottle cap  12  installed to a bottle  14 . In this example, the cap  12  is crimped to on to the bottle  14  and not provided as a twist-off version. It should be understood that it is within the contemplation of this disclosure that the example tool  10  could be utilized to remove a twist-off cap  12 . The example tool  10  is utilized to remove the cap  12  without bending, deforming or otherwise damaging the cap  12 . The example tool  10  also holds the cap  12  once removed to enable easy retrieval and prevent potential damage caused by the cap  12  falling away from the bottle  14 . The cap  12  is held without the need for a magnet or other clip. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-5  with continued reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the example cap removal tool  10  includes a lip  24  that projects inward into the cavity  18  around a periphery of the cavity  18 . The cavity  18  includes an opening  34  at a front face  20  for receiving the cap  12  when still installed to the bottle  14 . In other words, the example tool  10  includes the cavity  18  that receives the cap  12  while still on the bottle  14 . The lip  24  extending into the cavity  18  functions to remove the cap  12  and also to hold the cap  12  within the cavity  18  once free of the bottle  14 . 
         [0021]    The cavity  18  includes a depth  26  ( FIG. 4 ) from the lip  24  to a bottom surface  28  of the cavity  18 . In this example, the bottom surface  28  is abutted against a top surface of the cap  12  along an interface  32  ( FIG. 1 ). The lip  24  extending around the cavity  18  engages a bottom edge  38  of the cap  12  at a rear contact point indicated at  30 . The lip  24  further engages the bottom edge  38  of the cap  12  at contact points  50 A and  50 B. Accordingly, the lip  24  provides at least three points of contact with the bottom edge  38  of the cap  12 . It should be appreciated that the lip  24  may also comprise three separate points rather than a continuous structure. The back contact point  30  is at near the back surface  22 . The other two contact points  50 A and  50 B are spaced apart from the contact point  30  toward the forward face  20 . The spacing between the forward two contact points  50 A and  50 B and the rear contact point  30  is provided to support the cap within the cavity  18  once removed and also to generate the contact forces required to pry the cap  12  from the bottle  14  with minimal distortion. 
         [0022]    Pivoting of the housing  16  as indicated by arrow  36  pries the cap  12  free from the bottle  14 . The pivoting movement generates a lower contact interface that begins at the back contact point  30  and extends around the lip  24  toward the forward two contact points  50 A and  50 B. The lower interface extends in the direction indicated by arrows  52 A and  52 B until the cap  12  is free of the bottle  14 . The top surface  28  of the cavity  18  engages the top surface of the cap  12 . 
         [0023]    The pivoting motion indicated at  36  applies a force to the cap  12  between the lip  24  and the surface  28  along a top interface  32 . The applied forces on the edge of the cap  38  that extends from the rear contact point  30  toward the forward contact points  50 A,  50 B along the lower interface  52 A, and  52 B. The lower interface  52 A,  52 B is a line contact that extends forward until sufficient force is applied to release the cap  12  from the bottle  14 . The length along the lip  24  that define the lower interface  52 A,  52 B will vary depending on the bottle cap  12  and the amount of force required to release the cap  12 . In some instances, the lower interface  52 A,  52 B will extend only a small distance from the rear contact point  30 . In other applications, forces will be applied over a longer distance around the lip  24 . 
         [0024]    In this example, the lip  24  extends about the entire periphery of the cavity  18  around the cap  12  such that the cap  12  remains within the cavity  18  once removed. Moreover, because the lip  24  extends around the entire periphery of the cavity  18 , the lower interface  52 A,  52 B can extend the entire length of the lip  24 . It should be appreciated that although the example lip  24  extends around the entire cavity  18 , that the lip  24  could be shorter, or consist of several separate points determined to provide the forces needed to remove the cap  12  and hold the cap  12  once free of the bottle  14 . 
         [0025]    The cavity  18  substantially surrounds the cap  12  while installed onto the bottle. The example cavity  18  is sized to accept the size and shape of a common round bottle cap. In this example, the cavity  18  includes a first width  27  to accept the entire cap  12  and a second width  29  defined by the lip  24  to engage the bottom edge of the cap as is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0026]    The lip  24  surrounding the cavity engages the bottom edge of the cap and with the schematically shown lifting motion indicated by arrow  36 , enables the application of force to remove the cap  12 . The removal forces are applied over the entire top surface of the cap  12  along with the points of contact on the lower edge such that the cap  12  may be removed without damaging or otherwise deforming the cap  12 . Accordingly, the example tool  10  applies the force over a substantially larger area along the top of the cap to prevent such damage and distortion. 
         [0027]    The example cap removal tool includes the cavity  18  that is extends from the forward face  20  inward a distance  31  ( FIG. 3 ) that corresponds with a diameter or a typical bottle cap. The rear or back surface  22  of the cavity  18  is curved to match the curvature of a typical bottle cap. The entire surface of the cavity  18  from a first side at a front location to a second side at the front location includes the lip  24 . The lip  24  engages a bottom edge  38  of the cap and allow for prying of the cap from the bottle  14 . 
         [0028]    The disclosed example tool  10  is of a one piece construction and includes an integrally formed lip  24 . However, it is within the contemplation of this disclosure that the tool could be made of several different parts that are attached to provide the desired geometry. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , another example tool  40  includes an insert  44  attached to a housing  42 . The insert  44  defines a lip  48  that is supported over a cavity  46 . The example insert  44  defines the lip  48  and can be fabricated from a material different from the housing  42 . In this example the housing  42  is made from wood and the insert is fabricated from metal. As appreciated, the housing  42  and insert could be fabricated from wood, plastic, steel or any other materials as are known in the art. 
         [0030]    The example tools  10  and  40  each include the cavity  18  with the lip  24 . The cavity  18  and lip  24  provided in the tools  10  and  40  can be defined within different mounting structures to accommodate different applications. The example tools  10  and  40  are provided for use as a hand tool, however, the cavity  18  and lip  24  could be mounted to a structure as is indicated at  54  in  FIG. 8 . The example tool  54  is mounted to a fixed structure such as the bottom surface of a countertop  56 . The tool  54  includes a housing  58  that provides for mounting to the countertop  56 . In the configuration shown in  FIG. 8 , the tool  54  is not pivoted. Instead, the cap  12  on the bottle  14  is inserted into the cavity  18  and the bottle  14  pivoted in the direction indicted by arrow  55  to apply the required forces to separate the cap  12  from the bottle  14 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , another cap removal tool  60  is shown and includes a housing  62  that includes a cavity  64  that extends past a lip  66 . The housing  62  could be hand held or mounted to a fixed structure. The cavity  64  includes a bottom opening  68  past the lip  66  to enable a cap  12  to fall from the removal tool  60 . The cap removal tool  60  can be mounted or hand held and includes the cavity  64  that is open at a back side  70  past the lip  66 . The example tool  60  includes the lip  66  on sides of the cap  12  as discussed with regard to the above disclosed removal tools  10 ,  40  and  54 , but does not include a lip that extends along a back side. In some uses, it may be beneficial to have the cap  12  self-release by sliding rearward and then through the bottom opening  68 . Such a feature enables one handed removal of caps  12  while also readying the tool  60  for removal of a subsequent cap  12 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , a mountable cap removal tool  72  is shown that includes a mounting flange  76  that enables mounting to a fixed surface shown schematically at  80 . The removal tool  72  includes a housing  74  that defines a cavity  82  with a back side opening  78  for release of the bottle cap  12 . The back side opening  78  is in the removal tool  72  and corresponds with an opening  82  in the fixed surface  80 . The cavity  82  includes a lip  66  that facilitates removal of the cap  12 . The lip  66  of the removal tool  72  extends to the back of the cavity  82  to provide a surface for the cap  12  to slide out the back side opening  78 . 
         [0033]    The fixed surface  80  includes the opening  82  that enables release of the cap  12  into a receptacle or other catching device. The example cavity  82  is disposed at an upward angle  84  that provides for the cap  12  to slide from the cavity  82  and through the back side opening  78 . 
         [0034]    Accordingly, the example discloses cap removal tools  10 ,  40 ,  54 ,  60  and  72  enable removal of and capture of a bottle cap  12  from a bottle  14  without damage to the cap  12 . 
         [0035]    Although a preferred embodiment of this disclosure invention has been provided by way of example, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.