Patent Publication Number: US-7213340-B1

Title: Battery-operated can opener

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a can opener and more particularly, to a battery-operated can opener. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A conventional can opener is a hand tool having a handle and a cutter at one side of the handle. When opening a can, the user must bias the can opener and move the can opener along the rim of the can. It is inconvenient to use a conventional can opener to open a can. Further, using a conventional can opener to open a can requires much effort. When biasing a can opener to open a can, the can opener may slip from the rim of the can. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the battery-operated can opener comprises a DC motor, a battery, a switching lever that controls electric connection between the battery and the DC motor, an actuating arm coupled to the switching lever for moving a cutter out of the can opening for cutting the lid of a can when switched on the DC motor, a guide gear wheel coupled to the DC motor through a transmission gear set for moving the can opener along the rim of the can to force the cutter to cut open the lid of the can. According to another aspect of the present invention, a return spring is connected between the bottom cover shell of the can opener and the actuating arm to automatically return the switching lever and the actuating arm when the user releases the switching lever after the cutting operation. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a battery-operated can opener according to the prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is an elevational assembly view of the battery-operated can opener according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the battery-operated can opener, showing the switching lever in OFF position 
       FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3  but showing the switching lever in ON position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a battery-operated can opener in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a bottom cover shell  11 , a top cover shell  10  covering the bottom cover shell  11 , a DC motor  12  mounted in the bottom cover shell  11 , a pinion  13  fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the DC motor  12 , a transmission gear set  14  mounted inside the bottom cover shell  11  and coupled to the pinion  13 , a switching lever  23  pivotally mounted in one side of the bottom cover shell  11  and partially extending out of the bottom cover shell  11  for operation by hand, a first metal contact  25  fixedly mounted inside the bottom cover shell  11  and electrically connected to one pole of the battery inside the bottom cover shell  11  and one pole of the DC motor  12 , a second metal contact plate  24  fixedly mounted on one end of the switching lever  23  and electrically connected to the other pole of the battery inside the bottom cover shell  11  and the other pole of the DC motor  12  and movable with the switching lever  23  to contact the first metal contact  25  and to further close the circuit of the battery and the DC motor  12 , an actuating arm  20 , which has one end pivotally secured to the bottom cover shell  11  and the other end connected to the switching lever  23 , a return spring  26  connected between the bottom cover shell  11  and the actuating arm  20 , an extension rod  21  perpendicularly extending from the actuating arm  20 , a cutter  22  fixedly connected to the extension rod  21  and movable with the extension rod  21  in and out of an opening  110  in the bottom cover shell  11 , and a guide gear wheel  15  pivotally mounted on the outside of the bottom cover shell  11  near the opening  110  and coupled to the transmission gear set  14  for rotation by the transmission gear set  14 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , when in use, the battery-operated can opener is attached to the can  1 , enabling the rim of the can  1  to be sandwiched in between the guide gear wheel  15  and the peripheral wall of the opening  110  of the bottom cover shell  11 , and then pull the switching lever  23  to extend the cutter  22  out of the opening  110  against the lid of the can  1  and to simultaneously switch on the DC motor  12 . When started the DC motor  12 , the pinion  13  drives the transmission gear set  14  to rotate the guide gear wheel  15 . At this time, the guide gear wheel  15  is moved along the rim of the can  1 , and the cutter  22  is moved with the can opener to cut open the lid of the can  1 . After opening of the can  1 , release the hand from the switching lever  23 . At this time, the return spring  26  immediately pulls the actuating arm  20  and the switching lever  23  backwards to their former position, and therefore the battery power supply is cut off from the DC motor  12 . 
   Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.