Patent Publication Number: US-4549451-A

Title: Piercing tool for manipulating the closures of beverage containers

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to improvements in a particular type of prior art tool having a curved container piercing blade cooperating with an associated hook for engaging the container. In particular, these improvements relate to modifications by which a lift tab of a tab-top can is elevated by a lift bar, and also press-fit and screwtype bottle caps are manipulated by a recapper cup. A lift bar for actuating lift tabs is known in the prior art, see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,921; and recapper cups for applying press-fit beverage bottle caps are shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 23,731, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,116,438, 1,422,970, 2,593,091, 2,641,397, 2,738,117, and 2,801,551. The inventor&#39;s earlier application Ser. No. 514,568 filed July 18, 1983 shows the adaptation of recapper cups for operating screw-type bottle caps. 
     None of this prior art discloses a tool having a piercing blade which has an associated lift-tab bar so that the flap closures of tab-top cans may also be opened. Additionally, the recapper cups of the prior art are disposed in a location which makes it difficult to apply a palm-exerted force. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to expand the utility of tools having curved piercing blades so that lift tabs for tab-top cans, and also press-fit and screw-type bottle caps can be manipulated by the tool. 
     The foregoing object is attained in the present invention by modifying a tool having a curved piercing blade and an associated container engaging hook to include a bar which defines a lift-tab receiving slot. The bar is located on the convex side of the curved blade approximately opposite the hook. When the lift tab is inserted into the slot, the convex surface of the piercing blade rests against both the tab and the flap closure to insure an easy opening operation of the container. 
     As an optional feature, a recapper cup is located in the approximate center of the tool body so that the tool can be grasped with a full-fingered grip which will enable a palm exerted force to be applied to the recapper cup to insure more effective operation. 
     Accordingly, the container piercing tool not only serves its usual prior art function of opening metal containers by piercing, but also actuates container tabs to effect opening, removes pressfit and screw-type bottle caps, and reapplies press-fit caps more effectively. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that all of the structural features for attaining the objects of this invention may be readily understood, reference is herein made to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the potential application of the tool of this invention to a tab-top container having a lift-top closure; 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the tool showing the bar which engages the lift tab; 
     FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1 showing the tool bar engaging the lift tab of a metal beverage container; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, related to FIG. 3, which shows the lift tab sufficiently elevated to cause the flap closure to break away from the container; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the potential application of the tool to a beverage bottle having a screw-type container cap; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevation view showing the bottom of the tool; and 
     FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5 which shows the engagement of the recapper lugs to a screw-type bottle cap. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, tool 1 is formed from a metal body 2 to include as principal elements a container piercing blade 3, a cup-like recapper 4, and a press-fit cap lever 5. All of the foregoing elements are individually known in the prior art. However, the tool of this invention advantageously associates lift-tab bar 6 with curved piercing blade 3 so that bar 6 can engage lift tab 7 (FIG. 3) and the convex curved surface of blade 3 can contact both tab 7 and flap closure 8 to open beverage can 9 (FIG. 4). Additionally, recapper 4 (which is shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,087, granted Oct. 2, 1984) is relocated to the approximate center of body 2 (FIG. 6). With this disposition a full-handed manual grip can be applied to body 2, with a palm-exerted force on top 10 of the recapper, so that a press-fit bottle cap (not shown) can be reapplied or alternatively a screw-type bottle cap 11 can be twisted on and off relative bottle 12 (FIGS. 5 and 7), as desired. 
     Press-fit cap lever 5 (also shown in my copending application) operates in a conventional manner to pry press-fit cap closures from bottles. 
     Container piercing blade 3 is preferably fabricated as a separate element and is fastened to body 2 by rivets 13. Body 2 and blade 3 require different metal characteristics in order to perform their respective functions. Accordingly, inexpensive manufacture is attained by producing these elements from different metals and then fastening the parts together. 
     The use of a curved piercing blade 3, together with an associated hook 14 is, of course, old in the art. Additionally, the use of a lift-tab bar is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,921. However, the inclusion of a lift-tab bar 6 parallel to and spaced from the convex surface 3a of blade 3 proximate the junction line 15 of blade 3 and body 2 results in an improved mode of operation. In particular, the convex surface of blade 3 is used as a curved bearing surface resting on both lift tab 7 and flap closure 8 enabling the manual elevation of bar 6 to uniformly and smoothly pry the engaged lift tab 7 (FIG. 4) and thereby firmly cam flap closure 8 into an open position by breaking flap 8 at scored line 8a. Bar 6 is also located adjacent hook 14, but on the opposite side of blade 3. 
     Lift-tab bar 6 is stamped from an end portion of metal body 2, with the ends of bar 6 being carried by supports 6a (FIGS. 1,2). Body 2, and bar 6 and its supports 6a are preferably integrally formed from the same metal piece from which body 2 is fabricated. Bar 6 and its two supports 6a define an elongated opening or slot 17 (FIG. 2) into which lift tab 7 is inserted when a beverage can is to be opened. Lift tab 7 is fixed to the container 9 lid by anchor 7a so that the tab is subdivided into a handle portion 7b and a flap-closure depressing portion 7c. When handle portion 7b is elevated relative the container lid, the flap-closure depressing portion 7c is pivoted about anchor 7a so as to pry open the container. The opening of the closure flap also assists the depressing force exerted by the convex surface of piercing blade 3 resting against the flap closure. 
     Recapper 4 has a cup-like configuration which includes four inwardly projecting ribs 16a,b,c,d. These ribs provide means for engaging the projections of a screw-type bottle cap 11 (FIGS. 5, 7). In its application, tool 1 is lowered upon cap 11 so that ribs 16a,b,c,d tightly engage ribs or projections 18 formed on the exterior of cap 11. With a tight frictional engagement established between the ribs and the cap, by exerting a manual palm force on top 10 of recapper 4 with a full finger grip being applied to body 2, body 2 acting as a handle is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise as required to either twist on or twist off cap 11 by engaging or disengaging threads 19 of cap 11 with respect to the mating bottle thread. 
     Similarly, the palm-exerted force applied to the centrally disposed recapper 4 improves the recapping of press-fit bottle caps. 
     It should be understood that the above described embodiments are merely illustrative applications of the principles of this invention. Modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.