Patent Publication Number: US-8113090-B1

Title: Bottle, cap, and cap-remover assembly and its method of operation

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-In-part of application Ser. No. 12/037,539, entitled Cap Removal Device Attached To A Container, filed Feb. 26, 2008 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     In general, the present invention relates to the structure of bottle cap openers that are used to remove crimped caps from beverage containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to assemblies where a bottle cap opener is attached to a bottle cap or the neck of a beverage container proximate the cap. 
     2. Prior Art Description 
     Glass bottles have been used to hold liquid products for hundreds of years. In this long period of time, the glass bottle has evolved very little. However, the devices used to cap the glass bottle have undergone many changes. 
     Prior to the twentieth century, a liquid product was typically held within a glass bottle using a cork. Although the cork worked well as a cap, it requires a corkscrew for removal. Furthermore, cork wood is expensive and cork caps are difficult to apply to bottles. 
     In the early part of the twentieth century, many liquid consumer products that were packaged in bottles began to use crimped metal caps. Crimped metal caps were inexpensive and were easier to assemble in an automated factory. Furthermore, crimped metal caps provided better seals to a bottle than did corks. Additionally, although crimped metal caps required a tool to be removed from a bottle, it was far easier to remove a crimped metal cap from a bottle than it is to remove a cork. 
     By the second half of the twentieth century, twist-off metal caps began to replace crimped metal caps. Twist-off metal caps can be manually removed from a bottle without the use of a bottle cap opening tool. Although metal twist-off caps are more practical than crimped metal caps, twist-off caps have only become popular on the bottle containers of low cost and mass-produced beverages. Manufacturers of high-end beverages and custom market beverages still tend to use crimped metal caps. Crimped metal caps provide a beverage container with a sense of quality that is important to both the beverage manufacturer and the beverage consumer. 
     In the prior art, crimped metal caps have been designed that can be removed without the need of a bottle cap opener. In such prior art designs, a lever is typically affixed directly to the bottle cap. In this manner, when the lever is pulled upwardly, the crimped metal cap deforms and disengages from the bottle. Such prior art bottle cap designs are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,644 to Berglund, entitled Cap With Tear-Off Tag and U.S. Pat. No. 2,046,173 to Lenhoff, entitled Bottle Cap Remover. 
     Specialized crimped bottle caps with attached pry levers have a tendency to accidentally open as the levers are contacted during shipping and handling. Furthermore, such specialized crimped bottle caps are expensive to make and have become impractical after the introduction of the lower cost twist-off cap. 
     The present invention is a crimped cap removal device that attaches to the neck of a beverage container. The cap removal device enables a crimped bottle cap to be removed from a bottle without the use of a secondary tool. It further enables a bottle with a crimped bottle cap to be opened with one hand, while providing a strong cap that will not inadvertently open during handling. The details of the present invention cap removal device are described and claimed below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an assembly that includes a bottle, a bottle cap and a tool for removing the bottle cap. The bottle has two flange rings close to its open end. The cap crimps to the upper ring. The cap used to seal the container has a flat top surface and a peripheral wall that extends downwardly from the flat top surface. The peripheral wall is crimped to attach the cap to the container. The peripheral wall terminates along a bottom edge that must be pried up in order to remove the cap from the container. Once the cap is crimped to the upper ring, a groove is formed between the bottom of the cap and the second, lower ring. 
     A pry tool is provided having a lever tab, a thumb tab and a prying catch. A flexible restraint is used to attach the pry tool to the neck section of the container. The flexible restraint lies within the groove under the cap. The pry tool connects to the flexible restraint from at least one connection point. The pry tool is free to rotate about the connection point between an engaged position, wherein the pry tool engages the cap, and a disengaged position wherein the pry tool is disengaged from the cap. 
     When the pry tool is in its engaged position, the pry tool will pry open the cap when an upward force is applied to the thumb tab of the pry tool. This configuration enables a container to be held in one hand while the pry tool is positioned and activated with the thumb of the same hand. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmented side view of a prior art bottle with a separated cap; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmented side view of a prior art bottle with a connected cap; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cap removal assembly engaging a capped container; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the exemplary embodiment with the pry tool shown in an engaged position; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the exemplary embodiment with the pry tool shown removing a cap; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the exemplary embodiment with the pry tool shown in a disengaged position; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a cap removal assembly; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of a cap removal assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Although the present invention cap removal assembly can be used in conjunction with many types of containers that have crimped caps, the present invention is especially well suited for use in removing crimped caps from glass beverage containers. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention cap removal assembly is shown in conjunction with a glass beverage container in order to set forth the best mode contemplated for the invention. However, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is intended to cover containers of all types and the illustrated embodiment should not be considered a limitation upon the claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the neck  12  and cap  14  of a traditional glass bottle container  10  is shown. Such glass bottle containers  10  typically have an elongated neck  12 . At the top of the neck  12 , two radial rings  16 ,  18  are formed into the glass of the bottle container  10 . The two radial rings include an upper ring  16  and a lower ring  18 . 
     The upper ring  16  on the glass bottle container is used to engage the bottle cap  14 . The bottle cap  14  crimps around the structure of the upper ring  16 . As such, a crimp bottle cap  14  could not be used on the glass bottle container  10  if the upper ring  16  were not present. 
     The lower ring  18  serves two functions. First, the lower ring  18  has a diameter generally equal to the diameter of the crimped bottle cap  14 . As such, the lower ring  18  serves as a physical barrier that prevents contact to the bottom of the crimped bottle cap  14  during shipping and handling. 
     Second, the lower ring  18  provides a protruding surface, other than the crimped bottle cap  14 , that can be engaged by processing machinery within an automated bottling facility. 
     Due to the functionality of the upper ring  16  and the lower ring  18 , most every glass bottle container  10  for beverages in the United States contains both the upper ring  16  and the lower ring  18 . As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , when a bottle cap  14  is crimped to a glass bottle container  10 , a depressed groove  20  is present on the glass bottle container  10 . The depressed groove  20  is defined between the upper barrier of the crimped bottle cap  14  and the lower barrier of the lower ring  18 . The diameter of the bottled neck  14  within the depressed groove  20  is at least 1/32 of an inch smaller than the diameter of either the crimped bottle cap  14  or the lower ring  18 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  in conjunction with both  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , it can be seen that a cap removal assembly  21  is attached to the neck  12  of a beverage container  10  just below a crimped bottle cap  14  that seals the beverage container  10 . As will be later explained, the cap removal assembly  21  can be flipped up into engagement with the crimped bottle cap  14  using only one finger. Once engaged with the crimped bottle cap  14 , the cap removal assembly  21  can be used to remove the crimped bottle cap  14 , again using only one finger. In this manner, a person can both grasp and open the beverage container  10  with only one hand. 
     The cap removal assembly  21  includes a pry tool  23  and a flexible restraint  22  that holds the pry tool  23  in place against the neck  12  of the container  14 . The pry tool  23  is preferably made of metal, so as to be strong and rigid. The pry tool  23  is preferably stamped from a single piece of sheet metal and bent, in part, into the form of the pry tool  23  herein described. 
     The pry tool  23  has a planar section  25  that extends between a first end  24  and a second end  26 . A prying catch  30  extends downwardly from the planar section  25  from a bend line  28  that is close to the midpoint of the planar section  25 . The planar section  25  forms a thumb tab  32  between the first end  24  of the planar section  25  and the bend line  28 . Likewise, the planar section  25  creates a lever tab  34  between the bend line  28  and the second end  26  of the planar section  25 . 
     The prying catch  30  is created by a section of the pry tool  23  that is bent downwardly at an angle of between 70 degrees and 100 degrees relative perpendicular to the planar section  25 . The prying catch  30  includes two support arms  36  that extend downwardly from the planar section  25 . The support arms  36  hold a lateral lift element  38  at opposite ends. The prying catch  30 , created by the support arms  36  and the lateral lift element  38 , defines the periphery of an opening  40 . 
     Connection features  42  are formed into the structure of the prying catch  30 . The connection features  42  enable the prying catch  30  to connect to the flexible restraint  22 . The flexible restraint  22  passes around the neck  12  of the beverage container  14 . The flexible restraint  22  passes into the groove  20  between the bottle cap  14  and the lower ring  18 . The groove  20  receives the flexible restraint  22  and prevents the flexible restraint  22  from moving either up or down during processing, shipping and handling. Since the flexible restraint  22  is retained in a specific position by the groove  20 , and since the flexible restraint  22  is coupled to the pry tool  23 , the pry tool  23  in contact with the neck  12  of the beverage container  10  at a very precise location. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the connection features  42  that join the flexible restraint  22  to the pry tool  23  are tabs  44 . The flexible restraint  22  is a piece of plastic strapping  46  having apertures  48  at opposite ends. The tabs  44  pass into the apertures  48  and interconnect the prying catch  30  with the flexible restraint  22 . The use of plastic strapping  46  and tabs  44  is only one of many ways to interconnect the pry tool  20  to the flexible restraint  22 . Some alternate embodiments for this interconnection are later described. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the tabs  44  that engage the plastic strapping  46  are located at the bottom of the prying catch  30 . As such, the pry tool  23  is free to pivot about the bottom of the prying catch  30 . This enables the pry tool  23  to rotated and engage the crimp cap  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 3 , the pry tool  23  is shown in an engaged configuration, wherein the pry tool  23  is engaging the crimped bottle cap  14  of the beverage container  10 . When the pry tool  23  is in its engaged configuration, the planar section  25  of the pry tool  23  is parallel to the top surface  50  of the crimped cap  14 . The lever tab  34  of the planar section  25  lays flat against the top surface  50  of the crimped bottle cap  14 . The thumb tab  32  extends as a cantilever beyond the periphery of the crimped bottle cap  14 . 
     The crimped bottle cap  14  has a peripheral wall  52  that extends downwardly from the top surface  50  of the crimped bottle cap  14 . The peripheral wall  52  has a bottom edge  54 . When the pry tool  23  is in its engaged configuration, the prying catch  30  passes around a portion of the peripheral wall  52 , wherein that portion of the peripheral wall  52  passes into the opening  40  defined by the prying catch  30 . Once in this engaged configuration, the lateral lift element  38  passes under the bottom edge  54  of the peripheral wall  52 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , it can be seen that when the pry tool  23  is in its engaged configuration and an upward force is applied to the thumb tab  32 , the prying catch  30  lifts the bottom edge  54  of the peripheral wall  52  of the crimped bottle cap  14 . Simultaneously, the lever tab  34  of the planar section  25  presses downwardly on the crimped bottle cap  14 . These forces cause the crimped bottle cap  14  to fold and disconnect from the container  10 . It is therefore understood that when an upward force is applied to the thumb tab  32 , the pry tool  23  pries open the crimped bottle cap  14 . 
     The pry tool  23  is not always in its engaged position. Referring to  FIG. 7 , it can be seen that the pry tool  23  is free to rotate about its connection points with the flexible restraint  22 . Accordingly, the pry tool  23  can be rotated from the disengaged position of  FIG. 7  to the engaged position of  FIG. 5 . 
     When in the disengaged position, the planar section  25  of the pry tool  23  turns to the side of the container&#39;s neck  12  and away from engagement with the crimped bottle cap  14 . Likewise, the prying catch  30  rotates out of engagement with the crimped bottle cap  14 . Accordingly, the pry tool  20  no longer engages the crimped bottle cap  14  and any accidental force applied to the pry cap  20  will have no effect upon removing or loosening the crimped bottle cap  14 . 
     Referring to both  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , it will be understood that once the cap removal assembly  21  is attached to a container  10 , the pry tool  23  is initially held in the disengaged position. When a person grabs the container  10 , a person can flip the pry tool  23  from its disengaged position ( FIG. 7 ) to its engaged position ( FIG. 5 ) by just applying a small force to the thumb tab  32  sufficient enough to rotate the position of the pry tool  23 . The pry tool  23  is held in a specific location by the passage of the flexible restraint  22  around the groove  20 . Accordingly, the pry tool  23  is always in the proper position when flipped up. Once in the engaged position, a further force is applied to the thumb tab  32  to cause the pry tool  23  to bend the crimped cap  16 . The rotation of the pry tool  20  from the disengaged position to the engaged position, as well as the application of the force needed to open the crimped bottle cap  14 , can both be applied by the thumb of the hand holding the beverage container  10 . It will therefore be understood that the cap removal assembly  21  enables the beverage container  10  to be held and simultaneously opened with a single hand. 
     From the described use of the cap removal assembly  21 , it will be understood that the flexible restraint  22  has two functional purposes. First, the flexible restraint  22  holds the pry tool  20  in place along the groove  20  of the beverage container  10 . Second, the connection points of the flexible restraint  22  provide the pivots needed to flip the pry tool  23  between its engaged position and its disengaged position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , an alternate embodiment of a flexible restraint and a pry tool  60  are shown. In this embodiment, the flexible restraint  62  is a wire  64 . The wire  64  passes through holes  66  punched in the prying catch  68  of the pry tool  60 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a second alternate embodiment of a restraint and a pry tool  70  are shown. In this embodiment, the restraint  72  is an annular plastic stamping  74  that slides onto the neck of the beverage container. The prying catch  76  is configured as a J-shaped pawl  78 . A prying catch  76  of such a configuration is easily made from stamping a piece of sheet metal. A slotted tab  80  extends from the annular plastic stamping  74 . The prying catch  76  passes into the slotted tab  80 , thereby joining the restraint  72  to the pry tool  70 . 
     The embodiments of  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  are provided to illustrate that the restraint and the pry tool can take many forms. What is important is that the restraint connects the pry tool to the neck of a container in a way that enables the pry tool to selectively pivot between an engaged position and a disengaged position. 
     It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention that are illustrated and described are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can produce many different embodiments using functionally equivalent components. All such variations, modifications, and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.