Patent Publication Number: US-8978518-B2

Title: Double lever corkscrew

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a national stage application (under 35 U.S.C. §371) of PCT/FR2011/000174, filed Mar. 24, 2011, which claims benefit of French application 1002997, filed May 12, 2010, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     This invention relates to a lever corkscrew. More specifically, the invention relates to a double lever corkscrew including two fulcrums. The waiter&#39;s friend-type corkscrew allows a cork to be fully extracted in a single movement. 
     In different sectors, including in the food sector, bottles containing a liquid are sealed by corks. The cork allows the spillage or evaporation of the liquid contained in the bottles to be avoided. In order to gain access to the liquid, one needs to extract the cork. 
     Bottle corks are generally made from an elastic material such as, for example, cork or a polyethylene or styrene-type synthetic material. 
     Corkscrews generally include at least a handle and a worm screw-type auger. Usually, each auger includes an end-of-run tip arranged so as to position the said auger on the surface of a cork for extraction. Manual pressure on the handle has the consequence that the tip pierces the upper surface of the cork. The spirals of the auger then allow the tip to sink deep into the cork through a rotational movement exerted on the handle. 
     It is known for a corkscrew to be equipped with a stop part, which forms a lever with the handle. The stop part is arranged so as to come to rest on the bottleneck. A tilting movement exerted on the handle allows the cork of the bottle to be partially extracted. In order to fully extract the cork from a bottle, one then needs to manually exert a traction force on the cork, which is sometimes difficult. 
     In addition, according to the prior art, the auger of a corkscrew penetrates into the cork without it being possible to control the progress of its tip. 
     Thus, sometimes the tip does not penetrate sufficiently into the cork to allow it to be properly extracted. The stop part may also sometimes be unable to obtain the correct support from the bottleneck to form the lever. 
     It may also be that the tip passes through the cork to be extracted. The first resulting inconvenience of this is the contamination of the liquid in the bottle by cork debris. The second resulting inconvenience is that the stop part cannot obtain proper support from the bottleneck in order to form the lever. 
     The present invention is designed to improve this situation. 
     To this effect, this invention concerns a corkscrew including an elongate body, an auger hingedly mounted onto said body via a main transverse pin, a first bearing arm hingedly mounted onto the body via a second pin parallel to the main transverse pin and at a first distance from said main transverse pin so as to form a first lever having a shoulder, and a second bearing arm arranged so as to form a second lever having a shoulder. The second bearing arm of the corkscrew is slidably mounted onto the first bearing arm and is hinged onto one end of a connecting rod, whose other end is hingedly mounted onto the body via a third pin that is also parallel to the main transverse pin but at a second distance from said main transverse pin, said second distance being greater than said first distance. The connecting rod is proportioned and positioned, in relation to the two bearing arms and to the body, so that after the auger has been screwed into a cork and the first lever has engaged with the rim of the bottleneck, this first lever begins the extraction of the cork by tilting the elongate body, and during said tilting the second lever in turn engages with the rim of the bottleneck in order to take over from the first lever and to complete the extraction of the cork. 
     According to one embodiment, the first bearing arm includes an indentation. The connecting rod is arranged so that it crosses the said indentation. 
     According to a particular embodiment, the main longitudinal pins of the said bearing arms are held approximately parallel while the second bearing arm is slid onto the first bearing arm. 
     A means of attachment may be arranged in proximity to a dorsal part of the first bearing arm and be mounted so as to cross into the indentation, the said means of attachment being attached to the second bearing arm in order to guide the latter during a sliding movement along the indentation. 
     A spring may be provided for so as to extend within a longitudinal plane of the elongate body, the spring being arranged to be in contact with the auger and the first bearing arm. 
     A tongue may extend from the end of the first bearing arm so as to form a guide support for the second bearing arm while it is engaged with the bottleneck and until the extraction of the cork is complete. 
     The auger may include threads arranged in a spiral around its main longitudinal pin. 
     The auger may include a stop thread arranged within a plane approximately perpendicular to the main pin of the auger. 
    
    
     
       Other benefits and characteristics of the invention will be apparent on reading the detailed description below and from the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a cross-section of a corkscrew, under the invention, engaged in the cork of a bottle; 
         FIG. 2  depicts the corkscrew from  FIG. 1  with the first lever engaged with the rim of the bottleneck; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a slide-mounting arrangement of a second bearing arm on a first bearing arm, according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts the corkscrew from  FIG. 1 , whose first lever is starting to extract the cork via a tilting of the elongate body; 
         FIG. 5  depicts the corkscrew from  FIG. 1 , whose second lever is coming to take over from the first lever and to continue the extraction of the cork; 
         FIG. 6  depicts the corkscrew from  FIG. 1  and the extraction of the cork by tilting the elongate body; 
         FIG. 7  depicts an auger including a stop thread, according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a cross-section of a stop thread; and 
         FIG. 9  depicts the auger from  FIG. 7  engaged in the cork of a bottle; 
     
    
    
     The drawings and descriptions below essentially contain information of a definite nature. They form an integral part of the description and may therefore serve not only to enhance comprehension of this invention, but also to contribute to its definition, if appropriate. 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which depict a cross-section of a corkscrew under the invention engaged in a cork  9  of a bottle  300 . 
     The corkscrew  100  includes an elongate body  10 . The elongate body is usually arranged so as to serve as a handle for a user. 
     The corkscrew  100  also includes an auger  6 . The auger  6  is hingedly mounted on this body  10  via a main transverse pin  5 . The auger  6  is a screw-type auger including threads arranged in a spiral around a main longitudinal pin. The auger  6  beneficially includes a tip at the end in order to facilitate penetration into a cork. 
     The auger  6  includes a base  63  with a recess to allow hinged mounting onto the body  10  via the main transverse pin  5 . 
     As  FIG. 1  shows, the engaged state of the corkscrew in the cork  9  is achieved through the penetration of the auger  6  into the cork  9 . Here, the cork  9  is a standard cork made from an elastic material, such as cork, for example. 
     The corkscrew  100  includes a first bearing arm  1  hingedly mounted on the body  10  via a second pin  4  parallel to the main transverse pin. The said second pin  4  is at a first distance from the main transverse pin  5  so as to form a first lever with a shoulder  7  (or a heel  7 ). 
     The corkscrew  100  also includes a second bearing arm  2  arranged so as to form a second lever with a shoulder  14  (or a heel  14 ). 
     The second arm  2  is connected to the elongate body  10  via the intermediation of a connecting rod  3 . One end of the connecting rod  3  is connected to the elongate body, while the other end of the connecting rod  3  is connected to the second bearing arm  2 . More specifically, at one of those ends the connecting rod  3  is hingedly mounted onto the elongate body  10  via a third pin  12 . The third pin  12  is also parallel to the main transverse pin  5 . The other end of the connecting rod  3  is attached to the second bearing arm  2  via a fourth pin  13 . In the embodiment described, the fourth pin  13  is also parallel to the main transverse pin  5 . 
     The third pin  12  is at a second distance from the main transverse pin  5 . The said second distance is greater than said first distance described above (remembering that the first distance is the distance between the second pin  4  and the main transverse pin  5 . 
     In particular, the hinged mounting of the bearing arms  1  and  2  and of the auger  6  allows these parts to be folded down into the elongate body  10 .  FIG. 1  shows bearing arms  1  and  2  in a folded down position in the elongate body  10 , whereas  FIG. 2  shows the bearing arms  1  and  2  in a working position. 
     More generally, it needs to be understood that each transverse pin connects two elements: for example, the auger  6  is connected to the elongate body  10  via the transverse pin  5 . 
     Each transverse pin allows for the rotational movement of one element in relation to the other. In other words, each transverse pin allows a degree of freedom for one element to rotate within a plane. The said planes are approximately parallel or joined. 
     The second bearing arm  2  is slidably mounted  15  on the first bearing arm  1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a slide-mounting arrangement of a second bearing arm  2  on a first bearing arm  1  according to the invention. The slide-mounting is achieved so that the bearing arms  1  and  2  slide longitudinally in relation to one another. 
     In other words, if each bearing arm is deemed to possess a main longitudinal pin, during a sliding movement of one arm in relation to the other, the main longitudinal pins remain parallel to one another. It therefore needs to be understood that there is no degree of rotational freedom between the first  1  and the second  2  arms. 
     The second bearing arm  2  of the corkscrew under the invention slides in a stable and regular manner within the first bearing arm  1 . According to one embodiment, the first bearing arm  1  includes an indentation  17  (or a groove  17 ). In particular, the said indentation is provided in order to allow the connecting rod  3  to pass through. 
     The second bearing arm  2  is mounted rear-facing to the said indentation and is held in position by the connecting rod  3 , on the one hand, and by a means of holding  15  on the other. The means of holding  15  may be a wide-headed screw, the diameter of whose head exceeds the transverse recess of the indentation  17 . Thus, on the surface the head of the wide-headed screw slides onto the dorsal part of the first bearing arm  1 , which provides further stability. In addition, the means of attachment  15  holds the second bearing arm  2  alongside the first bearing arm  1 . 
     According to the invention, the connecting rod  3  is proportioned and positioned, in relation to the two bearing arms  1  and  2  and to the elongate body  10  so that after the auger  6  has been screwed into a cork and the first lever has engaged with the rim of the bottleneck  300 , this first lever starts the extraction of the cork  9  through the tilting of the elongate body  10 , tilting during which the second lever in turn comes to engage with the rim of the bottleneck  300  so as to take over from the first lever and to complete the extraction of the cork  9 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , which respectively show the progression of the extraction of a cork  9  by means of the corkscrew according to the invention. 
     At a time t 0  (see  FIG. 2 ), the end  11  of the elongate body  10  of the corkscrew  100  is lifted. The two bearing arms  1  and  2  are in a position where they are folded down in the direction of the neck of the bottle  300 . The shoulder  7  of the first bearing arm  1  is positioned so that it is engaged with the rim  8  of the bottleneck. 
     In this starting position, the connecting rod  3 , which is connected to the elongate body  10  of the corkscrew  100  via the third pin  12  and to the second bearing arm  2  via the fourth pin  13 , keeps the second bearing arm  2  in proximity to an upper part of the first bearing arm  1 . In other words, the connecting rod  3  makes the second bearing arm  2  slide towards the top of the first bearing arm  1  when the corkscrew is arranged in a starting position for the extraction of the cork  9 . 
     At a time t 1  (see  FIG. 4 ), a force F is exerted on the elongate body  10 . The force F is exerted by bringing the end  11  of the elongate body  10  down to the bottom (in the direction of the bottle  300 ). Through the application of the force F, the auger  6  exerts a traction force on the cork  9 . By pulling on the cork  9 , the auger  6  detaches it and starts to extract it. The connecting rod  3  causes the second bearing arm  2  to slide in a downward direction (in the direction of the bottle  300 ) until its shoulder  14  reaches the height of the shoulder  7  of the first bearing arm  1 . 
     At a time t 2  (see  FIG. 5 ), the application of the force F continues (a user may, for example, exert a force of downward pressure on the elongate body). In combination with the connecting rod  3 , the second bearing arm  2  possesses a greater and quicker operating range than the first bearing arm  1  does. Consequently, it is the second bearing arm  2  that now rests with its shoulder  14  against the rim of the bottleneck  300 . The traction movement of the auger  6  is extended and accelerated so as to pull the cork  9  further. 
     At a time t 3  (see  FIG. 6 ), it is sufficient to take the elongate body  10  of the corkscrew and the bottleneck  300  as a whole in the hollow of the hand, with the thumb cavity (arrow  18 ) on the shaft and the other fingers (arrows  19 ,  20  and  21 ) on the bottleneck  300  and by squeezing it all, the second bearing arm  2  will push even more on the rim  8  of the neck giving the auger  6  a traction distance such that it fully extracts the cork  9 , bringing it outside the neck of the bottle  300 . 
     Through its two bearing arms  1 ,  2 , connected via their respective transverse pins to the elongate body  10 , the invention allows for the formation of two levers. The first lever has a shorter working distance, but one that is more powerful because it is attached to the said elongate body by the second pin  4 , which is at a first distance from the main transverse pin  5 . The second pin  4  is brought closer to the main transverse pin  5 , which attaches the auger  6  onto the elongate body  10 . The second pin  4  is brought closer to the main transverse pin  5  so as to give the auger  6  sufficient traction force to easily detach the cork  300  and to begin to extract it. 
     The second lever has a longer, quicker operating distance because it is moved by the connecting rod  3  that is mounted on the elongate body  10  via a third pin  12 . The third pin  12  is at some distance from the main transverse pin  5  that attaches the auger  6  to the elongate body  10 . The third pin  12  is at some distance from the main transverse pin  5  so as to take over from the first lever when the latter reaches the end of its run. The second lever extends the potential to exert pressure on the rim of the neck  8  of the bottle  300  and thereby to give the auger  6  a greater traction distance so as to fully extract the cork  9  from the bottle  300 . 
     As a second characteristic, these two actions are completed automatically simply through pressure on the end  11  of the shaft  10  of the corkscrew,  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4  and  5 , thanks to the action of the connecting rod  3 , which rests through its pin  12  on the body of the corkscrew  10  and works lever  2  through its pin  13  so as to make it slide automatically inside the lever  1  as it adopts its different positions. 
     According to one embodiment, the corkscrew under the invention includes a spring  16  allowing the maintenance of the auger  6  in a vertical position (working position) to be reinforced. The spring  16  also allows the maintenance of the auger  6  in a folded-down position, namely within the elongate body  10 , to be reinforced. The spring  16  also allows the maintenance of the first bearing arm  1  in a folded-back (or folded-down) position within the elongate body  10  to be reinforced. 
     Beneficially, the first bearing arm  1  includes a tongue  1   a . The tongue  1   a  is extended so as to allow the second bearing arm  2  to slide to a required distance. More specifically, the said tongue la extends onto a part of the end of the first bearing arm  1 . In the position where the first bearing arm  1  engages with the neck of the bottle  300 , the tongue la is oriented towards the bottom of the said bottle  300 . 
     The first bearing arm  1  and the second bearing arm  2  have the same working angle during their engagement with the bottleneck and, therefore, during the extraction of the cork. The forces that arise while the said arms are being worked, particularly during the operation of the second bearing arm  2 , are significant. Indeed, during the engagement of the second bearing arm  2 , namely when the shoulder  14  is engaged with the rim  8  of the neck, the force exerted by the second lever on the neck may be very great (through the effect of the second lever). Thus, in order to maintain proper positioning while the second bearing arm  2  is being used to extract the cork  9 , and particularly in order to avoid any disengagement of the shoulder  14  from the neck, it is beneficial to provide positive, secure guidance for the second bearing arm  2 . This is achieved through the tongue  1   a , which, in particular, allows the dorsal part of the second bearing arm  2  to lean against the interior of the latter, until it reaches the end of its run (see  FIGS. 4-6 ). 
     The tongue  1   a  also allows a good hand grip to be retained. 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 7 and 9 , which depict an auger according to one preferred embodiment of the invention. The auger  6  is of the worm screw type, which extends in one direction  64 . The auger  6  includes threads  61  arranged in a spiral around a main longitudinal pin. The auger  6  beneficially includes a tip  66  at the end in order to facilitate penetration into a cork  9 . 
     The auger  6  includes a base  63  with a recess in order to allow hinged mounting on the body  10  via the main transverse pin  5 . 
     The auger  6  also includes a stop thread  62 . Here, this is the first spiral in proximity to the base  63 . The stop thread  62  is flattened into a plane approximately perpendicular to the main pin of the auger  6 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts a cross section of the stop thread  62  and shows that it forms an open ring. 
     While the auger  6  is achieving penetration, the stop thread  62  controls the progress of the tip and thereby controls the relationship of the first bearing arm  1  to the shoulder  7 . In effect, the stop thread  62  comes to a stop against the upper surface  65  of the cork  9  and thereby defines the limit of penetration of the auger  6  into that cork. Thus, engagement by the shoulder  7  of the first bearing arm  1  may be defined physically. 
     The invention can also be defined as stated below. 
     This is a double-lever device with two fulcrums for a lever-operated, waiter&#39;s friend corkscrew characterised in that it includes a lever  1  that has a fulcrum pin  4  close to the pin  5  of the auger  6  and a lever  2  that has a fulcrum located at a greater distance from that pin  5  by means of a connecting rod  3  and that slides into the lever  1  in order to automatically take over from the lever  1  when this reaches the end of its run so as to extend the pressure on the rim of the neck  8  of the bottle and to give the auger  6  a greater traction distance so as to thereby fully extract the cork  9 . 
     The lever  2  may be moved by a connecting rod  3  whose pin  12  leans on the body  10  of the corkscrew and acts on the lever  2  via its pin  13  so as to automatically make it slide inside the lever  1  according to its different positions. 
     The pin  12  of the connecting rod  3  is at a greater distance from the pin  5  of the auger  6  than the pin  4  of the lever  1  so as to give the lever  2  a greater working distance than lever  1 , allowing it to take over from the latter so as to automatically extend the pressure effect on the rim  8  of the bottleneck and to give the auger  6  a greater traction distance and to thereby fully extract the cork. The spring  16  in  FIG. 2  serves to hold the auger  6  in its vertical or folded back position inside the shaft and to keep the lever  1  in its folded down position inside the shaft ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The tongue  1   a  of the lever  1  is extended in order to allow the lever  2  to slide to the required distance as well as to allow a good grip in the hand.