Patent Publication Number: US-2021170561-A1

Title: Beverage Container Opener

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of the filing date of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/987,034 titled “Beverage Container Opener” filed Jun. 27, 2013, which is a continuation and claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/798,627, titled “Combination Handle Locking And Beverage Container Opener” filed on Apr. 8, 2010 and now U.S. Pat. No. 8,484,785 issued Jul. 16, 2013. This continuation application claims benefit to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/798,627, through copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/987,034. 
    
    
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This patent application incorporates by reference in its entirety copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/987,034 titled “Beverage Container Opener” filed Jun. 27, 2013, and also incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/798,627 entitled “Combination Handle Locking And Beverage Container Opener” filed on Apr. 8, 2010. 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is designed to fix a typical handle-trigger assembly, such as a pressure washer, in the open position among other uses as described later. A frequent activity many drivers endure is washing their vehicles at self-service car washes which requires holding the handle-trigger portion in the open position while directing the high pressure water for extended periods of time. Most anyone who has performed this duty commonly experiences intense hand pain and cramping from depressing the trigger for extended periods. While this can be minimized by switching hands and taking breaks, the purchased operating time continues to count down. Since the current invention would be commonly kept in a vehicle, the incorporation of container opening is a logical and preferred. When traveling in an automobile it is common practice to purchase beverages and not have a typical opener readily available. Women with long finger nails or people with weak hands can easily open pop-top type beverage cans with the current invention. Likewise beverages contained in bottles that have crimped on caps can easily be removed with the current invention. Previously invented devices facilitate opening same containers but do not resolve the hand strain problems as described earlier. In order for the prior art to have the same opening capabilities and remain similarly compact in size required the use of hard to form plastics and secondary operations to install a gripping edge. Further, such devices had grooves that would jam up with small items such as coins or jewelry making them a nuisance to retrieve. 
     PRIOR ART 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,600 makes reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,199,272 and 4,583,429. U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,600 is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,898. The most relevant of these prior arts is 4,949,600 which describes a bottle and can opener comprised of glass reinforced nylon plastic that has a metal gripping attached in a secondary operation. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of this invention is to provide an economical device, which assists opening common beverage containers and locks open many hand operated devices. The current invention shall be compact, safe, durable, comprised of standard materials, and easy to manufacture. The body of the current invention has a generally curved shape with three arcuate sections to provide elastic clamping resistance. The spacing between the three arcuate sections allows fixing open handle trigger assemblies of different sizes. Inserted into the shape of the middle arcuate section is a hardened edge to facilitate opening crimped type bottle caps and other pry-open type lids. On the one end of the outer arcuate section is a point which is oriented to provide significant mechanical advantage enabling the opening of pop-top type cans. The device of the current invention eliminates issues identified in the last section and offers more utility while being easy to manufacture from a variety of materials. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the current invention, a handle locking bottle and can opener. 
         FIG. 2 a    is first isometric view of the current invention engaged in holding open the trigger of a pressure washer or other hand-activated device. 
         FIG. 2 b    is a second isometric view of the current invention engaged in holding open the trigger of a pressure washer or other hand-activated device. 
         FIG. 3 a    is a first isometric view of the current invention engaged in opening a typical crimped on bottle cap. 
         FIG. 3 b    is a second isometric view of the current invention engaged in opening a typical crimped on bottle cap. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the current invention engaged in opening a typical pop-top can. 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a clip that is inserted in the plastic version of the current invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The combination handle locking bottle and can opener of the current invention facilitates the locking open of a hand operated device such as a pressure washer handle. Additionally, it encompasses in its shape clip  20  (also referred to herein as “insert  20 ” and “clip  20 ”) which is an integral piece of steel or similar durable material that facilitates the opening of a bottle cap and the opening of a pop-top can. 
     The current invention is generally formed by combination of two pieces a metallic clip or insert  20  and a body  10 . This invention also acknowledges and includes the formation of this device as an extruded or cast material enabling it to be manufactured from a single material such as aluminum. 
     When this device is formed with plastic it can be readily injection molded roan insert type molder. Since it incorporates a clip  20  a variety of types of plastic can be utilized. This is different from some prior art requiring the use of more costly glass reinforced plastic and a secondary operation. In addition, nylon type plastic and especially reinforced plastics require more expensive tooling and higher temperatures which uses more energy to manufacture. 
     In  FIG. 1  an isometric drawing of the current invention which shows its components. The body  10  of the current invention  8  has a handle portion  24  and an eye  22  enabling attachment of the current invention  8  to a key ring or key chain. The body  10  of the current invention  8  included a section  14 , which incorporates a tapered edge  16  (also referred to herein as “tapered edge  16 ” and “bottle cap engaging edge  16 ”). As such the tapered edge is capable of being slid underneath and through a lift tab of a pop-top can. The tapered edge  16  serves additionally as a pivot point when the grip edge  72  is engaged under a bottle cap or a vacuum-sealed lid edge. The body  10  of the current invention  8  extends in an arc shaped section  26  and arc shaped section  28  to form a semi rigid structure that is sized to fit around the handle and activation lever of many devices such as a pressure washers. 
     In  FIG. 2  the current invention  8  of the invention is being utilized to lock open the trigger  42  of pressure washer  40 . The arc sections  26  and  28  resist the return of trigger  42  by applying opposite compressing forces. In the event the user finds the current invention  8  too small to fit around handle  44  and trigger  42  a secondary position of trigger  42  is available from the formation of the current invention arc section  14  as illustrated by  FIG. 2   b.    
     In  FIG. 3  the current invention  8  is shown removing the cap  50  from a bottle  52 . This is done by placing gripping edge  72  under cap edge  54  and the tip  16  as the fulcrum point placed on top of cap  50 . Natural rotation of the current invention  8  easily removes the cap  50  from bottle  52 . Design of the current invention further assists the user by providing natural positioning of pointer and middle fingers under the current invention  8  handle portion  24  and thumb of same hand on back of arc section  30 . 
     In  FIG. 4  illustrates the current invention  8  engaged in opening the pop-top  64  of a typical beverage can  60 . The current invention is slid under tab  62  and slid up into tab hole  66 . The current invention  8  is then tilted in arc  70  direction to displace tab  64  into can. 
     In  FIG. 5  clip  20  is the insert placed in the current invention  8  forming the bottle cap engaging edge  16  for the current invention that would be formed of plastic material. The clip  20  has deformations  74  to adhere and provide load transfer. Clip  20  enables the plastic to be of many type as the clip provides reinforcement to the current invention  8 . Clip  20  further provides gripping edge  72  that is durable against bottle caps. Clip  20  provides improvement over prior art obviating the need for reinforced high tensile strength plastics, hardened injection mold tooling and secondary assembly operation in prior arts.