Abstract:
A bottle opener and closer is battery powered and designed to drive a rubber-lined main drive cup which fits over a screw-on bottle cap. The main drive cup is has conically angled sides so that a small downward force on the opener and closer will cause the bottle cap to be positively engaged by a rubber liner to confer a high radial gripping force on the circumference of the bottle cap. The opener and closer may include a finger passage which allows insertion of a finger or other object for ejecting retained bottle caps. Accessory drive cups may be interfaced with the main drive cup to allow the opener to be used with an wide range of bottle cap sizes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to improved technology in the field of electric screw-top bottle openers and closers, and more particularly to a cordless, battery operated device which is hand-held, which is designed to securely grip a screw-on bottle cap, which has optional accessory cups to accommodate a wide variety of bottle cap sizes, and which can be driven in a first rotational direction to remove a bottle cap from a bottle or which can be driven in a second rotational direction to securely recap a bottle along with the use of a resistor during capping to insure that capping takes place with secure but less force than uncapping so that subsequent uncapping can take place even where battery power diminishes over time. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    Various assistive devices are currently available for uncapping screw-top bottles, and a few also exist for the purpose of recapping screw-top bottles, though they may be notably fewer in number. One of the more simple conventionally available devices for unscrewing bottle caps is a rubber disc used to line the palm of the hand to improve the grip. Though these are relatively inexpensive and easy to acquire, a great deal of grasping strength is still required to grip and twist open a tightly closed cap. 
         [0003]    Another conventionally available device for opening bottles is a plier-like apparatus, which usually includes some version of a partial metal ring lined with rubber or similar material which contacts the bottle cap when the device is employed. The diameter of the partial metal ring is adjustable, usually by squeezing together a pair of handles, one of which is attached at each terminus of the ring, or by simply opening a hinge. Generally, however, the range of ring diameter for these kinds of openers tends toward jar-sized lids rather than smaller, bottle-sized caps. Additionally, because the range of ring diameter achievable for each opener is fairly limited, multiple openers having different ring sizes would need to be stocked to anticipate the range of various lid sizes for which the device might be needed; where storage space is at a premium, this may not be feasible. Finally, these kind of openers not only requires enough hand strength to squeeze the handles of the device together so that sufficient circumferential pressure is exerted on the cap by the ring portion, but they also require maintaining that circumferential pressure while generating sufficient torque to unscrew the cap; this is definitely not a workable solution for those who have diminished upper extremity strength. 
         [0004]    Other conventional openers include under-the-cabinet devices that may rely on a v-shaped receiving member which is typically serrated metal, into which a lid may be jammed so that the it is tightly gripped by the serrations as the user attempts to untwist the bottle or jar. These may include devices similar to Similar devices may include a track having walls spaced apart such that the distance between them becomes incrementally smaller as a bottle or jar lid is inserted and advanced. Once the lid is advanced to a point where the lid wedges between the walls of the track, the user may attempt to twist on the bottle or jar to open it. These types of openers are widely available and relatively inexpensive, but, like the rubber disc described above, they require sufficient arm strength to lift a jar or bottle, maneuver it into the v-shaped receiving member or track, and twist it until the lid loosens. Additionally, this kind of device is also typically geared toward larger jars rather than bottles. 
         [0005]    Re-closing a screw-top bottle lid can also be especially difficult, if not impossible, proposition, either by hand or using any of the conventionally available devices described for gripping lids. Although the rubber disc most lends itself to tightly recapping a bottle, it does not lessen the amount of brute strength necessary to do so. 
         [0006]    For users with weak upper extremities, such as the elderly or disabled, none of the conventionally available devices offer an adequate solution for opening or tightly closing screw-top bottles. Most available devices simply require far too much strength for those with diminished physical capacity to operate. Threaded beer bottle caps and soft drink caps are especially difficult to remove if strength is limited, but replacing screw-top threaded beer bottle caps and soft drink caps with any certainty that a leak can be avoided is nearly impossible for anyone without really good hand strength. 
         [0007]    What is therefore needed is a device which can be used to open or tightly close a bottle cap, which is portable, which can accommodate a wide variety of bottle cap sizes, and which is power-driven to provide sufficient torque to remove or tightly replace a bottle cap independent of user strength. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    The bottle opener and closer of the present invention is affordable, effective, and superior to conventionally available alternatives. The present opener and closer is preferably cordless and may include a battery-powered motor designed to drive a rubber-lined main drive cup which fits over a consumer supplied screw-on bottle cap. The main drive cup may be conically angled or have a tapering conical angle in a variety of sizes to fit a wide variety of bottle-cap diameters, and may include an opening which allows insertion of a finger or other object for ejecting any bottle caps retained after the opening operation. The angle of the conically angled sides ensures that a small downward force on the opener and closer will cause the rubber liner to exert significant lateral grasping pressure onto the bottle cap to confer a high radial gripping force on the circumference of the bottle cap. 
         [0009]    The present opener and closer may be ergonomically shaped to easily fit within a user&#39;s grip, and includes two side-mounted (right side and left side) momentary action switches which power the motor when activated and cut power to the motor when released once a cap has been successfully released or replaced. A master switch includes a first position to allow for driving the main drive cup in a first direction and a second position to allow for driving the main drive cup in a second direction rotationally opposite the first direction, and a third position which disenables movement in any direction. 
         [0010]    In the case where a bottle cap may be larger or smaller than the range of bottle cap sizes accommodated by the main drive cup, accessory drive cups are available for interfacing with the main drive cup to allow the opener to accommodate a variety of other size ranges. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0011]    The invention, its configuration, construction, and operation will be best further described in the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a an exploded view of the opener and closer of the present invention which illustrates an upper housing with finger passage, a lower housing, a gearbox, a motor, batteries, a gear drive, a main drive cup, a right-hand switch, a right-hand switch cap, a left-hand switch, a left-hand switch cap, and a directional center switch; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective top view of the opener and closer of  FIG. 1  as assembled, in which the upper housing with finger passage, lower housing right-hand switch cap, left-hand switch cap, and directional center switch are all visible; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom view of the of the opener and closer of the present invention in which the lower housing, left-hand switch cap, finger passage, and main drive cup are visible; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the opener and closer along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  and illustrates upper housing with finger passage, lower housing, motor, directional center switch, gearbox, and main drive cup; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a single accessory cup which includes an extension designed to be engaged by a main drive cup; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a dual accessory cup which includes a lip at each end designed to interface with a main drive cup or a larger accessory cup; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a dual accessory cup engaged by a larger single accessory cup; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a break-away view of the opener and closer of the present invention which illustrates a single accessory cup engaged by the main drive cup; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a break-away view of the opener and closer of the present invention which illustrates a dual accessory cup engaged by the main drive cup; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  illustrates one possible realization of the circuit of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    The description and operation of the invention will be best initiated with reference to  FIG. 1 , which is an exploded view of the opener and closer  21  of the present invention. Opener and closer  21  may include an upper housing  23 , and a lower housing  25 . Housings  23  and  25  are preferably constructed of rigid plastic but may conceivably be constructed of other materials such as stainless steel or aluminum. Upper housing  23  may be snap fitted to lower housing  25 , or a separate battery door seen as a battery door portion  26  of lower housing. Alternately, housings  23  and  25  may be joined by any other suitable method which will allow opener and closer  21  to function properly. 
         [0023]    Illustrated inside lower housing  25  is a gearbox  27 , motor  31 , pinion housing  33  and batteries  35 . Gearbox  27  is illustrated as partially cut away to reveal a series of epicyclic gears  36 . Pinion housing  33  is illustrated as being partially cut away to reveal bevel pinion  37  and shaft  41 . Also illustrated in lower housing  25  is a left-hand power switch  45 , and a right-hand power switch  47 , either of which switches  45  and  47  may be leaf-type switches. A left-hand power button  51  is shown adjacent left-hand power switch  45  to accommodate right-handed users, and a right-hand power button  53  is shown adjacent right-hand power switch  47  to accommodate left-handed users. Activation of either of power buttons  51  or  53  powers motor  31 . Also seen is an upwardly directed channel  49 . Upwardly directed channel  49  may have an concentrically inner wall  50 . The upwardly directed channel  49  will help to capture capture and stabilize a main drive cup  55  seen between the upper housing  23  and lower housing  25 . 
         [0024]    The main drive cup  55  is illustrated just above an opening  56  in lower housing  25 . Main drive cup  55  includes an interior surface (to be described), an exterior surface  59 , which includes a bevel gear  61 , and an upper, circumferentially inwardly disposed, rim  63  extending between interior surface  57  and exterior surface  59  and surrounding a top opening  65 . Main drive cup  55  includes a lower rim  67  adjacent exterior surface  59  and surrounding a lower opening  69  indicated by an upwardly pointing arrow and which will be more completely shown later. The liner  81  is seen also as an interior surface, the liner  81  being a thin lining of rubber or other polymeric with high skin friction. 
         [0025]    At the uppermost point of  FIG. 1  a slide button  73  is illustrated and which has a mechanical extension which extends through an opening  75  in upper housing  23  to mechanically engage and control a slide switch  77  when opener and closer  21  is assembled. Slide switch  77  may be a 3-position double-pole switch which determines the direction of rotation of main drive cup  55  upon powering motor  31  by allowing a user to select a first position which causes main drive cup  55  to rotate counter-clockwise (for opening a bottle), a second position which causes main drive cup  55  to rotate clockwise (for closing a bottle), or a third, neutral or off position (this will be more completely illustrated in  FIG. 10 ). The circuit which effects clockwise rotation of main drive cup  55  may incorporate a resistor or similar component (shown schematically in  FIG. 10 ) so that power delivered to the motor when closing will be less than power delivered to the motor when opening. This arrangement minimizes the possibility of screwing on a bottle cap so tightly that opener and closer  21  may not be effective in removing it. Shaft  41  is fixed in bevel pinion  37  and turns on a bearing surface in pinion housing  33 . Bevel pinion also turns in epicyclic gears  36 . 
         [0026]    Bevel pinion  37  may be fixed on shaft  41 , which also supports epicyclic gears  36  and turns on a bearing surface in pinion housing  33 . Motor  31  feeds epicyclic gears  36 , which in turn rotate bevel pinion  37  clockwise (to drive bevel gear  61  counter-clockwise) or counter-clockwise (to drive bevel gear  61  clockwise) depending on what direction the user has pre-selected using slide button  73 . 
         [0027]    The inside of the main drive cup  55  has a liner  81  which may be overmolded to provide a tough surface which is resistive to degradation. Overmolding can as it also provides water seals at the top and bottom of the main cup  55  as it enables the surface of any overmolded parts of the main cup  55  to brought into close sealing contact with other surfaces of the opener and closer  21 . In the alternative, a liner may be provided which is constructed of rubber or other conformable material having a high skin friction to facilitate gripping. 
         [0028]    Main drive cup  55  is preferably frustoconical in shape, preferably having a conically angled wall angle of less than about 40 degrees from wall to opposite wall. Since the rubber liner  81  may be ideally thin and match the shape of any underlying surface, the liner  81  may preferably have the same angular relationship as a wall to wall angle of about twenty degrees. More specifically, a conical wall angle of about twenty degrees between the walls or about ten degrees flare from the normal axis seems to be a good compromise between grip and range of bottle cap sizes with which the main drive cup  55  may be used, since this angular wall orientation requires only a small amount of downward force to confer a high radial gripping force on the circumference of a bottle cap (not illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). A conically angled relationship greater than about twenty degrees wall to opposite wall, might, depending upon the softness of materials chosen, require an excessive amount of downward force on opener and closer  21  to generate sufficient radial gripping force on a bottle cap to grip and remove or replace it. In the alternative, rubber liner  81  may be replaceable. Rubber liner  81  may also use friction, glue, self adhesive or other assisting component or shape to fit securely within main drive cup  55 . 
         [0029]    Additionally, top opening  65  of main drive cup  55  admits the upwardly projecting cylindrical portion  83 , and circumferentially inwardly disposed rim  63  fits against a portion of the upwardly projecting cylindrical portion  83 . The radial shoulder  85  fits just underneath the circumferentially inwardly disposed rim  63 . Further, top opening  65 , when the rubber liner  81  is in place, enables a finger or other object to be introduced into and through the rubber liner  81  from the top side. Further a finger passage  91  in upper housing  23  further facilitates entry into the top opening  65 , even when opener and closer  21  is assembled. Once a bottle cap (not illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) is inserted into lower opening  67  of main drive cup  55  and which is held by rubber liner  81  after it is removed from a bottle (not illustrated), a user may insert a finger into finger passage  91  (and through top opening  65  of main drive cup  55  and first open end  84  of liner  81 ) to eject the bottle cap (not illustrated) from the lower opening  69  of main drive cup  55 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a perspective top view of the opener and closer  21  of  FIG. 1  as assembled.  FIG. 2  includes a view of upper housing  23 , lower housing  25 , right-hand power button  53 , slide button  73 , and finger passage  91 .  FIG. 2  also provides a partial view of left-hand power button  51  and liner  81  of main drive cup  55 .  FIG. 2  also provides a partial view of a through-hole  92  which remains accessible for the opener and closer  21  when its components are assembled. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom view of the underside of the opener and closer  21  of the present invention in which the lower housing  25 , left-hand power button  51 , right-hand power button  53 , and through-hole  92  are all visible. Liner  81  of main drive cup  55  is also seen. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the opener and closer  21  taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . Visible in  FIG. 4  is the upper housing  23 , lower housing  25 , gearbox  27 , motor  31 , pinion housing  33 , epicyclic gears  36 , bevel pinion  37 , shaft  41 , bevel gear  61 , main drive cup  55 , including exterior surface  59 , slide button  73 , finger passage  91  in upper housing  23 , and through-hole  92 . Rubber liner  81  is omitted to better illustrate the relationship of the main drive cup  55  and surrounding structures.  FIG. 4  also illustrates a roller  93  which traps bevel gear  61  between bevel pinion  37  and roller  93  to limit movement of bevel gear  61  away from bevel pinion  37  when by bevel pinion  37  is operating. 
         [0033]    Also in  FIG. 4 , a groove  94  is visible adjacent interior surface  57  of drive cup  55  adjacent lower rim  67 . When rubber liner  81  (not shown in  FIG. 4  in order to see the small details) is present inside main drive cup  55 , sealed structures may result (described in  FIG. 8 ). Sealing may provide some protective barrier for any liquids which would otherwise enter the lower housing  25  over the concentrically inner wall  50  of the upwardly directed channel  49 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a single accessory cup  95  which includes a main body  97  and an upper extension  101 . An upper extension  101  may have specialized inner and outer surfaces. An angled upper exterior portion  102  forms a conic surface which is frictionally engagably compatible with the inner surface  89 , engages with the overmolded liner  81  when supported by the interior surface  57  of the main drive cup  55 . Below angled upper exterior portion  102  a cylindrical portion  103  is seen. A through-hole  104  extends through main body  97  and extension  101 . Inside the extension  101 , an upper cylindrical surface  105  lies above an angled surface  106 . Angled surface  106  will be utilized in conjunction with other accessory cups to be shown. 
         [0035]    The main body  97  may have a generally constant conic profile and may preferably have a rubber liner  107 . Rubber liner  107  has an internal surface  108 . The rubber liner  107  has a different shape than the rubber liner  81 , and may be either permanently bonded to the main body  97 , or the rubber liner  107  may be replaceable. Liner  107  is sized to conform to single accessory cup  95 . When single accessory cup  95  is engaged by main drive cup  55 , through-hole  104  preserves a user&#39;s ability to discharge a bottle cap from single accessory cup  95  by utilizing finger passage  91  just as described in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0036]    Angled upper exterior portion  102  of upper extension  101  are sloped to match the conical angular wall relationship of main drive cup  55 , ideally approximately twenty degrees from one side to the other or about ten degrees from axial to facilitate optimal gripping by main drive cup  55  at liner  81 . If the bottle cap to be opened is larger or smaller than the range of cap sizes that can be opened using main drive cup  55 , single accessory cup  95  may be used to further expand the range of possible bottle cap sizes for which opener and closer  21  may be used. Note that while the shape of the main body  97  of single accessory cup  95  is illustrated as having a higher conic angle than main drive cup  55  to accommodate larger sizes of bottle caps (bottle caps are not shown in  FIG. 5 ), a lower conic angle than main drive cup  55  is also possible. Thus, any single accessory cup  95  can be provided to expand the range of possible bottle caps to include smaller or larger caps than those removable using only main drive cup  55 . Moreover, the possible range of bottle cap sizes that may be accommodated using accessory cups is virtually limitless. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a dual accessory cup  111  which includes a first cup  113  having conically angled exterior  115 , a rubber liner  117 , an interior surface  118  of the rubber liner  117  and an exterior surface  121 . Dual accessory cup  111  also includes a second cup  123  having angled exterior surface  125 , a liner  127 , an interior surface  128  of liner  127  and an exterior surface  131 . A through-hole  132  extends through the inside of the first cup  113  and the inside second cup  123 . first cup  113  includes an exterior conic surface  133 , and second cup  123  includes an exterior conic surface  135 . Exterior conic surfaces  133  and  135  may be sloped to match the inner surface of the liner  81  of the main drive cup  55 , which may be approximately twenty degrees from side to opposite side, to facilitate optimal gripping by main drive cup  55  at liner  81 . Alternatively, the exterior conic surfaces  133  and  135  may be sloped to match surface  108 , or angled surface  106 , or other surfaces and combinations. 
         [0038]    First cup  113  and second cup  123  may be two different sizes as shown to further expand the range of bottles openable using dual accessory cup  111 . When dual accessory cup  111  is engaged by main drive cup  55 , the through-hole  132  preserves a user&#39;s ability to discharge a bottle cap from single accessory cup  111  by utilizing finger passage  91  as described in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of dual accessory cup  111  of  FIG. 6  nested in single accessory cup  95  of  FIG. 5  for efficient space-saving storage. Visible in  FIG. 7  is single accessory cup  95  with the exterior conic surfaces  133  shown engaged with the angled surface  106  of single accessory cup  95 . In the position shown, the surface  128  of liner  127  is set to engage a bottle cap (not shown). If the dual accessory cup  111  of  FIG. 6  were reversed and re-nested in single accessory cup  95  of  FIG. 5 , with the exterior conic surfaces  135  shown engaged with the angled surface  106  of single accessory cup  95 , the surface  118  of liner  117  is set to engage a bottle cap (not shown). 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  is a partially broken-away view of the opener and closer  21  of the present invention which illustrates single accessory cup  95  engaged by main drive cup  55  at angled upper exterior sides  102  of extension  101 . Also visible in  FIG. 8  is upper housing  23 , lower housing  25 , liner  81  of main drive cup  55 , slide button  73 , finger passage  91  in upper housing  23 , bevel gear  61 , and main body  97  of and extension  101  of single accessory cup  95 . A large bottle cap  141  is shown as having been engaged and held in place by the single accessory cup  95 . It can be seen that with the liner  81  in place, that an upper seal  143  and a lower seal  145  is formed by the contact with other components when the main drive cup  55  is overmolded rather than simply having an attached liner. 
         [0041]      FIG. 9  is breakaway view of the opener and closer  21  of the present invention which illustrates second cup  123  of dual accessory cup  111  engaged by main drive cup  55  at ridge  135 . Also visible in  FIG. 8  is upper housing  23 , lower housing  25 , finger passage  91  in upper housing  23 , bevel gear  61 , and first cup  113 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 10  illustrates one possible realization of the circuit of the invention. Motor  31  is shown schematically and is ideally a direct current motor. Batteries  35  are shown schematically as a battery symbol  35 . The right hand power switch  47  is shown within a dashed line block labeled and representing right-hand power button  51  and the left hand power switch  45  is shown within a dashed line block labeled and representing left-hand power button  51 . Right and left hand power switches  47  and  45  are shown as two switches capable of closing the same circuit. The slide switch  77  is shown as a three position double throw switch  77  as seen in  FIG. 1  and now shown schematically. The position of the three position double throw switch  77  is currently shown in neutral position. If the three position double throw switch  77  is set to tighten a bottle cap  141 , the switch is moved to the “T” position and the battery power is made available to the motor through the torque reducing resistor  151  when the circuit is to be completed by closing either of the right hand power switch  47  and the left hand power switch  45 . If the three position double throw switch  77  is set to loosen a bottle cap  141 , the switch is moved to the “L” position and the battery  35  power is made available to the motor without passing through the torque reducing resistor  151  when the circuit is be completed by closing either of the right hand power switch  47  and the left hand power switch  45 . 
         [0043]    Although the invention has been derived with reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, included within the patent warranted hereon are all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of this contribution to the art.