Combined beverage container opener and beverage bottle resealer

Abstract

Beverage container opener and resealer includes a bottle cap remover including a circular bottle cap receiver and guide. Bottle cap receiver is formed of a generally inverted cup including therein teeth formed on the inner surface adapted to interface with a bottle cap to be twisted off of the bottle when the opener housing is maneuvered. Teeth can be provided in the form of ribs, flutes or ridges. The guide and teeth are receivable over the cap of a beverage container. Gripping material can extend into and/or downward onto a substantially complimentary surface formed on beverage container caps. A rubber bottle resealer reseals open bottles, thereby preserving the beverage. Module is configured to be integrated into and associated with a decorative three-dimensional decorative housing provided in the form of miniature headgear.

Claims

1. A beverage container opening device, comprising: a decorative housing provided in the form of miniaturized three-dimensional headgear representative of headgear that can be worn by humans including a bottom, top, front, back, and sides, said decorative housing having an opening formed in its bottom and including a retention mechanism integrated within said decorative housing for retaining a bottle cap remover module; and a bottle cap remover module further comprising: (a) a generally circular housing including a circular bottle cap receiver and guide having an inner surface; (b) teeth in the form of of ribs, flutes or ridges formed on the inner surface, wherein during use of the beverage container opening device, the guide and teeth are received over the cap of a beverage container whereon the teeth lay substantially complimentary to ridge shaped surfaces also formed on beverage container caps; (c) a rubber bottle resealer and retaining device further comprising at least one flange, said rubber bottle opening resealer and retaining device integrated within said bottle cap remover module, wherein said rubber bottle resealer and retaining device enables said decorative housing to operate in sealing and covering a bottle opening when said at least one flange is placed over a bottle opening and engages with a glass flange formed on the bottle; and a pop-off bottle cap remover formed on said decorative housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the decorative miniature housing is provided in the form of at least one of a: football helmet, baseball cap, cowboy hat.

3. The opening device according to claim 2, further comprising: a can tab opener formed on said decorative housing.

4. The opening device according to claim 1, further comprising: a can opener formed on said decorative housing.

5. A beverage container opener, resealer and cover, comprising: (a) a decorative housing provided in the form of miniaturized three-dimensional headgear representative of headgear that can be worn by humans, said miniaturized three-dimensional headgear including a bottom, top, front, back, and sides, said decorative housing having an opening formed in its bottom and including a retention mechanism integrated within said decorative housing for retaining a bottle cap remover module; (b) a bottle cap remover module integrated within said housing further comprising: (i) a bottle cap remover module having a generally circular housing including a includes a circular bottle cap receiver and guide having an inner surface; (ii) teeth in the form of at least one of ribs, flutes or ridges formed on the inner surface, wherein during use of the beverage container opening device, the guide and teeth are received over the cap of a beverage container whereon the teeth lay substantially complimentary to ridge shaped surfaces also formed on beverage container caps; and (iii) a rubber bottle opening resealer and retaining device further comprising at least one flange, said rubber bottle opening resealer and retaining device integrated within said bottle cap remover module, wherein said rubber bottle resealer and retaining device enables said decorative housing to operate in sealing and covering a bottle opening when said at least one flange is placed over a bottle opening and engages with a glass flange formed on the bottle; a can tab opener formed on said decorative housing; and a pop-off bottle cap remover formed on said decorative housing.

6. A beverage container opening device, comprising: a decorative housing provided in the form of miniaturized three-dimensional headgear representative of headgear that can be worn by humans and including at least one of a: football helmet, baseball cap, cowboy hat, said decorative housing including a bottom, top, front, back, and sides, said decorative housing having an opening formed in its bottom and including a retention mechanism integrated within said decorative housing for retaining a bottle cap remover module; a bottle cap remover module further comprising: (a) a generally circular housing including a circular bottle cap receiver and guide having an inner surface; (b) teeth in the form of ribs, flutes or ridges formed on the inner surface, wherein during use of the beverage container opening device, the guide and teeth are received over the cap of a beverage container whereon the teeth lay substantially complimentary to ridge shaped surfaces also formed on beverage container caps; and (c) a rubber bottle resealer and retaining device further comprising at least one flange integrated within said bottle cap remover module, wherein said rubber bottle resealer and retaining device including said at least one flange enables said decorative housing to operate in sealing and covering a bottle opening when the rubber bottle resealer and retaining device and at least one flange are placed over a bottle opening and engage with a glass flange formed on the bottle; and a pop-off bottle cap remover formed on said decorative housing.

7. The opening device according to claim 6, further comprising a can opener formed on said decorative housing.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates the opening in a bottle cap remover module for receiving and removing bottle caps in accordance with the preferred embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates the opposite side of the bottle cap remover module shown in FIG. 1, wherein rubber tabs from a bottle opening resealer are received and used to hold the bottle opening resealer in place.

(3) FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a bottle opening resealer in the form of a rubber cover having a series of flanges and an integrated cork-like extension. The rubber flanges, base and cork-like extension jointly operate to seal the opening of a glass beverage bottle (i.e., typically of the beer bottle variety) when the bottle cap remover module is either one of firmly pressed onto or screwed onto the bottle top opening.

(4) FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the rubber cover shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and further illustrate rubber tabs that interface with and are held to the bottom surface of the bottle cap remover module through holes as shown in FIG. 2.

(5) FIGS. 6-8 illustrates side and bottom views of a decorative housing within which the bottle cap remover module can be integrated, the decorative housing without intending limitation being shown in the form of a football helmet.

(6) FIG. 9 illustrates a rear view of a decorative housing shown in FIGS. 6-8, the rear illustration also showing an integrated pop-off bottle cap remover.

(7) FIG. 10 illustrates perspective view of a decorative housing within which the bottle cap remover module can be integrated, the decorative housing without intending limitation being shown in the form of a cowboy hat.

(8) FIG. 11 illustrates a bottom view of the decorative housing shown in FIG. 10, the view also showing bottle cap remover module hardware incorporated into/onto the housing.

(9) FIG. 12 illustrates perspective view of a decorative housing within which the bottle cap remover module can be integrated, the decorative housing without intending limitation being shown in the form of a baseball cap.

(10) FIG. 13 illustrates a bottom view of the decorative housing shown in FIG. 12, the view also showing interior molding surfaces of the housing into/onto which bottle cap remover module hardware can be incorporated.

(11) FIG. 14A illustrates a bottom view of pop-off bottle cap opening hardware that can be incorporated onto the bottom surface of decorative housing.

(12) FIG. 14B illustrates a side view of pop-off bottle cap opening hardware that can be incorporated onto the bottom surface of decorative housing.

(13) FIG. 15 illustrates a front view of pop-off bottle cap opening hardware shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the hardware incorporated onto the bottom surface of decorative housing in the form of a baseball cap.

(14) FIG. 16 illustrates a cross sectional side view of pop-off bottle cap opening hardware shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the hardware incorporated onto the bottom surface of decorative housing in the form of a baseball cap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(15) The present invention is now herein described for the useful provision of a novel, highly simplified, economically manufactured device that facilitates opening of several beverage container types and furthermore, facilitates the security or preservation of beverages in public by serving as a cover for beverages consumed in public.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, bottom-side and top-side perspective views of a bottle cap remover module 10 are illustrated in accordance with the features and aspects of the present invention. As shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottle cap remover module 10 includes a housing 16 adapted with ridges formed along the internal surface of the housing and a metal ring 11 with teeth 17 also incorporated within the internal surface of the housing. The ridges interface with complimentary teeth typically found on the outer surface of plastic soda/water bottle caps and the metallic teeth interface with indentions formed on metallic bottle caps typically found on domestic beer bottle. The bottom surface of the bottle cap remover module 10 has holes 19 for receiving rubber tabs from a bottle opening resealer 20. The rubber tabs 22 of a bottle opening resealer are shown protruding through the holes in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, notches 12 formed on the ridge of the bottle opening module housing can be formed for placement of a peg or fastener where the housing is to be integrated within a larger decorative housing, as will be further discussed.

(17) Referring to FIGS. 3-4, a bottle opening resealer 20 in the form of a rubber cover having a series of flanges 21 and an integrated cork-like extension 25. The rubber flanges 21, cork-like extension 25 and the base material connecting them all form the rubber cover and jointly operate to seal the opening of a glass beverage bottle (i.e., typically of the beer bottle variety) when the bottle cap remover module is either one of firmly pressed onto or screwed onto the bottle top opening. FIG. 5 illustrates the rubber tabs that are held within the holes 19 formed within the bottom surface of the bottle cap remover module 10.

(18) The bottle cap remover module 10 can be integrated within a decorative housing. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to use of a particular decorative housing, but that the housing should enable the user to manipulate the bottle cap remover module 10 about a beverage bottle. The housing can be made to take the form of, for example, baseball caps, cowboy hats and numerous other trade-related or casual headgear or head covers that can be imagine by skilled artisans (e.g., construction hard hats, space helmets, military headgear, cultural head covers). Whatever the design choice for the housing, it should serve as an adequate means for a user to control bottle opening functions and provide sufficient leverage to most any user so that torque necessary for removing a cap or manipulating a tab from a beverage container can be achieved even by a person possessing the most modest strength and dexterity. It is preferred that the decorative housing be appealing to a vast number of consumer, because decorative housings in the form of miniature headgear (e.g., football helmet, Baseball Cap, Cowboy Hat, Ice Hockey Helmet, Race Car Driver's helmet, baseball batting helmet, motorcycle helmet, top hat, chefs hat, etc.) is believed by the present inventor to have the most marketing and advertising appeal.

(19) Referring to FIGS. 6-9, a decorative housing 30 is shown in the form of a football helmet. FIG. 6 illustrates a notch 31 wherein a round peg (not shown) can be inserted to hold the bottle cap remover module in place within the decorative housing 30. The peg will hold the housing by the notches 12 discussed with respect to FIG. 1. A peg 33 is shown in FIG. 7 holding the bottle cap remover module 10 in place within the housing 30. FIG. 8 illustrates another perspective of the housing and bottle cap remover module 10 integrated therein as it is held in place by peg 31. A notch 37 is shown formed in the backside of the housing 30. The notch can be used to remove pop-off bottle caps from bottles. Bottle caps are removed after they are received by the notch 37 and the notch is rotated to cause the cap to become lodged within the notch 37 and they pried off of the bottle by user force over the housing 30. A metal tab 39 is also shown located on the bottom ridge of the housing 30. The tab 39 can be used to pry can tabs from a canned beverage. The can tab is lifted and pried away from the can as a user rotates the housing 30.

(20) Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a decorative housing 30 is shown in the form of a cowboy hat 40. FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of the decorative housing 40. FIG. 11 illustrates the bottom view of the housing wherein the bottle cap remover module 10 is integrated and whereon a pop-off bottle cap hardware 45 is also shown attached to the decorative housing's 40 underside. The resealer 20 is also shown integrated within the bottle cap remover module 10. The pop-off bottle cap hardware 45 is shown fastened to the bottom surface of the housing 40 with screws, although other means of fastening can be appreciated (e.g., glue).

(21) Referring to FIGS. 12-16, another decorative housing 30 is shown in the form of a baseball cap 50. FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of the decorative housing 50. FIG. 13 illustrates a bottom view of the decorative housing 50 wherein interior bottom surface 51 of the housing 50 and screw mounts 47 are shown. The interior surface 51 define the shape of the bottle cap remover module 10 as shown by the ridgeline 55 along the bottom surface.

(22) Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, pop-off bottle hardware 45 is illustrates. FIG. 14A illustrates the bottom view of the pop-off bottle hardware 45, while FIG. 14B illustrates a side view of the pop-off bottle hardware 45 mounted by a screw 48 onto the screw mounts 47 also shown in FIG. 13.

(23) FIG. 15 illustrates a frontal view of a phantom baseball cap as the decorative headgear 50 and a front perspective pop-off bottle hardware shown located at the bottom surface of the housing 50. FIG. 16 illustrates a cross sectional view of the decorative housing 50 and bottle cap removal and bottle resealer hardware integrated within the housing 50. FIG. 16 illustrates the bottle cap removing module 10, resealed 20 and pop-off bottle cap remover 45 as it would preferably be located within the housing 50.

(24) It should be appreciated that the present invention can include at least one bottle-cap remover and an opened bottle resealer that can be used in a manner wherein it is presented in the form of a bottleneck retainer. It should be appreciated that portions of the multi-purpose opening device of the invention advantageously can be made in the form of a unitary, injection molded plastic device of a suitable structural plastic or rubbery material, such as ABS. It should also be appreciated that portions or the entire device can be formed in aluminum, plastics, metal, or other alloy that supports a rigid sturdy construction in light of the intended uses for the present invention. The bottle retaining portion will preferably be made of a flexible material, which, like or if rubber, will allow the device to remain attached to the neck of a bottle for selective removal by a user/owner of the bottle.

(25) The device of the invention, although having multiple advantageous uses, is simple and compact, and is easily and inexpensively manufactured. It is thus ideally suited for the end use intended. Because of its simplicity, compactness, and low cost, the device of the invention can be ubiquitously utilized as a kitchen appliance, camping and picnicking utensil, advertising and promotional item, personal safety device in public gathering places, novelty item, etc.

(26) It should be understood, of course, that the specific form of the invention herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.