SELF TIGHTENING BOTTLE CAP OPENER

Abstract

A wrap-around bottle cap opener for removing twisted-on bottle caps and which includes a generally U shaped handle and a flexible arm. The handle includes a tab opener/finger recess. The flexible arm extends from the handle and when unbiased forms a wrap that lies adjacent the U shaped top of the handle. A low durometer grip is located at the end of the flexible arm. The flexible arm wraps around a bottle cap with the grip contacting the bottle cap. Twisting the handle causes the flexible arm to come into contact with the U shape of the handle causing the grip to be forced toward the bottle cap. Additional turning provides a positive engagement with the bottle cap which self-tightens on the bottle cap causing it to twist off.

Claims

1. A bottle cap opener, comprising: a handle having a generally U shaped outer perimeter and a concave top; a flexible arm extending from said handle, said arm biased to form a circular wrap adjacent said top; and a grip at an end of said flexible arm and located within said wrap.

2. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, wherein said grip is comprised of a low durometer material.

3. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, wherein said handle includes a tab opener on a first side.

4. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 3, wherein said flexible arm extends from a second side of said handle.

5. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, further including a ring aperture through said handle.

6. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is comprised of Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

7. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is comprised of Polyethylene.

8. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is comprised of Polypropylene.

9. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 1, further including a direction indicator.

10. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 9, wherein said direction indicator is on said handle.

11. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 2, wherein said low durometer material is Silicone.

12. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 2, wherein said low durometer material is a thermoplastic elastomer.

13. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 2, wherein said grip includes a tubular body that fits over the end of said flexible arm.

14. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 13, wherein said grip includes a flat face that extends above said tubular body.

15. A bottle cap opener, comprising: a handle having a generally U shaped outer perimeter with a finger recess on one side and a concave top; a flexible arm extending from the top of said U shaped outer perimeter on a the side opposite said finger recess, said arm biased to form a circular wrap adjacent said top; and a grip comprised of a tubular body on an end of said flexible arm and a flat face that faces into said circular wrap.

16. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 15, further including a ring aperture through said handle.

17. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 16, further including a direction indicator.

18. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 14, wherein said finger recess acts as a tab opener.

19. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 15, wherein said grip is comprised of a low durometer material.

20. The bottle cap opener recited in claim 19, wherein said grip includes a tubular body that fits over an end of said flexible arm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a top down view of a wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 that is in accord with the principles of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates the wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 opened to fit on a bottle cap 100; and

[0016] FIG. 3 presents a more detailed illustration of the grip 30 at the end of the flexible arm 28.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

[0017] 10 wrap-around bottle cap opener [0018] 12 handle [0019] 14 cap opener/finger recess [0020] 18 ring aperture [0021] 26 wrap [0022] 28 flexible arm [0023] 30 grip [0024] 32 direction indicator [0025] 40 flat face [0026] 42 tubular body [0027] 100 bottle cap

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1 through 3. However, the invention is not limited to the specifically described embodiment. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention. Any such work around will also fall under the scope of this invention.

[0029] The terms a and an as used herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. In addition, unless otherwise denoted all directional signals such as in, out, up, down, left, and right are taken with reference to FIG. 1.

[0030] Referring now primarily to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention describes a wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 usable for removing bottle caps, such as the plastic bottle cap 100 shown in FIG. 2, from bottles. The basic wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 can assist removal of bottle caps with a wide range of diameters such as from less than 10 mm to over 35 mm. Wrap-around bottle cap openers 10 of different sizes are contemplated for use with both larger and smaller bottle caps.

[0031] Referring now primarily to FIG. 1, a wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 includes a handle 12 having a tab opener/finger recess 14 on one side. The tab opener/finger recess 14 is an insert that is used for opening pry off metal beer/soda tabs as well as being an available finger recess to better fit some user's hands.

[0032] Except for the tab opener/finger recess 14, which may be a metal insert, the handle 12 is preferably made from a hard plastic material such as Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polyethylene (PE), or Polypropylene (PP). Neglecting the tab opener/finger recess 14, the handle 12 generally has a U shaped outer perimeter. Toward the bottom of the handle 12 is a ring aperture 18. The ring aperture 18 is useful for storing the wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 on a peg such as a nail (not shown) or for receiving a ring, chain, or lanyard, (also not shown) so that the wrap-around bottle cap opener 10 can be used as a keychain or for attachment to an external structure.

[0033] At the top of the handle 12 on the side opposite the tab opener/finger recess 14 is an integral flexible arm 28 that is internally biased to form a generally circular wrap 26 when external force is not applied to the flexible arm 28. The end of the flexible arm 28 terminates in a grip 30, which is also shown in FIG. 3.

[0034] Referring now to FIG. 2, the flexible arm 28 can flex outward to enlarge the generally circular wrap 26. This enables the flexible arm 28 to wrap around bottle caps 100 that are larger than the un-flexed generally circular wrap 26.

[0035] To remove a bottle cap 100 the flexible arm 28 is opened to fit around a bottle cap 100. Then, the handle 12 is rotated in the direction of the direction indicator 32. This causes the grip 30 to contact the outer perimeter of the bottle cap 100. Most bottle caps 100 have ridges that extend parallel to the central axis of the bottle. As the grip 30 is made of a compliant (low durometer) material the grip 30 tends to grab the ridges. Additional rotation of the handle 12 in the direction of the direction indicator 32 forces the flexible arm 28 to contact the U portion of the handle 12. This forces the grip 30 toward the bottle cap 100 and causes the grip to partially flow into the bottle cap ridges and thus providing an improved grip. Continued rotation of the handle 12 forces the flexible arm 28 and the grip 30 to twist the bottle cap 100, thus tending to remove it from a bottle.

[0036] To assist removing a tab the end of the tab opener/finger recess 14 is fit under the end of the tab and then the tab opener/finger recess 14 is rotated against the lid to pry the tab upwards.

[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates the grip 30 in more detail. The grip 30 has a flat face 40 that extends slightly above and at the end of a tubular body 42. The tubular body 42 fits over the end of the flexible arm 28. The grip 30 is preferably made from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), Silicone or another low durometer and compliant material.

[0038] The foregoing description of a specific embodiment of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form that is disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.