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US 2015/0151907 A1Published application
Compressor for carbonated beverage containers
AssigneeAi Li
InventorAi Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compression device allows for compressing a carbonated beverage container, for maintaining the container in a compressed state, and for releasing the container from the compressed state when desired. In one embodiment, the compression device (100) includes a first frame (101), a second frame (102), a first linking frame (103) and a second linking frame (104). The frames are joined together by hinge connectors (111, 112, 113, and 114), forming a quadrilateral enclosure or compression assembly that accepts a PET bottle. A hinge controller (119), associated with the first hinge connector (111), is operative to control compression and release of the bottle.
Claims54
An apparatus for use in compressing a container, comprising:
- a compression assembly for receiving said container therein and applying a compressive force to at least one external surface of said container, said compression assembly including no more than four substantially rigid frame members pivotally interconnected by hinge connectors such that said frame members define a central opening for receiving said container, said opening being expandable and contractible by operation of said hinge connectors;
- and
- a hinge controller, associated with a first hinge connector of said hinge connectors, for moving said first hinge connector to a selected position, defined by a relative angular orientation of frame members connected by said first hinge connector, and for resisting expansion forces so as to maintain said first hinge connector at said selected position.
A method for use in compressing a container, comprising the steps of:
- providing a compression assembly for receiving said container therein and applying a compressive force to at least one external surface of said container, said compression assembly including no more than four substantially rigid frame members pivotally interconnected by hinge connectors such that said frame members define a central opening for receiving said container, said opening being expandable and contractible by operation of said hinge connectors;
- and
- using said compression assembly to compress said container by directly controlling operation of a first hinge connector of said hinge connectors such that said first hinge connector is moved to a selected position, defined by a relative angular orientation of frame members connected by said first hinge connector, and that said first hinge connector resists expansion forces so as to maintain said selected position.
An apparatus for use in compressing a container, comprising:
- a compression assembly for receiving said container therein and applying a compressive force to at least one external surface of said container, said compression assembly including at least first and second frame members pivotally interconnected by a first hinge connector, and a compression subassembly, extending between said first and second frame members around said container, for compressing said container and releasing said container from compression in coordination with movement of said first hinge connector;
- and
- a hinge controller, associated with said first hinge connector, for moving said first hinge connector to a selected position, defined by a relative angular orientation of said first and second frame members connected by said first hinge connector, and for resisting expansion forces so as to maintain said first hinge connector at said selected position, wherein operation of said hinge controller to move said first hinge connector to said selected position is sufficient to effect compression of said container free from any separate control of said compression subassembly.
A method for use in compressing a container, comprising the steps of:
- providing a compression assembly for receiving said container therein and applying a compressive force to at least one external surface of said container, said compression assembly including at least first and second frame members pivotally interconnected by a first hinge connector, and a compression subassembly, extending between said first and second frame members around said container, for compressing said container and releasing said container from compression in coordination with movement of said first hinge connector;
- and
- using said compression assembly to compress said container by directly controlling operation of said first hinge connector such that said first hinge connector is moved to a selected position, defined by a relative angular orientation of said first and second frame members connected by said first hinge connector, and that said first hinge connector resists expansion forces so as to maintain at said selected position, wherein moving said first hinge connector to said selected position is sufficient to effect compression of said container free from any separate control of said compression subassembly.
An apparatus for use in compressing a container, comprising:
- a compression assembly for receiving said container therein and applying a compressive force to at least one external surface of said container, said compression assembly comprises four substantially rigid frame members pivotally interconnected by hinge connectors such that said frame members define a central opening for receiving said container, said opening being expandable and contractible by operation of said hinge connectors;
- and
- a hinge controller, associated with a first hinge connector of said hinge connectors, for moving said first hinge connector to a selected position, defined by a relative angular orientation of frame members connected by said first hinge connector, and for resisting expansion forces so as to maintain said first hinge connector at said selected position, wherein said moving of said first hinge connector is sufficient to cause said opening to contract.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.