Wine Opener with Interior Threads
OwnerChristopher Kirk Carter, Nicholas Robert Pierceinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The industry-standard corkscrew has numerous flaws resulting in broken corks—even in the hands of a professional. The present invention is a radical departure from the traditional corkscrew apparatus. The opener generally consists of the handle and an internally threaded half-pipe. The half-pipe slides between the cork and the bottle, wherein the series of threads engage the cork. Rotating the handle causes the threads to bore deeper into the neck of the bottle until the handles meets the lip of the bottle, and then lift the cork out of the bottle until it disengages and falls away from the opener. It should be appreciated that the elegance of the opener resides in its simplicity.
Claims15
An opener for removing a cylindrical cork from a bottle comprising:
- (a) a semi-cylindrical pipe section having an upper end which is attached to a distal end of a handle, and a lower end,
- (b) wherein the semi-cylindrical pipe section has an arc angle, an interior wall upon which at least one thread is disposed, and an exterior wall;
- and
- (c) wherein the handle forms a shoulder positioned around the exterior wall.
An instrument for removing a cylindrical cork from a bottle comprising:
- (a) an open cylinder and a handle having a distal end, and an upper and lower surface;
- (b) said open cylinder having an upper, lower, leading, and trailing edge, an opening angle, and an interior and exterior wall;
- (c) said open cylinder being inset from the distal end of the handle such that the opening angle of the open cylinder is directed away from the proximal end of the handle, the axis of the open cylinder being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle, and the upper edge of the open cylinder is generally coplaner with the upper surface of the handle, and the lower edge of the open cylinder resides below the lower surface of the handle;
- and
- (d) wherein a plurality of open threads are disposed on the interior wall of the open cylinder.
The method of removing a cylindrical cork positioned in the neck of a bottle comprising:
- (a) introducing an opener comprising open cylinder attached to a handle, wherein the open cylinder has a wedging edge opposite the handle and a plurality of threads disposed on the interior wall of the open cylinder designed to engage on the cylindrical walls of the cork;
- (b) aligning the axis of the cork and the axis of the open cylinder;
- (c) applying downward force on the handle causing the wedging edge to slide between the cork and the neck of the bottle until a point where the threads engage with the cork;
- (d) applying a rotational force on the handle to screw the threads into the cork and cause the open cylinder to drive into the bottle until a point the handle makes contact with the rim of the bottle;
- (e) continuing to apply the rotational force on the handle causing the cork to rise out of the bottle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.