Can opener

A can opener comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a can drive wheel rotatable with respect to said motor housing about an axis extending through said motor housing;
• an electric drive motor mounted in said motor housing and connected to said can drive wheel;
• a drive motor-control switch;
• a can-opening blade pivotally mounted on said motor housing for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive wheel from a first position in which said blade is remote from a can having a rim supported by the drive wheel to a second position in which said blade pierces the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel;
• a blade spring biasing said blade into said first position;
• an operating member movable alona a linear path between a first position and a second position, said operating member having a switch operating arm engageable with said drive motor control switch to energize the drive motor as said operating member is moved from its said first position to its said second position;
• a motion transmitting assembly connecting said operating member to said blade that causes said blade to move into engagement with the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel as said operating member moves from its said first position toward its said second position to energize said drive motor so that said blade is engaged with the lid of said can supported by said drive wheel and caused to pierce said can lid due to the rotation of said can by said drive wheel;
• a manually operable control button connected to said operating member for substantially linear movement therewith which a user may depress to initiate operation of said drive motor;
• said blade spring reversely Divoting said blade when the cutting of said can is completed and driving said operating member toward its first position to thereby open said drive motor control switch,
• said blade and said drive wheel confine the rim of a can therebetween when the can opener is in operation and said opener further comprising:
• a stop member fixed in relation to said motor housing;
• a ledae on said operating member which engages said stop member for interrupting return movement of said blade after a lid has been cut away from a can for the PurDose of continuing to confine the can rim until the user of the can oDener decides to remove the can,
• said operating member being constructed and arranged to enable said ledge to be moved out of engagement with said stop member by movement of said control button.

A can opener comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a can drive wheel rotatable with respect to said motor housing about an axis extending through said motor housing;
• an electric drive motor mounted in said motor housing and connected to said can drive wheel;
• a drive motor-control switch;
• a can-opening blade pivotally mounted on said motor housing for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive wheel from a first position in which said blade is remote from a can having a rim supported by the drive wheel to a second position in which said blade pierces the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel;
• a blade spring biasing said blade into said first position;
• an operating member movable along a linear path between a first position and a second position, said operating member having a switch operating arm engageable with said drive motor control switch to energize the drive motor as said operating member is moved from its said first position to its said second position;
• a motion transmitting assembly connecting said operating member to said blade that causes said blade to move into engagement with the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel as said operating member moves from its said first position toward its said second position to energize said drive motor so that said blade is engaged with the lid of said can supported by said drive wheel and caused to pierce said can lid due to the rotation of said can by said drive wheel;
• and
• a manually operable control button connected to said operating member for substantially linear movement therewith which a user may depress to initiate operation of said drive motor;
• said blade spring reversely pivoting said blade when the cutting of said can is completed and driving said operating member toward its first position to thereby open said drive motor control switch;
• and
• said motion transmitting assembly comprising a blade-mounting shaft connected to said blade for pivotal movement therewith and a drive link connecting said shaft to said operating member so that substantially linear movement of said operating member causes pivotal movement of said blade.

A can opener comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a can drive wheel rotatable with respect to said motor housing about an axis extending through said motor housing;
• an electric drive motor mounted in said motor housing and connected to said can drive wheel;
• a drive motor-control switch;
• a can-opening blade pivotally mounted on said motor housing for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive wheel from a first position in which said blade is remote from a can having a rim supported by the drive wheel to a second position in which said blade pierces the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel;
• a blade spring biasing said blade into said first position;
• an operating member movable along a linear path between a first position and a second position, said operating member having a switch operating arm engageable with said drive motor control switch to energize the drive motor as said operating member is moved from its said first position to its said second position;
• a motion transmitting assembly connecting said operating member to said blade that causes said blade to move into engagement with the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel as said operating member moves from its said first position toward its said second position to energize said drive motor so that said blade is engaged with the lid of said can supported bv said drive wheel and caused to pierce said can lid due to the rotation of said can by said drive wheel;
• and
• a manually operable control button connected to said operating member for substantially linear movement therewith which a user mav depress to initiate operation of said drive motor;
• said blade spring reversely pivoting said blade when the cutting of said can is completed and driving said operating member toward its first position to thereby open said drive motor control switch;
• and
• said drive wheel being connected to said drive motor by a driven shaft, a drive shaft and a clutch connecting said driven shaft to said drive shaft, said clutch comprising a pair of mutually-engageable and separable clutch members connected, respectively, to said drive shaft and to said driven shaft.

A can opener comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a can drive wheel rotatable with respect to said motor housing about an axis extending through said motor housing;
• an electric drive motor mounted in said motor housing
• and connected to said can drive wheel;
• a drive motor-control switch;
• a can-opening blade pivotally mounted on said motor housing for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive wheel from a first position in which said blade is remote from a can having a rim supported by the drive wheel to a second position in which said blade pierces the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel;
• a blade spring biasing said blade into said first position;
• an operating member movable alona a linear path between a first position and a second position, said operating member having a switch operating arm engageable with said drive motor control switch to energize the drive motor as said operating member is moved from its said first position to its said second position;
• a motion transmitting assembly connecting said operating member to said blade that causes said blade to move into engagement with the lid of a can supported by said drive wheel as said operating member moves from its said first position toward its said second position to energize said drive motor so that said blade is engaged with the lid of said can supported by said drive wheel and caused to pierce said can lid due to the rotation of said can by said drive wheel;
• a manually operable control button connected to said operating member for substantially linear movement therewith which a user may depress to initiate operation of said drive motor;
• said blade spring reversely pivoting said blade when the cutting of said can is completed and driving said operating member toward its first position to thereby open said drive motor control switch said drive wheel being connected to said drive motor by a driven shaft, a drive shaft and a clutch connecting said driven shaft to said drive shaft, said clutch comprising a pair of mutually-engageable and separable clutch members connected, respectively, to said drive shaft and to said driven shaft, and further comprising a support assembly removably connected to said motor housing that supports said driven shaft, said can drive wheel, said can-opening blade, said blade spring, said operating member, said motion transmitting assembly, and said control button.