Tools – Receptacle closure remover – Power- – vacuum- – or fluid pressure-operated
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-06
2001-02-06
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Receptacle closure remover
Power-, vacuum-, or fluid pressure-operated
C081S003390
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182534
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to jar openers and more particularly to automatic jar openers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a fully automatic jar opener for loosening a threaded jar cap on a jar. The jar opener includes a bottom jar retainer including substantially horizontal clamps that are automatically movable along a horizontal plane between an open position and a jar clamping position. The clamps, while in the jar clamping position, hold the jar substantially without slippage when the jar cap is subjected to a twisting force. A top jar retainer holds the jar cap substantially without slippage when the twisting force is applied to the jar cap. The twisting force is applied to the jar cap by the top jar retainer. A vertical drive automatically adjusts a relative vertical position between the bottom jar retainer and the top jar retainer, the relative vertical position determines a holding force of the top jar retainer on the jar cap for a given jar size. The automatic jar opener includes one or more drivers for moving the clamps along the horizontal plane, for adjusting the relative vertical position between the bottom jar retainer and the top jar retainer, and for applying the twisting force to the top jar retainer. A controller automatically controls the action of the drivers and the movements of the clamps and enables loosening of the jar cap on a jar that has been placed in the opener with a single, discrete user command that is input on a user input device.
In particular embodiments of the invention, one of the drivers is a pneumatic actuator for moving the clamps along the horizontal plane, and one or more electric motors adjust the relative vertical position between the bottom jar retainer and the top jar retainer, and apply the twisting force to the top jar retainer. The controller sends a first control signal to a valve that controls the flow of pressurized fluid into the pneumatic actuator. Pressure changes within the pneumatic actuator activates a piston rod whose movement causes the clamps to move along the horizontal plane.
In particular embodiments of the invention, upon the discrete user command, the controller sends a first command signal to a driver resulting in movement of the clamps to the jar clamping position to hold the jar, whereupon the controller sends a second command signal to a driver resulting in movement of the vertical drive to move together the bottom jar retainer and the top jar retainer to apply the holding force to the jar cap, whereupon the controller sends a third command signal to a driver resulting in the twisting force being applied to the jar cap via the top jar retainer to loosen the jar cap.
The controller further sends a fourth signal to the driver resulting in movement of the vertical drive to separate the bottom jar retainer and the top jar retainer to release the holding force on the jar cap and a fifth signal to a driver resulting in movement of the clamps to the open position to release the jar.
In other embodiments of the invention, the fully automatic jar opener includes at least two motors, a first motor for applying the twisting force to the cap and a second motor for adjusting the relative vertical positions of the bottom and top jar retainers.
In one illustrated embodiment, the fully automatic jar opener includes three motors, a first motor for applying the twisting force to the cap, a second motor for adjusting the bottom jar retainer, and a third motor for adjusting the top jar retainer. Upon the discrete user command, the controller sends a first command signal to the second motor to move the clamps to the jar clamping position to hold the jar and a second command signal to the third motor to move the vertical drive to move together the bottom jar retainer and the top jar retainer to apply the holding force to the jar cap. After the clamps have been moved to the jar clamping position and the holding force has been applied to the jar cap, the controller sends a third command signal to the first motor resulting in the twisting force being applied to the jar cap by the top jar retainer to loosen the jar cap.
In particular embodiments of the invention, the jar includes side walls and a base and the clamps contact the jar on opposite side walls of the jar near the base of the jar. The clamps include gripping pads for contacting the jar and holding the jar substantially without slippage when the jar cap is subjected to the twisting force. The clamps define arcuate shaped jar contacting portions permitting clamping of different radii jars within a given range.
In other embodiments of the invention, the fully automatic jar opener includes a housing defining clamp pivots. The clamps are constructed and arranged to move along a horizontal plane between the open position and the jar clamping position by pivoting about the clamp pivots. The clamps are slidably received on the clamp pivots allowing removal and replacement of the clamps. The clamps include arm portions pivotably connected to the clamp pivots and jar contacting portions slidably received on the arm portions. Each jar contacting portion defines an arcuate shaped inner profile permitting clamping of different radii jars within a given range.
In one illustrated embodiment, the top jar retainer includes a cone for gripping a variety of sizes of jar caps. The cone includes a gripping pad for contacting the jar cap and holding the jar cap substantially without slippage when the twisting force is applied to the jar cap.
In other embodiments of the invention, a switch is activated when a predetermined load is applied to the jar by the clamps and another switch is activated when a predetermined load is applied to the jar cap by the top jar retainer. The jar opener includes a housing defining a chamber for placement of the jar and a door with a third switch activated when the door is closed.
The automatic jar opener of the invention can be used to easily loosen a jar cap with one, single discrete user command. The opener can be used with jars having a variety of heights, owing to the adjustment of the position between the clamps and top jar retainer, and with jars having a variety of diameters owing to the cone shape.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment and from the claims.
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Danganan Joni B.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Scherbel David A.
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