Tools – Receptacle closure remover – Levering or prying type
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-07
2004-10-05
Banks, Derris H. (Department: 3712)
Tools
Receptacle closure remover
Levering or prying type
C081S003560
Reexamination Certificate
active
06799491
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates most generally to container opening devices and aides. More particularly, the invention relates to a jar opening aide for use with vacuum sealed jars having twist or screw off jar sealing lids.
BACKGROUND ART
Many foods items can be purchased packaged in clear glass and rigid plastic containers that are capped with twist-off sealing lids. Such product containers, which may be generically termed jars, provide for excellent long term storage when the contents placed in the jar are ‘vacuum packed’. When an individual wants to access the contents of the jar, a rotational force is applied and the jar sealing lid is twisted-off.
Although a jar and jar sealing lid of this type provides for an excellent, long term, and stable sealing of the contents within the jar, the jar lids can be difficult to initially remove. Interestingly, in most cases it is the vacuum present within the jar, and a downward force applied to the jar sealing lid by the presence of the vacuum, that creates a need for a significant rotational force (or torque) to be applied to the jar sealing lid in order to rotate and twist-off the lid. That is, an individual attempting an opening of vacuum containing jar must simultaneously grasp the jar sealing lid with a first hand and apply a significant rotational force directly to the lid, while also holding the jar firmly with a second hand. In many cases it is difficult, if not impossible, for an individual muster the strength needed to open a vacuum packed jar. This is especially true for aging and physically challenged individuals.
Therefore, skilled persons will appreciate that a releasing of a vacuum established within a jar capped with a jar sealing lid results in a significant reducing of the rotational force and associated torque required to open the jar. A number of known prior art devices are available for releasing a vacuum within a container. A first group of such devices provide what may be termed ‘pry-apart’ lid openers. Representative devices are taught by the U.S. Patents to Denning (U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,419), Olorenshaw (U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,432), and Smith (U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,508). Each of these devices provides a container or bucket opening device that operates by ‘prying apart’ a portion of the lid from an upper rim of a container. Accordingly, the containers with which these devices will work must be structured with an external rib or a suitable upper support portion formed upon the container proximate to the lid. In addition, these ribs or support portions must be capable of withstanding significant localized forces without cracking or puncturing. Many of the common jars currently used are simply not be well suited for use with these devices, as they are lacking the rib or upper ledge required.
Another prior art device, which is disclosed in the U.S. Patent to Hermansson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,265), is a “combination of a lid prying tool and a cutting edge which provides a safe, easy, efficient method of removing closely fitting lids from buckets by allowing the peripheral skirts of bucket lids to be easily and efficiently cut.” The Hermansson device is not intended for use with screw-off lids, and makes no mention of them. In addition, the device taught by Hermansson is not structured to accommodate lids having significantly differing vertical heights.
A number of other prior art devices are available for use in assisting in the opening containers and jars. Some are general purpose in nature, and structured for aiding in the opening a large variety of containers, including cans, bottles and jars. Yet others are arranged for securely grasping circumferential portions of a lid or cap for increasing the torque applied to forcibly twist-off a jar sealing means. However, when considering a simply structured jar opening aide that is usable with jar sealing lids having significantly differing (vertical) heights in order to release a vacuum established within the jar, the prior is silent.
Accordingly, skilled individuals will appreciate a need for a new and or improved jar opening aide, which is structured for use with a variety of jars and jar sealing lids, and which overcomes the limitations and problems of the prior art, including those discussed above. A number of other characteristics, advantages, and or associated novel features of the present invention, will become clear from the description and figures provided herein. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. In particular, the embodiments included and described, have been chosen in order to best explain the principles, features, and characteristics of the invention, and its practical application, to thereby enable skilled persons to best utilize the invention and a wide variety of embodiments providable that are based on these principles, features, and characteristics. Accordingly, all variations possible are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a jar opening aide is provided for use with vacuum sealed jars capped with a twist-off or screw-off jar sealing lid. The jar opening aide is preferably structured with a lid engaging portion, a middle portion and a handle portion. The lid engaging portion is located at a first end of the jar opening aide, while the handle portion provides a second end of the jar opening aide. The middle portion, which may be arranged with an adjustable fulcrum mechanism, acts as a structural nexus preferably rigidly coupling the lid engaging portion and the handle portion.
The lid engaging portion is configured for engaging a lower peripheral lip portion of a jar sealing lid. It may be noted that the terms lower lip, lower peripheral lip portion, and peripheral lip portion are to be considered equivalents. Preferable embodiments of the lid engaging portion include a possibly flattened, downwardly extending member. An upper or proximate end of the downwardly extending member is connected or suitably coupled at the first end of the jar opening aide. A lower or distal end of the downwardly extending member is structured with a lip engaging means. For example, contemplated lip engaging means may include an upwardly angled lip engaging tab, or equivalent structures including pegs, pins, etc. Importantly, the lip engaging means provided at the lower or distal end of the downwardly extending member is fixed to the downwardly extending member with an acute angle established between the lip engaging means (tab, peg, etc.) and the downwardly extending member. A preferred range for the acute angle is 40 to 80 degrees, with a possibly most preferred acute angle being substantially 60 degrees.
Typically, once the lid engaging portion engages the lower peripheral lip portion of the jar sealing lid, any required adjusting of the adjustable fulcrum mechanism may be effected. The adjustable fulcrum mechanism would be adjusted to level or align a longitudinal axis of the jar opening aide, as desired by a user. Next, the user securely grasps the handle portion and applies a downward force. The downward force applied to the handle portion causes an upward force to be applied to an engaged lower peripheral lip portion of the jar sealing lid, by way of the adjustable fulcrum mechanism and the lid contacting foot. Fundamentally, a ‘lever action’ causes the downward force applied to the handle portion to be transformed into an upward force applied to the lower peripheral lip portion of the jar sealing lid via the lid engaging portion. Importantly, the upward force ultimately causes a lifting of the lower peripheral lip portion of the jar sealing lid, defeating a seal established thereat. The defeating of the seal causes a compromising of any vacuum present within the jar, and thereby in the process typically significantly reduces a level of friction that must be overcome for rotating and twisting-off (removing) the jar sealing lid. For example, typically the level of friction is reduced by o
Island Patent
Tierno F. Scott
Williams Jamila O
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