(19)
(11) EP 2 107 036 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
07.10.2009 Bulletin 2009/41

(21) Application number: 09004576.6

(22) Date of filing: 30.03.2009
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B67B 7/04(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA RS

(30) Priority: 31.03.2008 IT PN20080026

(71) Applicant: EFFEGI S.r.l.
33185 Maniago (PN) (IT)

(72) Inventor:
  • Centazzo, Andrea
    33185 Maniago (IT)

(74) Representative: Da Riva, Ermanno 
Agenzia Brevetti "Pordenone" Viale Grigoletti 90/B
33170 Pordenone
33170 Pordenone (IT)

   


(54) Corkscrew


(57) Corkscrew (C) having a handle (M) that is made from a single piece, by a suitable metal sheet, preferably of steel, properly processed by shaping and consequent appropriate folders at the end to achieve a posterior part(P)of it which is a section as possible curvilinear, almost "elliptical", and in its (P) lower part has the bottom free from protrusions or bumps, but that can be possibly flat in order to improve the ergonomic features.




Description


[0001] The object of the present invention is a corkscrew obtained, differently from the others, so that its handle is composed of a single metal piece, preferably made from a piece of metal sheet suitably shaped, sliced and folded.

[0002] Are well known the various and the common types of corkscrew for opening bottles, they are usually made of a core of steel which, following its realization, is overlaid, through a plastic mold, of plastic that forms decorative and working element together nevertheless to improve the ergonomic point of view.

[0003] All the different corkscrews have a core, i.e. the metal inner part of the handle of the same corkscrew that is usually made of metal sheet that, shaped for the party that brings the lever and the screw, then it is made up of two short straight sections in its end, i.e. in the part where the operator will handle the impugn of the corkscrew.

[0004] This area is normally formed for simplicity and to give structural rigidity to the whole by a piece of metal sheet formed as a narrow "C" that often escapes from the plastic molded part over them and then, during its use, going to impact against the hands of the operator with unpleasant effects.

[0005] The most unwanted effect is that which the sommelier has, which does not use the handle in a conventional way, but use it differently, i.e. embraced by the hand lever and the top of the bottle and by relying on the handle, better, putting pressure on the underside of the handle and consequently extracting the cap.

[0006] The action of somelier, if done repeatedly and with a corkscrew that in the bottom of the handle appears to have two plates protruding, as finished and deburred, led him to have such potential pains and/or injury to the inch which raises the cap.

[0007] Are also known corkscrew in molten metal and with handle obtained "by piece", but these are expensive in terms of melting and molding the molten material, not least for any subsequent works such as forging, drilling, cleaning, etc..

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to overcome all the drawbacks mentioned above and this is achieved with the corkscrew on the subject.

[0009] To better understand the specific intrinsic characteristics of same the corkscrew and illustrate the benefits obtainable with said corkscrew, all in a preferred realization and a favourite way of example and only in an exemplificative and that is not limited way has in the following described with reference to the drawings in which:
  • Figure 1 is a side view of the corkscrew totally open with visible handle, screw and lever
  • Figure 2 is a sectioned view of the handle along the line I-I of Figure 1.


[0010] Please note that all the common details will be called with the same numerical references

[0011] With reference to the above mentioned Figures 1 and 2 it will be noticed that the C corkscrew object of this invention has provided essentially the usual elements its component and which are in themselves known, i.e.:
  • of a common screw V, which will engage with the cap on its extraction
  • of a lever L, preferably always design of the same author, refer to the patent application: Dom. N° PN2002A000023 of 09/04/2002


[0012] Particular attention should be given on the handle M of the corkscrew C, in fact is the construction and shape of the handle M to be of considerable of importance in this invention.

[0013] The handle M is represented, in figure 1 in its entirety and in a cross-section in Figure 2, it is formed by a suitable sheet metal, preferably steel, that after an initial processing of shape will be processed in a bending process that we can call "differentiated" because the head T of the handle M is folded in a conventional way after its shaping, drilling, etc., while the posterior part P of the handle M will be folded into a completely different manner from the head T obtaining the "elliptical" shape highlighted in the section of Figure 2.

[0014] Clearly, as above, after an initial bending of the head T so it has the traditional configuration, we will proceed to the differentiated bending of the rear end P of the handle M which for brevity and for the fact that is a procedure at the technical degree is not described in its stage of processing but it is described the conformation obtained which is the fundamental part as object of our invention.

[0015] It is stressed that the conformation of the end part or rear P of the handle M will be almost "elliptical" slightly flattened nearly to be flat in its part of the junction sheet which is also the bottom of the handle M of the corkscrew C, to provide a surface to provide a surface almost flat even lower and avoid the conventional subsequent operations of coating, with plastic materials, of the handle M, operations involving as said subsequent processing and additional costs to obtain a traditional handle that with the manner of the present invention are avoided here for the fact that the handle M appears across almost completely devoid of solutions of continuity, bringing with rounded shapes as shown by figure 2 and therefore improving ergonomically also its use

[0016] The conventional corkscrew have protruding metal parts which are thin and thus may also give discomfort in their use ,the handle M of the present invention does not have any type of protrusion for the fact that is closed in itself in the way to form an element in itself almost "elliptical" and free of protrusions and asperities and thus allowing better use of the corkscrew in its entirety, especially by the somelier, but also by common-user

[0017] It adds that the C corkscrew object of this invention is obtained from the same metal sheet that is required for the realization of a conventional corkscrew and therefore that it is accomplished with a reduction of the various processing steps resulting in savings for the production and a discreet aesthetic effect.

[0018] Concluding the corkscrew C object of this invention is made up from a simple sheet metal, preferably steel, Steel that after appropriate shaping and drilling, concluding the corkscrew C object of this invention is made up from a simple metal sheet, preferably Steel, that after appropriate shaping and drilling, also typical in conventional elements that form the "core" of the conventional corkscrew, is shaped so as to obtain immediately and without any add or steps an handle M finished and ready to be assembled to the various pieces that constitute it as the lever L and the screw V and the box-cutter "C" that was not highlighted.

[0019] It is also clear that the use of the corkscrew in question is simple, secure and reliable from the operational point of view, not much less ergonomic in corkscrews of today trade.

[0020] Well we understand that variations can be made to the corkscrew which object of this invention, without leave from what is described and claimed below with reference to the drawings and then the domain of protection of this invention


Claims

1. Corkscrew characterized by the fact that the handle (M) of said corkscrew (C) is made from a single piece, by a suitable metal sheet, preferably of steel, properly processed by shaping and consequent appropriate folders at the end to achieve a posterior part (P) of it that has section which is as possible curvilinear and in its (P) lower part has the bottom free from protrusions or bumps, but that can be possibly flat in order to improve the ergonomic features.
 




Drawing







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Cited references

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description