Including Prime Mover Patents (Class 30/423)
  • Publication number: 20140101946
    Abstract: An easy to operate, extremely quiet, efficient can engagement and opening mechanism is provided for use in an opener for a can, and that provides a pair of missing teeth operating endpoints at opposite ends of its opener cycle, along with an eccentrically operating idler gear and cutter gear urging mechanism that produces a non-jamming foolproof mechanism that can be urged forward to a closed and operating position or reversed to a disengagement and non-operating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: DAKA RESEARCH INC., (A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION)
    Inventors: PAT Y. MAH, ALEXANDER JOSHEF KALOGROULIS, KWONG KEUNG TUNG, MICHAEL NG
  • Patent number: 6886260
    Abstract: An electromotive can opener comprises a body. The body is formed by a first half and a second half. A motor, a touch switch for actuating the motor, a high twisting gear set, and a cutter handle are assembled to the body. In the high twisting gear set, a plurality of following gears and driving gear are engaged one by one and then is engaged to a driven shaft. The driven shaft is assembled with a driving gear. A knife protrudes out of a cutter handle. In operation, the knife cuts into the can and the touch switch is pressed by the cutter handle to actuate the motor and the shaft is driven. The can is driven to rotate to be cut along the periphery by the knife; and high twisting gear set formed by the plurality of gears provides a high twisting force for securing the can firmly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventor: Hui Ling Lee
  • Patent number: 6739061
    Abstract: A can opener that automatically opens a can and then signals when the can has been opened, upon the insertion of a can into the can opener and pressing a start button. The automatic can opener is useful for physically challenged individuals and/or individuals who are sight challenged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventor: Sherry L. Montel
  • Patent number: 6516524
    Abstract: A can opener for severing a lid from a can. The can opener includes a housing having a shape generally in the form of a semi-sphere. The housing has a semispherical shell and an opposing working face. A cutting mechanism is positioned on the working face for movement along a circumference of the lid to sever the lid from the can. A drive mechanism is mounted to the housing for moving the can opener relative to the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Brady
  • Patent number: 6505405
    Abstract: An electric can opener has a handle that is used to ‘close’ a blade towards a traction wheel so as to pinch a top rim of a can while the lid is removed, in a known manner. When the handle is moved downwards, the blade is carefully controlled in its movement as the result of the cooperation of three cams mounted on a pivot shaft of the handle. The blade is moved sideways and downwards so as to arrive at the pinching position in a manner that ensures that the rim is not jammed from above and that vertical thrust is applied during the can opening operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Main Power Electrical Factory Limited
    Inventor: Alex Ka Po Hui
  • Publication number: 20020148122
    Abstract: A hand held battery operated can opener comprising a housing; a drive located in the housing and having a can contacting drive wheel; a rechargeable battery connected to the drive; and a movable section movably connected to the housing. The movable section comprises a cutting blade. The housing is sized and shaped to be grasped by a single hand of a user in a grasping position. The grasping position comprises a back of the housing being matingly received in a palm of the hand and fingers of the hand being located at left and bottom sides of the housing and, while the user is grasping the housing in the grasping position, at least one finger of the hand can articulate to move the movable section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: HP INTELLECTUAL CORP.
    Inventors: Albert L. Sanchez, C. Sven Johnson, David Robert Arnott, Anthony M. DeMore, Craig A. DuBois, Keith C. Bernard, Stuart Naft
  • Patent number: 6351889
    Abstract: A can opening appliance is provided herein. The appliance includes a primary housing having a front surface including a can opening mechanism and a rearwardly facing locking surface. A base includes at least one upwardly extending projection for slidable engagement with the primary housing and at least one forwardly facing interlock structure for releasable engagement with the locking surface of the primary housing. A housing release button, which causes the forwardly facing interlock structure and the locking surface to enter into and out of engagement, allows the primary housing to attain a plurality of vertical positions relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: The Holmes Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Wall, Crystal R. Norris
  • Patent number: 6108917
    Abstract: Disclosed is a safe and reliable method and apparatus for opening cylindrical metallic containers which cuts into the side of the cylindrical body of the can below the upper annular rim. The device of the present invention employs a specially adapted, angularly-positioned, tapered rotatable blade for performing the cutting operation. The use of a rotatable blade results in a clean non-jagged cut around the circumference of the container. The use of a rotatable, tapered blade to cut below the annular rim or seam of the container results in an inwardly-bent edge on the newly-cut lid having no sharp edges. This facilitates easy and worry free removal of the lid. In use, a can is placed in the device such that the knurled edge of an upper disc rests upon the top of the can. The rotatable side cutting blade is then moved such that it pierces the side of the can, just below the lip seal. The side cutting blade is locked into place, and the upper disc is rotated, thereby rotating the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Inventors: Mark G. Bellis, Marla J. Bellis
  • Patent number: 5664333
    Abstract: A hand held and base operated can opener combination that can be both operated in a base mounted counter top configuration and a portable hand held configuration is disclosed. Consisting of a base unit with an integral power supply and battery charger, it is physically connected to a head unit containing rechargeable batteries, an electric motor, a conventional can opening mechanism, a manual can opening means, and associated electrical control circuitry. The invention may be utilized to open cans on a kitchen counter top by attaching the can and pressing down on the top lever section of the unit, in the same manner as one would use a conventional electric can opener. The invention may also be operated in a portable hand held configuration, in the same manner as one would use a manual hand operated can opener, except with the added convenience of pressing a switch to operate an electric motor in lieu of a hand crank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Tonia C. Hardman
  • Patent number: 5313708
    Abstract: A can opener of the type having a housing, a motor, a feed wheel for rotating a can about its axis, a gear assembly connecting the motor and the feed wheel, and a cutter for severing a can lid from a can includes a cutter control associatively connected to the cutter and operable to bias a switch contact to a closed position while the cutter is severing the can lid from the can and to automatically open the switch contact after the can lid has been severed, the cutter control comprising an integrally formed spring operable to engage an armature mounted on the housing, and a cutter support plate supporting the cutter and associatively connected to the cutter control, the cutter support plate operable to lower a magnet assembly into contact with the can lid when the cutter is moved into contact with the can lid and to raise the magnet assembly and the can lid when the cutter is raised from the can after the can lid has been severed from the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: The Rival Company
    Inventors: Billie R. Edwards, Mary K. Barrow
  • Patent number: 5301433
    Abstract: A housing having a cavity is arranged for mounting within a cabinet structure, with the apparatus to include a first drive motor to effect selective rotation in a clockwise and counter-clockwise manner to permit the selective closure and removal of jar lids relative to an associated jar employing threaded interconnection, with a second motor arranged for operative and selective actuation of a can opening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Inventor: Jon C. Rogers
  • Patent number: 4995164
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a can opener (1) having in its casing (2) a drive unit which is comprised of an electric motor (32) secured to a mounting plate (41), a gear train (33) and an output shaft (42) driving the drive wheel (17). The longitudinal axis (8) of the casing (2) along which the electric motor (32), the gear train (33) and the output shaft (42) are arranged forms with the direction determined by the input shaft (70) of the electric motor (32), the shafts (61, 62, 63) of the gear train (33) and the output shaft (42) of the drive wheel (17) an angle (a) which is smaller than 90.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Borger, Hartwig Kahlcke, Ludwig Littmann
  • Patent number: 4702007
    Abstract: A rechargeable electric can opener including a can-feed wheel disposed on an outer face of a flat casing mounting a motor and a reduction gear mechanism therein, a cutter having a cutting edge capable of turning up-and-down to open a lid of the can in cooperation with the feed wheel, an attached plug to be inserted in an electrical outlet, a step-down transformer, and a rechargeable secondary battery. The can opener is characterized in that the plug is attached on the other face of the casing near a center of gravity which is mainly determined by locations of the motor, reduction gear mechanism, step down transformer and secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Nomura, Syoji Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 4534108
    Abstract: An electric can opener comprises a can opener body, a can opening attachment and a juice squeezing attachment. The can opener body is provided with a drive shaft, a motor for rotating said drive shaft, a vertically holding portion and a horizontally holding portion. When the vertically holding portion is utilized to set the can opener body, the drive shaft assumes a horizontal condition. A horizontal rotating shaft provided on the can opening attachment can be brought into engagement with the drive shaft in the horizontal condition. Accordingly, the can opening attachment is utilized to cut out a lid of a can. On the other hand, when the horizontal holding portion is utilized to set the can opener body, the drive shaft assumes a vertical condition. A vertical rotating shaft provided on the juice squeezing attachment can be brought into engagement with the drive shaft in the vertical condition. Accordingly, the juice squeezing attachment can be utilized to squeeze fruit juice of citrus fruits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Aichidenkikosakusho
    Inventors: Osamu Yamamoto, Senichiro Norizuki
  • Patent number: 4028805
    Abstract: An electric motor-driven can opener having a push button-operated switch to close the energization circuit for the motor is disclosed. The can-opening mechanism includes a cutter blade and can-turning gear combination, a vertically reciprocatable slide member supporting the cutter blade and a cam follower, and a power gear and box cam combination driven by the motor for vertically displacing the cam follower. In operation, after a can to be opened has been loaded into the cutting mechanism without the lid being penetrated by the cutter blade, the motor is started by depression of the push button to effect rotation of the gear, the switch being held in its "closed" position by a latch even after the button is released. The cam initially forces the cam follower and therewith the slide member downwardly slightly, so that the cutter blade is forced through the lid of the can at the beginning of the cycle and is then held there while the can turns to sever the lid from the body of the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1977
    Assignee: F. G. Waide, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony G. Figlia