US2958942A - Container opening means - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 8, 1960 c. FAZEKAS 2,958,942

CONTAINER OPENING MEANS Filed May 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CHARLES FAZ 'EKAS ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1960 c. FAZEKAS CONTAINER OPENING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23, 1958 INVENTOR CHARLES FAZEKAS BY MM Med 4) 5w ATTORNEY$ United States Patent Ofifice 2,958,942 CONTAINER OPENING MEANS Charles Fazekas, Charlotte, N.C., assignor to Pneumafil Corporation, Charlotte, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 23, 1958, Ser. No. 737,288 Claims. (Cl. 30-61) This invention relates to food handling equipment, more particularly to means for opening food containers in a safe efficient manner without contaminating the contents of said containers.

The development of the vending machine industry has made possible the distribution of a wide range of consumer products in a rapid eflicient manner without requiring the use of sales personnel. Where comestibles and potables are dispensed by vending machines, it is desirable to provide means insuring the maintenance of said comestibles and/or potables in a sanitary condition. Additionally, it is obviously necessary to provide some receptacle for receipt of the dispensed items permitting the purchasers to carry said items from the vending machine. These receptacles must also be maintained in a sanitary condition. Some of the problems concerning the sanitary maintenance of the items prior to vending, and the subsequent provision of receptacles for removal of the vended merchandise may be met by employing conventional air tight containers such as tin cans or the like. The use of such containers serves to maintain the goods contained therein in a sanitary condition, andfurther provides a receptacle for removal of the goods after vending.

A variety of problems arises where it is desired to consume the contents of the container at the dispensing point. Thus where soft drinks, soups, or the like beverages are dispensed by vending machines, the use of air tight cans provides for sanitation, and a container; however, means must be provided for opening of these containers. The use of conventional can openers for this purpose engenders some difliculty, since the conventional can opener must be secured to the vending equipment to prevent its loss with the result that subsequent users will not have available to them means for opening their purchases. The conventional can opener is further a relatively dan- -gerous instrument which should not be left in a public place. An additional important problem encountered in the use of conventional can openers arises from the fact that the sanitary advantages resulting from the use of air tight containers are substantially lost since the can opener is not maintained in a sanitary condition, thus providing a source of contamination for the contents of the container. Other difficulties arise in connection with spillage occurring at the time of opening of the container, said spillage dirtying the vending machine and possibly the user.

It is with the above problems in mind that the present invention has been evolved providing improved container opening means particularly adapted for use in connection with vending equipment designed to dispense merchan-.

disc in air tight sanitary containers. The novel container opening means are designed for secure positioning with respect to a vending machine or the like with its container piercing elements in a relatively protected position to insure safety of usage, and additionally to provide a substantially sterile condition, whereby the opening of a container does not incur the possibility of contamination 2,958,942 Patented Nov. 8, 1960 of the contents of said container, nor the dirtying of the user or equipment.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide novel container opening means.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved container opening means particularly adapted for use in conjunction with vending machines where the vending machine is employed to dispense merchandise in a sanitary sealed container for use at the vending machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel container opening means adapted to be secured in a position preventing accidental removal thereof.

It is also an object of this invention to provide container opening means which may be used in complete safety by the user.

It is also an important object of this invention to pro vide a novel container opening means which is maintained in a substantially sterile condition whereby the contents of any containers opened by said means will not be contaminated.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a novel method for opening food containers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel container opening means in which any sharp elements are not readily accessible, but which are readily cleanable.

Another object of the invention is to provide container opening means which will prevent the contents of the container from being splashed upon a user of said means, at the time of opening of said container.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a can opener accommodating a variety of can sizes.

These, and other objects of the invention which will become apparent from the following description and claims are achieved by provision of a mounting bracket upon which a housing forming enclosing means is supported. An openable closure in the form of two pivotally hinged doors is arranged upon said housing, at the front face thereof. The hinges supporting said doors are spring biased to close same. Control means comprising an operating handle whose weight serves to normally depress same, coupled to a cam linkage-carriage, said supporting cams, and a container piercing blade. Raising of the handle, raises the piercing blade, and the cams to open the doors whereby a can or the like container may be inserted in the housing beneath the blade. Subsequent depression of the handle serves to bring the piercing blade down upon the can to pierce same. At the same time, a shielding stop lip on the aforementioned cam carriage is brought down upon the can top to limit the piercing of said blade and to prevent any possible splashing of the contents of the can upon the user. After the can has been opened, the handle is raised to permit removal of the can. Release of the handle then closes the doors to prevent any foreign matter from entering the housing, and to conceal the container piercing blade, thus preventing injury to any potential user.

A specific feature of the invention resides in the provision of a normally hidden can opener blade which is main tained at a sterile temperature to prevent contamination of the contents of any containers opened thereby.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of novel container opening means which may securely be maintained in conjunction with any other equipment such as a vending machine, to prevent accidental removal of sad means.

It is also a feature of the invention that a shield is provided to prevent splashing of the contents of the can upon the user of the can opener at the time of opening of the can.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a drainage opening and a sump at the bottom carriage of the normally closed housing to permit any spilled liqiud to drain.

The specific details of the invention, and their mode of functioning will be made most manifest and particularly pointed out in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the novel container opening means, showing the closure members in an open position whereby a container may be inserted for opening; and

Figure 2 is a perspective rear view of the container opening means shown in Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the novel container opening means as seen in Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevational view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the novel container opening means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employed to designate like parts.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 5, the novel container opening means comprises enclosing means including a housing 11 made up of a body case 12, a rear shield 13 pivotally arranged with respect to said case, bearing supports 14- fixedly secured by rivets or welding to the case, and a drain sump 15 telescopically arranged at the bottom of said case. As seen in the drawing, it will be observed that the case bottom is formed with a drainage opening 16, and a chine receiving aperture 17 for a purpose to be made hereinafter more apparent. The front face of case 12 is formed with side channels '18 having slots 19.

Openable closures in the form of doors 2t) and 21 are supported on the front of case 12 on saId side channels 18 by means of hinges 22 and 23 respectively which are spring biased by means of springs 24 to a closed position over the housing 11.

Control means including handle operated cam supporting carriage 25 having yoke portion 26, cams 27, bearings 28 at the rear of the yoke and shielding stop lip 29 at the front, all formed integrally from a single sheet of material, is pivotally mounted with respect to housing 11 by pivot bar 30 extending thru bearings 28 on carriage 25. Pivot bar 30 extends through apertures 31 in shield 13 to pivotally support same, and the bearing apertures 32 in the case bearing support 14 thus providing an integral assembly. Control handle 35 in the U-shaped form shown having apertures 36 in each leg thereof is also secured on pivot bar 30. It will be observed that movement of handle 35 produces movement of cam carriage 25 and its component parts. Clips 33 are provided to maintain pivot bar 30 in operative assembled position.

Support bracket 40 is of a shape to receive sump 15, and is formed with a mounting leg 41 which may be fixedly secured to a support surface such for example as the back of the front facade of a vending machine as seen in Figure 2.

A container piercing element in the form of two pronged blade 43 is secured to the yoke portion 26 by means of a suitable fastening member such as a machine screw or the like. The blade 43 is formed with a recess to receive electrical heating element 45, the heat of which is regulated by means of thermostat 46 (shown on Figure 2), and coupled to a suitable source of electrical energy (not shown). Aligning pin 47 and aligning washer 48 serve to maintain the blade correctly oriented on the yoke.

Blade 43 is provided with a relatively thick piercing cusp 49, and a relatively thin piercing cusp 50. The thick cusp is arranged at the rear of the blade, whereby upon downward movement of handle 35, the thick cusp blade will pierce the can immediately adjacent the chine of the can to produce a pouring lip, whereas the thin piercing cusp serves to produce a vacuum relief opening. Engaging lips 51 on the rear wall of body case 12 keep the can from moving with blade 43.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the novel container opening means are arranged on the front facade F of a vending machine which must be provided with handle slots 55, as well as an opening for the housing and slots for the cams.

Operation The afore disclosed structure may most optimumly be employed in conjunction with vending machinery designed to dispense canned potables and/or comsetibles. Where so employed the container opening means may readily be arranged at some portion of the conventionally provided decorative facade F of the vending machine. Thus as seen in Figures 1 and 2 it is proposed to provide a specific opening in the vending machine facade to receive the novel container opening means.

Where so positioned, it will not be possible to inadvertently carry off the container opening means, nor will any sharp edges be exposed to the user. Positioning of the structure is accomplished by securing mounting leg 41 of support bracket 40 to the rear of facade F.

Thereafter drain sump 15 is positioned on the bracket 40, shield 13 is arranged therein, and body case 12 inserted through the facade opening into the shield. The yoke of carriage 25 is then arranged over the case behind-the facade and handle 35 inserted from the front of the facade. Insertion of pivot bar 30 through bearing apertures 36, 28, 31, and 32 serves to maintain the aforementioned components in assembled relationship. It will be observed that disassembly is equally simple and thus permits ready maintenance.

In operation, the weight of control handle 35 will be such as to cause the handle to assume a downward position permitting doors 20 and 21 to be closed under the action of spring biased hinges 22 and 23 respectively. In this position, it will be observed that there is little likelihood of foreign matter, insects, or the like, entering housing 11 to possibly contaminate container opening blade 43.

When it is desired to open a container, as dispensed by the vending machine, for consumption, the user'merely ra'ses control handle 35 causing cam carriage 25 to pivot on pivot bar 30 with cams 27 moving upwardly against doors 20 and 21 to open same. When the doors are opened a container may readily be inserted within housing 11. Thereafter upon bringing control handle 35 to a downward position blade 43 will simultaneously be forced against the can top to pierce same. The two prongs of the blade will form two openings, one a discharge opening, and the other a vacuum relief opening, thereby permitting the contents of the container to flow. It will be observed that at the time of opening, the blade and can top are substantially protected within the housing by shielding stop lip 29, whereby the user is protected in the event of splashing of the contents of said can. Lip 29 further serves to limit the entry of the blade '43 into the can so that puncturing is not excessive and'so that the blade will generally not contact the contents of the can.

Upon raising of the handle the blade is removed from the can and the user may remove the opened can. Lips 51 on the rear wall of case 12 prevent the can from moving up with blade 43.

The presence of the heating element 30 serves to'maintain blade 43 at a sterile temperature, whereby any bacteria accumulating thereon will be killed, and any liquid will be vaporized with a subsequent carbonization of any residue.

In the event of spillage, the liquid drains into sump 15 which may periodically be removed for cleaning by sliding same telescopically upward on shield 13 to free same from the rear lip on bracket 40. The shield 13 pivots on pivot bar 30 with sump 15. sump may be removed for cleaning.

Depending on the size of the can, it may be inserted into body case 12 to rest on the bottom thereof or with the bottom chine of the can in chine receiving aperture 17.

Though the invention has here been disclosed in conjunction with a liquid container, it will be appreciated that the shape of the can piercing blade may readily be varied within the scope of this invention to open a wide variety of containers, either by puncturing holes, as disclosed, or by stamping out the complete top of the can where solids are involved.

It is thus seen that novel container opening means have been provided in which the can piercing blade is maintained in a substantially sterile condition by means of a heating element and its enclosure within a housing. This enclosure within a housing serves further to prevent injury of the user by the blade, and keeps foreign matter away from the blade. Additionally the blade is shielded during opening of a can, thus protecting the user from the blade and from splashing of the can contents; and the shield also limits the penetration of the blade tending to keep same clean. Disassembly for cleaning is accomplished in a simple manner by removing pivot bar 30.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation, and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for opening containers, said means comprising: enclosing means within which the container to be opened may be positioned; openable closure means on said enclosing means; container piercing means within said enclosing means; and movable control means carrying said piercing means and moving against said closure means to open same to permit insertion of a can into said enclosure means, and actuating said piercing means to pierce a container within said enclosing means, whereby the container may be opened in a sanitary fashion.

2. Means as in claim 1 in which sterilizing means are provided in combination with said piercing means for sterilizing same.

3. Means as in claim 2 in which said sterilizing means comprises heating means.

4. Container opening apparatus comprising: a housing within which the container to be opened may be positioned; an openable closure including a door on said housing; a container piercing blade within said housing; and a control handle coupled to said blade and extending from said housing for closing said door and actuating said blade to open the container.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 in which a sterilizer is Thereafter the provided in combination with said blade same.

6. Apparatus in claim 5 in which said sterilizer comprises: a heating element in combination with said blade.

7. A container opener comprising: a housing adapted for fixed securement to a supporting surface; an openable closure in the form of a door pivoted to said housing; a spring biased hinge on which said door is pivoted to the housing, said hinge biasing said door to a closed position; a control cam carriage contacting said door; a can piercing blade movably mounted on said carriage for movement within said housing; an electrical heating element coupled to said blade to heat same; and a control handle extending beyond said housing and coupled to said control cam carriage and said blade to permit piercing of the container by said blade when said handle is depressed, whereby the container may be opened without splashing the user or contaminating the contents of the container.

8. A container opener as in claim 7 in which said cam carriage has a shielding stop lip limiting the movement of said blade into the container and preventing splashing of the container contents upon the opening thereof.

9. A container opener comprising: a housing adapted for fixed securement to a supporting surface, said housing having an opening of a size permitting insertion therein of any container to be opened; an openable closure mounted over the opening in said housing and biased to a closed position; a control cam carriage in said housing contacting said closure; at can piercing blade mounted on said carriage for movement within said housing; and a control handle extending from said housing and coupled to said cam carriage to eifect movement of same, whereby said closure may be opened to permit insertion of a can into said housing, and upon closing of said housing by said closure, said blade will pierce the can inserted into said housing.

10. A container opener as in claim 9 in which said cam carriage has a shielding stop lip limiting the movement of said blade into the container and preventing splashing of the container contents upon the opening thereof.

for sterilizing References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,505,578 Barra Aug. 19, 1924 2,032,688 Dart Mar. 3, 1936 2,603,858 Bruce et al. July 22, 1952 2,713,198 Sapp July 19, 1955 2,765,005 Wellekens Oct. 2, 1956 2,840,899 Mullich July 1, 1958 2,840,900 Mullich July 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,107,332 France Apr. 3, 1955

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