Corkscrew assembly

Abstract

A wall mounted corkscrew assembly 1 having a backboard 4, a corkscrew 2, and at least one magnet, as well as at least one upwardly open receptacle 5 for holding bottle corks. The corkscrew is mounted

Description

FIELD The invention relates to a corkscrew assembly comprising a magnetically coupled receptacle for holding the waste products of opening a corked bottle, and a receptacle of said corkscrew assembly. Methods of making the receptacle and the corkscrew assembly, and use of the corkscrew assembly to hold the waste products of the bottleopening process and open a bottle, are also provided. BACKGROUND A plethora of devices exist to remove the cork from a cork-bottle, driven mostly by the need for efficiency and aesthetic considerations. A most basic corkscrew is a simple “T” corkscrew having a handle and worm. Well-known devices include the “waiter’s friend”, the wing-lever corkscrew, or more recently developed, a self-driving corkscrew. These corkscrews are typically hand-held. However, it is advantageous to have a corkscrew which is in a fixed location so that it does not get lost or mislaid. Wall-mounted and tablemounted corkscrews are well known. A wall-mounted rack and pinion corkscrew for pulling a “T” corkscrew is known. It is inevitable that waste, such as foil capsules and corks, is produced when opening cork-stopped bottles. In particularly well-frequented establishments of the hospitality industry, hundreds of cork-stopped bottles can be opened in a day, which results in large quantities of such waste. In many cases, it is essential to dispose of the waste after each bottle is opened, to prevent unsafe and unsightly cluttering of the nearby areas. In other words, the users of current cork-stopped bottle-opening devices face the burden of transporting waste to another location after each bottle is opened. This is particularly the case for fixed location corkscrews. In the hospitality industry, the disposal of such waste can slow down drink preparation, and contribute to poor service overall as well as potential unsightly mess in bar areas. In recent years the hospitality industry has felt an increasing demand from consumers for memorable drinking experiences, as exhibited by increasing attention to atmosphere, presentation, and service (performed by professional alcohol servers). At present, opening a bottle often requires multiple tools, for example, a foil cutter and a corkscrew, and results in waste that needs to be disposed of after each opening. The need for separate tools and continuous disposal of waste can appear inefficient and unsophisticated, detracting from the optimal drinking experience. There is a need in the art for a corked bottle-opening assembly which addresses the unglamorous problem of the disposal of waste generated from opening a bottle. There is also a need for a corked bottle-opening assembly that provides a solution to the above problems, in a seamless, visually appealing, all-encompassing system. SUMMARY OF INVENTION In a first aspect, the invention provides a corkscrew assembly, for mounting onto a wall, the assembly comprising: a. a corkscrew component comprising a backboard, a corkscrew, and at least one magnet, wherein the corkscrew is mounted onto the backboard; and wherein the at least one magnet is located at or near the base of the backboard; and b. at least one upwardly open receptacle for holding at least one cork from a bottle, wherein the receptable comprises: at least two walls which are formed of a flexible material; and a plate, wherein the plate provides rigidity to at least one wall of the receptable to form a rigid wall; wherein the rigid wall is shaped to couple with the base of the backboard at an upper edge of the rigid wall; and wherein the plate comprises magnetically susceptible material; and wherein when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard, the receptacle is retained in position magnetically. In a second aspect, applicable to all embodiments, the invention provides a method of making a receptacle, the receptacle comprising at least two walls which are formed of a flexible material; and a plate, wherein the plate provides rigidity to at least one wall of the receptable to form a rigid wall and comprises at least one tab perpendicular to the plate at the upper edge of the rigid wall for interacting with the at least one magnet. The method of making the receptacle comprises making the rigid wall by composite laminate fabrication, specifically: a) providing a plate having at least one projection; b) applying adhesive to the plate; c) positioning the flexible material to the desired position on the plate; d) consolidating the flexible material and the plate; e) folding the at least one projection of the plate over the flexible material to form a corresponding tab that is perpendicular to the plate. In a third aspect, the invention provides a method of using the corkscrew assembly according to the current invention comprising magnetically coupling the receptacle to the corkscrew component. The use of a corkscrew assembly according to the current invention, to hold waste products of the bottle-opening process is disclosed. The use of a corkscrew assembly according to the current invention, to open a bottle is disclosed. Also disclosed is a bottle opening assembly, for mounting onto a wall, the assembly comprising: a. a bottle opening component comprising a backboard, a bottle opener, and at least one magnet, wherein the bottle opener is mounted onto the backboard; and wherein the at least one magnet is located at or near the base of the backboard; b. at least one upwardly open receptacle for holding at least one closure from a bottle, wherein the receptable comprises: at least two walls which are formed of a flexible material; and a plate, wherein the plate provides rigidity to at least one wall of the receptable to form a rigid wall; wherein the rigid wall is shaped to couple with the base of the backboard at an upper edge of the rigid wall; and wherein the plate comprises magnetically susceptible material; and wherein when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard, the receptacle is retained in position magnetically. All features described in connection with any aspect of the invention can be used with any other aspect of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The invention will be further described with reference to a preferred embodiment, as shown in the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a wall-mounted corkscrew that is representative of the prior art. The corkscrew shown is constructed without a receptacle. Figure 2 shows a front view of the corkscrew assembly according to the current invention wherein a pouch is coupled with the base of the backboard. Figure 3 shows a front view of the corkscrew assembly according to the current invention as in Figure 2, when the pouch is uncoupled from the base of the backboard and the “T” corkscrew is separated. Figure 4 shows a side view of the corkscrew assembly of Figure 2. Figure 5 shows a back view of the corkscrew assembly of Figure 2. Figure 6 shows a bottom view of the corkscrew assembly of Figure 2. Figure 7 shows an isometric view of the back of the base of the backboard according to the invention, when the pouch is uncoupled from the base of the backboard. Figure 8 shows a front view of the pouch according to the invention. Figure 9 shows a side view of the pouch of Figure 7. Figure 10 shows a top view of the pouch of Figure 7. Figure 11 shows an isometric exploded view of the pouch according to the invention. Figure 12 shows the corkscrew assembly shown in Figure 4 with a wine bottle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION General definitions Throughout this application terms should be interpreted according to their standard meaning in the art unless specified otherwise. Features which are described herein with reference only to a single aspect or embodiment of the invention apply equally to all other aspects and embodiments of the invention. Hence features from one aspect or embodiment may be combined with features from another aspect or embodiment. In particular, it can be seen that all detailed aspects of the receptacle are equally applicable to, and functionally compatible with, the bottle opening assembly of the present invention as well as the corkscrew assembly of the present invention. All prior teachings acknowledged above are hereby incorporated by reference. No acknowledgement of any prior published document herein should be taken to be an admission or representation that the teaching thereof was common general knowledge in Europe or elsewhere at the date hereof. Corkscrew Assembly The invention provides a corkscrew assembly having a means to open a bottle and a receptacle for storing the waste products of the bottle-opening process. The corkscrew assembly may have one or all of the following features, or a mixture thereof. The corkscrew assembly is configured to open a cork-stopped bottle and / or a crowncapped bottle. The means to open a cork-stopped bottle comprises a corkscrew. The means to open a crown-capped bottle comprises a bottle opener. In a preferred embodiment the corkscrew assembly is configured to open a cork-stopped bottle, comprises a corkscrew component. In one preferred embodiment, the corkscrew component is based on a traditional wallmounted rack and pinion-style corkscrew bottle opener, as shown in Figure 1. All of the usual features that are present in these traditional rack and pinion-style systems can be envisaged in the present invention, including but not limited to a corkscrew body, a rack, a pinion, a gear, a bottle stop, and a “T”-shaped corkscrew component formed of a corkscrew worm and a corkscrew handle. However, the skilled person would readily appreciate that the particular nature of the corkscrew component is not essential to the first aspect of the present invention. The combination of corkscrew component and receptacle of the corkscrew assembly of the present invention does not require any particular corkscrew component. The means to open a cork-stopped and / or crown capped bottle is mounted onto a backboard, to provide structural support to the opening means. The height of the backboard is preferably between 25 cm and 45 cm, more preferably between 30 and 40 cm. The width of the backboard is preferably between 10 cm and 25 cm, more preferably 12.5 cm and 17.5 cm. In a most preferred embodiment, the backboard is made of a rigid material such as wood or stone, such as marble. The features of the shape, texture, finish, and materials of the backboard enhance the aesthetic appeal of the overall assembly whilst providing useful rigidity to the assembly. Furthermore, the backboard is configured to be mounted onto a hard vertical surface. The vertical surface may be a pillar, a wall, a cabinet, or any suitably supportive vertical surface of an internal or external structure. In a preferred embodiment, the front face of the base of the backboard has a protruding lip. The lip creates a rear-facing recess, preferably having two flat edges, which typically intersect at a right angle. The recess is provided to receive the top of the receptacle, whilst the lip covers and disguises the join. In a further preferred embodiment, the base of the backboard is shaped to have a complementary opposite shape to the corresponding upper edge of the rigid wall of the receptacle. In another embodiment, the middle of the base of the backboard has a convex portion, and the middle of the upper edge of the rigid wall of the receptacle has a complementary opposite concave portion. In a most preferred embodiment, the base of the backboard has an inverted omega shape and the corresponding upper edge of the rigid wall of the receptacle has a complementary opposite shape. The shape of the backboard and the protruding lip of the backboard are configured to accommodate the corresponding upper edge of the rigid wall of the receptacle. The shape of the backboard and / or the protruding lip of the backboard help to guide the receptacle into position during the coupling of the receptacle to the corkscrew component. The shape of the backboard and / or the protruding lip of the backboard thus facilitates the connection between magnetic portions of the backboard with the corresponding magnetically susceptible portions of the plate, such that the receptacle can be returned to the magnetically retained position with ease. The backboard comprises at least one magnet. The at least one magnet is located at or near the base of the backboard. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one magnet is located at the base of the backboard. In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one magnet is located at the base of the backboard, behind the protruding lip of the base of the backboard. In a most preferred embodiment, a side of the at least one magnet forms at least a part of the side of the rear-facing recess. The protruding lip of the base of the backboard advantageously acts to conceal the at least one magnet, when the receptacle is uncoupled from the base of the backboard. The at least one magnet can extend along substantially the totality of the base of the backboard. In a preferred embodiment, the backboard comprises two discrete magnets. In further preferred embodiment, the backboard comprises two magnets located at the base of the backboard. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the two magnets are each located on diametrically opposite ends of the edge of the base of the backboard. Thus, the backboard is multifunctional: providing a) magnetic means for coupling with the receptacle, b) structural support to the means to open a bottle and c) a high-quality feel and finish that improves the overall user experience of the assembly. The magnet(s) in the at least one magnet is a permanent magnet. The permanent magnet(s) can be Alnico, Ferrite, Samarium Cobalt or Neodymium, preferably Neodymium. In an embodiment, the at least one magnet consists of all of the same type of permanent magnet. In another embodiment, the at least one magnet consists of different types of permanent magnet. In a preferred embodiment, there are at least two magnets, and more preferably only two magnets. The magnetic field strength of each of the magnet(s) is preferably from 13,500 Gauss to 16,000 Gauss (i.e. 1.35 - 1.60 Tesla). It is particularly preferred that the two magnets are Neodymium magnets. Suitable Neodymium magnets are those having a grade or N number of N48, N50, N52, N55, most preferably N50. The at least one magnet is preferably rectangular. The at least one magnet is typically at least 10 mm long and / or no more than 30 mm long, preferably 15 to 25 mm long, most preferably 18 to 22 mm long. The at least one magnet is typically at least 1 mm deep and / or no more than 10 mm deep, preferably 2 to 6 mm deep, most preferably 3 to 5 mm deep. The at least one magnet is typically at least 5 mm high and / or no more than 15 mm high, preferably 8 to 12 mm high, most preferably 9 to 11 mm high. The corkscrew assembly additionally comprises at least one receptacle, preferably one receptacle, for holding the waste products of opening a bottle. The at least one upwardly open receptacle comprises at least two walls and a plate. Preferably, the at least one receptacle comprises at least three walls (front, side, back) and the plate. The at least two walls of the receptacle are substantially formed of a flexible material. The flexible material can be any fabric, textile, or plastic. It is preferred that the flexible material is leather or synthetic leather. The thickness of the flexible material is preferably between 0.5 mm and 5.0 mm, most preferably 1.0-2.5 mm. The plate provides rigidity to at least one wall to form at least one rigid wall. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid wall is the back wall of the receptacle. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plate provides rigidity to greater than 50 % of the back wall, more preferably greater than 75% of the back wall and most preferably substantially the totality of the back wall (greater than 95% of the back wall). The rigid wall provides structure to the receptacle, such that it holds shape both when coupled to and uncoupled from the base of the backboard. In other embodiments, one or more of the other walls can comprise a plate to provide rigidity to part or all of each wall. It is preferred that the one or more side walls are flexible and do not contain a rigid plate. Additionally, the plate comprises magnetically susceptible material for providing means to form a magnetic bond with the at least one magnet of the backboard. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetically susceptible material is ferrous. The magnetically susceptible material may extend along substantially the totality of at least one edge of the plate. In a most preferred embodiment, the magnetically susceptible material extends along substantially the totality of the upper edge of the rigid wall of the plate. In a preferred embodiment, the plate is formed of the magnetically susceptible material. In an alternative embodiment, the plate comprises a plate body for providing the rigidity. The plate body is not magnetically susceptible material, but may be a different rigid material, for example, a plastics material. In an embodiment, the plate comprises at least one tab at the upper edge of the rigid wall for interacting with the at least one magnet of the backboard, wherein the tab is perpendicular to the plate. In a preferred embodiment, the plate comprises two tabs. In this embodiment, the two tabs are configured to interact with the at least one magnet of the backboard located at the base of backboard, when the upper edge of the rigid wall of the receptacle is positioned close to the base of the backboard so that the complementary shape of the receptacle and the backboard fit together. In an alternative embodiment the corkscrew component comprises at least two magnets located at the base of the backboard and a plate having at least two tabs at the upper edge of the rigid wall, wherein the magnets and tabs are positioned such that when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard, each magnet corresponds to each tab. In a most preferred embodiment, the plate comprises two tabs and the backboard comprises two magnets. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plate and tabs are formed of a single piece of magnetically susceptible material. In a preferred embodiment, the plate or the plate body is covered by the flexible material. The covering, which hides the material of the plate or the plate body, contributes to the high-quality look, feel and finish of the receptacle. In a preferred embodiment, each flexible wall can be reinforced to provide some additional structure. Each of the walls of the receptacle may comprise a corresponding panel that is formed from a flexible material. For example, in the embodiment wherein the receptacle comprises three walls (front, side, back), each wall of the receptacle comprises a corresponding panel, which is made of the flexible material. In a preferred embodiment, when the rigid wall is the back wall of the at least one receptacle, the back wall comprises two corresponding back panels, that cover the first and second major surfaces of the plate. The first of the two corresponding back panels covers the first major surface of the plate, which is internally facing. The second of the two corresponding back panels covers the second major surface of the plate, which is externally facing. The first of the two corresponding back panels advantageously either partially, or substantially completely, hides the plate from view, when the receptacle is either coupled to, or uncoupled from the corkscrew component. The second of the two corresponding back panels advantageously either partially, or completely, hides the plate and / or plate body from view, when the receptacle is uncoupled from the corkscrew component. In the embodiment in which two tabs extend perpendicularly from the at least one edge of plate, the tabs extended over the thickness of one of the two corresponding back panels, preferably the second, rearmost panel. The at least one magnet of the backboard and the magnetically susceptible material of the plate are configured such that when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard the receptacle can be removed by hand. In another embodiment, when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard the pull force between the magnet and the magnetically susceptible material may be at least 0.5 Kg and / or no more than 1.5 Kg, preferably 0.75 Kg to 1.25 Kg; The at least one upwardly open receptacle has a capacity of at least 100 cm3 and / or no more than 500 cm3, preferably 200 to 400 cm3. In an alternative embodiment, the at least one upwardly open receptacle can have any capacity which allows the waste materials produced from opening a bottle to be held. The at least one upwardly open receptacle is predominantly constructed from lightweight, durable and high-quality materials. The at least one upwardly open receptacle may weigh between 100 g and 500 g, most preferably 200 g and 500 g. In an embodiment, the at least one upwardly open receptacle has a width of 12.5 cm to 17.5 cm, and / or matches the width of the backboard. In an embodiment, the front wall of the at least one upwardly open receptacle has a height of 5.5 cm to 12.5 cm, most preferably between 7.5 cm to 10.5 cm. In an embodiment, the backwall of the at least one upwardly open receptacle has a height of 7.5 cm to 17.5 cm, most preferably between 10.0 cm to 15.0 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one upwardly open receptacle preferably has a front wall that is shorter in length than the back wall to increase the aperture that is available for access to the space enclosed by the pouch. In a generally preferred embodiment, the front wall of the receptacle is shaped to provide a receptacle with an s-shaped side profile, such that the contour of the front of the receptacle broadly matches the contour at the top of a vertical bottle. The overall effect is that the depth of the top of the receptacle is greater than the depth of the base of the receptacle. In this embodiment, the difference in depth of the base compared with the top of the receptacle (the depth difference), is produced by using a side wall, that is wider at the top portion, than the lower portion. The depth difference creates a receptacle having a special side profile that broadly corresponds to the shaping at the upper portion of a vertical bottle. As a result of the special side profile of the receptacle, the receptacle is able to accommodate the shoulder and / or body of a vertical bottle when it is positioned beneath the bottle stop. In a most preferred embodiment, the front wall of the receptacle is partially, or completely, made of a flexible material such that the special side profile is able to accommodate the contour of the majority of bottles. This special side profile prevents the receptacle from hindering the access of the vertical bottle to the bottle stop, or operation of the bottle opener or corkscrew, whilst maximising the storage capacity of the receptacle. In a further preferred embodiment, the front of the receptacle is cutaway to minimise the surface area of the interacting portions of the bottle and receptacle, to further facilitate the positioning of the bottle beneath the bottle stop. The depth difference between the top and the bottom of the receptacle is also particularly useful for facilitating grip. The combination of the above-mentioned features of the receptacle produces a receptacle that can be conveniently handled with one hand when empty. In addition, the limit to the capacity of the receptacle provides a receptacle that can still be handled with ease even when full of foils, crown caps and / or corks. Furthermore, the light weight of the receptacle permits the receptacle to be held in position underneath the corkscrew magnetically, without the need for any additional, typically unsightly, structural supports. The specific shaping and materials of the receptacle ensure the smooth operation of the bottle opener and / or corkscrew with a large variety of different consumer beverage bottles, when the receptacle is in position. Together, the carefully selected ranges of the capacity, coupled with the weight, materials and shape of the receptacle, strike a balance that optimises the storage function, handleability and aesthetic appeal of the receptacle, without comprising the functionality of the bottle opener and / or corkscrew. The ultimate function of the receptacle, as a vehicle that is capable of holding waste materials, does not detract from the aesthetic appeal of the receptacle. Unlike similar household bins, the features of the shape, texture, and materials of the receptacle have been carefully designed, as discussed above, to provide an overall high-quality system having sophistication and elegance, without comprising functionality. In the embodiment wherein the corkscrew assembly is configured to open a cork-stopped bottle, and comprises a corkscrew component, the corkscrew may be detachable. In a preferred embodiment, the corkscrew component may further comprise a corkscrew rack, the corkscrew rack may comprise magnetically susceptible material, and said corkscrew may comprise a magnet, such that when the corkscrew is coupled to the corkscrew rack, the corkscrew is retained in position magnetically. This feature solves the problem of corkscrews that can be easily knocked out of position when shipped in packaging, while on display at point of retail, when on standby once installed and / or simply misplaced. The corkscrew assembly may additionally comprise a bottle opener, useful for opening beer and soft drinks bottles. In an embodiment, the corkscrew assembly comprises a corkscrew and a bottle opener. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle opener is integrated with the corkscrew component. In a most preferred embodiment, the bottle opener is carved out of a portion of the corkscrew body, located underneath the bottle stop. It is further envisioned that an alternative aspect of the invention could cover embodiments comprising a bottle opener but not a corkscrew. Hand-held foil cutters, comprising two to four foil cutting wheels, for removing the foil from the neck of a wine bottle are well-known and common household items. The corkscrew assembly may comprise at least two foil-cutting wheels, preferably two foil-cutting wheels. Each foil-cutting wheel is between 6-15 mm in diameter, preferably ~ 9 mm in diameter. The foil-cutting wheels are integrated into and coplanar with the bottom face of the bottle stop. In a preferred embodiment, the foil-cutting wheels are recessed within the bottom face of the bottle stop, connected to the same through their centres. The wheels, freely rotatable about their centre, are used by contiguously rotating the outer side of the neck of the wine bottle at least 180° against the wheels, so that the metal foil sheathing of the head portion of the bottle is neatly trimmed off around the circumference. The integrated foil-cutting wheels eliminate the need for a separate hand-held item, which can be misplaced and cause cluttering of space. Additionally, the unique positioning of the foilcutting wheels ensures that while the foil is being removed the bottle is kept vertical in order not to disturb the sediment which may be present at the base of the bottle. As the foil cutting wheels and the bottle opener can be neatly positioned, out of immediate sight, underneath the bottle stop, the features do not detract from the aesthetic appeal of the corkscrew assembly. Furthermore, as both foil-cutting wheels and bottle opener are integrated into the corkscrew assembly, the need for multiple tools to open a bottle has been entirely eliminated. In all, the present invention is a stylish solution that addresses the long-felt need for an allin-one bottle opener that provides the functionality of multiple tools and solves the clutter problem of waste foil, caps and corks. Method of storing the waste products of the bottle-opening process The corkscrew assembly of the invention provides a receptable for holding waste products of the bottle-opening process, that is located close to the bottle-opening process. Thus, in addition to the initial storage function of the invention, there is also provided a process to improve efficiency when any kind of bottle is opened, i.e. cork-stopped bottles or crowncapped bottles. The receptacle of the invention may be emptied periodically, for example when the receptacle has reached full capacity. The receptacle can be removed manually, by applying a downward pull force to the receptacle. The receptacle can be replaced by placing the receptacle at or near the base of the backboard. The magnetically-susceptible portion of the receptacle should be brought into alignment with the magnet portion of the backboard, using the lip and shaping of the base of the backboard to guide the receptacle into place, preferably until the receptacle is in contact with the base of the backboard, even more preferably, until the magnetically susceptible portion of the receptacle is in contact with the at least one magnet located at or near the base of the backboard. The magnetic portion is preferably positioned at the base of the backboard, to form a contiguous edge with an inner edge of the lip of the backboard lip. When the receptacle is uncoupled from the base of the backboard, the lip of the base of the backboard advantageously acts to conceal the at least one magnet, such that the at least one magnet is hidden from view when the receptacle is uncoupled. Commonly, the mode of connection (magnetic or otherwise) of modular, interconnected systems is designed solely with technical considerations in mind, without taking account of aesthetic considerations. As a result, when disconnected, the individual components of said systems are visually unappealing in the absence of their interconnected counterpart(s). In the present invention, the shaping of the base of the backboard is carefully designed such that the magnetic portion is seamlessly integrated into the base of the backboard. As such, the corkscrew assembly, when the receptacle is uncoupled, is a visually appealing and seamless, single unit, that does not appear to be devoid of any missing parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES / PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 shows a typical wall-mounted rack and pinion-style corkscrew that is representative of the prior art. The prior art corkscrew does not have an associated bin, so that waste either falls as litter onto the ground or must be disposed of elsewhere, to prevent obstruction of the floor, which is both visually unappealing and potentially hazardous to health. An open bin sited on the ground under the corkscrew would typically look unsightly. Figure 2 shows a front view of the corkscrew assembly (1) according to the current invention. The corkscrew assembly (1) is formed of a corkscrew (2) and a pouch (5) or receptacle. The corkscrew assembly is a vertically elongated oval shape. The corkscrew is based on a rack and pinion-style corkscrew bottle opener. The corkscrew has a backboard (4) with the operational corkscrew body (6) mounted to the backboard to form the corkscrew (2). The backboard is an upright rectangular board having bevelled edges, carved to form at its top edge a semicircle and at its base edge an inverted omega shape, that provides structural support to the corkscrew (2). Onto the corkscrew body (6) there is mounted a toothed track (the rack), which has its bottom end two hooks outwardly protruding, held by two rack guides. A lever (the pinion) (10) can be seen to engage with the rack via a circular gear such that the gear is able to rotate along the rack. In this Figure, the lever is in its starting position, to which it can reset to by way of gravity after each use. The corkscrew has a removable “T” corkscrew formed of a corkscrew handle (12) and a corkscrew worm (11). The corkscrew handle (12) sits on the two hooks outwardly protruding from the bottom of the toothed track (rack), with the corkscrew worm (11) pointing downwards. The corkscrew worm (11) is typically used to screw into the cork of a cork-stopped bottle, by removing the “T” corkscrew and gripping the corkscrew handle (12). The corkscrew handle (12) is magnetically coupled to the bottom of the toothed track, such that the corkscrew handle (12), which is connected to the corkscrew worm (11) cannot be inadvertently knocked off the corkscrew (2) but so that it can be easily removed when needed to open a bottle. Near the base of the corkscrew body (6), underneath the corkscrew worm (11) when the corkscrew handle (12) is magnetically held in position on the hook, there can be found a bottle stop (7) and below that, a bottle opener (14). Foil cutters (not visible, see Figure 6) which are integrated into the bottom face of the bottle stop (7), assist the removal of the foil from the top of the corkstopped bottle without the need for a separate tool (typically hand-held devices). The bottle opener (14) is formed from a rectangular cut-out of the corkscrew body, having a semi-circular front edge configured to match the shape of a crown cap and a flat back edge. The pouch (5) is connected to the bottom of the backboard (4) so that it sits directly below the corkscrew component (2), including the foil cutter (8, 9), the bottle opener (14) and the corkscrew worm (11). The pouch is conveniently placed to receive waste products from opening bottles. The pouch (5) defines a space enclosed by three walls (front, back, and sides). The base edge of the pouch is a semicircle, matching the semicircular shape at the top edge of the backboard such that the overall shape of the corkscrew assembly has two-fold symmetry. Furthermore, as discussed below, the top of the pouch has a shape that matches perfectly the bottom of the backboard. The visible parts of the pouch (discussed in detail in Figure 8) are made of high-quality leather, the backboard is solid wood, and the corkscrew is traditional cast iron or aluminium. The elegant yet simplistic design of the shape of the pouch and the backboard, coupled with the high-quality materials used, provide the overall impression of style and luxury to the corkscrew assembly, without losing the rustic appeal that originates from traditional wall-mounted corkscrews (Figure 1). The pouch can be removed and replaced with ease due to the shape and design of the pouch and the backboard. In Figure 2, the pouch is held in position magnetically. The bottom of the backboard (4) has an inverted omega shape and the top of the pouch has a complementary opposite shape to the bottom of the backboard so that the two pieces fit well together. The user, looking to refit the pouch, would immediately recognise that there is only one way in which the bottom of the backboard and the top of the pouch should be brought together; to form a tessellation. The particular shaping also inherently guides the pouch to naturally approach a convergent position with the backboard such that the magnetically susceptible portion of the pouch and the magnetic portion of the backboard are aligned. In this way, the pieces naturally approach each other such that the magnetic regions become engaged and snap together, resulting in the magnetic coupling of the pouch to the backboard. The respective shaping also confers visual appeal to the backboard and to the pouch individually, when not connected, for example as shown in Figure 8, where the pouch can be seen in isolation. The corkscrew assembly has a total height of 45.5 cm and a maximum width of 15.0 cm. The total weight of the corkscrew assembly is 2.2 Kg. The height of the backboard from the apex to the foot of the inverted omega at the base is 35.8 cm. At their widest, the backboard and the receptacle are 15 cm. The height of the pouch is roughly 10 cm. The pouch weighs ~ 300 g, has a capacity of ~ 300 cm3 and, can hold up to ~ 680 g whilst still being held in position magnetically. The pouch can be removed by hand, with little effort. Figure 3 shows a front view of the corkscrew assembly (1) according to the current invention as in Figure 2, when the pouch (5) is uncoupled from the bottom of the backboard (4) and the removable “T” corkscrew is separated from the rack. In this Figure, the aesthetic appeal of the pouch (5) and the corkscrew (2) as distinct components can be clearly seen. The magnets that permit the magnetic coupling of the pouch and the backboard, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, are not visible. Additionally, this Figure shows a disc magnet (3) that is built into the rack, which permits the corkscrew handle (12) to be magnetically secured to the corkscrew (2). Figure 4 shows a side view of the corkscrew assembly according to the current invention wherein the pouch (5) is coupled to the corkscrew component (2) via the base of the backboard onto which the corkscrew body is mounted, as in Figure 2. The pouch (5) is positioned underneath the corkscrew component, connected via the base of the backboard, recessed relative to the bottle stop (7) and the lever (10) to prevent the pouch (5) from hampering the working operation of the corkscrew bottle opener. Furthermore, a small gap between the pouch and the bottom portion of the corkscrew assembly further facilitates the operation of the bottle opener and permits easy access to the pouch; the top of the front panel of the pouch is ~ 60 - 80 mm below the bottle stop. It can be clearly seen from Figure 4 that the pouch has a side profile that broadly corresponds to the contouring at the upper portion of a vertical bottle. It can be envisaged that the special side profile of the pouch is able to accommodate the shoulder and body of a vertical bottle when it is positioned beneath the bottle stop, as part of operating the corkscrew, as shown in Figure 12. Figure 5 shows a back view of corkscrew assembly according to the current invention wherein the pouch (5) is coupled to the corkscrew component (2) at the base of the backboard (4), as in Figure 2. The corkscrew assembly forms a vertically elongated oval having a total height of 45.5 cm and a width of 15.0 cm. As described in Figure 2, it can be seen that the bottom of the backboard forms a seamless connection to the top of the pouch, due to the specially tailored shaping of the interacting parts of the pouch and backboard. Two magnets (18, 18), each measuring 20 mm in length, 10 mm in height and 4 mm in depth, are embedded into the opposing lip portions of the base edge of the backboard that is an inverted omega shape. The length of each magnet forms a contiguous edge (20 mm) matching the base edge of the backboard, that is at the interfacial portion of the backboard and the pouch. The magnets are located on diametrically opposite portions of the edge of the backboard for maximum force distribution. The magnets are Neodymium, having a magnetic field strength grade of N50. Figure 6 shows a bottom view of the corkscrew assembly according to the current invention wherein the pouch (5) is coupled with the base of the backboard (4). As also discussed and shown in Figure 4, the pouch does not extend outwards beyond the bottle stop (7) or lever (10) such that either is unobstructed by the pouch in Figure 6. The majority of the body of the corkscrew is hidden by the pouch. In this Figure, the foilcutting wheels (8, 9), which are hidden from view in Figures 2-4, are visible as two 9 mm diameter horizontal metal wheels that are seamlessly integrated into the bottom face of the bottle stop (7). The wheels are separated by a distance such that each wheel can separately spin around the circumference of the neck of a cork-stopped bottle when a vertical bottle is placed against the wheels and rotated. Foil-cutting devices are typical in the field as a hand-held device comprising four cutting wheels at the apices of a square configured to spin about the circumference of the top of a cork-stopped bottle when the device is placed on and spun around the top of the bottle. In the present invention, the foil-cutting wheels are integral to the corkscrew assembly, conveniently located close to the position that the bottle will take to be opened, and hidden from view. Figure 7 shows an isometric view of the back of the base of the backboard according to the invention, when the pouch is uncoupled from the base of the backboard. At the front of the base of the backboard there is a lip that extends along the whole edge of the base of the backboard. The lip creates a rear-facing recess that is sized to accommodate an upper portion of the backwall of the pouch. The length of the two magnets (18, 18), discussed in Figure 5, form a contiguous edge with the upper edge of the recess behind the lip of the backboard (19). The lip helps to guide the pouch into a magnetically couplable position, and conceals the magnets (18,18) from view when the pouch is not coupled to the base of the backboard. Figure 8 shows a front view of the pouch according to the invention. The front panel of the pouch (22) and the interior back panel of the pouch (24) are visible. The interior back panel (24) forms the visible portion of the top of the pouch that has a complementary opposite shape to the bottom of the backboard (inverted omega shape), as discussed in Figure 2. The top of the front panel of the pouch (22) has a similar shaping to the interior back panel (24), however the total height of the front panel of the pouch (22) is reduced, compared with the interior back panel of the pouch (24), to facilitate access to the operational corkscrew when connected and to permit the user to easily see when the pouch is full. The height of the front panel of the pouch (22) is approximately 8 to 10 cm, and the height of the interior back panel of the pouch (24) is approximately 10 to 15 cm, the range of lengths being due to the concavity in the top of the respective panels due to the shaping. The stitching which fixes the edge of the front panel to the base / side panel can be seen. The base of the front panel (22) has a semicircular shape. The base of the back panel has a corresponding shape (not visible), as shown in Figure 5. As discussed in Figure 2, the shape matches the semicircular shape at the top edge of the backboard. Figure 9 shows a side view of the pouch according to the invention. The side panel of the pouch (16) is adjoined to the front panel of the pouch (22) and the interior back panel of the pouch (24). The upper portion of the side panel, which has a maximum width of ~ 4.9 cm, is wider than the lower portion of the side panel, which has a maximum width of ~ 2.5 cm, to provide a reasonable aperture to the pouch that ensures good accessibility to the space enclosed by the pouch whilst maintaining good grippability. The difference in width at the top compared with the bottom portions of the side panel also creates the special side profile of the pouch that accommodates the shoulder of a vertical bottle, when the vertical bottle is positioned at or near the bottle stop (7) for opening and when the pouch is coupled to the corkscrew component, as discussed in Figure 4, and shown in Figure 12. The top of the side panel is concavely sloping from the front panel to the interior back panel to accommodate the difference in height of the respective panels. The front panel (22) is curved at its mid-section to accommodate the greater width of the upper portion of the side panel. The front panel is parallel to the back panel (24), apart from the curvature at its midsection. Figure 9 also shows that the back wall of the pouch is formed from an interior back panel (24) and an exterior back panel (15), each of which are flat to match the shape of a typical wall. It can be seen that the interior back panel is marginally taller than the exterior back panel, to accommodate the height provided by the two tab extensions of the plate (not shown, see Figure 10) that extend over a portion of the exterior back panel. The interior back panel (24) and exterior back panel (15) sandwich the plate (not visible, see Figure 10), which itself provides structural support to the back wall of the pouch, made up of the two panels (24 and 15). The exterior back panel of the pouch (15) cannot be seen when the pouch is coupled to the backboard, yet forms the back wall of the pouch when the pouch is detached. Figure 10 shows a top view of the pouch according to the invention. The pouch void is immediately enclosed by three walls: the front panel (22), a base / side panel (16) and the back panel (24). The front panel (22) and the base / side panel (16) are each 2.5 mm in thickness. The base / side panel (16) is a single entity, moulded to form the base and opposing side walls of the pouch, connecting the front panel (22) to the interior back panel (24). The interior back panel (24), which is 1 mm in thickness, is directly adjoined to the plate (17). The plate (17), which is 0.5 mm in thickness, is covered by the exterior back panel of the pouch (15) which is 2.5 mm in thickness. The plate (17), the interior back panel of the pouch (24), and the exterior back panel of the pouch (15) jointly form a rigid wall that is 4.5 mm in thickness. All of the front panel (22), the base / side panel (16) interior back panel of the pouch (24), and the exterior back panel of the pouch (15) are made of leather. From the top of the plate (17) there are two tabs (20, 20) perpendicularly extending from the plate over the exterior back panel of the pouch (15). The back panel is 2.5 mm in thickness, and each tab extends from the extremity of the plate over the full thickness of the top back panel, i.e. approximately 2.3 mm. The two tabs (20, 20) are configured to interact with the two magnets (18, 18), located at the base of the backboard. The interacting portion of each tab is approximately 20 mm long by 2.3 mm thick, i.e. the surface area is ~ 46 mm2. Figure 11 shows an isometric view of the constituent parts of the pouch according to the invention. It can be seen that the edge of front panel (22), is shaped to match a lip on the front of the base / side panel (16), and the edge of the interior back panel of the pouch (24) is shaped to match a lip on the back of the base / side panel (16). The void of the pouch is immediately enclosed by a liner (23). The interior back panel of the pouch (24) is shaped to match the plate (17), such that when assembled, the interior back panel of the pouch (24) is completely rigid. From the top of the plate (17) there are two tabs (20, 20) perpendicularly extending from the plate over the exterior back panel of pouch (15), as in Figure 10. The plate (17) is covered by the exterior back panel of the pouch (15), and sits between the interior back panel of the pouch (24) and the exterior back panel of the pouch (15). The front surface of the plate (17) is completely covered by the interior back panel of the pouch (24), as can be seen in Figure 8. The rear surface of the plate is completely covered by the exterior back panel of the pouch (15), as can be seen in Figure 5. The construction of the pouch of the present invention confers significant aesthetic appeal to the invention. Figure 12 shows a side view of the corkscrew assembly of Figure 2 (as in Figure 4) with a wine bottle (25) held in a position underneath the bottle stop (7), and adjacent to the pouch (5), which is representative of the positioning of the bottle during the operation of the corkscrew (the means to hold the bottle is not shown). The mechanism to operate the present invention will be described with reference to the Figures. To remove the protective foil sheathing which covers the top of a cork-stopped bottle, the foil cutters (8, 9) are used. The foil cutters are used by spinning the top of the corkstopped bottle against the wheels so that the metal foil is neatly trimmed off around the circumference of the bottle while keeping the bottle vertical in order not to disturb sediment (if any) inside the bottle. Once trimmed, the foil can then be discarded into easily the pouch below. To open a cork-stopped bottle, the user manually rotatably drives the corkscrew worm using the corkscrew handle (detached from the hook) into the cork of a bottle. With the lever in an upright position, the user then positions the neck of the bottle at or near the bottom of the bottle stop (7), and places the handle of the corkscrew above the hook, such that a minor adjustment of the lever results in engagement of the handle with the hook, and engagement of the neck of the bottle with the bottle stop (7). Pulling the lever then applies an upward force to the cork, whilst the top of the bottle is held in position using the bottle stop. The rack and pinion mechanism magnifies the force applied by the user, making it easier and more efficient to remove the cork from a bottle. To open a crown-capped bottle, the user positions the top of the crown-capped bottle at the bottle opener (14), such that the curved front edge of the bottle opener (14), acting as a hook, fits under the lip at the periphery of the crown cap. Applying a slight downward force on the bottle, the top of the crown cap will engage with the flat rear lip of the bottle opener and the front edge of the bottle opener will engage with the peripheral lip of the crown cap. As further force is applied to the bottle, the leverage resulting from the front and back of the bottle opener engaging with the crown cap under the lip of, and on the top of, the crown cap respectively results in easy removal of the crown cap from the bottle. Once separated from the bottle, the crown cap will be caught by the pouch, that is situated directly below the bottle opener. Whilst the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A corkscrew assembly, for mounting onto a wall, the assembly comprising:a. a corkscrew component comprising a backboard, a corkscrew, and at least one magnet, wherein the corkscrew is mounted onto the backboard; and wherein the at least one magnet is located at or near the base of the backboard; andb. at least one upwardly open receptacle for holding at least one cork from a bottle, wherein the receptacle comprises:at least two walls which are formed of a flexible material; and a plate, wherein the plate provides rigidity to at least one wall of the receptable to form a rigid wall;wherein the rigid wall is shaped to couple with the base of the backboard at an upper edge of the rigid wall; andwherein the plate comprises magnetically susceptible material; and wherein when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard, the receptacle is retained in position magnetically.

2. The corkscrew assembly of claim 1, wherein when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard, the pull force between the magnet and the magnetically susceptible material is at least 0.5 Kg and no more than 1.5 Kg.

3. The corkscrew assembly of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the magnet is located at or near the base of the backboard.

4. The corkscrew assembly of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plate comprises a plate body for providing the rigidity and additionally comprises at least one tab at the upper edge of the rigid wall for interacting with the at least one magnet, wherein the tab is perpendicular to the plate.

5. The corkscrew assembly of claim 4, wherein the corkscrew component comprises at least two magnets located at the base of backboard and the plate comprises at least two tabs, wherein the magnets and tabs are positioned such that when therigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard, each magnet corresponds to each tab.

6. The corkscrew assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate or the plate body is covered by the flexible material.

7. The corkscrew assembly according to any of Claims 1-4 and 6, wherein the magnet extends along substantially the totality of the base edge of the backboard and the magnetically susceptible material extends along substantially the totality of at least one edge of the plate.

8. The corkscrew assembly according to any of Claims 5-6 wherein the at least two magnets are located on diametrically opposed ends of the corresponding edges of the backboard, and wherein each magnet is at least 10 mm long and no more than 30 mm long.

9. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnet and magnetically susceptible material are configured such that the receptacle can be removed by hand.

10. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible material is made of leather.

11. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetically susceptible material is ferrous.

12. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate or plate body is not visible, when the rigid wall is coupled to the base of the backboard.

13. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one upwardly open receptacle has a capacity of at least 100 cm3 and no more than 500 cm3, and serves to hold waste materials produced from opening a bottle.

14. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet is based on Neodymium and has a magnetic field strength of from 1.35 to 1.60 Tesla.

15. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the backboard is made of wood.

16. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base of the backboard comprises a rear-facing recess, configured to accommodate the upper edge of the rigid wall of the receptacle.

17. The corkscrew assembly according to claim 16, wherein a side of the at least one magnet forms at least a part of the side of the rear-facing recess.

18. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle weighs between 100 g and 500 g.

19. The corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the corkscrew is detachable.

20. A corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the corkscrew component further comprises a corkscrew rack, wherein the corkscrew rack comprises magnetically susceptible material, and wherein the corkscrew comprises a magnet, such that when the corkscrew is coupled to the corkscrew rack, the corkscrew is retained in position magnetically.

21. A method of making a receptacle according to Claim 4, comprising making the rigid wall by composite laminate fabrication, specifically:a) providing a plate having at least one projection;b) applying adhesive to the plate;c) positioning the flexible material to the desired position on the plate;d) consolidating the flexible material and the plate;e) folding the at least one projection of the plate over the flexible material to form a corresponding tab that is perpendicular to the plate.

22. A method of using the corkscrew assembly according to any one of the preceding claims comprising magnetically coupling the receptacle to the corkscrew component.

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