Wall-Mounted Cork Puller with Hinged Tray

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cork pullers in aircraft galleys are loose and hand-held, leading to potential loss and misuse as a weapon, and inefficient use of limited space, as they are not fixed in place for convenient access.

Innovation Solution

A mountable cork puller design that can be recessed within a support wall, movable between a stowed and deployed position, fixed to prevent removal, and operable with one hand, allowing the other hand to hold the bottle, utilizing a tray and hinge mechanism for ergonomic deployment and secure mounting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a cork puller is made hand-held and loose for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of loss and misuse as a weapon increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of accessVSAvoidrisk of loss and misuse

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cork puller is designed with a movable arm that can swing between a retracted stowed position and an extended deployed position. This dynamic configuration allows the device to be easily accessed when needed while automatically returning to a secure stored position, eliminating the risk of loss and preventing misuse as a weapon.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cork puller mechanism is nested within a wall-mounted housing structure. When not in use, the arm retracts into the housing, creating a compact integrated assembly that prevents loss. The nested design allows the device to be securely mounted in limited space while maintaining accessibility when deployed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If a cork puller is mounted fixed in place to prevent loss and misuse, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation and accessibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of loss and misuseVSAvoidaccessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The movable arm mechanism provides dynamic accessibility, allowing the cork puller to be quickly deployed from the wall-mounted housing when needed. The arm can be manually actuated or automatically extended, maintaining ease of operation while the fixed mounting prevents loss and misuse when not in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Volume of moving object

If a cork puller is designed to be compact and space-saving for limited galley space, then volume is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace occupancyVSAvoidergonomic operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The compact housing contains a movable arm that extends only when needed for operation. This dynamic configuration allows the device to occupy minimal space in the limited galley environment while providing full ergonomic operation capability when deployed, as the arm can be positioned optimally for hand operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9206027B2Mountable cork puller

Publication Date: 2015.12.08 BE AEROSPACE INC

AI summary

A mountable cork puller including a tray open on one major side thereof adapted to be mounted in a recess in a wall, a hinge pin associated with the tray, and a hinge pivotally carried on the hinge pin, the hinge attached at its free end to a cork puller such that the hinge swings the cork puller between a stowed position in the tray and a deployed use position removed from the tray.