Wine Bottle Opening Clamp with Integrated Heating Means
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Solution Overview
Problem
Old port bottles and other wines with degraded corks are difficult to open using traditional corkscrews, and the hot pliers method requires expertise, making it inaccessible to non-sommeliers.
Innovation Solution
A device with a clamp and heating means, such as a gas bottle with a burner, is designed to create a thermal shock for safely opening bottles, featuring a bracket for stability and a remote control for gas flow adjustment, allowing for easy use by anyone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional corkscrew is used to open old port bottles, then the opening process should be simple, but the degraded cork makes it impossible to remove the cork
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the glass bottle neck through thermal expansion and contraction. By heating the glass with a torch and then rapidly cooling it with water, the glass undergoes thermal shock that creates stress fractures, allowing the neck to be broken off cleanly and the cork removed without requiring the cork to be intact.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention separates the bottle opening process into two distinct stages: first breaking the glass neck off from the bottle body through thermal shock, then removing the cork from the separated neck. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently - the thermal shock method for breaking glass and simple extraction for removing the cork.
2Reliability
If hot tongs method is used to open old port bottles, then the cork can be removed, but it requires expertise and practice to perform safely
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical gripping and forcing action of hot tongs with a thermal field approach. Instead of mechanically clamping heated jaws onto the bottle neck and forcing it off, the invention uses a torch to apply distributed thermal energy to heat the glass uniformly, then uses water for rapid cooling. This substitution of mechanical system with thermal field system makes the process more controllable and easier to learn.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces water as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy from the heated glass to the environment rapidly. The water acts as a thermal mediator that creates the thermal shock necessary to fracture the glass neck. This intermediary approach provides better control over the thermal process compared to direct mechanical forcing, making it safer and more accessible to users without expertise.
3Reliability
If hot tongs method is used to open bottles, then the thermal shock breaks the glass, but it poses safety risks to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the most dangerous element from the process - the direct contact with extremely hot metal jaws. By using a torch to heat the glass remotely and then applying water, the method eliminates the need for users to handle or be in close proximity to hundreds of degrees of heat directly, reducing thermal burn risks while still achieving the necessary thermal shock to fracture the glass.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses water - an abundant, inexpensive, and safe substance - as the cooling medium. Water can be applied liberally and repeatedly without concern for cost or scarcity, and it provides immediate cooling to stop the thermal process. This contrasts with the hot tongs method where the heated jaws themselves pose the primary safety risk. The use of water as a disposable cooling agent enhances user safety while maintaining effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides a simple, safe, and effective method for opening bottles with degraded corks, enabling individuals without expertise to access the wine without breaking the glass.
Implementation Method 1
heating means positioned on said base
Implementation Method 2
The thermal shock causes the glass to break
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for opening a bottle of natural sweet wine such as port or the like, comprising a clamp (1) consisting of two arms (2) pivotably connected around a pin (3), each arm (2) comprising, at a first end, a handle (4) or a ring, and, at the opposite end, a jaw (5) having a semi-annular or semi-cylindrical shape, the radius of curvature of each jaw (5) being substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the neck of the wine bottle; the device is characterised in that it comprises at least one base (6), heating means (7) positioned on the base (6) and a bracket (8) rigidly attached to the base (6) and comprising means for retaining the clamp (1) such that the jaws (5) of the latter extend in line with the heating means (7).