COMBINATION PIPE CUTTER AND CAN LID OPENER AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

• US 20090277310A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timothy Bell
• Original Assignee: Timothy Bell
• Inventors: Bell, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,136,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 81/309
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 7/02 Jaws
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 7/22 Pliers provided with auxiliary tool elements, e.g. cutting edges, nail extractors for removing insulation or armouring from electric cables H02G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/18 for removing threaded caps B67B7/14 takes precedence; wrenches B25B13/00

Abstract

A combination pipe cutter and can lid opener comprising a means for cutting and a means for opening a can having a lid. The combination pipe cutter and can lid opener comprises two handles, one having a holder to hold a pipe and the other having a blade, wherein the blade is utilized to cut the pipe in the holder. The insides of the handles comprise semicircular openings having gripping teeth for opening the lid of a container. To open the lid of the container, the semicircular cutouts of the first handle and second handle are positioned around the perimeter of the lid, wherein the gripping teeth cooperatively engage the lid thereby opening the container by turning the combination pipe cutter and can lid opener.

Claims

1. A combination cutter and can lid opener comprising:

two handles;

a means for cutting disposed at a top portion of said two handles; and

a means for opening a lid of a can disposed on a lower portion of each of said two handles.

2. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 1, wherein said lower portions of each handle comprise an outside and an inside, and wherein said insides comprise semicircular openings.

3. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 2, wherein said means for opening comprises said semicircular openings, and wherein said semicircular openings comprise gripping teeth, and wherein said gripping teeth cooperately engage the lid of the can.

4. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 2, wherein said two handles are hingably secured together enabling said two handles to perform a scissors movement.

5. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 2, wherein at least one of said outsides comprises hand grips.

6. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 1, wherein said means for cutting comprises a blade.

7. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 6, wherein one of said two handles comprises a top, and wherein said top comprises a holder and a blade gap to receive said blade, and wherein said blade passes through an object into said blade gap thereby cutting through the object held in said holder.

8. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 2, wherein said semicircular openings in said handles extend only partially from front to back through said handles.

9. The combination cutter and can lid opener of claim 1, wherein said means for opening comprises gripping teeth on opposing handles, wherein said handles comprise insides, fronts and backs, and wherein said gripping teeth extend only partially from said fronts to said backs of said insides of said handles.

10. A method of using a tool, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining said tool, wherein said tool comprises a combination pipe cutter and can lid opener having a blade and two handles, and wherein said blade is disposed at a top portion of one of said two handles, and wherein said two handles each comprises an outside and an inside, and wherein said insides comprise semicircular openings disposed on a bottom portion of each of said two handles, and wherein said semicircular openings comprise gripping teeth, and wherein the other of said two handles comprises a pipe holder and a blade gap disposed at a top portion of said other of said two handles to receive said blade; and

performing an operation with said tool, wherein said operation is selected from the group consisting of cutting the object with said blade and opening a container with said gripping teeth.

11. The method of using a tool of claim 10, said step of performing further comprises the steps of:

placing said gripping teeth around the lid of a container;

squeezing said handles together; and

turning said combination pipe cutter and can lid opener, whereby the lid is opened and removed from the container.

12. The method of using a tool of claim 10, wherein said step of performing further comprises the steps of:

placing the object for cutting between said blade and a top portion of one of said two handles; and

applying pressure to said outside of said two handles, thereby cutting the object with said blade.

13. A combination apparatus for cutting and opening an object, said combination apparatus comprising a blade and two handles, wherein said blade is disposed at a top portion of one of said two handles, and wherein said two handles each comprise an inside and an outside, and wherein said insides each comprise semicircular openings disposed on lower portions of said two handles, and wherein the other of said two handles comprises a pipe holder and a blade gap disposed at a top portion of said other of said two handles to receive said blade.

14. The combination apparatus for cutting and opening an object of claim 13, wherein said semicircular openings comprise gripping teeth.

15. The combination apparatus for cutting and opening an object of claim 13, wherein said two handles are secured together via a scissors hinge.

16. The combination apparatus for cutting and opening an object of claim 13, wherein at least one of said two handles comprises hand grips disposed on said outside thereof.

18. The combination apparatus for cutting and opening an object of claim 13, wherein said semicircular openings in said handles extend only partially from front to back through said handles.

17. (canceled)