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On July 26, 1980 Tokyo resident Michio Nakayama applied for a Japanese patent for his

"Bottle Opener." In a departure from the norm, Nakayama included a drawing of an

existing cork ejector (the 1967 Japanese Patent) submitted with details as a bad design

due to the possibility of gas leakage. Nakayama contends:

With this type of bottle opener, once the gas outlet port of the bomb is broken,

the entire gas inside the bomb is exhausted through the through hole of the

penetrating needle until the pressure inside the bomb equals the external

pressure. Consequently, the bomb must be replaced every time a bottle is

opened.

Nakayama goes on to state that the bottle itself "often breaks before removing the

cork" and that there is a defect in the bottom plate.

Nakayama continues with details of his invention ultimately providing a "bottle opener

of a construction which is capable of withstanding use over a long period of time and

which does not allow leakage of the gas.

”

Nakayama was granted Japanese Patent No.

57-028794 on February 2, 1982 and U. S. Patent No. 4,317,390 for his invention on

March 2, 1982. Patents were also obtained in Australia, England (2,081,689), France

(2,487,321), and Germany (3,107,342).

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