141
A second problem Federighi addressed was that "the thin needle may be inadvertently
broken during the gas injection operation" resulting in the cork and the needle or just
the needle being ejected uncontrollably. He addresses that by suggesting a shield
surrounding the needle. It is interesting to note that he talks about the shield in the
summary of the invention but it is not listed in the claims nor is it present on Cork Pops
manufactured today which refer to this patent - No. 4,491,834 issued December 20,
1988.
In discussion supporting the "pressurized fluid cork extractor," Federighi comments
negatively on the corkscrew: "The deficiencies of the traditional corkscrew are well
known to consumers of wine or other beverages that are marketed in corked bottles.
Laceration of the cork rather than removal is a frequent occurrence. This often results
in formation of a large passage through the cork that frustrates further efforts to
withdraw the cork with the corkscrew. At best, use of a corkscrew requires an
undesirable amount of physical effort."
Cork Pops heralded the new invention with
"The fastest and easiest way to open a bottle
of wine." The "New Cork Pops II Screwless
Wine
Opener
" had a
comple
te
makeov
er from
earlier
designs,
produc
ed in a
black
with
modern what-you-see-is-what-you-get
packaging. The Cork Pops II had an open split frame surrounding the needle
and a ring that could slide up and down the frame to strip the ejected cork off
the needle. Early models had a 1989 Copyright date and showed the company
and 70 Thirteenth St., San Francisco. A Copyright 1997 packaging shows the
company at 20 Mariposa Road, San Rafael, California.
In 2001 the company relocated to 7 Commercial Blvd., #3 Novato, CA 94949.
