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George Federighi had applied for yet another Cork Pops patent on December 29, 2000.
Patent Number 2002/0083797 was issued posthumously on July 4, 2002. In his
application Federighi maintains "Opening of corked bottles is more easily effected by
using a cork extractor of the known type which injects a charge of pressurized fluid into
the bottle through a needle which is penetrated through the cork." The new invention
has a "pair of legs" so that the "tool aligns the gas injection needle with the neck of the
bottle during penetration of the cork. Accidental contact of the user's hands with the
sharp needle point is inhibited."
George's son William took over the reins of the firm and, following in his father's
footsteps, received two patents in 2003 for cork ejectors. The first was U. S. Design
Patent Number D471,778 (above left) applied for June 21, 2002 and issued March 18,
2003. The second was Patent Number 6,622,595 (above right) applied for August 1,
