The sharp, thin memory alloy pick is pressed through the cork, keeping it above the surface of the wine. At the push of a button, the tip heats up causing it to bend sideways. Pull out the cork.
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 03 2005

The competition. http://froogle.goog...&tab=ff&oi=froogler
[daseva, Jun 03 2005]

Yeah, cause I was getting really sick of those "rabbit" corkscrews.
-- daseva, Jun 03 2005


How does the tip get heated?
-- bristolz, Jun 03 2005


Much like a soldering iron, I'd imagine.
-- justaguy, Jun 03 2005


Would that work?
-- bristolz, Jun 03 2005


Resistive heating of nitinol, for instance, causes it to shrink in linear dimension by 5-10%. I'm not so sure that it can be made to "bend sideways" with enough strength to pull a cork. Might require a hinged tip of (for instance) stainless steel, actuated sideways by the nitinol.

Thin strips of Nitinol have resistances on the order of a few Ohms, suitable to create a few Watts from a few Volts (i.e. AA batteries.) This should be able to create a 40-50 degree C temperature rise, and suitable shrinkage.
-- csea, Jun 03 2005



random, halfbakery