Systems and methods for removing a cap or lid from a container are disclosed. The systems include a decapper for removing a cap from a body of a container. The decapper includes a base configured to rest on a support surface and a prime mover supported by the base. A cap remover is supported by the base and is rotatable relative to the base about an axis of rotation. The cap remover is arranged to engage the cap of the container. The prime mover is operatively coupled to the cap remover to rotate the cap remover about the axis of rotation to remove the cap from the body of the container when the cap is engaged with the cap remover. The cap remover is arranged relative to the base such that the axis of rotation is oriented generally horizontally when the base rests on the support surface.
1 . A decapper for removing a cap from a body of a container, the decapper comprising:
a base configured to rest on a support surface;
a prime mover supported by the base;
a cap remover supported by the base, the entire cap remover being rotatable relative to the base about an axis of rotation, the cap remover arranged to engage the cap of the container, the prime mover operatively coupled to the cap remover to rotate the entire cap remover about the axis of rotation to remove the cap from the body of the container, the cap remover being arranged relative to the base such that the axis of rotation is oriented generally horizontally when the base rests on the support surface;
the decapper defining a space forward of the cap remover, the space providing access to the cap remover, the cap remover bordering a rear of the space, the space having an open front providing unobstructed access to the cap remover from a front of the decapper and an open side providing unobstructed access to the cap remover from a side of the decapper, the open side extending from the rear of the space to the open front of the space;
a cap guide arranged to receive the cap after the cap is removed from the body of the container by the cap remover;
wherein the cap guide comprises a ramp having an inclined surface arranged to guide the cap away from the decapper.
2 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the inclined surface of the ramp is arranged to guide the cap off a side of the decapper.
3 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the cap guide is part of the base.
4 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the prime mover is configured to rotate the cap remover about the axis of rotation when the cap remover is engaged by the cap of the container.
5 . The decapper of claim 4 , further comprising a shaft operatively connecting the prime mover to the cap remover, wherein the cap remover has a cap receiving space sized and shaped to receive the cap of the container, the cap remover having a surface bordering a rear of the cap receiving space and configured to be engaged by the cap of the container, the surface of the cap remover and the shaft being moveable together longitudinally along the axis of rotation.
6 . The decapper of claim 5 , further comprising a switch configured to activate the prime mover, the switch configured to be closed in response to the shaft moving rearwardly along the axis of rotation to activate the prime mover and rotate the cap remover.
7 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the cap remover comprises a chuck defining a cap receiving space sized and shaped to receive the cap of the container.
8 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the base has a front end and a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, the cap remover being arranged relative to the base such that the axis of rotation is skewed with respect to the longitudinal axis.
9 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the base borders a bottom of the space and extends forward of the cap remover.
10 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the space has an open top providing unobstructed access to the cap remover from a top of the decapper.
11 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the cap remover is arranged relative to the base such that an angle between the axis of rotation and a horizontal plane is less than 30 degrees when the base rests on the support surface.
12 . The decapper of claim 11 , wherein the cap remover is arranged relative to the base such that the angle between the axis of rotation and the horizontal plane is less than 15 degrees when the base rests on the support surface.
13 . The decapper of claim 12 , wherein the cap remover is arranged relative to the base such that the axis of rotation is parallel to the horizontal plane.
14 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein the open side is an open left side providing unobstructed access to the cap remover from a left side of the decapper, and wherein the space has an open right side providing unobstructed access to the cap remover from a right side of the decapper, the open right side extending from the rear of the space to the open front of the space.
15 . The decapper of claim 14 , wherein the space has an open top providing unobstructed access to the cap remover from a top of the decapper, the open top extending from the rear of the space to the open front of the space.
16 . The decapper of claim 15 , wherein the open left side and the open right side are contiguous with the open top of the space.
17 . The decapper of claim 1 , wherein a front of the base is vertically aligned with the open front of the space.
18 . The decapper of claim 1 , further comprising a self-contained cap remover assembly comprising the prime mover and the cap remover, the self-contained cap remover assembly being releasably coupleable to the base.
19 . The decapper of claim 18 , further comprising a first support member and a second support member, the first and second support members being releasably coupleable to one another, the first and second support members being configured to couple the self-contained cap remover assembly to the base when the first and second support members are coupled together.