Classic Stainless Steel Bottle Opener

I'm looking for a skilled product designer, mechanical engineer, or artisan to develop a **manual wine opener and stopper combination** designed to be elegant, durable, and especially easy to use for older people or anyone with limited hand strength.

The concept is a **Continuous-Turn Nested Gear Wine Opener + Stopper**. Instead of requiring the user to pull the cork, the opener should use a geared or screw-driven mechanism so the user simply places the device on the bottle and continuously rotates a large ergonomic handle. The mechanism should smoothly drive the corkscrew into the cork and then lift the cork upward with minimal effort.

### Requirements

* **Function:** Combined wine opener and reusable bottle stopper in one integrated product.
* **Opening mechanism:** Continuous-turn mechanical system that converts rotation into vertical cork lifting.
* **No pulling:** The user should not need to pull or apply significant upward force.
* **Easy operation:** Designed specifically to require minimal grip strength and wrist effort.
* **Handle:** Large, comfortable ergonomic T-shaped or wide handle that is easy for older users to grip and rotate.
* **Materials:** Stainless steel for the corkscrew, gears, shafts, and other load-bearing mechanical components. High-quality food-safe plastic may be used for the external housing and other appropriate parts.
* **Stopper:** The same device should be able to remain on the bottle after opening and function as a secure, preferably airtight, wine stopper using a food-grade silicone or similar sealing component.
* **Design:** Elegant, premium, and slightly classic rather than overly technical or industrial.
* **Colors:** Primarily **warm white/ivory and rich brown**, with subtle brushed stainless-steel accents.
* **Appearance:** The brown handle can have a premium wood or wood-look finish, while the main body should have a refined white/ivory finish.
* **Optional viewing window:** A small opening in the body allowing the user to see the cork moving upward would be desirable.
* **Safety:** The corkscrew should be protected inside the housing as much as possible during normal use.
* **Bottle compatibility:** The design should work with standard wine bottle necks and conventional natural or synthetic corks.

### Intended operation

1. Place the opener securely over the bottle neck.
2. Turn the large ergonomic handle clockwise.
3. The internal corkscrew automatically enters the cork.
4. Continue turning in the same direction.
5. The internal gear/lead-screw mechanism lifts the cork upward without pulling.
6. Remove the extracted cork from the mechanism.
7. Pour the wine.
8. Place the same device back onto the bottle.
9. Gently turn or press the stopper mechanism to create a secure seal.

The most important engineering requirement is that **the user should be able to perform the entire cork-removal process mainly by turning the handle, rather than pulling the cork manually**.

### Ideal Skills & Experience

Experience with stainless-steel mechanisms, small gear systems, lead screws or mechanical lifting mechanisms, injection-molded or machined plastic parts, food-safe product design, ergonomic products, and consumer kitchen accessories would be valuable.

I am looking for someone who can help take this from a concept to a **mechanically functional prototype**, not only create an attractive exterior design. The internal mechanism should be realistic, manufacturable, durable, and smooth to operate.

Please provide examples of relevant previous work, particularly mechanical consumer products, kitchen accessories, corkscrews, geared mechanisms, or ergonomic products. Please also describe how you would approach the mechanism, prototyping process, expected deliverables, and estimated project timeline.