EP1061828A1 - Clippers for fingernails - Google Patents
Clippers for fingernailsInfo
- Publication number
- EP1061828A1 EP1061828A1 EP98910306A EP98910306A EP1061828A1 EP 1061828 A1 EP1061828 A1 EP 1061828A1 EP 98910306 A EP98910306 A EP 98910306A EP 98910306 A EP98910306 A EP 98910306A EP 1061828 A1 EP1061828 A1 EP 1061828A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- blade
- nail
- nail holder
- clipper
- holder
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to fingernail clippers and particularly to clippers used for both artificial and natural fingernails.
- Artificial nails can be attached to natural fingernails to provide the appearance of long, natural nails.
- Artificial nails are typically composed of elongate plastic material having a crescent-shaped cross section similar to a natural nail but thicker and much stronger. As a result, artificial nails are less likely to split or break.
- many individuals do not like the inconvenience and expense of applying and maintaining artificial nails, and therefore prefer to wear their natural fingernails.
- U.S. Patent No. 5,065,513 discloses a stationary nail holder with an aperture for receiving the fingernail, a cutting blade slideably disposed against and above the nail holder, and a blade mounting member which extends past the cutting blade and is secured in the nail holder.
- An operating handle includes a pivotable member which causes the cutting blade to slide forward to effect cutting of the nail. Pivoting of the pivotable member tends to exert an upward force on the rear end of the cutting blade to ensure that the forward edge of the cutting blade is in close contact with the nail holder, thereby ensuring a clean cut.
- the end of the fingernail is concealed during the cutting operation, thereby rendering the clippers more difficult to use, not only for the personal user but also for the skilled manicurist who is used to cutting with great precision.
- Some of these same problems are present with natural fingernails. For example, it is desirable to have uniform curvature to all of the person's fingernails. It is also necessary that the blade of any nail clipper last in a sharp condition just as long as possible. Finally, it is highly desirable that the end of the nail be visible through the clipper during the clipping process in order to ensure that precisely the desired cut is achieved.
- the invention has as its objects the following: (1) to develop a fingernail clipper which can remove a substantial portion of either an artificial and natural fingernail in a single cut, thereby saving time and limiting clippings and grinding dust;
- the clipper of the present invention includes a clipper handle with a first component and a second component which are moveable with respect to each other.
- a nail holder extends from the clipper handle, the nail holder having a curved cross section.
- a slot for receiving the fingernail to be clipped is defined in the nail holder.
- a blade is slidably mounted with respect to the nail holder, and has a cross section which corresponds to the curved cross section of the nail holder. The blade terminates in a blade edge.
- the nail holder and the blade are each mounted to one of the first and second components.
- Another aspect of the invention is a fingernail clipper with a nail holder having a curved cross section and a slot defined therein for receiving the nail to be clipped.
- a blade is disposed under the nail holder and has a similar cross section, so that the nail holder guides the blade through its entire stroke. The nail is clipped by inserting the nail into the aperture from the underside thereof, and then effecting relative movement between the nail holder and the blade.
- the clipper for trimming a fingernail to an arcuate shape that curves downwardly toward each side of the fingernail.
- the clipper includes a nail holder with an aperture therein, the nail holder and the aperture being curved downwardly to produce the arcuate shape.
- a movable blade having a cutting edge disposed slidably against the nailholder is also included, the cutting edge being movable across and past the aperture when relative movement is effected between the nail holder and the blade.
- the blade is curved downwardly to produce the arcuate shape.
- the nail holder further serves to guide the blade across and past the aperture.
- the clipper also includes a handle having first and second components which are movable with respect to each other.
- the first component is mounted to the nail holder, and the second component is mounted to the blade so that when relative movement is effected between the first and second component, the blade slides with respect to the nail holder. This moves the blade edge across and past the aperture while being guided by the nail holder to clip the fingernail disposed within the aperture.
- FIG. 1 is a side elevation sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention
- Fig. 2 is a front elevation sectional view taken along line 2—2 of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3A is a front elevation sectional view taken along line 3A--3A of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3B is a front elevation sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3A, except that the front shield of the handle is deleted for illustrative purposes;
- Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the nail holder and the blade of the embodiment of Fig. 1, showing them blown-up and disassociated from the nail holder;
- Fig. 5 A is a plan view showing the nail holder and blade of Fig. 1, with the blade in its retracted position;
- Fig. 5B corresponds to Fig. 5A except that the blade has been moved forwardly, with the cutting edge being shown extending past the nail holder slot;
- Fig. 6A is a top plan view of the blade of Fig. 1, showing the angulation of the cutting edge thereof;
- Fig. 6B is a side elevation sectional view taken along line 6B--6B of Fig. 6A;
- Fig. 6C is a bottom view of the blade;
- Fig. 7A is a top plan view of the nail holder of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 7B is a side elevation sectional view of the nail holder taken along line 7B-7B of Fig. 7A;
- Figs. 8A and 8B are similar to Fig. 2 in that they show front elevation views of the embodiment of Fig. 1, except that they show a fingernail being cut, with Fig. 8A showing the nail in a cutting position with the top of the nail facing the clipper, while Fig. 8B shows the nail being cut with the underside of the nail facing the clipper; and
- Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 1, except that a fingemail to be clipped is shown disposed in the ready position.
- the fingemail clipper of this preferred embodiment is shown generally at 10 in Figs. 1 and 9.
- the clipper 10 includes a handle 12 with a first component 14 and a second component 16.
- the first component 14 is alternatively referred to herein as a pivotable component or member, while the second component 16 is sometimes referred to herein as a stationary component or member.
- a nail holder 18 is shown in the Figs. 1 and 9 but is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 4.
- the nail holder includes a slot 20 which is designed to receive and hold the fingemail during a cutting or trimming operation.
- the slot 20 is shown to be slightly curved as shown in Figs. 5A and B and 7 A, and is somewhat inclined as shown in Fig. 7B.
- the curvature conforms to the normal curvature of a fingemail, whether artificial or natural, while the inclined cut of the slot appears to provide the best cutting action as the blade slides across and past the slot to effect cutting of the nail.
- the nail holder includes a cutting edge 21 which defines the forward edge of the slot, as shown in Figs. 5A and B and 7A and B.
- a blade 22 is also shown in Figs. 5A-B and 6A-C.
- the blade terminates in a forward edge referred to herein as a blade edge 24, which is shown in those same Figures, extending at a slight angle with regard to its length and its direction of movement. In the preferred embodiment the angle is approximately ten degrees.
- the nail holder 18 and blade 22 both have a curved cross section, with the blade nesting into the underside of the nail holder and being slidably mounted to it.
- the nail holder 18 thus further serves as a guide for the blade, and in the depicted embodiment serves as a guide for the entire stroke of the blade. This is desirable because otherwise the blade might be unguided or unsupported as it passes over the slot where the nail is actually being cut. Such support is important, especially when the clipper is used to cut artificial nails, which are typically harder and thicker than natural nails.
- the curvature of the nail holder 18 and blade 22 is intended to correspond to the approximate desired curvature of the final nail cut.
- Another way to describe the configuration of the nail holder 18 and blade 22 is that they have an arcuate shape which curves downwardly toward each side of the fingemail.
- the blade edge 24 is beveled to ensure a sharp cutting edge.
- the bevel angles upwardly so that when a cut is being performed, the blade edge 24 slides against the underside of the nail holder 18 as shown in Fig. 9, and thereby cuts against the cutting edge 21 of the nail holder 20.
- the blade edge 24 is designed to slide past the slot 20 and thereby effect the cutting of the fingemail which extends through the slot 20.
- the depicted embodiment utilizes a conventional handle, which is configured much like the handle described in my U.S. Patent No. 4,856,190.
- the pivotable member 14 is mounted to the stationary member 16 at a main pivot point 26.
- the pivotable member 14 engages a blade engagement link 28 at a link pivot point 30.
- the blade engagement link 28 is also mounted to a spring 32 at a spring aperture 34.
- the rear end of the spring is mounted to a spring mount 36.
- the forward end of the blade engagement link 28 includes a blade engagement nose 38 and a blade abutment shoulder 40.
- the blade engagement nose 38 is designed to fit into a hole 42 in the blade, while the blade abutment shoulder 40 is designed to abut the rear end 44 of the blade 22. Because the blade engagement link is directly mounted to the second component of the pivotal member of the handle 12, that component or member may be described as terminating in a forwardly extending link which reciprocates forwardly and rearwardly to control the motion of the blade. 8
- the front of the handle 12 includes a handle shield 46 and a forwardly extending portion 48 which is designed to receive the nail holder 18 and blade 22.
- the forwardly extending portion 48 includes a pair of holes 50 designed to receive a pair of screws 52.
- the screws 52 extend downwardly through the holes 50 and engage a pair of holes 54 in the rear portion of the nail holder 18. These holes 54 are threaded so that they receive the screws 52 and are thereby affixed to the upper part of the forwardly extending portion 48.
- the screws 52 do not extend beyond the nail holder 18, as best shown in Figs. 3 A and B, so that they do not interfere with the sliding movement of the blade 22 disposed thereunder.
- the sliding action of the blade 22 with respect to the nail holder 18 is best shown in Figs.
- Fig. 5A shows the blade 22 in its retracted position wherein the nail can be inserted into the slot 20, while Fig. 5B shows the blade in its forward position having slid across and past the slot. Because of the inclination in the blade edge 24, the cut will be effected gradually and across the nail to provide a clean cut and prevent cmshing of the nail by the blade. Because the blade 22 slides under the blade holder 18 and past the slot 20, a cutting action is effected without the blade butting up against a surface of the clipper, unlike the prior art La Casse clipper described above.
- the handle 12 is held in one hand, and a fingemail 56 is inserted into the slot 20. Normally, it will be inserted so that the top of the nail faces the handle as shown in Figs. 8A and 9, although it is possible that the nail might be inverted as shown in Fig. 8B.
- the pivotable member 14 is pressed downwardly toward the stationary member 16, thereby causing the blade engagement link 28 to be slid forwardly against the tension of the spring 32.
- This forward movement of the blade engagement link 28 causes the blade abutment shoulder 40 to push on the rear end 44 of the blade 22.
- the fingemail 56 disposed in the slot as shown in Fig. 9, a cutting action is effected as the blade passes through the slot and the cutting edge 21 thereof.
- the blade 22 is guided by the nail holder 18, even as the blade edge 24 traverses the slot 20.
- the blade is supported both rearwardly and at the sides of the blade edge.
- the curvature of the nail holder 18 and blade 22 is such that a natural curve will be imparted to the nail end.
- a single cut can produce a clean, uniform and nicely arcuate end on each of the nails, without the requirement of multiple clipping and extensive filing and buffing.
- the clipper can cut nails of unlimited length, whether they be artificial or natural.
- the end of the fingemail 56 remains visible to the user, which provides a greater degree of control than some of the prior art designs.
- the construction of the clipper 10 is such that both the nail holder 18 and blade 22 can be easily replaced when they become dull. Or, the blade can be removed and replaced after sharpening. This is done by simply pivoting the rear end of the blade engagement link 28 downwardly against the tension of the spring 32, and then sliding the blade out. To re-install the blade, the rear end of the blade engagement link is again pressed downwardly, and the blade is slid back into the clipper. It may be possible to provide varying degrees of curvature to the nail holder and the blade in the event styles change or if the clipper is used by individuals having different preferences. And in that instance it would be possible to replace the nail holder and the blade with components having differing degrees of curvature than that which is depicted. In the case of such a replacement nail 10
- the rearward portions thereof would still conform to the configurations depicted in Figs. 1 - 9, so that they could be used with the existing handle 12.
- the screws 52 are removed, thereby permitting the nail holder to be slid out of the front portion 48 of the chpper.
- the blade 22 is removed by tilting the blade engagement link 28. To install another nail holder, it is merely inserted into the front of the clipper and the screws 52 are re-installed. Then, the blade 22 is re-inserted as described above
Landscapes
- Scissors And Nippers (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US1998/004752 WO1999045816A1 (en) | 1996-12-23 | 1998-03-11 | Clippers for fingernails |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1061828A1 true EP1061828A1 (en) | 2000-12-27 |
EP1061828A4 EP1061828A4 (en) | 2001-07-04 |
Family
ID=22266564
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP98910306A Withdrawn EP1061828A4 (en) | 1998-03-11 | 1998-03-11 | Clippers for fingernails |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1061828A4 (en) |
AU (1) | AU6457898A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2282697A1 (en) |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2540782A (en) * | 1949-06-03 | 1951-02-06 | Harold A Large | Nail clipper |
US2955354A (en) * | 1959-06-22 | 1960-10-11 | Laing Charles | Animal nail clippers |
US3838507A (en) * | 1972-08-03 | 1974-10-01 | R Clark | Animal nail clipper |
US4856190A (en) * | 1988-06-02 | 1989-08-15 | Reiswig Gary J | Single cut clipper for artificial nails |
US5065513A (en) * | 1990-09-20 | 1991-11-19 | Reiswig Gary J | Artificial fingernail clipper |
US5533262A (en) * | 1994-05-13 | 1996-07-09 | Clark; Richard N. | Single cut clipper for nails |
US5557849A (en) * | 1995-12-11 | 1996-09-24 | Y.S. Creation Co., Ltd. | Nail clipper |
-
1998
- 1998-03-11 AU AU64578/98A patent/AU6457898A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1998-03-11 CA CA002282697A patent/CA2282697A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1998-03-11 EP EP98910306A patent/EP1061828A4/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2540782A (en) * | 1949-06-03 | 1951-02-06 | Harold A Large | Nail clipper |
US2955354A (en) * | 1959-06-22 | 1960-10-11 | Laing Charles | Animal nail clippers |
US3838507A (en) * | 1972-08-03 | 1974-10-01 | R Clark | Animal nail clipper |
US4856190A (en) * | 1988-06-02 | 1989-08-15 | Reiswig Gary J | Single cut clipper for artificial nails |
US5065513A (en) * | 1990-09-20 | 1991-11-19 | Reiswig Gary J | Artificial fingernail clipper |
US5533262A (en) * | 1994-05-13 | 1996-07-09 | Clark; Richard N. | Single cut clipper for nails |
US5557849A (en) * | 1995-12-11 | 1996-09-24 | Y.S. Creation Co., Ltd. | Nail clipper |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of WO9945816A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1061828A4 (en) | 2001-07-04 |
AU6457898A (en) | 1999-09-27 |
CA2282697A1 (en) | 1999-09-16 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20030729 |