CA1201884A - Nail clipper with receptacle - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An improved nail clipper having a retainer secured to and positioned below the stationary plate of the clipper. An aperture is provided in that plate, behind the nail cutting edge of the plate, communicating with the retainer, to enable nail clippings to pass into the retainer where they are collected. The clipper may be made largely of hard plastic and hence be of throwaway nature.

Description

~2CI~gi 194 ~C~ROUND OF THE I~vhl.~ION

The present invention relates to an improved nail clipper, and more particularly to a nail clipper of ~he type which retain6 nail clippings during the process of clipping.
Pinger-toenail clippeLs having means for collecting nail clippings during the clipping process are known. For example, Min U.S. Patent No. 4,219,929 issued September 2, 1980, Young U.S. Patent No. 4,341,015 issued July 27, 1982 and Hannon U.S. Patent No. 4,3~0,120 issued ~pril 19, 1983, all describe and illu~trate nail clippers of a conventional type but additionally having receptacles for retaining the clipped-off fingernail or toenail portions. In the Hannon and Min devices, the retaine~s are formed with retaining walls about the sides of the nail clipper, 80 that the nail clipping~ are retained between the plate~ of the clipper to which the cutting edges of the clippers are attached. In the Min reference, the retainer comprises a tubular housing for virtually the entire clipper. In all of these devices, nail clippings tend to collect between the plates, and must subsequently be dislodged, for proper operation of the clipper plates, by removal of the retainer or a portion thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative construction of nail clipper having a receptacle for collecting and retaining nail clippings.
It is a further object of the present invention to ~z~

provide such a nail clipper in which the rece~tacle holds clipped off nails clear of the plates and nail cut~ing edges.

SUMM~RY OF T~ lN~ IO~

~ccording to the present invention there is provided an improved nail clipper of the type comprising a stationary plate means and a plate means relatively movable with respect thereto. The plate mean6 are joined at one end and their opposite ends have nail cutting edge~. A pivoted lever means is a6sociated wi~h ~he mova~le plate means to effect mo~ement thereof with re~pect to the statiQnary plate means. The nail clipper is provided with a retainer means ~ecured to and positioned below the ~tationary plate mean6. Walls o~ the retainer means deine a chamber ~or receiving and holding the nail clippings below the surface of the stationary plate means. An aperture is provided behind the nail cutting edge of the 6tationary plate means. communicating with the chamber, to receive nail clipping6 and enable them to pass ~o the chamber of the retainer.
In a preferred embodiment, the retainer means is non-remo~ably fixed to the stationary plate means, and the chamber walls thereof, plate means and lever means are made of hard plastic, while the nail cutting edge6 may be of the hard pla6tic or made of an appropriate metal, 50 that the device i~
extremely inexpensive and therefore of a disposable nature. In ~z~

this focm, the item i8 more sanitary in that it retains all nails clipped.
The nail clipper according to the present invention enables the collection of nail clippings in an area outside of the area between the plate means, facilitating its operation, with respect to prior art nail clippers of thi6 general type, in which the nail clippings tended to collect between the plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advanta~es of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed de6cription and upon ~eerring to the drawing in which the illustrated fiqure i5 a perspective view of a nail clipper according to the pre~ent invention.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with an example embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such an embodiment. On the con~ary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents a8 may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INV~ ION

In the following description, similar features in the drawing have been given similar reference numeral6~
Turning to the figure, there is illustrated a nail clipper 2 of the general type having a stationary plate 4 and a plate 6 relatively movable with respect thereto. The plates are joined at end 8 and, at the opposlte en~, nail cutting edges lO are provided. A nail clipper retainer means 12 is secured to and posi~:ioned below the ~tationary plate 4, the ~0 walls of this retainer means defining a chamber for receiving and holding nail clippings below the stationary plate 4. An apQrtUre 1~ i8 provided in the front portion o~ plate ~, behind it6 cutting edge lO, to receive nail clippings and enable them to pass to the chamber of retainer means 12. The nail clipper operates in a conventional fashion, with a lever arm 16 being secured to the device by means of pin 18 to move plate 6 towards plate 4 when depressed. The other end of pin 18 tnot shown) is secured below retainer means 12.
While it is envisayed, within the scope of this invention, that retainer mean6 12 or a portion thereof be removable to permit removal of collected nail clippings from within, in the preferred embodiment of thi6 invention tha~
retainer means is non-removably secured to s~ationary plate 4.
In this form, the nail clipper is preferably of a disposable nature. In this case, the plate means, lever arm and retainer ~z~

means might for example be made of hard plastic, wi~h the pin 18 and cutting edges 10 being al~o of hard plastic or alternatively of metal.
In operation, toe or fingernails clipped at nail cutting edge6 10 would Eall through aperture 1~ into the chamber of retaining means 12 where they would be collected.
In this way there would be no build-up o~ nail clippings in the space between plates 4 and 6.

Thus it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the invention a nail clippeL with receptacle that fully ~atisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations w;ll be apparent to those ~killed in the art in light o the foregoing description. Accordin~ly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the invention~

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Claims (4)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a nail clipper comprising a stationary plate means and a plate means relatively movable with respect thereto, the plate means being joined at one end and the opposite ends having nail cutting edges, and a pivoted lever means associated with the movable plate means for movement thereof, the improvement characterized by a nail clipping retainer means being secured to and positioned below the stationary plate means and having walls defining a chamber for receiving and holding the nail clippings below the stationary plate means, and an aperture behind the nail cutting edges of the stationary plate means communicating with the chamber to receive nail clippings and enable them to pass to the chamber.

2. A nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein the chamber is non-removably fixed to the stationary plate means.

3. A disposable nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein the chamber walls, plate means and lever means are made of hard plastic and the nail cutting edges are made of hard plastic or of metal.

4. A disposable nail clipper according to claim 2 wherein the chamber walls, plate means and lever means are made of hard plastic and the nail cutting edges are made of hard plastic or of metal.