FR2781131A1 - Ergonomic nail clippers - Google Patents

Abstract

The nail clippers (1) comprise two oblong strips (2a,2b) fixed to each other at one of their ends by a rivet (3). A lever (4), placed at their other ends on a spindle (5), brings resiliently into contact cutting edges (6a,6b) which are located at the end of a principal side (8a,8b) of the strips.

Description

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  The invention relates to the field of manicure and pedicure instruments, and relates to a manual instrument for

  cutting nails, known as nail clippers.

  Many improvement patents relate to this type of instrument. For example, from patent FR 2 700 251, a nail cutter is known which is mainly composed of two branches provided at one of their ends with respective antagonistic cutting members, such as cutting edges. The branches are connected together so as to be able to bring the cutting members closer or further apart from one another: they are either articulated to one another in the manner of a clamp, or connected at the end opposite to that of the cutting members, at least one of the branches being

  movable relative to the other due to elastic deformation.

  US Patent 4,860,448 describes a nail clipper whose cutting members and a pressure lever have a shape

  triangular to exert a uniform cutting force.

  Furthermore, US Pat. No. 4,964,213 aims to prevent or treat ingrown toenails. It discloses a cutting device comprising cutting means comprising a part

  protruding to cut a notch on this end.

  In general, conventional nail clippers have a grip that is ill-suited to easy and precise execution of the cut, because it normally forces the forearms to be extended in the extension of one another, and to maintain

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  in this unstable position during cutting. It also results in muscle fatigue which makes it even more difficult and

  painful successive cutting of nails.

  In addition, in the case where an ornamental cut of the nail is sought, as in US Pat. No. 1,433,936, where the nail cutter has serrated sharp parts, or US Pat. No. 4,860,448 in which the blades form arcs, the poorly adapted grip makes it all the more difficult to cut out

delicate realization.

  The present invention aims to obtain an ergonomic manipulation, that is to say without having to exert contortions to perform the cutting. The invention therefore promotes precise and clean cutting of the nail, without fatigue, which also allows

  to obtain a neat ornamental cut of the nail.

  To achieve these objectives, the present invention proposes to position the cutting means laterally, so as to have substantially perpendicular the active member of the operator, the one who cuts, and the passive member, including the nail.

is to be cut.

  More specifically, the subject of the present invention is a nail clipper comprising two oblong blades fixed to one another at one of their ends and lever means arranged at the other of their ends for bringing elastically into contact. sharp cutting means. The cutting means are characterized in that they are arranged to

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  the end of a main side of the blades, facing the lever means. According to a particular embodiment, the cutting means are machined jaws, or preformed, for cutting the nail according to a given ornamental pattern, for example a

series of concave or convex arcs.

  The ergonomic qualities of the nail clipper according to the present invention thus make it possible to easily carry out an ornamental cutting of the nail, which is difficult to achieve with the cutting means conventionally arranged at the end to carry out a usual cutting of the nail, which simply aims at shorten it. The recommended solution also makes an easier juxtaposition of the ornamental pattern, the cutting of which is repeated along the outer periphery of the same nail, for example for a toenail. The easier handling which is obtained makes it possible in particular to avoid inadvertent overlapping of the

unattractive motif.

  In order to break the monotony that would result from cutting a single pattern, it can be made variable as desired by the user. For this purpose, the jaws comprise, according to another embodiment, a groove in which sharp ribbons having borders with various patterns can be

  interchangeably inserted.

  Other characteristics and advantages will appear at I a

  reading the detailed description of exemplary embodiments which

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  follows, with reference to the appended figures which represent, respectively: - Figure 1, a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a nail clipper according to the present invention; - Figure 2, a heart-shaped cutout of the cutting jaws of a nail clipper according to the invention; - Figure 3a and 3b, a removable cutting tape in front and rear view, adapted to be inserted in a nail clipper according to the invention; - Figure 4, a perspective view of a nail clipper according to the invention comprising a ribbon according to Figure 3; The operating principle of an exemplary embodiment of a nail clipper 1 according to the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is based on that of conventional nail clippers for the implementation of the cutting members. This implementation is carried out by means of two steel blades 2a and 2b of thickness equal to 2 mm for a length equal to about 8 cm, with an oblong axis shape.

  main X'X and connected at one of their ends by a rivet 3.

  The upper blade 2a is curved during manufacture so as to

deviate from the other at rest.

  In order to bring the two blades closer together, an elastic deformation is conventionally exerted on the upper blade 2a using a lever 4 articulated in rotation on 360 by coupling.

  mechanical around a fulcrum 5a of a transverse axis 5.

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  The axis 5 pierces the upper blade and is fixed on the lower blade, the lever and the transverse axis being arranged at the end opposite to the rivet 3. When the lever 4 is turned around the point of articulation, to come in contact with the upper blade thanks to its curved profile, then lowered by pressure, the distance between the contact zone and the fulcrum increases and the upper blade approaches the lower blade until

  that the cutting members meet.

  According to the invention, the cutting members, formed by jaws 6a, 6b, terminated by machining in the example illustrated by sharp ends 7a, 7b, are arranged opposite one another, at the end d 'one of the main sides, 8a and 8b, of each blade 2a and 2b, and more precisely opposite the transverse axis 5. As a variant, the blades are preformed with their

sharp ends.

  The nail cutting is carried out when the user, who grasps the nail clipper by the lever 4 and the lower blade 2b, positions the axis X'X of the nail clipper in the extension of his forearm, and exercises a force on the lever 4 which brings the cutting ends 7a and 7b towards each other until cutting the nail arranged between the jaws 6a and 6b. The

  sharp ends 7a and 7b then come into contact.

  During the cutting operation, the active forearm of the user remains almost perpendicular to each hand or foot finger whose nail is cut, because the jaws 6a and 6b

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  are arranged on the sides 8a and 8b of the blades 1a and 1b substantially parallel to the axis X'X of the nail clipper, or slightly

at an angle to it.

  The transverse axis 5 belongs substantially to the plane of symmetry P of the cutting jaws 6a and 6b. The pressure then applied allows the two cutting jaws to join with a uniform force to achieve a clean cut.

ornamental nail.

  The sharp ends can form an ornamental pattern, as illustrated in FIG. 2 by cutting out these

  ends in the form of two arcs, 9a and 9b.

  In another embodiment, the cutting is carried out with steel ribbons, or other metallic material such as aluminum or titanium, semi-rigid. An example of a ribbon is illustrated in front and rear view in FIGS. 3a and 3b. The ribbon 10 is partially preformed by bending, the upper part 1 Ob remaining flat, to obtain arcs 9a, 9b (as in the preceding example) at its cutting end 10a, machined or preformed at the edge of the ribbon so as to produce the cutting the pattern. A

  grip 11 is arranged laterally.

  Alternatively, the ribbon is fully curved.

  These cutting tapes are intended to be inserted in a curved groove 12 arranged in the upper jaw 6a in accordance with FIG. 4. As a variant, a groove is also

  provided in the lower jaw to accommodate another ribbon.

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  The curved shape of the throat is adapted, as is the case with the cutting jaws of a conventional nail clipper, to the curved edges of the nails which conform to the shape of

  the tip of the finger or toe. Semi-cutting ribbons

  rigid are slid slightly in force within them. This has the effect of locking the ribbons in a fixed position when they are put in place. The mechanical solidarity thus obtained between the ribbon and the groove which receives it allows the neat cutting of the nail. The grip tab 11 allows the user to extract the tape from the groove when he wishes to change the cutting pattern. This embodiment could also be implemented in

  end of a prior art nail clipper.

  In a particular embodiment, the upper and lower zones of the blades 1a and 1b are coated with a non-slip synthetic material which gives a generally curved shape to the instrument. This coating has the effect of providing

  better grip of the instrument. All or part of the cutter

  nails can be coated with non-slip material.

  The present invention does not prejudge designs of ornamental patterns, for example in the shape of a heart, which will result from a

free artistic creation.

  In addition, the groove, which receives the cutting ribbons in one of the embodiments, can be lined with a thin layer of a material capable of reducing friction, for example made of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or ceramic, in order

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  to facilitate the introduction and removal of the ribbons.

  In addition, the scope of the present invention also encompasses the possibility of making precut artificial nails according to ornamental patterns in order to satisfy users who would not have the patience to wait for the regrowth of their nails to change their pattern. cutting.

Claims (7)

  1.- Ergonomic nail clipper comprising two oblong blades (2a, 2b) fixed to one another at one of their ends and lever means (4, 5)) arranged at the other of their ends for bringing cutting edges elastically into contact, characterized in that the cutting means (6a, 6b) are arranged at the end of a main side   (8a, 8b) of the blades, facing the lever means (5).   2. A nail clipper according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting means are jaws (6a, 6b) machined or   preformed in an ornamental pattern.   3.- Ergonomic nail clipper, according to one of   claims 1 or 2, comprising two oblong blades (2a, 2b)   fixed to each other at one of their ends (3) and lever means (4,5) arranged at the other of their ends to bring elastically into contact cutting cutting means (6a, 6b ), characterized in that the cutting means are jaws comprising a groove (12) of curved shape in which cutting ribbons (10) having cutting edges (10a) with varied pattern, machined or preformed, are inserted interchangeably.   4. A nail clipper according to claim 3, characterized in that each of the cutting tapes (10) has on an adjacent side   at the cutting edge a grip puller (11). 2781131   5. Nail clipper according to claim 3, characterized in that the groove is coated with a thin layer of a material capable of reducing friction in order to facilitate the introduction and removing the ribbons.   6. Nail clipper according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that it is coated at least in part   a layer of non-slip material.   7.- Application of the ergonomic nail clipper according to one   any of claims 2 to 5 to the pre-cutting of nails   artificial according to ornamental patterns.