GB2169800A - Combination tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A combination tool, in particular for manicure, includes both a manicure tool and tweezers. Designed so that it may be used with one hand only, at its end the shank (2) of the manicure tool (1) includes tweezers (3) which are disposed so that they can be slid in and out of a housing (4) in alternation with the manicure tool (1), the tweezers (3) being connected detachably to an elastic locking lever (8) which is disposed so as to be displaceable inside the housing (4) and has a connecting element (6) which is guided in a slot (7) provided in the housing (4) and is integrated with a button (5) located outside the housing (4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combination tool The invention concerns a combination tool, and relates in particular to such a tool which includes both a manicure tool and tweezers.

A combination tool is known from US Patent Specification 3.972.117 which takes the form of a cutting device and exhibits a similar tool at either end of a shank. However, the tools cannot be slid into a housing, nor can they be changed.

US Patent Specification 2.710.448 discloses a quasi-combination tool which can be slid in and out, but in which the pin and the knife are disposed on the same side and also cooperate there.

To perform manicure operations, it is necessary to put the manicure tool down and use tweezers to remove remnants of skin or the like. When performing these operations on ones own hands in particular, one only has one working hand free. In order to improve and to facilitate the operations to be performed with one hand, it is therefore advantageous to propose a tool of a kind with the aid of which both operations can be performed in succession without having to put the tool down and pick up another tool.

The underlying object of the innovation is to overcome this drawback and propose a combination tool with the aid of which it is possible to perform both operations in succession without having to put the tool down.

This objective is achieved in that at its end the shank of the manicure tool exhibits tweezers which are disposed so that they can be slid in and out of a housing in alternation with the manicure tool, the tweezers being detachably connected to an elastic locking lever which is disposed so that it can move inside the housing and has a connecting element which is guided in a slot provided in the housing and is integrated with a button located outside the housing.

Connecting the two tools in a housing means firstly that these are accommodated safely so as to preclude injuries, and secondly it is no longer necessary to put the tool down and pick up a second one when changing operations.

In a further development of the invention, the connecting element inside the housing exhibits a hole to accommodate and hold the manicure tool.

In accordance with the invention, the inside of the housing cover exhibits bosses which cooperate with corresponding bosses on the locking lever. Thus, when the tools are slid in and out, they can be locked in a set position in relation to the housing and can easily be moved to a different position or slid in and out by operating the button.

The manicure tool advantageously consists of a nail file, a cuticle removing tool or a knife blade.

Thus, the combination tool in accordance with the invention solves a specific problem. It makes it possible to use two tools in one hand and perform two operations to be carried out one directly after the other without the need to use the other hand, while the tool not required at that particular moment is necessarily accommodated in a protective housing.

The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to an embodiment example illustrated in the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the housing; Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through the cover of the housing; Figure 3a shows a cross section through the cover of the housing; Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the lower part of the housing; Figure 5 shows a view of the housing from below and Figure 5a shows a cross section of the housing from below.

The drawings reproduce the invention to a scale of 1:1. Fig. 1 shows the combination tool 1 for manicure in longitudinal section.

Here, at its end the shank 2 of the manicure tool 1, which takes the form of a nail file, exhibits tweezers 3 which are disposed so that they can be slid in and out of the housing 4 in alternation with the manicure tool 1. The tweezers 3 are connected detachably to an elastic locking lever 8 which is disposed so that it can move inside the housing 4 and has a connecting element 6 which is guided in a slot 7 provided in the housing 4 (see Fig. 2 as well) and is integrated with a button 5 located outside the housing 4.

The connecting element 6 inside the housing 4 is integrally connected to the connecting part 16 and is provided with a hole 9 to accommodate and hold the manicure tool 1.

The inside of the housing cover 10 exhibits bosses 11 which cooperate with corresponding bosses on the locking lever 8.

The nail file 1 is provided with knurling 1 5 on its broad transverse face and has a smooth surface on its narrow side 12. The opposite narrow side 14 can also be smooth or knurled. The nail file terminates in a point 13 at its forward end.

The retraction and extension procedure is shown by the broken line in Fig. 1 so that the different positions of the tools 1 and 3 in relation to the housing 4 are clearly visible.

The connecting part 16, together with the connecting element 6, the locking lever 8 and the button 5, is preferably made of plastic with an adequate degree of elasticity.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the housing 4 with the slot 7 in which the connecting ele ment 6 with its external button 5 and the internal locking lever 8 is guided.

Figs. 3 and 3a show the bosses 11 located on the underside of the housing cover. Corresponding bosses are located on the outer face of the locking lever 8 so that the bosses cooperate and allow definite positioning of the tools.

Figs. 4, 5 and 5a show further views of the housing parts.

The combination tool in accordance with the invention is easy to handle and makes it possible to perform two operations without the need to put the tool down. The two tools can be slid into and out of the housing with one hand.

This advantageous handling is supplemented by the further advantage that the tools are housed safely.

The tweezers can be made of plastic or of metal. The tweezers can also be removed from their holder easily, in order to change them for others for example. If the tweezers are made of plastic, it is advantageous to integrate these with the connecting part 16 and make them in a single operation for example.

The nail file is advantageously made of metal. The simple knurling on its broad face can be coated in combination with a diamond powder in order to obtain an excellent filing effect.

Claims (5)

1. A combination tool, in particular for manicure, which includes both a manicure tool and tweezers, wherein at its end the shank of the manicure tool includes tweezers which are disposed so that they can be slid in and out of a housing in alternation with the manicure tool, the tweezers being connected detachably to an elastic locking lever which is disposed so as to be displaceable inside the housing and has a connecting element which is guided in a slot provided in the housing and is integrated with a button located outside the housing.

2. A combination tool as in Claim 1, wherein the connecting element inside the housing includes a hole to accommodate and hold the manicure tool.

3. A combination tool as in Claim 1, wherein the inside of the housing cover includes bosses which cooperate with corresponding bosses on the locking lever.

4. A combination tool as in any of the preceding Ciaims, wherein the manicure tool consists of nail file, a cuticle remover or a knife blade.

5. A combination tool as claimed in any of the preceding Claims and substantially as described hereinbefore.