WO1997029893A1

WO1997029893A1 - Nail clipper

Info

Publication number: WO1997029893A1
Application number: PCT/AU1997/000079
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Francesco Mamprin
Original assignee: Antonio Francesco Mamprin
Priority date: 1996-02-14
Filing date: 1997-02-14
Publication date: 1997-08-21
Also published as: AU672567B1

Abstract

A pincer type cutting device (10) comprising two opposed jaws (22 and 24) having a cutting edge (26, 28) formed or mounted on the jaws (22, 24) with a mechanism (30) to drive the two jaws together. The device (10) has a catcher or receptacle (50) formed of walls (52, 54, 56) which extend behind the cutting edges (26, 28) between the jaws (22, 24) so as to catch pieces cut by the device (10).

Description

Nail Clipper

This invention relates to cutting implements and more particularly to pincer type cutting implements. Whilst not limited to any particular device, the invention has particular use in nail clippers. Humans generally cut their finger and toe nails with two types of cutting devices - scissors or clippers. Nail clippers have two opposed cutting jaws which are brought together by a suitable mechanism, so as to cut off a nail placed between the two jaws. Unlike scissors, which slowly shear the nail at a single point, nail clippers rapidly shear the nail along all of the jaw line. This shearing action tends to be sudden, rapid and frequently imparts great energy to the detached nail piece. The cut nail piece frequently flies away from the nail and clipper, sometimes to be lost or merely to be an annoyance in requiring cleaning up. Accordingly, a nail clipper which prevents substantially all cut nail pieces from randomly flying about once cut will have advantages, both hygienically and for ease of use.

In an attempt to overcome some of the disadvantages as discussed above, the invention, in one broad form, provides a pincer type cutting device, comprising: two opposed jaws, each having a front end and two side edges extending from the front end; a cutting edge formed or mounted on the front end of each jaw; means to move the cutting edges toward each other; at least one of the jaws having walls extending toward the other jaw whereby, when the cutting edges are in contact, the walls and jaws define a substantially closed enclosure.

Preferably, the walls include side walls extending generally parallel to the side of the jaws.

Preferably, there is at least one transverse wall extending between the side walls.

The walls may extend from one or both of the jaws, preferably only one. Where the walls extend from both jaws, they may butt up to each other or overlap. Similarly, where they extend from only one jaw, they may butt up against the opposing jaw or overlap it.

When the jaws are joined together, either at a pivot point or by a weld, the side walls may extend from adjacent the cutting edges to adjacent the pivot point or weld, thus avoiding the need for a transverse wall.

The invention shall be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an embodiment of the invention and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a right side view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the figure 1 embodiment, taken along line AA.

Figure 3 is a front side view of the embodiment as seen in the direction of arrow B.

Referring to the drawings, there is a pincer type nail clipper 10. The nail clipper has two arms 12, 14 which are preferably comprised of spring steel.

The arms are roughly L-shaped, although the angle between the legs is obtuse, rather than 90°. The two arms, 12, 14 are joined at one end, preferably by spot welds 16 in a generally opposing manner with the long legs 18, 20 of each arm generally diverging and the short legs 22, 24 of each arm generally converging. The free ends of the short legs 22, 24 are provided with sharpened edges or jaws 26, 28 for cutting nails.

The jaws 26, 28 are normally separated and a lever mechanism 30 is provided to drive the two jaws together. The lever mechanism 30 compπses a shaft 32 which passes through apertures 34, 36 in the legs 18, 20 and a lever arm 38. The shaft 32 has a head 37 at its lower end, which limits upwards movement of the shaft 32. The lever arm 38 is pivotably mounted on the shaft 32 and is provided with a cam 40. Rotation of the lever arm 38 in direction of arrow C causes cam 40 to bear on leg 18 and drive the leg and hence jaw 26 toward jaw 28. As will be apparent from figure 1 , there is a large space 44 created behind the jaws 26, 28 into which nail clippings pass. The arms 12, 14 do not extend toward each other at their sides and so nail clippings can escape sideways. To prevent this, the lower arm 14 is provided with a small receptacle 50. The receptacle 50 comprises two side walls 52, 54 which extend along the side of the arm 14 from adjacent the jaw 28 rearwards towards the shaft 32 and generally vertically towards the upper arm 12. A rear wall 56 extends between the rearward edges of the walls 52, 54 forward of the shaft 32. If desired the side walls may extend beyond the shaft 32 so the shaft passes through the receptacle.

The upper edge 58 of each wall 52, 54 is generally complimentary to the shape of the upper arm 12 and extends upwards so that when the arms 12, 14 are driven together, there is no gap or a very small gap between the walls 52, 54, 56 and the upper arm 12. Thus when a nail is clipped, any clipping will be trapped between the arms 12, 14 and the receptacle 50 and prevented from flying off in any direction. Clippings caught in the receptacle 50 can then be disposed of easily into a bin or such like.

Whilst the embodiment described herein utilises a separate construction for the receptacle 50, it will be appreciated that by suitable pressing, the arm 12 and receptacle 50 may be formed from a single piece of metal.

As an alternative construction, both arms may have side and transverse walls extending toward each other, to each form a small receptacle. The walls may butt up to each other or may overlap. Similarly, when a single receptacle is utilised, it may be formed so the side walls overlap the other arm.

If desired the transverse wall 56 may be dispensed with and the side walls extended back to spot weld 16.

Whilst the invention is of particular use for nail clippers, it will be appreciated that it has uses in other fields where it is desirable to trap clippings and to prevent them flying off once cut. It will be appreciated that many other modifications and variations may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A pincer type cutting device comprising: two opposed jaws, each having a front end and two side edges extending from the front end; a cutting edge formed or mounted on the front end of each jaw; means to move the cutting edges toward each other; at least one of the jaws having- walls extending toward the other jaw whereby, when the cutting edges are in contact, the walls and jaws define a substantially closed enclosure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein walls extend from only one jaw.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the walls extend generally parallel to the side edges.

4. The device of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the walls comprise side walls extending generally parallel to the side edges and at least one rear wall extending generally transversely between the side walls.

5. The device of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the side walls of one jaw overlap the sides of the other jaw.

6. The device of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the side walls of one jaw butt up to the other jaw.

7. The device of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the walls extend from both jaws.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the walls from the two jaws abut.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the walls of one jaw overlap the walls of the other jaw.

10. A cutting device, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.