Nail clipper
A nail clipper is provided in which the bottom has a projection bumper for positioning fingers of the user, and/or the cutting surfaces are colored as to be distinct from the nail to be clipped, and/or the upper surface of the clipper is configured so as to form saddle over the lower surface.
One type of a conventional nail clipper is shown in
The conventional nail clipper is assembled together as shown in
An alternate conventional arrangement showed in
The present invention is designed to provide improvements in such conventional nail clippers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides an improved nail clipper which is more convenient to use than conventional nail clippers. In a first embodiment, the bottom surface of the bottom body is provided with a bumper terminating at a point intermediate the proximal and distal ends. The bumper provides for easier finger placement and increased stability when cutting, particularly with respect to individuals who made be elderly or infirmed. In the second embodiment, the cutting areas of the clipper are provided with a contrast color which makes it easier to visualize the nail area being cut. In a third embodiment, the upper member has a generally U-shape which envelops the bottom member and provides increased cutting leverage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The nail clipper of the present invention, as shown in
Aligned openings 115, 116 are provided in the top and bottom members 101, 102 adjacent their distal ends. A post 117 extends through openings 115, 116 and terminates above the top surface 103 of the top member 101. The other end of post 117 can terminate in an enlarged head (not shown) which seats against the bottom surface 106 of bottom member 102. The post 117 and enlarged head may either be fixed to the bottom member or be free standing. The nail clipper is provided with a lever 118 which is coupled to post 117 at the portion above the top surface of the top member 101. Lever 118 can be coupled to post 117 so as to be pivotally engaged as shown in
In this embodiment of the invention, a bumper 119 is provided on the bottom surface 106 of the bottom member 102. The bumper 119 can be a solid or hollow mass extending downwardly from the bottom surface 106. It can be hard or pliable. An end of bumper 119 is positioned at a point that is part way between the proximal and distal ends bottom member 102. In the embodiment shown in
In a second embodiment shown in
In a third embodiment, the distal ends 111, 112 of top and bottom elongated members 101, 102, preferably including the cutting edges 113, 114, are provided with a color designed to contrast with the nail which is to be cut. See,
The cutting edges 113, 114 in the embodiment shown in
Various changes and modifications can be made in the nail clipper of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For instance, the various embodiments disclosed can be combined as desired. Thus, the various embodiments described herein were intended to be illustrative only and were not intended to limit the invention.
Claims
1. A nail clipper comprising
- top and bottom elongated members, each of which has a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces, and distal and proximal ends;
- the distal ends of the top and bottom elongated members being interconnected;
- each of the proximal ends of the top and bottom members having a cutting edge disposed in opposing nail clipping relationship;
- a post extending from the top surface of the bottom elongated member adjacent the proximal end thereof through an opening in the top member adjacent the proximal end thereof to a point above the top surface of the top elongated member;
- a lever coupled to the post above the top surface of the top member, the lever adapted to cause movement of the cutting edges between a cutting position and non-cutting position; and
- a bumper disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom member, the bumper having an edge disposed distant from the second end of the bottom member.
2. A nail clipper according to claim 1, wherein the post extends through the bottom member and the bumper covers the portion of the post extending through the bottom member.
3. A nail clipper according to claim 2, wherein said edge of the bumper is disposed distant from the second end of the bottom member about ¼ or less of the distance from the proximal end to the distal end of the bottom member.
4. A nail clipper according to claim 1, wherein said edge of the bumper is disposed distant from the proximal end of the bottom member about ¼ or less of the distance from the proximal end to the distal end of the bottom member.
5. A nail clipper according to claim 1, wherein the bumper extends from about the proximal end to said edge and has a generally triangular shape whose apex is distant from the bottom elongated member.
6. A nail clipper according to claim 5, wherein said lever includes a thumb accepting depression.
7. A nail clipper according to claim 6, wherein the cutting edges are offset from a central longitudinal axis of the top and bottom elongated members.
8. A nail clipper according to claim 1, wherein the cutting edges are offset from a central longitudinal axis of the top and bottom elongated members.
9. A nail clipper according to claim 1, wherein the proximal ends of the top and the bottom elongated members have a color which contrasts the nail to be clipped.
10. A nail clipper according to claim 9, wherein a portion of each member of the pair of sides of the top elongated member adjacent the distal end thereof extend below the bottom surface of the top member so as to form a generally U-shape with the bottom surface, and wherein the distance between the pair of side surfaces of the top member is greater than the distance between the pair of side surfaces of the bottom member.
11. A nail clipper comprising
- top and bottom elongated members, each of which has a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces, and distal and proximal second ends;
- the distal ends of the top and bottom elongated members being interconnected;
- each of the proximal ends of the top and bottom members having a cutting edge disposed in opposing clipping relationship;
- a post extending from the top surface of the bottom elongated member adjacent the proximal end thereof through an opening in the top member adjacent the proximal end thereof to a point above the top surface of the top elongated member;
- a lever coupled to the post above the top surface of the top member, the lever adapted to cause movement of the cutting edges between a cutting position and non-cutting position,
- wherein the second end of the top and bottom elongated members have a color which contrasts the nail to be clipped.
12. A nail clipper according to claim 9, wherein a portion of each member of the pair of sides of the top elongated member adjacent the distal end thereof extend below the bottom surface of the top member so as to form a generally U-shape with the bottom surface, and wherein the distance between the pair of side surfaces of the top member is greater than the distance between the pair of side surfaces of the bottom member.
13. A nail clipper according to claim 11, wherein the cutting edges are offset from a central longitudinal axis of the top and bottom elongated members.
14. A nail clipper comprising
- top and bottom elongated members, each of which has a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces, and distal and proximal ends;
- the distal ends of the top and bottom elongated members being interconnected;
- each of the proximal ends of the top and bottom members having a cutting edge disposed in opposing clipping relationship;
- a post extending from the top surface of the bottom elongated member adjacent the proximal end thereof through an opening in the top member adjacent the proximal end thereof to a point above the top surface of the top elongated member;
- a lever coupled to the post above the top surface of the top member, the lever adapted to cause movement of the cutting edges between a cutting position and non-cutting position,
- wherein a portion of each member of the pair of sides of the top elongated member adjacent the distal end thereof extend below the bottom surface of the top member so as to form a generally U-shape with the bottom surface, and wherein the distance between the pair of side surfaces of the top member is greater than the distance between the pair of side surfaces of the bottom member
15. A nail clipper according to claim 14, wherein the cutting edges are offset from a central longitudinal axis of the top and bottom elongated members.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 28, 2004
Publication Date: Jul 28, 2005
Inventors: Anthony Di Bitonto (Brooklyn, NY), Sally Rumble (New York, NY), Mark Muenchinger (Brooklyn, NY), Dan Formosa (Montvale, NJ)
Application Number: 10/765,391