Nail care device
A personal nail care device comprises an elongate housing, a disk having a surface adapted to contact a nail of a user of the device, the disk made to rotate when the device is in an on condition and a catcher having a cavity extending therein for receipt within the cavity of nail dust and/or clippings created during the contact of the nail and the disk during the on condition, the catcher being selectively, removably attached to the housing for emptying the catcher of the dust and/or clippings. The catcher is removable from the housing using any known construction, including but not limited to rails and channel guides and/or protrusions and openings. The device also has a hood to substantially cover the top and sides of the disk to help prevent spraying of the dust and/or clippings during use of the device. The hood may consist of just a top and/or a top and sides and may be pivotally openable and/or fully removable from the housing.
This application claims priority to Ser. No. 29/227,462 and Ser. No. 29/227,463, both filed Apr. 12, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a personal nail care device and, preferably, to a cordless, battery-operated personal nail care device for sanding or filing a person's nail, and forming or contouring it to a desired length and/or shape.
Nail clippers or metal files have been generally used to clip or trim a person's nails. Such manual devices, however, require an additional effort and time that are sorely lacking in today's hectic and busy schedule of many people. Furthermore, these devices can cut one's skin and possibly cause infection if used in a rush carelessly. Still further, the nail clippers or metal files can be confiscated at airports if inadvertently taken onto a plane in a pocketbook or travel case.
Alternatively and in response to the above need, there are several AC or battery-powered manicure systems or manicure/pedicure sets currently available on the market. These models include, in general, a filing or sanding element for filing person's nails and a motor for providing power to the filing element. These so-called motorized devices provide quality that almost matches that of a professional salon.
When filing or shaping one's nails with such motorized devices, nail cuttings or dust debris result from such activity. It is particularly unseemly if a person uses the device in public, and the nail dust remains uncollected and simply falls on the ground, clothes, etc.
A need arises for a cordless battery-operated nail care device that addresses the above issues, the device comprising, among other things, a dust and clippings catcher for collecting nail dust and clippings resulting from filing, sanding, contouring or shaping one's nails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe above need is met by a personal nail care device of the subject application. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a personal nail care device comprises an elongate housing, a disk having a surface adapted to contact a nail of a user of the device, the disk made to rotate when the device is in an on condition and a catcher having a cavity extending therein for receipt within the cavity of nail dust and/or clippings created during the contact of the nail and the disk during the on condition, the catcher being selectively, removably attached to the housing for emptying the catcher of the dust and/or clippings. The catcher is removable from the housing using any known construction, including but not limited to rails and channel guides and/or protrusions and openings and/or Velcro or other known manners of connecting such structures together. The device also has a hood to substantially cover the top and sides of the disk to help prevent spraying of the dust and/or clippings during use of the device. The hood may consist of just a top and/or a top and sides and may be pivotally openable and/or fully removable from the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention is illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting, and in which like reference characters are intended to refer to like or corresponding parts:
Referring to
With further reference to
Continuing with
Further shown in
The figures also show a dust and clippings catcher 24. As illustrated in more detail in
Catcher 24 is removably attached to housing 12 of device 10 by, for example, sliding rails 27 (
Additionally illustrated in
In operation, the appropriate disk is selected by a user for the desired operation. The user then attaches disk 14 onto shaft 42 and activates the device by turning on switch 26. Switch 26 completes the electric circuit from power source 28 to motor 30, thereby starting the motor which, in turn, causes drive shaft 36 to rotate, further causing gear 38 to cause gear 40 to rotate, thereby causing disk 14 to spin. The user brings a nail into contact with the rotating disk for filing, sanding or buffing his/her nail. Device 10 may be easily maneuvered to be oriented in various positions and at various angles with respect to the nail to achieve a nearly professional performance.
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the constructions, principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A personal nail care device, comprising:
- an elongate housing;
- a disk having a surface adapted to contact a nail of a user of said device, said disk made to rotate when said device is in an on condition; and
- a catcher having a cavity extending therein for receipt within said cavity of nail dust and/or clippings created during said contact of said nail and said disk during said on condition, said catcher being selectively, removably attached to said housing for emptying said catcher of said dust and/or clippings.
2. The device according to claim 1, said catcher further having rails extending from a bottom surface thereof for sliding receipt within channel guides extending along a top surface of said housing to allow said catcher to be selectively, removably attached to said housing.
3. The device according to claim 1, said catcher further having protrusions extending from a bottom surface thereof for receipt within openings extending into a top surface of said housing to allow said catcher to be selectively, removably attached to said housing.
4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a hood selectively, removably attached to said housing for preventing said nail dust and/or clippings from spaying out from said device during its operation, said hood located in such a way as to substantially cover a top and sides of said disk.
5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a hood selectively, removably attached to said housing for preventing said nail dust and/or clippings from spaying out from said device during its operation, said hood located in such a way as to substantially cover a top of said disk.
6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a hood pivotally attached to said housing for preventing said nail dust and/or clippings from spaying out from said device during its operation, said hood located in such a way as to substantially cover a top and sides of said disk.
7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a hood pivotally attached to said housing for preventing said nail dust and/or clippings from spaying out from said device during its operation, said hood located in such a way as to substantially cover a top of said disk.
8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide and/or support positioned proximate and below said disk for receipt of a front portion of said guide and/or support between said nail and a tip of said user's finger and/or toe.
9. The device according to claim 8, said guide and/or support comprising a rubber edge along said front portion for protecting the skin of said user's finger and/or toe.
10. The device according to claim 8, said front portion of said guide and/or support being concave in shape to conform to a shape of said tip of said user's finger and/or toe.
11. The device according to claim 8, said guide and/or support is set to project from said housing at an adjustable distance by sliding it into a number of different positions along a length of said device.
12. The device according to claim 1, said housing containing a motor having a first shaft coupled to a first gear, said motor connected to a power source for supplying power to said motor and said disk being removably attached to a second shaft that is coupled to a second gear cooperating with said first gear to enable said disk to rotate when the power is supplied to said motor.
13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said power source comprises at least one rechargeable battery.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 8, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2007
Inventor: Gregory Kriser (Upper Saddle River, NJ)
Application Number: 11/199,343
International Classification: A45D 29/18 (20060101);