Nail clipper with catching side walls

Abstract

A nail clipping device for preventing the nail clippings from jumping away from the clipper and being scattered around the nail clipping site. This device includes vertical catching side walls that are extended from both sides of upper and lower elongate parts of the clipper. The height of each catching side wall is just a little bit shorter than a half of the distance between the upper and lower elongate parts of the clipper when it is closed for cutting. When the clipper is not used the upper and lower catching side walls are apart from each other. However, when it is closed for nail clipping, the catching side walls approximate each other leaving just a small gap between them to form a side barrier to trap the nail clippings within. After clipping nails, by opening the clipper and holding it vertically the clippings can be disposed to desired place. The best point is that this invention does not have complicated structure, and does require minimal or almost no additional cost to manufacture comparing the most common type of nail clipper in current market. And it looks almost identical to the common type of nail clippers except shallow vertical side walls on upper and lower elongate parts that helps people to use this clipper without any hesitation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device for preventing nail clippings from jumping away and being scattered around during clipping nails.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently most common method to clip nails is by means of nail clipper that comprises two substantially similar, spring like elongate parts, each having a first end forming a transverse cutting edge. And the second ends of the elongate parts are affixed together such that the cutting edges at the first ends are normally spaced apart but can be pressed into cutting engagement against the natural spring bias of the elongate parts. This type of nail clippers has been used for many years because it is easy to use, no maintenance is needed, and it can be manufactured at low cost. The biggest inconvenience of this type of nail clipper is that the clipped part of the nail usually jumps from the clipper and scatter around that bothers the nail clipping person and often others too.

Existing efforts to solve this problem are mostly adding a nail clipping retainer that can catches and stores the nail clippings for future discard. Weidlich in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,880 describes a nail clipping retaining device that comprises a unshaped elongate channel that is removably fastened to a nail clipper. In Moncayo's invention in U.S. Pat. D506,289 the nail clipper has solid side walls and a retainer underneath the clipper. Other U.S. patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,545 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,090 also provide basically same idea that gives retainer that stores the clippings for future discard. Adding a retainer only gives the nail clipper more complicated structure that looks strange, hard to keep clean, and it costs more.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the invention is to prevent the nail clippings from jumping away from the clipper and being scattered around the nail clipping site. The purpose of this invention is to block the nail clippings from jumping out of nail clipper so that the clipper user can collect them easily and discard without mess, and it is not intended to store nail clippings inside the clipper for a period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a nail clipping device for preventing the nail clippings from jumping away from the clipper and being scattered around the nail clipping site. This device mainly consists of upper elongate part, lower elongate part and lever arm, similar to the most common type of nail clipper in present. Currently the most common type of nail clipper has openings on both sides between upper elongate part and lower elongate part from where the nail clippings jumps out and scatters. This invention includes vertical side walls that are extended from each side edges of upper and lower elongate parts of the clipper. The height of each side wall is just a little bit shorter than a half of the distance between the upper elongate part and the lower elongate part of the clipper when the lever arm is pressed down for cutting. When the lever arm is released the upper and lower side walls are apart from each other as the upper and lower elongate parts are separated. However, when the lever arm is pressed down for cutting nail, the upper and the lower side walls approximate each other to form a tight side wall on both sides and trap the nail clippings within them. After clipping a nail, by opening the clipper and holding it vertically over a desired place the nail clippings can be collected cleanly for discard. The best point of the invention is that this device does not have complicated structure, and does require minimal or almost no additional cost to manufacture comparing the most common type of nail clipper in current market. And it looks almost identical except shallow vertical side walls extended from the upper and lower elongate parts that helps people to use this clipper without any hesitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates general view of the nail clipper with catching side walls.

FIG. 2 illustrates the upper elongate part. (a) side view, (b) bottom view

FIG. 3 illustrates the lower elongate part. (a) side view, (b) top view

FIG. 4 illustrates the front and the side view of the nail clipper with catching side walls.

• • Lever arm is released.

FIG. 5 illustrates the front and the side view of the nail clipper with catching side walls.

• • Lever arm is pressed down for clipping nails.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the tip of a fingernail is inserted to the nail clipper for cutting.

FIG. 7 illustrates the tip of a fingernail that is clipped and trapped in the clipper.

FIG. 8 illustrates the clipper is opened and held vertically to release the trapped nail clipping.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For a better understanding of the invention, we turn now to the drawings.

FIG. 1 offers a visual understanding of how this invention would look like. This nail clipper with catching side walls is mainly consisted of upper elongate part 1, lower elongate part 2, and lever arm 3. Each of upper elongate part 1 and lower elongate part 2 has two of vertical catching side walls 4, one on each side.

FIG. 2 shows the upper elongate part 1 that has two vertical side walls 4. The vertical side walls are made out of same material as the upper elongate part and it is more like downward extension from the side edges. The height of the vertical side wall 4 is just a little bit shorter than a half of the distance between the upper elongate part 1 and the lower elongate part 2 when the clipper is closed and the upper and lower cutting edges 8 touch each other.

FIG. 3 shows the lower elongate part that is identical to the upper elongate part. It is just up-side-down shape of the upper elongate part.

FIG. 4 shows how it looks like when the lever arm 3 is released and the clipper is opened. When the clipper is opened, there is relatively wide opening 9 exists between the upper and lower vertical side walls 4. This opening 9 helps the nail clipper user to cut nails more comfortably as the user can see through the side opening 9 the nail portion which is to be clipped.

FIG. 5 shows how it looks like when the lever arm 3 is pressed down and the upper and lower cutting edges 8 touch each other. It is very important that there is still a small gap exists between the upper and lower vertical side walls 4 when the lever arm 3 is completely pressed down because it enables the cutting edges 8 push hard against each other to clip the nail. The catching side walls do not extend all the way to the cutting edge 8, leaving a small opening 10. The opening 10 between the cutting edges 8 and the catching side walls 4 helps to clip a nail that is wider than the width of the cutting edge.

FIG. 6 shows the tip of the nail 6 of a finger 5 is inserted to the clipper and ready to be clipped.

FIG. 7 shows that the lever arm 3 is pressed down, the tip of the nail 6 is clipped, and the clipped part 7 of the nail is trapped inside of the nail clipper between the vertical catching side walls 4. Again, there is still a gap between the upper and lower side walls when the lever arm is firmly pressed down. However, because this gap is very narrow, the nail clipping will not pass through the gap.

FIG. 8 shows how the nail clippings are disposed. The clipper is held vertically so that the cutting edges face downward. Then the lever arm is released to open the clipper, and the nail clipping 7 that had been trapped inside the clipper is now dropped onto a desired area such as on a piece of paper or into a trashcan.

Claims

1. A nail clipper with catching side walls for clipping finger and toe nails which consists of (a) upper and lower elongate parts which are two substantially identical, flat spring like parts, each including a first end having a transverse cutting edge, and a second end that is the opposite end, the second ends of the elongate parts being affixed together such that the transverse cutting edges at the first ends are normally spaced apart but can be pressed into cutting engagement with each other against a natural spring bias of the elongate parts, said elongate parts each having a hole located near said first end, the holes of said two elongate parts being in alignment, said elongate parts each having two vertical catching side walls, one on each side; (b) a pin arranged to pass through the holes in said elongate parts, said pin having a head at one end which is larger than the said hole of said elongate part and having a notch at the opposite end; (c) a lever arm pivotally attached to said notch of said pin.

2. A nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein said vertical catching side walls are vertical extensions of said upper and lower elongate parts that extend from each side edges of said elongate parts toward the opposite elongate part.

3. A nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein the upper and lower vertical catching side walls approximate each other forming a barrier that blocks the nail clippings from jumping out the clipper when the said lever arm is pressed down and a part of nail is clipped.

4. A nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein the height of each said vertical catching side wall is just a little bit shorter than a half of the distance between said upper elongate part and lower elongate part when said lever arm is pressed down firmly and the said transverse cutting edges touch each other that allows a small gap exists between said upper and lower vertical catching side walls when the said transverse cutting edges touch each other.

5. A nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein the gap between said upper and lower vertical catching side walls becomes relatively big when the said lever arm is released and the said cutting edges are separated.

6. A nail clipper according to claim 1 wherein there is a small gap between said transverse cutting edge and said vertical catching side wall that helps to clip a nail that is wider than the width of the cutting edge.