SEALABLE AND DISPOSABLE NAIL CLIPPING CONTAINER

Abstract

A sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings so that the clipping can be carried out with a conventional nail clipper in a safe and sanitary fashion includes an enclosure, a hand aperture formed in a first side of the enclosure, and a tool aperture formed in a second side of the enclosure opposite the first side. The hand aperture is adapted to receive a hand and includes an elastic wrist band adapted to securely fit around a wrist of a received hand. The tool aperture is adapted to receive a nail tool. The tool aperture may include a finished edge, such as a finished hemmed edge or a finished rimmed edge. The enclosure is made of a thin, flexible, plastic film. An attachment (e.g., hook and loop fastener or adhesive) is provided on the exterior of the enclosure to secure the device in a closed (i.e., folded, rolled or crumpled) position for disposal.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation in part and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. nonprovisional application Ser. No. 11/636,552, filed Dec. 11, 2006, and U.S. design application Ser. No. 29/269,827, filed Jan. 29, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to containment and disposal of nail clippings, and, more particularly, to a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings so that the clipping can be carried out with a conventional nail clipper in a safe and sanitary fashion.

BACKGROUND

Nails require periodic maintenance including cleaning and cutting. Nails are cleaned and trimmed with instruments such as nail files, nail clippers and scissors. Nail clippings is an unavoidable by-product of the cutting process. Anyone who has trimmed nails in the past will know that nails have a unique propensity to fly away in numerous directions from the toe or finger undergoing the cutting because of the hard composition of the nail and the action of the cutting implement. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to cut nails without creating nail clippings in the surrounding areas.

Nail clippings are problematic in that it is difficult to detect because of the small size of the nails. Concomitantly, locating and collecting cut nails is difficult, especially if the nails have fallen onto a floor. Furthermore, nail clippings is troublesome source of germs which collect at the tip and beneath nails.

Accordingly, there is a need for a container for holding fingernail and toenail clippings, prevents scattering of nail clippings during the nail cutting process, is compatible with all finger and toe sizes, is compatible with all conventional nail clippers, may be easily sealed and discarded, and is inexpensive to manufacture. The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve one or more of the problems set forth above, in an exemplary implementation of the invention, a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings so that the clipping can be carried out with a conventional nail clipper in a safe and sanitary fashion is provided. An exemplary sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings includes an enclosure, a hand aperture formed in a first side of the enclosure, and a tool aperture formed in a second side of the enclosure opposite the first side. The hand aperture is adapted to receive a hand and includes an elastic wrist band adapted to securely fit around a wrist of a received hand. The tool aperture is adapted to receive a nail tool. The tool aperture may include a finished edge, such as a finished hemmed edge or a finished rimmed edge.

The enclosure is preferably transparent and flexible. The enclosure is a thin, flexible, plastic film, such as a film comprising a material from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, plasticized polyvinylchloride, and cellophane.

At least one attachment (e.g., hook and loop fastener or adhesive) is provided on the exterior of the enclosure to secure the device in a closed (i.e., folded, rolled or crumpled) position for disposal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings according to principles of the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a bottom plan view of a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings according to principles of the invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings with a nail clipper and inserted hand according to principles of the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a side plan view of a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings with a nail clipper and inserted hand according to principles of the invention.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the figures are not intended to be drawn to any particular scale; nor are the figures intended to illustrate every embodiment of the invention. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments depicted in the figures or the types, shapes, relative sizes, ornamental aspects or proportions shown in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the Figures, in which like parts are indicated with the same reference numerals, various views of a sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings according to principles of the invention are shown. Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, top and bottom plan views of an exemplary sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings according to principles of the invention are shown, designated generally as 100. The device comprises a bag-like enclosure 105 with a hand aperture 115 adapted to receive a hand and a tool aperture 110 adapted to receive a nail clipper. In a preferred embodiment, the hand aperture includes an elastic wrist band 120 to ensure a secure fit around the wrist of a received hand. Also in a preferred embodiment, the tool aperture 110 includes a finished edge 125 such as with a rim or hem, to provide structural reinforcement and resist tearing upon insertion of a clipper.

The exemplary bag-like enclosure 105 is an envelope comprising substantially rectangular flat bottom panel attached along edges to a substantially rectangular flat top panel. The flat panels are preferably transparent, or substantially so, and relatively flexible. Transparency facilitates viewing the nail clipping operation. Flexibility facilitates manipulation of the clipper and hand. By way of example and not limitation, the envelope may be made of thin, flexible, plastic film of plastic or polymeric material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, coexstrusions of multiple layers to improve physical properties and optimize material usage, laminations for better mechanical or barrier properties as nylon and LDPE, woven plastic fibers such as oriented polypropylene, plasticized PVC, Tyvek® and/or cellophane.

The hand aperture 115 is formed along one side of the bag-like enclosure 105. It is sized to receive an entire hand 305, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The device may also be adapted for pedicures, and sized to receive all or part of a foot. Advantageously, the hand (or foot) need not be withdrawn until the entire clipping operation is completed. The elastic wrist band 120 ensures a secure yet comfortable fit around the wrist (or foot or ankle) of a received hand (or foot). Concomitantly, the elastic wrist band prevents nail clippings from escaping through the hand aperture 115.

At the side of the exemplary bag-like enclosure 105 opposite the hand aperture 115, the tool aperture 110 opens into the enclosure to allow insertion of all or part of a nail clipper 300, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Preferably, the tool aperture 110 includes a finished edge 125 such as with a rim or hem, to provide structural reinforcement and resist tearing upon insertion of a clipper.

The invention is not limited to use with any particular type of nail clipper. A nail clipper 300 constructed in conventional fashion with a pair of opposed trimming jaws and a fulcrum arm, may be used. A nail file or scissors may also be used. Any manicure and/or pedicure tool sized to be received through the tool aperture 110 may be utilized and suitable for use within the confinements of the enclosure 105 may be used.

In use, preferably a hand 305 or foot is inserted through the hand aperture 115 into the sealable disposable containment device 100. Then a manicure or pedicure tool such as a nail clipper 300 is inserted through the tool aperture 110 into the sealable disposable containment device 100. The inserted hand 305 may conveniently grip and manipulate the inserted tool 300. Then nails on the inserted hand 305 may then be trimmed within the sealable disposable containment device 100, which will catch all of the nail clippings. After trimming of the nails is completed, the hand 305 and tool 300 may be removed. The sealable disposable containment device 100 can then be easily sealed and carried to a place where the nail clippings can be disposed of.

Sealing is accomplished by rolling or folding the sealable disposable containment device so that the ends are not exposed or are not substantially exposed. This is referred to as a closed position. Then attachments 130, 135 are applied to prevent unrolling or unfolding. The attachments may include a plurality of corresponding hook and loop (e.g., Velcro®) fasteners, adhesive sections, or other suitable fastening means.

While an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum relationships for the components and steps of the invention, including variations in order, form, content, function and manner of operation, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. The above description and drawings are illustrative of modifications that can be made without departing from the present invention, the scope of which is to be limited only by the following claims. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings comprising an enclosure, a hand aperture formed in a first side of the enclosure, and a tool aperture formed in a second side of the enclosure opposite the first side.

2. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the hand aperture is adapted to receive a hand.

3. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the tool aperture is adapted to receive a nail tool.

4. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the hand aperture includes an elastic wrist band adapted to securely fit around a wrist of a received hand.

5. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the tool aperture includes a finished edge.

6. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the tool aperture includes a finished hemmed edge.

7. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the tool aperture includes a finished rimmed edge.

8. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure is transparent and flexible.

9. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment adapted to secure the device in a closed position for disposal.

10. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment adapted to secure the device in a closed position for disposal, said attachment comprising a hook and loop fastener.

11. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment adapted to secure the device in a closed position for disposal, said attachment comprising an adhesive fastener.

12. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, said enclosure comprising a thin, flexible, plastic film.

13. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 1, said enclosure comprising a thin, flexible, plastic film comprising a material from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, plasticized polyvinylchloride, and cellophane.

14. A sealable disposable containment device for catching and disposing of nail clippings comprising an enclosure, a hand aperture formed in a first side of the enclosure, and a tool aperture formed in a second side of the enclosure opposite the first side, wherein the hand aperture is adapted to receive a hand, the tool aperture is adapted to receive a nail tool and the hand aperture includes an elastic wrist band adapted to securely fit around a wrist of a received hand.

15. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 14, wherein the enclosure is transparent and flexible.

16. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 14, further comprising at least one attachment adapted to secure the device in a closed position for disposal.

17. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 14, further comprising at least one attachment adapted to secure the device in a closed position for disposal, said attachment comprising a hook and loop fastener.

18. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 14, further comprising at least one attachment adapted to secure the device in a closed position for disposal, said attachment comprising an adhesive fastener.

19. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 14, said enclosure comprising a thin, flexible, plastic film.

20. A sealable disposable containment device according to claim 14, said enclosure comprising a thin, flexible, plastic film comprising a material from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, plasticized polyvinylchloride, and cellophane.