ILLUMINATED NAIL TRIMMER UNIT
An illuminated nail trimmer unit includes a handgrip formed to include a top shell and bottom shell, a clipper including a nail clutter and a nail cutter actuator that may be positioned either in a storage position or an operative position, and a light source.
Latest COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC. Patents:
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/036,633, filed Mar. 14, 2008, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDThe present disclosure relates to nail clippers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to nail clippers with lights.
SUMMARYAn illuminated nail trimmer unit in accordance with the present disclosure includes a handgrip, a clipper, an illumination controller, and a light source. The clipper includes a nail cutter and a nail cutter actuator.
In Illustrative embodiments, the clipper actuator may be positioned either in a storage position or an operative position. When the clipper actuator is positioned in the operative position, the illumination controller is operated to turn on the light source. When the actuator is positioned in the storage position, the illumination controller is operated to turn off the light source. Thus, the nail trimmer unit provides an illuminated light source to aid a user when the user operates the clipper with a single hand.
In illustrative embodiments, the illumination controller includes a spring-biased button positioned in the handgrip such that, when the clipper actuator is positioned in the storage position, the button is depressed to maintain the light source off. When the clipper actuator is positioned otherwise, the button is released thereby turning on the light source.
In illustrative embodiments, the handgrip includes a top shell and bottom shell, which both have a rigid frame covered at least partially by a soft skin.
In illustrative embodiments, the illumination controller includes an open biased switch having a movable contact, a stationary contact, and a contact spring section. When the clipper actuator is in a storage position, pressure is applied to the contact spring section, causing the movable contact to be out of contact with the stationary contact and turn off the light source. When the clipper actuator is not in the storage position, the contact spring section causes the movable contact to be in contact with the stationary contact and thereby operates the illumination controller to cause the light source to turn on.
In illustrative embodiments, the illumination controller also includes circuitry that enables the light source to turn off after a period of time, even though the clipper actuator is not in a storage position, to ensure that a battery included in the illuminated nail trimmer unit is not accidentally drained of power by leaving the clipper actuator in an operative position.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
An illuminated nail trimmer unit 10 includes a handgrip 12, a clipper 14 coupled to handgrip 12, a light source 16, and an illumination controller 18 associated with handgrip 12 and light source 16 as suggested somewhat diagrammatically in
Handgrip 12 includes a top shell 26, a bottom shell 28 and side panels 27, 29 (illustrated in
As suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, cutter squeezer 38 includes an upright post 40 and a pivotable actuator 42 as shown in
In use, the clipper actuator 42 is always moved out of a storage position (illustrated in
When the actuator 42 is in the storage position, actuator 42 is positioned to depress a spring biased button 21 protruding from an aperture 20 in the handgrip 12. While the spring biased button 21 is depressed, the illumination controller 18 circuitry (described in detail with reference to
Actuator 42 can be moved downwardly, as suggested in
Light source 16 is turned off automatically once the user places the actuator 42 in the storage position as illustrated in
Light source 16 is coupled to the top shell 26 and/or the bottom shell 28 and arranged to lie near the top and bottom jaws 37, 34 of clipper 14 as suggested in
Illumination controller 18 includes a battery 54, a circuit 56, and an open-biased switch 58 associated with spring biased button 21 as suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, top shell 26 of handgrip 12 includes an interior rigid upper frame 64 and an exterior soft upper skin 65 overmolded or otherwise mounted onto an exterior surface of rigid upper frame 64. A rearward portion 66 of rigid upper frame 64 mates with battery compartment 154 as suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, bottom shell 28 of handgrip 12 includes an interior rigid lower frame 74 and an exterior soft lower skin 75 overmolded or otherwise mounted onto an exterior surface of rigid lower frame 74. A rearward portion 76 of rigid lower frame 74 mates with battery compartment 154 as suggested in
A central aperture 72 is formed in intermediate portion 70 of rigid lower frame 74 of bottom shell 28 of handgrip 12 as shown best in
An exterior surface 82 of soft lower skin portion 75 has a textured grip surface 83 formed to include raised laterally extending ribs 84 as shown, for example, in
As suggested in
Pivot lever 130 can be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction in response to application of pressure 101 to thumb pad 132 to move top plate 36 toward bottom plate 33 to move jaws 37, 34 toward one another to assume the closed nail-trimming position.
A user operates cutter squeezer 38 of clipper 14 as suggested in
With light source 16 on, a user can now see the fingernails of a child. Next, the user positions handgrip 12 so that the child's nail is between upper jaw 37 and lower jaw 34 of nail cutter 31. The user then applies strong thumb pressure 101 in a downward direction onto actuator 42 as shown, for example, in
As suggested in
Battery 54 is sandwiched between rigid lower frame 74 and rigid upper frame 16 and arranged to rest in battery compartment 154 in an interior space formed in rigid lower frame 74 as suggested in
Although the circuit 56 included in the illumination controller 18 may be configured in any number of ways,
The switch 955 is coupled to, actuated by the button 21 illustrated in
In the circuit configuration illustrated in
An additional optional feature is shown best in
Claims
1. An illuminated nail trimmer unit comprising
- a handgrip formed to include a top shell and bottom shell,
- a clipper including a nail clutter and a nail cutter actuator that may be positioned either in a storage position or an operative position,
- a light source, and
- means for controlling illumination by the light source when the nail cutter actuator is positioned in the operative position, and wherein the nail trimmer unit provides an illuminated light source to aid a user when the user operates the clipper with a single hand.
2. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein, when the nail cutter actuator is positioned in the storage position, the means for controlling illumination is operated to turn off the light source.
3. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling illumination includes a spring-biased button positioned in the handgrip such that, when the nail cutter actuator is positioned in the storage position, the button is depressed to maintain the light source off and when the nail cutter actuator is positioned otherwise, the button is released thereby turning on the light source.
4. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein both the top shell and bottom shell of the handgrip both have a rigid frame covered at least partially by a soft skin.
5. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling illumination includes a battery and circuit for activation of the light source.
6. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling illumination includes an open-biased switch having a movable contact, a stationary contact, and a contact spring section.
7. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 6, wherein, when the nail cutter actuator is in the storage position, pressure applied to the contact spring section causes the movable contact to be out of contact with the stationary contact and turn off the light source.
8. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 6, wherein, when the nail cutter actuator is not in the storage position, the contact spring section causes the movable contact to be in contact with the stationary contact, which operates the means for controlling illumination to cause the light source to turn on.
9. The illuminated nail trimmer of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling illumination includes a switch and a spring-biased button provided in an aperture included in the handgrip.
10. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 9, wherein, when the spring-biased button is in a biased position, a switch is operated to energize the light source.
11. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling illumination includes circuitry that enables the light source to turn off after a period of time, even though the nail cutter actuator is not in the storage position.
12. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein the light source includes light bulbs positioned to lie on either side of the clipper.
13. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 12, wherein the light bulbs are Light Emitting Diodes.
14. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 1, wherein nail cutter includes an upper jaw and lower jaw and the light source includes light bulbs positioned to lie in proximity to the upper and lower jaws.
15. The illuminated nail trimmer of claim 1, wherein the top shell and bottom shell cooperate to form a cross-shaped access opening positioned at a rear of the handgrip.
16. An illuminated nail trimmer unit comprising
- a clipper including a nail cutter actuator that may be positioned either in a storage position or an operative position,
- a light source, and
- an illumination controller configured to cause illumination by the light source when the nail cutter actuator is positioned in the operative position.
17. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 16, wherein the controller includes a spring-biased button positioned in a handgrip of the unit such that, when the nail cutter actuator is positioned in the storage position, the button is depressed to maintain the light source off and when the nail cutter actuator is positioned otherwise, the button is released thereby turning on the light source.
18. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 16, wherein the controller includes an open-biased switch having a movable contact, a stationary contact, and a contact spring section.
19. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 18, wherein, when the nail cutter actuator is in the storage position, pressure applied to the contact spring section causes the movable contact to be out of contact with the stationary contact and turn off the light source.
20. The illuminated nail trimmer unit of claim 18, wherein, when the nail cutter actuator is not in the storage position, the contact spring section causes the movable contact to be in contact with the stationary contact, which operates the means for controlling illumination to cause the light source to turn on.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 5, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 17, 2009
Applicant: COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventors: Elaina M. Malin (Walpole, MA), William D. Hester (Middletown, CT), Daniel J. Tangari (Middletown, CT)
Application Number: 12/366,501
International Classification: A45D 29/02 (20060101);