Novelty nail cutting or trimming tool

Abstract

A novelty nail trimming tool 10 includes a metal chassis 11 comprising a base 12 a neck section 13 and a head section 14. The head section 14 includes a pair of guards 15 and 16 which are also configured as the eyes or feelers of a snail. The base 12 has a knurled or roughened surface 17 forming a nail file. The head 14 has a v-blade 18, while the neck 13 is set at an angle of about 30 degrees to the base. A handle 19 in the form of a snail shell 20 is attached to the base 12 by a hand insertable clip action into three slots 21, 22 and 23 by reason of upturns 24, 25 and 26 in the base 12.

Claims

1. A nail cutting or trimming tool comprising at one end a cutting blade comprising fixed blades and at another end a handle, the tool shaped as a toy creature, comprising at said one end a head of the creature and at said other end, a tail of the creature, to amuse and comfort a child or infant, the toy creature being so made and arranged that it aids in the functional operation of cutting nails.

2. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the one end comprising the cutting blade is configured as the head that is shaped as a snail head to amuse and comfort and the said other end comprising the handle that is shaped as a snail body to amuse and comfort, the configuration dimensions and relative disposition of the handle and the cutting blade being so made and arranged that the handle and cutting blade aid in the functional operation of cutting nails.

3. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the one end comprising the cutting blade is configured as the head, the head configured as a snail head with eyes, and wherein the handle is configured as a snail shell made separately and connected to the head.

4. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a chassis the handle comprising the handle mounted to the chassis, the chassis having a longitudinal axis with a base and a neck inward of the head and terminating at the head, the head having said fixed blades, there being a juncture between the base and the neck such that neck extends from and is inclined to the base, the handle being at an end opposite to the head, the tool having an imaginary central longitudinal plane extending upwardly from the base and the handle having a narrow aspect substantially across the said imaginary central longitudinal plane of the tool and a wide aspect substantially along the said imaginary central longitudinal plane of the tool, the handle tapering toward the neck in the region of the juncture between the base and the neck.

5. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, having no moving parts and wherein the tool has a nail file and an under nail cleaning projection adjacent the handle.

6. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, being a three in one nail care tool further having a nail file and an under nail cleaner adjacent the handle.

7. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the said one end comprising the cutting blade is spaced from the other end having the handle by a neck section, the fixed cutting blades protruding from the neck section, the configuration dimensions and relative disposition of the handle and the cutting blade being so made and arranged that the handle and cutting blade aid in the functional operation of cutting nails by manual manipulation of the neck section.

8. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the one end comprising the cutting blade is configured as the head, the head configured as a snail head with a safety guard in the form of projecting snail eyes and the handle is configured as a snail shell.

9. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the one end comprising the cutting blade is spaced from the other end comprising the handle by a neck section, the configuration dimensions and relative disposition of the handle and the cutting blade being so made and arranged that the handle and cutting blade aid in the functional operation of cutting nails and wherein the one end comprising the cutting blade is configured as the head, the head configured as a snail head with a safety guard in the form of projecting snail eyes and the handle is configured as a snail shell.

10. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, where the fixed blades are blades in a v-configuration.

11. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to aid manipulation of the tool and having a front projection extending toward the one end comprising the cutting blade such that the front projection aids manipulation of the tool by digits of a user's hand.

12. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the handle is configured as a body.

13. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the handle includes a narrow part proximal the fixed blades and a relatively wide part remote from the fixed blades, the tool having a chassis, the handle being mounted to the chassis, the chassis having a longitudinal axis with a base and a neck terminating at the head, the head having the fixed blades, there being a juncture between the base and the neck such that neck extends from and is inclined to the base, the handle at an end opposite to the head, the tool having an imaginary central longitudinal plane extending upwardly from the base and the handle having a narrow aspect substantially across the said imaginary central longitudinal plane of the tool and a wide aspect substantially along the said imaginary central longitudinal plane of the tool, the handle tapering toward the neck in the region of the juncture between the base and the neck.

14. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the handle includes a narrow part proximal the blades and a relatively wide part remote from the blades, the handle being mounted to a chassis, the chassis having a longitudinal axis with a base and a neck terminating at the head, there being a juncture between the base and the neck such that neck extends from and is inclined to the base, the handle at an end opposite to the head, the tool having an imaginary central longitudinal plane extending upwardly from the base and the handle having a narrow aspect substantially across the said imaginary central longitudinal plane of the tool and a wide aspect substantially along the said imaginary central longitudinal plane of the tool, the handle tapering toward the neck in the region of the juncture between the base and the neck the fixed blades having a safety guard and being configured as a trimming blade with a safety guard, and there further being a nail file and an under nail cleaner.

15. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the handle includes a narrow part proximal the fixed blades and a relatively wide part remote from the fixed blades, a chassis, the handle being mounted to the chassis, the chassis having a longitudinal axis with a base and a neck terminating at the head which includes the fixed blades, there being a juncture between the base and the neck such that neck extends from and is inclined to the base, the tool having a central longitudinal plane extending upwardly from the base of the chassis, the handle, at an end thereof opposite to the head having a narrow aspect substantially across the central longitudinal plane of the tool and a wide aspect substantially along the central longitudinal plane of the tool, the handle tapering in the region of the juncture between the base and the neck, the tool having a nail file on the chassis and an under nail cleaning projection adjacent the handle.

16. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the fixed blades comprise a trimming blade configured as the head, the head comprising a “head” of a snail and is a v-shaped metal blade with folded up “eyes” that act as a safety guard, and being the width of a nail being trimmed and positioned to easily follow the natural curve of a nail bed.

17. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade comprises a trimming blade configured as the head, the head being configured as a “head” of a snail and comprising a v-shaped metal blade with folded up “eyes” that act as a safety guard, and being the width of a nail being trimmed and positioned to easily follow the natural curve of a nail bed, and further wherein the handle is configured as a “shell” of the snail, there being a “neck” extending from the “shell”, the “shell” being rounded and has a flatter part near the neck and is taller remote from the neck.

18. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein the handle has a cover of material to improve grip.

19. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, wherein there is provided an underside or base and a nail file is on the underside or base and may be used to assist in trimming rough or sharp nail edges.

20. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 2, wherein the one end comprising the cutting blade that is configured as the head is configured as a snail head with eyes, and wherein the handle is configured as a snail shell.

21. The nail cutting or trimming tool according to claim 1, the handle comprising a relatively large portion of said tool, the cutting blade projecting from the relatively large portion of said tool.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view from above and to the left side;

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view;

(5) FIG. 4 is a view from the left side;

(6) FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view from the left side and from below; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a bottom view

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(8) Referring to the drawings there is Illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention as applied to a novelty snail aspect.

(9) It will it be appreciated that when compared to the prior art that the present invention as Illustrated in the figures is amusing and is likely to comfort an infant when it comes to cutting nails. The “snail” (nail) cutting time can be fun.

(10) The tool 10 may be made from any materials and may be molded as a whole unit, depending upon the novelty aspects chosen, in the present embodiment the tool 10 includes a metal chassis 11 comprising a base 12 a neck section 13 and a head section 14. The head section 14 includes a pair of guards 15 and 16 which are also configured as the eyes or feelers of a snail.

(11) The base 12 has a knurled or roughened surface 17 forming a nail file. The head 14 has a v-blade 18, while the neck 13 is set at an angle of about 30 degrees to the base.

(12) A handle 19 in the form of a snail shell 20 is attached to the base 12 by a hand insertable clip action into three slots 21, 22 and 23 by reason of upturns 24, 25 and 26 in the base 12. The assembly is then ultrasonically welded to give a secure coupling but any process may be employed.

(13) The handle 19 has a complex curved upper surface 27 leading from a top 28 into a flatter front section 29 so that the surface 28 and the section 30 of the shell essentially forms a disc section of the handle while the section 29 essentially provides for a an extra lead in section of the handle so that together they facilitate ease of manipulation. The handle is narrow at the front and wide at the rear along the central plane of the handle and the v-blade while being wider at the front and narrower at the rear across the handle.

(14) Of course depending upon the location and position of the nail to be cut the operator may utilise any part of the tool in order to achieve the desirable cut.

(15) In addition, in the present embodiment the handle includes a snail tail 31 which has a pointed end used as a nail cleaning tool 32. Again the handle is used to manipulate the cleaning tool 32.

(16) While the handle may be a moulded form made as a single piece suitably moulded or it may be made from two moulded parts that fit together, in the preferred embodiment, it is preferable that it also includes a rubber or other similar cover that elastically stretches over the moulded form or may be formed in the moulding process as a softened outer. As a removable cover it facilitates different colours or for different shapes and designs to be incorporated into the snail shell. Thus it could have a “smiley face” or any other decorative effect that would aid in amusing and comforting an infant.

(17) Other aspects of the preferred embodiment are as follows:

(18) Typical materials and colours may include: Medical grade stainless steel—natural silver colour Plastic—light turquoise blue colour Rubber—white colour

(19) Typical dimensions are: Length: 63.24 mm Height: 23.56 mm Width: 15.56 mm Weight: 7.5 grams

(20) Typical Manufacturing Process includes: The metal is folded and cut, surface is ground down to form cutting edge. Metal trimmer is ultrasonically welded to plastic shell. Plastic injected molded shell frame with rubber over molding. Acid etched nail file texture. Logo engraved on underside of metal ‘neck’.

(21) Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.