The invention relates to an adjustable hand tool, in particular a pair of scissors, shears or pincers.

Hand tools such as scissors and all kinds of pincers generally comprise two rigid elements connected to each other for rotation around a rotation shaft. Both rigid elements comprise a grip part at the one outer end and are provided at the other outer end with an active part. This active part comprises in the case of scissors a cutting part, also referred to as cutting blade, and in the case of pincers the active part can be provided with a jaw.

For operations wherein it is necessary to work accurately and/or in different positions, as is for instance the case in the work of hairdressers and surgeons, hand tools are available with an angle in the rigid elements. In such a case the user has available a plurality of hand tools with varying angles; for instance a first straight

continuous hand tool, a second hand tool with an angle of 30° between the handle and the active part and a third hand tool with an angle of 45° between the handle and the active part .

The user selects a desired angle depending on the desired body posture and the desired view of the object to be treated with the hand tool. The possibility of modifying the tool enables the user to take up a comfortable and healthy posture, while a good view contributes toward the quality of the manual operation.

Particularly when, in addition to a variation in desired angles, the user also needs different types of hand tool, the user will soon have a large collection of hand tools . It is not unusual for a professional hairdresser to have as many as four scissors at his/her disposal, i.e. a set of normal scissors with different angles and a pair of thinning scissors. Similarly, a surgeon often has a

considerable number of different hand tools at his/her disposal .

Because hand tools such as professional scissors and surgical pincers are manufactured from very high-grade material, they are generally very costly. A cost price of several hundred euros per hand tool is not unusual.

The invention now has for its object to provide a hand tool of the above described type wherein said drawbacks do not occur, or at least do so to lesser extent.

Said object is achieved according to the invention with a hand tool comprising:

- a first element and a second element which are arranged pivotally around a pivot shaft;

- wherein the first and second element each comprise an active part and a grip part;

- wherein the active part and the grip part of the first and/or the second element are arranged pivotally around an adjusting pivot shaft and are provided with locking means with which the active part and the grip part are lockable in predetermined positions relative to each other .

Because the active part and grip part of one or both elements of the hand tool are adjustable relative to each other and lockable in different positions, the hand tool can be adjusted to the most comfortable position for the user.

A further advantage of each element comprising a separate active part and grip part, is that they can be taken apart. This provides the opportunity to replace one of the parts. A particularly advantageous preferred embodiment is obtained when the active part and the grip part of both the first element and the second element are adjustable around an adjusting pivot shaft. Through being given an adjustable form both elements can be adjusted together in a determined direction, thereby increasing the adjustment range. Both grip parts must after all be located within a range of each other in which they can be handled, wherein for instance a first grip part is operated with a thumb of the user and wherein the second grip part is operated with another finger of the same hand of the user.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the locking means comprise at least two recesses arranged in the grip part or in the active part and a protruding member which is arranged on the other part of the grip part or the active part and which is movable between a locking position, in which the protruding member is in engagement with one of the recesses, and a release position in which the protruding member releases the recesses such that the active part and the grip part are adjustable relative to each other. A form- fitting, and therefore operationally reliable locking is obtained by having a protruding member engage in a recess. A form-fitting engagement prevents undesired adjustment due to slippage, this certainly being a risk with a locking based on friction. An undesired adjustment during use can cause undesirable results, such as for instance a hairdresser or surgeon cutting incorrectly by accident.

Because according to yet another preferred

embodiment the at least two recesses are arranged in the grip part, and the protruding member is arranged on the active part, the active part can remain largely free of means. The user hereby retains a good view of what he/she is doing; a hairdresser can for instance have an unobstructed view of the hair along the cutting blade. The protruding member is once again movable between the locking position and the release position.

Placing on the grip part moreover creates sufficient space to bias the protruding member with a leaf spring, this being a further preferred embodiment.

The protruding member is preferably biased by a spring such that the protruding member is forced by the spring into the locking position. This spring is preferably a leaf spring. Although a leaf spring requires more space and could therefore be perceived inferior to a more compact coil spring, the reduced tendency to clogging of a leaf spring renders it the preferred embodiment. When the hand tool comprises a scissors of a hairdresser, hair parts may easily get stuck in a coil spring, while a leaf spring remains clean. A leaf spring provides benefits where hygiene is important, as is also the case for medical hand tools.

When according to yet another preferred embodiment the protruding member comprises a guide part and/or a locking part with a rotation-asymmetrical cross-section, the protruding member is prevented from being able to rotate around its longitudinal direction. It is thus possible to achieve that the locking part of the protruding member remains at all times, so also when it is temporarily located in the release position, in a position in which it can be placed into engagement with a selected recess in the locking position .

A further advantageous embodiment is obtained when the protruding member comprises a locking part with a chamfered form. Owing to this chamfered form the protruding member, which is biased by the spring, will always be brought into form-fitting engagement with the recesses. Although it is possible to envisage only the

protruding member comprising a chamfered form and a tubular recess being engaged only close to the edge thereof by the chamfered protruding member, an increase in the contact surface area between the chamfered protruding member and the recess is obtained when, according to a further preferred embodiment, the recesses are provided with a chamfered form co-acting with the chamfer of the protruding member.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the protruding member comprises a press part and the chamfered form becomes thicker in the direction away from the press part. By pressing with a finger on the press part a user can release the bias of the (leaf) spring, whereby the

protruding member moves into the release position and the angle between the active part and grip part is adjustable.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the hand tool is a pair of scissors, wherein the active parts comprise a cutting blade.

According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the hand tool is a pair of pincers, wherein the active parts comprise a jaw.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated in the following description with

reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of scissors, wherein both grip parts are situated in an

outermost position;

Figure 2 is a right-hand side view of the scissors shown in figure 1, wherein the three possible positions of the grip part of the first element are shown;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the scissors of figure 1 from the other side; Figure 4 is a left-hand side view of the scissors shown in figure 1, wherein the three possible positions of the grip part of the second element are shown;

Figure 5 is a perspective detail view of the adjusting mechanism of the grip part of the second element;

Figure 6 is a further perspective detail view of the adjusting mechanism shown in figure 5;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view from above of the adjusting mechanism shown in figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative adjusting mechanism with a chamfered protruding member.

The hand tool 1 shown in figures 1-4 is a pair of scissors with two elements 2, 32 arranged pivotally around a pivot shaft 30. Both elements 2, 32 comprise an active part 4, 34 and a grip part 6, 36. In the case of a pair of scissors the active parts 4, 34 are the cutting blades.

In the shown scissors 1 the first grip part 6 comprises a thumb hole 8 and the second active part 34 is provided with a ring finger hole 38 and a little finger tang 40.

Active part 4, 34 and grip part 6, 36 are arranged pivotally around an adjusting pivot shaft 10, 42, and locking means 12, 44 are further provided with which active part 4, 34 and grip part 6, 36 are lockable in predetermined positions relative to each other.

The predetermined positions in which active parts 4, 34 are adjustable relative to their respective grip part 6, 36 are defined by recesses 14, 46. Provided in each case in the shown embodiment are three recesses 14, 46, whereby each element 2, 32 of the shown scissors 1 is adjustable in three positions. Active parts 4, 34 and grip parts 6, 36 pivot during adjustment about their respective adjusting pivot shafts 10, 42. Figure 2 shows the three possible positions of first element 2, while figure 4 shows the three possible positions of second element 32.

Both elements 2, 32 comprise a similar adjusting mechanism, whereby it suffices hereinbelow to elucidate the adjusting mechanism for second element 32 with reference to figures 5-7.

In the perspective detail view of figure 5 grip part 36 of second element 32 is provided with three recesses 46. In the shown situation the lower recess 46 is engaged in form-fitting manner by locking part 54 of protruding member 48. Leaf spring 56 and press part 50 of guide part 52 are shown in broken lines for the sake of clarity. Leaf spring 56 is attached with a bolt 58 to second element 32.

Protruding member 48 is shown in more detail in figure 6 and comprises a press part 50, a guide part 52 and a locking part 54. When press part 50 is pressed with a force such that the spring bias of leaf spring 56 is overcome, protruding member 48 will move in the direction of active part 34 of second element 32. Locking part 54 hereby slides out of recess 46, and protruding member 48 is situated in the release position. In this release position the relative position between grip part 36 and active part 34 is adjustable.

In order to prevent excessive rotation a stop protrusion 62 is provided which in an outermost position comes up against stop part 64 of second element 32.

As soon as the desired position has been set and press part 50 is released, leaf spring 56 will move

protruding member 48 away from second element 32 again, whereby protruding member 48 once again moves into the locking position and prevents a further relative rotation between active part 34 and grip part 36. Because in the shown preferred embodiment the guide part 52 is provided with a rotation-asymmetrical form, it functions as a longitudinal guide for protruding member 48 and protruding member 48 is prevented from being able to rotate around its longitudinal axis. The non-round form of protruding member 48 is for this purpose enclosed form- fittingly by a recess arranged in active part 34 of second element 32.

Figure 7 shows a cross-section of second element 32. Recess 60 is provided to enable pivotable connection of second element 32 to first element 2 using a pivot bolt 30.

Shown in figure 8 is an alternative adjusting mechanism, wherein protruding member 148 comprises a

chamfered locking part 154. In the shown embodiment both the locking part 154 and the recess 146 are provided with a corresponding conical form. Because leaf spring 56 presses protruding member 148 outward in the locking position, and the conical form of locking part 154 is thereby pressed against the likewise conical form of recess 146, the play necessary for the adjustment is effectively eliminated. An adjusting mechanism with minimal play is thus provided.

Although they show preferred embodiments of the invention, the above described embodiments are intended solely for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and not to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a pair of scissors, the skilled person will appreciate that the construction according to the invention is also

applicable to alternative hand tools, including pincers. Also, it is remarked that - although a right-handed hand tool is shown - the invention is also applicable to

universal and left-handed hand tools. Furthermore, although the embodiment shown in the figures comprises three recesses 14, 46 that define the predetermined positions in which the active parts 4, 34 are adjustable relative to their respective grip part 6, 36, it is explicitly stated that the invention is not limited to three predetermined positions. The hand tool according to the invention comprises at least two predetermined

positions, but might also comprises more than three

positions, such as four or five or even more.

When measures in the claims are followed by reference numerals, such reference numerals serve only to contribute toward understanding of the claims, but are in no way limitative of the scope of protection.

It is particularly noted that the skilled person can combine technical measures of the different embodiments.

The rights described are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged .