This invention relates to a nail clipper. The invention has been developed principally for cutting the fingernails or toenails of a person, and therefore will be described herein with particular emphasis on this application. It is envisaged, however, that the clipper may be used additionally or alternatively to cut the nails or claws of animals.

Conventional nail clippers usually include two arms connected together at one end and the other end of each arm having a respective jaw with a cutting edge. The cutting edges of the two jaws are aligned so that on movement of the arms closer together, the two cutting edges contact each other along the length of those edges, and so will cut a nail therebetween. The cutting action thus indents and then wedges the end portion of a nail away from the main part thereof. This is sometimes referred to as a chisel action or a compression cutting action.

The known nail clippers suffer from several disadvantages. Firstly, a large force is required to operate the clipper, to the extent that, when the cutting edges of the jaws meet, the cutting of the nail is rather abrupt. This force is required to compress and cut the nail across the width thereof. The nail is typically flattened under the force of the cutting edges before the actual cutting is performed, which can weaken the nail and cause splits to form. The meeting of the cutting edges in this way causes a noisy click which can be unsettling for the user, particularly where the user is a child or an animal, and also results in the nail clipping being projected in a random direction. Additionally, the force of the cutting edges continuously striking each other causes them to become blunt over time. Even more force is then required to cut the nail.

With these conventional nail clippers, it is particularly difficult to cut thick nails in one operation. It is therefore necessary to make several attempts, clipping the nail in sections. This causes an unsightly appearance of the nail and often results in the nail splitting at the end of each cut portion.

Such conventional nail clippers do not allow for relative movement between the nail and the clipper, during the cutting action. The resultant shape of the cut matches the shape of the cutting edges, which is generally concave, straight or convex. These clippers are not curved in the vertical direction in order to follow the natural curvature of the nail. This contributes to the undesirable bending, cracking and chipping of nails during the cutting process.

A further disadvantage of conventional nail clippers is that they can quite easily cut the skin adjacent to the nail if the clipper is not accurately directed over the nail. This is a particular problem where the nail clipper is being used on children or animals, where keeping the child or animal still can be difficult.

Attempts to address at least some of the above problems have been made by alternative types of nail clipper. For example, the clipper of US Patent No. 64,644,644 clips a nail progressively rather than in an abrupt single operation, while still operating on essentially the same basis as the other conventional clippers, where the cutting edges meet to compress the nail before indenting and wedging off the unwanted part. This nail clipper is complicated in construction, relatively expensive to manufacture, and ultimately does not overcome the issues concerning the cutting edges impacting each other and wearing out over time. Furthermore this prior art nail clipper does not reduce the possibility of accidently cutting adjacent skin.

It is a principal aim of this invention to provide a nail clipper which serves to address the above problems and in particular to enable the cutting of nails in an easy and controlled manner.

According to this invention, there is provided a nail clipper comprising two arms connected together and each arm having a respective jaw spaced from the connection, each jaw defining a cutting edge which co-operates with the cutting edge of the other jaw, the cutting edge of one jaw being disposed further from the connection than the cutting edge of the other jaw such that on moving the arms closer together the jaws slide past one another and the cutting edges perform a shearing action.

It will be appreciated that the cutting edges do not meet each in a compressive manner and that the term "shearing action" as used herein means that the cutting edges slide over one another to shear the nail in the same way as the blades of a pair of scissors. This is quite distinct from a chisel or compression action, as described above. As less force is required to cut a nail than with conventional nail clippers, the shearing action enables the required cutting of a nail usually to be performed by a single cut. In this way thick nails may be cut easily without having to make several separate cuts. The shearing action of the cutting edges results also in a self-sharpening effect as the edges slide past one another.

The arms may be elongate with the connection being provided at one end and the jaws at the other. The cutting edges of the jaws may be substantially parallel to the length of the arms, and this may be beneficial for ease of use when cutting toenails. Preferably though, the cutting edges are substantially perpendicular to the length of the arms. Of course, the cutting edges may be positioned at other angles relative to the arms.

The nail clipper may be configured with one cutting edge being out of parallel alignment with the other cutting edge so that the cutting edges perform a progressive shearing action as the arms are moved closer together. A progressive shearing action, similar to the action of a pair of scissors, further reduces the amount of force required to cut the nail. This also allows more control in the cutting since the nail clipper can be moved to follow the contour of the finger or toe whilst progressively cutting the nail. This arrangement has an additional benefit in that the part of the nail which is cut off using the nail clipper it is far less likely to be expelled in a random direction as is often the case when using conventional nail clippers and so can be collected and disposed of easily. In this arrangement, less strain is placed on the nail during cutting which reduces the likelihood of undesired splitting.

The shape of the cutting edges may vary depending on requirements. The cutting edges may be correspondingly curved in the transverse direction to the length of the arm. The curve may be concave or convex. A convex curve may be beneficial where the nail clipper is designed for use in cutting toenails, as this shape can reduce the likelihood of ingrown toenails being formed, whereas a concave curve would more properly suit a nail clipper designed to cut fingernails where an aesthetic finish is more desirable. Preferably, the centre of curvature is further from the connection than are the jaws themselves. This arrangement enables an arcuate cut of the nail to be made, following the contour of the finger or toe, without having to move the nail clipper during operation. Nail clippers having jaws and cutting edge curves of different sizes may be provided to suit different needs. For example, nail clippers designed for cutting the fingernails and toenails of babies and small children may require smaller jaws and greater cutting edge curvatures than those designed for use by adults.

Additionally or alternatively, at least one cutting edge may be curved in a plane parallel to the width direction of the arm. This enables a nail to be cut by following the natural curvature of the nail.

Preferably, one end of the at least one cutting edge is nearer the arm than the other end of that cutting edge. Where the arms are generally aligned with each other, this arrangement ensures that a progressive cutting action may be performed from one end of the nail to the other. In one arrangement, the at least one cutting edge may extend linearly between the ends thereof. This configuration would produce a uniform progressive cut along the nail. For a smoother cutting action both cutting edges may each have one end nearer the respective arm than the other end.

In a preferred arrangement, the lower arm (that is the arm having the cutting edge designed to be positioned under the nail to be cut) extends further from the connection than the other (upper) arm. In this way, the jaw of the lower arm may act as a guard to prevent nails being cut too short and may also serve as a safety feature by reducing the likelihood of accidental cutting of the skin adjacent the nail being cut. To achieve this, the nail clipper is designed with a jaw on the lower arm having the most appropriate thickness to perform the required guarding function.

To perform an effective shearing action, the jaws of the arms need to be positioned appropriately so that when the arms are moved closer together, the cutting edges slide past each but there is only a single point of contact between the cutting edges. Preferably the jaws are configured so that when the arms are moved closer together and the contact point of the two cutting edges slides therealong, each cutting edge does not engage the jaw of the other arm. To facilitate this, the jaws may be configured so that the angle between one jaw and its supporting arm is less than 90°, but preferably only slightly less than 90°, and the angle between the other jaw and its supporting arm is greater than 90°, but preferably only slightly greater than 90°. In a preferred arrangement the jaws are arranged so that, when the arms are furthest away from each other, the contact point between the cutting edges is at one end thereof. This ensures that there is an initial pressure between the cutting edges before cutting to assist in the shearing action.

In a preferred arrangement, at least one of the arms is resilient and when relaxed the jaws are furthest apart so that when moved together against the resilient bias the cutting edges perform their shearing action. To facilitate operation of the nail clipper, a lever mechanism may be arranged to act on the arms to move the arms closer together. Preferably, the lever mechanism comprises a pin connected to one arm and supporting a lever which acts on the other arm. In this case, the lever is pivoted on the pin and the pin may be rotatable relative to the arms so that the lever may rest on the adjacent arm, when not in use.

The nail clipper may be manufactured from metal, such as carbon steel or stainless steel, though it might be possible to use strong plastic. The arms may be connected using a spot welding process, rivets or other fixing method.

By way of example only, various embodiment of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nail clipper according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of part of a nail clipper according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a part of a nail clipper according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side view showing the jaws of the nail clipper of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the jaws of the nail clipper of Figure 1 in a non-use position; Figure 6 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the jaws of the nail clipper of Figure 1 in a use position;

Figure 7 shows plan and front views of the jaws of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 shows plan and front views of the jaws of Figure 2; and

Figure 9 shows plan and front views of the jaws of Figure 3.

Referring to the Figures, there is shown a nail clipper 10 comprising first 1 1 and second 12 elongate arms welded together at one end 13 and spaced from each other at the other end 17. The arms 1 1 , 12 include jaws 14, 15 at the other end 17 which extend towards each other and which define cutting edges 16. A lever mechanism 20 is provided for operating the nail clipper 10, the mechanism comprising a lever 21 pivotably connected to a pin 22. The pin 22 extends through holes in the arms 1 1 , 12 and includes a hook-end in which is received a bar on the lever 21 to allow pivoting movement of the lever 21 to actuate the clipper 10. The lever 21 may be may rotated through 180° and then be turned to a storage position (not shown) where the lever 21 rests on the second arm 12, when the clipper 10 is not in use. This is the same arrangement as with a conventional clipper, the operation of which is well understood.

The nail clipper 10 of this invention differs from the conventional clipper in the configuration and arrangement of the jaws 14, 15 and the cutting edges 16. The first arm 1 1 extends further from the welded connection 13 than the second arm 12 to such an extent that, when the arms 1 1 , 12 are moved together, the cutting edges 16 of the first arm 1 1 and second arm 12 slide past one another at a specific contact point X along the length the cutting edges 16. The front edge 25 of the jaw 14 of the first arm 1 1 prevents nails being cut too short and also serves as a safety feature by reducing the likelihood of accidental cutting of the skin adjacent the nail being cut. The thickness of the jaw 14 of the first arm 1 1 may be selected depending on the requirements and the intended user. As shown in Figure 5, when the arms 1 1 , 12 are separated to their furthest extent, as limited by the lever mechanism, the jaws 14, 15 are arranged so that the cutting edges 16 contact at one end 26. As best seen in Figure 4, the jaw 14 of the first arm 1 1 is configured so that the angle between that jaw 14 and the first arm 1 1 is slightly less than 90°. Conversely, the jaw 15 of the second arm 12 is configured so that the angle between that jaw 15 and the second arm 12 is slightly greater than 90°. This arrangement allows the cutting edges 16 of the respective jaws 14, 15 to engage slidingly at a specific point X which moves along the length of the cutting edges, as the shearing action progresses.

The cutting edges 16 are out of parallel alignment and are arranged so that one end 27 of each cutting edge 16 is closer to the respective arm 1 1 , 12 than the other end of that cutting edge 26. This enables a progressive shearing action to cut the nail which not only allows more control over the cutting but also minimises the amount of stress on the nail. The cutting edges 16 shown in Figures 1 , 5, 6 and 7 extend linearly between the ends 26, 27, whereas the cutting edges of the embodiments shown in Figures 2, 3, 8 and 9 are curved. The cutting edges 16a shown in Figures 2 and 8 are curved in a plane of the width of the arms 1 1 , 12 to enable cutting of the nail to follow the natural curvature of the nail. As well as being curved in plane of the width of the arms 1 1 , 12, the cutting edges 16b shown in Figures 3 and 9 are concavely curved in the transverse direction to the length of the arms 1 1 , 12 to enable cutting of the nail to follow the contour of the fingertip or toe of the nail to be cut. The cutting edges 16, 16a, 16b may be formed in many configurations suited to the application of nail cutting.

To use the nail clipper 10, the nail to be cut is placed between the cutting edges 16 as shown in Figure 5. The nail clipper 10 is held by the user with the lever 21 positioned for operation. The lever 21 is then actuated by pushing it down towards the second arm 12 while holding the first arm 1 1 in place. The lever 21 acts on the second arm 12, which moves the second arm 12 towards the first arm 1 1 . This results in the jaws 14, 15 and the cutting edges 16 moving towards each other. As the arms 1 1 , 12 move closer together the contact point X between the cutting edges 16 moves along from one end 26 of the cutting edge 16 to the other 27 until the whole nail has been cut. The finger or toe and/or the nail clipper 10 may be moved while progressively cutting to cut the nail in a desired shape.

The nail clipper of this invention is easy to manufacture and enables nails to be cut quietly, which may be particularly useful where the nail clipper is used to cut the nails or claws of animals. The operation of a shear cutting technique keeps nail cuttings under more control and extends the life of the cutting edges.

The nail clipper requires less force to operate than conventional clippers and allows the nail clipper to be moved during cutting to form the desired shape.

The nail clipper of this invention may also include curved cutting edges to follow the natural curvature of the nails, and may also reduce the possibility of accidently cutting adjacent skin.