Nail care system with improved nail clipper

Abstract

Nail care systems in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can include a housing and a nail clipper associated with the housing, the nail clipper having an upper member and a lower member banded by an upper lever and a lower lever. Cutting blades associated with the members can be pinched together by actuating the levers. A container formed between the members can receive nail clippings ejected away from the nail. A nail filer associated with the housing includes a rotatable file that can be used to file nails. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention.

1 . A nail clipper, comprising: 
 a first member;    a first cutting blade associated with said first member;    a second member;    a second cutting blade associated with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade;    an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever; and  
 a second lever;  
   a first cam extending from at least one of the first lever and the first member; and    a second cam extending from at least one of the second lever and the second member;    wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism.    
   
   
       2 . A nail care system, comprising: 
 a housing;    a clipper mechanism at least partially disposed within said housing, including: 
 a first member;  
 a first cutting blade associated with said first member;  
 a second member; and  
 a second cutting blade associated with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade; and  
 an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever having a first cam; and  
 a second lever having a second cam;  
 
   wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism;    wherein said clipper mechanism can be removed from said housing.    
   
   
       3 . A nail clipper, comprising: 
 a first member;    a first cutting blade associated with said first member;    a second member;    a second cutting blade associated with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade; and    an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever;  
 a first cam associated with the first lever;  
 a second lever; and  
 a second cam associated with the second lever;  
   wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism.    
   
   
       4 . The nail clipper of  claim 1 , wherein said first cutting blade and said second cutting blade are urged together when said first lever and said second lever are actuated.  
   
   
       5 . The nail clipper of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism further includes: 
 a first link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever; and    a second link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever.    
   
   
       6 . The nail clipper of  claim 5 , wherein said first link plate and said second link plate extend substantially the length of said first member and said second member such that a container is formed between said first link plate and said second link plate.  
   
   
       7 . The nail clipper of  claim 1 , wherein said first cutting blade and said second cutting blade have an arced shape.  
   
   
       8 . The nail clipper of  claim 7 , wherein said first cutting blade and said second cutting blade are arranged such that a chord formed across the arced shape is at an obtuse angle relative to an axis of symmetry of said first member and said second member.  
   
   
       9 . The nail clipper of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first lever and said second lever includes a bent portion.  
   
   
       10 . The nail clipper of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said first lever further includes a first flange pivotally connected with said first link plate and a second flange pivotally connected with said second link plate; and    said second lever further includes a first flange pivotally connected with said first link plate and a second flange pivotally connected with said second link plate.    
   
   
       11 . The nail clipper of  claim 6 , wherein one of said first link plate and said second link plate includes a cut-out.  
   
   
       12 . The nail clipper of  claim 6 , wherein one or both of said first link plate and said second link plate includes a bend toward an axis of symmetry of said first member and said second member so that a motion of said first member and said second member along said axis of symmetry is limited by said bend.  
   
   
       13 . A nail clipper, comprising: 
 an upper member;    an upper cutting blade associated with said upper member;    a lower member;    a lower cutting blade associated with said lower member and positioned such that said lower cutting blade opposes said upper cutting blade; and    an actuation mechanism, including: 
 an upper lever;  
 a lower lever;  
 a first link plate pivotally connected between said upper lever and said lower lever; and  
 a second link plate pivotally connected between said upper lever and said lower lever;  
   an upper cam extending from at least one of the upper lever and the upper member; and    a lower cam extending from at least one of the lower lever and the lower member;    wherein said upper member and said lower member are positioned between said upper lever and said lower lever of said actuation mechanism;    wherein said upper cutting blade and said lower cutting blade are urged together when said upper lever and said lower lever are actuated.    
   
   
       14 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein said first link plate and said second link plate extend substantially the length of said upper member and said lower member such that a container is formed between said first link plate and said second link plate.  
   
   
       15 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein said upper cutting blade and said lower cutting blade have an arced shape.  
   
   
       16 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein said upper cutting blade and said lower cutting blade are arranged such that a chord formed across the arced shape is at an obtuse angle relative to an axis of symmetry of said upper member and said lower member.  
   
   
       17 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said upper lever and said lower lever includes a bent portion.  
   
   
       18 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said upper lever further includes a first upper flange pivotally connected with said first link plate and a second upper flange pivotally connected with said second link plate; and    said lower lever further includes a first lower flange pivotally connected with said first link plate and a second lower flange pivotally connected with said second link plate.    
   
   
       19 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein one of said first link plate and said second link plate includes a cut-out.  
   
   
       20 . The nail clipper of  claim 13 , wherein one or both of said first link plate and said second link plate includes a bend toward an axis of symmetry of said upper member and said lower member so that a motion of said upper member and said lower member along said axis of symmetry is limited by said bend.  
   
   
       21 . A nail care system, comprising: 
 a housing;    a nail clipper at least partially disposed within said housing, said nail clipper including: 
 a first member;  
 a first cutting blade associated with said first member;  
 a second member;  
 a second cutting blade associated with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade; and  
 an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever;  
 a first cam associated with the first lever;  
 a second lever; and  
 a second cam associated with the second lever;  
 a first link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever; and  
 a second link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever;  
 
 wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism; and  
   a nail filer connected with said housing.    
   
   
       22 . A nail care system, comprising: 
 a housing;    a nail clipper at least partially disposed within said housing, said nail clipper including: 
 a first member;  
 a first cutting blade associated with said first member;  
 a second member;  
 a second cutting blade associated with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade; and  
 an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever;  
 a first cam associated with the first lever;  
 a second lever; and  
 a second cam associated with the second lever;  
 a first link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever; and  
 a second link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever;  
 
 wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism; and  
   a nail finisher connected with said housing, the nail finisher including: 
 a nail buffer; and  
 a nail filer.  
   
   
   
       23 . A nail care system, comprising: 
 a housing;    a nail clipper at least partially disposed within said housing, said nail clipper including: 
 a first member;  
 a first cutting blade associated with said first member;  
 a second member;  
 a second cutting blade associated with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade; and  
 an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever;  
 a first cam associated with the first lever;  
 a second lever; and  
 a second cam associated with the second lever;  
 a first link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever; and  
 a second link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever;  
 
 wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism; and  
   wherein said nail clipper is adapted to be removed from within said housing.    
   
   
       24 . The nail care system of  claim 21 , 
 wherein said nail filer includes a rotatable file; and    further comprising: 
 an activation mechanism disposed on said housing to rotate said rotatable file.  
   
   
   
       25 . The nail clipper of  claim 21 , wherein said first link plate and said second link plate extend substantially the length of said first member and said second member such that a container is formed between said first link plate and said second link plate.  
   
   
       26 . The nail care system of  claim 25 , wherein one of said first link plate and said second link plate includes a cut-out.  
   
   
       27 . The nail care system of  claim 26 , further comprising a release mechanism to allow said nail clipper to be removed from said housing.  
   
   
       28 . The nail care system of  claim 27 , wherein one or both of said first link plate and said second link plate include a catch so that said nail clipper is fixedly disposed within said housing.  
   
   
       29 . The nail care system of  claim 24 , wherein said activation mechanism can selectably rotate said rotatable file in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction.  
   
   
       30 . The nail care system of  claim 29 , wherein said activation mechanism is a two-way switch.  
   
   
       31 . The nail care system of  claim 29 , wherein said activation mechanism include a clockwise button and a counter-clockwise button.  
   
   
       32 . The nail care system of  claim 24 , wherein said nail filer further includes a motor to rotate said rotatable file, said motor being disposed within said housing.  
   
   
       33 . The nail care system of  claim 24 , wherein said nail filer further includes a motor to rotate said rotatable file, said motor being disposed within said housing.  
   
   
       34 . The nail care system of  claim 24 , wherein said nail filer further includes a removable cap.  
   
   
       35 . A nail care system, comprising: 
 a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;    a nail clipper at least partially disposed within said housing and extending from said proximal end of said housing, said nail clipper including: 
 a first member;  
 a first cutting blade connected with said first member;  
 a second member;  
 a second cutting blade connected with said second member and positioned such that said second cutting blade opposes said first cutting blade;  
 an actuation mechanism, including: 
 a first lever;  
 a second lever;  
 a first link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever; and  
 a second link plate pivotally connected between said first lever and said second lever;  
 
 a first cam extending from at least one of the first lever and the first member; and  
 a second cam extending from at least one of the second lever and the second member;  
 wherein said first member and said second member are positioned between said first lever and said second lever of said actuation mechanism; and  
   a nail filer connected with said distal end of said housing.    
   
   
       36 . The nail care system of  claim 35 , 
 wherein said nail filer includes a filer housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a rotatable file extending from said distal end of said filer housing, and a motor extending from said proximal end of said filer housing;    wherein said motor is disposed within said housing; and    further comprising: 
 an activation mechanism disposed on said housing to rotate said rotatable file.  
   
   
   
       37 . The nail clipper of  claim 35 , wherein said first link plate and said second link plate extend substantially the length of said first member and said second member such that a container is formed between said first link plate and said second link plate.  
   
   
       38 . The nail care system of  claim 37 , wherein one of said first link plate and said second link plate includes a cut-out.  
   
   
       39 . The nail care system of  claim 38 , further comprising a release mechanism to allow said nail clipper to be removed from said proximal end of said housing.  
   
   
       40 . The nail care system of  claim 39 , wherein said release mechanism is a button.  
   
   
       41 . The nail care system of  claim 39 , wherein one or both of said first link plate and said second link plate include a catch so that said nail clipper is fixedly disposed within said housing.  
   
   
       42 . The nail care system of  claim 36 , wherein said activation mechanism can selectably rotate said rotatable file in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction.  
   
   
       43 . The nail care system of  claim 41 , wherein said activation mechanism is a two-way switch.  
   
   
       44 . The nail care system of  claim 42 , wherein said activation mechanism include a clockwise button and a counter-clockwise button.  
   
   
       45 . The nail care system of  claim 36 , wherein said nail filer further includes a removable cap connectable with said distal end of said filer housing.