Electronic nail filer

Abstract

An apparatus for trimming a person's nails is provided. The apparatus comprises a body having a longitudinally extending handle that is connected to a longitudinally extending base with the base being co-extensive with and spaced from the handle. Housed within the body is a power supply for supplying power to the device as well as an electrical drive device that is powered by a power supply. The base of the apparatus has a bottom portion having a longitudinally extending support or mounting plate. The support or mounting plate removably captures an emery board or similar nail file element. The support or mounting plate is mechanically coupled to the drive device and is reciprocally moveable in a longitudinal direction in response to the drive device being electrically activated.

1 . An apparatus for filing or trimming a person's nail comprising:
 a body including a longitudinally extending base;   an electronically operable drive device housed within the body;   an electrical power supply housed within the body for supplying electrical power to the drive device;   wherein said longitudinally extending base has a bottom with a longitudinally extending support longitudinally moveable with respect to said bottom;   wherein said longitudinally moveable support is designed to removably capture a nail file or emery board along its entire length, said support being mechanically coupled to said drive device and reciprocally moveable in a longitudinal direction in response to the drive device being electronically activated.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the body comprises a longitudinally extending handle connected to said longitudinally extending base, the longitudinal extending base being coextensive with and spaced from said longitudinally extending handle. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said body includes a removable panel for enabling access inside said body. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said body has an operating button for selectively activating said drive device. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said support is coupled to drive device by means of a clutch unit. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said support has a pair of spaced apart downwardly depending ribs between which said nail file or emery board is removably captured. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said ribs are flexible in a lateral direction. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said ribs are outwardly moveable in a lateral direction along said support. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said support includes a spring mechanism for selectively urging said ribs to outwardly move. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for trimming a person's nail comprising:
 a body having a surface;   a drive device in said body electronically operable by means of a power supply; and   a nail file or emery board;   wherein said apparatus body removably captures said nail file or emery board along said surface such that said file or board is grabbed substantially along its entire length,   wherein said nail file or emery board when captured is reciprocally moveable in a longitudinal direction in response to activation of said drive device.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further including a switch electrically connected to said drive device for activating said drive device when said switch is in one of an open or closed condition. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the body includes an activation button for closing said switch when said button is pressed. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further including a pair of spaced apart fins for selectively capturing said nail file or emery board along said base surface. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said fins are selectively moveable in a lateral direction between a first open position such that said nail file or emery board has sufficient space to be inserted between said fins and a second closed condition such that said disposed nail file or emery board is fixedly captured by said fins. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said fins are selectively moveable between said positions by means of a spring mechanism. 
   
   
       16 . A system for maintaining a person's nails in a filed or trimmed condition comprising:
 a plurality of off-the-shelf nail files or emery boards; and   an electronic nail filing apparatus defined by a body having a support surface and including a drive mechanism housed within the body;   said support surface having means for removably capturing any one of said nail files or emery boards along its entire length, said nail files or emery boards being reciprocally moveable in a longitudinal direction when captured by said capturing means;   said reciprocal movement being in response to said drive mechanism being activated.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said nail files or emery boards has a surface made of a material with a different coarseness value than any of the other nail files or emery boards. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said capturing means includes a spaced apart pair of fins between which one of said nail files or emery boards is selectively retained. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said apparatus further includes spring means for selectively urging said fins to move apart in a lateral direction.