Ingrown toenail cutter

Abstract

An ingrown toenail cutter ( 10, 10 A) including a handle or shank ( 12, 12 A) which at one end has a curved or angled part ( 14, 52 ) which extends away from the handle ( 12, 12 A) and said curved or angled part ( 14, 52 ) has a cutting edge ( 15, 54 ) on an inner side thereof ( 14 A) and there is also provided a terminal abutment ( 17, 56 ) at a free end of the curved or angled part ( 14, 52 ) on the inner side ( 14 A) adjacent to cutting edge ( 15, 54 ) wherein the cutting edge ( 15,54 ) is oriented at an angle of 15° - 60° to a longitudinal axis of the handle or shank.

1 . An ingrown toenail cutter including a handle or shank which at one end has a curved part or angled part which extends away from the handle and said curved or angled part has a cutting edge on an inner side thereof and there is also provided a terminal abutment at a free end of the curved or angled part on the inner side adjacent the cutting edge wherein the cutting edge is oriented at an angle of 15°-60° to a longitudinal axis of the handle or shank. 
     
     
         2 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the acute angle is between 25°-40°. 
     
     
         3 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the acute angle is between 30°-35°. 
     
     
         4 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein there is provided a cutting component having said shank and an angled part and a scalpel component which is releasably attached to the shank. 
     
     
         5 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the shank includes a retaining slot having a pair of opposed edges and the scalpel component includes an elongate and protrusion which has a pair of opposed slots wherein each slot releasably engages with an adjacent edge. 
     
     
         6 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the shank is formed of an elongate plate. 
     
     
         7 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the shank has an end part which engages with a corresponding part of the scalpel component located adjacent to the elongate end protrusion and of reduced thickness compared to the elongate end protrusion. 
     
     
         8 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the shank has a larger slot adjacent to the retaining slot and distally of the angle part which prevents disengagement of the elongate end protrusion with the retaining slot. 
     
     
         9 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 1  which includes a cutting component and a handle component wherein the handle component is integral with the cutting component. 
     
     
         10 . The ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the curved part is an extension of a shank of the cutting component and has a web plate located on the inner side which extends between the terminal abutment and adjacent end of the shank where said web plate has a free edge which forms said cutting edge. 
     
     
         11 . The method of use of the ingrown toenail cutter as claimed in  claim 1  which includes the steps of:
 (i) compressing soft flesh of a toe adjacent an ingrown toenail with an outer side of the curved or angled part; 
 (ii) placing the curved or angled part underneath the ingrown toenail wherein the terminal abutment engages an outer surface of the ingrown toenail; and 
 (iii) cutting the ingrown toenail away from an adjacent toenail by using the cutting edge in a reciprocatory or sawing motion while at the same time pulling the curved or angled part away from the ingrown toenail to separate the ingrown toenail from the toenail. 
 
     
     
         12 . A cutting component of an ingrown toenail cutter releasably attachable to a handle which has a shank and an angled or curved part which extends away from the shank and said curved or angled part has a cutting edge located on an inner side thereof and there is also provided a terminal abutment at a free end of the curved or angled part adjacent the cutting edge wherein the cutting edge is oriented at an angle of 15°-60° to a longitudinal axis of the shank.