Toenail grooming instruments for individuals with impaired range of motion

Abstract

The invention features in one embodiment a toenail grooming instrument that includes an elongated handle that extends along a longitudinal axis and has medial and distal ends, including a gripping area on the medial end of the handle, and a board gripping area on the distal end of the handle. A fastening mechanism attaches one or more abrasive boards to the board gripping area of the handle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toenail grooming instrument, comprising
 an elongated handle that extends along a longitudinal axis and has medial and distal ends, including a gripping area on the medial end of the handle, and a board gripping area on the distal end of the handle,   one or more abrasive boards each having at least one face with an abrasive surface, and   a fastening mechanism operative to attach the abrasive boards to the board gripping area of the handle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the handle has a rectangular cross section taken along the longitudinal axis at least at the gripping area and thereby has a short-width dimension and a long-width dimension, and wherein the long-width dimension of the handle is parallel to the abrasive surface of the abrasive board. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the instrument includes two abrasive boards that are each two-sided, with a first face having a coarser abrasive than a second face. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the first face of each of the abrasive boards is over 100 grit and wherein the second face each of the abrasives board is 100 grit or below. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein an overall length of the instrument along the longitudinal axis is at least 26.5 inches long. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the handle is extruded. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fastening mechanism includes an adhesive. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fastening mechanism is a screw-based fastening mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the abrasive boards each include a hole through which a portion of the fastening mechanism passes. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the screw-based fastening mechanism includes a fastener post and a winged nut with an integral flange. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the handle includes a curved surface that mates with a curved surface on the abrasive boards. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the abrasive face of the board is 100 grit or below. 
     
     
         13 . A toenail grooming instrument, comprising
 an elongated handle that is at least about 26.5 inches long and extends along a longitudinal axis and having medial and distal ends, including a gripping area on the medial end of the handle, and a board gripping area on the distal end of the handle,   two stacked abrasive boards that each have a first abrasive face and a second abrasive face, with the first face having a coarser abrasive than the second face, and wherein the first face of a first of the first board is exposed and a second face of the second board is exposed,   a fastening mechanism operative to removably attach the abrasive boards to the board gripping area of the handle, and   wherein the handle is rectangular in a cross section taken along the longitudinal axis at least at the gripping area and thereby has a short-width dimension and a long-width dimension, and wherein the long-width dimension of the handle is parallel to the abrasive surface of the abrasive board.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the first side of each of the abrasive boards is over 100 grit and wherein the second side each of the abrasives board is 100 grit or below. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the fastening mechanism is a screw-based fastening mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the abrasive boards each include a hole through which a portion of the fastening mechanism passes. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the screw-based fastening mechanism includes a fastener post and a winged nut with an integral flange. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the handle includes a curved surface that mates with a curved surface on the abrasive boards. 
     
     
         19 . A method for grooming one's own toenails, comprising:
 providing an elongated handle that is at least about 26.5 inches long and extends along a longitudinal axis and having medial and distal ends, including a gripping area on the medial end of the handle, and a board gripping area on the distal end of the handle,   attaching two abrasive boards to the handle, wherein the abrasive boards each have a first abrasive face and a second abrasive face, with the first face having a coarser abrasive than the second face, wherein the step of attaching leaves the first face of a first of the boards exposed and a second face of a second of the boards exposed, and wherein the handle is rectangular in a cross section taken along the longitudinal axis and thereby has a short-width dimension and a long-width dimension, and wherein the long-width dimension of the handle is parallel to the abrasive surface of the abrasive board,   holding the handle in one hand at the gripping area as one would hold a pencil,   moving the handle generally perpendicular to the bottom of one's foot to groom one's own toenails while guiding the handle with the other hand,   repeating the step of holding and moving a plurality of times to again groom one's own toenails,   turning the boards over to expose clean faces,   repeating the step of holding and moving a plurality of times to yet again groom one's own toenails,   replacing the abrasive boards with new abrasive boards, and   repeating the step of holding and moving a plurality of times to yet yet again groom one's own toenails.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of moving the handle generally perpendicular to the bottom of one's foot to groom one's own toenails includes a first step of grooming with a coarse grit followed by a second step of grooming with a fine grit. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the steps of turning over and replacing the boards include steps of unscrewing and re-screwing a screw-based fastener.