Nail clippings catcher

Abstract

Nail clippings catchers are described and disclosed. A given nail clippings catcher may comprise a container with a digit-hole and a clipper-hole. The digit-hole is sized to removably receive a portion of a digit and the clipper-hole is sized to removably receive a cutting end of a nail clipper. The clipper-hole outlines a shape that comprises a pair of opposing major tabs, followed by a pair of opposing pockets, followed by a pair of opposing minor tabs, and then followed by another pair of opposing pockets. The pair of opposing minor tabs protrude into a gap between two squeeze ends of the nail clipper when the cutting end is removably inserted into the clipper-hole. The pair of opposing minor tabs act as a barrier to minimize at least some of cut nail clippings from escaping the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nail clippings catcher comprising:
 a container for receiving at least one distal portion of a digit, for receiving a cutting end of a nail clipper, and for receiving a plurality of cut nail clippings; wherein the container is substantially hollow and substantially circumscribes a volume;   two substantially opposing use holes, a digit-hole and a clipper-hole; wherein these two substantially opposing use holes are located on the container; wherein these two substantially opposing use holes provide access to the volume of the container; wherein the digit-hole is sized to removably receive the at least one distal portion of the digit and the clipper-hole is sized to removably receive the cutting end of the nail clipper;   wherein the clipper-hole is formed in a clipper-disk; wherein the clipper-disk is an annular disk; wherein the clipper-hole outlines a shape that comprises a pair of opposing major tabs, followed by a pair of opposing pockets, followed by a pair of opposing minor tabs, and then followed by another pair of opposing pockets; wherein the pair of opposing minor tabs protrude into a gap between two squeeze ends of the nail clipper when the cutting end is removably inserted into the clipper-hole, where the pair of opposing minor tabs act as a barrier to minimize at least some of the plurality of cut nail clippings from escaping the volume.   
     
     
         2 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a digit-disk; wherein the digit-hole is formed in the digit-disk; wherein the clipper-disk is a different annular disk; wherein the digit-hole outlines an opening to the volume. 
     
     
         3 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 2 , wherein the opening comprises two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten substantially equally spaced slits that slit into the digit-disk. 
     
     
         4 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 2 , wherein the digit-disk is one or more of: elastomeric, flexible, semi-flexible, or semi-rigid. 
     
     
         5 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein the clipper disk is one or more of: elastomeric, flexible, semi-flexible, or semi-rigid. 
     
     
         6 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is one or more of: elastomeric, flexible, semi-flexible, semi-rigid, or rigid. 
     
     
         7 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a quarter of the container is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         8 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises two hemispheres joined together, a first-hemisphere and a second-hemisphere; wherein the first-hemisphere and the second-hemisphere are joined together at a common-seam-line. 
     
     
         9 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 8 , wherein the first-hemisphere comprises two opposing cutouts, a half-digit-disk-cutout and a half-clipper-disk-cutout; wherein the second-hemisphere comprises two different opposing cutouts, a second-half-digit-disk-cutout and a second-half-clipper-disk-cutout; wherein when the first-hemisphere is joined to the second-hemisphere along the common-seam-line, the half-digit-disk-cutout and the second-half-digit-disk-cutout form a ring hole that captures a digit-disk; wherein the digit-disk comprises the digit-hole; wherein when the first-hemisphere is joined to the second-hemisphere along the common-seam-line, the half-clipper-disk-cutout and the second-half-clipper-disk-cutout form another ring hole that captures the clipper-disk. 
     
     
         10 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 8 , wherein the first-hemisphere is joined to the second-hemisphere along the common-seam-line by one or more of: a friction fit, a snap fit, a threaded fit, an ultrasonic weld, a heat weld, a solvent bond, or a chemical adhesive bond. 
     
     
         11 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 8 , wherein the first-hemisphere comprises a digit-disk-cutout; wherein the second-hemisphere comprises a clipper-disk-cutout; wherein when the first-hemisphere is joined to the second-hemisphere along the common-seam-line, the digit-disk-cutout captures a digit-disk; wherein the digit-disk comprises the digit-hole; wherein when the first-hemisphere is joined to the second-hemisphere along the common-seam-line, the clipper-disk-cutout captures the clipper-disk. 
     
     
         12 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 8 , wherein the first-hemisphere is integral to a digit-disk; wherein the digit-disk comprises the digit-hole; wherein second-hemisphere is integral to the clipper-disk. 
     
     
         13 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 8 , wherein the first-hemisphere is integral to a digit-disk; wherein the digit-disk comprises the digit-hole; wherein the first-hemisphere is also integral to the clipper-disk. 
     
     
         14 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 8 , wherein along a portion of the common-seam-line is a hinge that permanently joins the first-hemisphere to the second-hemisphere. 
     
     
         15 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises interior surfaces that substantially circumscribe the volume; wherein substantially all of such interior surfaces are substantially smooth to facilitate cleaning and to minimize adhesion of microbial contaminants to such interior surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 15 , wherein the interior surfaces are treated with one or more of: a cleaner, an anti-microbial agent or a perfume. 
     
     
         17 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises: a collar, an iris-opening, a union, and a hemisphere-housing;
 wherein the iris-opening circumscribes the digit-hole; wherein the iris-opening is a mechanical iris with a plurality of blades that opens and closes changing a diameter of the digit-hole;   wherein the iris-opening is disposed between the collar and a first-side of the union;   wherein the hemisphere-housing is attached to a second-side of the union; wherein the second-side is disposed opposite from the first-side;   wherein distal from the union on the hemisphere-housing is a clipper-disk-cutout that captures the clipper-disk.   
     
     
         18 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the hemisphere-housing is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         19 . The nail clippings catcher according to  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the collar is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         20 . A system for cutting nails and catching cut nail clippings comprising:
 a nail clipper;   a nail clippings catcher comprising:
 a container for receiving at least one distal portion of a digit, for receiving a cutting end of the nail clipper, and for receiving a plurality of cut nail clippings; wherein the container is substantially hollow and substantially circumscribes a volume; 
 two substantially opposing use holes, a digit-hole and a clipper-hole; wherein these two substantially opposing use holes are located on the container; wherein these two substantially opposing use holes provide access to the volume of the container; wherein the digit-hole is sized to removably receive the at least one distal portion of the digit and the clipper-hole is sized to removably receive the cutting end of the nail clipper; 
 wherein the clipper-hole is formed in a clipper-disk; wherein the clipper-disk is an annular disk; wherein the clipper-hole outlines a shape that comprises a pair of opposing major tabs, followed by a pair of opposing pockets, followed by a pair of opposing minor tabs, and then followed by another pair of opposing pockets; wherein the pair of opposing minor tabs protrude into a gap between two squeeze ends of the nail clipper when the cutting end is removably inserted into the clipper-hole, where the pair of opposing minor tabs act as a barrier to minimize at least some of the plurality of cut nail clippings from escaping the volume.