Abstract:
The clipper lever support insert may be inserted into a clipper lever. A finger insert may have two approximately parallel sides formed from metal. The sides may be shaped to the approximate form of a drive finger side. A shaft end insert may have a plurality of sides approximately in the shape of a rectangular box formed from metal. The sides may be shaped to the approximate form of a motor end cavity side.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/137,250, filed May 25, 2005, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/680,027, filed Oct. 7, 2003, now abandoned and claims the benefit thereof. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to devices for clipping hair on animals and humans, for clipping fabrics such as carpets and other products that may be groomed using cutting clippers that use a lever or engagement element between the clipper motor and the blades to move the blades. The new lever may include one or more support inserts for structural support of the lever during operation to reduce wear or damage to the lever. 
     Clipper levers also known as engagement elements are often used as part of the drive apparatus to transfer clipper electric motor power to an oscillating motion for movement of cutting blades for use in cutting hair on animals and humans. The lever may be fabricated from metal, plastic, composite material and the like. An often used material is plastic that may be molded as a lever. However, depending on the quality of the cutting blades that the lever may have to move, often at high speed such as 10,000 strokes a minute, the drive finger portion of the lever may become worn at a rapid rate thus requiring frequent replacement parts. Metal levers may be used, but they are often so noisy that their use may not be tolerated by the user or the customer, animal or human. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to devices that may be inserted into a clipper lever. A finger insert may have two approximately parallel sides formed from metal. The sides may be shaped to the approximate form of a drive finger side. A shaft end insert may have a plurality of sides approximately in the shape of a rectangular box formed from metal. The sides may be shaped to the approximate form of a motor shaft end cavity side. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective partially disassembled view of a clipper according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of the lever and blade portion of a clipper according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of the lever and blade portion of a clipper with a blade moved to the left according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a lever and support inserts according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a lever and support inserts disassembled therefrom according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a lever motor shaft end support insert according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description represents the best currently contemplated modes for carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a clipper  10  may have an electric motor  12  and a blade drive mechanism  14  that may have a lower portion  16  and a lever portion  18 . A lever  20  may be rotatably mounted on a lever shaft  22 . The lever  20  may have a drive finger  24  and motor end  26 . The motor end  26  may have a cavity  28  for receipt of a bearing  30  that may engage a motor shaft drive end  32  that may have an off center shaft  34 . While a particular eccentric motor shaft drive end  32  has been illustrated, this is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principals of a blade drive mechanism to oscillate a cutting blade for a clipper. Any motor shaft drive and blade drive mechanism using a lever may benefit from use of a support insert. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lever  20  may be viewed in a centered position in  FIG. 2  and a left position in  FIG. 3 . The lever  20  is engaged at the drive finger  24  with the movable blade  50  to oscillate the movable blade  50  back and forth relative to the fixed blade  52  for the cutting action. The force of the lever  20  transferred from the motor shaft drive end  32  to the movable blade  50  may cause wearing of the drive finger  24  and the inner wall of the cavity  28 . If the movable blade  50  may have a rough finish or sharp edges, the drive finger  24  may experience wear as well as may the motor shaft end  26 . A lever  20  may have a drive finger insert and a motor end insert fabricated as part of the lever  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , a drive finger insert  40  and motor end insert  42  may be fabricated as part of a lever  60 . Lever  60  has a slot illustrated in the drive finger  64  and intermediate the central portion and the motor end  66 . The drive finger inserts and motor end inserts described may be used in the lever  20  illustrated in  FIG. 1  as well as other levers that may be used in a blade drive mechanism. The inserts  40 ,  42  may be molded as elements of the lever  60  during the manufacturing process. A plastic composite may be used for the lever  60  that may have low friction quality that may serve to provide a film on the insert  40 ,  42  to reduce wear of the lever  60  during use. The plastic composite for the lever  60  may include material for example TEFLON, nylon, silicon, metal and the like that may create a plastic composite having a low friction characteristic. The plastic composite may fill apertures or holes  43 ,  44  in the inserts  40 ,  42  to continue to provide a film on the metal inserts  40 ,  42  outer surface when in use under conditions generating heat as between the movable blade  50  and drive finger  64 . The inserts  40 ,  42  may be formed of a durable, rigid material that may maintain structural shape under conditions of heat, pressure, vibration and force as may be experienced in use by levers in clippers. Such material may be metal, carbon composite, glass, filter glass, graphite composites and the like. 
     The motor end or motor insert  42  may have three, four or more sides  45  or surfaces when used as an insert to support a cavity  68  type motor end  66 . The motor end insert  42  may also be fabricated in other form factors, such as, circular, cylindrical, as a bowl and the like in order to conform to the shape of a cavity for the intended use. As an example,  FIG. 6  illustrates a generally bowl shaped motor end insert  72  having only one side  76  in a concave shape with reference to the outward facing surface  79 . There may be holes  74  similar to the description for holes  43 ,  44 . The finger insert  40  may have two sides  46  to position the sides  46  on each drive finger side  70  of the drive finger  64 . For the illustrated lever  60 , the two sides  46  may be approximately parallel and spaced apart with a shape that approximates the form of the drive finger side  70  to provide support adjacent to the drive finger side  70 , including a tip portion  25  for the drive finger  64  portion that engages a movable blade. Other forms of levers may have blade drive mechanisms with different shapes for which a different shape finger insert may be used for disposition adjacent the drive finger sides. There may be a bridge element  48  to position the sides  46  in the fabrication process, for example, to position a plastic composite film on an outward facing surface  47 . Similarly, the motor end insert  42  may be formed or shaped to position a plastic composite film on an outward facing surface  49 . The finger insert  40  may be attached at the bridge element  48  end to the motor end insert  42  to form a single insert depending on the type of lever used for a particular type of clipper. The finger insert  40  may have two sides shaped to the general form of a tip portion  25  of the drive finger  64 . 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to the illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.