Patent Publication Number: US-6220251-B1

Title: Combination vision enhancement kit and nail clipper

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to an attachment to a cutting device for providing improved vision for the user of the material being cut. More particularly, it relates to a device configured for use in combination with a nail clipper that provides one or both of a lens to view the material being cut and a light source to illuminate the material being cut. The device may be provided in a mounted form specifically configured and mounted to a pair of nail clippers, or it can also be provided in an aftermarket configuration with a means of attachment to conventional nail clippers. 
     The device features one or a plurality of lenses for attachment to a conventional nail clipper to aid the user in viewing the nail or material being cut. The lens and attachment may be in kit form and feature a plurality of different lenses that could magnify the field of view or act as corrective lenses for the field of view for users with vision impairment. In this manner the lens could correct the vision of a far sighted user or a different lens might be used for a user who is near sighted. Optionally, an illumination means can also be provided to increase the vision enhancement of the user. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Personal hygiene generally requires that the nails of the hands and feet be groomed on a fairly regular basis for humans as well as in many animals such as dogs and cats. Human nails constantly grow and elongate and consequently are constantly in need of trimming for health as well as aesthetic reasons. Many domesticated animals also have nails that grow too long and are in need of trimming to prevent injury to the animal from catching a nail on something such as a rug or furniture. 
     It is thus desirable to have a tool or tools to easily and safely trim constantly elongating nails on humans and animals who require such trimming. The tool of choice in most cases is the conventional nail clipper which conventionally features two opposing blades biased away from each other and which communicate when the bias is overcome by activation of a lever attached thereto. The blade surfaces meet and cut the nail which is first inserted in between the two blades. 
     Currently, conventionally used nail clippers depend upon the natural vision of the user to see the nail which is intended for cutting, and place it properly in the very small area in between the two opposing cutting blades of the clipper. Placing the nail too far into the blades will cause too much to be removed. Conversely, placing too little of the nail to be cut into the clipper causes too little to be cut away requiring a second and more detailed cut since the amount to be removed has been lessened by the first incorrect cut. 
     As is obvious, it is imperative for the user to be able to see the nail and surrounding surface clearly, to determine the amount to be cut from the nail and to determine what areas not to cut which would cause injury. It is equally imperative for the clipper user to be able to clearly view the nail surface when inserted into the nail clipper to determine that the proper amount is placed into the jaws of the clipper. Currently, the user must depend on his good vision and ability to focus on the nail and work area of the clipper to reach the proper conclusion on cutting. 
     As is disclosed herein, the lens system for use in combination with a nail clipper provides the user with the capability to enhance the user&#39;s natural ability to see both the nail to be clipped, and, the working area of the clipper blades which are in the field of view of the user during use of the clipper. By enhancing the view of the work area of the clipper as well as the nail to be clipped and surrounding areas, the user is provided a major improvement in both safety and utility when using a nail clipper. 
     Using a magnifying lens in the viewer, the user can magnify the field of view seen through the lens to show more detail about the nail to be cut and the working area of the clipper jaws. Optionally, corrective lenses might also be mounted in the viewer to allow far sighted users the ability to groom their nails without the need for eyeglasses or other corrective lenses. 
     When manufactured as a unit, which would be the best current embodiment of the disclosed device, the viewer with lens can be attached to the clipper using attachment or rotational attachment means in the form of hinges and swivels to allow the lens to fold away against the clipper body during non use. The complete unit would also allow for a cover to protect the lens when folded away. The viewing lens might also be provided with an attachment means configured to attach or cooperatively engage with conventional nail clippers already in use thereby allowing current owners of nail clippers to enhance such devices by the attachment of the viewing lens to the clipper in a manner to place the lens in a position to provide a field of view which includes the nail and the cutting edges of the clipper. Of course either device could also optionally be provided with multiple lenses having different optical effects to provide more or less magnification or vision correction as the case may be. 
     In the embodiment which is manufactured with the viewing device attached, an optional light means with low current requirements such as a light emitting diode could also be included to further enhance the field of view. If this optional light means were provided, a white or yellow LED which activates with slight pressure on the cutting lever would thereby provide addition light to the field of view seen through the lens of the viewing device and thereby further enhance the user&#39;s view. 
     Current nail clipping devices however still only provide a cutting area activated by a lever and the user must attempt to see what is being cut unaided. As such, there exists a need for an easily and inexpensively manufactured viewing enhancement device that is attachable during manufacture of nail clippers, or with an attachment means allowing the viewing enhancement device to be attached to conventionally used and owned nail clippers. 
     Further utility would be allowed by the provision of a plurality of lenses of differing optical enhancement characteristics thus allowing the user to change lenses in the viewing enhancement device to meet the individual visual needs of the user. Even more utility would be provided by the optional addition of a light means mounted on the viewing enchantment device which would be situated to provide light to the field of view seen through the lens of the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicants&#39; device is an easily manufactured and utilized apparatus, which provides enhanced user viewing of the nail or other area to be clipped by the cutting blades of the nail clipper. This visual enhancement is provided by a magnifying or other lens which is positionable to allow the user a field of view through the lens, of the nail to be clipped as well as the blades which perform the task. 
     The device features a lens having an attachment means whereby it can be attached to a conventional nail clipper in a position to view the clipper blades and nail through the lens. In its simplest embodiment it would feature the lens and an attachment means to allow attachment of the lens to a conventional nail clipper in the proper position to provide the user the viewing aid of the blade and nail being clipped. Consequently, it would be immediately available to millions of users worldwide who already have nail clippers. 
     In the best embodiment of the device, it would be manufactured and provided in combination with a nail clipper and would feature the ability to fold away into a properly configured storage compartment formed into the nail clipper. An optional light means could also be attached to illuminate the work area of the nail clipper to further enhance the view and utility of the device. 
     An object of this invention is to provide visual enhancement of the user&#39;s view of nails being clipped by a nail clipper. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide additional safety to the user of a nail clipper which better vision inherently provides. 
     A further object of this invention is the provision of a magnified view of the cutting end of a nail clipper and the nail to be clipped therein. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide an infinite number of positions of the lens to the user such that the user can always move the lens to a position and angle suitable for the task at hand. 
     An additional object of the invention is to provide a plurality of lenses that are interchangeable with a mount therefor and thereby provide varying degrees of vision correction and/or enhancement to the user by changing the lenses to meet the user&#39;s need. 
     Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device showing the vision enhancing lens in operational position. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the disclosed device showing the vision enhancing lens folded to a stored position away from the cutting area. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the disclosed device showing the protective cover in place over the vision enhancing lens. 
     FIG. 4 is an explode view of a typical hinge and pin attachment of the lens to the cutting end of a nail clipper. 
     FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the vision enhancing lens configured to attach to a conventional nail clipper. 
     FIG. 6 depicts a conventional arrangement of a battery stored inside of a chamber with an activation switch to energize a light means for use. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawing FIGS. 1-5, specifically FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a first embodiment of the disclosed device  10  showing the vision enhancing lens  12  in operational position wherein the user has a clear field of view from the top side  14  of the lens  12  through the lens  12  providing a view adjacent to the cutting blades  13  located at one end of both the upper blade member  25  and the lower blade member  27 . The lens  12  can be made from glass, or plastic however plastic would be the current best mode due to the better refractive qualities available in plastics such as those used in contact lenses and other synthetic material lenses. In the field of view through the lens  12  the user can also easily see the area directly in front of the cutting blades  13  where the nail and finger would be located during use, as well as the gap  15  between the cutting blades  13  in which a nail would be placed for cutting by the cutting blades  13  in the conventional fashion of a nail clipper. 
     If the lens  12  has magnification optical qualitites, everything in the field of view of the user is magnified by the power of magnification of the lens  12 . The user thus has a better view of the finger, the fingernail, and the target gap  15  into which the finger nail must be inserted. Of course the lens  12  might also be optically configured to provide vision correction to users who desire the use the nail clipper device  10  who might be visually impaired or just want to take off their glasses during use of the device  10 . By providing a plurality of lenses  12 , of differing vision correction or magnification strength, in a kit, which are mountable to lens mount  16 , the device would provide additional utility to users in that they would have the option to substitute one of the plurality of lenses  12  to meet their current vision needs, or desire for magnification, for using the device. Further utility is provided by the provision of a means to rotate the lens  12  as depicted in the current best mode by the optional swivel mount  17  which allows the lens  12  to rotate toward or away from the user&#39;s view when using the device, thus allowing for infinite adjustment of the viewing angle which the user may choose to look through the lens  12  to the field of view below. The swivel mount  17  as depicted would allow for the lens  12  and one side of the lens mount  16  to rotate and would frictionally engage when force was not being applied to rotate it. Of course other swivel style mounts could be used to achieve rotation of the lens  12  and such are anticipated. 
     In an economy model it would be possible to simply make the lens  12  and the mount  16  as one unit and even make the lens  12  the mount itself. However the current best mode with the most utility provides the lens  12  attachable to the mount  16  to allow for swiveling and rotating the lens as well as interchangeable lenses in the mount  16 . 
     Further utility is provided by the device  10  through the provision of a means to vary the position of the lens  12  in relation to the cutting blades  13 . In the disclosed device  10  this means to vary the position of the lens  12  is provided by an elongated rod  20  configured at a first rod end  22  for hinged mounting with pivot pin  26 , and at the second end  32  for hinged mounting with the lens mount  16 . By rotating both the first rod end  22  and the second rod end  32  on hinge pins  24  the lens  12  may be positioned to align the field of view therethrough with the eye of the user during use. This hinged mounting at both ends of the elongated rod  20  also allows the lens  12  and attached lens mount  16  to be rotated on the pivot pin  26  such that the lens  12  and communicating lens mount  16  may be positioned in a storage position at the distal end of the upper and lower blade members  25  and  27  which is the ends opposite to the cutting blades  13 . By using a hinge pin  24  slightly flexible in nature, when the rod  20  is rotated to an upright position, the hinge pin  24  will flex to allow the shoulder at the first rod end  22  to move over the upper edge  31  of the hinge pin  26  and thereafter be held in operating position by the bias or flex of the hinge pin  24 . Of course other biasing means could be used to bias the first rod end  22  toward the upper edge  31  and hold the rod  20  upright such as springs, but the current best mode features the resilient or flexible hinge pin  24 . 
     To rotate the lens  12  and lens mount  16  to the storage position, the user can rotate the elongated rod  20  toward the distal ends of the upper and lower blade members  25  and  27  until the elongated rod  20  contacts the inner surface  21  of biasing lever  28 . The lens  12  and lens mount  16  at the communication point of the lens mount  16  and elongated rod  20  is also rotated on pin  24  such that one side of the lens  12  contacts the inner surface  21  of biasing lever  28 . Thereafter both the biasing lever  28  and elongated rod  20  are rotated 180 degrees from the pictured position in FIG. 1 by twisting pivot pin  26  inside of its mount through lower blade member  27 . Once positioned opposite the distal end  23  of upper blade member  25 , the biasing lever  28  is rotated on pin  24  at the cooperative engagement of the first rod end  22  with pivot pin  26 . This rotation allows the inner surface  21  of biasing lever  28  to move toward the distal end  23  of upper blade member  25  and make contact therewith at a shoulder portion  21   b  of biasing lever  28  thereby forming a storage compartment for the lens  12  and lens mount  16  defined by the area between the shoulder portion  21   b,  the inner surface  21  and the surface of distal end  23  of upper blade member  25 . The device with lens  12  so stored in the formed storage compartment is depicted in FIG.  3 . 
     The nail clipper portion of the device  10  functions in the same fashion as conventional nail clipper in a well known fashion with the cutting blade  13  formed on both the upper blade member  25  and lower blade member  27  having a gap  15  there between when in a biased static position. The nail to be cut is inserted into the gap  15  a desired distance and the upper blade member  25  is forced toward the lower blade member  27  by downward pressure of the user on the inner surface area  21  of biasing lever  28 . This downward pressure rotates the end the inner surface area  21  on hinge pin  24  thereby forcing biasing shoulder  29  of the biasing lever  28  into the upper blade member  25 . The upper blade member  25  therein is forced toward the lower blade member  27  until the gap  15  disappears when the two blades  13  contact each other thereby cutting the nail inserted into the gap  15 . Variations on this well known operation exist and are as such anticipated. 
     The provision of the elongated rod  20  and cooperatively engaging pivot pin  26  provides a means for attachment of the lens mount  16  and communicating lens  12  to the disclosed device  10  or similar conventional style nail clipper. 
     As noted earlier, for the millions of nail clippers already in use and lacking the variable positionable lens  12  and vision enhancing characteristics of the disclosed device  10 . For the installed or in use base of nail clippers, an embodiment of the device could also be provided as an add on to existing clippers. In such an embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 4, a pivot pin  26  configured to mount in the standard aperture of the lower blade member  27  of a conventional nail clipper would be provided. The pivot pin  26  would therein be substituted for the pin that originally came with the nail clipper being modified and thereafter the cooperatively engageable elongated rod  20  would be mounted to the pivot pin  26  and the lens  12  would be mounted to the opposite end of the elongated rod  20  from the pivot pin  26  using the cooperatively engageable lens mount  16 . The depicted hinge pins  24  mounted through apertures  30  is the most common method for cooperatively engageable rotatable mounts but other mounts could be used and are anticipated. 
     Another add on embodiment for cooperative engagement of the vision enhancing lens  12  with existing clippers is depicted in FIG.  5 . In this embodiment the lens  12  is removably mounted in lens mount  16  if multiple lenses are provided in a kit, or permanently mounted if only one lens is used. The mount  16  which is rotationally attached in the aforementioned manner using the optional swivel  17  and/or a rotational engagement at pin  24  adjacent to elongated member  36  which would allow the mount to swivel or rotate. The blade mounting means is depicted in this embodiment as a plurality of elongated members  36  attached at one end to the lens mount  16  and having fasteners  38  attached at the second end designed for cooperative engagement with one of the upper blade member  25  or lower blade member  27 . This allows the lens to be attached to a conventional clipper for retrofit and while the current best mode depicts U shaped fasteners  38  configured and constructed to biasly engage and attach to the outer edges of the lower blade member  27 . Other means of attachment could be used to hold the members  36  to the lower blade member  27  or if desired the upper member, other than the depicted current best mode and such are anticipated. Attachment of the U shaped fasteners  38  and communicating members  36  to the lower blade member  27  is desirable in retrofit instances of existing nail clippers, since in most conventional nail clippers, the lower blade member  27  moves little if at all during operation. Thus the best cooperative engagement of the elongated members  36  to hold the attached lens mount  16  and lens  12  would be found with the lower blade member  27  thus providing a stable mount for the lens  12  during use of the clipper and providing the user the benefits of enhanced or corrected vision from the lens  12  used. 
     For additional utility if desired, an optional light means can be provided using a light emitting diode (LED) 34  or small light bulb as the light means. Electric power could be provided in a number of conventional fashions such as a conventional battery  40  located inside a hollow portion  42  of elongated rod  20  with electrical switching means such as the depicted mercury switch  44  communicating power through wires  46  to the LED  34  or light bulb when the central axis of the elongated rod is substantially in line with a central axis of pivot pin  26 . Access to the chamber  42  would be provided in the conventional fashion by a removable plate in rod  20  or similar chamber access means. Provision of electric battery power and switching thereof is conventionally achieved in a variety of well know fashions and such are therefor anticipated. 
     Another optional component to provide even further utility to users desiring enhanced adjustability of the position of the lens  12  during use, can be provided by a means for varying the distance between the lens  12  and the cutting blades  13  at one end of the elongated members  36  as depicted in FIG.  5 . In this embodiment, member apertures  36   a  placed in the lens mount  16  would frictionally engage the exterior surface of the elongated members  36  and allow them to slide higher or lower on the elongated members  36 . The user would then have the ability to raise or lower the position of the lens  12  in relation to its position above the clipper during use, as well as rotate the lens at the axil or the swivel  17  if included. Alternatively, the means for varying distance between the lens  12  with the cutting blades  13  of the blade members could be provided with the rod  20  constructed in a manner to allow it to telescope to longer or shorter positions by the provision of one or a plurality of communicating sections which slide into each other at communication points  20   a.  The result being a lense positionable to an infinite number of lens positions and angles for the user, during operation of the device. This angle adjustment ability, along with the ability to change the distance of the lens from the cutting edges, along with the ability to change lenses and refractive characteristics provided by the device, combine to yield a powerful improvement to current nail clipping devices. 
     While all of the fundamental characteristics and features and various embodiments of the Combination vision enhancement kit and nail clipper have been shown and described, it should be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.