Patent ID: 8100088

Claim:
A device for safely cutting a nail of an animal to a desired length, while reducing the possibility of injury to said animal by cutting into a quick of the nail, comprising: at least one cutting blade; a means for mounting said cutting blade, said mounting means having an accommodation for a sensing means; mechanical actuating means for reciprocally moving said cutting blade from a first position to a second cutting position; a fixed blade having an aperture for receiving the nail of the animal, said fixed blade being placed adjacent said cutting blade; said mounting means having a hollow handle, said handle accommodating said cutting blade, said fixed blade and said actuating means; said actuating means linking to said cutting blade, and having a moveable handle pivotally connecting with said hollow handle thus allowing a user to close said moveable handle upon said hollow handle thus advancing said cutting blade upon said fixed blade to cut a nail of an animal placed within said aperture; a sensing portion capable of detecting the internal structure of the nail of the animal received in said aperture of said fixed blade and providing an indication thereof before actuation of said cutting blade, said sensing portion including said sensing means, an electrical supply located within said hollow handle, a digital processor, and a quick indicator connected together in circuitry; said sensing means arranged adjacent to and connecting with the fixed blade and comprising a capacitor, said capacitor having at least a single plate, said capacitor of the sensing means being arranged at the approximate front end of the sensing means and just adjacent to the edge of the aperture of the fixed blade, said electrical supply providing power to said plate, said capacitor being in communication through said circuitry with said quick indicator, said capacitor including a circuit portion of said circuitry such that changes in the instantaneous capacitance of the capacitor causes a change in the oscillatory frequency of said circuit portion, said oscillatory frequency being interpreted by said digital processor, the digital processor being programmed to differentiate between frequency arising from the interposing of air, nail, or nail with underlying quick as located near the fixed blade aperture during usage; and said quick indicator comprising a visual display communicating with the circuitry for warning a user of said device to the presence of quick of the nail of an animal therein during usage, said visual display being at least one light emitting diode, for warning the user of said device to the presence of quick of the nail of the animal before any cutting occurs.