US20060157076A1

US20060157076A1 - Pedicure device

Info

Publication number: US20060157076A1
Application number: US11/039,349
Authority: US
Inventors: Markus Austrup
Original assignee: W Kretzer KG
Current assignee: W Kretzer KG
Priority date: 2005-01-19
Filing date: 2005-01-19
Publication date: 2006-07-20

Abstract

A pedicure device, especially a corn shaver, has a handle and a tool part, especially a blade carrier (13) connected therewith. The handle has a drawer receiving replacement pedicure tools in a storage position on the handle (11).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a pedicure device, especially a corn shaver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A pedicure device such as a corn shaver is, for example, shown in the catalog of the applicant “Wilhelm Kretzer WKS Manicure-Articles”, pages 8 and 9. A comparable device is also described in German patent 818 227.
A pedicure device can serve, for example, for shaving own or debriding corns which are formed on the feet by means of a blade. Thickenings of the corn layer can be referred to as “chicken eyes”. Other devices are also available for foot care, like for example corn rasps (pedicure rasps) or corn files (pedicure files) which serve as hand tools for foot care and are encompassed in the present invention.
The devices which have become known heretofore from the applicant for this purpose are comprised of a handle part which is elongated axially and has a length of, for example, 10.5 cm. The handle portion is comprised typically of plastic although it can equally be composed of another material, for example from wood. The surface of the handle portion can be provided with a suitable structure, for example with grooves or ribs, enabling optimum gripping thereof by the human hand.
On the handle portion, a blade carrier is mounted which projects in the axial direction of the grip portion or handle at one end thereof and serves to receive a blade or other pedicure tool. The blade can be releasably fastened on the blade carrier by means of a locking slide element.
The blade carrier, the blade and the locking slide element form a tool part which can be incorporated into the handle, for example, by injection molding the plastic of the handle around the tool part and thereby reliably retaining the tool part in the handle portion in this manner.
The structural shape of the known corn shaver has been practically unchanged for decades and the corn shaver has been continuously marketed over this period in large numbers. The marketing of the conventional device is customarily in the form of blister packs which include a corn shaver usually with a packet of, for example, five replacement blades. Replacement blades are required so that blades which become dull as they are used, can be replaced.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention has as its object the improvement of the applicant's earlier device with respect to its handling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention achieves this object with the features of claim 1, especially with those of the characterizing part of claim 1 and is thus characterized in that at least one pedicure tool is provided with a storage position on the handle part.
The principle of the invention resides, therefore, basically in that instead of unavoidably maintaining the replacement blades separate from the corn shaver, the replacement blades and the corn shaver can be provided in a common unit. The replacement blades can individually or also collectively be positioned on the handle part, for example, in the region of the outer periphery of the handle or within the handle.
A direct incorporation of the pedicure tool, especially the replacement blade or blades, into a handle enables simplified manipulation since a direct association of the replacement blade with the pedicure tool is possible. A time-consuming search for replacement blades, should they become necessary, is thereby avoided. In addition, by providing at least a storage position on the handle, a protected storage and transport position can be provided for the replacement blades which can protect the blades before they are needed and for example will prevent the replacement blades from falling undesirably into the hands of children.
The pedicure device according to the invention enables also a concealed storage of the replacement blades.
While in the past the grip part of the handle served exclusively for engagement with the human hand, with the device according to the invention, the handle has the additional function of making available its previously practically unused space within the grip element for storage of the replacement blades. This enables the device according to the invention to store the replacement blades in a space-saving manner.
Because the arrangement of a defined storage position for the replacement blade relative to the handle can be selected, the handle can in a simple manner be configured to be easily stored in the bags customarily used for an omnium-gatherum of cosmetic articles.
According to a further feature of the invention, the handle is provided with a receiving compartment for at least one pedicure tool. This construction enables in a simple manner, by the arrangement of the receiving compartments or a receiving recess or space, a defined storage of the replacement blades within the receiving compartments in a structurally simple configuration.
According to a further feature of the invention, the handle is provided with a receiving compartment for at least one pedicure tool. This construction enables in a simple manner, by the arrangements of the receiving compartments or a receiving recess or space, the provision of a defined storage of the replacement blades within the receiving compartments in a structurally simple configuration.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the handle is configured to be at least partly hollow and the receiving compartment is arranged within the grip part. This enables an especially simple configuration of the invention from a structural point of view.
According to a further advantageous construction, the grip part of the invention has a closing element which can be moved between a closed position in which it closes the receiving compartment, retains, covers or likewise limits access to the blades and an open position in which access to the receiving compartment is possible. With this configuration of the invention with simple means it is possible to close the receiving compartment.
According to a further advantageous construction of the invention, the closing element is mounted to be movable in translation relative to the grip part of the handle. This configuration of the invention makes it possible to configure the closing elements as a shiftable drawer or like a slide or telescope arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Further advantages of the invention will be apparent based upon the following description of an embodiment illustrated by way of example in the drawing. In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a corn shaver as a pedicure device of the invention having a closing element in the closed position;
FIG. 2 is a similar view of a corn shaver according to FIG. 1 in the open position of the closing element;
FIG. 3 shows the corn shaver according to FIG. 1 in a front elevational view taken in the direction of arrow III,
FIG. 4 shows the corn shaver according to FIG. 2 in a front elevational view taken in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 shows the closing element according to FIG. 4 in a detail in a front elevation to an enlarged scale;
FIG. 6 shows the closing element of FIG. 5 in side view in the direction of the viewing arrow VI in FIG. 5; and
FIG. 7 shows the closing element in a schematic partial broken away view according to the section line VII-VII in FIG. 5.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

The pedicure device indicated in its totality in the Figures at 10 is according to the example illustrated as the embodiment, configured as a corn shaver. According to FIG. 1 the device encompasses a grip part or handle 11 and the tool 12. The tool comprises a blade carrier 13, typically made of metal, to which a blade 14 is fastenable by a locking slide element 15.
The blade carrier 13, the blade 14 and the locking slide element 15 are conventional components of the state of the art which can be released from one another and locked together by a shape-locking means.
The grip part or handle 11 comprises an axially longitudinally extending first component 29 and a shiftable closing slide element 16 which can be moved in translation relative thereto in the direction of the double-headed arrow y. The closing element 16 is formed as kind of a slidable drawer and forms a receiving compartment 25 for a multiplicity of replacement blades 26 a,26 b, 26 c, 26 d (FIG. 7).
The closing element 16 has, as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4, a lower edge-forming segment 18 which has its maximum width B₁corresponding substantially to the width B₂of the first component 29 of the handle 11. At least in the contact region of the components 16 and 29, they are substantially the same width B1,B2 and thus provide in an aesthetic and functional manner a flush transition between them.
From the end segment 18 of the closing element 16, there extend upwardly, as can be seen from FIG. 4, a left side wall 24 a and a right side wall 24 a, these side walls being connected together at their upper end by an upper side wall 24 b seen in FIG. 4. The side walls 24 a, 24 b, 24 c form the substantially rectangular receiving compartment 25 with the end segment 18 and a bottom 23, the receiving compartment 25 being open in the direction of the viewer in FIG. 4 to receive the replacement blades 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d.
FIG. 7 shows, in highly schematic form that a plurality of blades 26 a, 26 b, 26 c and 26 d can be stored within the receiving compartment 25. For example, for retaining the blades, a spring can also be provided or retaining plates, retaining elements like those used in blade dispensers like for example the dispensers for blades for a carpet knife, or the like.
To prevent the blades 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d from falling out, a flange section 19 is provided which is connected by a connecting region 21 with the end segment 18 and extends upwardly from the latter as can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 7. Especially from FIGS. 2 and 7 it will be apparent that at the upper front end of the flange segment 19, an arresting element 20 in the form of a hook can be arranged which cooperates with a recess 22 in the first component 29 (for example FIG. 3). The arresting element 22 has an inclined surface which, upon insertion of the closing element 16 from its open position shown in FIG. 2, into its closed position shown in FIG. 1, serves to cam the hook radially inwardly as the edge 30 of the first component 29 comes to abut segment 18 in the clockwise sense in FIG. 2 about the pivot region at the junction 21 with the first component. As soon as the snap hook 20 is aligned with the recess 22, the flange segment 19 can snap back and the locking element 20 can engage the recess 22 and lock the segment 18 to the first component 29.
In addition, on the flange segment 19 an actuating element 17 in the form of a pressing knob is arranged that serves to enable the release of the locking element 16 according to FIG. 3 in its closed position from the first component 29 so that the closing element 16 can be displaced into its open position illustrated in FIG. 4. The actuating element 17 is connected in one piece with the flange segment 19 and allows actuation by the user through the application of pressure, for example, by a finger, to effect a pivoting of the flange segment 19 according to FIG. 2 in the clockwise sense about the region of the pivot axis in the region 21 so that the snap hook 20 is pressed out of the recess allowing the slide-drawer-like closing element to extend out of the remainder of the handle.
If the closure element 16 is in its open position according to FIG. 2, a retaining means 27 also like a kind of snap hook, can serve to prevent loss of the slide member 16 on the first component 29.
Advantageously the closure element 16 and the first component 29 of the handle 11 are composed of plastic. It will be self understood that other materials can also be selected.
A special holder for replacement blades ( pedicure tools 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d) is not required but is advantageous. In the simplest case a magnet holder can be provided or a holder device operating with special locking can be used.
Instead of a slide-drawer-like arrangement according to the illustrated embodiment, it is also conceivable to provide a clip-on closure element to the first component 29 of the handle. At the same time a telescoping-like extension of the closing element 16 is possible. Finally, also a pivotal blade or pivotal flap arrangement of the closing element can be conceived of whereby the receiving compartment 25 for the replacement blade 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d can be opened or closed.
With the illustrated embodiment, the receiving compartment 25 for the pedicure tool 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d is shiftable relative to the handle 11 or relative to the first component 29 of the handle 11 so that an especially convenient removal and filling of the receiving compartment 29 with replacement blades is possible. Equally however the receiving compartment 25 can be fixed relative to the handle 11 and by the shifting of the closing element 16, like for example a swingable wing-like flap, easy access to the receiving compartment 25 can be afforded.
With respect to the embodiment in which the closing element 16 is configured as a sliding drawer, it will be self-understood that guide elements are provided within the first component 29 of the handle which to prevent obstruction of the drawing, have not been shown. They can be conventional for enabling withdrawal or retention of slide drawers and in the form of the requisite retaining strips or ribs.
Equally, the closure element 16 can be provided on its external surfaces with gripping regions which have not been shown, for example indentations to receive the fingers of the user and which enable easy gripping of the closure element 16 for effecting its displacement movement.

Claims

1. A pedicure device which can be a corn shaver, comprising a handle and a tool part connected with the handle and including, a blade carrier to which a pedicure tool which can be a corn shaving blade, can be releasably affixed in a working position, and at least one storage position on the handle configured to receive at least one replacement pedicure tool.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the handle is provided with a receiving compartment for the at least one pedicure tool.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the handle is formed to be at least partially hollow and the receiving compartment is arranged within the handle.

4. The device according to claim 3 the handle is provided with a closing element (16) which is movable between a closed position in which the receiving compartment is closed, locked, shut off or covered or the like and an accessible position in which the closing element enables access to the receiving compartment (25).

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the closing element is arranged on the handle.

6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the receiving compartment is accessible through at least one access opening.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the access opening is closable by the closing element.

8. The device according to claim 4 wherein the closing element is displaceable in translatory movement relative to the handle.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the closing element is configured as a drawer.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein at least one retaining means is associated with the closing element and retains the closing element in its open position relative to the handle without falling out.

11. The device according to claim 10 wherein the closing element is provided with an arresting means that secures the closing element in its closed position relative to the handle.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the closing element (16) is configured as kind of a drawer.

13. The device according to claim 4 wherein at least one retaining means is associated with the closing element and retains the closing element in its open position relative to the handle without falling out.

14. The device according to claim 1 wherein on the handle and/or on a closing part a receiving holder for at least one pedicure tool is provided.

15. The device according to claim 4 wherein the closing element is swingable on the handle.