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US2615453A - Cuticle pusher - Google Patents

  • ️Tue Oct 28 1952

Oct. 28, 1952 L QHMAN 2,615,453

CUTICLE FUSHER Filed Jan. 11 1951 INVENTOR.

FIG. 3" IQ ALU S. OHMAN Maw/9% AGENT I 'Idalu s. ohmaii, Cloquet,Mi nn.

7 Application January 11, 1951, Serial No. 205,486

This invention relates to a manicuring device and has special reference to an instru'menta-lity for use in caring for the cuticle. IT

We are all aware that manicuring of fingernails has become an established institution in American life, as women, particularly, not only practice same, but make it their profession. In

the development of the manicuring art, many devices have been made for use in caring for the cuticle; however, all of these devices have proven unsatisfactory in one way or another.

Brushes of various shapes and sizes, and with varying degrees of bristle stiffness have been used; however, these brushes do not function entirely satisfactorily. The bristles may well in- J'ure a tender cuticle, and usually the bristles do not hold their original shape very long.

Wooden and plastic sticks are also commonly used as cuticle pushers, the sticks being provided with variously shaped ends; some are wedge-shaped, others are cut diagonally from one side to the other, and others are pointed. These wooden or plastic sticks are usually too stiff and will readily injure a tender cuticle.

Unless the cuticle is cared for properly, unsightly and sometimes painful hangnails develop when the cuticle is broken.

In addition to the above, these commonly used nail pushers often scratch the fingernail or injure the so-called half-moon area at the base of the nail. Injury to this area will often cause the nail to defonn, and it may take an extremely long period of care and treatment to nurse the nail back to normal.

It is, therefore, one of my principal objects to provide a cuticle pusher which will not injure a cuticle during its use and will not cause hangnails.

Another object is to provide a cuticle pusher which will not damage the base of a fingernail so as to cause deformities therein.

Another, more specific object, is to provide a resilient tip which has working faces for conveniently performing operations on a cuticle, and a holder for the tip, the tip and holder providing a compact and convenient manicurin instrumentality.

Another object is to provide means in a cuticle pusher to prevent the scratching of a fingernailwhile the pusher is being used.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

,

v

2 1 Fig.1 is a plan view of one of my completed pushers with a plastic holder portion.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the pusher shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing how the pointed end of the resilient tip may be used.

In the drawing, the reference numeral I indicates the preferably plastic holder for the

resilient tip

2.

To provide a neat holder as well as convenient gripping means for the cuticle pusher, the plastic is preferably formed along its outer periphery to an arcuate contour as at 4 so that the outer edges of the holder are rounded, as shown, to provide a neat appearance and also to eliminate sharp or rough edges.

The holder is preferably tapered toward its outer or tip end as at 5, and the

tip

2 is preferably of substantially hexagonal shape, as shown, so as to extend outwardly of the holder on each side thereof, as at 6, and has an enlarged portion I with a socket 8 therein by means of which it is mounted on the holder. The holder I has a

stem portion

9 which extends into the opening of the holder, as shown, and cement or the like may be used to provide a firm installation of the tip on the holder.

The

tip

2 is, as mentioned above, preferably of molded rubber and hexagonal shape having relatively straight side edges Ill-l0 which converge to the slightly rounded outer end II. The edges l0 and end H are beveled as at l2. This combination of straight converging side edges and a slightly rounded tip or end portion, the side edges and end portion being beveled as shown, forms a resilient tool which proves to be ideal for use in caring for the cuticle. The

tip

2 may be employed with either a long straight edge It), or with the end ll alone (as seen in Fig. 5), or with a portion of the end I l and side edge l0 engaging the cuticle to press same into place and stimulate same whereby shaping of the nail may be maintained without danger of injury to either the cuticle Or the fingernail itself. In addition, the opposed straight side edges [2 and the corners l3 which joint same with the edges l0 provide additional areas for cuticle care, and are located admirably for work on the side edges of the fingernail and cuticle without changing the position of the fingers or shifting the hold on the cuticle pusher.

The socket member 1 encircles the edges of the

stem

9 of the holder I as shown, forming a bead H to prevent edges of the holder from ever engaging the nail or cuticle when the device is in use.

With the instant device one need not worry about broken cuticles which result in hangnails, nor about damaging the nail in any way, as the

tip

2 is resilient and the nail and cuticle are protected from engagement by anything but the resilient rubber of the

tip

2. The half-moon area of the fingernail will not be damaged by the

tip

2, so that nail deformation is eliminated.

The holder 1 has a depression ill on each side thereof to provide for convenience in handling and manipulating the device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

As a new article of manufacture, a device for use in manicuring fingernails consisting of a holder, a tip carried at one end of said holder, a socket in said tip to receive said holder, said tip being of resilient material and having the working portion thereof of substantially uniform thickness throughout, a pair of converging side edges on said working portion, and a bead surrounding said socket where it meets said working portion to prevent the holder from causing injury to said fingernails, said bead being integral with said tip and being arcuately shaped so as to be substantially equi-distant from all of the working edges of said tip whereby said Working portion may flex freely during use irrespective of which edge thereof is employed.

'IDALU S. OHMAN.

REFERENCES CITED i The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS