WO2018224199A1 - Electric nail file - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns an electric nail file (1) comprising a handle (2) and a sanding head (3) removably mounted on said handle (2), said handle (2) accommodating a power source (4) for powering a motor (5) which, via a gear unit (9), allows a rotational movement of a rotary shaft (8) of the motor (5) to be converted into an oscillatory movement of a drive shaft (6), which allows said sanding head (3) to oscillate during use, said sanding head having a substantially triangular cross section and comprising three abrasive faces (7).

Description

 ELECTRIC NAIL FILE

Object of the invention

 The present invention relates to an electric abrasion device for nails, called electric nail file or also electric nail polisher, and in particular to that of electric nail files having a removable head.

State of the art

 [0002] Electric nail files, with interchangeable removable heads, are well known to those skilled in the art. Each head consists of one or more abrasive surfaces that will be applied to the nail during the treatment thereof. Removable heads have the advantage of offering the user abrasive surfaces with different grain sizes. Generally, the user begins the care of his nails with a head having a coarser grain, to put the nail in shape. He then finishes with a finer grain to polish the nail. Each grain size brings a different result. Depending on the desired result, the user chooses the adapted abrasive surface.

 [0003] Document F 3 038 210 discloses an electric nail polisher, comprising a hollow handle housing a source of energy, and a plurality of removable heads connectable to this handle using a shaft of training. When using the apparatus, oscillation of the head is generated. To change abrasive surface, the user must replace the removable head with another.

 [0004] JP 01171504 illustrates an electric nail file comprising a head having at least two different abrasive surfaces.

 The main disadvantage of most electric nail files of the state of the art is the large number of sanding heads necessary to cover the entire range of abrasiveness needed to file a fingernail. To file, refine and polish the nail, it takes at least three and experience has shown that they are quickly lost, which makes the device almost unusable if only one head remains.

Another disadvantage often found is the weakness of the engine, undersized, is in pain from the first contact of the abrasion surface with the fingernail. Goals of the invention

 The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art. It aims in particular to provide an electric nail file, removable head, with a particular geometry allowing the use of several abrasive surfaces with a single head.

Summary of the invention

 The present invention discloses an electric nail file comprising a handle and a sander head removably mounted on said handle, said handle housing a power source for powering a motor which, via a gear, converts a rotational movement of a rotary shaft of the motor into an oscillating movement of a drive shaft, which allows, in use, the oscillation of said sander head, said sander head having a section substantially triangular and having three abrasive faces.

The invention comprises at least one or a suitable combination of the following characteristics:

 the sander head has a triangular section with rounded faces;

 the sander head is threaded onto a sliding guide extending the handle, said sliding guide having substantially the same type of section as the sanding head;

 the abrasive faces are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft;

 the abrasive faces have a radius of curvature of between 10 and 25 mm, preferably between 15 and 20 mm;

 the abrasive faces have a curved shape at the distal end;

 the drive shaft has a locking groove at its distal end for snapping and holding the sander head on the handle;

 the file includes a mechanism for rotating the sander head 120 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the file when the oscillation movement is stopped;

 each abrasive face has a different roughness;

the file comprises means for adjusting the amplitude of the oscillation movement; the file comprises means for adjusting the frequency of the oscillation movement; the motor has a stopping force of between 25 and 50 N, preferably between 30 and 40 N;

 the oscillation movement has an amplitude of between 1 and 5 millimeters, preferably between 2 and 4 millimeters.

The present invention also discloses a kit comprising an electric nail file and self-adhesive abrasive sheets of a shape adapted to be positioned on the sander head.

Brief description of the figures

[0011] Figure 1 shows an electric nail file according to the invention.

 [0012] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the nail file of the invention.

[0013] Figure 3 shows a cross section of the nail file of the invention.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the oscillation mechanism of the nail file of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a partial section of the profile of the nail file of the invention.

 Figure 6 shows a cross section of the sanding head of the nail file of the invention, having abrasive faces with a radius of curvature of about 16 millimeters.

Figure 7 shows a longitudinal section of the sanding head of the nail file of the invention, illustrating the possibility of inclining the abrasive faces between 90 and 98 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the file.

Numerical references of figures

 1: nail file

 2: handle

 3: sander head

 4: energy source

 5: engine

 6: drive shaft

 7: abrasive surface

 8: rotary shaft

 9: gear mechanism

11: sliding guide 12: locking groove Detailed description of the invention

 The present invention discloses an electric nail file 1 comprising a handle 2, and a removable head 3 that can cooperate with the handle 2.

 The handle 2 is hollow and houses in its cavity a source of energy 4, a motor 5 and a drive shaft 6.

 The power source 4, for example batteries or a rechargeable battery, powers the motor 5. This motor 5 in turn actuates a rotary shaft 8 connected to a gear mechanism 9. The gear mechanism 9 converts the rotational movement of the rotary shaft 8 into an oscillation movement of a drive shaft 6 via an eccentric rod placed in an asymmetrical housing, as shown in FIG. 4.

The sanding head 3 is fixed removably on the handle 2 so that it can be easily replaced by other sanding heads with abrasion grains on demand. Specifically, the sander head is threaded onto a sliding guide 11 extending the handle 2 and having substantially the same type of triangular section as the sanding head 3. The male-female configuration of the head sander / guide assembly has several advantages . It allows a quick replacement of the sander head which is directly in the correct locking position and also, the moving head which oscillates is kept strictly in the same plane without lateral vibration, which greatly increases the comfort of use. The drive shaft 6 has a locking groove 12 at its distal end for snapping and holding the sanding head 3 on the handle 2. When the electric nail file is actuated, the head 3 makes a movement of linear back and forth thanks to the oscillation of the drive shaft 6.

The sanding head 3 has a slightly rounded triangular section allowing tangential contact with the nail. It comprises three faces on which are fixed three abrasive faces 7, which will be in contact with the nail during use. As the sanding head 3 is removable, it can easily be exchanged with another head. The abrasive faces have a radius of curvature of between 10 and 25 millimeters, preferably between 15 and 20 millimeters. In Figure 6, the abrasive faces shown have a radius of curvature of 16 millimeters.

The three abrasive surfaces 7 may have different roughness, so that the user can choose the surface adapted to his needs. In this way, the user must not change sander 3 when he wants to change roughness. Moreover, it prevents him from misplacing the different removable heads when they have only one type of abrasive face as those of the state of the art.

 The abrasive sheets 7 are glued to the sanding head 3 with a repositionable adhesive. In this way, when a surface is damaged or too worn, the user can take it off to replace it with another abrasive sheet 7. For this purpose, a kit of self-adhesive abrasive sheets of different grains and positionable on the sander head can be supplied with the device, which allows individual arrangement of the abrasive surfaces for each user.

 The abrasive faces 7 of the sander head are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 6. However, in a particular embodiment, the abrasive faces 7 could be slightly inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 6, an angle that can be between 90 and 98 degrees as shown in Figure 7.

 The abrasive sheets 7 have a curved shape at their distal end, that is to say that the end of the face 7 farthest from the handle 2 is rounded.

The handle 2 has an ergonomic shape.

 In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the file 1 comprises a mechanism for rotating the sanding head 3 about the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft of the file 1, when the movement of the oscillation is stopped. In this way, when the user wishes to change abrasive surface 7, he presses the push button which actuates the rotation mechanism of the head 3 which then rotates 120 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus . With this mechanism, the user must not change the position handle in his hand when he wants to use another abrasive surface 7. In addition, he can keep the activation button of the device under his thumb s' he wishes it.

As explained above, the abrasive sheets may have different roughness, so that the user can choose the surface adapted to his needs. Generally, the user begins to care for his nails with an abrasive having a coarse grain, and therefore a higher roughness, and with a low amplitude and frequency of oscillation of the sander head. To finalize the treatment of his nails, the user will choose a fine grain that will polish the nail, with a higher amplitude and oscillation frequency than the first step.

For this, the electric file comprises means for adjusting the amplitude of the oscillation movement. The oscillating movement of the sanding head 3 may have a amplitude between 1 and 5 millimeters, preferably between 2 and 4 millimeters. The apparatus may also include means for adjusting the oscillation frequency.

The motor has a stopping force of between 25 and 50 N, preferably between 30 and 40 N, which guarantees effective nail treatment. In this way, when the active surfaces 7 are in contact with the nails of the user, the oscillation of the sanding head 3 remains effective.

 The sanding head may comprise 3 faces with the same grain size, or with different grain sizes. The particle sizes are those usually used in the field of nail files, and are between 100 and 3000 according to the CAMI nomenclature. To form the nail, the user will choose a grain between 100 and 400, while to equalize the surface of the nail, he will choose a grain between 400 and 1000. The polishing of the nail is made with a face abrasive having a grain of about 3000.

The electric file is an autonomous device with battery or rechargeable batteries.

Claims

1. Electric nail file (1) comprising a handle (2) and a sanding head (3) removably mounted on said handle (2), said handle (2) housing a power source (4) for supplying an engine ( 5) which, by means of a gear (9), makes it possible to convert a rotational movement of a rotary shaft (8) of the motor (5) into an oscillating movement of a drive shaft ( 6) which allows, in use, the oscillation of said sander head (3), said sander head having a substantially triangular section and having three abrasive faces (7), characterized in that the sanding head (3) is threaded on a sliding guide (11) extending the handle (2), said sliding guide (11) having substantially the same type of section as the sanding head (3).  2. Nail file according to claim 1, characterized in that the sanding head (3) has a triangular section with rounded faces.  3. Nail file according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abrasive faces (7) are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft (6).  4. Nail file according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abrasive faces (7) have a radius of curvature of between 10 and 25 millimeters, preferably between 15 and 20 millimeters.  5. Nail file according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abrasive faces (7) have a curved shape at the distal end.  6. File according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive shaft (6) has a locking groove at its distal end for snapping and holding the sander head (3). on the handle (2).  Nail file according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the file comprises a mechanism for rotating the sanding head (3) by 120 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the file (1), when the swinging motion is stopped.  8. File according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each abrasive face (7) has a different roughness. 9. File according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the file comprises means for adjusting the amplitude of the oscillation movement. 10. File according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the file comprises means for adjusting the frequency of the oscillation movement.  1. Nail file according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor (5) has a stopping force of between 25 and 50 N, preferably between 30 and 40 N.  12. Nail file according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oscillation movement has an amplitude of between 1 and 5 millimeters, preferably between 2 and 4 millimeters.  13. Kit comprising an electric nail file according to any one of the preceding claims and adhesive abrasive sheets of a shape adapted to be positioned on the sander head.