Nipper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11858150-B2
Application number	US-202017132763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Dec 23, 2019
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A nipper, components thereof, and associated methods. The nipper includes first and second jaws, and first and second levers connected to respective ones of the jaws. The jaws are pivotable about a pivot axis to move cutting edges of the jaws toward and away from each other. The jaws and levers have a keyed connection for conjoint pivoting of the respective jaws and levers about the pivot axis. A retainer is configured to retain the cutting edges in a closed arrangement. The nipper includes a poker for cleaning paint from an eyelet of a lure or fishing hook. The poker is movable between stowed and deployed positions with respect to a lever of the nipper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nipper scissors usable by a person for cutting a fishing line, the nipper scissors comprising:
a first jaw including a first cutting edge and a first jaw pivot hub, the first cutting edge extending forward of the first jaw pivot hub, the first jaw pivot hub including first jaw keying structure;
a first lever including a first lever pivot hub and a first arm, the first arm extending rearward of the first lever pivot hub, the first lever pivot hub including first lever keying structure, the first lever keying structure being mated with the first jaw keying structure to form a first keyed connection between the first lever pivot hub and the first jaw pivot hub;
a second jaw including a second cutting edge and a second jaw pivot hub, the second cutting edge extending forward of the second jaw pivot hub, the second jaw pivot hub including second jaw keying structure;
a second lever including a second lever pivot hub and a second arm, the second arm extending rearward of the second lever pivot hub, the second lever pivot hub including second lever keying structure, the second lever keying structure being mated with the second jaw keying structure to form a second keyed connection between the second lever pivot hub and the second jaw pivot hub; and
a fastener pivotably connecting the first jaw hub to the second jaw hub and defining a pivot axis about which the first and second cutting edges are pivotable upward and downward with respect to each other for moving the cutting edges toward each other to a closed arrangement and away from each other to an open arrangement, the first and second cutting edges extending forward of the pivot axis, and the first and second arms extending rearward of the pivot axis;
wherein the first keyed connection connects the first cutting edge and the first arm for conjoint pivoting of the first cutting edge and the first arm about the pivot axis in which downward pivoting of the first arm causes upward pivoting of the first cutting edge, and the second keyed connection connects the second cutting edge and the second arm for conjoint pivoting of the second cutting edge with the second arm about the pivot axis in which upward pivoting of the second arm causes downward pivoting of the second cutting edge;
wherein the first and second cutting edges are biased by a spring away from each other toward the open arrangement;
wherein the first arm includes a first finger bed facing upward and the second arm includes a second finger bed facing downward, the first finger bed being configured to receive a first fingertip of the person, the second finger bed being configured to receive a second fingertip of the person, the first finger bed being arranged with respect to the second finger bed to permit the person to pinch the first and second finger beds toward each other between the first and second fingertips to move the cutting edges from the open arrangement to the closed arrangement;
wherein the first jaw keying structure comprises a first opening, and the first lever keying structure comprises a key received in the first opening;
wherein the fastener is in the first opening.

2. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second jaw keying structure comprises a second opening, and the second lever keying structure comprises a key received in the second opening.

3. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of the first finger bed of the first arm and the second finger bed of the second arm is paddle-shaped.

4. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the arms each include a proximal end connected to the respective one of the lever pivot hubs and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the arms being pivotable away from each other to a maximum distance between the distal ends of the arms, said maximum distance being less than the width of the first arm and less than the width of the second arm.

5. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 3 wherein the arms are less than 2.5 inches long.

6. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the arms each include a proximal end connected to a respective one of the lever pivot hubs and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the arms being pivotable away from each other to a maximum distance between the distal ends of the arms, said maximum distance being less than 1.5 inches.

7. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the cutting edges are less than one inch long.

8. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first finger bed and second finger bed each have concave press surfaces.

9. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 8 , wherein each arm has a length extending rearward from the lever pivot hub, a width extending between opposite left and right sides of the arm, and a thickness transverse to the width and the length, the first finger bed press surface and second finger bed press surface each being concave widthwise of the respective arm.

10. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first finger bed and second finger bed each have non-convex press surfaces.

11. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the fastener is received in the first and second jaw pivot hubs and the first and second lever pivot hubs.

12. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first and second lever pivot hubs extend forward of the pivot axis.

13. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the first and second jaw pivot hubs extend rearward of the pivot axis.

14. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a retainer connected to the first lever and moveable between retaining and non-retaining positions, the retainer in the retaining position retaining the cutting edges in the closed arrangement, and the retainer in the non-retaining position permitting the cutting edges to pivot away from each other.

15. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the retainer is movable laterally between the retaining and non-retaining positions.

16. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the retainer comprises a latch pivotable laterally between the retaining and non-retaining positions.

17. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 14 , further comprising a poker on the retainer, the poker having a pointed free end configured to remove paint from an eyelet of a fishing hook.

18. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a poker connected to the first lever, the poker having a pointed free end configured to remove paint from an eyelet of a hook, the poker being shielded by first and second guards alongside the poker on opposite sides of the poker, the poker and guards being pivotable with respect to the first lever between a stowed position and a deployed position.

19. A nipper scissors as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first arm is free of structure forming a loop in which the person's thumb tip is received for engaging the thumb bed, and the second arm is free of structure forming a loop in which the person's fingertip is received for engaging the finger bed.

Assignees

• Aob Products Company

Inventors

• Cauley Jr Dennis W
• Tayon James
• Vesich Anthony
• Kinamore Matthew
• Smith Curtis
• Neville Josh
• Dalton Mark

Classifications

• B26B13/12 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the handles · CPC title

• B26B13/16 Primary

  spring loaded, e.g. with provision for locking the blades or the handles · CPC title

• B26B13/28

  Joints (B25B7/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B26B13/04

  with detachable blades · CPC title