Scissors are universally used in the cutting of hair in beauty salons and in barbershops. Although scissors are manufactured in various designs and constructions, they almost always incorporate two pivotably connected blades each having coacting cutting regions on one side of the pivot point and handle portions provided on the other side of the pivot point with finger and thumb supports. Manipulation by the operator of the scissors by relative movement of the operator's fingers and thumb causes corresponding pivotable movement of the cutting blades whereby the cutting regions cooperate to cut hair positioned therebetween.
The finger openings provided in a pair of scissors, e.g., ring finger and thumb, are often standardized by the manufacturer. However, scissors are sold to and used by multiple operators whose finger sizes vary greatly. It is therefore unusual that stock finger and thumb openings in a pair of purchased scissors will properly fit the operator. In this regard, the openings are oversized by the manufacturer so as to accommodate ring inserts that allow personalizing of the openings to fit one's fingers and thumb. Scissors having inserts of various construction are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 970,406, 1,357,200, 2,640,264, 3,840,990, 3,974,563, 4,091,539, 5,720,103, 5,778,540, 5,781,999, 5,819,416, 5,987,757, 6,000,138 and 6,397,478.
There are also known polymer ring inserts that can be removably inserted into the finger and thumb openings of a pair of scissors to reduce their effective size. These ring inserts have been provided each of a different outside diameter and a different inside diameter. Although these ring inserts can modify a pair of scissors to accommodate certain finger and thumb sizes, there are operators whose finger sizes do not match appropriately those of the known ring inserts. As a result, the operator will select the best possible size to accommodate the operator's fingers. However, the ring insert may still result in the finger or thumb opening being either too large or too small. This can result in improper fit of the scissors, potentially causing carpal tunnel syndrome with prolonged use.
There is therefore the need for ring inserts that can be provided in a kit containing a plurality of inserts that more correctly fit the user's fingers, as well as a template for proper selection of the ring inserts.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds