Patent Application
20220053907
The present disclosure relates generally to cosmetic treatments and, more particularly, to a cuticle treatment device with integrated liquid dispensing.
In performing a cuticle treatment, such as during a manicure, on a cuticle of a person, the cuticle is typically treated, such as with a liquid and by cutting or forced retraction of the cuticle using a mechanical means, such as a blade or a member enabled to mechanically engage the cuticle. In typical methods of performing such cuticle treatments, the mechanical means was used separately from an applicator of the liquid to the cuticle. Accordingly, typical cuticle treatment devices have included either the mechanical means to mechanically engage the cuticle or a separate applicator for application of a cuticle treatment oil or lotion that helps cuticle to be softened.
In one aspect, a cuticle treatment device is disclosed. The cuticle treatment device may include a cuticle guide having an edge portion enabled to engage a cuticle of a person. In the cuticle treatment device, the edge portion may include both a manicure tool enabled to engage at least a portion of the cuticle from a fingernail associated with the cuticle and a liquid dispenser enabled to apply a liquid to the cuticle. The cuticle treatment device may further include a liquid receptacle in fluid communication with the liquid dispenser and enabled to store a volume of the liquid.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the manicure tool may further include a hard material enabled to separate the cuticle from the fingernail. In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the hard material may be selected from at least one of: a steel, a ceramic, and a metal.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the manicure tool may be formed with a sharpened edge at the edge portion. In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the sharpened edge may be formed into the hard material, and wherein the sharpened edge is enabled to cut the cuticle.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the liquid may include at least one of a cuticle oil, an aqueous solution, and an alcoholic solution.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the liquid receptacle may be removable. In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the liquid receptacle may be refillable with the liquid.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the liquid dispenser may be formed with an elastomeric material enabled to dispense the liquid.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the cuticle treatment device, the elastomeric material may be selected from at least one of: a rubber, a polymer, and a composite material.
In another aspect, a method for treating cuticles using a cuticle treatment device is disclosed. The method may include placing the cuticle treatment device on a cuticle of a person. In the method, the cuticle treatment device may include a cuticle guide having an edge portion, while the edge portion may further include a manicure tool enabled to engage the cuticle. The method may further include engaging the cuticle separately from a fingernail associated with the cuticle by using the cuticle treatment device, and applying a liquid to the cuticle. In the method, the cuticle treatment device may further include a liquid dispenser enabled to apply the liquid to the cuticle and a liquid receptacle in fluid communication with the liquid dispenser, wherein the liquid receptacle is enabled to store a volume of the liquid.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the manicure tool may include a hard material enabled for the engaging the cuticle. In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the hard material may be selected from at least one of: a steel, a ceramic, and a metal.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the engaging the cuticle may further include separating at least a portion of the cuticle from the fingernail.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the engaging the cuticle may further include pushing back at least a portion of the cuticle towards the fingernail.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the engaging the cuticle may further include cutting at least a portion of the cuticle from the fingernail, wherein the manicure tool is formed with a sharpened edge at the edge portion, the sharpened edge enabled for the cutting.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the liquid may include at least one of a cuticle oil, an aqueous solution, and an alcoholic solution.
In any of the disclosed embodiments, the method may further include removing the liquid receptacle from the cuticle treatment device. In any of the disclosed embodiments, the method may further include refilling the liquid receptacle with the liquid.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the liquid dispenser may be formed with an elastomeric material enabled to dispense the liquid. In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the elastomeric material may be selected from at least one of: a rubber, a polymer, and a composite material.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the engaging and applying steps may further include engaging the cuticle by a user holding the cuticle treatment device with one hand, and applying the liquid to the cuticle by the user holding the cuticle treatment device with one hand.
In any of the disclosed embodiments of the method, the user may be the person.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments.
Throughout this disclosure, a hyphenated form of a reference numeral refers to a specific instance of an element and the un-hyphenated form of the reference numeral refers to the element generically or collectively. Thus, as an example (not shown in the drawings), device “12-1” refers to an instance of a device class, which may be referred to collectively as devices “12” and any one of which may be referred to generically as a device “12”. In the figures and the description, like numerals are intended to represent like elements.
As noted above, typical cuticle treatment devices have been designed for use by a manicurist on the person. However, the typical cuticle treatment devices may have not been enabled for use using one hand only, and may accordingly be unsuitable for use by persons desiring to perform a self-manicure, such as by using one hand to perform the manicure on the other hand. Accordingly, the use of typical cuticle treatment devices remains somewhat time-consuming and unwieldy and may typically involve the use of both hands to operate when application of the liquid is desired.
Thus, typical cuticle treatment devices have involved the use of both hands of a user when the liquid is dispensed on the cuticle, and have accordingly been unsuitable for use by persons desiring to perform a self-manicure, such as by using one hand to perform the manicure on the other hand.
As will be disclosed in further detail herein, a cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing enables a person to perform a cuticle treatment with fluid dispensing using one hand only. The cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing disclosed herein comprises a cuticle guide having an edge portion in which a manicure tool and a liquid dispenser is included. In the cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing disclosed herein, the manicure tool may be enabled to engage at least a portion of the cuticle from a fingernail associated with the cuticle, while the liquid dispenser may be enabled to apply a liquid to the cuticle. The cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing disclosed herein may further comprise a liquid receptacle that stores a volume of the liquid and is in fluid communication with the liquid dispenser. The manicure tool in the cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing disclosed herein may include a hard material that is enabled to separate the cuticle from the fingernail, while the hard material may form a sharpened edge at the edge portion that is enabled to cut the cuticle. The cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing disclosed herein may be enabled to dispense the fluid stored in the liquid receptable via the liquid dispenser that is integrated into the cuticle guide. The cuticle treatment device with integrated oil dispensing disclosed herein may include a removable liquid receptacle that can be refilled with the liquid.
Referring now to the drawings,
In
Additionally, edge portion 102-1 may comprise a liquid dispenser that is in fluid communication with liquid receptacle 104 (not visible in
Furthermore, as noted, liquid receptacle 104 may be removable, such as by using a threaded connection with cuticle guide 102 to which liquid receptacle 104 is attached in
In
Referring now to
Method 300 may begin at step 302 by placing a cuticle treatment device on a cuticle of a person, where the cuticle treatment device comprises a cuticle guide having an edge portion, and where the edge portion further comprises a manicure tool enabled to engage the cuticle. At step 304, the cuticle is separately engaged from a fingernail associated with the cuticle by using the cuticle treatment device. In some embodiments, step 304 may include cutting at least a portion of the cuticle from the fingernail, where the manicure tool is formed with a sharpened edge at the edge portion, the sharpened edge enabled for the cutting. At step 306, a liquid is applied to the cuticle, where the cuticle treatment device further comprises a liquid dispenser enabled to apply the liquid to the cuticle and a liquid receptacle in fluid communication with the liquid dispenser and enabled to store a volume of the liquid. It is noted that at least steps 304 and 306 in method 300 may be performed by a user holding the cuticle treatment device using one hand.
In
As disclosed herein, a cuticle treatment device with integrated liquid dispensing may facilitate simple and one-handed operation to perform a cuticle treatment with the application of a liquid to the cuticle.
The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.
