Patent Application
20240074561
The present application claims the benefit and priority of US provisional application no. U.S. Pat. No. 63,299,962, filed 15 Jan. 2022.
The present invention relates generally to an artificial nail. More specifically, the present invention relates to an artificial nail comprising a detachable tip and a body having an apex in its horizontal profile.
Artificial fingernails are a highly popular salon treatment, and are commonly applied by nail technicians in one of four generally commercially available types: acrylic based nails, gel nails, rigid artificial nails and wraps. Acrylic and ABS plastic are particularly convenient types because the materials bond with nail glue and are readily dissolved by acetone which facilitates nail removal. Like natural nails, these artificial nails are often decorated by applying nail polish to one or more portions of the nail.
A problem with currently available artificial nails is that trips to salons are required every time a person wishes to change the design, shape, or length of their nails. It is difficult to apply the nails properly oneself, and repeated trips to the technicians at the salon can become expensive very quickly.
Some efforts have been made to produce “press-on” artificial nails that can be easily applied to one's own nails with glue, however “take it or leave it” designs, shapes, and materials do not offer user to choose their preference. The materials used to manufacture them are also typically not sturdy and bend or buckle easily under daily use, this lack of durability means they are mostly considered as disposable items. The process of applying them is also still too delicate as the press-on materials are thin and generally have a flat profile which is not as pleasing to consumers as the apex-like finish that can be contained through trained technicians.
It is within this context that the present invention is provided.
The present disclosure provides a novel design for a modular pre-built apex artificial nail with a detachable tip allowing the user to achieve a salon looking nail on their own that can be easily detached and exchanged for other types of tips of different profiles and lengths without the requirement that the user remove the whole nail from their person. The main body of the nail and the tip fit snugly together to form a flush top surface with a small seam, and when assembled in this manner the artificial nail forms a salon-like apex shape. Various finishes and embellishments can be applied to the top surface without damaging it.
Thus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a modular artificial nail, comprising: a main body having a concave first surface configured to cover a human nail and an opposing convex second surface—the top of the arch begins at the apex, the highest point on the nail, and then gradually tapers in an arc to a thinner layer at the end of the main body. The first surface is longer than the second surface and the difference in length is occupied by a convex third surface configured to detachably couple with a nail tip attachment, the third surface being separated from the second surface by a shelf having a first height.
The artificial, nail further comprises a nail tip attachment, the nail tip attachment having a fourth convex surface and an opposing fifth concave surface, the fifth surface having a profile with a first end shaped to interlock and couple with the shelf and third surface of the main body to form a complete artificial nail, the depth of the nail tip attachment at the first end being equal to the height of the shelf such that the fourth surface and second surface form a flush seam with one another when the nail tip attachment is in place;
The thickness of the main body between the first and second surfaces varies to provide a side profile in which a point along the second surface forms an apex.
In some embodiments, the shelf, third surface, and first end of the nail tip attachment have a squared area profile.
In other embodiments, the shelf, third surface, and first end of the nail tip attachment have a rounded area profile.
In other embodiments, the main body of the nail is at least 2.5 mm in thickness at its apex.
In some embodiments, the shelf, third surface, and first end of the nail tip attachment have one or more indents or protrusions that interlock with one another to form a stronger connection.
In some embodiments, the height of the shelf is approximately 1 mm.
In some embodiments, the length of the third surface is approximately 5 mm.
In some embodiments, the main body and/or nail tip attachments are made of one or more of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastics, Acrylic Resin, Acrylic, Methaacrylic, Sumipex ME, Sumipex, and Polymethyl Methacrylate Acrylic.
In some embodiments, a second end of the nail tip attachment opposite to the first end has one of the following profile shapes: Oval, Square, Stiletto, Coffin or Almond.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a kit comprising a modular artificial nail according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and two or more different types of nail tip attachment having varying profiles and/or lengths.
Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Common reference numerals are used throughout the figures and the detailed description to indicate like elements. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the above figures are examples and that other architectures, modes of operation, orders of operation, and elements/functions can be provided and implemented without departing from the characteristics and features of the invention, as set forth in the claims.
The following is a detailed description of exemplary embodiments to illustrate the principles of the invention. The embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the invention, but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalent; it is limited only by the claims.
Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The present disclosure provides an artificial nail with a pre-built apex which is accompanied by detachable nail tips of different shapes and sizes that modularly couple with a main body giving the user the ability to achieve a customizable salon looking nail on their own. The main body of the nail and the tip fit snugly together to form a flush top surface with a small seam. Various finishes and embellishments can be applied to the top surface without damaging it. Like a salon nail, it will last until the user chooses to remove it. This solves the problems associated with traditional “press-on” nails.
Two specific configurations of the artificial nail will now be described with reference to the drawings, one with a squared profile and one with a curved/rounded profile but it should be understood that these are merely example configurations.
Referring to
The tip 104 used in the present example has a coffin-type profile and a medium length, however those of skill in the art will recognise that various tips of different profiles and lengths could be used in conjunction with the main body 102. Other example types include but are not limited to stiletto, oval, square, and almond profiles.
The main body 102 has a concave first surface (underneath) which would be shaped so as to easily be glued to a user's fingernail. The opposing second surface 106 is convex and forms a first portion of the top of the artificial nail 100, and is curved in an appealing shape with the end that would be proximal to a user's finger forming an apex.
A third surface 108 on the convex side of the main body acts as a mounting point for the nail tip attachment 104. The third surface 108 is displaced from the second surface 106 by a shelf 110 that in some examples is approximately a millimetre in height. This difference in height allows a top fourth surface 112 of the nail tip attachment 104 to be flush with the second surface 106 when coupled to the main body 102, as can be seen in
The underside of the nail tip attachment comprises a fifth concave surface which is shaped to interlock with the third surface 108 like a puzzle piece. In some examples these two surfaces may also include one or more interlocking protrusions and indents (not illustrated). Alternatively, they can simply be shaped to fit flush with one another to allow for glue to easily bond them.
In this first example configuration, the shelf 110 and the seam 114 formed with the nail tip attachment 104 thereby are squared off at the edges, however other shelf types are also possible as illustrated in
Referring to
In this second configuration the shape of the shelf 210 and the seam 214 formed with the tip attachment 202 are rounded, which may allow for a better shape of apex to be formed by the main body 206. Aside from that, and the difference in the shape of the nail tip attachment edge, the second configuration of the artificial nail is identical in structure to the first configuration.
The main body 202 has a concave first surface (underneath) which would be shaped so as to easily be glued to a user's fingernail. The opposing second surface 206 is convex and forms a first portion of the top of the artificial nail 200, and is curved in an appealing shape with the end that would be proximal to a user's finger forming an apex.
A third surface 208 on the convex side of the main body acts as a mounting point for the nail tip attachment 204. The third surface 208 is displaced from the second surface 206 by a shelf 210 that in some examples is approximately a millimetre in height. This difference in height allows a top fourth surface 212 of the nail tip attachment 204 to be flush with the second surface 206 when coupled to the main body 202, as can be seen in
The underside of the nail tip attachment comprises a fifth concave surface which is shaped to interlock with the third surface 208 like a puzzle piece. In some examples these two surfaces may also include one or more interlocking protrusions and indents (not illustrated).
Referring to
Referring to
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The disclosed embodiments are illustrative, not restrictive. While specific configurations of the artificial nail have been described in a specific manner referring to the illustrated embodiments, it is understood that the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of solutions which fit within the scope and spirit of the claims. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.
