Nail polishing stand and storage cabinet

Abstract

A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet includes a base having a plurality of drawers adapted to store manicuring supplies including nail polish. A hinged cover is coupled to the base and opens to reveal a substantially semispherical hand rest having five spaced apart grooves. According to one aspect of the invention, the hand rest is rotatable so that the user can adjust it to the most comfortable position. According to another aspect of the invention, the cover is adapted to function as a soaking tray. According to the presently preferred embodiment, the cover is removable.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to manicuring aids and, more particularly, to a manicure case, namely, a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet, which holds manicuring implements and accessories and provides a hand rest upon which the user's hand can be supported during the manicure and which also provides a detachable soaking tray.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Self-manicuring is a tedious process. In particular, the application of nail polish requires patience and attention to detail. Over the years, many different accessories have been offered to aid in the application of nail polish. The simplest is the foam finger separator which holds the fingers in a spaced apart relationship. A more elaborate device which performs the same function is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,017 to Trujillo. The '017 patent describes a hand holder for receiving and supporting the fingers of each hand for application of a manicuring treatment. The hand holder consists of a plastic piece having first and second surfaces molded on opposite sides thereof. Each surface has recessed contours for supporting the palm and fingers of one hand in spaced relation such that the nail of each finger is readily accessible for application of a manicuring treatment. The holder is turned over for use in treating the opposite hand.

A still more elaborate apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,766 to Benis. The '766 patent describes a manicuring case and supporting apparatus for storing manicuring implements and providing a base of support for a user's hand during use thereof. A container defines an interior cavity and includes a plurality of apertures in the top surface thereof. Each aperture is adapted to receive a bottle of polish or the like and is configured to preclude the bottle from being inadvertently dislodged irrespective of the orientation of the case. A supporting base depends upwardly from the top surface of the container. The supporting base includes an arcuate member which has a plurality of concave depressions disposed in the top surface thereof. The concave surfaces are substantially parallel to each other and provide a base upon which the user's hand can be disposed during use.

The state of the art of these types of devices is still wanting and the present invention provides a superior solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved manicure case.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a manicure case and, in particular, a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet which is easy and facile to use.

It is another object of the invention to provide a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet which is attractive and versatile.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet combination which is adaptable for use with both hands and is adjustable to a comfortable position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet combination which include a finger soaking tray.

In accord with these objects which will be discussed in detail below, a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to the invention includes a base having a plurality of drawers adapted to store manicuring supplies including nail polish. A hinged cover is coupled to the base and opens to reveal a substantially semispherical (e.g., dome shaped) hand rest having five spaced apart grooves. According to one aspect of the invention, the hand rest is rotatable so that the user can adjust it to the most comfortable position. According to another aspect of the invention, the cover is adapted to function as a soaking tray. According to the presently preferred embodiment, the cover is removable.

Certain of the foregoing and related objects are also attained according to the present invention by a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet comprising a base, a hand rest rotatably coupled to said base, and a cover hingedly coupled to said base. Preferably, the hand rest is rotatable and includes means for releasably locking the hand rest in a plurality of fixed positions relative to the base. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the nail polishing stand and storage cabinet comprises a base having a storage compartment, and a hand rest rotatably coupled to said base. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the nail polishing stand and storage cabinet comprises a base having a storage compartment, a hand rest coupled to said base, and a cover coupled to said base, wherein said cover is configured to function as a soaking tray.

In a further embodiment, a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet, comprises a base having a storage compartment, and a hand rest coupled to said base, wherein said hand rest is substantially dome shaped with a plurality of spaced apart grooves. Most advantageously, the base has at least one drawer for receiving manicuring accessories. Most desirably, the dome-shaped hand rest and said base each have a plurality of opposing, normally intermeshing teeth and said hand rest is mounted on said base in a spring-loaded manner to permit, via depression of said hand rest, disengagement of said teeth and, in turn, rotation of said hand rest to a different rotatable position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front side elevational view of a manicure case embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a rear side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof with the cover open and the drawers pulled out;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view thereof illustrating rotation of the hand rest in phantom lines;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view thereof illustrating use of the cover as a soaking tray;

FIG. 9 a is a plan view of the underside of the upper part of the base with the cover removed and the rotating hand rest removed;

FIG. 9 b is a plan view of the rotating hand rest removed from the base;

FIG. 10 is a broken exploded side elevational view, in part section, illustrating the assembly of the rotating hand rest;

FIG. 11 is a broken side elevational view, in part section, illustrating the rotating hand rest in a locked position; and

FIG. 12 is a broken side elevational view, in part section, illustrating the rotating hand rest in an unlocked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the figures, the nail polishing stand and storage cabinet 10 embodying the present invention includes a clam shell-shaped base 12 having a plurality of drawers 14, 16, 18 adapted to store manicuring implements and supplies including, e.g., nail polish. As seen best in FIG. 6, the drawer 14 is located in the front of the base and pulls straight out. The left drawer 16 and the right drawer 18 are adapted to swing out on hinges (not shown). The drawer 14 has at least one compartment adapted to receive manicuring aids, accessories, and implements, etc., such as nail files, emery boards, and the like. The left drawer 16 has compartments adapted to receive, e.g., nail polish bottles, finger separators, etc. It also has a tray for resting tools between use. The right drawer 18 has compartments for, e.g., bottles and cotton balls. The base is also provided with two elliptical wells 17 which can also be used for storage to allow ready access to such aids during the manicure.

A claim-shell shaped hinged cover 20 is coupled to the base 12 and opens via knob 15 to reveal a substantially semispherical (e.g., dome shaped) hand rest 22 having five spaced apart grooves 22a-22e for the user's fingers. According to one aspect of the invention, as shown in FIG. 7 and described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 9a, 9b, and 10-12, the hand rest 22 is rotatable (as shown by arrows and phantom line) so that the user can adjust it to the most comfortable position. For example, when manicuring one's left hand, rest 22 is rotated to the left so that te hand rest 22 assumes the position shown in phantom line. This allows the user to support her left hand on hand rest 22 in a relaxed and comfortable position when sitting in front of the opened case. Alternatively, when manicuring her right hand, she would rotate the rest in the opposite direction (not shown) to provide a relaxed and comfortable position for her right hand. The position of the hand rest can be adjusted as desired whether one is performing the manicure on herself or someone else.

According to another aspect of the invention illustrated in FIG. 8, the inside of cover 20 is adapted to function as a soaking tray. The cover 12 can be filled with a soaking solution 25 in which the user's fingers can be inserted prior to the manicure. According to the presently preferred embodiment, the cover is removable to allow for easy disposal of the soaking solution. As seen best in FIGS. 6-8, the hinge coupling the cover 20 to the base 12 has a hinge pin 21 with a graspable end 23. By grasping and pulling the hinge pin 21, the cover 20 can be removed, thereby separating the cover 20 from the base 12.

Turning now to FIGS. 9a and 9b, the base 12 has a circular opening 12a within which the hand rest 22 is mounted for indexable rotary movement. As seen in FIG. 9a, the interior peripheral surface surrounding the opening 12a on the underside of the top wall of base 12 is provided with a plurality of teeth 12b-12e arranged in clusters ninety degrees apart from each other. A plurality of mounting points 12f-12m surround the opening 12a. As seen in FIG. 9b, the periphery of the hand rest 22 is provided with a plurality of matching teeth 22f completely encircling the hand rest.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a mounting plate 13 is secured via a plurality of fasteners 13a-13e at mounting points 12f-12m (FIG. 9a) on the underside of top wall 19 of base 12. The mounting plate 13 is provided with a centrally located axle and spring rest 17. The underside of hand rest 22 has two centrally located coaxial tubes 22g and 22h. A compressed coil spring 15 is positioned between the mounting plate 13 and the hand rest 22. From the foregoing and from the illustration of FIG. 11, it will be appreciated that the apparatus is assembled by introducing th hand rest 22 into the central opening 12a of top wall 19 from below so that its upwardly-directed teeth 22f engage the downwardly-directed teeth 12b-12e underneath the rim of the central opening 12a. Prior thereto, one end of spring 15 is inserted into the tube 22h and the other end thereof is inserted over axle 17. The mounting plate 13 is then attached to the underside of top wall 19 of base 12 via the fasteners 13a-13e.

Under the action of the compressed coil spring 15, the hand rest 22 is normally locked in position by engagement of the teeth 12b-12e and 22f. In order to rotate the hand rest 22, one must press down against the force of the spring 15 as illustrated in FIG. 12. When the hand rest 22 is pressed down (as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 12), the teeth 22f on the hand rest 22 disengage and move away from the teeth 12b-12e on the base 12. This allows the hand rest to be rotated so long as it is pressed down. When it is released, the spring 15 forces hand rest 22 upwardly up so that the teeth re-engage, locking hand rest 22 in the desired new position.

As seen in the figures, the nail polishing stand and storage cabinet is designed to resemble a sea shell in overall shape, especially when viewed from the top. This is a much more pleasing appearance than most of the prior art devices.

There have been described and illustrated herein a nail polishing stand and storage cabinet. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as so claimed.

Claims

1. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet, comprising: a base; a hand rest rotatably coupled to said base; and a cover hingedly coupled to said base.

2. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: said hand rest is substantially semispherical with five spaced apart grooves.

3. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: said hand rest is rotatable and includes means for releasably locking said hand rest in a plurality of fixed positions relative to said base.

4. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: said cover is configured to function as a soaking tray.

5. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 4, wherein: said cover is removable from said base.

6. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet, comprising: a base having a storage compartment; and a hand rest rotatably coupled to said base.

7. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 6, wherein: said hand rest has five spaced apart grooves.

8. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 6, wherein: said hand rest is substantially dome shaped.

9. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 6, wherein: said hand rest is rotatable and includes means for releasably locking said hand rest in a plurality of fixed positions relative to said base.

10. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet, comprising: a base having a storage compartment; a hand rest coupled to said base; and a cover coupled to said base, wherein said cover is configured to function as a soaking tray.

11. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 10, wherein: said cover is removably coupled to said base.

12. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 10, wherein: said cover is hingedly coupled to said base.

13. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet, comprising: a base having a storage compartment; and a hand rest coupled to said base, wherein said hand rest is substantially dome shaped with a plurality of spaced apart grooves.

14. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 13, wherein: said hand rest has five spaced apart grooves.

15. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 13, wherein: said hand rest is rotatably coupled to said base.

16. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 15, wherein: said hand rest and includes means for releasably locking said hand rest in a plurality of fixed positions relative to said base.

17. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 13, wherein said base has at least one drawer for receiving manicuring accessories.

18. A nail polishing stand and storage cabinet according to claim 16, wherein said dome-shaped hand rest and said base each have a plurality of opposing, normally intermeshing teeth and wherein said hand rest is mounted on said base in a spring-loaded manner, to permit, via depression of said hand rest, disengagement of said teeth and, in turn, rotation of said hand rest to a different rotatable position.