Patent Application
20190254404
This invention relates to nail care devices and systems. More specifically, it relates to a nail care tool comprising an ergonomic handle, a replaceable head and an end tip, that allows a person to conveniently remove nail polish, buff nails and clean nails and surrounding nail areas.
Nail care is an essential part in the maintenance of personal hygiene. In order to maintain healthy nails, individuals must keep their fingernails and toenails well groomed at all times. The common practices of enhancing the appearance of nails comprise removing old or damaged nail polish and buffing.
Modern nail polish has been on the nail care market for almost 100 years. Many individuals today, mostly women, beautify their fingernails and toenails by applying nail polish themselves or going to a professional nail technician to have them done. With an array of different nail polish types, colors and finishes to choose from, there seems to be no limit to how a person wears their nails. Nail lacquer, also known as regular nail polish, and no lamp long-lasting polishes are among the most commonly used nail polishes. Regular nail polish basically consists of film-forming agents, resins, solvents and pigments. No lamp long-lasting polishes provide users a hybrid of nail lacquer and gel.
A pristine nail manicure or pedicure can be achieved with a correct application of thin, even layers of base coat, nail polish and topcoat. However, even if the nail polish is applied with the proper procedure, most people constantly change it, completely or selectively, mainly due to chipping or smudging of the polish, grow out or an outfit change. This removal always involves cleaning off the existing polish by applying commercially available solvents in the form of nail polish removers.
When it comes to removing regular nail polish, no lamp long-lasting polishes or the like, the process usually becomes laborious, quite messy and time consuming, principally when removing darker and glitter-based polishes. Current commonly used methods employed to perform this removal task typically comprise applying nail polish remover onto a polished nail, with the use of a cotton ball, cotton round, nail polish remover pad or wipe, sponge, tissue or similar tool. Some of these tools need to be initially soaked in nail polish remover solution, and some already come pre-soaked with the fluid. In either case, the subsequent steps of holding the sodden tool with the fingers of one hand and rubbing it over the surface of a nail in the other hand in order to remove the nail polish therefrom, will inevitably and undesirably expose the user's fingers and fingernails to come into contact with a potentially hazardous enamel solvent and to get stained with dissolved polish. This occurs especially when the user desires to remove the polish entirely from all their nails, since this ordinarily requires rubbing repeatedly with the use of many units of the tool. If the person only wants to fix a damaged nail, it is almost inevitable that previously applied nail polish on their fingernails will end up smudged, marred or removed. Likewise, when a person uses their hands to remove old polish from their toenails, which for many are difficult to reach, their fingernails with previously applied nail polish are usually damaged.
The enamel solvent exposure problem is greatly compounded for many professional nail technicians that use those conventional tools daily, mostly cotton balls, to remove nail polish from their client's nails, often many times per day. While performing the removal, these nail techs commonly hold the saturated tool with their bare fingers. Thus, among the day-to-day challenges that numerous nail technicians confront, due to solvent exposure through skin or fingernail contact, is taking care of the appearance of their own fingernails when applying polish remover to others. It is also a challenge to reduce coming into contact with hazardous chemicals found in numerous polish removers, such as Acetone, Butyl Acetate and Ethyl Acetate, which can have health effects, including skin disorders. In this respect, contact dermatitis, also known as eczema, is the most common skin disorder encountered by nail technicians. Although wearing disposable gloves could minimize such exposure, doing so limits manual dexterity and might get very uncomfortable. At the same time, wearing them frequently and repeatedly may cause red, dry, itchy, irritated areas or blisters on the hands and wrists.
Further, those above-mentioned soft and bendable tools are not capable of holding a firm shape when in use, thus complicating the removal of polish from the nail edges and alongside the cuticle area. It also provokes the generation of irregular friction during cleaning mainly due to the shape variation in the area of contact of the tool when pressed over the nail surface, which is normally curved transversely. Less uniform friction forces between the soaked tool and the nail surface means it is harder to remove the polish.
In addition to those conventional tools, other types of nail polish removing devices have been proposed over the years. Various devices exist for removing nail polish comprising a handle portion in combination with an absorbent material component. Illustrative of this approach are disclosed in the following patent documents: Luscri U.S. Pat. No. 2,442,051 (May 1948); Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,693 (July 1955); Oliver U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,809 (July 1958); Winthrop U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,758 (December 1986); Smith et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,913 (December 1989); Antonopoulos-McIvor U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,859 (March 2000); Dockery U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,735 B1 (June 2002); Crosby U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,172 B1 (June 2003); Thomas et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,667 B1 (September 2004); Knapp et al. Pub. No. US 2008/0142405 A1 (June 2008); Wang Pub. No. US 2009/0090376 A1 (April 2009) and Dockery Pub. No. US 2014/0133895 A1 (Nay 2014).
Dipping jar-based systems is another general category of existing means to remove nail polish. The jar typically contains a sponge-like filler heavily soaked in nail polish remover. The filler is provided with a centered vertical opening into which the finger is inserted. Upon insertion of the fingertip into the aperture of the filler, the person must repeatedly twist and turn the polished nail against the filler until all the polish has been removed. For many people, this system requires skilled manual dexterity and is impractical to remove toenail polish. Because the fingertip is inserted inside the filler during cleaning, the person can not see the nail when the polish is been removed. It usually takes extra effort to remove nail polish completely from the nail edges and alongside the cuticle area. Worse still, in the removal process, the finger is undesirably soaked in a mixture of potentially hazardous solvent and dissolved nail polish. Descriptive of this system are disclosed in the following patent documents: Scherer U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,181 (April 1984); Montiel U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,965 (May 1984); Montiel U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,726 (July 1985); Spector U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,306 (June 1987) and Barclay U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,814 B2 (June 2007).
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 8,584,683 B2 (November 2013), issued in the name of Shammami, describes a disposable nail polish removing device whose body shape is generally spherical with one or more indentations. These indentations can be used to grasp the device while the remaining surface of the device can be used for nail cleaning purposes. The body of this apparatus is made solely of an absorbent material that compresses during use and resiliently returns to its original shape. This device does not have a handle component. As with the aforementioned traditional tools, to carry out the removal, the user has to hold the sodden apparatus with the fingers of one hand and rub it over the surface of the polished nail, thus inevitably exposing their fingers to come into contact with enamel solvent and to stain with dissolved polish.
Thus, the nail industry needs an improved nail polish removing device that overcomes the identified limitations and difficulties inherent in using the existing tools. It would be beneficial to provide an easy to grasp nail polish remover tool with a handle that permit a more efficient and safer procedure for individual and professional removal of regular nail polish, no lamp long -lasting polishes or the like, from fingernails and toenails.
On the other hand, nail buffing is an essential technique to help give nails a smooth, polished appearance by removing ridges, roughness, jagged nail edges and surface stains. The technique involves abrading, smoothing and polishing the nail using files or nail buffers of successively finer grit. During the past decades, a variety of abrasive tools have been used by individuals and nail technicians to employ this technique, including flat planar files and nail buffer blocks. Particularly, manual nail buffers include rectangular buffer blocks with various operational surfaces, each having an abrasive material or a polishing material, and at least two opposite ends. Illustrative of this kind of tool are disclosed in the following patent documents: Hokama U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,828 (January 1983); Letherby et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,210 (May 1999) and Jancik Pub. No. US 2005/0081870 A1 (April 2005); Kim Pub. No. US 2006/0054177 A1 (March 2006) and Park U.S. Pat. No. D666,772 S (September 2012).
Although functional, traditional nail buffer blocks do not have a handle component, which constitutes a grip shortcoming or limitation. In order to operate it, the user must grasp the tool from its ends or in areas of the operational surfaces having abrasive material, with the bulky block itself in between their fingers. Thus, making troublesome to hold and manipulate the nail buffer block at angles needed to achieve optimum results. During the buffing process, the user has to reposition frequently the nail buffer block in between their fingers, which may lead to grip discomfort. In addition, the skin of the user's fingers, primordially nail technicians, is susceptible to abrasion caused by coming into contact with the abrasive surfaces of the nail buffer block during periods of extended use.
An attempt to overcome this deficiency in the art is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. Des. 369,438 (April 1996), issued in the name of Resler, for a nail file ornamental design. This is the design of the commercially available nail buffer block entitled “Block On! Buffing Sponge Wand” from the brand Flowery. This device was formed with a rectangular, elongated block, made of sponge material that provides for four planar surfaces and two opposite ends. Each planar surface have adhered a treatment surface with an abrasive or buffing material, which is disposed on an intermediate foam layer. The treatment surfaces have different grit and are evenly sized. One of the short sides of all its treatment surfaces coincides in one end of the nail buffer block. The remaining portions of the treatment surfaces extend horizontally within the dimensions of the planar surfaces until they reach about two thirds of the length of the block. The areas of the planar surfaces not covered with the treatment surfaces, on the whole, is the handle portion of the tool, which contains four sharp longitudinal corners. This handle section is located on the opposite end to the one where the short sides of all the treatment surfaces coincide.
While the Resler device does provide a useful buffing tool, its handle section, however, has its limitations. Particularly, it does not have an ergonomic design. The grip is not contoured to the curve of the palm of the hand. This shortcoming results in an uncomfortable fit or grip, reduced grip strength and stability, less stroke power, decreasing productivity and hand fatigue. Accordingly, the nail industry needs a multi-surfaced nail buffing tool with an ergonomic handle that comfortably fit the palm of the hand. It would be advantageous to provide an easy to grasp nail buffing tool with a handle that allows the user to conveniently hold and manipulate the tool for maximum efficiency in abrading, smoothing and polishing fingernails and toenails.
An exhaustive worldwide web search of existing nail care devices and systems did not disclose any patent document that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. Therefore, there is a need for a nail care tool that overcomes the identified limitations and difficulties inherent in using the existing devices, permitting more efficient, safe, precise and tidy procedures for removing nail polish and buffing nails.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel nail care tool for removing nail polish and buffing nails, comprising: an ergonomic elongated handle, having a manual holding/release mechanism; a head removably attached to the handle, either an applicator head or a nail buffer head; and a scraping or cleaning end tip.
More particularly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a nail care tool having an ergonomic elongated handle that will prevent the sodden applicator head or the nail buffer head from contacting the fingers been used to hold the tool by the handle during the removal or buffing process. The handle will also give the user greater reach when removing polish from their toenails or buffing them.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a nail care tool comprising a firm applicator head, capable of retaining toughness and shape when in use, and an scraping or cleaning end tip that allow a precise enamel removal from a polished nail with minimal solvent exposure to the skin around the nail.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a nail care tool comprising a contoured firm applicator head with operational sections shaped to fit or receive a nail's convex surface. The form of the applicator head induce regular friction during cleaning which facilitates the removal process, mainly due to the firm concave shape of the area of contact of the operational sections when pressed over the nail surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a nail care tool comprising a nail buffer head with an ergonomic elongated handle that allows the user to conveniently hold and manipulate the tool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a nail care tool with a handle having a manual holding/release mechanism that permit the user to easily attach an applicator head or a nail buffer head, conveniently dispose of a used applicator head without having to touch it with their hands and to easily release a nail buffer head.
Additional objects of the present invention reside in the provision of a novel nail care tool simple in form and construction, with an attractive appearance, inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in use.
The present invention fulfills the above and other objects, including those that will become apparent bellow, by providing a novel nail care tool comprising: an ergonomic elongated handle, having a manual holding/release mechanism; a head removably attached to the handle, either an applicator head or a nail buffer head; and a scraping or cleaning end tip. Rubbing a solvent -sodden applicator head over the surface of a fingernail or toenail with regular nail polish, no lamp long-lasting polishes or the like, allows a user to remove thoroughly, neatly and efficiently the coating therefrom. On the other hand, rubbing the operational sections of the multi-surfaced nail buffer head over the surface of a fingernail or toenail, one section at a time in sequence, allows a user to conveniently, safely and efficiently abrade, smooth and polish the nail. Using the scrapping or cleaning end tip, allows the user to clean, in detail, surrounding nail areas.
In a preferred first embodiment of the invention, the nail care tool comprises: an ergonomic elongated handle; a head removably attached to the handle's upper section, either a cube-like firm applicator head or a cube-like multi-surfaced nail buffer head; and a dual ended tip stick removably attached to the handle's lower section. The ergonomic elongated handle contains on its upper section a manual holding/release mechanism. The tip stick is for scraping or cleaning use. The cube-like firm applicator head have five individual operational sections for cleaning use, one pyramid-shaped and four concave-shaped. The cube-like multi-surfaced nail buffer head have four individual lateral operational sections, flat-shaped, each having adhered a resilient material pad with a treatment surface consisting of an abrasive or buffing material. A user can easily dispose of a used applicator head, without touching it, by pulling back the slider button actuator mounted in the upper section of the handle. Likewise, a user can release a nail buffer head by pulling back the same actuator. A plastic cap sized to cover the applicator head and the buffer head during resting position is included.
In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, the nail care tool comprise an ergonomic elongated handle identical to that of the preferred first embodiment described above and a head removably attached to the handle, either a triangle-shaped or two-sided firm applicator head or a triangle-shaped multi-surfaced nail buffer head.
Therefore, the novel nail care tool embodying the present invention comprise an ergonomic elongated handle thereby preventing the user's fingers operating the tool to come into contact with polish remover solution, dissolved polish or abrasive surfaces. Also will prevent that previously applied nail polish on user's fingernails undesirably end up smudged, marred or removed due to enamel solvent contact. It will also give users greater reach when removing polish from their toenails or buffing them. The tool also comprises a disposable/replaceable contoured firm applicator head capable of retaining toughness and shape when in use. The form of the applicator head and the scraping or cleaning end tip will allow a precise and uniform enamel removal from a polished nail with minimal solvent exposure to the skin around the nail. The firm concave shape of the area of contact of a concave-shaped operational section of the applicator head when pressed over the nail surface will induce regular friction during cleaning, which facilitates the removal process. The manual holding/release mechanism located on the upper section of the tool's handle will permit the user to easily attach an applicator head or a nail buffer head, conveniently dispose of a used applicator head without having to touch it with their hands and to easily release a nail buffer head.
The above and other objects, novel features, structure, advantages and operation of the present invention will be more readily apparent and become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description of the best mode of carrying out the invention and the appended claims. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, and not limitation, preferred embodiments of the invention. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather, reference should there be made to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.
The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of the embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are used herein in a manner of example only, and wherein:
Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. It is thus to be understood that, this invention is not limited to particularly exemplified structures, components, methods or uses, as such may, of course, vary. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
In reference to the drawings,
Embodiment 20 comprises an elongated ergonomic handle 21, scraper 22, head 23 and head cap 24. External surface of the head 23 comprises an operational lining 25 used in the maintenance of nails. The phrase “operational lining” as recited in this application is defined as a material normally used in the maintenance of nails such as those used in the nail polish removal or nail buffing. Embodiment 20 also comprises a system that enables the holding or release of the head 23 at the will of the User, without the need to touch the head 23. The ergonomic design of the handle 21 provides a suitable shape where the User may place and accommodate its hand and fingers, thus allowing the relaxation of the hand muscles even after hours of using the tool.
As shown in
Scraper 22 is a stick made of any solid and firm material such as, felt, wood, firm foam, plastic or other suitable material. It comprises a cylindrical body 35 with a first pointy or tip end 36 and a second diagonal end 37. Scraper 22 may be inserted in a nonpermanent manner into the cylindrical internal cavity 31 located at the first end 28 of handle 21.
Head 23 is connected in a non-permanent manner to second end 30 of handle 21. It is disposable or reusable and may be ejected from handle 21 by slider button 33, as explained below. As illustrated in
Embodiment 20 also comprises at the curved or concave sides 39a, 39b, 39c, and 39d, as well as the corresponding sides of top section 40, a lining 41 of a suitable material capable to absorb and retain fluids, such as felt, polypropylene, cotton and sponge; more preferably felt or polypropylene. Said lining of absorbent material is adhered to said sides by means of any suitable covering methods known in the art. For instance, the absorbent material may be molded in a single unit or sheath layer 42 that simulates the shape of the head 23 and further adhered to the head 23. Such single unit or sheath layer 42, illustrated in
Similarly, the interior surface of the internal cavity 45 on the left side 48 is practically a mirror image of the internal surface of the right side 47 already described: it comprises a second head locking snap 58, which comprises an elongated rectangular body 59 having an upper side 60, a lower side 61, a first end 62 and a second end 63, wherein said first end 62 is the only section of second head locking snap 58 that is connected to the internal surface of internal cavity 45, simulating a free strip, able to move inward or outward in reference to internal surface of internal cavity 45. It also comprises a second wedge 64 located at the second end 63 of the second head locking snap 58.
As illustrated in
Head 23 is not permanently attached to handle 21 and it may be ejected from said elongated body one the User slides button 33 backwardly. The ejection of head 23 is possible due to a system that allows the hold and release of head 23 on or from handle 21, respectively. As illustrated in
Regarding first cap 68, it comprises a main square body 76 with a front surface 77 and a rear surface 78; it also comprises a first extension 79, having a first end 80 connected to the rear surface 78 on square body 76 and a second end 81. Said second end 81 of first extension 79 also comprises a first wedge section 82 connected to the lateral side of said second end 81. Square body 76 also comprises a second extension 83, having a first end 84 connected to the rear surface 78 on square body 76 and a second end 85. Said second extension 85 also comprises a second wedge 86, located at the lateral side of the second end 85. First extension 79 and second extension 83 are located in a parallel position, in other words, they are aligned in reference to one another while first and second wedges 82 and 86 are positioned in an outwardly position with reference to the first and second extensions, 79 and 83.
First compression spring 69 and second compression spring 73 are made of any material with sufficient strength to withstand repeated use, for instance plastic, steel or stainless steel, but preferably stainless steel.
As illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
On topside 109, near the proximal end 113, it comprises a rectangular depression 115, which has inside a rectangular aperture 116 that is open to the internal section 117 of the cartridge 71. On the right side 110, there is a first aperture 118; a second aperture 119, having a broader section 120 and a narrower section 121; and a third aperture 122. Similarly, in the left side 111 there are a first aperture 123; a second aperture 124, having a broader section 125 and a narrower section 126; and a third aperture 127. The first aperture 118 on the right side 110 is aligned or is parallel to the first aperture 123 on the left side 111, being both of said first apertures, 118 and 123, located near the proximal end 113 of cartridge 71 and, simultaneously, said first apertures, 118 and 123, are aligned to aperture 116 on topside 109. Second aperture 119 on right side 110 is aligned to the second aperture 124 on the left side 111.
Similarly, the third aperture 122 on the right side 110 is aligned to the third aperture 127 on the left side 111 and are located near the distal end 114 of cartridge 71. Cartridge 71 also comprises an inner wall 128 comprising a round opening 129. Said inner wall 128 is located inside the cartridge 71, in the internal section 130 that is between the second apertures, 119, 124, and third apertures 122, 127. On the bottom side 112, cartridge 71, near the distal end 114, comprises rail 131.
The system also comprises a plunger 74, which comprises a cylindrical body 132 having a first end 133 and a second end 134. Plunger 74 also comprises a rectangular section 135, which have a front surface 136 and a rear surface 137, as illustrated on
Furthermore, the system comprises a second cap 75 similar to the first cap 68: it comprises a main square body 139 with a front surface 140 and a rear surface 141, having a circular opening 142 across said front and rear surfaces, 140, 141, and having a carved out section 143 of bottom side 144 of said body 139; it also comprises a first extension 145, having a first end 146 connected to the rear surface 141 on square body 139 and a second end 147. Said second end 147 of first extension 145 also comprises a first wedge section 148 connected to the lateral side of said second end 147. Square body 139 also comprises a second extension 149, having a first end 150 connected to the rear surface 141 on square body 139 and a second end 151. Said second extension 149 also comprises a second wedge 152, located at the lateral side of the second end 151. First extension 145 and second extension 149 are located in a parallel position, in other words, they are aligned in reference to one another while first and second wedges, 148 and 152, are positioned in an outwardly position with reference to the first and second extensions, 145 and 149.
The system, capable of hold and release head 23 on or from the handle 21 respectively, also requires the slider button 33, said button comprises: a main body 153 having a front surface 154 and a rear surface 155; a first elongated extension 156, having a first end 157 and a second end 158; and a second elongated extension 159, having a first end 160 and a second end 161. First and second elongated extensions, 156 and 159, are connected to the rear surface 155 in a parallel position in reference to one another. Slider button 33 also comprises first wedge 162, which is positioned laterally in the second end 158 of the first extension 156, and second wedge 163, positioned laterally on second end 161 of the second extension 159. Both, first and second wedges, 162 and 163, are positioned outwardly from the first and second extensions 156 and 159.
As suggested in
As a consequence, aperture 96 on top side 97 of actuator 70 is aligned with aperture 116 on the top side 109 of cartridge 71; first wedge 103 of first extension 100 of actuator 70 is positioned in second aperture 119 on the right side 110 of cartridge 71; and second wedge 107 of second extension 104 of actuator 70 is positioned in second aperture 124 on the left side 111 of cartridge 71. Afterwards, cover 72 is placed on rectangular depression 115 on topside 109 of cartridge 71.
Furthermore, once the cartridge 71 has been assembled with the first cap 68, the first spring 69, actuator 70 and cover 72, as discussed previously, it is inserted at the rectangular section 27 of handle 21. Then, slider button 33 is inserted into aperture 33a on topside 34 of handle 21, thus passing through aperture 116 of the cartridge 71 and through the aperture 96 on the actuator 70 since both apertures 116 and 96 are already aligned. In this manner, first wedge 162 on first extension 156 of the slider button 33 and second wedge 163 of the second extension 159 of the slider button 33 are inserted and secured at broader section 99 on aperture 96 of actuator 87.
On the other hand, second spring 73 is inserted into the cylindrical section 132 of plunger 74; rectangular section 135 of the plunger 74 is inserted between the first extension 145 and second extension 149 of second cap 75. Cylindrical section 132 of plunger 74, having second spring 73 already inserted into it is then introduced into the internal section 117 of cartridge 71. In this manner, second spring 73 is kept captive between internal wall 130 of cartridge 71 and front surface 136 of rectangular section 135 of plunger 74, since the first wedge 148 on the first extension 145 of the second cap 139 is inserted and secured within the third aperture 122 on the right side 110 of cartridge 71 and the second wedge 152 of the second extension 149 of the second cap 75 is inserted and secured into third aperture 127 on the left side 111 of cartridge 71.
Once the cartridge 71 containing the different components of the hold/release system already set up is inserted into the rectangular distal section 27 of elongated ergonomic handle 21, the distal section 114 of cartridge 71 is then inserted into the internal rectangular cavity 45 of head 23 by matching rail 131 on the bottom side 112 of cartridge 71 with the protruding cylindrical section 66 on the bottom side 49 of rectangular internal cavity 45 on the interior of head 23. By inserting distal section 114 of the cartridge 71 on the interior rectangular cavity 45 inside head 23, the protruding cylindrical section 66 that extends from the center or near the center of the internal distal flat wall 50 enters through the round aperture 142 of second cap 75, matching the round depression 138 on the rear surface 137 of the rectangular section 135 of plunger 74.
In this manner, once the second end 66a of protruding cylindrical section 66 is accommodated inside round depression 138 on the rear surface 137 of plunger 74, it pushes and contracts the second spring 73 in between the front surface 136 of plunger 74 and the internal wall 130 on cartridge 71 while the head 23 is connected to the handle 21. As a consequence, first wedge 57 on the first head locking snap 51 is moved along the external surface of the right side 110 of the cartridge 71 until it is inserted and secured on the broader section 120 of the second aperture 119 of the cartridge 71. Simultaneously, the second wedge 64 of the second head locking snap 58 moves along the external surface of the left side 111 of the cartridge 71 until it is inserted and secured on the broader section 125 of the second aperture 124 of the cartridge 71.
The release of the head 23 is achieved once the button 33 is moved backwards and released, since extensions 156 and 159 on button 33 pull the actuator 70 backwards due to the fact that button's wedges, 162 and 163, are secured into the internal cavity 95 of the actuator 70. Such movement presses and compresses the first spring 69. Also, actuator's first and second wedges, 103 and 107, are repositioned from the narrower sections 121 and 126 to the broader sections 120 and 125 of the second cartridge apertures 119 and 124. Such reposition, simultaneously, results in the release or disconnection of wedges 57 and 64 of first and second head locking snaps, 51 and 58, since they are pushed outwardly from the broader sections 120 and 125 on second apertures 119 and 124. Thus, second spring 73 is free to release its potential energy into kinetic energy. In other words, second spring 73 is free to return to its relaxed-non-compressed -position and said kinetic energy moves the head 23 out of the handle 21. It should be noted that the first spring 69, once the slider button 33 is set fee, returns to the decompressed position, liberating kinetic energy that pushes the actuator 70 back to its initial position, re-positioning actuator's wedges 103 and 107 to the narrower sections, of the second apertures 119 and 124 on the right and left sides, 110 and 111, of cartridge 71.
Scraper 182 is a stick made of any solid and firm material such as, felt, wood, firm foam, plastic or other suitable material. It comprises a cylindrical body 186 with a first pointy or tip end 191 and a second diagonal end 192. Scraper 183 may be inserted in a non-permanent manner to cylindrical end 182 of elongated ergonomic handle 181.
Regarding elongated ergonomic handle 181, it comprises a cylindrical section 189 and a rectangular section 190. Cylindrical section 189 starts at the first end 187 and constantly increases in diameter to further decrease said diameter up to a point, wherein the second rectangular section 190 starts, which concludes in second end 188. Attached to said second rectangular section 190, it comprises an elongated threaded cylindrical section 193.
With regards to head 184, it comprises a single unit body with an external geometrical shape having a tridimensional rectangular section 194 with curved or concave lateral sides 195a, 195b, 195c, and 195d, that are extended continuously into a four sides pyramidal shape top section 196. Head 184 also comprises an internally threaded opening 197, which is cooperatively adapted to cylindrical section 189 on handle 181, as shown in
Head cap 185 is made of plastic and simulates the external shape of head 184. This cap is intended to cover head 184 in order to protect it one it is not being used.
The scope of this invention also comprises embodiments directed to tools useful in buffing nails, wherein, in place of an absorbing material, an abrasive material is used. For instance, as illustrated in
Head 215 is connected to handle 213 by means of the same hold and release system described above for embodiment 20. Head 215 comprises a single unit body with an external geometrical shape having a tridimensional rectangular section 217 with flat lateral sides 218a, 218b, 218c, and 218d. Said flat lateral sides have adhered a resilient pad 219, having a front surface 220 with a film of adhesion material and a back surface 221 comprising a film of buffing material 222. Such resilient pad 219 may be made of foam or rubber. The buffing material, which is commercially available with and without a resilient pad, has a variety of grits or coarseness. In one of the preferred embodiments, the buffing material adhered being used in the lateral sides 218a, 218b, 218c, and 218d are of different grits. In other preferred embodiments, it may be of the same grit or any other combination of grits. For instance, one of the said lateral sides may have adhered a resilient pad coated with a coarse-grit abrasive layer, other of the lateral sides may have adhered a resilient pad with a medium-grit abrasive layer, while other lateral side may have adhered a resilient pad coated with a fine-grit abrasive layer. The remaining lateral side may have adhered a resilient material with an extra fine grit abrasive layer, such as those made out of Teflon.
Each resilient material pad 219 is adhered securely to the lateral sides 218a, 218b, 218c, and 218d of head 215 by any suitable bonding means compatible with the resilient material being used, including but not limited to gluing, cementing and bonding. Such means include adhesives, such as hot-melt adhesives, glues, double sided adhesive and thermal bonding. In a preferred embodiment, a bonding medium, such as an adhesive, is employed to secure each resilient material pad 219 to the lateral sides 218a, 218b, 218c, and 218d.
In operational terms, the use of the applicator head 23 is illustrated in
On the other hand, the use of the buffing tool 223, as herein disclosed, is illustrated in
On
Finally, while the present invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, in both summarized and detailed forms, it will be understood that many substitutions, changes and variations in the described embodiments, applications and details of the novel tool illustrated herein and of its operation can be made by those skilled in the art to adapt it to various usages and conditions, without departing from the spirit of this invention. As such, these changes and modifications are properly, equitably, and intended to be within the full range of equivalence of the followings. While the invention has been described in conjunction with some embodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the forgoing description. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/633524, filed on Feb. 21, 2018 and claim the benefit of its earlier date under 35 USC section 119 (e).
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62633524 | Feb 2018 | US |
