U.S. patent application number 11/040537 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-22 for nail tincture spray can.
This patent application is currently assigned to Neubourg Skin Care GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Neubourg, Thomas.
Application Number | 20050205615 11/040537 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34626491 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050205615 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Neubourg, Thomas |
September 22, 2005 |
Nail tincture spray can
Abstract
A spray can for nail tincture comprises a tincture container
containing a nail-treatment tincture. The nail tincture includes an
active ingredient, a care substance, a solvent and a propellant
gas. The tincture container is sealed by a cover, with the cover
carrying an outlet valve. For actuating the outlet valve, a spray
head is mounted on the cover. The spray head has an outlet channel
extending therethrough for conveyance of the tincture to the
discharge orifice. To make it possible to apply nail tincture onto
a nail, particularly a foot nail, in a well-aimed manner out of a
larger distance, the invention provides that the outlet channel is
connected to a tube piece.
Inventors: |
Neubourg, Thomas;
(Emsdetten, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Paul D. Greeley, Esq.
Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, L.L.P.
10th Floor
One Landmark Square
Stamford
CT
06901-2682
US
|
Assignee: |
Neubourg Skin Care GmbH & Co.
KG
|
Family ID: |
34626491 |
Appl. No.: |
11/040537 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/402.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61Q 3/00 20130101; A61K
8/4946 20130101; A61K 8/42 20130101; B65D 83/306 20130101; A61K
8/9789 20170801 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/402.13 |
International
Class: |
B65D 083/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 23, 2004 |
EP |
EP04001429.2 |
Claims
1. A nail tincture spray can, comprising a tincture container
containing a nail tincture including an active ingredient, a care
substance, a solvent and a propellant gas; a cover tightly sealing
the tincture container; an outlet valve arranged in the cover; a
spray head for actuating the outlet valve; and an outlet channel
extending through the spray head; wherein the outlet channel is
connected to a tube piece for well-aimed discharge of the
tincture.
2. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
tube piece is tightly connected to the spray head.
3. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
tube piece is partially surrounded by a stiffening sleeve.
4. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 3 wherein the
stiffening sleeve, is connected to the spray head in such a manner
that the tube piece extends beyond the stiffening sleeve on the
side facing away from the spray head.
5. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
active ingredient is an antimycotic agent.
6. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 5 wherein the
antimycotic agent is clotrimazole.
7. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
care substance is at least one substance of vegetable origin
selected from the group consisting of: Persea gratissima, panthenol
and undecyleneamide DEA.
8. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
nail tincture further comprises a solution aid.
9. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
solvent is an aqueous solution of a skin-tolerable alkanol, or a
skin-tolerable alkanol.
10. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 9 wherein the
skin-tolerable alkanol is ethanol.
11. The nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 wherein the
propellant gas is propane and/or butane.
12. A method of using a spray can comprising a container tightly
sealed by a cover; an outlet valve arranged in the cover; a spray
head for actuating the outlet valve; an outlet channel extending
through the spray head; and a tube piece connected to the outlet
channel, for well-aimed discharge of nail tincture contained in the
container and including an active ingredient, a care substance, a
solvent and a propellant gas, comprising the step of applying the
nail tincture to a nail.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a nail tincture spray can
for applying a nail tincture onto a nail infected by a fungus or
the like. Further, the invention relates to a method of using a
spray can for applying nail tincture to a nail.
[0002] For treatment of a nail, particularly a foot nail, which is
infected by a fungus or the like, it is required to treat the nail
with a nail tincture. The nail tincture can be applied e.g. by use
of a brush. Treatment with the aid of a brush, however, will
undesirably lead to contamination of the brush and thus possibly
result in transmittal of the causative agent to other nails.
Further, a pipette can be used for application of the nail
tincture, which again involves the risk of contamination of the
application tool, i.e. the tip of the pipette in this case.
Further, the use of a brush or a pipette for applying the nail
tincture is disadvantageously cumbersome, particularly for older
patients, because the application of the nail tincture by means of
a brush of a pipette will necessitate sufficient physical
flexibility on the patient's part to allow the patient to apply the
tincture on his own.
[0003] A further possibility for applying the nail tincture resides
in the use of a spray can for application of the tincture by
spraying it onto the nail. This, however, entails the disadvantage
that the nail tincture will be atomized so that, in order to effect
a well-aimed application of the nail tincture onto the infected
site, the spray head must be advanced very close to the nail.
Unfavorably, this circumstance will again render the process
difficult particularly for older patients.
[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a nail tincture
spray can which makes it possible, particularly also for older
patients, to apply nail tincture i onto foot nails in a simple and
convenient manner.
[0005] According to the present invention, the above object is
achieved by a nail tincture spray can according to claim 1 and a
method of using a spray can for applying a nail tincture according
to claim 12.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The nail tincture spray can according to the present
invention comprises a tincture container accommodating the nail
tincture. The nail tincture includes an active ingredient, a care
substance, a solvent and a propellant gas. The tincture container,
usually made of metal, is tightly sealed by a cover. The cover is
e.g. formed with a metallic edge or is made completely of metal so
that a tight connection of the tincture container with the cover
can be realized by crimping the cover onto the container. The cover
has an outlet valve arranged therein. The outlet valve can be
provided as a small tube which, when pressed slightly into the
tincture container, will cause an outlet orifice of the tincture
container to be opened, thus allowing the tincture to flow out
through this orifice. Further, the nail tincture spray can is
provided with a spray head mounted to the cover or the outlet valve
and arranged to actuate the outlet valve. An outlet channel extends
through the spray head and is connected to the outlet valve,
particularly to the tube of the outlet valve. When the spray head
is actuated, the tincture will flow through this outlet channel to
a discharge orifice to be sprayed out by the latter.
[0007] To allow for a well-aimed application of the nail tincture
onto a foot nail also from a larger distance, the outlet channel of
the spray head is connected to a tube piece. As a result, the
tincture will not be issued directly from the spray head and thus
be atomized; instead, the tincture will be concentrated by the tube
piece in the lengthwise direction, thereby producing a jet which
the patient can then direct onto the infected nail. Thus, nail
tincture can be applied to an infected foot nail in a well-targeted
manner also out of distances larger than 10 cm. The use of the
inventive nail tincture spray can considerably facilitates the
application of nail tincture onto a foot nail, which is of
particular benefit for older patients. Further, a danger of
contamination is avoided.
[0008] The spray can of the invention, apart from its use for the
application of nail tincture, is useful also for the application of
a different tincture or another active ingredient to be applied in
a well-aimed manner from a larger distance onto a less accessible
site of a body. Thus, the invention is not restricted to the
application of nail tincture although the invention is particularly
suited for this purpose.
[0009] Preferably, the tube piece is tightly connected to the spray
head. Particularly, the tube piece and the spray head are formed as
an integral unit. This unit can be provided as a plastic component
formed e.g. by injection molding. The tube piece has a length of
preferably more than 10 mm; particularly preferred is a length of
more than 15 mm. Further, it is provided that, prior to using the
nail tincture spray can, the tube piece can be mounted e.g. to a
connection portion of the spray head so as to connect the tube
piece with the outlet channel.
[0010] According to a further preferred embodiment, the tube piece
is at least partially surrounded by a stiffening sleeve. In case of
a cylindrical tube piece, the stiffening sleeve is provided as a
closed hollow cylinder connected to the tube piece e.g. by webs.
Preferably, a plurality of stiffening sleeves are provided,
arranged particularly concentrically to each other. In this manner,
deformation of the tube piece is avoided and the production is
facilitated. The stiffening sleeves are preferably connected to the
tube piece and/or the spray head. Preferably, the tube piece and
the stiffening sleeves are combined to form an integral unit which
is preferably made of plastic.
[0011] Preferably, the at least one stiffening sleeve is connected
to the spray head and provided as one piece, preferably made of
plastic. The stiffening sleeve is preferably connected to the spray
head in a manner to have the tube piece extend beyond the
stiffening sleeve on the side facing away from the spray head.
[0012] The active ingredient preferably provided in the tincture
container is particularly an antimycotic agent such as clotrimazole
and/or an antimicrobial agent such as undecyleneamide DEA. Suitable
care substances are particularly those of vegetable origin, such as
Persea gratissima. Also other per se known skin-care products such
as panthenol can be used. If required, further auxiliary agents can
be added for generating a tincture or for preservation.
[0013] According to the invention, the tincture can also contain
solution aids such as propylene glycol.
[0014] Typically, the solvent in the nail tincture is an aqueous
solution of a skin-tolerable alkanol, or it is the skin-tolerable
alkanol itself.
[0015] As a propellant gas, propane and/or butane can be used.
[0016] The individual components can be included in the following
ranges of proportions (% by weight):
1 Solvent 60-80%, particularly 65-75% Care substance 0.1-10%,
particularly 0.5-4% Active ingredient 0.1-10%, particularly 0.5-2%
Propellant gas 15-35%, particularly 20-30%
[0017] Further, the invention relates to a method of using the
above described spray can for applying the above described nail
tincture to a nail, particularly to a foot nail.
[0018] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in
greater detail hereunder with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] In the drawings
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view of the nail tincture
spray can;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic lengthwise sectional view of the spray
head; and
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the spray head.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] The nail tincture spray can according to the instant
invention comprises a tincture container 10 with a nail tincture
contained therein. The nail tincture comprises an active
ingredient, a care substance, a solvent and a propellant gas. The
tincture container 10, which normally is made of metal, is kept
under pressure and is closed by a cover 12. Cover 12 is normally
also made of metal. The connection of cover 12 to tincture
container 10 is realized in that the edge 14 of cover 12 is crimped
onto the substantially cylindrical tincture container 10. Arranged
within cover 12 is an outlet valve 16 comprising a tubular outlet
18. By pressing the tubular outlet 18 in a downward direction
according to FIG. 1, valve 16 will be opened so that, under the
effect of the internal pressure in the tincture container 10,
tincture is caused to flow upwards through the outlet tube 18 out
of tincture container 10.
[0024] The tincture flowing through outlet tube 18 is guided
through a spray head 20 to a discharge member 22. Spray head 20 is
closed by a cap 24 to preclude that the spray head might be
actuated by mistake.
[0025] Spray head 20 (FIG. 2) comprises a substantially cylindrical
body 26 mounted to cover 12. Further, spray head 20 is provided
with an actuating member 28 which through a constricted portion 30
is flexibly connected to the body 26 of spray head 20. Thus, the
actuating member 28 as shown in FIG. 2 can be pressed downwards
and, when released, will under the effect of the above elastic
connection 30 return to its initial position according to FIG. 2.
By actuation of actuating member 28, outlet tube 18 of valve 16 in
FIG. 1 is pressed downward so that the valve will be opened. In the
process, the outflowing tincture will enter an outflow channel 32
provided in spray head 20 and flow through this channel in the
direction of the discharge orifice 22.
[0026] Outflow channel 32, along its course internally of actuating
member 28, is formed to follow an angle in a lateral direction.
Thereupon, outflow channel 32 enters a tube piece 34 preferably
formed in one piece with spray head 20.
[0027] To lend stability to the tube piece 34, the tube piece is
partially surrounded by a stiffening sleeve 36 and a further
stiffening sleeve 38 arranged concentrically to stiffening sleeve
36. Between the stiffening sleeves 36,38 and the tube piece 34,
webs are arranged for connecting these components to each
other.
[0028] When the actuating member 28 is actuated, valve 16 is
opened, and tincture will flow through outflow channel 32 towards
discharge orifice 22. Due to the inventive provision of a tube
piece 34 including a thin channel 40 entered by the outflow channel
32, it is safeguarded that the tincture issuing from the discharge
orifice 22 can be applied in a well-aimed manner out of a larger
distance onto a nail or other body region undergoing treatment.
EXAMPLE
[0029] The nail tincture comprises the following compositions (in
%):
2 Alcohol denat. 70.83 Butane 25.00 Persea gratissima 1.51
Clotrimazole 1.01 Panthenol 0.76 Undecyleneamide 0.15 Propylene
glycol 0.74
* * * * *