U.S. patent application number 13/984680 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-03 for artificial nail to be applied to natural human nails.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sebastian Moessner. The applicant listed for this patent is Theresia Malon. Invention is credited to Theresia Malon.
Application Number | 20140090658 13/984680 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45999505 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140090658 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Malon; Theresia |
April 3, 2014 |
ARTIFICIAL NAIL TO BE APPLIED TO NATURAL HUMAN NAILS
Abstract
The invention relates to an artificial nail (4) and to a device
(1) for producing an artificial nail (4) from a matrix (14) which
comprises a fiber glass laminate and a suitable synthetic resin.
The artificial nail (4) has excellent properties as regards its
flexibility and adaptability to the respective individual
fingertips or toe tips (2, 2'). The thickness (d) of the
prefabricated artificial nail, a so-called tip, is fairly
homogeneous and ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. The artificial nail
(4) is attached to the natural nail by means of a special, curing
adhesive (5) using a selected radiation of the wavelength
(.lamda.).
Inventors: |
Malon; Theresia; (Kumhausen,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Malon; Theresia |
Kumhausen |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Moessner; Sebastian
Muenchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
45999505 |
Appl. No.: |
13/984680 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
February 2, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE12/00097 |
371 Date: |
December 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/200 ; 132/73;
264/400; 264/496 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 31/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/200 ; 132/73;
264/496; 264/400 |
International
Class: |
A45D 31/00 20060101
A45D031/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 2, 2011 |
DE |
10 2011 014 645.8 |
Sep 22, 2011 |
DE |
10 2011 114 197.2 |
Claims
1. An artificial nail (4) for placing on the surface of natural
nails (3) of a human hand or foot, characterized by at least one
component (layer) of a fiberglass material in a synthetic resin
matrix (14), in which the fiber glass material is embedded, and the
artificial nail (4) is formed C-shaped in cross-section
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with a substantially
uniform material thickness (d) of about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm,
preferably between about 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm.
2. The artificial nail according to claim 1, characterized in that
the bending of the C-shaped curvature of the artificial nail is
determined such that the bending is largely adjusted to the
specific nail curvature of the natural nail (3) at touchdown.
3. The artificial nail according to claim 1, characterized in that
the arching and/or curvature of the surface of the artificial nail
exhibit different radii of curvature.
4. The artificial nail according to claim 1, characterized in that
the artificial nail (4) is transparent and substantially
clear-sighted.
5. The artificial nail according to claim 1, characterized in that
the two ends in the longitudinal direction of the artificial nail
(4) are formed straight or round or a combination of both.
6. The artificial nail according to claim 1, characterized in that
at least one component of the starting material for the artificial
nail (4) is graphene, whereby the thickness (d) of the artificial
nail (4) can be selected to be smaller than 0.1 mm.
7. A device for fastening at least one artificial nail (4) on a
human natural nail (3) of a human hand or foot by irradiation with
an appropriate radiation of predetermined wavelength, (.alpha.),
characterized in that substantially an inner chamber (7) for the
fingers/toes is arranged beneath a radiation source (8).
8. A process for the manufacture of artificial nails (4) to be
applied to a natural nail (3) of the human body with at least one
first mold part (11), by the following essential method steps:
coating the inner side of the at least one concave recess (12) of
the first mold part (11) having a connection immune material (13),
for example Teflon; placing a thin layer of fiberglass; applying a
specific resin to be received in the fiberglass layer (14);
pressing on a thick material (15) not adhering at the
fiberglass-synthetic resin-matrix (14) for example silicone;
pressing a second mold part (16) with convex curves (17), which
curves are complementary to the concave recesses (12) of the first
mold part (11), into the applied layers (14,15); and then curing
the shaped matrix (14) in a radiation of a predetermined wavelength
(.lamda.).
9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the artificial nail (4)
of at least one layer of a predetermined material such as
fiberglass is made and the thickness of the entire artificial
fingernail is substantially homogeneous between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm,
preferably between about 0.15 mm and about 0.2 mm.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the specific weight of
the fiberglass layer (14) is between 10 and 30 g/square meter.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the coverable thick
material (15), for example, a silicone mat, is about 5 mm to 30 mm
thick and covers the entire surface of the first mold part
(11).
12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the special white
synthetic resin is sprayed on and is absorbed by the fiberglass
layer (14).
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the time interval,
during which the pressure plate (16) exerts pressure applied onto
the layers (15,14), is from 2 to 8 min.
14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the time interval for
the curing of the layer (14) at a predetermined wavelength
(.lamda.) is between 30 seconds and 4 minutes, depending on the
wavelength of the radiation used.
15. The method according to claim 8 wherein the hardened matrix
layer (14) is fed to a cutting device, for example a punch or a
CO2-laser, wherein the cutting device cuts out the individual
artificial nails (4) with their predetermined forms, lengths and
widths.
16. A method for mounting at least one artificial nail (4) on a
natural human nail (3) of a human hand or foot, characterized by
the following method steps of: applying a layer (5) of a particular
curable adhesive to the surface of the natural nail (3), which
already has a slight adhesive effect soon after being applied to
the natural nail (3); and setting up of the artificial nail (4) on
the curable adhesive layer (5), while fixing the final position of
the artificial nail (4) on the natural nail (3); and exposing the
adhesive layer (5) in a radiation field of a certain wavelength
(.lamda.) until the adhesive layer (5) is cured.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an artificial nail for
application to a human natural nail, especially with a method and
an apparatus for making and fixing of artificial nails on human
natural nails for cosmetic-aesthetic purposes and to protect the
nerves in the fingers and toes, and this so-called flexible tip can
be easily adapted to the given shape of the natural nail.
[0002] A preparation for the coating of finger or toe nails and a
corresponding method are known in the prior art from EP 0954230 B
1.
[0003] Herein, a method for the application of artificial nails
using so-called there nail wrap packaging with a fiber fabric, and
an effective amount of a polymerization catalyst, which is embedded
in a tissue, is disclosed.
[0004] Furthermore, an adjustable artificial nail and its
manufacturing process have become known from EP 1415567 B1, in
which a preformed polymer body by means of a deformable mass and a
certain material between the natural nail and the polymeric body is
adapted, and the thickness of a portion of the artificial
fingernail is in the range 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm.
[0005] Furthermore, the German Patent DE 36 20 568 discloses an
artificial fingernail tip, which exhibits tissue parts at certain
zones of the artificial fingernail tissue parts, which are
integrated into a moldable material.
[0006] Furthermore, a reinforcement of a finger nail has become
known from the German Gebrauchsmuster 84 23 883.6, which covers the
entire natural nail and a protector such as glass fiber or the like
and has the thickness between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm, wherein 0.5 mm are
preferred as a plectrum substitute.
[0007] It is a disadvantage of these methods in general that they
are very time consuming in practice, and a certain cleverness or
skill is required for processing the individual components.
[0008] Furthermore, naturally there are ten different sizes of the
finger nails, which are also formed in different domes or arches in
order to cover the different forms of the natural nail. This fact
plays an important role depending on the strength of the
object.
[0009] It is in general disadvantageous with these methods that
they are very time consuming in practice and require a certain
skill and cleverness to handle the individual components.
[0010] There are also naturally usually 10 different sizes of
nails, which are formed in different arches and domes, in order to
cover the most different shapes of the natural nails. This fact
plays an important role as a function of the strength of the
object.
[0011] In the nail industry today there are two different
techniques to extend the natural nail today:
[0012] Template modeling and Tip & Overlay.
[0013] In Europe, Tip & Overlay technique is most commonly used
as the template modeling requires a certain know-how, and all the
materials cannot be worked on a template.
[0014] Another disadvantage which can be seen in the prior art is
that the conventional artificial nails available on the market
require a great dexterity and knowledge of processing.
[0015] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
furnish an artificial fingernail, which eliminates the problems in
the state of the art and which decreases the time consumption when
placing of the artificial nail.
[0016] This object is obtained by the characterizing features of
the main claims. Additional inventive features are described in the
dependent claims and the description.
[0017] The artificial nail according to the invention to be placed
on the surface of natural nails of a human hand or foot, is
characterized by at least one component (layer) of a fiberglass
material in which the fiberglass material is a fiberglass material
embedded in a plastic synthetic resin matrix and the artificial
nail is formed C-shaped in cross section transversely to the
longitudinal axis at a substantially uniform material thickness (d)
of about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm, preferably between about 0.1 mm
and 0.2 mm. The invention process for the preparation of artificial
nails with at least one mold part comprises the following process
steps: [0018] Coating the interior side of the concave recesses of
the molding part with a connection resistant material such as
Teflon; [0019] Placing a thin layer of a fiberglass braid weave;
[0020] Applying a layer of a particular resin to be included in the
fiberglass layer; [0021] Placing a thick non-adherent material,
such as silicone, to the already placed layers; [0022] Pressing a
stamp of a yielding material onto the layer of fiberglass
impregnated with synthetic resin for adaptation to the curvature of
the at least one concave recess in the at least one first mold
part; and [0023] then curing the formed layers of fiberglass and
resin in a radiation of a predetermined wavelength (.lamda.).
[0024] The method according to the present invention for attaching
at least one artificial nail on a human natural nail of a human
hand or foot contains at least the following essential steps:
[0025] Applying a layer of curable adhesive onto the surface of the
natural nail, and [0026] Setting up the artificial nail onto the
layer of curable adhesive to fix the final position of the
artificial nail on the natural nail; and [0027] Irradiating the
adhesive layer with a radiation of a predetermined wavelength
(.lamda.) until the adhesive layer is cured.
[0028] It is advantageous that the specific weight of the
fiberglass layer has a value between 10 and 30 g/square meters.
[0029] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the layable thick
resilient material, such as a silicone sheet, is from about 5 mm to
30 mm thick and covers the complete surface of the mold part.
[0030] It is also advantageous that a white special resin is
applied, for example sprayed on, and is received by the fiberglass
layer.
[0031] It is also advantageous to perform the forming step process
of the fiberglass weave in a plastic resin bath.
[0032] Another advantage is the feature that the time interval
during which the pressure plate exerts pressure onto the applied
layers amounts to from 1 to 8 minutes.
is.
[0033] It is also advantageous to use graphene as starting material
for the artificial nail, whereby the thickness (d) can be selected
to be smaller than 0.1 mm. It is also advantageous that the time
period for hardening of the layers in a radiation of a
predetermined wavelength (.lamda.) is between 10 seconds and 4
minutes depending on the wavelength of the radiation used.
[0034] It is also advantageous in that the molded and cured
fiberglass matrix is fed to a cutting device, such as a punch or a
laser cutting device, such as C02 laser, which cutting device cuts
the individual artificial nails into their predetermined shapes,
lengths and widths.
[0035] Further, it is preferable that the adhesive used on the
natural nail already has a slight adhesive effect shortly after
application.
[0036] It is also advantageous that the adhesive used has gel
properties.
[0037] It is also advantageous that the radiation used is
ultraviolet radiation.
[0038] It is also advantageous that the radiation used is blue
light.
[0039] It is also advantageous that the infrared radiation used has
shares.
[0040] It is also advantageous that another layer (modeling
material) is applied to the surface of the artificial nail.
[0041] It is advantageous that the artificial nail is made from
a
fiberglass material and the artificial nail and is arched c-shaped,
wherein the arch is formed in both the longitudinal direction and
transversely to the longitudinal direction, preferably transversely
to the longitudinal axis of the artificial nail, wherein the
curvature as formed in the longitudinal direction is less than
transverse to the longitudinal axis.
[0042] Another advantage is seen in the fact that the flexibility
of the C-shaped curvature of the artificial nail is determined such
that the C-shaped arches are adapted to the respective nail
curvature of the natural nail at placement. It is further of
advantage that the arching and/or curvature of the surface of the
artificial nail have different radii of curvature.
[0043] It is also advantageous that the thickness of the fiberglass
material of the artificial nail is between 0.1 and 0.8 mm,
preferably is between approximately 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm, wherein the
material thickness (d) over the entire artificial nail is
substantially homogeneous and constant.
[0044] It is particularly advantageous that the artificial nail is
transparent (clear). A further advantage comprises that the device
for attaching at least one artificial nail to a natural nail of a
human hand or foot by irradiation with an appropriate radiation of
a predetermined wavelength (.lamda.), that essentially an inner
chamber of the apparatus is substantially arranged below a
radiation source only for the tips of the fingers or, respectively,
of the foot.
[0045] It is also advantageous that the gel adhesive layer exhibits
acrylatologomeric parts for fixing the artificial nail on the
natural nail.
[0046] In the following, the invention will now be described with
reference to drawings. There is shown in:
[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a finger tip/toe tip
(2.2') with an attached artificial nail (4);
[0048] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the device (1) for the
irradiation of human finger tips or toe tips;
[0049] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus
(10) for producing at least an artificial nail (4) consisting of
fiberglass-like material;
[0050] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the finished
artificial nail (4) transverse to the longitudinal axis;
[0051] FIGS. 5a-5c are schematic top plan views of three embodiment
examples of an artificial nail (4);
[0052] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of another embodiment
example of the various process steps for producing an artificial
nail (4) having a predetermined thickness (d).
[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of the tip 2 of a human
finger of the hand or toes 2' of the foot. An adhesive layer 5 to
be applied is disposed between the natural nail 3 and the
artificial nail 4, wherein the adhesive layer 5 to be applied
attaches the artificial nail 4 onto a portion of the natural nail
3. For this purpose, the adhesive layer is applied thinly to the
surface of the natural nail 3, and is exposed for a short time to a
radiation for example in the apparatus 1, a radiation exposed to
the medium to high viscosity, which gives the adhesive a medium to
strong viscosity, thereby the adhesiveness of the adhesive is
influenced so that the artificial nail 4 while in fact adhering,
but is not yet fully fixed in its final position, so that the
artificial nail can be moved in order to be placed in its final
position, may appear to be most advantageous to the overall image
of the hand 4. The artificial nail is made of a thin fiberglass
plastic resin material of the thickness (d) of about 0.1-0.4 mm
made, preferably about 0.1 mm to about 0.2 mm, which means that the
artificial nail can be easily treated through 4 cutting tools and
files. In one embodiment, the artificial nail 4 is slightly convex
on the surface, and the ends extending in a rounded tip 6, 6'.
Basically, two embodiments of the artificial fingernail according
to the invention are provided, wherein an embodiment is curved
longitudinally and transversely, and a further embodiment is only
arched transversely to the longitudinal axis c-shaped. Here, in
both embodiments the ends 19, 19' straight or shaped, either curved
inwards or outwards, or a mixture of the two, one side to the
inside and the other side to the outside, which depends on the
application (see FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c).
[0054] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a possible
embodiment example of a portable apparatus of the present invention
for irradiating of the finger tips or, respectively, toe tips
together with the applied artificial nails 4. The apparatus 1 has
an inner space chamber 7 wherein the finger tips 2 or toe tips 2'
are inserted simultaneously into the chamber, so as to irradiate
for a predetermined time at a selected, adhesive-specific radiation
from a radiation source 8, whereby the hardening process of the
adhesive layer 5 is effected. The heat generated due to the
radiation is removed by means of a blower and exits through the
inlet opening 9.
[0055] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view a possible
device 10 for forming at least one thin, flexible fiberglass
artificial nail 4.
[0056] The apparatus 10 is composed having at least one concave
recess 12. The surface of the first mold part 11 is combined with
the concave recess 12 first with a compound immune, permanent,
non-removable layer 13, such as Teflon, is to prevent the matrix 14
to be formed and made of fiberglass material and an appropriate
light or white synthetic resin connects with the surface of the
first mold part 11 and thereby no smooth surfaces of the artificial
nail 4 can be generated.
[0057] A further layer 14 made of fiberglass material is positioned
above the layer 13 during the production, which further layer 14
forms part of the artificial nail 4 to be produced in the
subsequent process steps. The fiberglass material 14, whose
specific weight preferably lies between 15-30 g/m.sup.2, is soaked
before processing or deformation with a special resin, which
ultimately causes among other things, that the processed and cured
fiberglass material is formed transparent in the
formed state. A relatively thick resilient
[0058] Material 15, such as silicone, is disposed between the layer
14 and a second mold part 16 having at least one convex bulge 17 in
order to distribute the pressure (p) exerted by the punch 16 on the
fiberglass material uniformly. The punch 16 is thus moved to the
first layer 15, which only delayed transfers the pressure (p) on
the matrix 14 made of fiberglass and plastic resin. The thickness
of layer 15
is between 3-30 mm, wherein the material is for example a suitable
silicone. The actual manufacturing process, i.e. in particular the
deformation of the fiber glass matrix 14 is performed either under
vacuum or in a liquid, e.g. synthetic resin, for which the
individual components are housed in a housing 18, which serves
inter alia to improve the distribution of the particular resin. The
deformation process takes between 1 to 8 minuets, which depends on
the respective material used. When shaping the fiberglass matrix 14
in a synthetic resin bath, spraying the fiberglass weave with resin
is dispensed with and is replaced by soaking the fiberglass
material in a clear synthetic resin bath. Otherwise, the
deformation process is similar as stated before. Following to the
deformation of the matrix 14, then the matrix 14 is during a time
period of 30 seconds up to 5 minutes subjected to a radiation of a
predetermined wavelength (.lamda.) or of another field, e.g.
subjected to a temperature field, which causes hardening of the
layers or, respectively, the matrix 14, wherein the field is
generally an ultraviolet-radiation. Following the curing of the
molded artificial nail 4, the first mold part 11 is fed to a punch,
which punch punches out of the composite matrix made of fiberglass
material and synthetic resin at least one artificial nail 4,
wherein the length and width of the artificial nails are variable
adjustable and selectable.
[0059] In another method of cutting artificial fingernail tips 4,
the deformed matrix 14 is fed to a laser cutting machine, which
laser cutting machine cuts out the arbitrary infinitely adjustable
forms (compare FIG. 5a-5c) of the artificial nails with, for
example, a 300 watt C02 laser.
[0060] The severed prefabricated artificial nail tip 4 is
substantially c-shaped in cross section to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the circular arc can have different radii.
[0061] FIG. 4 shows schematically a cross section transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the artificial nail 4 of an embodiment
example. The curvature of the finished artificial nail 4 can also
be different at different points of the artificial nail 4, for
example, the curvature may be greater in the region of edges 19,
19' or in the middle 20 than at the remaining surface of the
artificial nail 4. In the simplest embodiment, the curvature
depends on the radius (r), of curvature, which can be different for
each of the fingers or toes of the human body. The radius varies
normally between 5 mm and 10 mm (5 mm<r<10 mm) and is
preferably 7 mm, while the center point angle (.alpha.) is disposed
between 30.degree. and 130.degree.
(30.degree.<.alpha.<130.degree.), and preferably between
about 50.degree. and 100.degree.. The thickness (d) of the
artificial nail 4 is essentially the same in all places, so that no
different biases in the processing of artificial nail occur. In
practice, the radian is determined such that upon a pressing down
of the artificial nail 4, then the edges 19, 19' come to the nail
bed of the natural nail in the area.
[0062] FIGS. 5a to 5c show a schematic top plan view of three
embodiment examples of the artificial nail 4 in which the edges 19,
19' are disposed parallel to each other. In other embodiments, the
edges 19, 19' are disposed at a predetermined angle to each other,
which depends on the intended use, that is according to the
individual shape of the natural nail 3. The two ends 22 of the
artificial nail 4 are straight in FIG. 5a, wherein the ends of the
artificial nail 4 in FIG. 5b are once straight and once bent, and
the ends of the artificial nail 4 in FIG. 5c are bent once again
convex and once concave.
[0063] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus for
producing an inventive artificial nail 4 in a side elevational
view. The pre-fabricated matrix 14' made out of at least one
component from fiber glass is fed first to a roller unit 23, which
roller unit brings the matrix 14 to a predetermined thickness (d)
contacting the matrix in a special resin bath 24 and which roller
unit 23 brings the pre-fabricated matrix 14 to the predetermined
final thickness d, and surface smoothness in a post-treatment step.
The distances between the rollers 23 ultimately determine the
thickness (d) and the roughness of the surface of the artificial
nail 4. Subsequently, the pre-fabricated matrix 14 is fed to a
deforming unit 25, wherein the curvatures of the artificial nails
are formed in the deforming unit 25 into the matrix, and are cured
by means of a specific radiation, for example UV-radiation. After
the deformation process of the matrix 14 and the curing of the
employed material, the formed matrix 14' is fed to a cutting device
26, wherein the artificial nails 4 are cut out in the cutting unit
and are supplied to a packing unit (not shown) for packaging.
[0064] The present invention could replace substantially the tip
and overlay technology with the technique described in the present
invention, since the technique described in the present invention
reduces the processing time in the nail salons on the one hand and
is more cost effective on the other hand. Furthermore, with the
present invention, an artificial nail 4 and an apparatus 1 for
manufacturing the artificial nail 4 out of a matrix 14 with a
fiberglass and a suitable resin is presented with the present
invention. The artificial fingernail 4 exhibits excellent
properties in terms of flexibility and adaptability to the
respective individual finger tips 2 or toe tips 2'. Here, the
thickness (d) of the pre-fabricated artificial nail (tip) is
substantially homogeneous and is about 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. The
artificial nail 4 is attached with a special curable adhesive 5 on
the natural nail with a radiation of a selected radiation
wavelength (.lamda.).
* * * * *