Toilet – Nail device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-14
2001-12-11
Philogene, Pedro (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Nail device
C132S073500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328039
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the art of ornamental accessories for fingernails or toenails, and, in particular, to an artificial fingernail having an enclosed pocket for containing one or more decorative elements.
It has been known in the art of adorning the hands to provide ornamental fingernail accessories made from thin, molded plastic members manufactured generally in the shape of a fingernail. Indeed, numerous artificial fingernail manufacturers have provided a variety of combinations of materials, arrangements, and colors in fingernail accessories. With the advent of such artificial fingernail accessories, the wearer could now have intricately pre-designed fingernails that are simply attached to the natural fingernail and then later easily removed.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,813 to Carroll discloses a full cover artificial fingernail molded with an inlay on its top surface. The overall product is colored to simulate the style of a French fingernail, having lighter colored cuticle and tip end portions and a darker colored central portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,935 to Mast, et al. discloses an artificial fingernail or tip of polymer plastic containing a light defusing means that provides a textured roughened surface to obtain a natural appearing contrast between the front portion and the cuticle portion of the nail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,610 to Orsini discloses a method of making a set of artificial fingernails wherein a single scene extends across a set of ten artificial fingernails. The image is photographically imprinted on a semi-rigid layer of film and a layer of transparent plastic film is laminated over the layer of photographic film.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,991 to Shebahachi, et al. a thermochromic artificial nail is disclosed which includes a thermochromic material changeable in visible external color in response to a change in temperature.
Each of the references set forth above discloses different structures and combinations to provide ornamental fingernail accessories. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ornamental fingernail accessory having a unique decorative feature. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a kit and a method that allows the wearer to ornament the fingernail accessory as desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an ornamental accessory for a fingernail and a method and kit for making the same. The accessory generally includes an overlay, a cover and at least one decorative element. The overlay has a top surface and a bottom surface and a first end and a second end. The first end has a shape and size approximating the shape and size of at least the end of a fingernail or toenail of a wearer for attachment thereto. The top surface has a recess formed therein for receiving at least one decorative element. The cover is fixed to the top surface of the overlay over the recess to form an enclosed pocket for containing one or more decorative elements.
Preferably, the cover is transparent so that the decorative elements can be seen from the top surface of the overlay. The decorative elements may be metallic flakes, glitter, confetti, natural gemstones, artificial gemstones or combinations thereof and are preferably freely movable within the pocket of the overlay.
In an alternate embodiment, the overlay includes a raised decorative portion formed on the top surface as opposed to a recess. Preferably, the raised decorative portion has a textured surface.
A method for adorning a fingernail or toenail in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of attaching an overlay, having a recess formed therein, to the natural fingernail or toenail of a wearer, inserting at least one decorative element within the recess and adhering a cover to the top surface of the overlay over the recess thereby forming an enclosed pocket in the overlay for containing the decorative element.
The present invention may also be provided as a kit for adorning fingernails or toenails. The kit includes an assortment of overlays, decorative elements and covers. The overlays are in various shapes and sizes to be attached to the natural fingernails or toenails of a wearer. Each of the overlays has a recess formed in a top surface thereof for receiving one or more selected decorative elements. The covers are shaped and sized to be adhered to the top surfaces of the overlays over the recesses to form enclosed pockets for containing the decorative elements. Thus, the wearer can create an ornamental fingernail accessory as desired.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description, taking in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 303161 (1989-08-01), Tomkins
patent: D. 384440 (1997-09-01), Meyerovich
patent: D. 387488 (1997-12-01), Meyerovich
patent: D. 388544 (1997-12-01), Meyerovich
patent: 2013290 (1935-09-01), Rohrbach
patent: 2162155 (1939-06-01), Calvin
patent: 2199207 (1940-04-01), Nolan
patent: 2941535 (1960-06-01), Lappe
patent: 3598685 (1971-08-01), Lee et al.
patent: 3847831 (1970-01-01), Jaume et al.
patent: 4220016 (1980-09-01), Frenger
patent: 4361160 (1982-11-01), Bryce
patent: 4581088 (1986-04-01), House
patent: 4793155 (1988-12-01), Law
patent: 4876121 (1989-10-01), Cohen
patent: 5239840 (1993-08-01), Sutterlin
patent: 5269330 (1993-12-01), Hayes
patent: 5699813 (1997-12-01), Carroll
patent: 5724999 (1998-03-01), Kim
patent: 5860429 (1999-01-01), Chang
patent: 5890495 (1999-04-01), Cain
patent: 5908035 (1999-06-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 5934290 (1999-08-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 5944027 (1999-08-01), Chang
patent: 5975087 (1999-11-01), Jang
patent: 6206009 (2001-03-01), Paxson
Hoffman & Baron LLP
KMC Exim Corporation
Philogene Pedro
LandOfFree
Artificial nail with decorative inserts does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Artificial nail with decorative inserts, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Artificial nail with decorative inserts will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2577760