Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Manicure or pedicure compositions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2002-09-24
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Manicure or pedicure compositions
C424S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06455033
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to artificial human nails.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of artificial human nails has become very prevalent, especially among fashion conscious women. There are many nail salons, both independent and affiliated with beauty shops, where trained professionals are available to apply artificial nails. There are also many systems for do-it-yourself application of artificial nails. Various synthetic polymers have been proposed for artificial human nails. In practice, most artificial nail systems are comprised of acrylic polymers, monomers, UV curable acrylate oligomers (gels), cyanoacrylates, and/or polyalkyl cyanoacrylates in one form or another, along with catalysts such as organic peroxides and toluidine, UV initiators, accelerators, pigments, secondary polymers, and flow modifiers. In this art, ease of application, fast and strong hardening, wearer comfort, durability, and cosmetic appearance have been the primary objectives in the past, and several compositions and methods have been proposed and used to address those objectives.
Among the artificial nail systems currently on the market are some which comprise a monomer system, known as the liquid component, and a solid powdered polymer component which contains the catalyst, known as the powder or solid or catalyst or accelerator. For example, Montgomery U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,696 assigned to REM Systems, Inc., discloses a composition which comprises methoxyethoxyethyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and hydroxyethyl methacrylate as the monomers in the liquid component, and a polymeric powder portion comprised of polyethyl methacrylate with benzoyl peroxide ground on the surface of the powder.
As is well known in the art, such as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,843 to Montgomery, which is incorporated by reference, typical artificial fingernails are constructed with a liquid monomer component and a polymeric powder composition, which, upon being admixed at the time of use, harden to a fused polymer in the shape of an artificial fingernail and/or decorative coating in from between about 60 seconds to about 180 seconds, at ambient temperatures.
In addition to the above components, the liquid component may optionally contain a polymerization inhibitor such as butylate hydroxy toluene or the methyl ether of hydroquinone (MEHQ) to prevent premature reaction of the methacrylate monomers and to assure adequate shelf life. Light stabilizers, such as 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzophenone can be included in the liquid component portion to prevent light-activated polymerization and to give the resulting polymeric fingernail that is formed resistance to yellowing the ultraviolet light. Finally, auxiliary components such as dyes and hydroxy methacrylate monomers may be included so as to modify color and post-cure properties, respectively.
Schoon U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,076 assigned to Creative Nail Design, Inc., discloses a system wherein the monomer component is comprised of alkyl methacrylate and hydroxy-alkyl methacrylate in a weight ratio of 2-20:1 and a powdered polymer component containing the polymerization (cross-linking) catalyst such as benzoyl peroxide. The powdered polymer catalyst component is added to the liquid at the time of application, and polymerization of the liquid monomers takes place at room temperature.
Among the acrylic systems are those which include acrylate oligomers such as urethane acrylate oligomers, urethane methacrylate oligomer, epoxy acrylate oligomer, polyester acrylate oligomer, aromatic acid oligomer, alkylcyanoacrylate, polyalkylcyanoacrylate, and epoxy methacrylate oligomers, and the like, which can be used in combination with polyfunctional acrylates or methacrylates such as ethylene glycol diacrylate and alkoxy acrylates or methacrylates.
Some products are used with a primer such as methacrylic acid, which is applied to the human nail surface prior to application of the monomer and catalyst powder. Other systems, such as the Montgomery systems, are designed for use without primer. Fingernail primers can be based on acrylic monomers or derivatives of acrylic monomers. Both methacrylic acid and unsaturated carboxylic derivatives such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,993 as well as solvents and modified solvent mixtures such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,005 are also contemplated as useful for inhibition of microbial growth and covered in this patent.
Problems with artificial nail systems, especially with those systems which do not use primer, have been noted in the art. More specifically, a very serious problem involving microbial growth, mostly involving fungus or bacteria development in, around, or under the artificial nail, known in the art as “greenies,” has occurred with such systems. Greenies is a condition which can cause onychomycosis.
Since greenies are not only unsightly and uncomfortable, but can be very dangerous, nail technicians and others who work with artificial nail systems have tried many methods to prevent greenies, including sterile procedures incorporating lint free cuticle removal. There are a number of recognized anti-fungal treatments for treating onychomycosis or greenies, for example scraping or drilling into the nail to expose an infected area, using a nail permeable medication which is topically applied such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,283 wherein a proteolytic enzyme component facilitates permeation through the nail, and allowing the medication to directly contact the fungus growth area. Another example of a treatment method for greenies is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,610 in which salicylic acid or a salt ester solution is topically administered in a plaster preparation.
There have been several attempts in fields other than the artificial nail field to combine anti-fungal agents with polymers, for example use of a surface-modified denture resin, manufactured from poly(methyl-methacrylate), which carries a candidacidal protein (histatin 5). As the candidacidal protein is desorbed by the surface of the polymer over time, a reduction in surrounding fungus cells was observed. Edgarton, M. et al.,
Surface
-
modified poly
(
methyl methacrylate
)
enhances adsorption and retains anticandidal activities of salivary histatin
5
. J. Biomedical Material Research
, Vol 29. No. 10 pg 1277-86. Further examples using different polymers and anti-fungal agents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,934 entitled “Reversible and Irreversible Water-based Coatings,” Japanese Pat. No. 07309755 entitled “Cataplasm of Antifungal Agent” and European Patent No. 96-33 0516141 entitled “Pharmaceutical Controlled Release Composition with Bioadhesive Properties.”
However, the field of artificial nails is different than the aforementioned fields in which antimicrobial polymers have been used. In this field, color, stability, shelf life, ease of applicability, speed of hardening, durability, strength, and adhesion to natural nail surface are among the several concerns which must be addressed in design of a commercially acceptable artificial nail system. To date, no one has proposed an artificial nail system which resists problems due to microbial growth.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an artificial nail composition and method which does not result in greenies. A further object is to provide a composition and method for artificial nails which is easy to apply, hardens quickly and with excellent strength, is comfortable to the wearer, is durable, and has excellent cosmetic appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects, and others which will become apparent from the following detailed description, are achieved by the present invention which in one aspect comprises a composition useful for artificial nails comprising a liquid component comprising one or more polymerizable acrylic monomers; a solid or gel component comprised of polymerization initiator catalyst and a polymer of one or more acrylic monomers; and one or more antimicrob
Dilworth Paxson LLP
Mycone Dental Corp.
Page Thurman K.
Tran S.
LandOfFree
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