Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Manicure or pedicure compositions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-15
2001-08-07
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Manicure or pedicure compositions
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270751
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to nail care products and, more particularly, to nail coating compositions and methods of protecting a nail surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous techniques for applying protective coatings to nails, with or without extensions, exist today. The types of artificial nails produced by these techniques can be classified as glue-on nails, nail wraps, sculptured nails and nail dips.
In addition to these techniques, one of the most successful and popular nail systems for repair and cosmetic enhancement of nails employs an adhesive comprising cyanoacrylate gel. In this “gel” method, a viscous cyanoacrylate gel itself is used as a filler or coating on a nail surface. The cyanoacrylate glue is spread over the surface of the nail or over an artificial nail already attached to the natural nail and cured to form a protective coating. Such systems have been developed that utilize a blended mixture of powders and liquids that is applied to the nail surface, as with the nail dipping method. Alternatively, cyanoacrylate liquids or gels that are applied to the nail surface with a brush or spreader are used. Separate accelerators or hardeners to cure the gel are then applied by spraying or brushing the hardener onto the previously applied layer of cyanoacrylate gel.
Specifically, in such a procedure, the artificial nail is originally glued onto the tip of the natural nail by use of a cyanoacrylate glue. The glue can also go directly over the natural nail. Once strong bonding is effected, the entire surface of the artificial and/or natural nail is coated with a viscous cyanoacrylate adhesive (commonly called gel).
This coating is accomplished in a three-step process. Initially, the adhesive is applied to the nail surface by a spreading technique. Second, a solvent solution with activator, such as dimethyl-para-toluidine, is either brushed across the adhesive or sprayed and evaporates at room temperature. The product is then buffed to smooth. This results in a fairly hard, coated nail that can be polished.
However, this procedure suffers from the drawback that the polymerization of the cyanoacrylate can be quite exothermic, and depending on the amount of promoter applied, quite high temperatures can be realized on the surface of the nail. These temperatures can cause great discomfort for the user. Moreover, the finished nail may not be very strong and have a tendency to crack easily.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for applying a protective coating to a nail that will overcome the drawbacks of prior systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in new and improved activator for use in applying an artificial nail coating to a nail surface. Moreover, the present invention provides a quick, two-step method of applying an artificial nail coating that overcomes the problems of thin (non-viscous) spray or brush applied initiators of the prior art. The present invention utilizes a blended mixture of adhesive (i.e. cyanoacrylate gel) and a thickened, polymer enhanced activator to provide a safe and easy method of applying protective coating to a nail surface.
The present invention provides an activator for applying a gel component having a viscosity of approximately 10 to 5000 centipoise. Unlike prior activators, the activator of the present invention is a viscous, polymer thickened activator that mixes with the adhesive, thereby maintaining a high viscous blend. When brushed over the nail surface, this blend leaves a smooth finish that polymerizes (or cures) without the need for brushing or spraying an additional activator.
In an embodiment, the activator for curing a gel component comprises a solvent, a polymerization initiator, and a viscosity modifying agent. In a preferred embodiment, the polymerization initiator is an aromatic amine and the viscosity modifying agent includes at least one substantially non-reactive polymer. Suitable substantially non-reactive polymers, among others, include: nitro-cellulose esters; cellulose esters; toluene-sulfonamide-formaldehyde condensation polymers; polyesters of the diol terephthalate group; polyvinyl acetals; nylons; polycarbonates; terminated polymethacrylates; polyurethanes, and polymers or copolymers of ethyl, methyl or isobutyl methacrylates. The activator may also include cyclohexanone formaldehyde resin and rosin resins.
The present invention also provides a method for applying a protective coating to a nail surface. Initially, an effective amount of an adhesive is applied on the nail surface. An effective amount of the activator made pursuant to the present invention is placed over or under the adhesive. The two components are then mixed on the nail surface. This mixture is smoothed over the nail surface. In another embodiment, the activator and the adhesive may be mixed together away from the nail and then applied to the nail surface if desired.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides an activator that limits the magnitude of the exothermic temperature observed during the polymerization of the adhesive. As a result thereof, the user of such a system will experience a far lower temperature increase on the surface of the nail than with other initiator application methods.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the product experiences less shrinking and wrinkling due to slightly slower drying time and thickened activator.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the two component system can be kept off the user's cuticle. The two component system dries slowly so it can be removed from the cuticle or unwanted places before it sets.
Moreover, an advantage of the present invention is that the adhesive is dropped on the center of the nail and never applied full strength near the cuticle. Instead, only the blended mixture of the present invention covers the complete nail surface, resulting again in a safer and easier to use product.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved activator for use in curing a gel component. In this regard, the thickened activator creates a self-leveling effect on the surface of the nail. The viscous nature of the activator and the adhesive promotes smooth spreading of the mixture, unlike prior systems.
Still further, an advantage of the present invention is that it provides an activator that can be colored. The resulting colored activator, in effect, may act as a substitute for nail polish. Naturally, eliminating the need for nail polish provides numerous economic as well as use advantages to the nail care customer.
Moreover, another advantage of the present invention is that the uses of the composition expand broader than just the nail care industry. For example, the composition may be utilized in the hobby and crafts industry.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention provides an improved method and activator for creating a smooth durable overlay over a nail surface. The present invention can be utilized directly over natural nails or with a natural nail extended with a plastic nail tip. Naturally, when the present invention is utilized as a coating over artificial nails, such artificial nails must first be adhesively bonded to the natural nail.
While the description of the present application focuses on the use of the composition in the nail care industry, the inventor believes the composition may also be utilized as a suitable adhesive mixture in other areas. For instance, the inventor believes the composition may be used in the expansive hobby and craft industry. In this regard, since the composition can be colored, in an embodiment, it may be utilized as a colored adhesive for model figures and the like. Thus, as one skilled in the art will recognize, such other uses of the composition fall within
Goltry Michael W.
Howard S.
Page Thurman K.
Parsons Robert A.
Parsons & Goltry
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