Toilet – Nail device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-09-11
Philogene, Pedro (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Nail device
C132S200000, C132S285000, C700S161000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286517
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for decorating fingernails and toenails with customized, detailed, multicolored designs using inkjet printing technology.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional decoration of fingernails and toenails involves the use of nail polishes, which are applied using a small brush. Decals or appliques can be applied to the polished surface; these are typically affixed to the nail with glue or by the addition of a topcoat of clear polish. Airbrush painting through a stencil has been used to apply designs to nails. Artificial nails or nail tips applied to the natural fingernails are also used to provide decoration. U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,365 describes a system for cutting artificial nail tips and decorating them using automated cutting processes.
Recently inkjet technology has been suggested as a viable technique for placing decorations on fingernails. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,166, titled “Fingernail Decorating” and WO99/33372, titled “Nail Art Method And Device” which describe inkjet systems that are designed for putting a selected design on an individual finger. Although these approaches are superior to the traditional manual techniques, they still have the drawback of requiring the user to manually position each finger and then adjust the size of the decoration to fit within a specified rectangular region. These processes can be time consuming and lead to a less than optimum decoration. In addition, these systems are not suitable for applying colors, gradients and design patterns to the full nail surface because of the varying size and geometry of fingernails and toenails. There is a need for a device that can, with minimal user interaction, accurately apply to natural fingernails or artificial nails a highly detailed, multicolored, customized nail design that covers the entire nail and does not overlap onto the skin unless a user so desires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a device that applies user selected designs precisely scaled to one or multiple fingernails or toenails simultaneously using inkjet printing technology.
It is another object of the invention to provide technology that covers any desired portion of a nail, including the entire nail without overlapping the skin adjacent to the nail unless a user so desires.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention that follows.
The device applies customized, highly detailed, multicolored designs that are scaled to the size and shape of the each nail. The device comprises an ink jet print head, a holder for maintaining the digits or nails in the proper position or alignment, a camera to image the nails, a computer with memory to acquire and store images of nails and store digital forms of all possible designs, and a control system that directs the ink jet print head to apply the scaled designs to each nail.
The nail designs are stored in electronic (i.e., digital) form in the computer and are manipulated electronically by software to scale the design (i.e., reduce and/or enlarge the design) in one, two, or three dimensions to fit the individual nail. Some designs are pre-made, entered into the computer, and can be viewed on a display monitor for selection by the subject These pre-made designs may be altered electronically, according to the subject's taste, before the designs are applied. For a customized design, the subject may provide the design or image in an electronic form or in a form that can be scanned and converted into an electronic form that is fed into the computer. Uniquely, in addition to images or designs, the user can select color gradients or shading. The user can select one design for all nails or different design for each nail.
To apply the design to the nail, the digit or digits are placed in a holder that is designed to accommodate up to eight fingers or two thumbs. An alternative holder is designed to accommodate up to ten toes. An optical system within the device images the nails onto an electronic camera (e.g., a CCD). These images are transferred to a computer that analyzes the images to identify the nail surface for each digit. A pre-selected design in the control system for each nail is then scaled and extrapolated to fit the individual nail. An ink jet print head is connected to and controlled by the computer and electronic control system, which sends a signal to the print head. This print head contains an array of ink jet nozzles, which fire the ink at points on the nails as directed by the control system. The control system directs the print head to scan across all the nails to be treated in two or three directions and print the desired design on each nail. Ink jet printing technology is well known and commercially available.
The ink jet print head may remain stationary while applying the design to the nail, but is typically translated over all the nails while the digits are held stationary in the holder. Translation is typically in two directions (across the length and width of the nail), but the print head can also be translated in the vertical direction. Due to drift and variation in the ejection angle of individual inkjet drops, translation in the vertical direction is necessary when high spatial resolution is desired.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4575805 (1986-03-01), Moermann et al.
patent: 4742464 (1988-05-01), Duret et al.
patent: 5309365 (1994-05-01), Sullivan et al.
patent: 5376956 (1994-12-01), Nagao et al.
patent: 5782249 (1998-07-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5931166 (1999-08-01), Weber et al.
patent: 6067996 (2000-05-01), Weber et al.
Da Silva Luiz B.
Weber Michael R.
Weber Paul J.
Pearl Technology Holdings, LLC
Philogene Pedro
Wooldridge John P.
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