Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Cosmetic – antiperspirant – dentifrice
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-05
2003-12-02
Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Cosmetic, antiperspirant, dentifrice
C424S061000, C132S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06656484
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a kit assembly and method of performing a cosmetic treatment on the nails of a person preferably, but not exclusively, in the style of a french manicure or pedicure, through the utilization of a shaping implement structured to apply a shaping solution to predetermined portions of the nail. A demarcation segment in the form of a “perfect curve” is thereby created, which visually segregates the tip and base portions of the nail and which characterizes the style of the french manicure or pedicure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cosmetic treatment of women's nails, performed in order to enhance their aesthetic appearance, has been known and practiced in various societies throughout the world for hundreds of years. Typically, known cosmetic nail treatments generally include the application of one or more color polishes to the nail. Decorative additions included in known cosmetic treatments include additional “art work” such as painting small objects on the nails or, even more recently, applying decorative decals to the nail in order to further enhance their appearance. The cosmetic treatment of nails typically includes a wide variety of different styles or designs, depending upon the current, preferred appearance of a women's nails. However, one cosmetic style which has endured for over fifty years is known as the “french” manicure or pedicure style. This style may be generally characterized as applying a substantially white or off-white polish in a uniform manner to the tip of the nail only and applying a polish of visually distinguishable color which may be translucent, to the remainder or base portion of the nail. One characteristic, commonly recognized as existing in all french manicures or pedicures is the creation of a uniform boundary which visually distinguishes the tip and base portions of the nail. This visual boundary is important in recognizing or identifying the french manicure or pedicure style and is further characterized by having a substantially curvilinear configuration. Further, the curved visual boundary extends along and substantially corresponds to the natural transverse curvature or contour of the nail.
Other styles of cosmetic nail treatment are generally similar but clearly distinguishable from the french manicure. Such similar styles include an “American” style comprising a white or off-white tip and the application of one of a variety of different color nail polishes to the base of the nail. The distinguishing features between the french manicure and the American manicure are known to professional personnel as well as the large number of women who take great pride in properly caring for their fingernails and who prefer the french manicure or American manicure style. A characteristic common to both the french manicure and the American manicure, as well as other similar styles of cosmetic nail treatment, is the precise definition of the aforementioned visual boundary or demarcation, which exists between the tip of the nail and the base of the nail. The creation of this distinguishing characteristic, while a necessary visual component of the preferred french manicure style, is recognized as being somewhat difficult to create, even by practiced professionals specializing in cosmetic nail treatment.
The popularity of the french manicure or pedicure style has led to a number of prior art attempts to develop a technique and/or instrumentation which allows both cosmetic nail professionals as well as the average person, to quickly and easily perform a french manicure treatment. Specifically including the precise forming of the identifying and characteristic demarcation or boundary between the tip and base portions of the nail. By way of example, such known or prior attempts include the use of one or more shield structures dimensioned and configured to fit over a women's finger nails in a manner which allows the exposure of a tip of the nail and supposedly facilitates the formation of the demarcation boundary between the tip and base portions. Fingernail or toenail shields of this type exist in a variety of different structures, shapes, forms, etc. Regardless of their individual structures, all are primarily designed to segregate the outermost tip portion of the nail in a manner which initially creates a false demarcation line about which a white or off-white polish can be applied. The intended purpose of such structures is to precisely form the intended curved boundary between the tip and base portion of the nail.
Other attempts to perform a french manicure style nail treatment include the application of a tape or like adhesive backed, flexible material to the nail in a manner which also exposes the tip of the nail and attempts to shield the base portion from the application of the white or off-white polish. The tape or like material is intended to be applied in a manner which at least partially defines the intended curved configuration of the demarcation line. Other examples of known attempts to facilitate the performance of a french style manicure or pedicure include the mounting or attachment of decals in the form of false nail tips. Typically, such structures have been pre-colored in the appropriate shade to present the appearance of a french manicure type of cosmetic treatment.
While the above described attempts to facilitate the performance of preferred cosmetic treatments to the nail may, at least to some extent, enhance the ability of the average person to treat their own nails, it is generally accepted that such known techniques suffer from a plurality of problems or disadvantages. In addition, they do not effectively provide a method which assures the quick and easy performance of all aspects of an intended cosmetic treatment such as, but not limited to, the french manicure style. Such disadvantages include difficulty in fitting or applying the various shield structures to nails of various sizes and configurations. Also attachment of such structures has been found to be difficult and imprecise resulting in an unacceptable appearance of the visual demarcation boundary which, as set forth above, characterizes a french manicure style of cosmetic treatment. Also known techniques and implements of the type described above are time consuming based, at least in part, on required delays needed to allow certain painted or polished portions of the fingernail or toenail to dry before the shield type implements, tapes, decals, etc. can be removed and other portions of the nail can be treated.
Therefore, it is recognized that there is a significant and long existing need for a product and an attendant technique or method which facilitates the cosmetic treatment of person's nails, particularly when it is desired to perform a french style manicure or pedicure. Further, such an improved product, in at least one embodiment be made available as a kit assembly to better facilitate performance of the attendant method. Also, the method of the present invention should provide for the accurate but simple and quick formation of the required demarcation segment or curved line which serves to visually segregate the tip and base portions of the nail and which, at least to some extent, identify the french manicure style of cosmetic treatment. Further, such an improved kit assembly and method should be capable of being quickly and easily utilized by professionals and non-professionals alike, thereby allowing the average person to perform a french manicure style of cosmetic treatment on ones own nail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards a kit assembly and a method or technique for performing a cosmetic treatment on either the fingernails or toenails of a person. More specifically, kit assembly and attendant method of the present invention is intended to facilitate the performance of a french style manicure or pedicure but, as will described in greater detailed hereinafter, is also capable of performing cosmetic nail treatments representative of a
Lube Rose Mary
Rao Thomas Cesare
Dodson Shelley A.
Malloy & Malloy P.A.
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