Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Manicure or pedicure compositions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2001-02-13
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Manicure or pedicure compositions
C424S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06187299
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to novel cosmetic compositions used for dissolving fingernail polishes. In particular, the invention relates to novel liquid compositions which dissolve fingernail polishes and which are constituted by three liquid phases, not miscible, which are superimposed one over the other when the compositions remain still.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
Solvents for fingernail polishes have been known for many years. The most classical solvents are based on an organic solvent which has a good dissolving power for the fingernail polishes and which is sufficiently volatile such as acetone or ethyl acetate. However, for the reasons of protection of the individuals, protection of the environment and most significant for the purpose of avoiding the danger of inflammation, air pollution and the risks of intoxication due to the vapors, it is desirable to decrease the quantity of these solvents in the nail polish removers.
In addition, these known solvents being applied on the fingernails are not free of toxic action to the organism. Actually they have substantial delipidating action and a dehydrating action of the nails. Some of these solvents as acetone penetrate into the organism through the skin and are known to be toxic to the liver. Several compositions which dissolve fingernail polishes have been proposed to decrease these drawbacks, but none of them offers all the properties which are desirable for solvents of fingernail polishes. Indeed compositions being used as solvents must offer simultaneously a good solvent power for the fingernail polishes, a good speed of evaporation, a very good harmlessness with respect to the constituents of the nails and the skin and must be free of toxicity by contact or inhalation.
A solvent made up of three phases has been described in Japanese Patent application JP 1-160908. It is constituted by an upper phase which is oily, a lower phase based on water and acetone and an intermediate phase based on propylene carbonate mixed with a hydrocarbon solvent and also with acetone. On one hand the presence of an oily substance in the upper phase allows to prevent the solvent from evaporating, but on the other hand this composition has the drawback of containing propylene carbonate, a solvent which is not sufficiently volatile. Due to this fact, the composition remains on the fingers for too long a period of time and the risks of damaging surfaces of plastic materials or paintings with which they would come into contact are increased.
This composition of the prior art contains also hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene or xylene which are considered very dangerous. In addition to these solvents, acetone, the drawbacks of which are known, is indispensable and is present in a substantial amount.
There is, therefore, a need of a composition to dissolve the fingernail polishes which is free of the drawbacks of the compositions of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a new liquid composition with three non-miscible liquid phases capable of dissolving the fingernail polish characterized by the fact that it comprises:
from 9.8% to 30% by weight of at least one oil a) selected from the group consisting of oils which are liquid in a temperature range from 40° F. to 120° F.;
from 20% to 56% by weight of at least one solvent b) for the fingernail polishes, not miscible with water and which does not fall into the class of hydrocarbons;
from 0.1% to 24% by weight of at least one solvent c) for the fingernail polishes miscible with water, the total weight of the solvents b) and c) being from 20.1% to 70% by weight;
from 8% to 40% by weight of water; and
from 8% to 35% preferably from 10% to 35% by weight of at least one polymeric glycol d) having an average molecular weight in the range from 200 to 1200.
When the composition is left still, it is in the form of three liquid phases superimposed one on the other.
Simply by agitation, prior to being used, the composition is obtained in the form of an emulsion which is applied on the fingernail polishes. This emulsion permits to eliminate the fingernail polish while in the same time conditioning the nails and cuticles.
The upper phase of the composition is oily. This phase amounts preferably from 10% to 30%, in particular 15% to 25% by weight with reference to the weights of the three phases of the composition. This phase prevents the solvent to evaporate and at the same time furnishes the useful fatty constituents for the skin and the fingernails.
The upper phase is constituted by 98% up to 100% by weight of at least one oil a) which is liquid in the temperature range from 40° F. to 120° F. and which is cosmetically acceptable. These oils must in addition be very little compatible with the solvents of the intermediate phase and must exhibit a density lower with respect to the latter. The useful oils are selected from the group constituted by mineral oils such as the mineral oil sold under the tradename “DUOPRIME OIL 70” by the firm Lyon Dell Lubricants and vegetable oils such as the soja oil.
The intermediate phase is a solvent phase. It amounts preferably to 40% to 70% and more specifically 40% to 55% by weight with respect to the total weight of the three phases of the composition. It is constituted mainly by at least one organic solvent b) of the fingernail polishes, the solvent being not miscible with water and being other than a hydrocarbon, and at least one polymeric glycol e).
The single solvent or more solvents b) amount in this phase from 50% to 80%, preferably 65% to 80% of the weights of the combination of solvents and polymeric glycols.
The single polymeric glycol or the several polymeric glycols amount from 20% to 50%, preferably 20% to 35% of the weights of the combination of solvents and polymeric glycols in this intermediate phase.
The solvents b) which are not miscible with water and which are known for the purpose of dissolving the fingernail polishes to be used in the composition of the present invention are selected from the group consisting of alcohols, esters (carbonates not included) ethers, ketones, glycols and their mixtures.
The advantage of using these solvents resides in the fact that they are not toxic as the hydrocarbon solvents and particularly aromatic hydrocarbons. By way of examples of the solvents which are suitable there may be mentioned ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, amyl acetate and their mixtures.
Together with one or more of the solvents for the fingernail polishes, the intermediate phase contains at least one polymeric glycol which serves the function of being a moisturizer for the skin and as a stabilizer of the system and which has an average molecular weight from 200 to 1200.
Preferably one selects substances from the group constituted by polypropylene-glycols and polyethylene-glycols. By way of examples of these glycols, one may mention polypropylene-glycol P-425 and polyethylene-glycol E200.
The lower phase is an aqueous phase. This phase constitutes preferably from 20% to 40% and particularly from 35% to 40% by weight of the combination of the three phases.
In addition to water the aqueous phase contains one or more solvents c) for the fingernail polishes miscible with water. Useful solvents of this type are selected from the group consisting of alcohols, esters (not included carbonates) ethers, ketones, glycols and their mixtures soluble in water.
The aqueous phase also contains one or more polymeric glycols d). The polymeric glycols are selected among those substances which are used in the intermediate phase of the composition. They may be the same or different from the polymeric glycols used in the intermediate phase.
It should be noted that the polymeric glycol is an essential component and this substance is present in the intermediate phase but may also be present in the aqueous phase.
In general, the aqueous phase contains from 40% to 99.5% by weight of water, from 0.5 to 60% by weight of the solvent and from 0 to 60% by weight of the polymeric glycol with respec
Candia Thomas R.
Mui Ronnie
Sajonz Hong
Wimmer Eric P.
Bucknam and Archer
Page Thurman K.
Tevco Inc.
Tran S.
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