Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Manicure or pedicure compositions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2002-03-05
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Manicure or pedicure compositions
C424S400000, C424S401000, C424S059000, C424S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06352687
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to nail enamel compositions, and more particularly, to such compositions which are suitable for coating natural and synthetic nails. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to transparent nail enamel compositions which include small pieces of light-reflecting decorative material known as glitters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nail enamel compositions include a class of nail care products regularly used by women as part of their beauty care routine. These nail care products are available in a multitude of product formulations, from clears to infinite colors. Typically, clear nail enamel compositions include a film forming polymer, a film forming resin, a plasticizer and one or more solvents. In the case of a color nail enamel composition, the product will also include a thixotropic compound, a suspending agent and one or more pigments, or in the alternative, an organic coloring polymer may be used. In addition to these components, a number of optional and proprietary components are often included such as UV light absorbers, moisturizers, stabilizers, fragrances and the like.
Nail enamel compositions particularly suitable as a color coat have included a variety of pigments which provide an opaque colored film. Nail enamel films having a semi-translucent color are formed using generally organic colorants which create a tint. In order to provide the nail enamel film with a more dramatic effect, there has been known the use of small pieces of light reflecting decorative materials known as glitters. Glitters are commercially available in a variety of materials, for example, polyester film with metallized coatings, aluminum foil with thermosetting coatings, polybutylene terephthalate with acrylates copolymer and acrylates copolymer polybutylene terephthalate ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer. Other known glitters and their suppliers are disclosed in Gebhard, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,397, which glitters are incorporated herein by reference.
The desirable aesthetic properties of glitter nail enamel compositions initially depends upon their wet state clarity during the time of purchase by the consumer. Dry state clarity, on the other hand, means the clarity of the nail enamel composition in its dry state after being applied as a coating to a natural or synthetic nail. One of the problems associated with conventional glitter nail enamel compositions is the dull appearance of the glitter dispersed in the composition in their wet state. This dull appearance results from the cloudy or milky translucent or opaque appearance of the nail enamel composition resulting from the use of conventional suspending agents, in particular, modified colloidal clays such as bentonite or montmorillonite clays, for example stearalkonium hectorite.
Due to the cloudy or milky translucent or opaque appearance of conventional glitter nail enamel compositions in their wet state, it has become harder for a purchaser to appreciate the glitter of these compositions, especially when viewed from a distance, i.e., inspecting the glitter nail enamel compositions in their bottles placed on store display racks. Often, the selection of one glitter nail enamel composition over another is based upon the aesthetic appearance of the composition in its wet state. There has therefore been a need for developing glitter nail enamel compositions having improved wet state clarity.
Gebhard, et al. discloses an aqueous polymer dispersion composition for use in nail polish and artist, craft and hobby paints containing glitter having improved wet state clarity. Gebhard, et al. discloses an aqueous binder combination, i.e., an aqueous solution of a thickener having polymer particles dispersed therein, having a desirable wet state clarity index of less than 65. This is attained by matching an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles of certain size with an appropriately selected thickener. In particular, a wet state clarity index of less than 65 is attained in the binder combination when polymer particles having a diameter of less than 80 manometers are mixed with any selected thickener. In addition, when an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles having a diameter of less than 120 manometers is mixed with a polyurethane thickener in the binder combination, the desired wet state clarity index is attained. However, an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles having a diameter in excess of 120 manometers with any thickener or polymer particles having a diameter of less than 120 manometers but greater than 80 manometers with a non-polyurethane thickener produces a cloudy or milky binder composition having a wet state clarity index in excess of 65. Non-polyurethane thickeners are disclosed as including acrylic copolymer thickeners, acrylic copolymer hydrophobiclly modified associative thickeners, cellulose ether nonassociative organic thickeners, hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose nonassociative organic thickeners, polyethylene oxide nonassociative thickeners and polyacrylamide nonassociative thickeners.
Ramin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,866 discloses a pigmented nail enamel composition having translucent properties in the wet state including pyrogenic silica as a thickening agent. The composition may include inorganic or organic pigments in small quantity, as well as various particulates such as diamond particles, boron nitride particles, pearl particles and/or pumice particles. The translucent form of the nail enamel composition is defined as a non-opaque and non-opalescent form or a form allowing the passage of light without allowing the forms to be distinguished, wherein the optical density is in the range from 0.1-0.6. The translucent form of the nail enamel composition lacks the desired wet state clarity, particularly for compositions containing glitters. In this regard, the translucent form of the nail enamel composition which, although allowing some passage of light, does not allow forms within the nail enamel composition to be distinguished. It is expected that this would provide a dull appearance to the glitter dispersed in any such translucent composition when in the wet state.
There has heretofore been a desire for continuously improving the wet state clarity of nail enamel compositions, and specifically, an unsolved need for glitter containing nail enamel compositions which are transparent in their wet and dry states so as to enhance their aesthetic appearance to the consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention broadly discloses a transparent nail enamel composition having improved wet state clarity containing small pieces of light reflecting decorative material. The nail enamel compositions of the present invention are based upon the use of fumed silica as a suspending agent for the light reflecting material and the use of nail enamel components which produce a base having a transparent wet state, and hence, a transparent dry state.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is described a transparent nail enamel composition comprising a film forming composition containing light reflecting material and a suspending agent for the material consisting essentially of fumed silica.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is described a transparent nail enamel composition having an optical density less than 0.1 comprising a film forming polymer, a film forming resin, a solvent having a refractive index greater than about 1.40, a plasticizer, light reflecting material and a suspending agent for the material consisting essentially of fumed silica.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is described a transparent glitter nail enamel composition having an optical density less than 0.1 comprising a film forming polymer present in the range of about 5 to 40% by weight, a film forming resin present in the range of about 5 to 25% by weight, a solvent selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene and mixtures thereof present in an amount greater than about 20% b
Ismailer Anatoly
Socci Robert L.
Evans Charesse L.
Kirker Enterprises, Inc.
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP
Page Thurman K.
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