Radiant energy – Radiant energy generation and sources – With radiation modifying member
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-25
2004-07-13
Lee, John R. (Department: 2881)
Radiant energy
Radiant energy generation and sources
With radiation modifying member
C250S492100, C250S455110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06762425
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention relates to a portable device for use in curing gel nail preparations and nail extensions applied to both fingernails and toenails.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Since the use of nail enamels and polishes became widespread a number of devices have been developed to accelerate the drying process. These ranged from standing before a fan to placing the hands in a chamber with circulating air or heating bulbs. A review of some of the prior art polish drying devices provides insight as to the variety and designs developed for this purpose. In recent years acrylic and gel materials have been applied to nails to form more desirable nail shapes and lengths. Such products require exposure to a light source, usually a n ultra violet light source, to cure the gels. The prior art in this area is limited. Additionally, most of the devices designed to cure fingernail preparations would fall short when the gels are applied to toenails because most of the devices were not designed to accommodate feet.
Corbett, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,374,472, designed an apparatus for drying nail enamel that consisted of a chamber with a U-shaped opening in the top that defined a hand rest. A light bulb centrally located near the interior floor of the chamber provided the heat. The hand was inserted so the fingers closed over the hand rest with all nails facing downward toward the light source. The design of this device may be considered for use with gel nail preparations, but since the gel preparations tend to flow before they are completely cured, when the nails all facing downward there could be an uneven surface due to pooling of the gel material toward the lowermost surface of the nails. This would require reshaping of all the nails after they are cured. Also, by curling the hand over the hand rest it is possible that the some fingers could contact the nails of other fingers while the gel material is still fluid. The design of this device can only accommodate one hand at a time and cannot be used to cure toenail preparations.
Another nail drying chamber was disclosed by Friedman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,847. This chamber had a front opening with a slidable tray situated at the bottom. The heat was provided by infra-red bulbs affixed to the inside of the top wall. The hand or foot could be placed flat on the tray and slid into the chamber. If the chamber became too hot the user could slide the tray out of the chamber. Such infra-red source would generate too much heat and would not be useful with gel preparations. The design itself would not work well with gels since the hand is placed flat on the tray. When the hand is flat the thumb is on a slant. Since the light source is above the tray, the portion of the thumbnail facing to the side and downward would not receive the direct light so the gel material could flow before it is cured. The flow of the gel before being completely cured would be toward the skin around the thumbnail. It is inadvisable to have the uncured gel material make contact with the skin.
A nail polish dryer using UV light bulbs was taught by Nafziger et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,367. A drying chamber had a pivotally attached cover that can be adjusted to alter the height of the cover. Two openings in the front wall accommodate the right and left hands or the right and left feet. The interior of the chamber is lined with a textured material that is opaque to UV light. The hands must be placed flat on the interior base so that the thumbs are at an angle making this design undesirable for use with gel fingernails for the same reasons as noted above. Additionally, an error in adjusting the height of the cover could result in an improper distance from the light source to the nails resulting in a less than desirable result.
Bloom devised an elongated nail drying apparatus that can be used by up to ten persons simultaneously (U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,621). This device utilizes overhead UV lamps and an angled air pressure chamber equipped with circulating fans to expel a “pillow of air” over the drying nails. Users can sit or stand on either side of the unit and place their hands flat on a long horizontal hand rest located directly beneath the overhead unit. In addition to the problem of having the thumbs at an angle when the hands are flat, the lamps and air circulation must be left on to accommodate the multiple users. This system would not be practical for use with gel nails since the time of exposure to the UV light must be carefully controlled by the nail operator making its use by more than one person at a time impractical. Bloom also teaches a design for a similar apparatus having an elevated hand rest (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 394,917).
Shoemaker, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,541, teaches an apparatus for curing photocurable gels on fingernails. The apparatus consists of a support arm with a clamp at the bottom for attachment to a table and a circular chamber, ellipsoid in cross section, secured at the top. A handle with finger indentations extends from the underside of the circular chamber by means of a telescoping shaft and is gripped by the hand with the palm facing upward and the fingers curling over the handle surface. The user then pushes the handle upward into the chamber and at the same time activates a circular UV lamp. A timer can also be used with this system. All of the fingers are facing upward, but depending on the size of the hand, the nails may make contact with each other or the central shaft or the fingers may not reach around the handle to be flat against it. Since the gel material sets up quickly, the nails could cure to the shaft creating a problem or the fingers could be not quite flat creating pooling of the gel material. Additionally, only the fingers of one hand can be treated at a time and the palm up orientation of the hand with no arm rest can be uncomfortable. Some upward force must be exerted by the user to activate the system. The device of Shoemaker can only be used on tables, and more specifically on tables without a rim or border. The device of Shoemaker cannot be used to cure toenail preparations. Another apparatus for use in the curing of photopolymerizable plastics on fingernails is taught by Oppawsky in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,883. A housing with a top opening surrounded by a glare protection rim contains an annular radiation lamp. The inner walls of the housing are reflective. A spring mounted hand support having a series of grooves to accept the various fingers is centrally located within the top opening. The grooves are designed for specific fingers and can accommodate the right and left hands, one at a time. The user places her band on the hand support and the pressure of the hand lowers the support into the housing and activates the lamp. All of the fingers are oriented downwardly around the support so that any tendency of the polymeric material to flow would cause pooling toward the ends of the nails requiring additional shaping of all nails after curing. Only one hand can be treated at a time and feet cannot be accommodated in this apparatus.
An apparatus specifically designed to harden the gel materials currently in use for fingernails is taught by Hennig in U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,583. A circular housing with a front opening holds two U-shaped UV light sources angularly mounted on opposing sides of the interior top of the housing. A hand bearing surface is located on the base inside a front opening. The bearing surface is convex and the angles of the surface conform to the angles of the placement of the lights to provide maximum radiation to the nail surfaces. Though the curvature of the bearing surface places the nails of the first and fifth fingers at slight angles, the angled lights allow all surfaces to receive the full benefit of the radiation. A timer may be used to insure proper irradiation periods. Only one hand can be placed in the housing at a time, and this design cannot accommodate feet.
There have been several designs for systems that could be used to cure synthetic nail preparations but most cannot be used
Gill Erin-Michael
Kotin Sandra M.
Lee John R.
LandOfFree
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