A METHOD OF MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL NAIL

Technical Field

This invention relates to a method for making an artificial nail. Background Art

At present an artificial nail is made using the following method: first an adhesive paper is applied in such a way that a portion of it has an end edge which is inserted between the free end of the natural nail and its ungual bed below, and extending in the space in front of the free end of the natural nail, in such a way that it can act as a substrate for the artificial nail. A pair of flaps of the paper are positioned on opposite sides of the above-mentioned substrate portion and extend from the latter close to the natural nail towards the finger. The flaps are made to adhere on two lateral surfaces of the finger, so as to secure the paper to the finger. Then at least one layer of material which is the precursor of the artificial nail is applied in a gel or dense liquid state on the upper surface of the natural nail and the adjacent substrate portion of the paper. The material is then made to harden, by simply exposing it to the air for several minutes, in the case of a mixture containing acrylic powders and catalysts (polymerisation), or by means of UV treatment for several minutes in the case of gel. When hardening is complete, the adhesive paper is removed. There are also prior art methods for applying to the natural nail 'tips', that is to say, ready-made nails made of plastic which remain stably fixed to the nail.

The Applicant has found that the prior art methods for making artificial nails are not without disadvantages and can be improved on from various points of view.

In particular, the Applicant has found that the above-mentioned method using adhesive paper does not guarantee that the final shape of the artificial nail is precisely that desired, above all for particularly complex shapes, for example with clearly defined edges (angled, e.g. : at a right- angle) or flat portions or very sharp portions. According to the Applicant that is due to the difficulty shaping the adhesive paper to the desired shape and/or preventing subsequent deformations of the paper which may cause deviations from the desired shape.

Disclosure of the Invention

In this situation, the basic aim of this invention, according to its various aspects and/or embodiments, is to provide a method for making an artificial nail that can overcome one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art.

This aim, and others, which will become more apparent from the description given below, are substantially fulfilled by a method for making an artificial nail with the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims, each of which may be taken alone (without the relative dependent claims) or in any combination with the other claims, as well as according to the following aspects and/or example embodiments, variously combined, also with the above-mentioned claims.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for making an artificial nail over a natural nail comprising:

- providing a (substantially) stiff temporary support having a major or main extension along a longitudinal direction, a portion of outer surface having longitudinal extension and a predetermined shape and a thinned longitudinal end;

- providing an adhesive paper having a substrate portion with extension greater than or equal to the extension of said portion of outer surface of the support and a pair of flaps extending from said substrate portion to a predetermined mutual distance (preferably extending on opposite sides of the substrate portion);

- positioning the support in such a way that said thinned end is interposed between the free end of the natural nail and the underlying ungual bed and said portion of outer surface of the support is in the space in front of the free end of the natural nail;

- positioning the adhesive paper in such a way that the substrate portion thereof is shaped as, and caused to adhere to the portion of outer surface with predetermined shape of the support and the aforesaid two flaps are shaped as, and caused to partially adhere to the respective side surfaces and/or upper surface of the finger to which the natural nail belongs, ensuring that the outer surface of the natural nail remains substantially free (typically interposed between the two flaps);

- applying at least one continuous layer of material that is the precursor of the artificial nail on (at least one portion of) the outer surface of the natural nail and on the substrate portion of the adhesive paper;

- making said at least one layer of precursor material harden;

- removing the support and the adhesive paper from the finger.

The term rigid means able to keep its shape when subject to the (gentle) stresses which are typically generated when making the nail according to this invention.

According to one aspect, the support is made of plastic material such as Plexiglas.

According to one aspect, the length of the support along the longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to 10 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 20 mm and/or less than or equal to 100 mm, preferably less than or equal to 80 mm.

According to one aspect, the height of the support on the section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to 1 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 2 mm and/or less than or equal to 10 mm, preferably less than or equal to 8 mm.

According to one aspect, the width of the support on the section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to 4 mm and/or less than or equal to 15 mm. Preferably the method comprises selecting the above-mentioned support from a plurality of supports having the features of said support and different respective widths.

According to one aspect, the support comprises a first and a second longitudinal portion, where the second portion comprises the above- mentioned thinned longitudinal end.

According to one aspect, the first portion has a prismatic shape, preferably with a rectangular or square constant cross-section. Preferably, the portion of outer surface of predetermined shape corresponds to the surface of the upper face and of the two respectively adjacent side faces of the first portion of the support and also optionally to the two side faces of the second portion of the support. Preferably, said thinned end of the support is approximately at the lower face of the support, preferably lying at a level approximately at the natural nail.

According to one aspect, (the second portion of) the support has an inclined face extending from the thinned longitudinal end as far as an upper face of the support (usually the upper face of the first portion). Preferably, the inclination of the inclined face relative to the upper (and/or lower) face is greater than or equal to 30° and/or less than or equal to 60°, for example 45°.

According to one aspect, said at least one layer of artificial nail precursor material is also applied at the second portion of the support, for example at the inclined face of the second portion, directly on the support or on a portion of adhesive paper placed over said second portion.

According to one aspect, the thinned longitudinal end has a curvilinear extension (e.g. : like an arc of a circle) along the direction which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

According to one aspect, at least one portion of the inclined face is concave, preferably extending along an arc of a circle in the direction which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the upper edge of the inclined face is straight.

According to one aspect, the lower face comprises a bevel at the thinned end on the opposite side to the inclined face. Preferably, the bevel has a curvilinear extension along the orthogonal direction.

According to one aspect, the adhesive paper has a rectangular or square plan, and, when the paper is positioned on the support, preferably two of its sides extend along the longitudinal direction. Preferably the two above- mentioned flaps extend along a right angle and define an opening in the adhesive paper intended to be placed at the natural nail.

According to one aspect, said artificial nail precursor material is a gel or a mixture of acrylic powders and catalyst (usually in liquid form).

According to one aspect, the layer of precursor material is hardened by exposing it to UV rays (for gel) or to air (for acrylic powders), for a time greater than or equal to 30 seconds, preferably 1 min, and/or less than or equal to 3 minutes, preferably less than or equal to 2 minutes. Brief description of the Drawings

Other features and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description below of several non-limiting example embodiments, of a method for making an artificial nail according to this invention. The description is set out below with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided solely for purposes of illustration without restricting the scope of the invention and in which:

- Figures 1 a and 1 b are two perspective views of a support used in an example method according to this invention ;

- Figures 2a to 2f are schematic views of several steps of an example method according to this invention using the support in Figures 1 a and 1 b.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety an example of a support used in a method for making an artificial nail 1 3 over a natural nail according to this invention.

The support is temporary, that is to say, intended to be removed once the artificial nail 1 3 has been made.

The support 1 is substantially stiff, for example made of Plexiglas or another plastic material. The support may be obtained by processing an existing part or by moulding.

The support typically has a major or main extension along a longitudinal direction 2, a portion of outer surface 4 with longitudinal extension and of predetermined shape and a thinned longitudinal end 5.

By way of example, the total length of the support in the longitudinal direction is approximately equal to 40 mm and the height of the support on the section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is approximately equal to 5 mm.

The width of the support on the orthogonal section may be selected as desired, for example depending on the size of the natural nail, by way of example from a minimum of 4 mm to a maximum of 15 mm.

The support usually comprises a first 20 and a second 21 longitudinal portion, where the second portion comprises the thinned longitudinal end 5. For the purpose of illustration only, the separation (purely arbitrary) between the first and second portions is shown in the drawings by lines made up of dots and dashes.

Preferably, the first portion 20 has a prismatic shape, preferably with a rectangular constant orthogonal section with the long side in the direction of the width of the support. Preferably, the portion of outer surface 4 of predetermined shape corresponds to the surface of the upper face 22 and of the two adjacent side faces 23 (adjacent to the upper face) of the first portion of the support and also to the two side faces 24 of the second portion of the support. Preferably, the thinned end 5 of the support is approximately at a lower face 25 of the support, preferably lying at a level approximately at the natural nail.

However, it should be noticed that this invention also involves the use of supports having any shape, in particular any shape of the portion of outer surface with predetermined shape, for example in the shape of a gable roof or with a very sharp tip.

Preferably, the second portion of the support has an inclined face 26 extending from the thinned longitudinal end 5 as far as an upper face 22 of the first portion 20. For example the angle of the inclined face relative to the upper and lower face is equal to 45°.

Preferably, at least one portion 27 of the inclined face 26 is concave, extending along an arc of a circle in the direction which is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the upper edge 28 of the inclined face is straight.

Preferably, the lower face 25 comprises a bevel 29 at the thinned end 5 on the opposite side to the inclined face. Preferably, the bevel has a curvilinear extension along the orthogonal direction.

The method also comprises the use of an adhesive paper 6 having a substrate portion 7 whose extension is greater than or equal to the extension of the above-mentioned portion of outer surface of the support and a pair of flaps 8 extending from said substrate portion on opposite sides of the substrate portion. For illustration purposes only, the substrate portion 7 is delimited in the drawing by suitable lines made up of dots and dashes.

Preferably, the adhesive paper has a rectangular or square plan, and, when the paper is positioned on the support, preferably two of its sides 31 extend along the longitudinal direction. Preferably the two flaps 8 extend along a right angle and define an opening 32 in the adhesive paper intended to be placed at the natural nail.

However, it should be noticed that this invention covers the use of adhesive papers having any suitable shapes, for example the adhesive papers already known.

The method comprises positioning the support 1 in such a way (see Figure 2d) that the thinned end 5 is interposed between the free end 9 of the natural nail 3 and the underlying ungual bed 10 and the portion of outer surface 4 of the support is in the space in front of the free end 9 of the natural nail.

The method then comprises positioning the adhesive paper 6 in such a way that its substrate portion 7 is shaped like, and caused to adhere to the portion of outer surface 4 with predetermined shape of the support, and the aforesaid two flaps 8 are shaped like, and caused to partially adhere to the respective side surfaces 40 and upper surface 41 of the finger to which the natural nail 3 belongs, ensuring that the outer surface 1 1 of the natural nail remains substantially free and interposed between the two flaps 8. The method then comprises applying at least one (or more) continuous layer 12 of material that is the precursor of the artificial nail 13 on the outer surface 1 1 of the natural nail and on the substrate portion 7 of the adhesive paper.

Preferably, the layer of artificial nail precursor material 12 is also applied at the second portion 21 of the support, for example at the inclined face of the second portion, on a portion of adhesive paper which is made to adhere over said second portion. For that purpose, for example, the paper is cut along two lines 33 to allow folding of the flap located between the two cuts 33 on the inclined face. Optionally, two further flaps 34 which are formed adjacent to the folded flap are removed or are also folded towards the support.

The method then comprises making the layer of precursor material harden, for example by exposing it to UV rays (if the precursor material is a gel) or to air (if the precursor material consists of acrylic powders), for around 1 to 2 minutes.

The method then comprises completely removing the support 1 and the adhesive paper 6 from the finger.