Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a colored artificial nail, such as an artificial fingernail, and to a method for making the artificial nail.

Background of the Invention Artificial nails, such as artificial fingernail and toenails, have long been known. Artificial nails are frequently used for cosmetic purposes, for example, in order to afford long, brightly polished, fashionable fingernails to women who lack the opportunity to allow their own nails to grow to the desired length.

Many desirable cosmetic effects may be realized using artificial nails. The nails may be polished using a polish of a single color. Alternatively, one or more nails may be given a different color. Various designs may be applied to the artificial nails after they have been bonded to the wearer's nails.

More unusual effects have been realized in artificial nails known to the art.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,876,121 , to Cohen, discloses artificial nails having a moire pattern. Cohen's nails include first and second grid pattern layers affixed to a nail bed, which preferably is transparent. The grid patterns intersect to produce the moire effect.

U.S. Patent No. 4,751 ,935, to Mast et al., reveals artificial nails having light- diffusing means formed therein.

Fashionable effects have also been produced by application of jewels piece by piece to artificial fingernails, and also by airbrushing color patterns on artificial nails. Airbrushing is a very expensive process, however.

A continuing need exists for artificial nails, such as artificial fingernails, having new and attractive cosmetic appearances, and for improved methods for producing them. It would be particularly desirable to provide an inexpensive method for providing an artificial fingernail with an airbrush pattern.

Summary of the Preferred Embodiments

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an artificial nail, such as a fingernail or toenail, comprises a base having an upper surface to which is bonded a colored film. In a preferred embodiment, the colored film comprises mylar. A multicolor pattern is formed on the mylar by airbrushing, printing or silk screening. Preferably, the base comprises a plastic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS).

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of producing an artificial nail is provided which comprises the step of bonding a colored film onto the upper surface of a base. Such a base is typically a pre-formed, commercially available artificial nail base having a curved surface. The base can be transparent or opaque, and can be colored if desired.

In a preferred embodiment, a colored mylar film is bonded to an artificial nail base by hot-rolling.

In another preferred embodiment, a colored nylon film is applied to a nylon base, and the base is then placed in an oven. The nylon film is thereby baked onto the nylon base.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, an artificial nail comprises a base having a colored upper surface to which is bonded a transparent film. Preferably the entire base is colored during manufacture of the base.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of producing an artificial nail comprises the step of bonding a transparent film onto a base having an upper surface which is colored. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

Brief Descriotion of the Drawings

The invention may be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which

FIGS. 1 a-b are front and back elevational views, respectively, of an embodiment of an artificial nail according to the invention, illustrating an exemplary multicolored pattern;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional exploded view of an artificial nail of the invention across line A-A in FIG. 1 a-b (not to scale);

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional exploded view of an alternative embodiment of an artificial of the invention in which a transparent film is bonded to a colored base.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 a-b and 2 an artificial nail 10, more particularly an artificial fingernail, according to the invention includes a colored film 12 which is bonded to the upper surface 14 of a base 16.

The colored film 12 can be of a single uniform color, or can be provided with any desired design, such as spots, stripes, florals, swirls, etc. The colored film 1 2 can also include uncolored, e.g., transparent, areas which allow the base to be viewed through the film. The design can be formed using one color, or can preferably be formed using a plurality of different colors to produce an attractive cosmetic appearance. An exemplary multicolored pattern is shown in FIG. 1 a.

Colored film 1 2 comprises a material which is self-supporting, as opposed, e.g., to a liquid material which is applied to a base and dries to form a coating. The film preferably is not roughened, grooved or otherwise textured. The preferred material for the colored film 12 according to the invention is a plastic, such as mylar (a polyethylene terephthalate) or nylon. Very preferably a mylar film is employed.

The colored film 12 preferably has a thickness from about 0.01 mm to about 0.05 mm prior to application. The colored film 12 can be produced in any conventional manner. The design is preferably produced without the use of adhesives. In a preferred method, a roll of film, preferably a mylar film, is colored by airbrushing, printing or silk-screening using any conventional dyes. Depending on the technique employed to produce the colored film 12, the inventive artificial nails will have a uniform or random appearance. Colored designs (other than solid single colors) typically will not be precisely the same on the various individual units due to the

differences in size and configuration of the bases 16 to which they are to be bonded. Other variations can be attributed to the nature of the design formation process. For example, due to the essentially random nature of the airbrushing process, no two artificial nail having an airbrushed colored layer 12 will be alike. Rather, every nail will be an original impression. Printing processes, on the other hand, can afford artificial nails having more uniform appearances.

The resulting colored film is subsequently cut into individual nail-shaped units, which are then bonded to the base 16.

Base 16 preferably comprises a plastic material such as ABS, polypropylene, polyvinyl acetate or nylon. ABS is particularly useful in producing artificial nails according to the invention. Use of transparent or translucent plastic materials, such as ABS, will allow a pattern from film 12 to be viewed from the back of nail

10 through lower surface 18 of base 16, as indicated in Figure 1 b.

Other useful materials which can be employed for base 16 and/or film 12 include polyvinyl chloride, vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, Bisphenol A polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene, polystyrene and the like.

Preferably, base 16 has a thickness from about 0.05 mm to 1 .5 mm, more preferably from about 0.15 mm to 0.8 mm. Base 16 has a shape which conforms to size, shape and handedness of the nail of the user to which it is to be applied.

Conventional methods, such as injection molding, stamping, etc., are useful in producing base 16 in various shapes and sizes.

Colored film 12 is preferably bonded to base 16 by application of heat and pressure, without the use of adhesives. In a preferred method, a hot-stamping machine is employed. Useful hot-stamping machines are commercially available, for example, from Spatz Laboratories (Oxnard, California).

According to the preferred hot-stamping method, a convex mold is prepared for each size and shape of nail to be produced. A base 16 having the selected size and shape is then placed on the mold. Colored film 12, cut to the appropriate size and shape, is then placed on the upper surface 14 of base 16. The hot- stamping machine then rolls over the colored film. The hot-rolled film is thus heat- sealed to the base.

The hot-stamping process is preferably carried out at a temperature from about 250°C to 300°C, more preferably about 280°C. The pressure employed is preferably about 1 to 10 psia, more preferably about 5 psia. The stamping time is preferably about 2 seconds.

According to an alternative method for producing an artificial nail of the invention, a colored film 12 is affixed to a base 16 having the same or similar chemical composition as the colored film 12. The film 1 2 and base 16 are then placed in an over and baked until the two components are bonded together. Preferably, both the colored film 12 and the base 16 are comprised of nylon.

The temperatures and times employed in the baking process will depend on the materials used to form the film and base. For nylon, the baking process preferably takes place at a temperature from about 55 °C to 65°C, more preferably about 60°C, for a time from about 3 to 5 minutes. The foregoing embodiment is most appropriate when the colored film has a multicolor pattern which does not require sharp delineations between colors. This is because colors from film 12 may bleed into base 16 during the bonding process when both layers are comprised of the same material, resulting in a somewhat blurred appearance. A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. Artificial nail

20 comprises a base 22 having a colored upper surface 24 to which is bonded transparent film 26. The desired colored or multicolored upper surface 24 preferably is produced during manufacture of the base, for example by adding an appropriate dye or pigment or combination thereof to the base material prior to molding. Transparent film 26 is then bonded to upper surface 24 of base 22 by any desired method, preferably the hot-rolling method discussed previously.

It is also possible to provide a colored base and a partially transparent film, that is, a film which is transparent in certain areas and colored in other areas. By means of this embodiment, patterns or printed images can be superimposed on a colored background.