Apparatus, kit, and method for decorating nails

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11064785-B2
Application number	US-201816230276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Sep 12, 2018
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus, kit, and method for applying a decal to a nail of a human digit are provided. A base coat of base nail polish is applied to a nail. The base coat has a tacky surface when dry. A decal application product is pressed against the tacky surface of the base coat, and includes a substrate and at least one decal adhered thereto. The at least one decal and the substrate have a first adhesion coefficient therebetween. The at least one decal and the tacky surface have a second adhesion coefficient that is greater than the first adhesion coefficient to cause a subset of the at least one decal to adhere to the base coat. A top coat of a top nail polish is applied atop of the base coat and the subset of the at least one decal to seal the subset of the at least one decal and the base coat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for decorating nails, comprising:
a housing having a rotation support structure dimensioned to rotatably support a supply spool around which a tape is at least partially wound, the tape having at least one decal that is transferrable to a nail of a human digit;
an actuator coupled to the housing and moveable between an unactuated position and an actuated position;
a tape advancement arrangement coupled to the actuator and arranged to actuate a tape grip to extend the tape from the supply spool as the actuator is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position and back to the unactuated position; and
a decal application surface coupled to at least one of the housing and the actuator, the decal application surface being sufficiently pliable to conform to a range of nail shapes and sufficiently firm to press the tape against the nail when the actuator is moved towards the actuated position to transfer at least one of the at least one decal from the tape to the nail.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tape advancement arrangement extends at least a predefined length of the tape from the supply spool as the actuator is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position and back to the unactuated position.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the actuator is biased towards the unactuated position via at least one biasing element.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:
a deflector coupled to the actuator and having the decal application surface, the deflector being movable, via movement of the actuator from the unactuated position to the actuated position, to deflect at least one of a span of the tape extending between the first spool and the tape grip, and a finger of a user such that the span of the tape and the finger are moved into contact with one another.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the deflector deflects the span of the tape extending between the supply spool and the tape grip when the actuator is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the tape advancement arrangement actuates the tape grip to extend the tape as the actuator is moved from the actuated position to the unactuated position.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the tape grip is unactuated by the tape advancement arrangement as the actuator is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge that is separable from the housing and rotatably supporting the supply spool.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising a take-up spool positioned within the cartridge and including the tape grip, the take-up spool being rotated by the tape advancement arrangement to receive the tape dispensed by the supply spool.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a rotation inhibitor coupled to the actuator and inhibiting rotation of the supply spool when the actuator is in the unactuated position.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the rotation inhibitor is biased against the supply spool when the actuator is in the unactuated position.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the rotation inhibitor inhibits rotation of the supply spool via friction.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the tape advancement arrangement includes a ratcheted gear that is unrotated as the actuator is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position, and rotated as the actuator is moved from the actuated position to the unactuated position.

Assignees

• Spin Master Ltd

Inventors

• Peat Emma J E
• Livingston Jessica
• Crilly Kyra
• Reynolds Paul A
• Jameson Mollie B

Classifications

• B44C1/16

  for applying transfer pictures or the like · CPC title

• A45D29/001

  Self adhesive nail coating blanks · CPC title

• A45D31/00

  Artificial nails · CPC title

• A45D2029/005

  Printing or stamping devices for applying images or ornaments to nails · CPC title

• A45D29/00 Primary

  Manicuring or pedicuring implements · CPC title