US3592202A

US3592202A - Toiletry article

Info

Publication number: US3592202A
Application number: US826084A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frances F Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-05-14
Filing date: 1969-05-14
Publication date: 1971-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-13

Abstract

The present invention is a fingernail polish kit or toiletry article having a rigid, central, handle-forming body or sleeve or appropriate length to contain within the same lint cotton, gauze, or other appropriate preferably absorbent substance used in manicuring. In each end of the sleeve is frictionally and removably telescoped a tube container either having a readily distortable wall portion or the entire tube flexible with a stopper or plug at its open end, one of the containers being adapted to receive fingernail polish remover and the other, fingernail polish. Each stopper is provided with an axial channel or passage in the outer end of which is a removable and replaceable brush so that when the container is squeezed it will expel a drop of the liquid for application by the brush to a fingernail, a removable and replaceable protective cap or cover being provided for each brush with one cover of a different detectable characteristic from the other to enable the device to be used regardless of whether in the light or not. Also a holder is provided in the form of a base which may be a suction cup and an upwardly opening yoke for receiving the body of the device so that when on a flat surface it will not roll, and alternately the device may be attached to a surface either horizontal or otherwise.

Description

[45] Patented United States Patent Frances F. Jones Pent House, White House Motor Inn to Houston St. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30303 [72] Inventor [21] AppLNo. 826,084 [22] Filed May 14,1969 July 13,1971

[54] TOILETRY ARTICLE Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner Gregory E. McNeil] Attorneys-A. Yates Dowel] and A Yates Dowell, Jr.

ABSTRACT: The present invention is a fingernail polish kit or toiletry article having a rigid, central, handle-forming body or sleeve or appropriate length to contain within the same lint cotton, gauze, or other appropriate preferably absorbent substance used in manicuring. in each end of the sleeve is frictionally and removably telescoped a tube container either having a readily distortable wall portion or the entire tube flexible with a stopper or plug at its open end, one of the containers being adapted to receive fingernail polish remover and the other, fingernail polish. Each stopper is provided with an axial channel or passage in the outer end of which is a removable and replaceable brush so that when the container is squeezed it will expel a drop of the liquid for application by the brush to a fingernail, a removable and replaceable protective cap or cover being provided for each brush with one cover of a different detectable characteristic from the other to enable the device to be used regardless of whether in the light or not. Also a holder is provided in the form of a base which may be a suction cup and an upwardly opening yoke for receiving the body of the device so that when on a flat surface it will not roll, and alternately the device may be attached to a surface either horizontal or otherwise,

PATENTEUJULIBIH?! 7 3,592,202

I NVE N TOR FKA/VCZJ f. JONES v NEYJ TOILETRY ARTICLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention is in the field of cosmetic devices or accessories used in the grooming of the personor providing toiletry for use in such grooming, and which devices frequently are found on the dressing table or carried in the handbag.

2.Description of the Prior Art Cosmetic devices of various kinds have been employed for use in manicuring the fingernails, some of which include fountain brushes, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,956 to Fuller et al. However, these devices have been inadequate or have not been fully satisfactory, and the present invention is to supply some of the deficiencies of the pribr art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONlAND OBJECTS The present invention is a fingernail polish kit in the form of a slender tube composed essentially of la couple of fountain brushes connected by a rigid sleeve oil metal or other substance and designed to hold lint cotton, gauze, or other appropriate wiping substance preferably of the absorbent type. The two fountain brushes include containers having readily distortable wall portions or they may be of polyethylene or other plastic to enable them to be squeezed or compressed between the fingers and thumb to expel a drop of the liquid contents onto the brushes for application to a fingernail.

It is an object of the invention to prov de an attractive, simple and practical fingernail polish kit of unitary construction although composed of multiple elements, as well as one which is break-, spill-, and leak-proof, can be readily squeezed to discharge the contents from containers, with means for mounting the same on a support, and which device is durable and can be used efficiently for accomplishing that for which it was designed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective of the invention with one of the plastic containers being compressed between the fingers and thumb;

FIG. 2, a fragmentary perspective illustrating the use of the device to apply fingernail polish; l

FIG. 3, a perspective illustrating the device in a suction-cup type of holder or mounting;

FIG. 4, a longitudinal section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, a part elevational and part sectional view of a rigid sleeve, a flexible container frictionally telescoped in one end of the sleeve, and a similar container in spaced relation to the opposite end of the sleeve; i

FIG. 6, an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the end closure and brush holder of each of the containers; and

FIG. 7, a similar view of a slightly niodified type of brush holder and container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The fingernail polish kit of the present invention has a central handle-forming body or sleeve of appropriate length and of rigid metal or other material adapted to contain lint cotton, gauze, or other appropriate wiping substance 11 preferably absorbent within the same for ready availability when manicuring. Within each end of the body or sleeve 10 is frictionally and removably telescoped the transverse reinforcement or the reinforced or thickened end 12 of a tubular container or bottle 13 having a readily distortable wall portion or the entire container may be of polyethylene or other plastic, each with an open and a closed end one container or bottle being adapted to contain nail polish remover l4 and the other being adapted to contain nail ,polish 15. By being produced of plastic, the container or bottle 13 will be durable and capable of being readily compressed, as for example, between the fingers and thumb to expel its contents, and can be refilled and readily withdrawn from the sleeve 10, and will not break or spill.

The containers have open ends within which are frictionally engaged removable and replaceable brush-carrying closure members or stoppers, each of which includes a sleeve portion 16 of a size to overlap the open end of the container, the extent of overlap being limited by an adjoining annular externally roughened or knurled annular enlargement l7 with a shoulder 18 against which the open end of the container is adapted to abut. In this way a seal is provided between theexterior surface of the sleeve portion 16 and the interior surface of the container 10 when the open end of the container is tightly fitted against the shoulder 18. At the opposite side of the enlargement 17 there are

additional sleeve portions

19 and 20 which terminate in a reduced annular extremity 21. Within the

sleeve portions

19 and 20 is a fillerpiece 22 having an end terminating flushed with the encompassing sleeve portions, and within the fillerpiece 22 is located a lengthwise passage or channel forming sleeve 23 having an outwardly flared portion 24 for bristles 25 folded upon themselves at 26 and compressed within and extending from said folded portion beyond the flared portion 24 of the sleeve 23. Since the bristles are compacted and compressed within the tube 23, only a small amount of liquid, such as a drop 27, can be discharged at a time from the associated container, and when thus expelled through the tube 23 onto the bristles the liquid can be applied onto a fingernail. To insure the bristles being retained within the tube 23, it is provided with opposite depressions or constrictions 28.

In FIG. 7, a modified type of structure is illustrated similar to that of FIG. 6 except there is contained a member 29 in the fold of the slightly longer bristles 30. Also instead ofthe sleeve 23 a substantially straight passage or channel forming tube 31 is employed. In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6 and 7, in order to protect the bristles a pair of

caps

32 and 33 are provided, the cap 32 having a rounded end portion while the cap 33 has a blunt or square end portion to enable the user to be able to detect that the rounded end 32 of the device contains the nail polish remover l4 and the blunt or square end the one that contains the nail polish 15. The rounded and square ends are merely for purpose of illustration and are intended to mean that identification means is provided by other of the senses than sight.

A holder for the device may be provided in the form of a base which may be a suction cup 34 to which is attached a pair of curved arms 35 which provide in effect a yoke between which the particular body of the device may be held and prevented from rolling on a flat surface and by use ofa suction cup the device may be attached to a surface which is horizontal or otherwise.

The use of the device will be apparent. The nail polish remover can be applied by removing the cap 32 and squeezing the container 13 to force a drop of the nail polish remover onto the bristles 25. Nail polish 15 may be applied in like manner by removing the cap 33 and compressing the con' tainer 13 to expel a drop of nail polish onto the bristles 25 of the second applicator.

It will be readily understood that an attractive, simple, practical and durable device is provided which may be supplied with initials, suitable indicia, or the like, if desired, on the central sleeve or holder portion of metal or other hard material, and the device is intended to be produced with a particular view to the esthetic nature of the same. It will be understood that, as illustrated clearly in FIG. 4 of the drawing, in assembled relationship the opposed closed extremities of the tubular containers or reservoirs are spaced apart to provide a receptacle within the handle forming sleeve 10 for the retention of the absorbent wiping substance (lint cotton, gauze, or the like) I].

What I claim is:

l. A combined nail polish applicator and remover compris ing:

a rigid open end sleeve body of a size to be easily held in the hand, said sleeve body providing a receptacle having an external indiciasreceiving surface and intended for the reception of absorbent wiping material;

a supply of absorbent wiping material received within said sleeve body, said absorbent material being accessible for selective removal from either open end of the sleeve body;

closure means for each end of said sleeve body, each closure means being in the form of a generally cylindrical container for fluid material having a distortable portion and an open end and a closed end, said closed end fitting tightly and frictionally within one of the open ends of said sleeve body and with the closed end thickened to provide transverse reinforcement for said cylindrical container;

a closure for the open end of each of said containers, each closure having a sleeve portion positioned within said sleeve body and providing a snug frictional fit therewith, each sleeve portion including an enlarged annular shoulder having a diameter greater than that of the associated container and being seated against the open end of said container providing a sealed connection and limit ing the extent to which the closure may enter into the container, each closure having a passage extending lengthwise therethrough;

bristles located and compressed within the passage in each of said closures and extending outwardly therethrough whereby a single drop of the fluid material in the container may be discharged onto the bristles beyond the end of said closure by the application of pressure to the distortable portion of the container whereby said drop of fluid material may be applied to a nail or the like, removal of one of the containers from said sleeve body providing absorbent wiping material for wiping the applied drop of liquid and the exterior surface of said bristles.

2. The structure of claim 1 and a removable protective cap for each brush. 7

3. The structure of claim 1 having means identifiable by one of the senses other than sight for identifying the respective containers.

Claims

1. A combined nail polish applicator and remover comprising: a rigid open end sleeve body of a size to be easily held in the hand, said sleeve body providing a receptacle having an external indicia-receiving surface and intended for the reception of absorbent wiping material; a supply of absorbent wiping material received within said sleeve body, said absorbent material being accessible for selective removal from either open end of the sleeve body; closure means for each end of said sleeve body, each closure means being in the form of a generally cylindrical container for fluid material having a distortable portion and an open end and a closed end, said closed end fitting tightly and frictionally within one of the open ends of said sleeve body and with the closed end thickened to provide transverse reinforcement for said cylindrical container; a closure for the open end of each of said containers, each closure having a sleeve portion positioned within said sleeve body and providing a snug frictional fit therewith, each sleeve portion including an enlarged annular shoulder having a diameter greater than that of the associated container and being seated against the open end of said container providing a sealed connection and limiting the extent to which the closure may enter into the container, each closure having a passage extending lengthwise therethrough; bristles located and compressed within the passage in each of said closures and extending outwardly therethrough whereby a single drop of the fluid material in the container may be discharged onto the bristles beyond the end of said closure by the application of pressure to the distortable portion of the container whereby said drop of fluid material may be applied to a nail or the like, removal of one of the containers from said sleeve body providing absorbent wiping material for wiping the applied drop of liquid and the exterior surface of said bristles.

2. The structure of claim 1 and a removable protective cap for each brush.