FR2788417A1 - Fingernail treatment product, especially for removing nail varnish, comprises a pot with foam material impregnated with treatment substance and scraper - Google Patents

Abstract

The product consists of a pot (2) containing a block of foam material (11) impregnated with a treatment substance such as nail varnish remover, and a scraper (12) in the form of an elastomer, fabric or thermoplastic plate which goes over the foam block and has one or more slits forming at least one lip (22) for removing the varnish from the finger nail as the finger tip is withdrawn.

Description

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  The present invention relates to a device for treating nails. Advantageously, the invention relates to a device suitable for removing makeup from the nails,

  view of removing a nail varnish by means of a dissolving composition.

  Other nail treatment applications, in particular make-up,

  nails can be envisaged thanks to the device according to the invention.

  In the field of the treatment of nails, and in particular, their make-up removal, it is known to use a block of foam, or a sponge disposed inside a jar with a wide opening. The foam block is impregnated with a treatment composition, in particular based on acetone, in the case of a make-up removal solution, and is crossed by a slit, capable of receiving the nail to be treated through the opening the jar. After inserting the nail into the slot, the user turns the finger in the slot on itself, possibly making it go back and forth several times, so that the nail is put in friction engagement with the surface abrasive foam block, which abrasive surface, in combination with the action of the dissolving composition ensures the cleaning of the nail. Such a device is described in particular in US-A-4,282,891, the particularity of which is to have a nail receiving slot which extends only over part of the axial height of the foam block, it is to say, not emerging

not in the bottom of the container.

  Another similar device is described in patent US-A-4,440,181. According to this patent, the cross section of the container in which the foam block is disposed, decreases progressively in the direction of the opening, so as to ensure greater compression of the foam block, in the vicinity of the opening than in the vicinity of the bottom. In this document, it is described that the part constricted in the vicinity of the opening, ensures a wiping of the nail, at the outlet of the latter. However, experience shows that over use, the tightened part relaxes and no longer satisfactorily performs its function.

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  wiping. In addition, the wiping function being performed by a portion forming an integral part of the soaked block, and therefore made of the same material as the portion forming the actual cleaning, it cannot be satisfactorily ensured. Indeed, for cleaning proper, it is necessary to have a porous, relatively hard and abrasive surface, in particular with large open cells, which is not at all satisfactory for wiping, which

requires significant flexibility.

  Another equivalent device is described in patent application FR-A2 645 417, in which a composition containing agents, in particular of

  oil, capable of promoting the entrainment of varnish in the bottom of the container.

  Also, is it one of the objects of the invention to provide a device making it possible to solve all or part of the problems discussed above with reference to

  prior art devices.

  It is in particular an object of the invention to provide a device for treating the nails which makes it possible to effectively ensure, throughout the life of the product, both the treatment function, including the

  removing make-up, and wiping the nail at the outlet of the device.

  It is another object of the invention to provide a device for treating the nails based on a treatment composition whose evaporation is reduced by

  significantly compared to conventional devices.

  It is yet another object of the invention to produce an aesthetic device

  improved compared to conventional devices.

  Still other objects will appear in the detailed description which follows.

  According to the invention, these objects are achieved by producing a device for treating the nails, in particular make-up removal, comprising a container

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  comprising a body of which one end is closed by a bottom and the other end of which comprises a free edge delimiting an opening, the device comprising inside the container: a) a treatment element, consisting of a block of a material soaked in a nail treatment composition, said block comprising at least one surface portion with which a nail is intended to come into frictional engagement when it is introduced into the container via said opening, so as to be placed contacting said treatment composition; and b) a scraping member, consisting of a separate element from said soaked block, and forming above said block, at least one lip capable of coming into engagement with said nail when the latter is withdrawn from the container through said

  opening, so as to scrape the surface.

  According to the invention, the treatment function proper was thus disconnected from the nail scraping function at the outlet of the device. Thus, the configuration of the scraper member, in the form of an element distinct from the element soaked in the treatment product, and shaped in the form of at least one lip, of reduced thickness compared to the thickness of the treatment element, and advantageously coming into engagement with the nail via a free edge, so as to configure a flexibility greater than the flexibility of the block soaked in product, makes it possible to have a scraping of the surface of the very efficient nail, from the beginning to the end of the use of the device, and this without affecting the properties of

  treatment, in particular cleaning, of the device.

  In addition to the flexibility characteristics, the scraping member also makes it possible to provide a seal above the soaked block. Indeed, this scraping member can be made of a material offering better sealing characteristics than the material performing the actual cleaning. Indeed, the material forming the treatment element can be made of a foam material with large open cells, for its abrasive and absorption properties, while the scraper element can be made of a cell foam.

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  much smaller, can be opened or closed, or other material

  flexible such as an elastomer or a thermoplastic material.

  In addition, the scraper element, adjacent to the opening, makes it possible to produce a covering element, masking the treatment element which, in particular when it is an abrasive foam, is often aesthetic. incompatible with

imperatives of cosmetics.

  Advantageously, said scraper member is made of a material different from the material forming said soaked block, and in particular having a different surface condition. Thus, the material forming the treatment element can be chosen according to its abrasive properties, while the scraping element will be chosen for its flexibility, wiping, sealing properties, or for its aesthetics. Preferably, said block, forming the treatment element, consists of a block of open cell foam, in particular a polyurethane foam. In the hypothesis where the composition is a composition capable of dissolving a nail varnish, the block forming the treatment element consists of an abrasive material, suitable by friction on the surface of said nail, in action combined with said dissolving composition , to rid the surface of the nail of the varnish which covers it, said scraper lip (s) allowing, when removing the nail from the container, to retain inside the container the varnish remaining attached to the

surface of the nail.

  By way of example, a polyurethane foam of the type of that sold by the company RECTICEL 'under the reference POTTSCORER 430 is used. Such a material is remarkable for its high hardness, and for its great

  resistance to tearing and abrasion.

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  According to a specific embodiment, said surface portion with which said nail is able to come into engagement is formed by the surface disposed on either side of a slot formed in said block of soaked material, and extending over at least part of the axial height of said block. Such a slit can form a straight portion, a cross, or a three-pointed star. The scraping member may be formed from a sheet of flexible material placed above said block of soaked material, said lip (s) being

  delimited by the free edges of a slot crossing the thickness of said sheet.

  Such a slit can form a straight portion, a cross, or a three-pointed star. Advantageously, said sheet is made of a material chosen in particular from foams with open or closed cells, elastomers, in particular rubber, woven fabrics, nonwovens, or thermoplastic materials, in particular polyethylene or polypropylene. In the case of a thermoplastic material, the flexible sheet forming the scraping element can be directly injected with the container, or mounted on the container, and held by snapping, gluing, clamping, etc. As another example, said material forming the scraping element is a polyurethane foam, of the type sold by the company RECTICEL under the reference BULFAST S

  35. Such a material is remarkable for its flexibility.

  The sheet forming the scraping member can be made integral, at least at its periphery, with said block of material soaked in said treatment composition. Such a joining can be carried out by gluing or by welding, or by other

mechanical fixing.

  A shoulder may be formed between the body and the opening of the container. In this case, said shoulder is such that, in the lying position of the container, all the product is contained below the opening, so that, in this position, does not flow through said opening. Thus, even when the container overturns, the product it contains is not likely to leak from

untimely.

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  Preferably, the product contained in the treatment element is a solvent

  for nail polish. Such a solvent is generally based on acetone.

  The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of a certain number of other arrangements which will be explained below, with reference to nonlimiting exemplary embodiments, described with reference to the appended figures, among which: - Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention; - Figures 2A-2B show two sectional views of the device of Figure 1. In Figure 2A, the device rests on its bottom. In FIG. 2B, the device is overturned on a flat surface, with its main axis parallel to the surface; - Figures 3A-3C illustrate different forms of cutting of the treatment element and / or the scraping element of the device of Figure 1; - Figures 4A-4C show a device according to a variant of Figure 1, as well as the different steps for removing makeup from a nail using such a device; and - Figure 5 illustrates another variant of the device according to the present invention. In the exploded view of FIG. 1 as well as in the sectional views of FIGS. 2A-2B, the device 1 according to the invention comprises a pot 2, of main axis X, and made in particular of polypropylene or polyethylene. The pot has a body 3, one end of which is closed by a bottom 4. The other end of the body forms a neck 5, a free edge of which defines an opening 6. The neck is separated from the body of the pot 2 by a shoulder 7. The neck 5 has on its outer surface a thread 8 capable of cooperating with a corresponding thread 9 (see FIG. 2A) provided on the inner surface of a plug 10. In general, the pot is made of a material chosen from so as to be compatible with the treatment composition

it contains.

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  Inside the pot 2 is arranged a block of open-cell polyurethane foam 11 extending over approximately 2/3 of the axial height of the pot 2, and the cross section of which is adapted to the internal cross section of the container so as to occupy it substantially in its entirety, or even to be in very slight radial compression inside the pot. The foam block 11 is soaked with a dissolving composition based on acetone. The foam block 11 is crossed axially by a rectilinear slot 20 extending over substantially a substantial part of the axial height of the foam block 11, without however opening onto the bottom 4 of the pot. The slot 20 is able to allow the passage of a finger, so as, as will be seen in detail later, to put in friction engagement a nail with the

  surface delimited on either side of the slot.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the foam block is formed from an open cell polyurethane foam sold by the company RECTICEL

  under the reference POTTSCORER 430.

  The radial width H of the shoulder 7 is chosen according to the quantity of composition contained inside the foam block 11, or vice versa. Preferably, it is arranged to size the shoulder as a function of the composition volume so that, when the pot is lying (as shown in FIG. 2B), that is to say, with its axis X s extending parallel to the surface on which it is arranged, the maximum level of liquid NMAx is located below, or at the level of, the opening 6. Thus, there is substantially no

  untimely flow of liquid through said opening.

  Above the block of abrasive foam 11 is deposited a plate 12 of another foam, dimensioned so as to substantially complete the volume left empty by the block 11. The plate 12 is of thickness substantially less than the thickness of the block foam 11. Preferably, the plate 12 is hot welded to the block 11, in particular at its periphery. In this embodiment, the plate 12 is formed from another polyurethane foam, with many cells.

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  smaller than the cells of the foam of block 11, and of increased flexibility compared to the flexibility of block 11. For example, a foam is used

  sold by RECTICEL under the reference BULFAST S 35.

  The assembly consisting of the foam block 11 on which the scraper plate 12 is welded is kept inside the pot 2 due to the presence of

shoulder 7.

  The plate 12 is crossed by a cross slot 21, which, in the mounted position of the plate 12, is located opposite the slot 20 of the foam block 11, so that a nail can be introduced into the slot 20 of the foam block 11, via the slot 21 of the upper plate 12, and the opening 6. The edges 22-29 delimiting the cross slot 21, form suitable lips, in particular when the nail is removed from the foam block 11 , after treatment, scraping the surface of the nail so as to retain inside the container, the "shreds" of varnish which can remain attached to the surface of the nail. The thickness of the plate 12 can be of the order of a few millimeters, while the thickness of the foam block 11 can be of

the order of a few centimeters.

  In FIGS. 3A-3C are shown different shapes for the slots 20, of the foam block 11. In FIG. 3A, the slot 20 consists of a straight line, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2A- 2B. In FIG. 3B, the slot 20 consists of a cross formed by two straight portions intersecting at right angles. In FIG. 32C, the slot 20 consists of a three-pointed star. The shape of the cutout of the scraper plate 12, located above the foam block 11 can be identical to the shape of the cutout of the treatment block 11. Alternatively, the slots 20, respectively 21, of the foam block 11, respectively of the plate 12, are of different shape. As an example, it is possible, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, to have a rectilinear slot for the foam block 11 and a cross slot for the scraper plate 12. In the hypothesis o the slots are of the same shape, it is possible to align them or offset them angularly relative to each other,

  depending on the results sought, and the type of treatment applied.

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  In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A-4C, the scraping element 12 consists of a sheet of elastomeric material, in particular rubber, glued to the foam block 11. The foam block 11 is identical to the foam block of the previous embodiment. Each of the elements 11 and 12 is crossed by a cross-shaped slot 20, respectively 21. The slots 20 and 21 are angularly aligned. The slot 20 of the block 11 extends over approximately 80% of the axial height of the said block, and does not open onto the bottom 4 of the pot 2. The insertion through the opening 6, of smaller section than the section internal of the body 3 of the pot 2, of the assembly formed of the foam block 11 and of the sheet 12 glued to the foam block 11 is permitted, by compressing said assembly in an appropriate manner. In FIG. 4A, the foam block 11 is at rest. The edges 22-29 of the slot 21 are substantially contiguous. The scraping element 12, in this position, forms an element, the aesthetics of which can be chosen at will, and provides substantially impermeable protection for the solvents contained in the base composition.

  acetone with which the foam block 11 is soaked.

  In FIG. 4B, the user inserts a finger into the block of foam 11, via the opening 6 of the pot 2, and via the slot 21 of the scraper element 12. In this position, the foam of the block 11 is compresses slightly towards the bottom 4 of the pot. The lips 22-29 delimiting the slot 21 of the elastomeric sheet 12 are also directed towards the bottom of the pot. When the finger is thus inserted into the slot 20 of the foam block 11, the user's nail 30 is in engagement with the surfaces located on either side of the slot 20. By rotating the finger on it even, the user causes friction between said surfaces of the foam block 11 and the surface of the nail, which, in combination with the action of the solvent, rids the surface of the nail of the varnish which

covers.

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  After several rotations, the user removes the finger, as shown in FIG. 4C. In doing so, the foam in block 11 returns to its rest position. The slot 20 closes behind the finger. The lips 22-29, under the movement of the withdrawal of the finger, turn in the direction opposite to the bottom, and scrape the surface of the nail 30. The pieces of varnish being on the surface of the nail remain in the block foam 11, where they will be dissolved by the dissolving composition. After inspecting the finger, in the event of an insufficient result, the user reintroduces the finger into pot 2 and repeats the same operation, until

  satisfactory cleaning of the nail 30.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the cross slit 21 is formed at the bottom of a bowl 33 obtained by molding a thermoplastic material, by

  example a low density polyethylene, and forming said scraping element 12.

  The bowl has a side skirt 31 whose external diameter is chosen so as to ensure a forced mounting inside the neck 5 of the container 2. A transverse flange 32 makes it possible to retain the bowl 33 in position on the neck, when the the user exerts on the bottom of the bowl 33, an axial pressure in order to introduce the finger into the foam block 11. The bowl 33 may or may not be welded, in particular at its periphery, on the upper surface of the block foam 11. The block of foam 11 is crossed by a straight slot 20. The operation of the device according to this embodiment is identical to the operation described with reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 4A-4C. The free edges delimiting the four portions of the slot 21 act as a lip capable of

  scrape the surface of the nail when it is removed from the pot 2.

  In the foregoing detailed description, reference has been made to modes of

  preferred embodiments of the invention. Obviously there may be variations

  made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed below.

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Claims (13)

  1. - Device (1) for the treatment of nails, in particular make-up removal, comprising a container (2) comprising a body (3) one end of which is closed by a bottom (4) and the other end of which has a free edge defining an opening (6), the device comprising inside the container: a) a treatment element (11) consisting of a block of material soaked in a nail treatment composition, said block comprising at least a surface portion with which a nail (30) is intended to come into friction engagement when it is introduced into the container (2) via said opening (6), so as to be brought into contact with said treatment composition; and b) a scraping member (12), consisting of an element separate from said soaked block (11), and forming above the treatment element (11), at least one lip (22-29) capable of coming in engagement with said nail (30) when the latter is withdrawn from the container (2) through said opening (6), so as to scrape the surface thereof. 2. - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that said scraping member (12) is made of a material different from the material forming said element treatment (11).   3. - Device for the treatment of nails according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said treatment element (11) consists of a block of   open cell foam, especially polyurethane foam.   4. - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that   that said composition is a composition capable of dissolving a nail varnish, said treatment element (11) being made of an abrasive material, capable of friction on the surface of said nail (30), in action combined with said dissolving composition, ridding the surface of the nail of the varnish which covers it, said scraper lip (s) (22-29) allowing, when the nail is removed from the 12 2788417   container (2), to retain inside the container (2) the varnish remaining attached to the surface of the nail.   5. - Device according to claim 4 characterized in that said abrasive material consists of a polyurethane foam of the type sold by   RECTICEL under the reference POTTSCORER 430e.   6. - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that   that said surface portion with which said nail is able to come into engagement is formed by the surface disposed on either side of a slot (20) formed in said block of soaked material (11), and extending over at least one   part of the axial height of said block.   7. - Device according to claim 6 characterized in that said slot (20) forms   a portion on the right, a cross, or a three-pointed star.   8. - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that   that said scraping member (12) is formed of a sheet of flexible material placed above said block of soaked material (11), said (or said) lips (22-29) being delimited (s) by the free edges of a through slot (21) the thickness of said sheet.   9. - Device according to claim 8 characterized in that said slot (21) forms   a portion on the right, a cross, or a three-pointed star.   10. - Device according to claim 8 or 9 characterized in that said sheet (12) consists of a material chosen in particular from foams with open or closed cells, elastomers, woven fabrics, nonwovens, or materials   thermoplastics, especially polyethylene or polypropylene. 13 2788417   11. - Device according to claim 10 characterized in that said material is a polyurethane foam, of the type sold by the company   RECTICEL under the reference BULFAST S 35.   12. - Device according to any one of claims 9 to 11 characterized in that   that said sheet (12) is made integral, at least at its periphery, in particular   by bonding, of said processing element (11).   13. - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that   a shoulder (7) is formed between the body (3) and the opening (6) of the container (2), said shoulder (7) being such that, in the lying position of the container, all the product is contained below of the opening (6), so that, in this position, does not   not flow through said opening (6).