US3277900A - Method for applying an artificial nail and protecting surrounding nail tissue from irritating nail coating compositions - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1966 M M. LAPPE 3,277,900

METHOD FOR APPLYING AN ARTIFICIAL NAIL AND PROTECTIN SURROUNDING NAIL TISSUE FROM IRRITATING NAIL COATING COMPOSITIONS Filed Jan. 31, 1964 I N VE N Tale 4 fliarwell 7i]. Lap x:

United States Patent 3,277,900 METHOD FQR APPLYING AN ARTIFICIAL NAEL AND PRUTECTENG SURROUNDING NAIL TES- SUE FRUM TRRTTATENG NAIL COATING CUM- PUSETKUNS Maxwell M. Lappe, 20 S. Austin Blvd, @alr Park, Ill. Filed Jan. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 341,596 2 Claims. (Cl. l3273) This invention relates to the preparation and to the attachment of artificial nails onto the nails of fingers and toes and it relates more particularly to the process which provides for the protection of the more delicate tissues otherwise exposed to the irritating or corrosive elements present in the binders and compositions used to attach artificial nails to overlie the areas naturally covered by nails on fingers and toes.

In my previously issued Patent No. 3,037,514, description is made of a method and means for the formation and attachment of artificial nails by the use of a die plate to form the artificial nail from resinuous materials and the adhesion of the nail to the natural nail for attachment to form a part thereof. In the composition used to form the artificial nail and in the attachment thereof to the natural nail, use is often made of components which irritate or otherwise deleteriously affect the more delicate tissues and skin bordering the nail area, as by drying out onto the skin or tissue, irritating the skin or tissue, or otherwise extracting components such as oils from the adjacent skin or tissue, thereby undesirably to affect the adjacent areas. Such reactions can result from the monomeric components used to dissolve the polymer in the formulation of the composition cured to form the nail, as in the use of methyl methacrylate, vinyl chloride and the like monomers in the nail forming composition.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method and means for protection of the areas adjacent the nail but without interfering with the function and adherence of the artificial nail and without introduction of factors which would otherwise be objectionable to the user or introduce other undesirable side effects, such as unnatural appearance, or a coating which would remain to impart an unnatural appearance or feel to the more sensitive tissues and areas immediately adjacent the nail.

It is a related object to provide a process of the type described wherein a removable protective coating is applied to cover the areas adjacent the nail but which does not interfere with the reaction in the preparation of the artificial nail or its adhesion to the natural nail and which is removable subsequent to the formation and application of the artificial nail to return the adjacent areas to their normal and natural appearance and condition thereby to alleviate side effects while enhancing the formation and adherence of the artificial nail.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a fragmentary end portion of a finger with the areas adjacent the nail coated in accordance with the practice of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to that shown in FIG. 1 showing the artificial nail formed and bonded to the natural nail; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing the artificial nail in position of use with the areas adjacent the nail freed of the coating initially applied to protect the area.

In accordance with an important concept of this invention, before application of the fluid composition used to form the artificial nail or for adhesion of the formed ice artificial nail to the natural nail, the areas surrounding the nail are coated with a composition containing a film forming material which when dry is substantially impervious to irritant materials, such as monomers for addition polymerization in resin formation, catalysts such as the peroxides and the like, or solvents contained in the composition for nail formation or adhesion and in which the dried film is soft and flexible and preferably soluble in aqueous medium to enable removal of the applied protective coating subsequent to nail formation and adhesion simply by washing the areas adjacent the nail with water or other aqueous medium which will in no way affect the artificial nail but will quickly remove the protective coating material.

The protective coating composition can be limited in its application only to the areas surrounding the nail but it is more expedient and often times easier to permit overlap to include all or a part of the adjacent nail area to insure proper coverage and protection of the more delicate tissues immediately adjacent the nail. The overlap covering all or part of the adjacent nail area eliminates the need carefully to apply the coating composition and the protective coating composition, when dry, often provides a more receptive base for adhesion of the artificial nail to the underlying natural nail.

The characteristics essential to the protective coating composition are that it be of a viscosity capable of flow into the smallest crevices between the nail and skin surrounding the nail and that it be formulated to contain a material that is capable of forming a continuous film upon drying and wherein the film is characterized by imperviousness to liquid and vapors from the materials embodied in the artificial nail composition and in the binder with which the artificial nail is secured to the top side of the natural nail, and thereby to block access thereof to the delicate tissues surrounding the nail, at least for the period of time that such irritant materials are available as a liquid or vapor in the applied binder or composition. Thus, it is not essential for the film former in the protective coating composition to be permanently resistant to the passage of such liquids or vapors since it will sufiice to protect the tissues if the film former is effective for only such period of time as such irritant materials are in a migratory or fiowable condition. Thereafter, the protective coating serves no useful purpose and can be removed either by solvent, if solvent soluble and water insoluble, or by aqueous medium, if water soluble.

For this purpose, the film forming component formulated in the protective coating composition can be selected of nitrocellulose or other cellulose ether or ester such as ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, or preferably water soluble or water dispersible cellulose derivatives such as methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose. While not equivalent, use can also be made of water soluble colloids such as polyvinyl alcohol, alginates, casein and the like, alone or preferably in combination with the water soluble cellulose derivatives.

The following is given by way of illustration, but not by way of limitation, of a suitable coating composition and its method of use to achieve the concepts of this invention:

Example 1 Coating composition:

4 parts by weight dinitrocellulose 96 parts by weight solvent, made up of 3 volumes ethyl ether and 1 volume ethyl alcohol Example 2 Coating composition:

3 parts by weight carboxymethyl cellulose 97 parts by weight water The coating composition of Examples 1 or 2 is applied by a brush onto the portions of the finger immediately adjacent the nail for flow into the crevices between the skin and nail and to cover portions of the tissue 12 or skin surrounding the nail. The coating composition can also be applied as an overall coating but it is suflicient if it is applied to overlap only the boundary portion of the nail 14. The coating composition is allowed to dry to set the film as a protective covering 16 between the nail and finger and over the adjacent delicate tissues. Thereafter the artificial nail is formed in accordance with the procedures taught in the aforementioned issued Patent No. 3,037,514 as by the combination of polymethylmethacrylate and methylmethacrylate monomer applied to a suitable die and bonded by suitable adhesive onto the artificial nail.

Upon removal of the die, the artificial nail 18 remains bonded to the underlying natural nail to form an integral part thereof but with the areas adjacent the nail still being protected and covered by the film 16 previously applied.

After the artificial nail has been properly attached and the materials of the nail and adhesive cured and dried, the finger may be washed in aqueous medium in the event of protection by the composition of Example 2, or in ether and alcohol in the event of protection by the composition of Example 1, to remove the exposed portions of the protective coating extending beyond the artificial nail to free the underlying tissue which it has protected.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a means and method for preparation and application of artificial nails for adherence onto natural nails in a manner which eliminates odjections heretofore addressed to the drying out of the skin, to the irritation of the skin and tissue, and to discoloration of the skin and tissue in the areas adjacent to natural nail.

The concepts of this invention are applicable and are intended to include the described treatment and process for the application of the coating and its removal for protection of sensitive tissue adjacent the nails against corrosive ingredients and materials present in nail polishes and the like which are normally applied to the natural nails.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of formulation and use without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In the method of applying and adhering an artificial nail onto a natural nail via the use of a liquid adhesive composition containing at least one component to which the tissues adjacent the natural nail are sensitive, the steps of coating the area adjacent the natural nail with a fluid composition having dissolved therein a film forming material which can block the penetration of said component in the adhesive composition when dried, allowing the coating to dry to provide a protective film on the tissues adjacent the natural nail, and thereafter applying the adhesive and artificial nail onto the natural nail, and in which the fluid composition is applied to at least a portion of the natural nail adjacent the surrounding tissue.

2. In the method of applying and adhering an artificial nail onto a natural nail via the use of a liquid adhesive composition containing at least one component to which the tissues adjacent the natural nail are sensitive, the steps of coating the area adjacent the natural nail with a fluid composition having dissolved therein a film forming material which can block the penetration of said component in the adhesive composition when dried, allowing the coating to dry to provide a protective film on the tissues adjacent the natural nail, and thereafter applying the adhesive and artificial nail onto the natural nail, and in which the fluid composition is applied also to the surface of the natural nail to provide a receptive base for the artificial nail.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,070 9/1948 Hauser 16785 2,941,535 6/1960 Lappe l3273 3,037,514 6/1962 Lappe 132-l OTHER REFERENCES Viola, L.J.: Fingernail Elongators and Accessory Nail Preparations, in Cosmetics Science and Technology, ed. by Edward Sagarin, Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, September 16, 1957, chapter 31, page 693.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.

R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN THE METHOD OF APPLYING AND ADHERING AN ARTIFICIAL NAIL ONTO A NATURAL NAIL VIA THE USE OF A LIQUID ADHESIVE COMPOSITION CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT TO WHICH THE TISSUES ADJACENT THE NATURAL NAIL ARE SENSITIVE, THE STEPS OF COATING THE AREA ADJACENT THE NATURAL NAIL WITH A FLUID COMPOSITION HAVING DISSOLVED THEREIN A FILM FORMING MATERIAL WHICH CAN BLOCK THE PENETRATION OF SAID COMPONENT IN THE ADHESIVE COMPOSITION WHEN DRIED, ALLOWING THE COATING TO DRY TO PROVIDE A PROTECTIVE FILM ON THE TISSUES ADJACENT THE NATURAL NAIL, AND THEREAFTER APPLYING THE ADHESIVE AND ARTIFICIAL NAIL ONTO THE NATURAL NAIL, AND IN WHICH THE FLUID COMPOSITION IS APPLIED TO AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE NATURAL NAIL ADJACENT THE SURROUNDING TISSUE.

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