Fingernail irradiation apparatus particularly for curing photocurable plastic artificial fingernails
First Claim
1. Fingernail irradiation apparatus for curing photocurable plastic artificial fingernail substance, havinga housing (1) having a bottom wall (2), said housing being formed with an opening (3) for introduction of a hand of the user into the housing, said housing defining a longitudinal axis (6) intersecting said opening (3);
- elongated radiation source means, having a central region and a pair of end portions (5) positioned adjacent said opening (3), and emitting, at least in part, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, located within the housing, spaced from the bottom wall; and
radiation reflector means (10,
11), optically associated with said radiation source means, for directing radiation toward the fingernails on the fingers of the hand of a user, when said fingers are inserted into the opening (3) and placed against the bottom wall (2);
wherein, in accordance with the invention,the radiation source means (4;
12, 13;
4'"'"', 4", 4a, 4b) is located symmetrically with respect to said longitudinal axis (6) and extending at least in part in essentially horseshoe-shaped, arcuate or polygonal form above the bottom wall (2), leaving a free space adjacent said opening (3),said radiation source means being spaced, in a region intersecting said longitudinal axis (6), from the bottom wall by a spacing distance (22) which is greater than a spacing distance (24) of the end portions (5) of the elongated radiation source means positioned adjacent said opening (3) of said housing (2),said radiation source means defining a theoretical plane on, or in, which the radiation source means is located, said plane being inclined at an angle of inclination (25) with respect to the bottom wall (2),said radiation source means, in said plane, defining a contour line (9) which is formed by the intersection of said inclined plane with a conical or pyramidal surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To provide for essentially uniform ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of all the nails of all the fingers of a hand of a user, a radiation source of essentially horseshoe shape is placed within a housing. The plane, in which the radiation source is located, is inclined with respect to the bottom wall (2) of the housing, on which the hand of the user is supported. The radiation is directed to impinge on the nails at about 90°. The nail of the thumb also has radiation impinging at about 90°. The radiation source may be a single, bowed, UV-emitting lamp, or may be built-up of straight lamp sections (12,13), e.g., two lamps along the housing sides for irradiating the thumbs, and one or two lamps across the housing to irradiate the nails of the index finger through little finger.
56 Citations
23 Claims
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1. Fingernail irradiation apparatus for curing photocurable plastic artificial fingernail substance, having
a housing (1) having a bottom wall (2), said housing being formed with an opening (3) for introduction of a hand of the user into the housing, said housing defining a longitudinal axis (6) intersecting said opening (3); -
elongated radiation source means, having a central region and a pair of end portions (5) positioned adjacent said opening (3), and emitting, at least in part, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, located within the housing, spaced from the bottom wall; and radiation reflector means (10,
11), optically associated with said radiation source means, for directing radiation toward the fingernails on the fingers of the hand of a user, when said fingers are inserted into the opening (3) and placed against the bottom wall (2);wherein, in accordance with the invention, the radiation source means (4;
12, 13;
4'"'"', 4", 4a, 4b) is located symmetrically with respect to said longitudinal axis (6) and extending at least in part in essentially horseshoe-shaped, arcuate or polygonal form above the bottom wall (2), leaving a free space adjacent said opening (3),said radiation source means being spaced, in a region intersecting said longitudinal axis (6), from the bottom wall by a spacing distance (22) which is greater than a spacing distance (24) of the end portions (5) of the elongated radiation source means positioned adjacent said opening (3) of said housing (2), said radiation source means defining a theoretical plane on, or in, which the radiation source means is located, said plane being inclined at an angle of inclination (25) with respect to the bottom wall (2), said radiation source means, in said plane, defining a contour line (9) which is formed by the intersection of said inclined plane with a conical or pyramidal surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification