Fingernail coverings and related systems and methods

• US 9,364,069 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kiss Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kiss Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Han, Kyu Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, ROBYN KIEU
• Application Number:
  US14/504,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 132/73, 132/285, 132/73.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2029/002 French manicure
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2031/005 French nails
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 29/001 Self adhesive nail coating blanks
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 31/00 Artificial nails

Abstract

In some aspects, fingernail coverings can include a flexible sheet layer configured to conform to and cover at least a portion a fingernail, the flexible sheet layer defining a first surface configured to adhere to the portion of the fingernail, and a fingernail tip extension disposed along an end region of the flexible sheet layer, the fingernail tip extension being arranged to expose an area of a second surface of the flexible sheet layer to be installed over a proximal end of the fingernail.

Claims

1. A fingernail covering comprising:

a first flexible sticker sheet layer configured to at least partially conform to and cover a fingernail from a cuticle region at a proximal end to a distal end of the fingernail, the first flexible sticker sheet layer defining a first surface;

a fingernail tip extension disposed along a distal end region of the first flexible sticker sheet layer and along the first surface of the first flexible sticker sheet layer, the tip extension comprising;

a protruding region that extends proximally along the first flexible sticker sheet layer away from a distal end of the fingernail covering, the protruding region extending proximally away from a remaining region of the fingernail tip extension for maintaining structural integrity of the fingernail covering and placement of the fingernail covering along the fingernail; and

a second flexible sticker sheet layer disposed along the first surface of the first flexible sticker sheet layer and a surface of the tip extension that is opposite a surface of the tip extension that is attached to the first flexible sticker sheet layer,

wherein a material stiffness of the fingernail tip extension is greater than a material stiffness of the flexible sticker sheet layers,

wherein the fingernail tip extension defines a length direction extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the fingernail, and a width direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction, and wherein the fingernail tip extension has a thickness varying along the width direction.

2. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the tip extension has a surface area that is about 15% to about 50% of a surface area of the first flexible sticker sheet layer.

3. The fingernail covering of claim 2 wherein the tip extension has a surface area that is about 25% to about 40% of a surface area of the first flexible sheet sticker layer.

4. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the tip extension has a maximum thickness that is about 0.002 inches to about 0.05 inches.

5. The fingernail covering of claim 4 wherein the maximum thickness is located at the distal end of the fingernail covering.

6. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the protruding region extends along a central region of the fingernail covering.

7. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the protruding region extends from a remaining region of the tip extension by about 5% to about 15% of a length of the fingernail.

8. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the protruding region has a generally curved shape.

9. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the flexible sticker sheet layers have a generally uniform thickness.

10. The fingernail covering of claim 9 wherein a ratio of an end thickness of the tip extension to the generally uniform thickness of the flexible sticker sheet layers is about 2:

1 to about 5;

1.

11. The fingernail covering of claim 1 further comprising a removable layer disposed along an adhesive surface of the second flexible sticker sheet layer that is opposite a surface of the second flexible sticker sheet layer that is attached to the first flexible sticker sheet layer and the tip extension.

12. The fingernail covering of claim 11 wherein the removable layer includes one or more tab regions configured to be gripped to remove the removable layer from the second flexible sticker sheet layer.

13. The fingernail covering of claim 1 wherein the first flexible sticker sheet layer covers only a portion of the tip extension and/or the second flexible sticker sheet layer.

14. A fingernail covering comprising:

a first flexible sticker sheet layer configured to conform to and cover at least a portion of a fingernail, the first flexible sticker sheet layer defining a first surface;

a fingernail tip extension disposed along an end region of the first flexible sticker sheet layer; and

a second flexible sticker sheet layer disposed along the first surface of the first flexible sheet layer and a surface of the tip extension that is opposite a surface of the tip extension that is attached to the first flexible sheet layer,

wherein the second flexible sticker sheet layer is configured to adhere to at least a portion of the fingernail,

wherein the fingernail tip extension defines a length direction extending from the proximal end to a distal end of the fingernail, and a width direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction, and wherein the fingernail tip extension has a thickness varying along the width direction.

15. The fingernail covering of claim 14 wherein the tip extension has a surface area that is about 15% to about 50% of a surface area of the first flexible sheet layer.

16. The fingernail covering of claim 15 wherein the tip extension has a surface area that is about 25% to about 40% of a surface area of the first flexible sheet layer.

17. The fingernail covering of claim 14 wherein the tip extension has a maximum thickness located at a distal end of the fingernail covering that is about 0.002 inches to about 0.05 inches.

18. The fingernail covering of claim 14 wherein the tip extension comprises one or more generally curved protruding regions that extend proximally along the first flexible sheet layer away from a distal end of the fingernail covering.

19. The fingernail covering of claim 18 wherein one of the protruding regions extends along a central region of the fingernail covering.

20. The fingernail covering of claim 18 wherein the protruding region has a width that is about 15% to about 50% of a total width of the fingernail covering.

21. The fingernail covering of claim 14 wherein an elastic modulus of the fingernail tip extension is greater than an elastic modulus of the flexible sheet layers.

22. The fingernail covering of claim 14 wherein a ratio of a maximum thickness of the tip extension to a generally uniform thickness of the flexible sheet layers is about 2:

1 to about 5;

1.

23. The fingernail covering of claim 14 further comprising a removable liner layer disposed along an adhesive surface of the second flexible sticker sheet layer that is opposite a surface of the second flexible sticker sheet layer that is attached to the first flexible sticker sheet layer and the tip extension.

24. An assembly comprising:

a liner sheet; and

a plurality of fingernail coverings releasably disposed along the liner sheet, at least one of the plurality of fingernail coverings comprising;

a first flexible sticker sheet layer configured to conform to and cover at least a portion of a fingernail, the first flexible sticker sheet layer defining a first surface;

a fingernail tip extension disposed along an end region of the first flexible sticker sheet layer; and

a second flexible sticker sheet layer disposed along the first surface of the first flexible sheet layer and a surface of the tip extension that is opposite a surface of the tip extension that is attached to the first flexible sheet layer,

wherein the second flexible sticker sheet layer is configured to adhere to at least a portion of the fingernail,

wherein the fingernail tip extension defines a length direction extending from the proximal end to a distal end of the fingernail, and a width direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction, and wherein the fingernail tip extension has a thickness varying along the width direction.