Cylindrical Container for Storage and Display of Nail Appliques

Abstract

A cylindrical small container having a transparent wall therearound in which a strip of semi-cured nail appliques is rolled and stored to be seen through the transparent wall.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser No. 61/493,862, filed on Jun. 6, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and novel storage and display package for nail appliqués.

Applicant is the inventor of a new and improved nail appliqué system in which nail appliqués made of real nail enamel which are quick drying are applied to fingernails and the like for effective quick manicure effects. Avon has sold such appliqués under the Magic Nails or Instant Manicure trademarks.

The nail appliqués require that they be sealed when initially manufactured so as to prevent drying of the enamel prior to application and prior to being removed from the package and applying them to a user's nail.

The current packaging for such nail appliqués is adapted to hang on display hooks conventionally found in most aisles of conventional drug stores and other mass market stores.

One disadvantage of the prior art packaging is that the packaging is too large for conventional nail polish counter displays which contain predetermined rack sizes in which a plurality of packages are stacked one behind the other in a forwardly slanted manner enabling easy removal of individual packages with the succeeding package sliding to the front.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide an improved package for storing partially cured liquid nail appliqués to be applied as part of a manicure process.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a package in which the nail appliqués are easily able to be seen.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a package which may be stored in conventional store counter displays holding a plurality of cosmetic items.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a package in which the contents are sealed so as to lessen the likelihood of inadvertent drying, and a cover is provided which may be removed and replaced, further enhancing storage of unused appliqués.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a distinctive package for holding nail appliqués of partially cured liquid enamel such that the contents may be seen or replicas of the contents may be easily seen by a consumer.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a strip of nail appliqués prior to being formed as a roll for insertion in the package according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a cylindrical package according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top, perspective view of a cylindrical package with a roll of appliqués inserted therein according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the drawings in which the same reference numerals identify the same elements of structure in each of the several figures. It should be noted that these drawings are merely exemplary in nature and in no way serve to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims appearing herein below.

The novel invention herein is a cylindrical package 10 (FIG. 2), which stores and displays nail appliqués 12 by permitting an annular array of the nail appliqués to be seen through clear or transparent sides 14 of the cylindrical package 10. The advantage over the prior art packaging is that the cylindrical package is small and fits within conventional nail polish counter displays but also concurrently allows the appliqués to be viewed through the clear window 14 of the package. Alternatively, the cylindrical sides could themselves carry images of nail appliqués so that transparency may not matter.

The cylindrical package also contains a top 16 which seals and closes the cylindrical container 10 and which may be provided with an aperture in which enables it to be hung on a standard rack if that is the way the package is desired to be displayed for consumer viewing and purchase.

The cylindrical package or such similar tubular structure has elongated walls and a floor. The nail appliqués are positioned with their respective lengths being substantially parallel to the to the elongated walls of the cylinder or such similar tubular structure.

The outer dimensions of the cylindrical package is substantially sized to fit into nail polish display racks. Some such display racks may have parallel separations which define compartments for storing and displaying nail polish bottles. The cylindrical package of the current invention is substantially sized according to the dimensions of a nail polish bottle so as to fit within any parallel separations of racks or other displays which normally hold such nail polish bottles. The height of the cylindrical package also is substantially similar to the height of a bottle of nail polish so as to fit within nail polish display structures.

The nail appliqués may be manufactured as a strip of appliqués that are aligned substantially parallel to each other along their respective length. FIG. 1, shows such a strip of appliqués 12 which can be rolled and then slid into the container package so that the transparent or clear wall 14 of the container will enable easy viewing of the nail appliqués so stored. In a preferred embodiment, the strip of appliqués is enclosed in a air-tight plastic package or envelope that has a transparent or translucent segment for allowing the appliqués to be shown through the envelope. An envelope is understood to mean any of various packaging or sealing structures for enclosing and sealing a strip of nail appliqués.

In a preferred embodiment, the envelope containing the strip of appliqués is initially wound into a roll in a manner where the roll's outside circumference is smaller than the internal circumference of the cylindrical package. The roll is maintained as such by means of a temporary grip and it is inserted into the cavity of the cylinder. Once inside the cylindrical package the temporary grip is released and the roll naturally expands outwardly—increasing in circumference. The roll, as such, exerts external force against the inside walls of the cylinder—positioning the appliqués against the window 14 of the cylindrical package 10.

FIG. 3 is a top, perspective view of a rolled strip off nail appliqués 12 held within the cavity of the cylindrical container 10. As shown, individual nail appliqués are visible in a vertical orientation through the window 14 of the container 10.

In yet another embodiment of this invention in which the cylindrical package does not contain transparent or clear walls as at 14 of the embodiment of FIG. 2, but contains preprinted images of nail appliques around the perimeter of the package. A cover is also provided to close and seal the remaining appliqués contained on the strip held within the container.

It should be understood that the preferred embodiment was described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly legally and equitably entitled.

Claims

1. In combination

a cylindrical plastic container and a plurality of nail appliqués stored therein in a radial array to permit viewing of said appliqués through a transparent wall of said container, said appliqués comprising a visual package display,

said container comprising an opening on the top thereof, and

a cover for sealing said opening,

said appliqués arrayed longitudinally in a strip substantially parallel to each other and displayed in a vertical direction when held in said container,

said strip being rolled into a cylindrical form to slip inside said container and expand to bear against the inner walls of said container in an array so as to display said appliqués through said container walls,

said container being substantially sized to be held in a standard nail polish display rack,

said container being held in said display rack for easy display.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein a photograph of appliqués is radially set against said transparent wall of said container, said strip of said appliques being stored therein.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said appliques are stored in an envelope, said envelope having a transparent or translucent segment.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said cover seals the top of said container.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein a slot is formed in said cover permitting it to hang on suitable displays.

6. A method of displaying a strip of nail appliqués, comprising the steps of:

inserting said strip of nail appliqués into an envelope, said envelope having a transparent or translucent segment;

rolling said envelope and said strip held therein to form a roll, said roll having an external circumference;

inserting said roll into a cylindrical package, said cylindrical package comprising elongated walls, a floor and an opening, said cylindrical package having an internal circumference that is larger than said external circumference of said roll;

aligning said appliqués to be substantially parallel to said elongated walls of said cylindrical package;

and covering said opening of said cylindrical package with a cover.