Layered fingernail extension
A layered fingernail extension to be attached to the tip of a wearer's fingernail to enhance the ornamentality thereof. In one example, decorative artwork is applied to a layer of material and a plurality of decorative moving elements are retained above the art work. The decorative art work establishes a fixed background and the decorative elements create a foreground that moves relative to the background to produce a three-dimensional ornamental and visual effect when the wearer shakes her finger. In another example, decorative art work is applied to bottom, intermediate and top layers of material that are attached one above the other. The decorative art work of the layers cooperate to produce a three-dimensional composite picture.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a layered fingernail extension to be attached to a fingernail of a wearer to enhance the ornamentality of the fingernail. Decorative layers of the fingernail extension are attached one above the other to create a three-dimensional visual effect.
2. Background Art
It is known for women to have their fingernails covered with a variety of colored nail polishes and/or decorative designs. To accentuate the length and ornamentality thereof, some women have extensions attached to the tips of their fingernails. Such fingernail extensions may also be treated with colors and/or decorative designs. However, the colors and decorative designs are commonly applied to the fingernail extensions to create a two-dimensional effect. That is, the fingernail extensions consist of a single layer of plastic or similar material that is usually painted or covered with a lacquer. These treatments are permanently applied to the fingernail extension, whereby the extension is static and lacking in both spatial dimension and movement. Accordingly, it would be desirable to enable women to enhance the ornamentality of the fingernail extensions by creating a three-dimensional visual effect including a decorative foreground that is capable of moving relative to a fixed background.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, and in general terms, layered fingernail extensions are disclosed to be attached to the tip of a wearer's fingernail. The fingernail extensions are provided with decorative features to enhance the ornamentality thereof. According to a first preferred embodiment, a recess is formed in a bottom layer of the fingernail extension. Decorative artwork is applied (e.g., printed) to the bottom layer within the recess. Decorative moving elements are located within the recess over the art work of the bottom layer. An optically-transparent top layer is attached (e.g., adhesively bonded) over the bottom layer to trap and retain the moving elements within the recess. The art work provides a fixed background and the moving elements that are visible through the top layer provide a moving foreground to create a three-dimensional ornamental effect.
According to a second preferred embodiment for a layered fingernail extension, decorative artwork is applied to a bottom layer. An open window is formed through an intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer is attached to the bottom layer. Decorative moving elements are located within the window to lie over the art work on the bottom layer. An optically-transparent top layer is attached over the intermediate layer to trap and retain the moving elements within the window thereof. The art work applied to the bottom layer provides a fixed background and the moving elements surrounded by the window that are visible through the top layer provide a moving foreground to create a three-dimensional ornamental effect.
According to a third preferred embodiment for a layered fingernail extension, a plurality of openings are formed through an intermediate layer. The openings are preferably provided with ornamental shapes. The intermediate layer is attached to a bottom layer, and decorative moving elements are located within each of the openings so as to lie against the bottom layer. An optically-transparent top layer is attached over the intermediate layer to trap and retain the moving elements within the openings. The ornamental shapes of the openings and the moving elements located therewithin are visible through the top layer so as to create a three-dimensional ornamental effect.
According to a fourth preferred embodiment for a layered fingernail extension, bottom, intermediate and top layers are attached one above the other. Decorative art work is applied to each of the layers. The bottom layer is longer than the intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer is longer than the top layer. The layers of art work cooperate with one another to form a three-dimensional composite picture that is visible through the top and intermediate layers.
A layered fingernail extension 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of this invention is described while referring to
The layered fingernail extension 1 of
A longitudinal recess 5 is formed in the bottom layer 3 of the layered fingernail extension 1. Although a single, continuous recess 5 is formed in the bottom layer 3, it is to be understood that any number of independent recesses can also be formed. Decorative art work 7 is applied to the bottom layer 3 within the recess 5. The art work 7 may be applied to the bottom layer 3 by any suitable printing technique such as, for example, by means of an ink jet or thermal printer. The art work 7 may also be painted or attached as a decal. The art work 7 can take any form and represent different images or scenes depending upon the taste of the wearer. That is to say, although the art work 7 shown in
As an important feature of the layered fingernail extension 1, one or more decorative moving elements (designated 9 and best shown in
A top layer or cover 10 is attached over the bottom layer 3 so as to extend above and close the recess 5 formed therein. The top layer 10 is preferably adhesively bonded (e.g., glued) to the bottom layer 3. Once the top layer 10 is attached to the bottom layer 3, the moving elements 9 will be retained and trapped within the recess 5 between the bottom and top layers 3 and 10. In this regard, it is preferable that the top layer 10 be manufactured (e.g., injection molded) from a clear or optically-transparent material (e.g., ABS plastic) to enable the art work 7 and the moving elements 9 which lay thereover to be visible to the wearer.
It may be appreciated that the art work 7 that is applied to the bottom layer 3 within the recess 5 creates a fixed ornamental background that is spaced from the top layer 10. The moving elements 9 trapped within the recess 5 between the bottom and top layers 3 and 10 represent an ornamental foreground that is movable relative to the fixed background art work 7. Thus, when the wearer shakes her finger to which the layered fingernail extension 1 is attached, the moving elements 9 and the fixed art work 7 thereunder cooperate to create a three-dimensional visual and decorative effect (e.g., snow flakes falling past a snowman). However, as previously explained, the decorative nature and subject of the printed art work 7 and the moving elements 9 can change to suit the taste of the wearer.
A layered fingernail extension 20 according to a second preferred embodiment of this invention is described while referring to
Art work 28 is printed or painted or attached to the bottom layer 22 of fingernail extension 20. As previously explained, the art work 28 can vary and is selected to suit the taste of the wearer. A longitudinally-extending opening or window 30 is formed through the intermediate layer 24. While a single window 30 is shown extending continuously along the intermediate layer 24, a plurality of independent windows, each one separated from the other, may also be formed. The fingernail extension 20 also includes one or more decorative moving elements 32 which may be similar or identical to those designated 9 and described while referring to
As is best shown in
Accordingly, the art work 28 that is applied to the bottom layer 22 and spaced from the top layer 26 creates a fixed ornamental background. The moving elements 32 surrounded by the window 30 through intermediate layer 24 creates an ornamental foreground which is movable relative to the fixed background art work 28.
The fingernail extension 20 can be attached (e.g., glued) to the fingernail tip of the wearer by a manicurist or other professional. A protective clear acrylic overlay or UV gel may be laid over the top layer 26 and hardened to create a glass-like seal 34 (best shown in
Turning now to
The intermediate layer 44 is attached (e.g., adhesively bonded) to the bottom layer 42. Groups 50-1, 50-2, 50-3 and 50-4 of moving elements are located within respective ones of the windows 48-1 . . . 48-4 through the intermediate layer 44 so as to lay over the bottom layer 42. The moving elements 50-1 . . . 50-4 can be the same as or similar to those shown in
Like the layered fingernail extensions 1 and 20 of
Referring to
To create an ornamental three-dimensional effect, the bottom, intermediate and top layers 62, 64 and 66 of fingernail extension 60 are attached (e.g., adhesively bonded) together so as to lay one above the other. To this end, the bottom layer 62 is longer than each of the intermediate and top layers 64 and 66. The intermediate layer 64 is longer than the top layer 66. When the bottom, intermediate and top layers 62, 64 and 66 are stacked together as best shown in
The layered fingernail extension 60 of
Claims
1. A fingernail extension to be attached to a wearer's fingernail, said fingernail extension comprising a first layer of material having a recess formed therein and decorative art work applied to said first layer of material within the recess thereof, and a second layer of material attached to said first layer of material so as to cover said recess, whereby said decorative art work is spaced from said second layer of material.
2. The fingernail extension recited in claim 1, wherein said second layer of material is optically transparent so that the decorative art work applied to said first layer of material within said recess is visible through said second layer of material.
3. The fingernail extension recited in claim 2, further comprising decorative material located within the recess formed in said first layer of material so as to overlay said decorative art work, each of said decorative art work and said decorative material lying thereover being visible through said optically-transparent second layer of material.
4. The fingernail extension recited in claim 3, wherein said decorative material that is located within the recess formed in said first layer of material is a plurality of moving elements that are retained within said recess between said first and second layers of material, said plurality of moving elements being movable relative to said decorative art work.
5. A fingernail extension to be attached to a wearer's fingernail, said fingernail extension comprising a first layer of material having decorative art work applied thereto, a second layer of material attached to said first layer of material, said second layer of material having an opening formed therethrough and surrounding the decorative art work of said first layer of material, and a third layer of material attached to said second layer of material so as to cover said opening thereof, whereby said decorative art work is separated from said third layer of material by said second layer of material.
6. The fingernail extension recited in claim 5, wherein said third layer of material is optically transparent so that the decorative art work applied to said first layer of material is visible through said third layer of material and the opening formed through said second layer of material.
7. The fingernail extension recited in claim 6, further comprising decorative material located within the opening formed through said second layer of material so as to overlay the decorative artwork applied to said first layer of material, said decorative art work and said decorative material lying thereover being visible through said optically-transparent third layer of material and the opening formed through said second layer of material.
8. The fingernail extension recited in claim 7, wherein said decorative material that is located within the opening formed through said second layer of material so as to overlay the decorative art work applied to said first layer of material includes a plurality of moving elements that are retained within said window between said first and third layers of material, said plurality of moving elements being movable relative to said decorative art work.
9. A fingernail extension to be attached to a wearer's fingernail, said fingernail extension comprising a first layer of material, a second layer of material attached to said first layer of material, said second layer of material having at least one opening formed therethrough and lying over said first layer of material, and a third layer of material attached to said second layer of material so as to cover the at least one opening thereof, whereby said first and third layers of material are separated from one another by said second layer of material.
10. The fingernail extension recited in claim 9, wherein said third layer of material is optically transparent so that at least some of said first layer of material is visible through said third layer of material and the at lest one opening formed through said second layer of material.
11. The fingernail extension recited in claim 10, further comprising decorative material located within the at lest one opening formed through said second layer of material so as to overlay said first layer of material, at least some of said first layer of material and said decorative material laying thereover being visible through said optically-transparent third layer of material and the opening formed through said second layer of material.
12. The fingernail extension recited in claim 11, wherein said decorative material that is located within the at least one opening formed through said second layer of material so as to overlay said first layer of material includes a plurality of moving elements that are retained within said opening between said first and third layers of material, said plurality of moving elements being movable relative to said first layer of material.
13. A fingernail extension to be attached to a wearer's fingernail, said fingernail extension comprising a first layer of material having first decorative art work applied thereto and a second layer of material having second decorative art work applied thereto, said second layer of material being optically transparent and laying over said first layer of material so that said first and said second decorative art work are spaced one above the other and said first decorative art work is visible through said optically-transparent second layer of material.
14. The fingernail extension recited in claim 13, wherein said first layer of material is longer than said second layer of material.
15. The fingernail extension recited in claim 13, further comprising a third layer of material having third decorative art work applied thereto, said third layer of material being optically transparent and laying over said second layer of material so that said first, second and third decorative art work are spaced one above the other and said first and second decorative artwork are visible through said optically-transparent second and third layers of material.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 4, 2009
Publication Date: Jun 9, 2011
Inventor: Quoc N. Tran (Huntington Beach, CA)
Application Number: 12/592,806
International Classification: A45D 29/00 (20060101);