FIELD OF THE INVENTION The disclosure generally relates to a set of artificial nails which will change color according to the user's desire.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Nail manicuring is part and parcel of a woman's grooming routine. This is done often as the nail polish is not durable. Some other times the visit to nail salons is purely motivated by a desire to change the color of the nails intended to match a certain outfit. Colorflex nail system will be durable, and versatile allowing for nail color change at will, hence making it desirable and convenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The disclosure is generally directed to a set of artificial nails which will be adhered to the top of the natural nails. The nails will be made of very pure plastic to allow the entering of natural light. Inside the nails, the natural light will be focused and directed to color containing elements which will be adjustable. The elements will have the three basic colors: blue, red and green the relative degree of deployment of the three sets of color containing elements will accounts for the different hues of the nails. The light reflected off the color containing elements will exit the top surface of the nail to give the user the impression of color in the surface of the nail.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nail which shows three contacts in the underside of the nail.
FIG. 2 is a superior view of the nail which shows longitudinally disposed lenses parallel to the longest axis of the nail and the band of color containing elements in the periphery of the nail.
FIG. 3 is a lateral view of a longitudinal cut of the nail.
FIG. 4 represents a front view of a transverse cut of the nail, showing the color containing elements, the fiber optic sheath and the longitudinal lenses.
FIG. 5 is a detail of the front view's transverse cut, showing the fiber optic sheath and the color containing elements.
FIG. 6 is a lateral and superior view of the color containing elements.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a color containing element.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the electronic brush: a piece of equipment separate from the nails which will actuate the color change in the nails. To the right there is a detail frontal view of the electronic brush showing the slots for the different size nails.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a slot for the nail, including a sensor for water detection in the form of a slit recessing down from the floor of the nail slot.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tuner which will reside inside the electronic brush. Three of many variable capacitors are also depicted.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the circuitry inside the electronic brush and the nails.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to implement the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description.
As shown in FIG. 1. There are three sets of contacts 1 in the underside of the artificial nail, under the corners of the nails. These contacts will couple the electronics in the nails with the electronics in the brush which will deliver the power for the color containing elements to deploy.
As shown in FIG. 2. A superior view of the nail shows longitudinally disposed convex lenses 2 which will concentrate the light onto a structure which will redirect the light to the color containing elements on the band represented in this figure by 3.
As shown in FIG. 3. The body of a nail has been cut along its longest axis and is being viewed from the side to show the top surface of the nail 4 which will be a partially reflective mirror, the reflective coating facing the inside of the nail and at the bottom of the body of the nail the fiber optic sheath with a top 5 and bottom 6 surfaces. The top surface of the fiber optic sheath 5 will be composed of an opaque layer in between two complete mirrors the one on top reflecting light into the body of the nail and the bottom one, reflecting light into the inside of the fiber optic sheath. The bottom surface 6 of the fiber optic sheath will also reflect light into the inside of the fiber optic sheath.
As shown in FIG. 4. The body of a nail has been cut along it transverse axis and it shows the top surface of the nail 4, the longitudinally disposed convex lenses 2, the top and bottom surfaces 5 and 6, respectively of the fiber optic sheath, a plurality of openings in the top surface of the fiber optic sheath 7 upon which the light is being concentrated by the longitudinally disposed convex lenses 2. Small ridges 8 also longitudinally disposed and aligned with the openings 7 and the lenses 2, on the bottom layer of the fiber optic sheath which will reflect light inside and to the sides of the fiber optic sheath and onto the color containing elements on the color containing band 3 are also depicted.
As shown in FIG. 5 a detail of the transverse cut of the nail is shown, more particularly a detail of one of the lateral edges of the nail showing the color containing band 3 the surface of'which will also be a total mirror, the top surface of the nail 4, the top 5 and bottom 6 surfaces of the fiber optic sheath. The color containing elements, in particular the natural magnets 10 inside the cylinders 15 and the colored fibers 13. The space 9 into which the color containing elements will deploy its colored fibers 13. The interface 11 between the fiber optic sheath and the body of the nail and a schematic representation of a ray of light 12, traveling through the fiber optic sheath, being refracted in the interface 11, reflected in the partially reflective mirror 4, which is the top surface of the nail, on through the interface between the body of the nail and the space 9 and finally onto the color fibers 13 reflecting from them back into the body of the nail. The discontinuous lines represent the fraction of the ray of light which is reflected back when the ray traverses any interface.
As shown in FIG. 6, a lateral and superior views of the color containing elements is shown, where the permanent magnet is represented by 10 the cylinder 15 will allow the permanent magnet slide up and down. Electromagnets 14 wrapped around the cylinders 15 will repel the natural magnets, making them protrude out of the cylinder, deploying de colored fibers 13 or will attract them down to the bottom of the cylinders 15 according to the direction of the electricity flowing through the electromagnets, when the color containing elements are reset. The cylinders 15 recess down in the body of the color containing band 3.
As shown in FIG. 7 a perspective view of a color containing element is shown. Again the permanent magnet 10, the electromagnets 14, the cylinder 15, the colored fibers 13 and the body of the color containing band 3 are shown. Please notice that one end of the colored fibers 13 is attached to the top aspect of the natural magnet 10, and the other end to the edge on the openings of the cylinders 15, in the color containing band.
FIG. 8 represents a perspective view of the exterior appearance of the electronic brush, where. A rotating color selector 16 will allow the user to indicate her color preference. The on button 20 will start powering the electronic brush. A sliding switch 19 will deliver the color or reset the nails to blank before the next color application. In phantom view to the top right there is a representation of one of the nail slots 17 and to the inner end of this is a water sensor 18 in the form of a slit. A frontal view of the electronic brush is visible to the right showing the nail slots 17.
As shown in FIG. 9, a perspective view of a nail slot 17 is depicted. To the right there is a water sensor 18, depicted recessing down from the floor of the nail slot 17. The lateral walls 26 of this water sensor in the form of a slit are electrodes in a circuit 28-only two conductors are depicted here. A resistance 27 traverses the floor of the water sensor.
As shown in FIG. 10, a perspective view of a tuner is depicted with an exterior cylinder 23 housing an inner cylinder 22. A set of plates of variable capacitors 21 are fixed to the inner surface of the exterior cylinder 23, the other set of plates move with the inner cylinder 22 when the color selection is made by rotating the color selector a knob 24, is also fixed to the inner cylinder. Please notice that rotating the color selector will change the position of the inner cylinder 22, the knob 24 and the position of one of the plates of the variable capacitors attached to it. The knob 24 will press upon one of multiple switches 25 closing a circuit that will allow passage of electricity from the battery only to a set of three variables capacitor brought to the right distance and degree of overlapping by the movement of the color selector 16.
As show in FIG. 11, a schematic representation of the circuitry inside the electronic brush and the nail is depicted. The battery 31 provides power to a circuit closed by the switch 25. This circuit is unique for every color in the color selector 16 (FIG. 8) and will provide power to the base in the transistors 37 which will hence allow power into the three specific variable capacitors, one for every basic color, when the switch 20 is closed. When the voltage across the plates of the capacitor is sufficient to overcome the resistance in resistor 36, electricity will flow through the light bulb 35 and will make it shine through the selected color in the color selector 16, which will alert the user the system is ready to deliver power and color to the nails. When the user slides the switch 19 to the color position, electricity flows through electromagnet 34 which will attract a ferromagnetic element in the switch 20 to open it. This will stop passage of electricity from the battery to the variable capacitors 32. Switch 19 will also connect the variable capacitor to the electromagnets 14 wrapped around the cylinder 15. A smaller circuit is depicted in the center and to the right which will power the water sensor. When water bridges the vertical walls or electrodes 26 in the water sensor in the form of a slit, the circuit is closed and electromagnet 29 opens witch 33 disabling the system. Resistor 27 will heat the floor of the water sensor and will make the water evaporate and escape to the exterior through the nail slot; this will once again break this circuit, the witch 33 will go back to its normally closed position which will once again enable the system for use. This safety feature will prevent water to short the system. A temporary contact between the circuitry in the electronic brush and that of the nails is represented by 1. When the nails are brought into the nail slot the three sets of contacts at each side of the nail and the which will allow passage of electricity to the selected set of capacitors and the electromagnets powering the color containing elements of the nails. There is also the circuit of the water sensor, the sliding switch, the temporary contact between the circuitry of the electronic brush and that of the nails and a small light bulb.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The user will present the artificial nail onto the top surface of the natural nail and apply certain degree of pressure; this should activate the glue in the underside of the artificial nail. This glue should dissolve easily in a certain solvent to allow for detachment and later reattachment of the artificial nail after the natural nail has been cut or filed to a comfortable length, such feature will solve the problem of the gap that develops when the natural nail grows carrying with it the artificial nail.
Starting with a reset system, the user will select a color by turning the color selector 16, (FIG. 8) until the pointer lays over the desired color, then she will insert the nail in the right size nail slot 17, (FIG. 8) and press the on button 20, (FIG. 8). Rotating the color selector will also result in the rotation of the inner cylinder 22, (FIG. 10) of the tuner, the movable plates 21 of the variable capacitors attached to it, and that of the knob which will put pressure onto one of the switches 25, (FIGS. 10 and 11) that will close the circuit with the transistors 37. The precise positioning of the movable plates of the variable capacitors will result in a specific distance between the two plates and a specific degree of overlapping between them. This, in turn will result in a specific capacitance and amount of electricity stored between the two plates. This circuit just closed by the knob is color specific and will provide electricity to only three transistors 37 which will allow passage of power from the battery 31 to three specific capacitors, one for every basic color, the ones with the selected capacitance as described above.
When the voltage across the plates of one of these capacitors is sufficient to overcome the resistance of a resistor 36, (FIG. 11) in another area of the circuit, electricity will flow through a small light bulb 35, the light of which will shine through the selected color in the color selector 16, (FIG. 8) and will indicate to the user the electronic brush is ready to actuate the color change.
The user will then slide a different switch 19, (FIG. 8) to the color position; this action will open, by means of an electromagnet 34, (FIG. 11) the circuit bringing power to the capacitors 32, (FIG. 11) and at the same time close another circuit that will connect the variable capacitors with the small electromagnets 14 surrounding natural magnets in the color containing elements. Since the amount of power stored in the variable capacitors is specific and connected to a color specific set of color containing elements it will actuate a certain degree of deployment of the colored fibers 13, (FIGS. 5, 6, 7) in the color containing elements. The power in the capacitor connected to the red colored fibers will cause them to deploy a certain degree. The power of the capacitor connected to the green colored fibers will cause them to deploy a different degree and the same with the power coming from the capacitor connected to the blue colored fibers. The different degrees of deployment of the three basic colored fibers 13 will create the selected hue when the natural light is partially absorbed and reflected off the colored fibers.
The light coming from the colored fibers 13 will be reflected multiple times inside the body of the nail bouncing off the totally reflecting top surface of the fiber optic sheath 5, (FIGS. 3 and 5) and the partially reflective inner surface of the top surface of the nail 4, (FIGS. 3, 4, 5). Since this layer is partially reflective some of the light will escape to the ambient reaching the users eyes, eliciting the perception of color.
Resetting the system will be accomplished by sliding the switch 19 (FIG. 8) to the reset position, this action will connect the electromagnets 14 in the color containing elements directly to the battery 31, since the polarity of this circuit is opposite to that of the circuit containing the variable capacitors it will cause the natural magnets 10, (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) to be attracted all the way into the cylinders 15 recessing into the body of the color containing band 3, (FIGS. 2, 4, 5) since all the colored fibers 13 have now the same diameter the impression of color will be white and the system will be reset.
The natural magnet 10 in the color containing element should fit snuggly into the cylinder 15 that support them. It would be necessary under these circumstances for there to be some kind of lubricant between them. The degree of contact between the natural magnets and the cylinders should be precise since a balance between the degree of friction between them and the repulsion created by the electromagnet in the natural magnet is paramount to attain the right amount of deployment of the colored fibers for a certain capacitance in the variable capacitors.
The natural magnet 10 will move vertically between two extreme positions. When the system is reset, they will stop at the bottom of the cylinders 15 recessing into the body of the color containing band 3 and when they are fully deployed they will be stopped by the boundary between the body of the nail and the space 9, (FIG. 5) between this body and that of the color containing band 3.
The ambient light is focused by the longitudinally disposed lenses 2, (FIG. 2) in the body of the nail onto the also longitudinally disposed openings 7, (FIG. 4) in the fiber optic sheath and helped by the curved surface of the longitudinally disposed ridges 8, (FIG. 4) the light is redirected inside the fiber optic sheath and towards the periphery of the nail where the color containing band 3, resides.
The colored fibers 13, (FIGS. 5, 6, 7) should be made of a springily material as to allow for the fibers to deploy in a curve when the natural magnet is repelled out of the cylinders 15 by the electromagnets 14. Please notice that only a few colored fibers 13, (FIG. 7) are depicted for clarity, in reality there will be many colored fibers as to allow for the formation of a circle when the colored fibers 13, (FIG. 6) are viewed from above. The fully deployed colored fibers will have an approximate diameter of 0.5 millimeters, and the curved shape of the color containing band 3, (FIG. 5) will allow for more room for the color containing elements. When one of sets of the basic colored fibers is not fully deployed the totally reflective surface of the colored band 3 will allow for reflection of the color in the colored fibers preventing the appearance of a gap between the color containing elements.
