AUTOMATIC NAIL POLISH REMOVING DEVICE AND METHOD
An automatic nail polish removing device comprises a structure adapted to be coupled with a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating a polish removing operation, one or more receiving chambers into each of which a polished nail is introducible, an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from the capsule, when coupled with the structure, and a directing unit for directing the extracted material to an interior of each of the chambers. In a method, the extraction unit is automatically activated to initiate a polish removing operation.
The present invention relates to the field of nail polish removing devices. More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic nail polish removing device and method, for both industrial and domestic use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONNail polish, generally constituted by a film-forming polymer dissolved in a volatile organic solvent, has to be removed during a period of up to approximately a week after being applied to prevent unattractive chipping. There are generally two types of nail polish: a base coat polish to which a quick-drying top coat may be applied, and a long-lasting gel polish composed of a type of methacrylate polymer which is cured under an ultraviolet lamp but which is more difficult to remove than the base coat type.
Nail polish is removed with the use of a nail polish removing solution generally made of acetone, but which may also be made of ethyl acetate. The most widespread method for removing nail polish is performed by soaking a cotton ball with the nail polish removing solution and then rubbing the polished nail with the soaked cotton ball until the nail polish has been removed. In addition to being overly time consuming, this method involves the significant risk that the nail polish removing solution will be inadvertently dripped or spilled onto clothing, a carpet or furniture. Also, this method typically requires that nail polish be removed from only one nail at a time, further increasing the time of the process.
Some prior art automatic nail polish removing devices are known. These devices typically have a rotating scrubbing member which is provided with the nail polish removing solution and to which polished nails are placed in contact. A reservoir containing the nail polish removing solution has to be provided, increasing the size of the device, and has to be periodically refilled by time consuming and often awkward operations. An additional drawback of a prior art device is that a chamber in which the polished nails are received becomes soiled by the nail polish removing solution and has to be cleaned by another time consuming operation. If a cleaning device is employed, the size and cost of the device are increased. Furthermore, the removed nail polish, dissolved in the nail polish removing solution, has to be disposed of, and since the nail polish removing solution generally includes toxic constituents, the removed nail polish constitutes a health hazard.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic nail polish removing device which is capable of automatically removing both a base coat polish and a gel polish from a polished nail.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic nail polish removing device and method which do not require the refilling of a reservoir containing the nail polish removing solution.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an automatic nail polish removing device and method which do not require a cleaning device to prevent the soiling of a polished nail receiving chamber by the nail polish removing solution.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an automatic nail polish removing device and method which do not require an operator of the device to be exposed to spent nail polish material.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn automatic nail polish removing system comprises (a) a capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations and configured with an outer rigid and openable package from which the nail polish removing material is releasable when an aperture is formed in said capsule; (b) a casing of a nail polish removing device configured with a cavity within which said capsule is insertable; one or more receiving chambers into each of which a polished nail is introducible, wherein each of said receiving chambers is configured with a corresponding opening into which the liquid nail polish removing material is directable; and means for forming one or more apertures in said capsule; (c) an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from said capsule when coupled with the casing and when the one or more apertures are formed in the capsule; and (d) a directing unit for directing the extracted material to an interior of each of the chambers simultaneously.
In one embodiment, the nail polish removing material is liquid and the extraction unit is a pump. The directing unit comprises a suction tube extending from a discharge end of the pump and in communication with one or more discharge conduits extending to the corresponding opening formed in each of the receiving chambers, each of said discharge conduits being provided with one or more spray-issuing apertures for producing a focused spray that is directed into an interior of a corresponding receiving chamber. The extraction unit may further comprise a suction tube extending from a suction side of the pump and adapted to pierce a packaging layer package of the capsule and to draw therethrough the liquid nail polish removing material.
In one embodiment, the extraction unit is operable to extract solid or particulate nail polish removing material from the capsule. Following formation of two apertures in the capsule package, the extraction unit may inject a fluid into a first aperture to cause the solid or particulate material to be extracted from a second aperture. The directing unit may comprise a compressor for generating a burst of air to propel the extracted solid or particulate material.
In one embodiment, the extraction unit employs chemical means to propel the nail polish removing material. The chemical means may generate a highly exothermic reaction to produce a controlled explosion. Alternatively, a liquid located within a tube which is housed in the capsule becomes gasified following an exothermic reaction to propel the nail polish removing material.
In one embodiment, the aperture forming means comprises piercing means.
In one embodiment, the aperture forming means comprises means for opening a dedicated port provided with the capsule package. The port may be threadedly engageable.
The device preferably further comprises control circuitry which is configured to automatically initiate the polish removing operation in response to a sensed condition.
The device preferably further comprises a coverable collection member, wherein each of the receiving chambers is configured with a discharge port from which excess nail polish removing material unused during the polish removing operation as well as removed nail polish material is gravitationally dischargeable to the collection member. The collection member may be the capsule, when coupled with the structure.
In one aspect, each of the one or more receiving chambers penetrates a packaging layer of the capsule to facilitate gravitational discharging of the excess nail polish removing material and of the removed nail polish material directly from the discharge port into an interior of the capsule.
In other embodiments, the device further comprises one or more of the following components:
a. a heating unit for heating the nail polish removing material, wherein the heating unit may be synchronized with the extraction unit or may be operable to melt solid removed nail polish material that has been gravitationally discharged to the collection member;
b. a recycling unit in communication with the interior of the collection member in order to convert, when activated, material discharged thereto via the discharge port into usable nail polish removing material; and
c. a motorized contacting member that is controllably displaceable within a corresponding receiving chamber to ensure that the inserted polished nail will be suitably applied with the nail polish removing material.
An automatic nail polish removing device comprises a structure adapted to be coupled with a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations, one or more receiving chambers into each of which a polished nail is introducible, an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from the capsule, when coupled with the structure, and a directing unit for directing the extracted material to an interior of each of the chambers.
An automatic nail polish removing method comprises coupling a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations with a device comprising one or more receiving chambers and an extraction unit; introducing a polished nail into a corresponding receiving chamber; and activating said extraction unit to initiate a polish removing operation, causing the nail polish removing material to be extracted from the capsule and the extracted material to be directed to an interior of each of the chambers.
In the drawings:
As opposed to prior art, automatic nail polish removing devices comprising a reservoir of nail polish removing solution that has to be periodically refilled, a device is configured with a dedicated cavity which is sized to receive a capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing solution for facilitating a polish removing operation and with apparatus for automatically removing nail polish with the capsule-contained solution.
A schematic illustration of the automatic nail polish removing device, generally indicated by numeral 10, is shown in
Also shown are cavity 1 formed in casing 5 within which capsule 15 is insertable, piercing means 2 for piercing the plastic or aluminum package of capsule 15, and coupling means 4 for coupling a rigid element of capsule 15, such as a rim of the package, to casing 5. A power source 16 for powering extraction unit 7 and directing unit 9, particularly a replaceable power source such as a battery, enables device 10 to be portable and to therefore be of low cost, features that promote implementation of device 10 as a domestic device. Nevertheless, power source 16 may also be embodied by an AC power source.
Although each receiving chamber 6 is generally configured for the insertion therewithin of a polished fingernail, a receiving chamber 6 may also be configured for the insertion therewithin of a polished toenail.
Capsule 15 with its outer packaging layer contains sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating a polish removing operation. The use of a capsule containing a specific dose of the nail polish removing material allows device 10 to be operated on demand since the nail polish removing material is always readily available, requiring only a simple user action to couple capsule 15 to casing 5, and also represents a significant savings of time since the user no longer has to undergo a time consuming and awkward refilling operation of nail polish removing solution. The nail polish removing material that may include acetone or ethyl acetate is generally liquid, although solid material is also within the scope of the invention.
Each of receiving chambers 6 is configured with a bottom discharge port 13, from which excess nail polish removing material unused during a polish removing operation as well as removed nail polish material is gravitationally discharged to a coverable collection member 17. Thus collection member 17 may be removed from casing 5 and subsequently transferred to a disposal region without endangering the user even though some constituents of the collected material may be toxic. Collection member 17 may be constituted by the capsule, or alternatively may be a dedicated member.
The gravitationally discharged material may be reused, such as after undergoing recycling, for an additional polish removing operation. A filtering and/or recycling unit may be in communication with the interior of collection member 17 in order to convert, when activated, the discharged material into usable nail polish removing material.
As the discharged material gravitates through the receiving chambers 6, inner surfaces of casing 5 and possibly of each receiving chamber 6 advantageously remain unsoiled by the discharged material. Upon conclusion of a polish removing operation, if the width of a receiving chamber 6 is relatively small, operation of a cleaning unit 19 may be initiated to ensure flow of a cleaning liquid along the inner surfaces of each receiving chamber 6 to remove any residue of the discharged material. The cleaning liquid may be supplied from a dedicated reservoir attached to casing 5 or from an external source via a supply hose, and may flow in conjunction with directing unit 9. The cleaning liquid together with the removed residue may be discharged to collection member 17.
Although cavity 1 is shown to be below extraction unit 7 and directing unit 9, device 10 may be configured with a cavity 1 located above extraction unit 7 and directing unit 9.
Device 10 may be provided with a contacting member 8 to ensure that an inserted polished nail will be suitably applied with the nail polish removing material. Contacting member 8 may be a sponge for gently applying the nail polish removing material, or may be a scrubbing member for forcibly applying the nail polish removing material. Contacting member 8 may be driven by a motor and transmission means for controlled displacement thereof, such as rotary or reciprocating displacement, for example vertical displacement.
Device 10 may also be provided with a heating unit 11 to heat the nail polish removing material to a comfortable user-feelable temperature during a polish removing operation, e.g. 2520 C., for example when the given room temperature is significantly less than the user-feelable temperature. Heating unit 11 may be synchronized with extraction unit 7. Heating unit 11 may also be operational in conjunction with the recycling unit in order to melt solid removed nail polish material, if any, that has been gravitationally discharged to collection member 17.
Device 10 may also comprise electronic control circuitry 14 which is configured with easy-to-use hardware and software, including for example one or more sensors, such as a presence sensor, a proximity sensor or a movement sensor. A polish removing operation may be automatically triggered in response to a sensed condition. A typical sensed condition is the determination that a digit has been introduced within a receiving chamber.
Circuitry 14 may operate extraction unit 7 and directing unit 9, and any other controlled component of device 10, according to a predetermined or user-selected cycle. For example, the controlled components may be operated during a cycle of a first duration when the polish removing operation is effected during the use of a base coat polish and during a cycle of a second duration significantly longer than the first duration when a gel polish is use, due to the significantly longer time needed to remove a gel polish relative to a base coat polish.
It will be appreciated that power source 16 may also power one or more of contacting member 8, heating unit 11, circuitry 14 and cleaning unit 19.
Circuitry 14 may be commanded by executable code and instructions stored in computer readable medium and running on one or more processor-based systems, and may be implemented in combination with other program modules and electronic circuitries, which may be remotely located. State machines and/or hardwired electronic circuits may also be employed.
Using circuitry 14, device 10 may operate according to one or more of the following modes:
Power off mode—device 10 is turned off and disconnected from the power source;
Sleep mode—requires low power consumption, during which mode the power source is connected, but device 10 is not yet active in anticipation of receiving a starting command that may be initiated in response to the pressing of a start button;
Standby mode—following transmission of the starting command to the processor, one or more sensors becomes active to detect for example introduction of a digit into a receiving chamber and to therefore automatically initiate a polish removal operation or discharge of material into the collection member to automatically initiate a recycling operation; and
Active mode—a polish removal operation has commenced and one or more controlled components are automatically and synchronously operated.
One or more visual and/or audible indicators can be used by device 10 to indicate each of the above modes.
In this embodiment, there are five receiving chambers 26, one for each finger of a hand, while one receiving chamber 26 is offset from the others to accommodate the insertion therein of the thumb. Each receiving chamber 26 is elongated with a tubular periphery 22 to define an upper annular edge 31 within which a finger having a polished nail is insertable and which may be at a similar height as the upper edge 37 of casing 25, and bottom edge 32 delimiting the discharge port for the nail polish removing material, although other configurations are also in the scope of the invention. Each receiving chamber 26 is also formed with a circumferential opening 24, such as a cutout portion, at a bottom circumferential region thereof, to coincide with a corresponding spray-issuing aperture 29 of discharge conduit 28.
Capsule 35 has an outer diameter approximately equal to, but slightly less than, the outer diameter of casing 25. The height of casing 25 is greater than the height of capsule 35, and the cavity within which capsule 35 is insertable is the volume of casing 25 located below surface 21 on which pump 27 is mounted, according to the illustrated orientation of device 20 where capsule 35 is located below pump 27. Bottom edge 32 of each receiving chamber 26 extends downwardly below mounting surface 21.
A suction tube 23, for example L-shaped, extending from the suction side of pump 27 extends downwardly below mounting surface 21 and below bottom edge 32 of each receiving chamber 26. When pump 27 is activated, liquid nail polish removing material is drawn from capsule 35 via suction tube 23, and is delivered through discharge conduit 28, a spray-issuing aperture 29 and a corresponding circumferential opening 24 of a receiving chamber to impinge on the polished nail inserted therewithin. To assist in directing the liquid nail polish removing material to the corresponding circumferential openings 24, discharge conduit 28 may be configured with a straight portion 28a, which may be collinear with a portion of suction tube 23, and with a curved portion 28b located radially outwardly from the receiving chambers 26 and radially inwardly from casing 25. Pump 27 is activated for a sufficient time that allows all liquid nail polish removing material to be directed to the inserted polished nails and to be contacted thereby for a sufficient residing time to effect the polish removing operation. The excess nail polish removing material as well as the removed material is discharged through discharge port 33 into the interior of capsule 35. The material collected within capsule 35 is subsequently transferred to a disposal region, while the unpunctured regions of the capsule package reducing exposure of the user to the collected material.
The upper package surface of capsule 35 is configured with a plurality of circular or otherwise rounded weak lines 36 having a similar radius as the bottom edge 32 of each corresponding receiving chamber and with a circular or otherwise rounded weak line 38 having a similar radius as the bottom edge of suction tube 23. When it desired to perform a polish removing operation, the user inserts capsule 35 into the cavity of casing 25 below mounting surface 21 and then rotates the capsule until all weak lines 36 are aligned with all the receiving chambers. To assist in the alignment process, an annular portion may project from each circular weak line to provide tactile feedback when the receiving chambers are aligned with the weak lines. The user then presses upwardly on capsule 35, or distally if device 20 is not disposed in a vertical orientation, while the portion of the receiving chambers 26 and of suction tube 23 protruding from mounting surface 21 serves as the piercing means 2. A portion of capsule 35, such as a rim, may be adapted to couple with casing 25, such as by a snap connection. A base 39 may then be coupled to the bottom of capsule 35, such as by a threaded connection, in order to provide, for example, a slip-resistant device that is of importance when device 20 is positioned on top of a wettable surface, such as a countertop, during performance of a polish removing operation.
A sensor may be provided on the protruding peripheral portion of suction tube 23 or of one or more receiving chambers 26, for example proximate to bottom edge 32, to detect when capsule 35 has been pierced. A typical sensor may be one that detects contact with the liquid nail polish removing material, such as by its dielectric or electric conductivity properties. Following detection, the sensor transmits a signal to the processor, so that a polish removal operation will be initiated in combination with the detection of the presence of a digit introduced within a receiving chamber.
It will be appreciated that some steps may be performed in a different sequence, and that some steps may not be performed at all.
A capsule containing nail polish removing material is removably coupled to nail polish removing device in step 42. After a polished nail is introduced into a corresponding receiving chamber in step 44, one or more sensors detect in step 46 that a digit associated with the polished nail has been introduced within the corresponding receiving chamber. Alternatively, one sensor detects that a plurality of digits have been introduced within corresponding receiving chambers. A controller then receives a signal from a sensor in step 48 that is indicative of the introduction of a digit within the corresponding receiving chamber. The controller then receives a signal from a sensor in step 48 that is indicative of the introduction of a digit within the corresponding receiving chamber. If the controller receives another signal that is responsive to a capsule piercing operation in step 50, or of any other operation that allows release of the nail polish removing material from the capsule such as a discharge port opening operation, e.g. by means of a threaded engagement, the controller commands activation of an extraction unit in step 52 after the two signals are received, or alternatively after one of the signals is received.
In this fashion, nail polish may be simultaneously removed from a plurality of digits during a speedy and automatic nail polish removing method that conserves usage of the nail polish removing material. The duration of the extraction unit operation may be dependent on the number of digits that have been introduced into a corresponding receiving chamber or on the type of nail polish that has been applied. The control circuitry may be input, for example by means of an integral input device, with data that is indicative of the type of polish that has been applied.
Additionally, the use of a capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating a polish removing operation obviates the need of having to refill a reservoir containing liquid nail polish removing material by time consuming and awkward refilling operations. If the nail polish removing material contained in the capsule has been depleted, the capsule is simply removed from the casing and replaced with a new capsule. After the new capsule is pierced, or otherwise formed with an aperture, by an effortless operation, the extraction unit is able to extract the liquid nail polish removing material from the capsule in order to be directed to the receiving chambers.
While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without exceeding the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An automatic nail polish removing system, comprising:
- a) a capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations and configured with an outer rigid and openable package from which the nail polish removing material is releasable when an aperture is formed in said capsule;
- b) a casing of a nail polish removing device configured with: i. a cavity configured for insertion of said capsule within said cavity; ii. one or more receiving chambers each configured for introduction of a polished nail therein, wherein each of said receiving chambers is configured with a corresponding opening into which the liquid nail polish removing material is directable; and iii. means for forming one or more apertures in said capsule;
- c) an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from said capsule when the extraction unit is coupled with the casing and when the one or more apertures are formed in the capsule; and
- d) a directing unit for simultaneously directing the material extracted by the extraction unit to an interior of each of the receiving chambers.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the nail polish removing material is liquid and the extraction unit is a pump.
3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the directing unit comprises a suction lube extending from a discharge end of the pump and said suction tube in communication with one or more discharge conduits extending to a corresponding opening in each of the receiving chambers, and wherein each of said discharge conduits being provided with one or more spray-issuing apertures configured for producing a focused spray that is directed into an interior of one said corresponding receiving chamber.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the suction tube is configured to pierce the openable package of the capsule and to draw therethrough the liquid nail polish removing material.
5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a coverable collection member, wherein each of the receiving chambers is configured with a discharge port from which excess nail polish removing material unused during the polish removing operation as well as removed nail polish material is gravitationally dischargeable to the collection member.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the aperture forming means comprises piercing means for piercing the package of the capsule.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the capsule is further configured to be a collection member and each of the receiving chambers is configured with a discharge port from which excess nail polish removing material unused during the polish removing operation as well as removed nail polish material is gravitationally dischargeable to the collection member.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein each of the one or more receiving chambers penetrates the openable package of the capsule to facilitate gravitational discharging of the excess nail polish removing material and of the removed nail polish material directly from the discharge port into an interior of the capsule.
9. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a heating unit configured for heating the nail polish removing material, wherein the heating unit is synchronized with the pump.
10-11. (canceled)
12. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a heating unit for heating the nail polish removing material, wherein the heating unit is configured to be operable to melt solid removed nail polish material that has been gravitationally discharged to the collection member via the discharge port.
13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a recycling unit in communication with an interior of the collection member in order to convert, when activated, the melted removed nail polish material into usable nail polish removing material.
14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a filtering unit configured to be operable in conjunction with the heating unit and recycling unit for filtering the melted removed nail polish material.
15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more motorized contacting members that are each controllably displaceable within a corresponding receiving chamber to ensure that the inserted polished nail will be suitably applied with the nail polish removing material.
16. The system according to claim 1, further comprising control circuitry which is configured to automatically initiate the polish removing operation by activating the extraction unit for a predetermined duration in response to a sensed condition that is indicative that a digit associated with the polished nail has been introduced within one of the receiving chambers.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the control circuitry comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of a presence sensor, a proximity sensor, and a movement sensor which is provided with each of the receiving chambers in order to sense introduction of the digit associated with the polished nail within one of the receiving chambers.
18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to be suitable for activating the extraction unit for a predetermined duration that allows the introduced polished nail to be contacted by the nail polish removing material for a sufficient residing time to effect the polish removing operation.
19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to be suitable for effecting the polish removing operation simultaneously with respect to a plurality of polished nails, each of which is introduced into a different receiving chamber.
20-22. (canceled)
23. An automatic nail polish removing device, comprising a structure adapted to be coupled with a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations, one or more receiving chambers each configured for introduction of a polished nail, an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from the capsule, when coupled with the structure, and a directing unit configured for directing the extracted material to an interior of each of the receiving chambers.
24. An automatic nail polish removing method, comprising steps of:
- a) coupling a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations with a device comprising one or more receiving chambers and an extraction unit;
- b) introducing a polished nail into one corresponding receiving chamber; and
- c) activating said extraction unit to initiate a polish removing operation, causing the nail polish removing material to be extracted from the capsule and the extracted material to be directed to an interior of each of the chambers.
25. (canceled)
26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the steps of:
- a) sensing that a digit associated with the polished nail has been introduced within the corresponding receiving chamber;
- b) receiving, by a controller, a signal indicative of introduction of the digit associated with the polished nail within the corresponding receiving chamber; and
- c) commanding activation of the extraction unit by said controller.
27. The system according to claim 6, wherein the nail polish removing material is liquid and the extraction unit is a pump, further comprising control circuitry which comprises a sensor provided proximate to a bottom edge of each of the receiving chambers for detecting contact with the liquid nail polish removing material contained within the capsule upon piercing a surface of the package, the control circuitry being configured to activate the pump following piercing of the surface of the package and introduction of the polished nail within one of the receiving chambers.
Type: Application
Filed: May 16, 2019
Publication Date: Jul 8, 2021
Applicant: Nulla Nails Ltd (Tel Aviv)
Inventors: Hilit CASPI (Tel Aviv), Joseph CASPI (Tel Aviv), Meir CASPI (Gaash), Limor ZELLERMAYER (Ramat Hasharon)
Application Number: 17/055,074
