Mechanically Coupled Nail Tip

This application claims the benefit and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/724,616, filed Nov. 25, 2024, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/651,309, filed May 23, 2024, said applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

The description herein relates generally to an artificial nail system.

Artificial nail tips are tips that can be applied to one's nails and which can have the look and feel of one's natural nails. Artificial nail tips have been used as an alternative to painting fingernails and/or requiring one to grow and maintain longer natural nails. Artificial nail tips are generally applied and held with an adhesive and can be provided with pre-applied colors or provide substrate on which to apply nail polish or gel colors. Artificial nail tips are often used to convey a sense of fashion and serve as a personal accessory.

Traditional artificial nail tips are implemented in a manner such that the artificial nail tips do not come off easily and are expected to remain on the natural nails as long as possible. As such, the more conventional nail tips are not conducive to frequent replacements if, for example, a user wishes to match nail tips to different outfits or occasions. To do so with conventional nail tip systems would be very costly or time-consuming or both. Additionally, conventional press-on nails are one-time use products and then disposed of. While nail tips can be reused, the process of removing the nails is resource-intensive and could potentially damage the nail tips so nail tips are generally not re-used which can add to waste.

The present embodiments include a mechanically coupled nail tip which comprises a base and a tip. The base is attached to the natural nail by an adhesive, and the tip is attached to the base by mechanical coupling. Since the tip is held mechanically and not by an adhesive, the tip can be easily snapped on and off from the base. The features of the base interact with the features of the tip to securely hold the tip with a natural appearance. As a result, switching nail tips using the present embodiments can be fast and easy. When the ease of changing nail tips increases significantly, nail tips can be optimized for any and every occasion. The color or style of nail tips can be changed as often as the user likes without the hassles and time-consuming processes of conventional systems.

According to an embodiment, there is provided an artificial nail system. The artificial nail system comprises a base that comprises a base top side, a base bottom side, and one or more first mechanical features configured to receive one or more corresponding second mechanical features on a tip. The base bottom side is configured to be attached to a natural nail and the tip, the tip comprising a tip top side, a tip bottom side, and the one or more corresponding second mechanical features. The one or more second mechanical features of the tip cooperate with the one or more first mechanical features of the base to fit together to couple the tip onto the base such that the tip bottom side becomes attached to the base top side so that there is no relative movement between the base and the tip after attachment. Upon attachment to the base, the tip completely covers the base such that the base is no longer visible.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features and the one or more second mechanical features each have a width that is less than the width of the base.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features are positioned on the base top side, and the one or more second mechanical features are positioned on the tip bottom side.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features and the one or more second mechanical features are positioned offset from a center longitudinal axis of the artificial nail system.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features comprise base tracks.

In some embodiments, the one or more second mechanical features comprise tip tracks.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features of the base slides into the one or more second mechanical features of the tip.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features of the base continues to slide into the one or more second mechanical features of the tip until the base is completely covered by the tip, at which point the sliding ends.

In some embodiments, the base top side comprises a base recess and the tip bottom side comprises a tip protrusion.

In some embodiments, the tip protrusion has the same volume as the space in the base recess.

In some embodiments, the tip protrusion snaps into the base recess to further couple the tip onto the base.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features and the one or more second mechanical features are positioned along a center longitudinal axis of the artificial nail system.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features comprise one or more ridges.

In some embodiments, the one or more ridges comprise a protrusion and a plateau.

In some embodiments, the protrusion is an upward protrusion that extends upward from the base top side toward the tip bottom side.

In some embodiments, the one or more second mechanical features comprise one or more grooves on the tip bottom side configured to snap onto the upward protrusion to secure the tip to the base.

In some embodiments, the one or more first ridges further comprise a downward protrusion that extends from the base bottom side towards the natural nail.

In some embodiments, the plateau comprises two elevated sides along a longitudinal axis of the artificial nail system to attach the tip to the base.

In some embodiments, the one or more second mechanical features snap onto the one or more first mechanical features to attach together.

In some embodiments, the base bottom side is configured to receive an adhesive that is applied to attach the base bottom side to the natural nail.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is a gel sticker.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is a peel-off gel or nail glue.

In some embodiments, the adhesive is a non-wipe peel-off gel.

In some embodiments, upon attachment of the tip to the base, there is no gap between the tip and the base.

In some embodiments, the base is made of a poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) material, and the tip is made of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic material or a PMMA material.

In some embodiments, the tip comprises one decorative tip from a set of interchangeable decorative tips.

In some embodiments, the tip can be detached from the base and a second tip can be attached to the base, and the tip can be attached to a second base.

In some embodiments, the size of the base and the tip varies based on the fingernail that the base and the tip are intended for.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features and the one or more second mechanical features vary in size, shape, and/or design based on the size of the base and the tip.

In some embodiments, a box comprises pairs of differently sized bases and tips, wherein the pairs correspond to different fingernails or toenails.

According to an embodiment, there is provided a method of applying an artificial nail system. The method comprises attaching a base to a natural nail, wherein the base comprises one or more first mechanical features and has a base top side and a base bottom side, and wherein the base bottom side contacts the natural nail. The method comprises attaching a tip to the base, wherein the tip comprises one or more second mechanical features and has a tip top side and a tip bottom side, wherein the one or more second mechanical features of the tip cooperate with the one or more first mechanical features of the base to couple the tip onto the base such that the tip bottom side contacts the base bottom side so that there is no relative movement between the base and the tip after attachment, and wherein upon attachment to the base, the tip completely covers the base such that the base is no longer visible.

In some embodiments, the one or more second mechanical features snap onto the one or more first mechanical features to attach together.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features comprise base tracks on the base top side, and the one or more second mechanical features comprise tip tracks on the tip bottom side.

In some embodiments, the attaching the tip to the base comprises coupling one of the one or more edges of the base to one of the one of more tracks of the tip bottom side.

In some embodiments, the one or more first mechanical features comprise one or more ridges, and the one or more second mechanical features comprise one or more grooves.

In some embodiments, the attaching the tip to the base comprises coupling one of the one or more ridges of the base top side to one of the one of more grooves of the tip bottom side.

In some embodiments, detaching the tip from the base comprises providing force to the one or more first mechanical features.

In some embodiments, detaching the tip from the base and attaching a second tip to the base and attaching the tip to a second base.

In some embodiments, the base top side comprises a base recess and the tip bottom side comprises a tip protrusion.

In some embodiments, the tip protrusion has the same volume as the space in the base recess.

In some embodiments, the attaching the tip to the base further comprises snapping the tip protrusion into the base recess.

Artificial nail tips are tips that can be applied to one's nails. Artificial nail tips have been used as an alternative to painting fingernails and/or growing natural nails longer. Artificial nail tips are easy to use and typically provided in one solid color or multiple colors. Artificial nail tips are often used to convey a sense of fashion and can serve as an accessory.

Traditional artificial nail tips are implemented in a manner such that the artificial nail tips do not come off easily and are expected to remain on the natural nails as long as possible. As such, the more conventional nail tips are not conducive to frequent replacements if, for example, a user wishes to match nail tips to different outfits or occasions. To do so with conventional nail tip systems would be very costly or time-consuming or both. Additionally, conventional press-on nails are one-time use products and then disposed of. While nail tips can be reused, the process of removing the nails is resource-intensive and could potentially damage the nail tips so nail tips are generally not re-used which can add to waste. Accordingly, improvements to the current systems are needed to address these shortcomings.

In the present embodiments, the mechanically coupled nail tip includes a base and a tip. The base is attached to the natural nail by an adhesive, and the tip is attached to the base by mechanical coupling. Since the tip is held mechanically and not by an adhesive, the tip can be easily snapped on and off from the base. The mechanical features of the base interact with the mechanical features of the tip to securely hold the tip with a natural appearance. As a result, switching nail tips using the present embodiments can be fast and easy. When the ease of changing nail tips increases significantly, nail tips can be optimized for any and every occasion. By providing mechanically coupled nail tips, any color or style of nail tips can be worn at any time. Nail tips can be changed frequently to fit the occasion, and nail tips can be reused indefinitely.