Photographic imprinting of artificial fingernails

A method for making sets of artificial fingernails wherein a single scene spans a set of 10 artificial fingernails. An image is photographically imprinted on a semi-rigid layer of photographic film. A layer of transparent plastic film is laminated over the layer of photographic film. The individual artificial fingernails are punched out of the layer of photographic film, and each is contoured by means of a heated press so that each artificial fingernail has a compound curvature wherein a proximal portion has a generally cylindrical curvature and a distal portion has a generally spherical curvature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for making photographically 
imprinted artificial fingernails contoured to fit the curve of a natural 
fingernail. 
Elaborately-designed fingernails have become very popular among women. Such 
designs can be created by "fingernail artists" who paint minute, 
intricate, multi-colored designs on womens' natural fingernails. Sometimes 
a single design or scene spans an entire set of ten fingernails. However, 
it is quite time-consuming and expensive to handpaint a scene on a set of 
ten fingernails. 
Less costly "designer fingernails" can be obtained by gluing artificial 
fingernails decorated with simple colors and designs onto natural 
fingernails. In general, such artificial fingernails are flat, and assume 
a contour only when pressed on and glued to the natural fingernail. 
However, artificial fingernails adhere better to natural fingernails if 
the artificial fingernails are curved similar to the curve of a natural 
fingernail. 
Thus, there is an unmet need for an economical artificial fingernail that 
presents an intricate, multi-color photographic design and is contoured to 
better fit on a natural fingernail. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for imprinting 
a group of artificial fingernails with intricate and aesthetically 
pleasing photographic images. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive 
method for imprinting artificial fingernails with a photographic image. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for 
contouring photographically imprinted artificial fingernails to more 
effectively fit over and adhere to natural fingernails. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a set of contoured 
artificial fingernails having a single design spanning the entire set of 
fingernails. 
Briefly described and in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, 
the invention provides a method for creating a photographic image on 
artificial fingernails. An image is imprinted on a fingernail-shaped area 
of a film of photographic material. A transparent plastic material is 
laminated over the imprinted area. The laminated imprinted area is 
contoured so that it will fit over the curve of a person's fingernail. A 
single design is spanned by the photographic images imprinted on a 
complete set of artificial fingernails. The described embodiments include 
an apparatus for making an artificial fingernail including a photographic 
image. Means are provided for photographically imprinting an image on a 
fingernail-shaped area of semi-rigid photographic film. A plastic film is 
laminated over the fingernail-shaped area. A curling press imparts a 
compound curvature to the fingernail-shaped area. The curling press 
includes an upper member having a convex curvature along its transverse 
and longitudinal axes. A heating element is attached to the upper member 
for imparting heat to the fingernail-shaped area. The curling press 
further includes a lower member having a concave curvature along its 
transverse and longitudinal axes. Means are provided for pressing the 
upper and lower members together so that when the fingernail-shaped area 
is inserted therebetween and heated, it acquires a compound curvature 
similar to the curvatures of the upper and lower members. A resilient heat 
sink is attached to the lower member to protect the imprinted area of the 
fingernail-shaped area against excessive heat buildup. In a described 
embodiment of the invention, a single relatively large image is imprinted 
on the surface of the film, extending over a plurality of 
fingernail-shaped areas. The plastic film is laminated over all of the 
fingernail-shaped areas. The curling press produces the compound curvature 
in all of the fingernail-shaped areas, and then the fingernail-shaped 
areas are punched out of the film to form the imprinted artificial 
fingernails.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 illustrates a set of artificial fingernails 3 bearing imprinted 
photographic images 4 attached to natural fingernails on the surfaces of a 
person's fingers 1 and thumb 2. A single scene spans the entire set of 
artificial fingernails 3. FIGS. 2, 2A, 3, 4, and 5 describe a method for 
making the set of artificial fingernails 3. 
As shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2, fingernail-shaped areas 3A first are 
outlined on DURAFLEX 4023 estar base photographic film 5, manufactured by 
KODAK. This material is 9 mils thick. (DURATRANS photographic film man by 
KODAK also can be used. DURATRANS material is estar based photographic 
film, and is 7 mils thick. Also, FUJI HR photographic film can be used.) 
An entire scene 4 then is photographically imprinted on the film 5, 
covering the fingernail-shaped areas 3A. Preferably, a single scene or 
picture is "spanned" by the set of four fingernails and thumb areas 3A. 
After the photographic image is imprinted, a transparent plastic layer 7 
approximately 3 mils thick is laminated onto the imprinted surface of film 
5. Layer 7 allows clear viewing of images 4 while protecting them against 
damage from abrasion or moisture. 
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the sheet 5 containing the flat, laminated, 
imprinted artificial fingernail-shaped areas 3A then is inserted into a 
suitable curling press 10 to impart to each of the laminated imprinted 
areas 3A a contour similar to the curve of a natural fingernail. Curling 
press 10 has a plurality of an upper members 11 (only one of which is 
shown) and a plurality of corresponding lower members 12 used to apply 
pressure downward in the direction of arrow 16 to fingernail 3. A heating 
element (not shown) is included in upper member 11. A resilient heat sink 
layer 18 composed of approximately 1/4 inch thick silicone rubber, is 
attached to lower member 12 to protect plastic layer 7 against excessive 
heat buildup. 
Artificial fingernail area 3A can be most effectively and permanently 
contoured by heating it to a temperature in the range from approximately 
175.degree. F. to 188.degree. F. for approximately 30 to 45 seconds while 
a pressure of approximately 35 pounds per square inch is being applied 
thereto by curling press 10. A temperature in excess of 188.degree. F. may 
damage plastic layer 7. 
Curling press 10 imparts compound curvature which corresponds to the curve 
of a natural fingernail. FIG. 2B shows a traverse axis A--A and a 
longitudinal axis B--B of a fingernail area 3A. The compound curvature 
along axis A--A has the shape shown in FIG. 4, wherein the end sections 22 
are nearly vertical as shown. The radius of curvature of the portion of 
fingernail-shaped area 3A is less than for the fingernail to which it is 
to be attached, and the circumference of the fingernail-shaped area is 
slightly greater along section line A--A of FIG. 2B than that of the 
natural fingernail to which fingernail-shaped area eventually is to be 
attached, so that the edge portions 22 can be pushed neatly into the 
cuticle of the finger, resulting in a more natural appearance. The 
compound curvature along axis B--B has the shape shown in FIG. 5, wherein 
the rounded tip is curved convexly with respect to its outer laminated 
surface. Thus, the curvature along the proximal portion of fingernail area 
3A is generally cylindrical, and the curvature of the distal portion of 
fingernail area 3A is generally spherical. 
After the fingernail-shaped areas 3A have been molded by press 10, they are 
cut out of material 5, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. At this point, each of 
the imprinted, laminated, cut-out fingernails 3 has the compound curvature 
indicated in the transverse and longitudinal cross-sectional views of 
FIGS. 4 and 5, and a "connected" image appears on them when they are 
arranged in order. 
The artificial fingernails 3 can be attached to natural fingernails by any 
common fingernail adhesive. The curvature of artificial fingernails 3 
ensures that they will closely fit and thereby better adhere to natural 
fingernails, and that the rounded tip portion will have a natural 
curvature. 
While the invention has been described with reference to several particular 
embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make the 
various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention 
without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.