DEVICE FOR APPLYING GLITTER PARTICLES

Abstract: A device for applying glitter particles and the like to a surface, has a container (10) for storing said particles, said container (10) having a discharge opening and a manually operable closure for closing the said discharge opening. The device has sifter means (16) spanning the opening of the container (10), for affecting a sifter discharge of the container contents and has a coaxially disposed handle means (36) on the container (10), enabling the same to be readily shaken and manipulated for affecting said sifted discharge. The handle means comprises a vial (20) having a top end and a bottom end, said vial (20) being adapted to hold adhesive liquid and having a removable applicator device (40) for applying said adhesive liquid to the surface which is to be coated.

Description: DEVICE FOR APPLYING GLITTER PARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIFI Tl OF THF INVENTION This invention relates to the use of glitter particles and the like, and more particularl to the application of such particles to various surfaces, mainly for the ornamentation of the same DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 CFR §§1.97-1.98 No related art disclosed or descnbed SUMM ARY OF THF ΪNVFNTION The field of cosmetics enhancement of fingernails and toenails has been a popular activity over the years In addition to the usual plain nail polishes and enamels the use of glitter particles has become widespread, these being dispersed in the adhesive liquid of the enamel or polish. A distinct drawback in the use of such matenals has been the requirement that the liquid suspension required constant shaking to prevent the particles from settling and causing an inhomogeneous mixture lo occur Such mixture caused the product, which was applied to the nails to gn e a less than desirable appearance and luster Many of the glitter particles became occluded completely and wholly surrounded by solidified product, making the glitter effect Also, if the shaking of the mixture was not properly done, as for one example, if the cap of the container was loose, leakage of the product, such as nail polish could occur The polish would run down the extenor of the container and/or come in inadvertent contact with the user ' s skin or clothing while the shaking was being undertaken The above drawbacks and disadvantages of these pπor devices which were intended for the application of glitter particles to the fingernails or toenails have been obviated by the present invention. and one object of the invention is to provide an improved device for use in ornamenting the fingernails or toenails. which is extremely simple and practical in insuring easy and effective proper application oi glitter substances to surfaces which are to be ornamented Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the kind indicated which is economical to produce and sell A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device as characterized above, which is not likely to result in spillage of the liquid or particulate contents of the device, therebv making it safer to use and more user friendly Another object of the invention is to provide an improved particulate applicator as above characterized, which is easily controlled to obtain the desired ornamental effects of the nails A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improv ed applicator for giitter particulates in accordance with the foregoing, which can be easily operated by the user to obtain the desired ornamentation of the nails Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear In accomplishing the above objects the invention provides an appbcator device essentiallv comprising a container for storing dry particulates or glitter particles, said container hav mg a discharge opening a manually operable closure for closmg said discharge opening The container further has a sifter means which spans its discharge opening for effecting a sifted discharge of the dry container contents, and also a special, user friendly coaxially disposed handle part which enables the container to be readily safely shaken and manipulated for effecting the sifted discharge In the handle means there is a vial having top and bottom ends, which vial is adapted to hold adhesive liquid and which has a manually mampulatable applicator device that is removable from its top end for applying a coating of said adhesive liquid to the surface, which is to be coated After such coating has been applied, the dry glitter particles can be sifted onto the nails from the container that is provided, to obtain the desired ornamental effect RRIFF TIFSrmPTTON OF THF nK AWINCS The above and other objects and advantages of this invention may be more clearly seen when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein FIG 1 is view partly in axial section and partly in side elevation, illustrating one embodiment of the invention wherein a vial containing applicator liquid and containmg an appbcator device is disposed axially of and as an extension of the container for the dry particulates, thereby to serve as a convenient handle for manipulating the latter This embodiment permits the container for the gbtter particles to be completely separated from that of the nail enamel, as they are joined only by bght friction This separation favors handling of the gbtter without resealing the nail coatmg product FIG 2 is a bottom plan v lew of the device of FIG 1, FIG 3 is an axial sectional view of a second embodiment of the in entioα vs herein a container for the glitter particles is located axially above the discharge opening of the vial in which the adhesive bquid is earned, and wherem both the container for the gbtter particles and the vial of adhesive bquid have essentially the same extenor diameter Here again the two containers are held together only by light frictioa and may be separated before the nail enamel and gbtter are dispensed. FIG 4 is atop plan view of the device of FIG 3, FIG 5 is an axial sectional iew of a third embodiment of the invention, wherem a container for the glitter particles is disposed axially above the vial of adhesive hquid. and compnses the closure for that vial, and wherem the gbtter particle container is of smaller diameter than the vial of adhesive bquid and has its closure disk in open position, and, FIG 6 is a top plan view of the device m FIG 5 Γ>FVTΓF FOR APPI VTNΠ ΠT TTFR PARTTΓI .F.S ΠFTATT FΠ Γ>FSΓRTPTTON OF THF INVFNTION Refernng first to FIGS 1 and 2. the embodiment of the invention illustrated there compnses essentialK a contamer part designated generally by the numeral 10. said part bemg intended to carry gbtter particles and have a handle means or part designated generally by the numeral 12 which is coaxiaLK disposed with respect to the container part 10 The parts 10 and 12 can be telescopicalK fitted to each other by means of a friction fit to enable ease of assembly and separation as can be understood However, preferably and m accordance with the present mvention the parts 10 and 12 are fairly sufficiently held together by their frictional engagement whereby jointlv if desirable, they can constitute a convenient handle means for movmg and shaking the contamer part 10 as will be later brought out The contamer part 10 can be readily molded of plastic substance with an inner ledge at the bottom edge of the molding in a well-known manner, thereby to support a perforated sifter part 14 which can be appbed and secured m place after the container part has been filled with the gbtter substance The said inner ledge can be slightly undercut m a known manner to provide a circumferential track for accommodating a manuaHv turntable, perforated sifter disk 16 which is snapped place and is turntable m the track to open or close the sifter openings, all well known expedients A diametric finger nb 18 on the member 1 facilitates manipulation of the member 1 In accordance with the m ention. the handle part 12 is of appreciable size such that it can be readilv grasped and manipulated for the purpose of firmh holdmg and shaking the contamer part 10 over the area which is to be decorated, as for example the fingernails or the toenails of the user As shown, the handle means 10 m part is as large in diameter as the contamer part 10 and also of appreciable axial length, therebv making it especialh easy to effect the desired holding and manipulation of the container part to reach most areas of the body, especially the toenails As provided bv the mvention. the handle part 12 mcludes a vial 20 which is adapted to contain an adhesive bquid (not shown) and an applicator for such bquid. the latter compnsmg a stem 22 hav g a brush 24 and also havmg a stopper 26 for tightly closmg the vial The stopper 26 is normally kept in lts sealing position by a screw cap 28, which is threaded onto the externally threaded and reduces diameter neck 30 of the v al 20 The cap 28 is tightly fitted to the stopper 26. and both extend an appreciable distance axially and away from the threaded neck 30 of the vial, thereby to provide a good gπp for the handle part 12 m addition to the grip provided by the large diameter portion of the vial 20 In use of the device, the user merely unscrews the cap 28 and uses the appbcator m a manner similar to the applying of nail enamel, to coat the adhesive bquid on the fingernails or other desired surfaces The cap 28 can now be replaced, and thereafter the sifter stopper can be opened and the sifter manipulated or shaken to sift the glitter particles to the desired coated areas Or, as an alternative, the contamer 10 can be pulled off of the vial 20 and used by itself to sprinkle the gbtter particles In either event, the operation of properly applymg the desired amount of glitter particles to indicated surfaces has been greatly simplified and made easy As an alternative to the above procedure, and useful especially where the adhesive bquid m the vial 20 is of the very quick drying variety the appbcation of the gbtter particles to the fingernails or toenails can be conveniently completed one nail at a time. For such occasion, the appbcator stem 22 is merely replaced m the conveniently located vial and the cap 28 tightened prior to shaking and sifting o; ' the particles on the coated surfaces It will be understood that accordance with this mvention this can be easily done each time that the coatmg of a nail is completed and pnor to any appreciable drying of the coatmg Another embodiment of the mvention is illustrated m FIGS 3 and 4. herem the shaker-sifte; is located at the top of the vial containmg the adhesive bquid In these figures the contamer part is designated generally by the number 34. and the handle part is designated 36 This handle part is constituted mainly of a vial 38 which has an appbcator stem 40 with brush 42 earned by a stopper 44 that seats on the reduced neck portion 46 of the vial A screw cap 48 threads on the neck portion 46 to securely hold the stopper 44 m sealing position In accordance with this mvention. the contamer part 34 may be tightly secured to the cap 48 havmg a deep socket configuration 50. which receives the cap 48 for this purpose The configuration 50 can be cemented or otherwise secured to the cap 48. as will be understood As with the other embodiments of the invention, the contamer part is in the form of a cylinder open at the end. which receives the sifter means This end has at its edge an internal ledge on which the stationary sifter member 52 is secured The ledge is deep enough to accommodate a rotary sifter disk 54 havmg a finger engageable diametric nb 56 for effecting its turning, as with the previous embodiment In operation, the container part 34 is unscrewed and removed, carrying with it the appbcator stem 40 while the vial part functions at this pomt as the " " handle " ' of the device, bemg held in the hand while the container part and appbcator are bemg used to apply the adhesive bquid to the fingernail or toenail Then the contamer part and appbcator are replaced on the vial 38 and tightened, and the sifter member 54 opened to enable the gbtter particles to be sifted onto the nail The vial 38 is functioning as at least part of the handle means for the device, the remainder of the handle means bemg considered as the lower portion of the sidewalls of the contamer part Another embodiment of the mvention is illustrated m FIGS 5 and 6 In this embodiment the contamer part is designated generally by the numeral 58 and the handle means designated bv numeπj 60 As m FIG 3. the contamer part 58 is disposed above the handle means or part 60 but as shown it is of smaller diameter, eliminating the need for the large socket configuration 50 of the handle part 36 Actually, as seen m FIG 5 the contamer part 58 constitutes the screw cap for the vial or handle part 60 For this purpose the container part has internal screw threads 62. which thread onto the threaded neck portion 64 of the v lal or handle means 60 of the device At its top edge portion the contamer part 58 has an inner ledge m which a perforated sifter disk

Claims: 66 is fixedly seated, such disk bemg connected by a bvmg hinge 68 with a closure flap or disk 70 m a know manner The bottom edge 72 of the container part or cap 58 rests against and is guided bv a shoulder formation on the reduced neck portion 64 of the vial or handle part 60 A closure and sealing plug 76 seats on the edge of the vial 60 and also engages an interna! shoulder 78 in the container part, to affect the seal When the container part or cap 58 is unscrewed, the plug 76 stays with it The plug 76 carπes the stem 80 and a brush 82 which constitute an appbcator for applymg adhesive bquid to the surface. which is to be coated with the glitter particles Either small portions or else large areas can be coated with the adhesive bquid prior to closmg the vial 60 and openmg the top 70 of the sifter for do g the sifting It will now be seen from the foregomg that we have provided improved combination gbtter apply mg devices which are extremely convenient and easy to use, simple m construction, and economical to fabπcate The devices operate efficiently, and are rebable m their use. and make the appbcation of glitter particles to the fingernails and toenails especialh' simple and easily earned out While the mvention has been explained by a detailed descnption of certain specific embodiments, it is understood that vanous modifications and substitutions can be made in any of them within the scope of the appended claims, which are intended also to mclude equivalents of such embodiments CLAIMS What is claimed, is 1 A device for applymg glitter particles and the like to a surface, comprising m combination a) a contamer for storing said particles, b ) said container having a discharge openmg and a manually operable closure for closmg said discharge openmg, c ) sifter means spanning the opening of the container, for effecting a sifter discharge of the container contents. d) coaxially disposed handle means on the container, enablmg the same to be readilv shaken and manipulated for affecting said shifted discharge, e) said handle means comprising a vial havmg a top end and a bottom end. said vial bemg adapted to hold adhesive bquid and havmg a removable appbcatoi device for applymg said adhesive bquid to the surface which is to be coated 2 A device as set forth in Claim 1, herem the contamer is disposed at the top end of the vial 3 A device as set forth m Claim 1, wherem the container is disposed at the bottom end of the 4 A device as set forth m Claim 4. wherem the contamer and the vial are of the same diameter 5 A device as set forth m Claim 3. wherem the vial diameter is larger than the contamer diameter 6 A device as set forth m Claim 2. wherem the contamer size and the v lal size are essentially the same 7 A device as set forth m Claim 6. wherem the contamer has a socket adapted to receive the top portion of the vial 8 A device as set forth m Claim 3. wherem the container has a recess m which the top portion of the vial is received 9 A device as set forth in Claim 3. wherem the contamer and vial are screwed together 10 A device as set forth m Claim 5, wherem the contamer and vial are screw ed together 11 A device as set forth m Claim 5 wherem the vial has a reduced neck and the contamer compnses a screw cap adapted to be screwed onto the reduced neck of the vial 12 A device as set forth m Claim 1 1. wherem the appbcator has a sealing stopper and the container has a shoulder engaged with the said stopper.

Inventors: CHANG CHARLES, CHANG, CHARLES
Applicants: CHANG CHARLES, CHANG, CHARLES
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A45D29
IPC codes: A45D29, A45D33, A45D34