Abstract:
The present invention provides a slightly bendable nail file which has indicia in the form of a pictorial image. The file comprises a flexible foamed synthetic resin core sandwiched between paperboard panels, at least one of which is of a luminescent material. At least one paperboard panel has a layer of transparent grit bonded thereto. At least one paperboard panel also has an image formed thereon, the image being outwardly visible through the transparent grit. The second paperboard panel may optionally have a mirror coating. A sound chip, light emitting diode (LED), or image projector may optionally be imbedded in the foam core for enhanced audible and visual messaging.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is related to Ser. No. 09/045,956, filed on Mar. 23, 1998 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,967, on May 16, 2000; and is a Continuation-In-Part of Ser. No. 09/551,857, filed Apr. 18, 2000. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Fiel of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to flat, hand held files of the type generally employed for abrading finger nails and the like. More particularly, the invention comprises a file having indicia disposed thereon, with transparent grit or abrasive disposed over the indicia, with at least one of its two opposing sides having a luminescent surface. The indicia is revealed through the transparent grit. The file may be employed in conventional fashion while displaying the indicia without obstruction from the grit both in its original condition and after it has been employed for abrading. The luminescent surface provides a novel glow in the dark aspect to the file, providing both entertainment value and a convenient method of locating the file in a dimmed lighting situation. The invention is useful both in professional and consumer applications wherever cosmetic products and procedures are utilized.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    Finger nail files are generally purely utilitarian devices intended for abrading finger nails. They generally comprise planar members having a rough surface suitable for abrading finger nails. Finger nail files are generally fabricated in one of two ways. The file may be formed from a stratum of metal, such as steel, which is scored or otherwise treated to have a roughened or abrasive surface.  
           [0006]    While steel files are durable, they typically lack flexibility. Flexibility imparts an ability to conform to a body surface. Conformity enables a more even polishing to be achieved. Flexible finger nail files have been provided in the prior art by forming the file from parallel strata including a flexible core stratum and surrounding strata fabricated from materials suitable for carrying abrasive in the form of grit of predetermined fineness.  
           [0007]    Flexible nail files or similar implements are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,459,987 and 4,534,138, issued to William E. Pangburn respectively on Jul. 17, 1984, and Aug. 13, 1985, 4,927,483, issued to David Bray on May 22, 1990, and 5,666,981, issued to Dallas H. Stephens on Sep. 16, 1997, as well as in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,561, issued Aug. 6, 1991, and 5,109,637, issued May 5, 1992. U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,520, issued to Edwin F. Neckermann on Oct. 22, 1996, describes translucent or transparent grit. However, none of these patents shows or suggests use of indicia on a nail file, much less indicia revealed in or behind transparent or translucent grit, or incorporating a mirror into a nail file, these being characteristics of the present invention.  
           [0008]    None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention provides a nail file displaying indicia on at least one broad face. In a preferred embodiment, at least one face displaying indicia also bears abrasive grit. The grit is transparent or translucent, so as to reveal the indicia below. Additionally, at least one of the two opposing faces of the nail file is formed of a luminescent, printable material. The face of the nail file therefore performs three functions, those of displaying indicia, emitting light and also bearing a roughened surface for abrading. The file may also incorporate a mirror or buffing and polishing grits on the side opposite that bearing abrasive grit. This feature enables consumers and cosmetologists to perform multiple cosmetic functions utilizing one apparatus.  
           [0010]    Indicia may take any form, such as a flat pictorial image, holographic image or imprinted data. The data may convey messages relating to advertising, instructions, identity of the manufacturer, purpose, or characteristics of the file. A pictorial or holographic image, if provided, may convey a theme establishing a marketing identity, illustrating method of use, or merely suggesting a self-image appropriate for persuading consumers to purchase or use the file.  
           [0011]    The file is preferably of the flexible type, so that it may conform to a finger nail or to a curved surface of any object being polished or abraded. The file is formed from a flexible synthetic resin core sandwiched by two paper or similar outer strata.  
           [0012]    Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide an abrasive file which displays indicia.  
           [0013]    A second object of the invention is to provide a luminescent surface as part of a file.  
           [0014]    A further object of the invention is to display indicia from a surface bearing abrasive material.  
           [0015]    It is another object of the invention that the file be flexible.  
           [0016]    It is a further object of the invention to convey data or information on the abrasive face of a file.  
           [0017]    Still another object of the invention is to provide transparent or translucent abrasive material on the file.  
           [0018]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mirror as part of the file.  
           [0019]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
           [0020]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a perspective detail view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention including optional, added details.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    Turning now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, file  10  is seen to comprise a generally planar body  12  having a front face  14 , a rear face  16 , and lateral edges  18  disposed between and spacing apart front and rear faces  14 ,  16 . The thickness of body  12 , which correlates to width of edges  18 , is only nominal, in that the thickness is sufficient to impart a measure of rigidity to body  12  depending upon characteristics of the constituency of body  12 .  
         [0027]    Body  12  is partially flexible. This signifies that body  12  is sufficiently rigid to allow manual pressure to be imposed on file  10  without causing file  10  to bend to the point that it is not usable as an abrading or polishing implement. At the same time, the outer surface of body  12  can flex to a limited degree, so that faces  14 ,  16  are no longer planar. Rather, they become slightly curved to conform to a small extent to the surface being abraded or polished. This characteristic is useful when filing and polishing finger nails and similar curved surfaces, since it assures that contact is made on a broad area rather than at the point of tangential contact which would occur if file  10  were absolutely rigid.  
         [0028]    Indicia  17  is disposed upon front face  16 . Indicia  17  may be a pictorial image, such as a photograph or a holographic image, or may be printed matter. The precise nature of indicia  17  is not important, although it is preferred that indicia  17  convey information. A photograph or holograph conveys a theme which the manufacturer, seller, or user of file  10  may wish to have a consumer associate with file  10 . Illustratively, when indicia  17  depicts a comely human model, a client of a beauty salon may come to associate that salon or a vendor of file  10  with a self-image promoting use of nail  10  or patronizing the salon furnishing or employing file  10 . Of course, indicia  17  may contain subject matter of another type, such as instructions for use, names identifying the manufacturer or distributor of file  10 . Photographs of travel destinations could also be used to create a functional souvenir item.  
         [0029]    Clearly shown in FIG. 2, body  12  comprises a core  20  of flexible foamed synthetic resin, a first stratum  22  of bendable solid material disposed between core  20  and front face  14 , and a second stratum  24  of bendable solid material disposed between core  20  and rear face  16 . Constituent material of strata  22 ,  24  may be paper or a like material which accepts printing inks, and to which a bonding agent will bond. Strata  22  and/or  24  may, optionally, be of a printable, luminescent material. Indicia  17  is formed as a layer  26  of ink or inks deposited on strata  22  and/or  24  of bendable material. In lieu of luminescent strata  22  and/or  24 , a layer  26  of luminescent ink or a luminescent thread  30  may be used in conjunction with non-luminescent strata  22  and/or  24  to create a luminescent indicia  17 . Luminescent thread  30  could optionally be a fiber optic thread, as will be discussed later.  
         [0030]    Indicia  17  is disposed on body  12  beneath a transparent or translucent abrasive surface  28 . The abrasive surface is formed in any suitable way such that it both functions as an abrasive and also reveals indicia  17 . Optionally, to minimize cost, the picture seen through the surface of the abrasive can be obtained by printing a reversal on the back side of the abrasive  28 . The image then can be seen through the top surface of the abrasive eliminating the printed paper of stratum  22  and/or  24  and double stick clear tape (not shown).  
         [0031]    Abrasive surface  28  which coats face  14  and/or rear face  16  and is the outermost component of front face  14  and/or rear face  16  is preferably small or finely ground grit particles embedded in a matrix including a bonding agent. It would be evident to one skilled in the art that abrasive surface  28  could be created by applying a spray adhesive to strata  22  and/or  24  and applying the grit to the sprayed adhesive. It is important, however, that the grit and bonding agent both be selected from those which are transparent or translucent, so that they enable indicia  17  to be visible or revealed through abrasive surface  28 .  
         [0032]    It would be further evident to one skilled in the art that while one abrasive surface  28  may contain a smoothing grit, a second abrasive surface  28  could be divided into two regions, one composed of a buffing grit and the second composed a polishing grit, thus providing a full range of nail finishing abrasives in a single file.  
         [0033]    Optional stratum  32  is formed from a material displaying a mirror coating. Suitable materials for providing stratum  32  include synthetic films with or without adhesive. The mirrored coating may be non-chromatic, as is typical of silvered mirrors, or alternatively may be chromatic. If chromatic, the coating may be monochromatic or polychromatic. If polychromatic, the different hues may be in discrete zones, zones displaying gradual transition from one hue to the next, or may be arranged in the form of indicia and images. Examples of suitable films include cellulose acetate, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, as manufactured by GRAFIX Plastics, a division of GRAFIX, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio 44128.  
         [0034]    Optionally, to reduce cost, a thicker mirror can be used in replacement of the foamed synthetic resin core  20  of FIG. 2, thereby eliminating the synthetic resin core  20  and the double stick foam required to bond the mirror to the foamed synthetic resin.  
         [0035]    These materials as well as those of body  12  can be formed by die cutting. Therefore, an advantageous method of fabrication includes forming body  12  and adhering stratum  32  to sheets of stock material (not shown). File  10  is formed by die cutting the stock material.  
         [0036]    In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, file  110  is generally similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1, but has an attachment ring  111  attached thereto by engagement with a retaining strap  113 . Strap  113  is attached to body  112  by a rivet  115  or other suitable fastener.  
         [0037]    Optionally, stratum  132 , which is similar to stratum  32  of the embodiment of FIG. 2, is covered by a transparent or translucent liner  133  which is dimensioned and configured to overlie stratum  132  precisely. Liner  133  may be fabricated from a film which is retained to stratum  132  by static electrical charge, or alternatively may be coated with adhesive (not shown).  
         [0038]    File  10  is usable in the manner of conventional finger nail files, but adds a dimension of performance by virtue of conveying the message of indicia  17  to the user and also affording the convenience of a mirror.  
         [0039]    As illustrated in FIG. 4, in additional embodiments of file  10 , alternative embodiments could contain a variety of novel features, as are known in the art, imbedded into core  20 , such as, but not limited to: a sound chip  34  capable of presenting varied audible messages; a light emitting diode with memory chip  36 , light emitting diode  36  illuminating one or more fiber optic thread  30 ; or a single or multi-lens image projector  38  capable of projecting a moving or holographic image.  
         [0040]    The present invention is susceptible to modifications and variations that may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concept. For example, indicia may be superimposed on the exterior of the abrasive surface of any embodiment of the invention. In still another alternative, the grit or the bonding agent or both may be impregnated with indicia. In a further alternative, the abrasive surface may be provided in a form other than that employing grit and bonding agent. For example, it may comprise a rough, open celled foam, an abraded metal substrate, or still other compositions.  
         [0041]    Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.