Abstract:
A portable, easy to use manicure/cosmetic case that is designed to be used by a person desiring to apply manicure/cosmetic products while sitting inside a moving vehicle such as an automobile, train, bus, or air plane without experiencing the typical problems when such an activity is attempted without such a device. This manicure/cosmetic case is designed to withstand the typical mechanical vibrations experienced in such aforementioned moving platforms thereby allowing the individual to safely and quickly apply the manicure/cosmetic without fear of product spillage or incorrect application of the product due to the vibrations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of Invention 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to manicure and cosmetic cases and enclosures used for housing cosmetics of a variety of types, and in particular, a novel design for a manicure/cosmetic case that allows one to be able to apply the manicure and cosmetic products while in a mobile environment such as a vehicle, bus, train, or plane without the aid of another person or without the worry of product spillage due to the vibrations that are inherent in a mobile environment. 
       Background of the Invention 
       [0002]    Manicure and cosmetics cases are well known in the art. These cases have been for sale since the early 1900&#39;s and there are hundreds of different designs on the market which solve a variety of problems for people who use them in their everyday life. These cases are typically designed for portability for being hand-carried in purses or hand bags, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, they are design to hold as much cosmetic and manicure product as possible for home use. U.S. Pat. No. 1,722,507 is an example of a portable, purse-like cosmetic bag. There are many others which fall into the same category such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,372, U.S. Pat. No. 36,070,702, U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,696, U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,757, U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,537, U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,813, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,984, and a few others. In addition, new patent applications being filed at the time of this filing such as patent application #20060124150, application #20040206370, application #20050081877, and application #20050807475, are all related to improvements of prior art for portable cosmetic case solutions. This invention however is designed for covering an entirely different situation all together. 
         [0003]    As what often happens in everyday life, people are often in a rush to get from one place to another and when they are running late, they often times do not have time to touch up their finger nails or apply makeup. This usually results in that person having to apply nail polish or makeup in the transportation vehicle they are using to transport them to their destination. This applies to applying nail polish to your nails (toes or fingers) or applying facial makeup. The problem this invention solves that prior art does not address, is the ability to design a manicure/cosmetic case that will allow one to apply these products while sitting down in a moving platform such as a vehicle, train, bus, or plane, while not having to worry about the product spilling over due to the motion of the transportation device that person is riding in. 
         [0004]    This invention builds upon the prior art invention taught by Ruth Frank with U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,537, which teaches about a personal item storage tray used for a variety of small items stored in a moldable type material, and extends this to a entirely different application. Thus this invention presents a number of advantages over the prior art and proposes solutions to the problems previously raised and not solved by the prior art that exists. Throughout this specification, the words manicure and cosmetics are used interchangeably although it is general known that products used for manicures fall under the general classification of being a cosmetic product. 
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
       [0005]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of this invention are:
       (a) to provide a means for securing manicure/cosmetic products in a sturdy, padded material that will prevent spillage of the product while on a moving platform that introduces mechanical vibrations to both the person as well as anything that person is holding or carrying;   (b) to provide a convenient means for a person to apply the manicure/cosmetics to their nails to help prevent mistakes with the polishing by presenting a material surface that allows one to steady the hands and fingers while the platform is vibrating due to the motion of that platform;   (c) to provide a carrying case that is specially designed to remain stable on top of one&#39;s lap while the platform that the person is sitting on is in motion and at the same time, being made of such of a material that allows this carrying case to reside on top of one&#39;s legs, regardless of the type of clothing being worn for the legs, without damaging the aforementioned clothing (i.e. panty hose, silk dress, leg warmers, bare legs, etc.);   (d) to provide a convenient, light-weight, portable manicure/cosmetic carrying case that is also large enough to fit across one&#39;s lap and capable of holding a good number of manicure/cosmetic products but small enough to be hand-carried and easy to handle;   (e) to provide a means for preventing the manicure/cosmetic product being applied to not be mistakenly applied to surfaces not intended to be applied on as a result of the mechanical vibrations being exerted on the product, the case it resides in, and the person who is holding the case; (f) to provide a bendable carrying handle to allow the handles to; (a) be folded and inserted in between one&#39;s thighs; (b) hang vertically down in between one&#39;s legs; (c) or wrapped around one&#39;s thighs, for the purpose of steadying the case while the vehicle is in motion while the manicure/cosmetic case is on one&#39;s lap. Further objects and advantages will become evident in the ensuing description and drawings.       
 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    In summary, this invention describes a manicure/cosmetic carrying case that allows a person to apply manicure or cosmetics while in an unstable, shaky, moving platform in a manner where the person does not have to be concerned about the manicure/cosmetic product spilling out of its container or being damaged in other ways while allowing the person to apply this product without mistakenly getting the product over surfaces not intended to receive the product. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         [0012]      FIG. 1   a  shows an orthogonal top elevational view of the manicure/cosmetic case in its opened position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1   b  shows the case from its front elevational view with the case in its fully opened position (viewed by rotating  FIG. 1   a  by 90°) 
           [0014]      FIG. 1   c  shows the case from its right elevational view with the case in its closed position and the carrying handles partially spread outward. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a similar view as  FIG. 1   b  except it also shows the structure of the carrying handles as well. The carrying handles bend in 4 places in either direction. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a bottom side view of the case in its fully opened position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the case from the top in its fully opened position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a prototype of the manicure/cosmetic case in its fully opened position (same view as  FIG. 4 ) 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows a prototype of the manicure/cosmetic case in its closed position with the carrying handles slightly spread apart to show the Velco™ 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows a prototype of the manicure/cosmetic case in its fully closed position 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  shows a prototype of the manicure/cosmetic case in a typical application; inside the car with the case opened on ones lap and showing how the manicure/cosmetic product can be applied. 
       
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Number 
       [0000]    
       
           2 —Manicure/cosmetic case cover 
           4 —Moldable surface pad 
           6 —Utility Light holder 
           8 —Nail file holder slot 
           10 —Product holder straps 
           12 —Carrying handle 
           14 —Velcro case strap closers 
           16 —Product holder compartment 
           18 —Vertical product holder compartment 
           20 —Bendable handle body 
           22 —Handle bends 
           24 —Accessory holder 
           26 —Carrying handle closers 
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS.  1 - 6 —Preferred Embodiment 
       [0035]    A preferred embodiment of the AutoNails™ manicure/cosmetic case is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 .  FIG. 1   a - 1   c  shows elevational views of the case in its opened and closed position. In  FIG. 1   a , the case is shown opened from a top elevational view whereby the inside of the case can be seen. The left side of the case shows two vertical product holder compartments  18 , used for keeping a product like the nail polish bottle upright while applying the nail polish to the fingernails. Above the vertical product holder compartment  18  are two slots for the accessory holder  24  used to hold things such as a nail file or nail clippers. The moldable surface pad  4  can be made of a foam-like material to allow the product holder compartment  18  to be flexible enough to hold varying size bottles of different shapes (e.g. square bottles, round ones, etc.). The utility light holder  6  can sit in the middle of the case to allow applying manicure or cosmetic products in the dark without having to use the interior car light. The right hand side of the manicure/cosmetic case contains more product holder compartments  16  which are secured in a horizontal position by the product holder straps  10 . The manicure/cosmetic case carrying handles  12  are attached to the manicure/cosmetic case  2  with each handle capable of folding in three places to allow for the handles to be bent backwards for the purpose of wrapping around ones legs to secure the manicure/cosmetic case to ones lap to keep the case from falling off the lap as the vehicle is moving, making turns, sudden stops, etc. The inside of the handles also contains the carrying handle closers  26 , which are small magnetic-type devices attached to the middle of the handle to allow the handles to adhere to each other when in its closed position (see prototype in  FIG. 6 ).  FIG. 1   b  shows a front elevational view of the case allowing you to see the height of the moldable surface pads  4  and the depth of the product compartments  18  and  16 .  FIG. 1   c  shows the case in its closed position and shows how the Velcro closing straps  14  are used to keep the case closed. The handles are shown partially outward to show the bendable carrying handle body  20 . The outside of the case  2  is made of a soft, non-snaggable material so that the case can safely sit on ones lap and not snag ones clothing or underwear (e.g. Pantyhose) when the case unexpectedly shifts in one direction due to the motion of the vehicle. 
         [0036]      FIG. 2  is the same elevational view as  FIG. 1   b  except it shows the handles  12  and handles bends  22  in its fully downward position. It also shows the handles  12  in its partially extended position. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  shows the manicure/cosmetic case face down with a view of the backside of the case to expose the position of the handles  12 , the shape of the handle body  20 , and the handle bends  22  along with the Velcro straps  14 . 
       Operation—FIGS. 1-6 
       [0038]    In order to properly use the AutoNails™ manicure/cosmetic case, the case can be opened by first unstrapping the Velcro case strap closers  14  and then pulling the handles  12  outward from the body of the case  2 , followed by bending them downward. Place the handles  12  in-between the thighs as you are sitting down. This secures the case on your lap and will prevent the case from slipping out of your lap due to the vibrations and motion of the vehicle you are traveling in. Place the case flat on your lap after securing the handles in between the thighs. 
         [0039]    In preparation of applying nail polish, one would remove the desired nail polish bottle from the storage compartment  16  and place the product upright in the vertical product holder  18  on the left side of the case. When applying nail polish, you can take your right hand and press down the palm on the open area at the bottom half of the right side of the moldable surface pad  4 , and then apply the nail polish (see  FIG. 8  for an example of how this would look). When finished, you can take your left hand and press down the palm in the open area at the bottom half of the left side of the platform on the moldable surface pad  4  and apply the nail polish. The sturdy padded area allows the hand to be steadied while applying the nail polish even when the vehicle is in motion and you are experiencing vibration from the vehicle. The material absorbs much of the vibration being transferred through the individual and to the case. 
         [0040]    To use AutoNails™ as a cosmetic case, one can add an eye shadow palette, lipstick, and a small mirror in the storage  10 . AutoNails™ provides a steady platform from which one can apply makeup. 
         [0041]    The utility light  6  can be placed in the center of the manicure/cosmetic case and be used during the evening when traveling in the vehicle so that the inside vehicle dome light is not required. 
       CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
       [0042]    Thus the reader can see, the manicure/cosmetic carrying case described here within allows one to apply manicure or cosmetic products while in an unstable, shaky, moving platform in a fashion that prevents accidental spillage of the manicure/cosmetic product while allowing one to accurately apply the product—all due to the unique design presented here. Additional advantages that this manicure/cosmetic case design has are:
       allows for storage of various size manicure/cosmetic products by the use of the product holder straps  10  and the accessory holders  8  and  24 ;   allows for a snug fit of the manicure/cosmetic product with the design of holder compartment  18  used to hold an open container of the product being applied to ones hands;   provides a firm, padded surface which provides a means for a steady platform for ones hands during the application process of the manicure/cosmetic product;   provides bendable handles  20  with strategically placed bends  22  that allow the handles to be held securely underneath ones thighs to keep the case from moving excessively while the vehicle is in a motion;   the outside material of the case is constructed of a soft, non-snagging type of material that prevents the case from snagging on ones clothing, base legs, or underwear used to cover the legs (e.g. pantyhose);   allows for one to be able to apply the manicure/cosmetic product using this case without the aid of a 2 nd  person helping with this application;   provides a portable, lightweight, and easy to carry case capable of holding several manicure/cosmetic products and accessories typically used for applying various types of cosmetics to ones extremities.       
 
         [0050]    Although the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. For example, the manicure/cosmetic case can have other forms for the application surfaces and even the actual shape of the external case itself. One can image a circular shape for the case rather than a rectangular shaped as described in this invention. One could also imagine having more compartments of varying shapes or spring loaded walls within the compartments that automatically accommodate various size products wile producing a tight fit to prevent the product from coming out of its compartment if the case suddenly experiences vibration due to the moving vehicle. 
         [0051]    Other variations could have a tri-fold type of design whereby there are three surfaces exposed when the case is opened up which can allow for more manicure/cosmetic products to be stored. 
         [0052]    In yet another variation, the case can have an expandable surface which allows each surface to be extended at the edges to allow for a larger surface space if desirable. 
         [0053]    In yet another variation, the case could have an interlocking device fitted inside the case that will allow the case to open and lock in a 180 degree position. In this horizontal position, one can apply the manicure or cosmetic product without laying the case on the lap. 
         [0054]    Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.