Patent Publication Number: US-2004045568-A1

Title: Dual manicure and pedicure support

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. Design application, Ser. No. 29/167,072, filed on Sep. 9, 2002. 
    
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002] Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] 1. Field of Invention  
       [0004] This invention pertains to manicure and pedicure support devices, and more particularly, pertains to a hand or a foot support for use during a manicure and/or a pedicure.  
       [0005] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0006] A typical manicure includes placing one hand on a surface for an attendant or the user to trim and file the fingernails and to apply a coating of nail polish to the fingernail surfaces. A manicurist may utilize a table top on which the attendant positions the trimming utensils and individual containers holding coatings and polishes to be applied to the user&#39;s fingernails. During a pedicure, whether self-administered by the user or applied by an attendant, the foot is typically positioned against an elevated surface for the user or the attendant to trim and file the toenails and to apply coatings and polishes to the toenail surfaces. Prior manicure hand supports and pedicure foot supports are generally not adaptable for dual use as a support device for both a hand and a foot without structural modifications. A need exists for a dual support device that is configured for positioning a hand thereon while the support device is positioned proximal to a user during a manicure, and is configured for accepting a foot thereon during a pedicure.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] In accordance with various features of the present invention, a dual manicure and pedicure support apparatus is provided for supporting a user&#39;s hand or foot to facilitate trimming and polishing of the user&#39;s fingernails or toenails while the user is seated, reclining, or standing. In one embodiment, the dual manicure and pedicure support includes a body member having a base, an upper work surface, a back surface and a front work surface disposed to receive thereon a hand for a manicure or a foot for a pedicure. The body member includes opposed sides curved inwardly in one embodiment to allow positioning of the body member between the legs of the user during a manicure. In one embodiment, the body member includes a generally trapezoidal side-profile, with the front work surface being sloped for receiving thereon the fingers of a hand or the toes of a foot. In the preferred embodiment, the upper work surface includes a plurality of indentations disposed thereon, such as holes and slots for storage therein of containers of coatings and items utilized during a manicure or a pedicure. The back surface of the body member includes an indented enclosure that is covered by elastic netting for storage therein of containers and items used in the manicure or the pedicure. The body member is easily shifted from a position between a user&#39;s legs for a manicure of either hand, to a position proximal to either foot for a pedicure without modifications to the body member. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] The above-mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dual manicure and pedicure support apparatus of the present invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1, illustrating the curved sides of the body member of the present invention;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1, illustrating the upper work surface having a plurality of indentations therein;  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 1, illustrating a foot positioned on the front work surface of the body member for a pedicure;  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of FIG. 1, illustrating an enclosure in the back surface of the body member;  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of FIG. 1, illustrating the body member positioned between a user&#39;s legs for a manicure; and  
     [0015]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a dual manicure and pedicure support member positioned between a user&#39;s knees for a manicure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0016] A dual manicure and pedicure support apparatus  10  is disclosed as illustrated generally in FIG. 1, including a body member  12  having a base length generally greater than the height of the body member  12 . The body member  12  provides a front surface having a sloped configuration for support of a user&#39;s hand or foot in a comfortable position to facilitate trimming, filing, and applying of coatings and polish to the user&#39;s fingernails or toenails during a manicure or a pedicure. The body member  12  includes a plurality of indentations in an upper surface for storage of utensils  72 ,  74  and containers  68 ,  70  holding nail coatings and polish during a manicure or a pedicure. The body member  12  is utilized by a user in a seated, a reclining, or a standing position with either a hand or a foot positioned against the body member  12 . FIG. 1 illustrates the body member  12  as having a base  14 , an upper work surface  24 , a sloped front work surface  32 , inwardly curved sides  42 ,  46 , and a back side  62 .  
     [0017] In one embodiment of the dual manicure and pedicure support apparatus  10 , the body member  12  includes a shape having a base length of about one foot, and having a height of between about six inches and about ten inches. When viewed from either side, the body member  12  is shaped in a generally trapezoidal profile (see FIGS. 1, 4 and  5 ). The body member  12  is preferably composed of flexible materials such as porous foam materials including a polyester and polyether urethane foam, a polyethylene foam, or comparable resiliently flexible materials. A preferred flexible material includes a foam having a density in a range of between about 1.65 pounds/cubic feet to about 1.9 pounds/cubic feet. The foam firmness for one embodiment of the body member  12  is in a range of about 56 pounds to about 77 pounds for a density of about 1.7 pounds/cubic feet to about 1.9 pounds/cubic feet. The foam firmness for another embodiment of the body member  12  is in a range of about 85 pounds to about 105 pounds for a density of about 1.65 pounds/cubic feet to about 1.85 pounds/cubic feet. The foam firmness of the materials composing the body member  12  is measured by testing methods utilizing standard ASTM procedures know to those skilled in the art.  
     [0018] A preferred embodiment for the body member  12  includes a base  14  that is substantially planar to provide a stable support base for placement of the body member  12  on a generally horizontal surface. The base  14  includes a first side  16 , an opposed second side  18 , and a front edge  20  that form generally straight edges and are flexible due to the properties of the porous foam material. The flexibility of the base  14 , sides  16 ,  18  and front edge  20  allows the base  14  to temporarily conform to partially uneven supporting surfaces when placed on the user&#39;s legs, on a chair, or on a bed during a manicure or a pedicure.  
     [0019] The body member  12  includes an upper work surface  24  that is generally planar and is disposed substantially parallel to the base  14 . A plurality of indentations such as holes  26 ,  26 ′,  28 ,  28 ′, are disposed proximal to each corner of the upper work surface  24  in the illustrated embodiment. Each hole  26 ,  26 ′,  28 ,  28 ′ includes a diameter that is slightly less that the diameter of a typical coating container. The flexible foam material composing the body member  12  allows the perimeter of each hole to be elastic and adjustable in diameter, therefore allowing each hole to accept differently shaped containers  68 ,  70  of coatings and nail polish for temporary storage on the upper work surface  24  (see FIGS. 1 and 4). In a central portion of the upper work surface  24 , the plurality of indentations also includes a plurality of slots  30 ,  30 ′ and  30 ″ that are disposed with an adequate depth to provide temporary storage for utensils utilized during a manicure or a pedicure, such as a nail file  72  and a cuticle pusher  74 , or other manicure and pedicure trimming utensils. The position of the holes  26 ,  26 ′,  28 ,  28 ′ and slots  30 ,  30 ′ and  30 ″ on the upper work surface  24  provides the user with convenient access to containers and utensils for application on the user&#39;s or a client&#39;s fingernails or toenails positioned proximal with a front edge  24 ′ of the upper work surface  24 .  
     [0020] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a front work surface  32  includes a sloped surface  34  that is angled at about a forty-five degree angle from the front edge  20  of the base  14  to the upper work surface  24 . This angle can vary as desired. The sloped surface  34  provides a support for either foot (see FIG. 4), or a support for either hand (see FIG. 6) during a pedicure or a manicure. The relationship of the front work surface  32  and the upper work surface  24  provides a benefit to the user by allowing positioning of toes or fingers proximal to the front edge  24 ′ for efficient application on toenails or fingernails of coatings and nail polish. Significant delays in locating brushes and trimming utensils are minimized during the application of a quick-drying coating and nail polish on the user&#39;s nail surfaces, due to the positioning of coating and polish containers  68 ,  70  and brushes, along with trimming utensils  72 ,  74  in the plurality of indentations on the upper work surface  24 .  
     [0021] In order to provide convenient and secure positioning of the body member  12  relative to the user, the opposed sides  42 ,  46  are shaped to include inwardly curved mid-segments  44 ,  48  which accommodate the interior sides of a user&#39;s legs when the user utilizes the body member  12  for a manicure. The curved mid-segments  44 ,  48  provide opposed concave sides which can be readily gripped by the knees or thighs of the user for positioning of the body member  12  in a generally upright configuration during a manicure (see FIG. 6). Lower portions  50 ,  52  of each side  42 ,  46  are flared outwards to intersect with the first side  16  and second side  18  of the base  14  to provide a stable foundation for the body member  12 .  
     [0022] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the sloped front work surface  32  receives thereon at least one of the user&#39;s feet, and possibly both feet for a pedicure when the user is seated. If the user rests one foot on the front work surface  32  with the toes positioned proximal the front edge  24 ′, the user&#39;s other foot can be positioned adjacent to either lower portion  50 ,  52 . The body member  12  is maintained in an upright position by the pressure of at least one foot against the front work surface  32 . Additional stabilizing support is provided during a pedicure by the body member  12  positioned adjacent to a chair or bed, or positioned against one of the user&#39;s ankles or legs with either of the upper side walls  54 ,  56  serving as a flexible support surface to stabilize the upper work surface  24  while the user&#39;s foot is positioned on the front work surface  32 .  
     [0023] The back side  62  of the body member  12  is illustrated in FIG. 5 and includes a substantially planar and generally vertical surface. The back side  62  includes at least one enclosure  64  centrally disposed in the back side  62  with a depth of about one inch to about two inches. The enclosure  64  is covered by a flexible net  66  attached at each of four corners to an upper and lower sides of the enclosure  64 . The flexible net  66  is resiliently stretched for insertion therein of items utilized during a manicure or a pedicure, such as containers  68 ,  70 , appropriately sized brushes (not shown), a nail file  72 , and/or a cuticle pusher  74  or other trimming utensils. With the items temporarily stored in the enclosure  64 , the body member  12  is easily moved between locations of use, or is shifted from a first position between a user&#39;s legs during a manicure to a second position for receiving either of the user&#39;s feet for a pedicure without modifications to the body member  12 .  
     [0024] In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the body member  82  includes a base  84  supporting opposed sides  86 ,  88  that are substantially flat and vertical, and are generally parallel to each other. The body member  82  is shaped in a trapezoidal side-profile and is preferably composed of flexible materials such that each side  86 ,  88  is resiliently compressed by the user upon application of pressure against each side which will return to an uncompressed shape after being released. The body member  82  includes the additional features of a front sloped surface  90  and a front edge  94  for placement of a hand or a foot thereon, and a back side  92  having an enclosure therein (not shown). An upper work surface  96  includes a plurality of holes  98 ,  98 ′,  98 ″,  98 ′″ and slots  100 ,  100 ′,  100 ″ disposed thereon, in order to provide storage for utensils used during a manicure or pedicure. Alternative arraignments of the holes and slots on upper work surface  96  will be apparent to one skilled in the art. The body member  82  is utilized in a manner illustrated in FIG. 7, with the user gripping the opposed sides  86 ,  88  between his or her knees, thereby compressing each side  86 ,  88  during a manicure for secure positioning of the body member  82 . Upon removal of pressure against each side, the opposed sides  86 ,  88  return to the substantially flat and vertical orientation, thereby providing a stable base for repositioning for use during a pedicure.  
     [0025] From the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will recognize that the dual manicure and pedicure support apparatus  10  can include an alternative embodiment of the body member  12  having an arcuate back side ledge for placement of a hand or foot on an upper portion of the back side ledge, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Another embodiment of the body member  12  can include a base having an upwardly arched middle portion oriented along the lengthwise axis of the base, for positioning the body member  12  on a curved surface such as a portion of a reclining user&#39;s torso or on the user&#39;s leg for use during a manicure. An additional embodiment of the body member  12  includes arcuate sides that are inwardly angled to about a mid-segment of each side  42 ,  46 , with an upwardly curved portion connected to respective sides of the upper work surface  24 . Another alternate embodiment includes a base width having a lesser width than the upper work surface width in order to position the base of the body member  12  within a narrow opening such as between the user&#39;s crossed legs or between a table and an armchair while the user is in a seated or reclining position.  
     [0026] While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the applicant&#39;s intention to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants&#39; general inventive concept.