Abstract:
An automated nail polishing is provided. The device includes an arm having a plurality of linkages rotatably connected to each other. The end of the arm includes a port to removably receive a brush. The linkages are capable of controlled movement through an integrated circuit and motors. A hand platform is also provided with a groove and sensor for receiving a user finger. When the finger is placed in the groove, the integrated circuit can move the arm to dip the brush into a liquid receptacle and then move the arm to brush the liquid onto a user&#39;s fingernail.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an automated nail polishing device, and more particularly to an automated device that utilizes a programmable arm to apply polish to fingernails or toenails. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Finger nail polish and polishing implements are well known within the art. Presently, nail polish used for manicures and pedicures is sold in predominantly glass containers with the applicator formed as an appendage to the bottle cap. The present invention seeks to improve upon the prior art by providing an automated nail polishing device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There is provided an automated nail polishing device. The device in one embodiment includes a base, hand rest, and movable arm. The hand rest is secured to the base and may be adjustable. The hand rest further includes one or more grooves that when a user places its finger in a groove this triggers a sensor. The movable arm is attached to a horizontally rotatable cap that is attached to the base. The movable arm is pivotally secured at a lower end to the cap and includes an upper end that is capable of receiving removable attachments including a brush attachment. The base also includes a receptacle for holding a liquid, such as nail polish. The device further includes an integrated circuit that controls the movable arm and cap such that when a user places its finger in the groove, triggering the sensor, the integrated circuit can control the movement of the brush to dip it into the receptacle and then apply the liquid in brush strokes onto the finger nail. 
     To facilitate the movement of the arm and cap, the integrated circuit would be controlling multiple motors and in a preferred embodiment a plurality of arm linkages that make up the arm itself. 
     Various other embodiments would include providing an adjustable hand rest, multiple grooves to accommodate different fingers or thumbs, and different attachments, such as nail filers or nail buffers. A light may also be provided at the end of the arm to help identify the brush strokes so the user may adjust the finger appropriately. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1   a  is a front left perspective view of a device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1   b  is a front right perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 1C  is a front right perspective view of the device from FIG l a  illustrating removable attachments; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a side view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention where portions of the housing are removed to show components of the device; 
         FIG. 2   b  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  where portions of the housings are removed to show components of the device; 
         FIG. 2   c  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  where portions of the housings are removed to show components of the device; 
         FIG. 2   d  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  where portions of the housings are removed to show components of the device; 
         FIG. 2   e  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  where portions of the housings are removed to show components of the device; 
         FIG. 2   f  is a top view of  FIG. 2   e;    
         FIG. 3   a  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention illustrating the arm mechanism dipping the brush in a receptacle; 
         FIG. 3   b  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention illustrating the arm mechanism positioning the brush on a finger nail for polishing; 
         FIG. 3   c  is a perspective view of the device from  FIG. 1   a  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention illustrating the arm mechanism positioning the brush on a thumb nail for polishing; 
         FIG. 4   a  is a detailed side view of the hand rest from the device from  FIG. 1   a  where the front end of the hand rest is adjusted upward; 
         FIG. 4   b  is a detailed side view of the hand rest from the device from  FIG. 1   a  where the front end of the hand rest is adjusted downward; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the device from  FIG. 1   a  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention, there is illustrated a finger nail polishing device  10  that includes an arm mechanism  15 , an adjustable hand rest  20  and a base  25 . In this embodiment, the device  10  uses servos and/or motors to move a series of linkages included in the arm mechanism  15  via preprogrammed content to direct a brush  30  to execute a series of brush strokes to paint or polish a user&#39;s nails. While an embodiment herein may be described as utilizing servos, it is understood that the utilization of motors or other similar driving components would not alter the scope of the invention. 
     The hand rest  20  includes a first positioning groove  35  for finger placement and a second positioning groove  40  for thumb placement. Sensors  45  at the base of each groove are triggered when a finger or thumb is positioned in either groove, respectively. Triggering one of two sensors  45  sends a signal to an integrated circuit (IC) to prompt an IC response for facilitation of the preprogrammed content (described below) to direct the servos and linkages to move the brush  30 . While this embodiment includes three linkages and four servos, a plurality of linkages and servos may be used to move the brush  30 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 1C  the device  10  further includes a port  116  to receive attachments, such as but not limited to, a brush  117 , different types of nail filers  119 , or a nail buffer  118 . The ends of which can be removably received into the port  116 . In addition thereto, the arm mechanism  15  can include a light source  121  which is illustrated as providing light from the third linkage  105  and would be directed to aid a user with visual alignment when using one of the attachments. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 2   a - 2   f , a base servo  50  is housed within the base  25  and is rotatably attached to a cap  55  such that powering the base servo  50  rotates the cap  55  in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction as desired. The cap  55  is further secured to the arm mechanism  15 . As such, rotation of the cap  55  rotates the arm mechanism  15  attached thereto. 
     The cap  55  houses a first servo  60  , or cap servo, fixed to the cap  55  and rotatably attached to one end of a first linkage  65  with a threaded port  70  to receive a first servo gear  75  to rotate the first linkage  65  when the first servo  60  is powered in either direction. A second servo  80  is housed within the other end of the first linkage  65  and is fixed thereto. The second servo  80  is rotatably attached to one end of a second linkage  85  and includes a threaded port  90  to receive a second servo gear  95  to rotate the second linkage  85  when the second servo  80  is powered in either direction. A third servo  100  is housed within the other end of the second linkage  85  and is fixed thereto. The third servo  100  is rotatably attached to a third linkage  105  with a threaded port  110  to receive a third servo gear  115  to transfer rotation to the third linkage  105  when the third servo  100  is powered in either direction. The third linkage also includes a threaded port to receive varying attachments, here shown as a brush. The brush  30  moves in accordance with the rotation of the third linkage  105  to facilitate actions such as brush strokes for polishing a finger nail. Other examples of attachments for use with the device  10  include a nail filer and nail buffer. Each of the different attachments may use any number of removable connecting means known in the art without deviating from the scope of the present invention. 
     A polishing action is shown in  FIGS. 3   a - 3   c . To initiate the polishing action, the IC directs power to the base servo  50  to rotate the cap  55  in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to position the brush  30  in line with a polish receptacle  120 . The IC then directs power distribution to the servos to position the arm mechanism  15  to dip the brush  30  into the receptacles  120  as seen in  FIG. 3   a . In addition to including nail polish in the receptacle  120 , various liquids may be used without departing from the scope of this invention, such as nail strengthener. The size and positioning of the receptacles may also vary as the programming included in the IC may direct the arm mechanism  15  to dip the brush  30  in any number of receptacle  120  size variations and locations. Once the brush  30  is dipped in polish, the servos power in accordance to preprogrammed content to move the linkages to position the brush  30  above the finger or thumb positioned on the hand rest  20  as shown in  FIGS. 3   b  and  3   c . The IC then directs the brush  30  to execute a series of brush strokes to apply the polish to the nail. A targeting means may also be included for fine tuning the positioning of the brush  30  in relation to the nail. For example, a targeting light (not shown) secured to the brush  30  can direct a user to adjust the finger positioning by using light to indicate the path of the brush strokes. As such, users with varying sizes of fingers or nails may assist the device  10  in successfully polishing the desired area of the nail. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , the hand rest  20  includes the positioning grooves and sensors  45  as described above. Further, the hand rest  20  may adjust in a vertical direction (vertical adjustability not shown) and about an axis  125  to a user&#39;s desired hand positioning. A stem  130  is fixed to the base  25  and is rotatably to the hand rest  20  such that the hand rest rotates about an axis  125 . The stem  130  may also have a telescoping capability for vertical adjustments. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a block diagram provided for an embodiment of the device  10 . When one of the sensors  45  are triggered in response to the positioning of a user&#39;s finger or thumb (or preprogrammed content) a signal is sent via an electrical connection  145  to an IC  150  included in the device  10 . The IC  150  contains a processor(s)  155  and memory  160 . The processor(s)  155  accesses preprogrammed signals and/or audio content stored on the memory  160  in the IC  150 . The IC  150  further includes programming and electronic components to facilitate and direct audio content and control signals. The processor(s)  155  access the preprogrammed signals and/or audio content based on a program and/or in accordance to a user&#39;s input. The processor(s)  155  then generates a response that includes signals and may be in the form of audio or control signals. The IC  150  is in communication with each of the servos. From the processor(s)  155 , audio signals may be transferred to an amplifier and speaker  51  (shown in  FIG. 2B ) while control signals are transferred to the servos to power in the desired direction. Further, as the servos are powered, movement is transferred to the linkages as described herein. Additionally, signals may be transferred to a targeting device (not shown) for activation. As a user triggers one or more of the plurality of sensors, the device  10  responds thereto and executes a nail polishing action while audio is played from the speaker, via audio content received by the amplifier. A power supply  165  is included in the device  10  to supply power where necessary. It should further be contemplated that the device  10  may have buttons in communication with the IC  150  to direct movement of the arm mechanism  15  without triggering the sensors. 
     In the first embodiment, the device  10  includes a means to move the plurality of linkages in accordance to a variety of preprogrammed responses triggered by sensors. 
     Further and in accordance with the first embodiment, the device  10  includes a means to paint and/or polish a user&#39;s nails in accordance to a variety of preprogrammed responses triggered by sensors. 
     The first embodiment of the device  10  also includes a means to prompt a user to adjust the positioning of a user&#39;s finger nail utilizing a targeting mechanism. 
     Additionally, the device  10  includes a means to trigger preprogrammed movements of the components of the device  10  while simultaneously outputting audio. 
     The first embodiment of the device  10  also includes a means to use RC components and to control and direct movement of the linkages and a user directed polishing pattern. 
     The first embodiment of the device  10  further includes a means to adjust the hand rest  20  in accordance a user&#39;s preference and to adjust linkage movements accordingly to facilitate accurate polishing. 
     From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.