System and method for nail foil application   

Abstract: A nail foil application method comprises cleaning a fingernail surface, applying a first coat of nail polish, adhering a nail foil, adhering the nail foil without requiring thermally activated adhesive, heat, friction, heat lamp, blow dryer, or any other heat source, and sealing the nail foil by applying a second coat of nail polish on the nail foil. Further disclosed is a nail foil application system which comprises a nail foil capable of being adhered upon a nail plate, and an adhesive on one side of the nail foil, where the nail foil is made of polyvinylchloride.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates in general to pre-cut cosmetic products, in particular, to nail foils applied to fingernails or toenails without the need for heat, friction, or nail polish remover.

2. Description of the Related Art

Nails are known in the related art. Nails are typically a hardened keratin protein typically formed by a mammal\'s body, commonly known as a fingernail or toenail.

Nail polish brushes are known in the related art. Conventional nail polish brushes can vary widely in brush tip size and shape; such brushes can be as small as 1-2 mm in brush tip size, and thus conventional nail polishes consistently suffer from poor resolution, lack of detail, and streaks occurring during application on the nail when trying to achieve fine detail.

Nail foils are known in the related art, some of which include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,600,030 (Newman), 4,781,484 (Goncalves), 4,974,610 (Orsini), 5,415,903 (Hoffman, et al.), 5,928,457 (Engler), 5,964,977 (Sirdesai, et al.), 5,976,140 (Haas), 6,296,836 (Engler), 6,328,949 (Tessarolo, et al.), 6,367,485 (Dutton-Davis, et al.), 6,516,813 (Yiu), 6,536,444 (Chung), 6,797,261 (Le), 6,742,237 (Chang), 7,861,730 (Janice Jordan of Minx, Inc.); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/893,561 (Jordan); U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 20110061670 (Schneider, et al.), 20110132384 (Han), 20100178321 (Hanatani, et al.), and 20030209249 (Park); U.S. Provisional App. No. 60/848,126 (Jordan); PCT Pat. App. No. AU1993000474 (Schmidt); Korean Pat. App. Nos. 1020000063944 (Kim), 1020020008283 (Lee, et al.), 1020030075440 (Hwang, et al.), and 1020030088611 (Park); and EP Pat. No. 1362523 (Chang). Nail foils also vary in the level of skill required to apply a nail foil, such as professional manicurist as opposed to a consumer retail foil. Conventional nail foils are typically heat-based or provided in the form of nail polish strips.

Heat-activated nail foils are known in the related art. Heat-based nail foils in the related art typically require heat to activate the adhesive. Such heat-based nail foils require the use of a hair dryer, heat lamp, friction, or other heat source. However, heat-based foils are often awkward due to requiring more steps, and for some foils, a person must be certified to perform such steps, such as a manicurist. Conventional heat-based nail foils are directly applied to the nail plate.

Nail polish strips are also known in the related art. Nail polish strips typically have to be removed with nail polish remover. Therefore, such strips can be difficult to remove. Sally Hansen nail polish strips are a non-exhaustive example of a nail polish strip. Such nail polish strips known in the related art consistently suffer from ease of removal since nail polish remover must later be applied. Nail polish strips typically provide a dry nail polish on a strip, directly applied to the nail plate. After it is applied onto a fingernail or toenail, the strip then has to be removed using nail polish remover. Nail polish remover can carry an undesirable or pungent odor, and can create a second difficult clean-up process when removing the nail strip.

Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for a nail foil system that does not use heat or friction, has a more resilient material, facilitates an easier application process onto the nail, and permits easy removal after use. It can also be seen that there is a need to use common clear nail polish in applying a nail foil. Furthermore, it can be seen that there is a need for a nail foil that is applied and sealed with clear nail polish, yet does not require any nail polish remover to remove the nail foil. Moreover, it can be seen that there is a need to provide a nail foil that does not require nail polish remover. Additionally, it can be seen that there is a need to overcome the lack of ability to apply intricate, finely detailed designs on a nail using hand-painted nail polish with greater consistency, resiliency, and a wider variety of designs. Finally, it can be seen that there is a need to address any combination of these problems.

SUMMARY

To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, this specification discloses a method comprising cleaning a nail surface, applying a first coat of nail polish, adhering a nail foil, adhering the nail foil without requiring thermally activated adhesive, heat, friction, heat lamp, blow dryer, or any other heat source, and sealing the nail foil by applying a second coat of nail polish on the nail foil is disclosed.

The following aspects are non-exclusive and are not always required of all embodiments and are provided herein as non-limiting illustrations to better understand the present invention.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a thin yet highly durable nail foil.

An aspect of the present invention can be to achieve ideal fitting.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a safer application process for nail foils, including having no formaldehyde, no toluene, no DBP, no camphor and no animal testing for health and environmentally conscious consumers.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a more accessible highly detailed nail foil design.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil that can be applied with common household nail polish.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil without the use of heat or other thermal activation.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil which is highly durable and resilient.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a stretchable nail foil for ideal fitting while balancing highly desirable durability.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil which is safe and easy to use.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil which adheres permanently unless desired to be removed.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide an alternative to nail polish that does not chip easily.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a pre-application high quality printing process on a durable material to achieve very high quality, intricate prints

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide an extremely thin and comfortable nail accessory.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil which is easy to remove when desired, particularly, without the use of nail polish.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide greater selection, variety, and higher distinction by providing a medium which can facilitate non-utility (decorative) aspects while benefitting from enhanced protection.

An aspect of the present invention can be to pre-coat the nail to better protect it, minimizing or avoiding direct contact of the nail foil with the nail.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide better protection of the design on the nail foil by sealing it with another coat after application to the nail.

The description of the preferred embodiments is to be understood as non-limiting examples of the present invention. The true scope of the invention is to be understood by the claims and not limited by the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout:

FIG. 1 illustrates a method diagram of a possible embodiment the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a possible embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a of a possible embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

References throughout the specification to “a possible embodiment,” “a preferred embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “an embodiment,” and like reference to “embodiment” are non-limiting examples to aid in understanding an element, function, way, result, means, structure, aspect, and/or benefit of the present invention. An “embodiment” provides that there is one or more embodiments that can involve the given element or aspect of the invention. Thus, multiple instances of “an embodiment” and like reference do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

It shall be understood that “application” or “application process” when used in reference to a nail generally refers to the process of putting a nail foil onto a nail plate.

It shall be understood that “distal” when used in reference to nail foil 200 can refer to the portion of nail foil 200 which is more distal than the proximal end closer to the cuticle at the time of adhering 108 nail foil 200 to nail plate I.

It shall be understood that “high quality printing” when used in reference to decorating nails can refer to at least having a greater resolution than a conventional nail polish paint brush, typically 1-2 mm in brush size at the application point, with resolution ranging anywhere from better than 1 mm up to a resolution of the highest quality printer, whether silk screen process or otherwise, or equivalent thereof, including 300 dpi to 4000 dpi and above.

It shall be understood that “nail” or “nail plate” can refer to a hardened portion typically found on a distal digital phalange of a mammal. When referring to nail plate I, “nail” or “nail plate” can also refer to its surface upon which a coat of nail polish may be applied, including but not limited to any artificial nail.

It shall be understood that “nail edge” can refer to a distal relative portion of nail plate I, typically having an exposed portion extending from the mammal\'s finger or toe and typically opposite the cuticle side of the nail plate.

It shall be understood that “nail foil” or “foil” can refer to nail foil 200 as defined in this specification, which is not comprised of the nail or nail plate itself.

It shall be understood that “nail polish” can refer to any nail polish, including, by way of non-limiting illustration, any clear or colored nail polish, transparent or non-transparent, acrylic or non-acrylic.

It shall be understood that “PVC” or “polyvinylchloride” includes, without limitation, polyvinylchloride or any derivative or equivalent thereof.

It shall be understood that “transparent” when used in reference to nail polishes, nail foils, or ultraviolet (UV) printing can refer to a partially transparent or partially opaque and partially see-through.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method diagram of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a method can comprise the following processes described below.

Cleaning 100 can be done by freeing the nail plate of debris or other undesirable objects on the surface of the fingernail. Cleaning 100 can be done to prepare the surface before applying any nail polish or nail foil. Cleaning 100 can be done with any cleaning material or tools. By way of non-limiting illustration, cleaning 100 can be performed by rubbing alcohol on the plate, applying mild solvent, washing or rinsing with water, drying with air or with a towel, brushing the surface, lightly scraping the surface of the nail plate, using a cuticle pusher to move portions of the cuticle toward the nail bed, applying nail polish remover, or any other method now known or its equivalent.

Coating 102 can include applying at least one layer of nail polish, preferably transparent nail polish. Coating 102 a layer of clear nail polish onto the nail. A layer of clear coat nail polish can be applied onto the nail before applying the nail foil. Conventional nail foils do not apply any coat prior to the nail foil. Coating 102 can have one or more benefits. Some benefits of coating 102 can include: (a) the nail plate can be protected by the layer of transparent nail polish; (b) the nail polish enhances conformity to the surface by providing a smoother surface; (c) the nail foil adheres to the nail plate once the nail polish is applied; and/or (d) the nail can be better protected from damage as the clear coat of nail polish protects the nail surface. To expand on the surface conformity benefit, the problem of applying a curved nail foil to an irregular surface nail plate tends to reduce the nail foil\'s applicability to the nail plate. Striations, gift spots, or other irregularities on the surface of the nail plate I can create a less effective surface upon which to achieve greater adhesion and thus a longer-lasting nail foil cover. A benefit of coating 102 over direct application to nail plate I being typically composed of keratin made by a mammal\'s body is to provide an adhesive to which an adherent can bond with more effectively once applied to the nail plate I and dried. Since keratin is a fibrous protein, coating 102 can provide a more consistent surface while providing a measure of protection of the underlying nail plate I. Further, another surface inconsistency which can interfere or degrade bonding of adhesives can be the natural striation of the nail plate I as it grows. That striation can form grooves which can also incrementally make adhesion less effective without first performing coating 102. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to perform coating 102.

Drying 104 can allow the clear nail polish to dry upon the nail plate before the nail foil can be properly applied thereto. Drying 104 can aid in allowing a pre-designed nail foil 200 to adhere more effectively. A benefit of drying 104 can be to reduce movement of nail foil 200 on the nail plate. Applying coating 102 and drying 104 are not strictly necessary to benefit from the other elements of the present invention, but are preferred.

Selecting 106 can refer to choosing a foil size that matches the size of a given nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment, one sheet 400 (FIG. 4) of the nail foils can be provided in a quantity of twenty-two nail foils 200 in different sizes. In a preferred embodiment, a retail package can comprise one or more sheets 400, preferably at least two sheets 400 to provide forty-four nail foils 200 in total. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to compare and select a foil of appropriate size. FIG. 4 shows a non-limiting example of sheet 400 from which nail foils 200 can be selected 106.

Adhering 108 can be done by putting the PVC nail coating onto the nail, starting at the cuticle. Adhering 108 can be done without the use of thermally sensitive material. Thus, no external heat source is required. Heat or friction is unnecessary to perform adhering 108. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art who uses heat-based foils requires greater knowledge since heat is required, but the present invention does not require heat and thus the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art is comparatively lower than that required of the art of heat-based nail foils, which may require a manicurist who is educated or trained to apply a heat-activated nail foil.

Adjusting 110 can be done by moving nail foil 200 on nail plate I as the adhering 108 process is being performed. Adjusting 110 can help to remove all air bubbles and to create a better fit on nail plate I. Adjusting 110 can include, by way of non-limiting illustration: flattening, stretching, curving, bending, de-bubbling, rubbing, repositioning. Nail foil 200 can be stretched and flattened. When applying nail foil 200 onto the nail plate I, nail foil 200 can allow for a measure of stretching or adjusting onto nail plate I. Flattening and stretching can occur using any approach, by way of non-limiting illustration: by hand or by finger, by using an orangewood stick, by a cuticle pusher, or by any other approach, until it fits onto, conforms to, adheres to, or otherwise attaches to the nail plate I. Nail foil 200 can be stretchable without requiring any form of heat or friction to be bendable for adjusting 110. A benefit of the present invention can be to smooth foil while simultaneously deforming or reforming the foil over the nail plate I or nail edge II, for example, at room temperature without any other heat or UV treatment, then substantially reforming its original shape while providing better adherence to the surface of nail plate I or a coat of acrylic or nail polish, such as coat 202, thereupon. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to adjust the foil in accordance with the present invention. One of expert skill in the art could be more adept at adjusting 110, but such skill is not required. Nail foil 200 can be stretchable and not rigid. That way the nail foil 200 can: (a) easily be wrapped around the nail plate I; (b) achieve a smooth fit to the nail plate I; and (c) and can be stretchable. Because of the stretching capability of the PVC material, the nail foil 200 can be fitted very well onto the nail over nail foils in the related art, which can be seen as an improvement over pre-printed nails using other approaches. Adjusting 110 can be seen as part of the overall adhering process 108 as it can occur simultaneously with adhering 108.

Removing excess 112 can refer to further fitting the nail foil 200 based on the shape of nail plate I after the nail foil is adhered 108 and/or adjusted 110. Removing excess 112 can include, by way of non-limiting illustration, clipping, tearing, marking, cutting, filing down excess portion 304 of nail foil 200 off from the otherwise attached portion of the nail foil 200 on the nail plate I. Removing excess 112 can be done with a nail file, nail clipper, or equivalent. Excess portion 304 of nail foil 200 can easily be filed off with a nail file. In an embodiment, removing excess 112 can occur by filing nail foil 200 by moving an abrasive, such as a nail file, along the nail edge II, which can thereby remove a portion of nail foil 200 being excess portion 304 extending distally past nail edge II and having no nail plate I or artificial nail thereunder.

Sealing 114 a second coat of nail polish can then occur. Sealing can be done, by way of non-limiting illustration, with any coating, with color or without color, glitter or no glitter, preferably with clear nail polish. Some non-exclusive benefits of sealing 114 can include: (a) combining the foil and the nail plate into a single coherent piece; (b) reducing chipping, scuffing, rubbing, of nail foil 200 on nail edge II due to the protective outer or second coat 203; (c) enhancing visibility through the layer of clear coat with higher contrast due to higher gloss from the nail polish; and/or (d) sealing 114 protects nail foil 200 from damage. A benefit can be to allow a user of the present invention to have a degree of nail protection while performing everyday tasks, by way of non-limiting illustration: showering, washing hands or other objects, opening doors, using phones, or other daily activities. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to remove excess 112 in accordance with the present invention. In a possible embodiment, glitter nail polish can be used to provide a coat after adhering 108 is performed.

Repeat 100-114 for all nail plates I.

Removing 116 can include pulling or peeling nail foil 200 off nail plate I after use. Removing 116 can be done without using nail polish remover, unlike nail polish strips or conventional nail polish. Thus, a benefit of the present invention can be to avoid the use of a nail polish remover. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would not need to how to use nail polish remover to perform the limitations of the method 110-116 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a possible embodiment of the present invention. Nail foil 200 is shown in FIG. 2, with coat 202, outer coat 203, adhesive 204, nail plate I, nail edge II, and mammalian digit III.

Nail plate I can refer to any mammalian nail on a finger or toe.

Nail foil 200 can comprise, by way of non-limiting illustration: polymer, vinyl, nylon, plastic, metal or alloy, paper, keratin, fibrous material, biomaterial, any substrate capable of being printed upon, any derivative thereof, or any combination thereof. Nail foil 200 can be capable of being adhered upon nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be a cast PVC nail foil. In a preferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be 0.060 mm thick. Nail foil 200 can be less than 0.060 mm thick, but if nail foil 200 is too thin, it can lack resilience and durability desirable for nail foil 200. Nail foil 200 can be thicker than 0.060 mm, but embodiments which are too thick can be harder to flex and more difficult to adhere to nail plate I, Nail foil 200 can have at least one curved edge 302, typically capable of being applied near the cuticle IV (FIG. 3). Thickness can be understood without any protective paper, such as sheet 400, or adhesive 204. The thinness of nail foil 200 makes it extremely user-friendly, easy to apply, and while wearing the product the user can perform daily activities. Nail foil 200 in PVC embodiments can be ideal for high quality printing and very intricate design, otherwise not applicable onto nail decorations with other methods. By way of non-limiting illustration, since intricate designs cannot easily be achieved with nail polish alone or by hand painted nails, applying nail foil 200 with a pre-printed high quality design allows for far greater consistency, durability, and design potential. Nail foil 200 can be used on, without limitation, mammals or on artificial nails. Nail foil 200 can comprise both cast-polyvinylchloride (PVC) and a clear nail polish to protect nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be a Cast-PVC foil with high-quality silk screen printing and with extreme durability applied after a first coat 202 of nail polish and sealed with a second coat 203 of nail polish. Nail foil 200 can be superior to rigid conventional nail foils. In a preferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be a self-adhesive cast PVC foil. Nail foil 200 can be a cast PVC nail foil with thickness 0.060 mm bearing upon in a given prefabricated design 300 with adhesive 204 underneath. If nail foil 200 is curved onto the surface of nail plate I, adhesive 204 can aid in adhering nail foil 200 to the nail plate I, with a transparent layer of clear nail coat (clear nail polish) 202 underneath. Nail plate I can be beneath coat 202. In PVC embodiments of nail foil 200 having thickness ranging from 0.04 mm to 0.95 mm, nail foil 200 can provide superior dimensional stability while allowing a measure of relative flexibility to pull nail foil 200 over the nail edge II. Nail foil 200 can hold approximately twenty percent flexibility while retaining dimensional stability. Nail foil 200 can have an excess portion 304 at after a given nail foil 200 is adhered to the nail plate I. The excess portion 304 can be filed from the nail foil after initially fitting the nail foil 200 onto the nail plate I. Several potential benefits can be realized in some embodiments of the present invention:

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to enhance dimensional stability according to FINAT TM 14; after bonding on steel, nail foil 200 provides no measurable shrinkage in lateral direction, and a maximum of 0.1 mm in rotational direction.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to enhance adhesive strength of 18 Newtons/25 mm, FINAT TM1, after twenty four hours, stainless steel.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to avoid heat or friction to be deformable or reformable, or to activate an adhesive 204. No heat lamp or blow dryer is needed to thermally influence nail foil 200 to apply nail foil 200 to nail plate I. Nail foil 200 can be deformable and reformable at room temperature.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to allow use of common household nail polish to seal nail foil 200 onto the nail. Nail foil 200 can serve as a tangible medium of expression upon which decorative works can be affixed or otherwise displayed. Thus, nail foil 200 can provide higher-quality decorative patterns along with enhanced nail surface protection over conventional painted nails, thus achieving greater distinction and protection.

A benefit of nail foil 200 over rigid conventional foils is to allow such flexibility to have a better fit nail foil and thus a better appearance, designed to be without bubbles. Nail foil 200 does not have to touch nail plate I. Nail foil 200 can, in a preferred embodiment, adhere only to the clear coat between nail plate I and nail foil 200. Nail foil 200 can have a measure of heat-resistance in resilient PVC material embodiments. Nail foil 200 can vary in size. Nail foil 200 in most preferred embodiments range from 1″×0.25″wide, to 2.0″×0.75″ to suit a variety of nail sizes. Sheet 400 can provide a variety of sizes. Any RGB and CMYK colors can be printed onto nail foil 200. In a preferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be printed upon to create prefabricated design 300 with high-end silk-screen process printing. Special colors or markings, such as UV spot printing, can be used for UV printing on nail foil 200, UV-offset printing, flexographic printing, or any other printing method. Nail foil 200 can have a surface which is matte or glossy, or a combination thereof. In some preferred embodiments, nail foil 200 can have white and transparent colors; however, nail foil 200 is not limited to any particular color. Printing on nail foil 200 can also cover artwork for lettering, labeling and decorating. A benefit of nail foil 200 can be greater resilience and durability. Several possible benefits are described below. A benefit of the present invention can be to provide greater temperature stability. For example, the present invention can have bonding on aluminum, −50 Celsius (C) to +10 C, with no resultant change. A benefit of nail foil 200 in reaction to fire is to provide self-extinguishing capability under the DIN 75200 standard, being fire tested with bonding on steel.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide seawater stability; under DIN 50021 upon bonding on aluminum, after 100 hours at 23° C. resulting in no change.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide solvent or chemical resistance. At room temperature after seventy-two hours with bonding on aluminum, the nail foil 200 can provide resilience against most oils and high viscosity grease, fuels, aliphatic solvents, weak acids, salts, and alkaline solutions. Nail foil 200 can be designed to provide enhanced resilience and durability.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide tear strength in accordance with DIN EN ISO 527, with longitudinal and lateral strength measured at min 19 MPa.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide enhanced tear strength. Ultimate elongation can be measured at approximately 120%, both longitudinal and lateral. Ultimate elongation of 120% provides that nail foil 200 can be stretched to 120% of the original size of nail foil 200 before tearing occurs. This again is helpful for the application process onto the nail, as the product can be stretched over the nail until a perfect fit is achieved.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to facilitate shelf life storage, lasting in sealed plastic packaging at 20° C. and 50% relative air moisture.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide a bonding temperature of min 8° C.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to enhance durability with professional workmanship and at vertical outdoor exposure under Middle European standard climatic conditions at 10 years based on use of PVC underlying material.

One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to incorporate foil 200 in accordance with the present invention based on the disclosure of this specification.

Coat 202 can be a layer of nail polish applied before nail foil 200 is adhered. In a preferred embodiment, can be a transparent layer of nail polish applied before adhesive 204 of nail foil 200 are attached to nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment, coat 202 can be “5 Free” meaning: (1) no formaldehyde, (2) no toluene, (3) no DBP, (4) no camphor and (5) no animal testing. Coat 202, having one or more clear nail polish layers, can aid in protecting nail plate I, extend durability of nail foil 200, and can make decorative designs on nail foil 200 shine. Having clear nail polish for coat 202 on the nail plate I and a second coat 202 on nail foil 200 can have one or more additional benefits. By way of non-limiting illustration, the first layer can protect nail plate I, such that adhesive 204 is not directly in contact with the nail surface. Coat 202 can also provide a smooth surface for best possible adhesion. The second layer seals the product. Coat 202 can protects against chipping, specifically at nail edge II. The presence of coat 202 can help reduce the wear and tear of nail foil 200 due to various daily activities impacting the fingernails or toenails, ranging from typing, showering, washing hands, washing dishes, or otherwise. Also, the second layer of clear nail polish brings the design to life. It delivers shine and the design ‘shines’ through the layer of clear nail polish. There can be an upper coat 202 and an undercoat 202, or any number of coats therebetween. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to incorporate coat 202 in accordance with the present invention based on the disclosure of this specification.

Adhesive 204 can be any pressure-sensitive adhesive, acrylic or non-acrylic, regardless of thermal sensitivity. In a preferred embodiment, adhesive 204 can be any solvent polyacrylate or any equivalent thereof. A benefit of non-thermally sensitive adhesive 204 can be to permit attaching nail foil 200 without using any external energy source, such as a lamp emitting heat, friction created on the foil itself thus emitting heat, or a blow dryer emitting warmed air. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to incorporate adhesive 204 in accordance with the present invention based on the disclosure of this specification. A wide range of adhesives can be used for adhesive 204. For example, by way of non-limiting illustration, adhesive 204 can be solvent polyacrylate, acrylate resin, acrylic polymer, bioadhesive, animal glue, polyacrylate, rubber, polychloroprene aka neoprene, or any other adhesive, any adhesive activated by temperature, moisture, radiation, ultraviolet light, or any combination thereof. By way of non-limiting illustration, such polyacrylates can be cyanoacrylate, polyurethane, urethane, epoxy, polyamide, polymethyl acrylate, sodium polyacrylate, calcium polyacrylate or any emulsion including any PVAc emulsions, or any combinations thereof. By way of non-limiting illustration, adhesive 204 can also be any adhesive which is elastomer-based, thermoplastic-based, emulsion-based, and thermoset-based ethylene-vinyl acetate-based, or any other derivative. Adhesive 204 can comprise an absence of thermal-sensitive adhesive.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of a possible embodiment of the present invention. Outer or second coat 203 is shown in FIG. 3, with prefabricated design 300, nail foil 200, nail plate I, mammalian digit III, and cuticle IV. Nail edge II, not shown in FIG. 3, can implicitly be understood to be underneath nail foil 200 and distal to cuticle IV. It shall be understood that nail plate I can vary widely in shape and size, and thus the present invention can be adapted to a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Prefabricated design 300 can be any decorative work affixed or otherwise displayed upon on, or attached to, nail foil 200. Prefabricated design 300 is not strictly necessary to obtain the benefits of the nail foil application system or method of the present invention. However, a benefit of the present invention can be to allow for prefabricated design 300 to permit a greater degree of creativity and detail in nail foil designs by providing a medium for such expression. In less preferred embodiments, prefabricated design can be modified before or after application to nail plate, for example, with another nail foil 200 or a portion thereof, or with additional decoration. In a possible embodiment, application of prefabricated design 300 can occur without any other decorative steps. Prefabricated design 300 can be any work fixed in the nail foil 200. In a preferred embodiment, ornamental design 300 can be a screen-printed design. By way of non-limiting illustration, ornamental design 300 can be a graphic, illustration, photo, pattern, or any combination thereof. Prefabricated design 300 being on nail foil 200 allows for highly detailed printing or decorative attachment that exceeds the limitations in conventional nail painting or nail decoration. A non-limiting example of prefabricated design 300 is shown in FIG. 4. It shall be understood that no particular design is necessary to appreciate the benefits of having a prefabricated design, and thus the present invention is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 4. By providing sheet 400, the present invention can offer many nail foils varying in size and having duplicate sizes in opposite rows, such that the present invention can provide greater selection of various nail foils 200 on a single sheet 400. The user can then remove a chosen nail foil 200 from sheet 400. Sheet 400 also provides a way to quickly manufacture multiple nail foils 200 with one or more designs and sizes, with higher quality printing of prefabricated design 300.

Curved edge 302 can be a portion of nail foil 200 suitable to fit onto the proximal portion of fingernail. A given nail foil 200 can have two curved edges 206, both proximal and distal.

Excess portion 304 can comprise a portion of nail foil 200. Excess portion 304 can be filed off after nail foil 200 is adhered to nail plate I, preferably having at least a first coat 202 on nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment, excess portion 304 can be made in the form of a protruding rounded shape which is capable of being pulled when the opposite end of foil 200 is adhered 108. Excess portion 304, whether in a nub shape or simply part of a single curved shape forming nail foil 200, can be helpful in adjusting 110 the nail foil 200.

FIG. 4 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention.

Sheet 400 is shown in FIG. 4, with nail foil 200 in various sizes on sheet 400, prefabricated design 300, curved edge 302, and excess portion 304.

Sheet 400 can be provided underneath adhesive 204 on a sheet 210. A set of foils 200 can be provided on a sheet 400, preferably in packaging. In a preferred embodiment, backing 400 can be a double-sided PE-coated silicone paperboard, 148 g/m2. When applied to the nail (nail plate I), the preferred backing to which nail foil 200 is attached, instead of sheet 400, can be a layer of clear nail polish such as undercoat 202. In a preferred embodiment, sheet 400 can have twenty-two foils 200, with eleven on each side of sheet 400. The foils 200 can have 8 different sizes in a preferred embodiment. Sheet 400 can be in the form of any backing to which nail foil 200 can be initially provided, whether rolled, a single sheet, stackable, or folded. Adhesive 304 can be between each nail foil 200 and sheet 400. In an embodiment, prefabricated design can overlap beyond the cutout shape of nail foil 200 upon sheet 400; thus, the cutout shape on sheet 400 can be smaller than the entire prefabricated design 300 as printed on sheet 400, allowing nail foil 200 to have prefabricated design go all the way to the outer edge of nail foil 200 to avoid undesirable space void of design.

FIG. 5 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention. Prefabricated design 300 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in other embodiments to illustrate further non-limiting examples

FIG. 6 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the present invention. By way of non-limiting illustration, nail foil 200 can be pre-cut on sheet 400 for each nail foil 200 to be peeled from sheet 400 and applied to the nail plate I.

In summary, the present invention provides a system and method for nail foil application. A nail foil application method in accordance with the present invention provides a method comprising cleaning a fingernail surface, applying a first coat of nail polish, adhering a nail foil, adhering the nail foil without requiring thermally activated adhesive, heat, friction, heat lamp, blow dryer, or any other heat source, and sealing the nail foil by applying a second coat of nail polish on the nail foil is disclosed. A nail foil application system in accordance with the present invention comprises a nail foil capable of being adhered upon a nail plate and an adhesive on one side of the nail foil, where the nail foil is made of polyvinylchloride. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.