Artificial nails including application tabs

Abstract

A preformed artificial nail assembly comprising an artificial nail sized to correspond to at least a portion of said natural nail, and an application tab extending from the distal end of the artificial nail, the application tab having a neck portion and a body portion, said neck portion being disposed between the body portion and the distal end of the artificial nail, the body portion being disposed at an angle to the artificial nail such that the body may be readily grasped by the user to facilitate placement of the artificial nail on the natural nail. Embodiments includes a tab that twists from the connection to the artificial nail to the tab body, and a tab or gating structure that extends from the bottom surface of the artificial nail.

1 . A preformed artificial nail assembly for placement on a natural nail by a user, said artificial nail assembly comprising:
 an artificial nail sized to correspond to at least a portion of said natural nail, the artificial nail including a bottom surface,   a gating structure extending from the bottom surface.   
     
     
         2 . The artificial nail assembly of  claim 1  wherein the artificial nail includes a free edge portion defining a distal end, said distal end defining an artificial nail distal edge, the gating structure extending proximal to the distal end. 
     
     
         3 . The artificial nail assembly of  claim 2  wherein the gating structure is disposed substantially adjacent the distal end. 
     
     
         4 . The artificial nail assembly of  claim 1  wherein the gating structure includes a weakened area substantially adjacent the artificial nail, said weakened area facilitating separation of the gating structure from the artificial nail. 
     
     
         5 . The artificial nail assembly of  claim 4  wherein the weakened area includes at least one of a perforation, an area of reduced thickness, a score line, a cut, or a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the remainder of the gating structure. 
     
     
         6 . The artificial nail assembly of  claim 1  wherein the gating structure includes an application tab for placement of the artificial nail during application. 
     
     
         7 . A kit of preformed artificial nails, the kit comprising a plurality of artificial nails of  claim 1  coupled to the gating structure, the plurality of artificial nails and said gating structure being a molded structure. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 7  wherein the artificial nails include a free edge portion defining a distal end, said distal end defining an artificial nail distal edge, the gating structure extending from the lower surface proximal the distal end of the artificial nail. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 7  wherein the gating structure includes a weakened area substantially adjacent the artificial nail, said weakened area facilitating separation of the gating structure from the artificial nail. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9  wherein the weakened area includes at least one of a perforation, an area of reduced thickness, a score line, a cut, or a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the remainder of the gating structure. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 7  further including a package, the artificial nails being disposed within the package. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 7  wherein the artificial nails and gating structure are simultaneously molded together of at least one material. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 7  further comprising at least one of the following: an adhesive, a nail wipe, a manicuring tool, a placement tool, and nail polish. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming an artificial nail having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the method comprising the steps of
 providing a mold including at least two portions, at least one of said portions including at least one cavity for forming a gating structure, at least one of said portions including at least one cavity for forming the bottom surface of said nail, at least one of said portions including at least one cavity for forming the upper surface of the nail, said cavity for forming the upper surface being complimentary with the cavity for forming the lower surface, said cavity for forming the gating structure providing fluid communication to the cavity for forming the lower surface of the nail,   providing a moldable material through the cavity for forming the gating structure to the cavity for forming the bottom surface of the nail in order to form the nail.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of providing a moldable material includes the step of providing the moldable material to a plurality of cavities for forming the bottom surface in order to form a plurality of nails. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of providing a weakened area substantially adjacent the artificial nail, said weakened area facilitating separation of the gating structure from the artificial nail. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of providing a weakened area includes at least one of molding or making a perforation, molding an area of reduced thickness or a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the remainder of the gating structure, or molding or making a score line, or making a cut. 
     
     
         18 . A mold for forming at least one gating structure and at least one molded artificial nail having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the mold comprising at least two portions,
 at least one of said portions including at least one cavity for forming the gating structure,   at least one of said portions including at least one cavity for forming the bottom surface of said nail,   at least one of said portions including at least one cavity for forming the upper surface of the nail, said cavity for forming the upper surface being complimentary with the cavity for forming the lower surface,   said cavity for forming the gating structure providing fluid communication to the cavity for forming the lower surface of the nail.   
     
     
         19 . The mold of  claim 18  wherein at least one of the cavity for forming the gating structure or the cavity for forming the bottom surface of said nail includes an area of reduced thickness or a reduced cross-sectional area in the relative to the remainder of the gating structure such that an area of weakened area facilitating separation of the molded gating structure from the molded artificial nail. 
     
     
         20 . The mold of  claim 18  comprising a plurality of cavities for forming the bottom surface of said nail and a plurality of cavities for forming the upper surface of said nail, said cavity for forming said gating structure providing fluid communication to the plurality of cavities for forming the lower surface.