Granted Patent B2

US 7,244,418 · App. 10/246,164 · Granted Jul 17, 2007

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. An artificial nail for placement on a finger or fingernail comprising:

between about 20 and about 50 weight percent of a binder component comprising a methacrylate monomer;

between about 50 and about 80 weight percent of a filler component comprising a polymer and a catalyst initiator, wherein said filler component and said binder component form an acrylic matrix when reacted; and

between about 0.01 and about 5 weight percent of an antimicrobial agent available for diffusion from said acrylic matrix.

2. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent is incorporated into the binder component.

3. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent is incorporated into the filler component.

4. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises an organic peroxide.

5. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises an antimicrobial dye.

6. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises a tertiary amine catalyst.

7. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises a quaternary amine.

8. The artificial nail of claim 7 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises monoalkyl-trimethyl ammonium salts, dialkyl ammonium salts, heteroaromatic ammonium salts, polysubstituted quaternary ammonium salts, bis-quaternary ammonium salts, and polymeric quaternary ammonium salts.

9. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises benzalkonium chloride, a homologue of benalkonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

10. The artificial nail of claim 9 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises N,N-dimethyl-decylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-undecylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-dodecylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-tridecylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-tetradecylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-pentadecylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-hexadecylammonium chloride, N,N-dimethyl-heptadecylammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

11. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises phenols, halogenated phenols, bis-phenols, alkyl-substituted phenols, cresols, resorcinols, or a mixture thereof.

12. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises a biguanide.

13. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises a furan derivative.

14. The artificial nail of claim 1 wherein the artificial nail provides decontamination and prophylaxis against polymicrobial infections of a nail plate.

15. A method for forming an artificial nail for placement on a finger or over a fingernail comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pre-nail composition comprising:

between about 20 and about 50 weight percent of a binder component comprising a methacrylate monomer;

between about 50 and about 80 weight percent of a filler component comprising a polymer and a catalyst initiator, wherein said filler component and said binder component form an acrylic matrix when reacted; and

between about 0.01 and about 5 weight percent of an antimicrobial agent available for diffusion from the acrylic matrix;

(b) shaping the pre-nail composition to the shape of an artificial nail; and

(c) allowing the pre-nail mixture to polymerize.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of disposing a wetted mass of the pre-nail composition on a finger or fingernail before the wetted mass is shaped.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of adhering the pre-nail mixture to a finger or an existing fingernail with an adhesive.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the wetted mass is shaped by forms or molds.

Assignments (8)