Nail art printing apparatus

1. A nail art printing apparatus having a receiving means for the placement of a nail or plurality of nails, the nail art printing apparatus being connectable to an electronic device, the electronic device having an interface means being operably engagable with the nail art printing apparatus, the nail art printing apparatus being operable to apply a plurality of colors or designs to one or more natural and/or artificial nails, and a safety means for preventing injury to a finger or plurality of fingers placed into the receiving means from any mechanisms or electronics of the nail art printing apparatus, wherein the safety means comprises at least one resistance sensor configured to detect any resistance to the movement of one or more moving components of the nail art printing apparatus over and above the normal resistance encountered by the movable components.

2. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the safety means includes a physical structure of the receiving means being designed such that a user is prevented from placing one or more fingers in an area proximal to moving parts or electronics.

3. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the safety means includes means for reversing the movement of the movable components so as to effect reverse movement in a direction opposite to that which experienced resistance via the control of an actuator associated with the moving components which experienced the resistance.

4. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the safety means includes one or more physical restraints for guiding one or more fingers into a specific location.

5. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the one or more physical restraints include a generally fingertip shaped enclosure having an aperture alignable with a nail of a finger such that the printer can print onto the nail through the aperture.

6. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the safety means includes an object detection means for detecting the location of objects in the nail printing area.

7. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the object detection means is a visual based sensor, wherein the visual based sensor includes a camera.

8. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the object detection means includes an associated software control program storable on the memory means of the electronic device and executable therefrom, which is configured to process the data from the object detection means to determine whether it is safe to print.

9. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus includes a presence sensor for detecting the presence of one or more natural or artificial nails.

10. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the presence sensor includes a pressure sensor/optical sensor.

11. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes interface means for user operation.

12. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the interface means allows for the selection of the quantity of nails to be printed on or upon, and the interface means allows for switching between a setting for artificial and natural nails.

13. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nail art printing apparatus is housed in an enclosure.

14. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the enclosure includes payment receiving means.

15. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the payment receiving means is connectable to the electronic device and comprises one of or a combination of slots for the intake of coins or cash, a card payment receiving means, wherein the card payment receiving means includes a magnetic card reader for receiving credit/debit/gift/store cards, or means being operable to utilise Near Field Communication (NFC) payments.

16. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the payment receiving means includes biometric identification means, wherein the biometric identification means includes a fingerprint scanner.

17. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device has an associated mobile device application installable on a user mobile device, wherein the user mobile device includes a smartphone or tablet.

18. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the mobile device application includes means for pre-purchasing nail art treatment.

19. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the mobile device includes means for obtaining a unique code from the associated mobile device application for entry into the electronic device or obtaining a QR code from the associated mobile device application, the electronic device in the enclosure being operable to scan the QR code on the mobile device.

20. The nail art printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nail art printing apparatus includes means for attaching one or more artificial nails to a body part.