Fingernail jewelry

Abstract

Jewelry for fingernails and toenails that is removably but securely attachable to a natural or artificial nail, such as false fingernails. The fingernail jewelry comprises a nail plate that attaches to the distal end and/or sides of the nail. The nail plate has an upper portion and a lower portion defining a cavity at the first end of the nail plate. The distal end and/or sides of the nail is received in the cavity. In one embodiment, the cavity tightly holds the nail to prevent the fingernail jewelry from being easily dislodged. In another embodiment, an adhesive secures the nail plate to the nail. In yet another embodiment, connectors pass through the nail plate and threadably attach to the nail. The connector heads are incorporated into a design element. In a further embodiment, stud members extend downward from the nail plate into apertures on the nails.

1 . A fingernail jewelry for use on a nail having a distal end and a pair of opposing sides, said fingernail jewelry comprising: 
 a nail plate having a first end, a second end and a pair of opposing sides, said nail plate further comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion defining a cavity at said first end and/or said opposing sides of said nail plate, said cavity configured to receive said distal end and/or said opposing sides of said nail; and    means for securing said nail plate to said nail.    
   
   
       2 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 1 , wherein said nail plate comprises one or more apertures and said securing means is one or more connectors received through said apertures into said nail.  
   
   
       3 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more connectors are threadably received into said nail.  
   
   
       4 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more apertures are located in a design element on said upper portion of said nail plate.  
   
   
       5 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more connectors have a head member and a post member, said head member configured with an enhancing element, said post member configured to pass through said apertures and threadably engage said nail.  
   
   
       6 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper portion has an upper surface and a lower surface and said lower portion has a upper surface and a lower surface, said cavity disposed between said lower surface of said upper portion and said upper surface of said lower portion, said lower surface of said upper portion and said upper surface of said lower portion configured to tightly engage said distal end of said nail.  
   
   
       7 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 1 , wherein said securing means is an adhesive disposed between said distal end and/or said sides of said nail and said cavity of said nail plate.  
   
   
       8 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 1 , wherein said securing means comprises at least one stud member extending generally downwardly from said nail plate and at least one fingernail aperture in said nail, said fingernail aperture configured to received said stud member therein.  
   
   
       9 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 8 , wherein said fingernail aperture is sized and configured to tightly receive said stud member therein and hold said nail plate on said nail.  
   
   
       10 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 8 , wherein said securing means further comprises an adhesive disposed between said distal end and/or said sides of said nail and said cavity of said nail plate.  
   
   
       11 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper portion of said nail plate has an upper surface, said upper surface having one or more design elements and/or one or more enhancing elements thereon.  
   
   
       12 . A fingernail jewelry for use on a nail having a distal end and a pair of opposing sides, said fingernail jewelry comprising: 
 a nail plate having a first end, a second end and a pair of opposing sides, said nail plate further comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion defining a cavity at said first end and/or said opposing sides of said nail plate, said cavity configured to receive said distal end and/or said opposing sides of said nail, said upper portion of said nail plate having an upper surface, said upper surface having one or more design elements and/or one or more enhancing elements thereon;    one or more apertures on said nail plate; and    one or more connectors received through said apertures and threadably engage said nail.    
   
   
       13 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 12 , wherein one of said one or more apertures are located in at least one of said design elements.  
   
   
       14 . The fingernail jewelry according to  claim 12 , wherein said one or more connectors have a head member and a post member, said head member configured with an enhancing element, said post member configured to pass through said apertures and threadably engage said nail.  
   
   
       15 . A method of installing fingernail jewelry on a nail having a distal end and a pair of opposing sides, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing a template on said nail at the position desired for said fingernail jewelry;    b) identifying a trim area on said nail to be removed therefrom;    c) removing said trim area from said nail;    d) removing said template from said nail;    e) placing a nail plate of said fingernail jewelry on said nail, said nail plate having an upper portion and a lower portion defining a cavity therebetween at said first end of said nail plate, said distal end and/or said sides of said nail received in said cavity at said first end and/or a pair of sides of said nail plate; and    f) securing said nail plate to said nail.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said nail plate placing step comprises placing an adhesive on said nail and/or in said cavity and said securing step is accomplished by allowing said adhesive to set.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said securing step is accomplished by inserting a connector through an aperture in said nail plate and threadably engaging said connector with said nail.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17  further comprising the step of drilling a fingernail aperture in said nail through a template aperture in said template after said template placing step, said fingernail aperture sized and configured to receive said connector.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15  further comprising the step of drilling a fingernail aperture in said nail through a template aperture in said template after said template placing step, said securing step accomplished by a stud member extending generally downward from said nail plate into said fingernail aperture.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said nail plate placing step comprises placing an adhesive on said nail and/or in said cavity and said securing step is further accomplished by allowing said adhesive to set.