Automatic nail polish removing device and method

Abstract

An automatic nail polish removing device comprises a structure adapted to be coupled with a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating a polish removing operation, one or more receiving chambers into each of which a polished nail is introducible, an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from the capsule, when coupled with the structure, and a directing unit for directing the extracted material to an interior of each of the chambers. In a method, the extraction unit is automatically activated to initiate a polish removing operation.

1 . An automatic nail polish removing system, comprising:
 a) a capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations and configured with an outer rigid and openable package from which the nail polish removing material is releasable when an aperture is formed in said capsule;   b) a casing of a nail polish removing device configured with:
 i. a cavity configured for insertion of said capsule within said cavity; 
 ii. one or more receiving chambers each configured for introduction of a polished nail therein, wherein each of said receiving chambers is configured with a corresponding opening into which the liquid nail polish removing material is directable; and 
 iii. means for forming one or more apertures in said capsule; 
   c) an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from said capsule when the extraction unit is coupled with the casing and when the one or more apertures are formed in the capsule; and   d) a directing unit for simultaneously directing the material extracted by the extraction unit to an interior of each of the receiving chambers.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the nail polish removing material is liquid and the extraction unit is a pump. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the directing unit comprises a suction lube extending from a discharge end of the pump and said suction tube in communication with one or more discharge conduits extending to a corresponding opening in each of the receiving chambers, and wherein each of said discharge conduits being provided with one or more spray-issuing apertures configured for producing a focused spray that is directed into an interior of one said corresponding receiving chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the suction tube is configured to pierce the openable package of the capsule and to draw therethrough the liquid nail polish removing material. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a coverable collection member, wherein each of the receiving chambers is configured with a discharge port from which excess nail polish removing material unused during the polish removing operation as well as removed nail polish material is gravitationally dischargeable to the collection member. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the aperture forming means comprises piercing means for piercing the package of the capsule. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the capsule is further configured to be a collection member and each of the receiving chambers is configured with a discharge port from which excess nail polish removing material unused during the polish removing operation as well as removed nail polish material is gravitationally dischargeable to the collection member. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the one or more receiving chambers penetrates the openable package of the capsule to facilitate gravitational discharging of the excess nail polish removing material and of the removed nail polish material directly from the discharge port into an interior of the capsule. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a heating unit configured for heating the nail polish removing material, wherein the heating unit is synchronized with the pump. 
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a heating unit for heating the nail polish removing material, wherein the heating unit is configured to be operable to melt solid removed nail polish material that has been gravitationally discharged to the collection member via the discharge port. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a recycling unit in communication with an interior of the collection member in order to convert, when activated, the melted removed nail polish material into usable nail polish removing material. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a filtering unit configured to be operable in conjunction with the heating unit and recycling unit for filtering the melted removed nail polish material. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more motorized contacting members that are each controllably displaceable within a corresponding receiving chamber to ensure that the inserted polished nail will be suitably applied with the nail polish removing material. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry which is configured to automatically initiate the polish removing operation by activating the extraction unit for a predetermined duration in response to a sensed condition that is indicative that a digit associated with the polished nail has been introduced within one of the receiving chambers. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of a presence sensor, a proximity sensor, and a movement sensor which is provided with each of the receiving chambers in order to sense introduction of the digit associated with the polished nail within one of the receiving chambers. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to be suitable for activating the extraction unit for a predetermined duration that allows the introduced polished nail to be contacted by the nail polish removing material for a sufficient residing time to effect the polish removing operation. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to be suitable for effecting the polish removing operation simultaneously with respect to a plurality of polished nails, each of which is introduced into a different receiving chamber. 
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An automatic nail polish removing device, comprising a structure adapted to be coupled with a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations, one or more receiving chambers each configured for introduction of a polished nail, an extraction unit for extracting the nail polish removing material from the capsule, when coupled with the structure, and a directing unit configured for directing the extracted material to an interior of each of the receiving chambers. 
     
     
         24 . An automatic nail polish removing method, comprising steps of:
 a) coupling a removable capsule containing sufficient nail polish removing material for facilitating one or more polish removing operations with a device comprising one or more receiving chambers and an extraction unit;   b) introducing a polished nail into one corresponding receiving chamber; and   c) activating said extraction unit to initiate a polish removing operation, causing the nail polish removing material to be extracted from the capsule and the extracted material to be directed to an interior of each of the chambers.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising the steps of:
 a) sensing that a digit associated with the polished nail has been introduced within the corresponding receiving chamber;   b) receiving, by a controller, a signal indicative of introduction of the digit associated with the polished nail within the corresponding receiving chamber; and   c) commanding activation of the extraction unit by said controller.   
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the nail polish removing material is liquid and the extraction unit is a pump, further comprising control circuitry which comprises a sensor provided proximate to a bottom edge of each of the receiving chambers for detecting contact with the liquid nail polish removing material contained within the capsule upon piercing a surface of the package, the control circuitry being configured to activate the pump following piercing of the surface of the package and introduction of the polished nail within one of the receiving chambers.