Abstract:
The present invention involves a solvent vapor transfer device for holding an absorbent pad, which receives and disperses solvent vapors over a lacquer-based residue on a textile. A solvent is poured or dripped into an absorbent pad portion of the vapor transfer box, from which solvent vapors are released. The solvent vapors pass through the vapor transfer box and concentrate in a vapor chamber over the lacquer-based residue and textile. As the solvent vapors come into continuous contact with the lacquer-based residue, the residue begins to dissolve and soften. Upon sufficient dissolution, minute quantities of the liquid solvent may be applied directly to the partially dissolved residue and quickly suctioned into an extraction vacuum. This process may be repeated as necessary to achieve complete removal of the residue.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/456,273 entitled “A Method of Removing Lacquer From Textiles” and filed on Mar. 20, 2003 for Shawn T. Rodeback and Edward E. Durrant, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a device for removing lacquer-based polishes, such as fingernail polish, from textiles, such as carpet, and a method of doing the same. Specifically, the present illustrated embodiment(s) involve(s) the use of a vapor transfer device to direct solvent vapors over a lacquer based residue on a textile. 
     2. The Relevant Art 
     Lacquer based polishes and/or paints (“residues”) have historically been a bane to the existence of carpet owners. This is primarily due to the fact that these polishes and/or paints, such as fingernail polish, contain resins that form hard residues when allowed to dry. When left to dry on a textile, such as carpet, the extraction of these resins can be extremely difficult and potentially damaging to the textile itself. 
     Under the typical and well-known polish extraction techniques, a variety of solvents may be poured over the affected area in order to dissolve and soften the residue. A commonly recognized aspect of this process is to ensure that the solvent remains in continuous contact with the residue in order to fully dissolve the same. However, prolonged contact of the solvent with the textile may cause a latex adhesive or similar fabric backing to delaminate. This is a common problem resulting from applying such solvents to carpets because typical latex adhesives that bind carpet fibers to the carpet backing material can be degraded relatively quickly by overexposure to the solvent. 
     Many of the solvents suitable for dissolving lacquer-based compounds are volatile. These solvents tend to evaporate before they have had sufficient contact time with the affected area and the dissolution process fails. Furthermore, many of these volatile solvents are flammable, which makes suction of the solvent into non-spark proof wet vacuums dangerous. As a result, methods utilizing volatile solvents typically involve blotting or rubbing the treated area, which are much less effective and much more labor intensive than suction techniques. 
     Thus, it can be clearly recognized that there is a need for a device for removing lacquer-based residues from textiles, such as carpet, that does not damage the affected textile, and a method for accomplishing the same. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The various elements of the present invention have been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available devices and methods for removing lacquer-based paints from textiles, such as carpet. Accordingly, the present invention relates generally to a device for removing lacquer-based paints and/or polishes, such as fingernail polish, from textiles, such as carpet and a method of accomplishing the same. More specifically, the present illustrated embodiment(s) involve(s) the use of a solvent, an absorbent pad, and a vapor transfer box for directing solvent vapors over a residue on a textile. 
     More particularly, the present invention involves a solvent vapor transfer device for holding an absorbent pad, which receives and disperses solvent vapors over a lacquer-based residue on a textile. A solvent may be poured or dripped into the absorbent pad portion of the vapor transfer box, from which solvent vapors are released. The solvent vapors pass through the vapor transfer box and concentrate in a vapor chamber over the lacquer-based residue and textile. As the solvent vapors come into continuous contact with the lacquer-based residue, the residue begins to dissolve and soften. Upon sufficient dissolution, minute quantities of the liquid solvent may be applied directly to the partially dissolved residue and quickly suctioned into an extraction vacuum. This process may be repeated as necessary to achieve complete removal of the residue. 
     Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawing. Understanding that this drawing depicts only one typical embodiment of the invention and is not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a bottom view one an embodiment of the vapor transfer box of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the optional lid for the invention of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an embodiment of a vapor transfer box  10 . The vapor transfer box  10  sets borders around the working area of a vapor transfer  14 . The vapor transfer box  10  includes a screen  16  located on its top side through which a solvent may be administered to an absorbent pad  18  located there below. A commonly utilized solvent may be ethyl-acetate, although any known solvent may be employed, including, but not limited to, N-methyl pyrrolidinone, acetone, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, dimethyl adipate, dimethyl glutarate, dimethyl succinate, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, 1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone, ethylene glycol butyl ether, d-limonene, methyl isobutyl carbinol, propylene glycol butyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, and ethylene glycol t-butyl ether. The absorbent pad  18  receives and holds the solvent to prevent it from passing directly through the vapor transfer box  10  and immediately being applied onto a textile surface  20 . The absorbent pad  18  rests atop a pad retention lip, or support member  22 , which attaches to an interior portion of the vapor transfer box  10 . The pad retention lip  22  supports a lower liquid solvent screen  24  through which vapors of the solvent may pass. 
     In this embodiment, a vapor transfer chamber  26 , located at the base of the vapor transfer box  10 , is situated below the lower liquid solvent screen  24 , and above the textile surface  20 . Heavy solvent vapors diffuse from the absorbent pad  18  through the lower liquid solvent screen  24  and concentrate in the vapor transfer chamber  26 , thus contacting a residue  28  that is to be removed. Diffusion holes  30 , situated along an upper portion of the vapor transfer chamber  26 , allow ambient air within the vapor transfer chamber  26  to escape, thus allowing the typically heavier solvent vapors to fill and completely occupy the vapor transfer chamber  26  for maximum concentration around the textile surface  20  and residue  28 . 
     In another embodiment, the vapor transfer box  10  includes box stabilizers  34 , which are designed to set firmly within fibers of a textile surface  20 , over the residue  28 . 
       FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of an optional vapor lid  36  which may be placed over the vapor transfer box  10 . The vapor lid  36  is for placement atop the screen  16  after a sufficient quantity of solvent has been administered to the absorbent pad  18 . The vapor lid  36  serves to maximize the concentration of vapors flowing down on to the textile surface  20  (not being lost to diffusion through the upper liquid solvent screen  16 ) and to minimize the ambient smell of the solvent. 
     The general procedure for removing residues  29  from textiles with the vapor transfer box  10  is described in FIG.  4  and includes several steps. The vapor transfer box  10  is configured to receive and retain a solvent for the purpose of transferring the solvent&#39;s vapors down to a textile  20  lying within a border of the vapor transfer box  10 . In one embodiment, the vapor transfer box  10  may be positioned  44  over the textile  20  patch with the residue  28  before the solvent is added to the absorbent pad  26 . In another embodiment, the vapor transfer box  10  may be positioned over the textile  20  patch with the residue  28  after the solvent has been added to the absorbent pad  26 . It is recognized, however, that it would be beneficial to apply the solvent to the absorbent pad  26  before positioning the vapor transfer box  10  over the lacquer-based residue  28  to eliminate any risks from over-saturating the absorbent pad  26 . 
     The solvent may be dripped or poured  46  onto the absorbent pad  18  within the vapor transfer box  10 . It should be noted that it is desirable for the absorbent pad  18  to receive enough solvent to facilitate the transfer of vapor through the absorbent pad  20  to the textile  20 , but not so much as to saturate the absorbent pad  18  to the point of dripping solvent onto the textile  20 . Too much solvent in the absorbent pad  26  may defeat the purpose of the vapor transfer box  10  because the excess solvent may drip from the pad directly onto the textile  20  and dissolve the bind material  21 . 
     In the next application step, it is preferable that the vapor transfer box  10  remain situated over lacquer-based residue  28  sufficiently long to soften the residue  28 . Exposure time for the residue  20  to the solvent will vary depending on the type of residue  28  and the size of the residue  28  patch. 
     In a subsequent step, after the residue  28  has been exposed to the solvent for a sufficient time, the vapor transfer box  10  is removed  48 . To improve the dissolution of the residue  20 , small quantities of solvent may be applied  50  directly to the residue  28 . The amount of solvent depends on the type and size of the residue  28 . However, it is noted, it is preferable to avoid solvent contact with the textile  20  binding material  21 . 
     In a following step, before the solvent dissipates, it is often necessary to repeatedly apply solvent directly to the textile and immediately suction off  52  the solvent with a wet vacuum  38  or other suction device commonly used in the industry. In one embodiment, a specially designed suction tip  40  may be used to enhance the speed of solvent removal. The tip  40  uniquely has a tapering tip  42 . 
     It may be necessary to repeat the entire process until the residue  28  has been completely dissolved and removed from the surface of the textile  20 . 
     It is understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the presently illustrated invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 
     For example, although the illustrative embodiment(s) have/has described the use of a box-like vapor transfer device, other shapes are envisioned, like, round, oblong, oval, shallow, deep, etc. Similarly, a plurality of vapor transfer methods is also envisioned, but more are available. For example, an absorbent pad may be used, without being situated within any type of box housing. The lone absorbent pad may be placed directly atop a textile surface. In that case, the solvent may be applied directly to the absorbent pad to maintain a minimum required level of vapor concentration on the surface of the textile. 
     In addition, variations in the removal or suction method are also envisioned. For example, the suction by wet vacuum process may be substituted by simply blotting the dissolved residue with an absorbent material. Depending on the type of textile in question, this blotting process may be preferred so as to avoid any liquid solvent contact with the textile&#39;s latex adhesive or binding material  21 . 
     Additionally, it is envisioned that the vapor transfer box  10  be partitioned, to be used for large residue stains, or for small residue stains. Specifically, the absorbent pad  16  may comprise a plurality of smaller absorbent pads individually situated into individual compartments within the vapor transfer box  10 . The individual compartments would give a technician greater control over where the solvent is dripped and poured, and consequently, the area that will be exposed to a greater amount of the solvent vapors. It is envisioned that the vapor transfer chamber  21  may also be partitioned to correspond with the partitions separating the absorbent pad  18 . 
     Furthermore, although the specification and illustrated embodiments show the use of a solvent for softening the residue, it is envisioned that both non-volatile and volatile solvents may be used. 
     Finally, the general sequence of steps within the process may be performed in any order and/or combination to achieve the desired result. Also, the entire process may be repeated as many times as is necessary to achieve optimum residue removal. 
     Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.