Patent Publication Number: US-2011061669-A1

Title: Hand Rest Vacuum and Method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The Invention relates to dust and vapor collection for the nail care industry and particularly to point-of-use dust and vapor collection while a nail technician is filing, polishing, or otherwise providing care to the fingernails of a client. The Invention is a hand rest incorporating a vacuum system and is also a method of providing nail care. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In a nail salon, the nail technician and the client receiving nail care sit opposite each other at a desk. The wrist and hand of the client are supported by a hand rest on the desk while the nail technician manipulates the fingers of the client. The nail technician uses hand or power tools to file and shape the nails of the client. The nail technician also may strip old nail polish from the nails of the client and apply new polish. The nail technician may apply artificial nails and shape and polish the artificial nails. 
     Nail care generates nail dust in the immediate vicinity of the face of the nail care technician and of the client. Biological dust from hand and foot care procedures may deposit in the conjunctiva, nose, and throughout the respiratory tract of the technician or client. Nail dust is a respiratory sensitizer; namely, a substance that when inhaled can trigger an allergic reaction in the respiratory system. Nail dust also may be a vector exposing the nail technician to other biological sensitizers, such as trichopyton fungi. Sensitization does not usually take place immediately, but rather after months or years of exposure to the sensitizing agent. Once sensitized, even the smallest amount of the agent can trigger serious health issues for the nail technician, including asthma, rhinitis, or conjunctivitis 
     Nail care technicians are exposed to nail polishes, solvents and nail adhesives containing organic chemicals that also can be sensitizers. Sensitizers in such products include formaldehyde and methyl and ethyl methacrylates. Other components of polishes, solvents and adhesives can be irritants, such as xylene, toluene, acetates and ketones. 
     The nail technician may wear a nuisance dust mask to reduce nail dust exposure or may use a dust and vapor collection system. Nuisance dust masks do not capture organic chemicals and are only partially effective to prevent inhalation of nail dust. The prior art does not teach the hand rest vacuum system of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The Invention is a nail care hand rest including an integral vacuum air intake for collection of nail dust and organic vapor at the point that the dust and vapor are generated. The hand rest of the Invention includes a body and a cushioned hand pad supported by the body. An air intake is defined by a side of the body that is proximal to the technician and distal to the client when the hand rest vacuum is in use. 
     The air intake may take the form of a mesh screen on the side of the body. Alternatively, the air intake may take the form of an extendable nozzle. The nozzle defines an opening that faces in the upward direction. The nozzle has a first and a second position. When in the first, or deployed, position, the nozzle extends outward from the side of the body and the opening is exposed. When in the first position, the nozzle is directly below the hand of a client when the hand of the client is supported by the hand rest and when the client is receiving care from the nail technician. When in the second, or stowed, position, the nozzle is collapsed into the body and does not protrude from the body. The telescoping nozzle may be located intermediate to the first and second positions. 
     Enclosed within the body may be a particulate filter to collect nail dust. Also inside the body may be a filter containing activated carbon to capture organic vapor. 
     Air is moved through the nozzle and through the particulate filter and carbon filter by a vacuum unit. The vacuum unit may be located separately from the hand rest and connected by piping to the hand rest. Alternatively, the vacuum unit may be located within the body of the hand rest. The vacuum unit comprises a blower and a motor configured to power the blower. 
     Dust-laden air passing from the air intake or nozzle and into the body may pass through a cyclone. The cyclone features a circular top portion. The air enters the cyclone at the periphery of the circular top portion and travels annularly to the circular top portion. Air exits the circular top portion and is directed to the vacuum unit through an exhaust vent at the center of the circular top portion. The circular movement of the air drives the dust to the outside walls of the cyclone, where the air slows and the dust is separated from the air and falls down the outside walls of the cyclone into a hopper. 
     A bottom of the hopper features a hopper opening. A removable dust tray has a fully engaged position and a dust receiving position. When in the fully engaged position, the dust tray seals the hopper opening and prevents air from entering the hopper through the hopper opening and prevents dust from leaving the hopper through the hopper opening. When the tray is moved from the fully engaged position to the dust-receiving position, the hopper opening is un-blocked, allowing dust to fall through the opening from the hopper into the tray. The tray may be withdrawn from the body and the dust discarded. Alternatively, the body may define the hopper. 
     The body includes an air discharge location to which the tubing of the vacuum unit is attached. The air discharge location may be located on either of opposing sides of the body. 
     The cushioned hand pad is composed of a gel, foam, rubber or other resilient material. The body may include a power switch to operate the motor of the vacuum unit blower. Alternatively, a foot switch may control the operation of the motor. 
     The nozzle may be configured to receive attachments, such as a flexible hose, a brush attachment and a high-velocity nozzle for cleanup of the desk and work station of the nail technician. Attachments such as the flexible hose, brush and nozzle may be packaged with the hand rest vacuum as a kit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the Invention in the first position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the Invention in the second position. 
         FIG. 3 . is a detail plan view showing a hand of a client in location to receive nail care. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway side view showing the Invention on a desk with an external vacuum source. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one embodiment with a top removed. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment with the top removed. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of an embodiment with the top removed. 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of an embodiment with the top removed. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the drawer of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of an embodiment with the top removed with the nozzle in the second position. 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 10  with the nozzle in the first position. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the drawer of the embodiment of  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a partial cutaway plan view of an embodiment incorporating a cyclone. 
         FIG. 14  is a side section view of the cyclone embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an embodiment having an air intake flush with the technician side. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective of a second embodiment having an air intake flush with the technician side. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross section plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 10  in which the motor and blower are contained within the body. 
         FIG. 18  is a detail plan view of the flexible tube. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the brush attachment. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of the restricted flow nozzle attachment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT 
     The Invention is a hand rest apparatus and method for providing nail care.  FIGS. 1-4  illustrate one embodiment of the apparatus. As shown by  FIG. 1 , the hand rest apparatus  2  features a body  4 . The body  4  has a technician side  6  and a client side  8 . In use, the client side  8  is proximal to the client and the technician side  6  is proximal to the nail technician. 
     As shown by  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the body  4  supports a cushioned hand rest  10  which supports one or both hands  12  of the client while the client receives nail care from the nail technician. The hand rest  10  is composed of a foam, a gel, a rubber, or any other suitable resilient material. 
     An air intake opening  14  is defined by the technician side of the body  4 . In the embodiment illustrated by  FIGS. 1-3 , the air intake opening  14  is defined by an upper side  16  of a retractable nozzle  18 . When the air intake opening  14  is defined by the retractable nozzle  18 , the air intake opening  14  is referred to herein as ‘nozzle opening  20 .’ 
     Retractable nozzle  18  telescopes between a first position, illustrated by  FIG. 1 , and a second position illustrated by  FIG. 2 . In the first position, the nozzle  18  is deployed and nozzle opening  20  is prepared to accept nail dust and organic chemical vapor. In the second position illustrated by  FIG. 2 , retractable nozzle  18  is telescoped and retracted into body  4 . The ‘first position’ is also referred to herein as the ‘deployed position.’ The ‘second position’ is also referred to herein as the ‘stowed position.’ The retractable nozzle  18  also may be in any position intermediate between the first and second positions. The retractable nozzle  18  is retractable because of the sliding engagement between telescoping tubes defining the nozzle  18  and because of the sliding engagement between the telescoping tubes and the body  4 . 
     As illustrated by  FIG. 4 , the nozzle opening  20  is in fluid communication with a vacuum source  22 . The body  4  rests on a desk  38 . The vacuum source  22  rests on the floor, in a cabinet, in another room or at any other suitable location. The vacuum source  22  includes a motor  24 , a blower  26 , a particulate filter  28  and a carbon filter  30 . The blower  26  has a high pressure side  32  from which the blower  26  discharges air and a low pressure side  34 . A vacuum source duct  36  connects the low pressure side  34  of the vacuum source  22  to the discharge location  40  of body  4 . The vacuum source  22  therefore pulls air from the discharge location  40  of body  4 . The air moving through the vacuum source  22  passes through the particulate filter  28  to collect particulate matter and through the carbon filter  30  to collect organic chemicals. The clean air is discharged from the high pressure side  32  of blower  26 . The body  4  may include a switch  42  to operate the motor  24 . Switch  42  alternatively may be incorporated into a foot-operated pedal or onto vacuum source  22 . 
     In use, and as illustrated by  FIG. 3 , the nail technician manipulates the fingernails of the client immediately above the nozzle opening  20  while the vacuum source  22  is engaged, collecting the nail dust and organic chemicals as they are released. 
       FIG. 5  is a cutaway perspective view of one embodiment of the apparatus with the top of the apparatus removed.  FIG. 5  illustrates a fluid communication between the nozzle opening  20  and the discharge location of body  40 . A body duct  44  connects the nozzle opening  20  to the discharge location of body  40 , passing through the interior volume  46  of body  4 . As shown by  FIG. 5 , body duct  44  has two branches leading to opposing ends of the body  4 . Vacuum source duct  36  can be attached to either one of body discharge locations  40 , while the other of the body discharge locations  40  is blinded by a cover. For the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , air entering the nozzle opening  20  passes through the nozzle  18  and into body duct  44 . The air then passes through body discharge opening  40  and through vacuum source duct  36  to vacuum source  22 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated by  FIG. 6 , nozzle  18  is not retractable. In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the body  4  has a removable top  45  that is removed in the figure. A particulate matter filter  28  is configured as a flat panel within interior volume  46  and spans all or part of the body  4 , engaging matching grooves  46  defined by the opposing ends of body  4 . The activated carbon filter  30  also is configured as a flat panel within the interior volume  46  and spans all or part of the body  4 , engaging matching grooves  46  defined by opposing ends of body  4 . The carbon filter  30  is located downstream of particulate matter filter  28 . Application of a partial vacuum from the vacuum source  22  to the body discharge location  40  provides an air pressure within the interior volume  46  that is less than the ambient pressure outside the body  4 . Air is pulled through the nozzle opening  20 , through the particulate and carbon filters, through the interior volume  46  and out the body discharge location  40 . 
     The top  45  is removable to allow access to particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30  to allow cleaning and replacement. The connection between the particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30  and the body  4  and top  45  is substantially air-tight, so that substantially all of the air passing through the nozzle opening  20  also will pass through both the particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30 . 
       FIG. 7  is a partial cutaway plan view of another embodiment of the apparatus with the removable top  45  removed. In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the motor  24  and blower  26  are included within the interior volume  46  of the body and are not a separate vacuum unit  22 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , nozzle  18  is not retractable and nozzle opening  20  communicates through nozzle  18  into body duct  44 . Body duct  44  communicates to filter bag  48 , which includes both particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30 . Air passes through the filter bag  48  into interior volume  46  of body  4 . Air pass over motor  24 , cooling motor  24 . Blower  26  pulls air through the blower low pressure side  34  and expels the clean air through body discharge opening  40 , which coincides with the high pressure side  32  of blower. The top  45  is removable to clean or change filter bag  48  or to service motor  24 . Motor  24  is selectably activated by electrical switch  42 . 
       FIGS. 8-12  illustrate two embodiments in which particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30  are contained within body interior volume  46  a removable drawer  50 .  FIG. 8  is a section plan view of the body  4 .  FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the drawer  50 . As shown by  FIG. 9 , drawer  50  is open on two sides to allow the passage of air through the particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30 . When the drawer  50  is in place, the drawer  50  define a substantially airtight connection between the drawer  50  and the body  4  so that substantially all of the air passing through body discharge location  40  also passes through nozzle opening  20  and then through filters  28 ,  30 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the nozzle  18  is not retractable. 
       FIGS. 10-12  illustrate an embodiment similar to that of  FIGS. 8 and 9 , except that the nozzle  18  is retractable and has a first and a second position.  FIG. 10  is a cutaway plan view showing the nozzle of this embodiment in the second, or stowed, position.  FIG. 11  shows is a cutaway plan view showing the nozzle in the first, or deployed position. As shown by  FIG. 11 , a body duct  44  directs air from the nozzle opening  20  when the nozzle  18  is in the first position past drawer  50  and through particulate and carbon filters  28 ,  30 . The air passes through the interior  46  and through body discharge opening  40  to the vacuum source  22  through the vacuum source duct  36 . Drawer  50  may be removed for maintenance of filters  28 ,  30 . Vacuum source duct  36  may be connected to body discharge locations  40  at either end of body  4 , with the other body discharge location  40  blinded by a cap. The movement of air is illustrated by arrows in  FIG. 11 . 
     The embodiment shown by  FIGS. 10-12  may include a motor  24  and blower  26  in the interior volume of body  4 , as shown by  FIG. 7 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate an embodiment incorporating a cyclone particulate matter separator  52 .  FIG. 13  is a partial cutaway plan view while  FIG. 14  is a section view of the technician side  6 . The cyclone  52  appears in the interior volume  46  of body  4 . The cyclone  52  is circular in plan view and has a cyclone side wall  54  and defines a cyclone interior volume  56 . Nozzle  18  communicates with the cyclone interior volume  56  at a cyclone inlet  58  along the side wall  54 . Dust laden air entering the nozzle opening  20  and passing through nozzle  18  enters the cyclone interior volume  56  at cyclone inlet  58 . The air is directed annularly to the cyclone side wall and adjacent to the cyclone side wall  54 . The air is directed in a circular motion by the cyclone side wall  54 . Dust entrained in the air strikes the cyclone side wall  54  and slows. The dust settles from the air and drops into drawer  50 . Drawer  50  slides from body  4  for disposal of the dust. The air exits through cyclone outlet  60  and through body discharge location  40  to the vacuum source  22 . 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate a body  4  having an air intake  14  that is not in the form of a retractable nozzle  18 . The air intake  14  is flush with the technician side  6  of the body  4 . Body discharge location  40  is in fluid communication with air intake  14 . Interior volume  46  of body may define the fluid communication. Alternatively, a body duct  44  may be provided, as illustrated by  FIG. 5 . The flush air intake  14  of  FIGS. 15 and 16  may be combined with a nozzle  18  as illustrated by  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8 , among others, with air passing through the flush air intake passing through a carbon filter to collect odors and organic compounds and with air passing through the nozzle  18  passing through a particulate filter to collect nail dust. 
     The shoulders of the client generally will be wider than the width of the body  4 . For the embodiments illustrated by  FIGS. 1 through 15 , this difference in width causes the arms and hands  12  of the client to engage the cushioned hand rest  10  at an angle when both hands  12  are supported by the cushioned hand rest  10 .  FIG. 16  illustrates a body  4  that defines an angle between the cushioned hand rest  10  for each hand  12  to more comfortably support both hands  12  of the client at the same time. The difference in the orientation of the two hand rests  10  shown by  FIG. 16  can be defined by either a curve in body  4  or by an angle in body  4 . The feature of the angle between two cushioned hand rests  10  may be incorporated into any of the embodiments illustrated by  FIGS. 1-15 . 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a version of the apparatus of  FIG. 10  with a motor  24  and a blower  26  located within the interior volume  46  of the hand rest  2 . Motor  24  turns blower  26 , which draws air through the nozzle  18 , shown in the retracted position, and pulls the air past the particulate filter  28  and the carbon filter  30 . The cleaned air is discharged through the body discharge opening  40 . 
     In the embodiments illustrated by  FIGS. 7 and 17  in which the motor  24  and blower  26  are mounted in the interior volume  46  of the hand rest  2 , the motor  24  and blower  26  specifications are: an AC brushless motor with a design lifespan of 5000 to 10,000 hours, the motor  24  and blower  26  generating less than 70 db of noise and able to pull a suction equivalent to a water column 8 inches tall. 
     Nozzle opening  20  may be configured to receive attachments, illustrated by  FIGS. 17-19 . The attachments may include a flexible tube  62 , shown by  FIG. 18 , a vacuum brush  64 , shown by  FIG. 19  and a restricted flow nozzle  66 , shown as element  66  of  FIG. 20 . The flexible tube  62  is configured to selectably engage nozzle opening  20  and to receive the brush  64  or the restricted flow nozzle  66 . The attachments are in fluid communication with the nozzle opening  20  through the flexible tube  62 . The nail technician may utilize the attachments  62 - 66  and hand rest vacuum  2  to clean the technician&#39;s workstation. The attachments  62 - 66  and the hand rest vacuum  2  in combination may form a kit. 
     In describing the above embodiments of the invention, specific terminology is selected for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     CLAIM ELEMENTS 
     The following elements are included in the claims, drawings and specification. Each element is followed by the element number by which it is designated in the drawings and specification. The elements are presented generally in the order in which they appear in the claims.
     a hand rest apparatus  2     a body  4     an interior volume  46     a desk  38     a top  45     a hand  12     a client side  8     a technician side  6     an air intake opening  14     a vacuum source  22     a nozzle  18     an upper side  16     a nozzle opening  20     a particulate filter  28     a carbon filter  30     a motor  24     a blower  26     a high pressure side  32     a low pressure side  34     a vacuum source duct  36     a discharge location of body  40     a body duct  44     a cyclone particulate matter separator  52     a cyclone inlet  58     a cyclone outlet  60     a cyclone side wall  54     a cyclone interior volume  56     a flexible tube  62     an attachment  64 ,  66