Patent Application
20180243880
The present invention in general relates to surface cleaning, finishing, and sealing and in particular, to a buffing and polishing article that uses intimate contact between the buffing and polishing article to clean, finish, and seal a target surface.
Historically, debris is cleaned from a surface through the application of mechanical abrasive force, chemical displacement, or combination thereof. While rubbing a target surface with conventional cleaning article often is adequate to remove debris electrostatically adhered to a target substrate, many types of debris are resinous or oily thereby making removal by simply imparting mechanical forces to the debris difficult. In such instances, it is routine to include a buffing wax that serves to focus mechanical energy input to the debris particulate, while surfactants serve to solubilize debris. Unfortunately, resort to waxes and surfactants, each create difficulties that tend to create swirls of wax in the target surface and over time visibly damage the target surface, while surfactants are slow to lift debris and tend to leave a film on the target surface that promotes redeposition of debris.
Most American automobiles are factory painted with several layers of colored and clear paint or paint-like coatings that together produce a beautiful luster and a smooth feel to the touch, the luster and smooth feel serving to enhance the value of the car in the eyes of the owner. Over time, the painted/coated surface becomes damaged though by the forces of nature: UV radiation from the sun damages the upper surface of the coat causing it to feel rough; air causes the paint to oxidize and lose shine; wind-borne dust produces nicks and scratches in the surface; and dust and grease can become embedded in the surface, as well as, paint overspray and industrial fallout such as rail dust. These agents act together to dull the look and roughen the feel.
The cleaning of a vehicle exterior surface inclusive of windows, trim, and painted surfaces are exemplary of target surfaces of high value that are exposed to considerable buildup of grime and debris. A vehicle surface is also highly prone to diminished visual appearance through repeated conventional cleaning. In order to address the above-noted limitations associated with target surface cleaning with a sponge or cloth, alone or with abrasives, surfactants, or combination thereof.
Many polishing products already appear on the market. These products fall into three general categories of a liquid or semi-solid polishing paste, clay polishing erasers, and a polishing towel and pad as described in Taiwan Patent 1247801 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,867,967. The liquid compounds are messy to use and are time-consuming to apply. The clay eraser and polishing pads are labor intensive to use.
The cleaning of a vehicle exterior surface inclusive of windows, trim, and painted surfaces are exemplary of target surfaces of high value that are exposed to considerable buildup of grime and debris. A vehicle surface is also highly prone to diminished visual appearance through repeated conventional cleaning. Traditionally, rotary buffing pads have been formed of wool. Wool buffing pads are prone to forming clumps of fiber matted with buffing compounds.
Microfiber is a synthetic fiber finer than one denier or decitex/thread. The most common types of microfibers are made from polyesters, polyamides (e.g., nylon, Kevlar, Nomex, trogamide), or a conjugation of polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene (Prolen). Microfiber is used to make mats, knits, and weaves for apparel, upholstery, industrial filters, and cleaning products. The shape, size, and combinations of synthetic fibers are selected for specific characteristics, including softness, toughness, absorption, water repellency, electrostatics, and filtering capabilities.
In cleaning products, microfiber can be 100% polyester, or a blend of polyester and polyamide (nylon). Microfiber can be both a woven product or a nonwoven product, the latter most often used in limited use or disposable cloths. In the highest-quality fabrics for cleaning applications, the fiber is split during the manufacturing process to produce multi-stranded fibers. A cross section of the split microfiber fabric under high magnification would look like an asterisk. The split fibers and the size of the individual filaments working in conjunction with the spaces between them make the cloths more effective than other fabrics for cleaning purposes. The structure traps and retains the dirt and also absorbs liquids, and unlike cotton, microfiber leaves no lint.
While there have been many advances in materials for cleaning, polishing, and buffing there is an existing need for longer life buffing products that are resistant to pilling that leads to swirling of buffing compound or other irregularities in the buff, as well as the retention of more buffing wax.
A surface polishing pad includes a series of microfibers formed as a yarn cut to form fibers with free ends and form a circular disc with the free ends projecting outward to form a polishing surface. A backing is formed from the yarn.
A process of buffing a vehicle outer surface includes rotating a buffing pad at a speed of between 5 and 1000 rotations per minute (rpm) non-orbitally around an axis, where the buffing surface is formed of a microfiber yarn, and contacting the buffing pad with the vehicle outer surface.
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention has utility as an article for cleaning, polishing, and buffing a target surface. A buffing pad for auto detailing is provided that may be attached to a rotary drive tool that has a microfiber buffing surface, where the microfiber is a yarn as opposed to a weave.
The present invention operates to clean, polish, and buff a substrate such as a vehicle and ideally return the same to the original look and feel in a fast and efficient manner, while providing high quality finishes with less frequent pad changes.
Without intending to be bound to a particular theory, an inventive microfiber yarn, which is formed from long continuous lengths of interlocked microfibers, is resistant to pilling that leads to scratches or irregularities in the buff, and retention of more buffing wax. The microfiber yarn is also more resilient to wear than traditional woven microfiber.
It is to be understood that in instances where a range of values are provided that the range is intended to encompass not only the end point values of the range but also intermediate values of the range as explicitly being included within the range and varying by the last significant figure of the range. By way of example, a recited range of from 1 to 4 is intended to include 1-2, 1-3, 2-4, 3-4, and 1-4.
Referring now to the figures a buffing pad is shown generally at 10 with the microfiber yarn application surface. The buffing surface 11 has intermixed dark and light colored tufts formed from microfiber yarn for visual clarity. The buffing surface 11 has a rounded edge along the circumference of the pad 10, and the density and dispersion of the blue and white tufts is maintained along the rounded edge.
As shown in
A process of buffing a vehicle outer surface with an embodiment of the inventive buffing surface 10 includes rotating a buffing pad around an axis, where the buffing surface 10 is formed of a microfiber yarn at a speed of between 5 and 1000 rotations per minute (rpm), and contacting the buffing pad with the vehicle outer surface. A buffing compound may be applied to the buffing surface or to a target surface of the vehicle prior to contacting the buffing surface to the target surface. In a specific embodiment the rotating occurs without orbital rotation.
The present invention is further detailed with resort to the following non-limiting examples.
An inventive buffing pad of
The process of Example 1 is repeated with a conventional wool buffing pad (Comparative Example A) and a conventional microfiber woven (non-tufted) buffing pad. The wool buffing pad was clogged with wax and slick to the touch after 5 minutes of buffing.
The foregoing description is illustrative of particular embodiments of the invention, but is not meant to be a limitation upon the practice thereof. The following claims, including all equivalents thereof, are intended to define the scope of the invention.
