Method of after-treatment of a dyeable nylon textile surface with a stain resist and the article produced thereby

Abstract

A method of treating articles having a textile surface (such as broadloom carpets or carpet tiles) with a stainblocker composition is disclosed. After coloring, a stainblocker composition having a temperature from twenty to ninety-five degrees Celsius (20 to 95° C.) is applied. If the articles are carpet tiles, the stainblocker is applied using a flood process. The article is dried in a drying zone having a temperature in the range from seventy-five degrees Celsius to ninety-five degrees Celsius (75-95° C.) for a time sufficient to allow the stainblocker composition to react with the nylon yarn in the textile surface. Preferably, an infra-red oven is used to define the drying zone.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . The article produced by a method for treating an article having a textile surface with a stainblocker composition, the textile surface being-formed from at least two types of dyeable nylon yarns, wherein at least one type of nylon yarn is dyeable by an acid dyestuff and at least one other type of nylon yarn is dyeable by a cationic dyestuff, 
 the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) coloring the textile surface of the article with at least an acid dyestuff and a cationic dyestuff;  
 (b) applying a stainblocker composition to the textile surface of the article, the stainblocker composition having a temperature from twenty to ninety-five degrees Celsius (20 to 95° C.);  
 (c) drying the article in a drying zone having a temperature in the range from seventy-five degrees Celsius to ninety-five degrees Celsius (75-95° C.) for a time sufficient to allow the stainblocker composition to react with the nylon yarn in the textile surface; and  
 (d) rinsing the textile surface of the article with water, and thereafter drying the same,  
   such that substantially the entire textile surface of the article is coated with a stainblocker composition whereby the textile surface has a stain resistance of 9 or higher on the AATCC Red 40 Stain Scale.    
     
     
         2 . The article produced by the method of  claim 1  wherein the article is a carpet tile, and wherein, in step (b) the stainblocker composition is applied using a flood process, 
 such that substantially the entire textile surface of the carpet tile is coated with a stainblocker composition whereby the textile surface of the carpet tile has a stain resistance of 9 or higher on the AATCC Red 40 Stain Scale.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method for treating the textile surface of each of a plurality of tiles with a stainblocker composition, the textile surface of each tile being formed from nylon yarn colorable by an acid dyestuff, the textile surface of each tile being colored using an acid dye, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) applying a stainblocker composition to the textile surface of the tiles, the application of the stainblocker composition being made using a flood process, the stainblocker composition having a temperature from twenty to ninety-five degrees Celsius (20 to 95° C.);    (b) drying the tile in a drying zone having a temperature in the range from seventy-five degrees Celsius to ninety-five degrees Celsius (75-95° C.) for a time sufficient to allow the stainblocker composition to react with the nylon yarn in the textile surface of the tile; and    (c) rinsing the textile surface of the tile with water, and thereafter the same,    such that substantially the entire textile surface of each tile is coated with a stainblocker composition whereby the textile surface has a stain resistance of 9 or higher on the AATCC Red 40 Stain Scale.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the drying zone of step d) uses infra-red energy to dry the tiles.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the temperature of the drying zone is in the range from eighty degrees Celsius to eighty-five degrees Celsius (80-85° C.).  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the tiles are conveyed on a conveyor, and wherein the flood process is used to apply the stainblocker composition to the textile surface of the tiles on the conveyor.  
     
     
         7 . The article produce by the method of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         8 . A method for treating the textile surface of an article with a stainblocker composition, the textile surface being formed from nylon yarn colorable by an acid dyestuff, the textile surface of the article being colored using an acid dye, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) applying a stainblocker composition to the textile surface of the article, the stainblocker composition having a temperature from twenty to ninety-five degrees Celsius (20 to 95° C.);    (b) drying the article in a drying zone having a temperature in the range from seventy-five degrees Celsius to ninety-five degrees Celsius (75-95° C.) for a time sufficient to allow the stainblocker composition to react with the nylon yarn in the textile surface; and    (c) rinsing the textile surface of the article with water, and thereafter drying the same,    such that substantially the entire textile surface of the article is coated with a stainblocker composition whereby the textile surface has a stain resistance of 9 or higher on the AATCC Red 40 Stain Scale.    
     
     
         9 . The article produce by the method of  claim 8.