CA3056113A1 - Electroconductive composition for decorative undercoat or construction material, such as a coating or mortar - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrically conductive composition (10) for a decorative or building underlay material, such as a plaster or a mortar, comprising at least a base material (12), a fluid binder (13) and an interactive powder material (14) comprising electro-conductivity properties, characterized in that the interactive powder material (14) comprising electro-conductivity properties meets at least one of the following criteria: - particle size included between approximately 29 and 149 microns / between approximately between 500 and 100 MeSH, - stainless, and - electrical resistivity between approximately 10-8 and 107 Ohm.m.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Electro-conductive composition for material decorative or construction underlayment, such as plaster or a mortar Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to an electro-conductive composition for material decorative or construction underlayment, such as plaster or mortar.
She applies in particular to the realization of wall or floor panel forming a capacitive surface with tactile effect.
Prior art

In the field of construction or decoration, and especially that of housing or offices, there are already many devices such as switch or switch for turning on or off an accessory such as a light fixture sound reproduction device, shutters or a connected object. Systems most currents are for example constituted by a prominent box mounted in surface of a wall such as a wall and take the form of a switch type electromechanical.
Other solutions may allow flush mounting, and especially those using a small capacitive surface with a tactile effect.

[0003] However, these solutions are not optimized in terms implantation of di-dimensions, ease of use and versatility. Indeed, it is necessary in general drill cavities in the wall and therefore damage it, pass cables, which either requires a preliminary calculation of their length, that is to say the realization of bleeding in the support, connect these cables to a socket or an accessory. These operations are long, expensive, for a result that is not always satisfactory in terms of aesthetics and efficiency.

[0004] In the particular case of switches with tactile surfaces, in more disadvantages mentioned above, these are generally very small and do not have no mo-dularity. Moreover, they cannot be covered, otherwise their character-capacitive characteristics decrease or disappear.
Presentation of the invention

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks with a approach to-totally innovative, adaptable to a large number of installations and with a efficiency significantly improved.

To this end, according to a first aspect, the present invention is relates to a com electrically conductive position for decorative underlay material or construction, such as a plaster or a mortar, comprising at least one base material, a binder fluid and an interactive powder material with properties electro-conductivity, characterized in that the interactive material powder with electro-conductivity properties complies with at least one of the criteria following:
- particle size between approximately 29 and 149 microns / between approximately 500 and 100 MeSH, - stainless, and - electrical resistivity between about 10-8 and 107 Ohm.m.

[0007] Thus, while in the prior art the electro-conductivity was likely to be a option added as an outer layer, the invention proposes to make materials electro-conductive base by mixing therein at the time of their manufacture a material electrically conductive powder having the stated characteristics previously.

The invention is implemented according to the embodiments and variants set out below, which are to be considered individually or according to any com-technically operative binaison.

Advantageously, the base material is at least one of the plaster (gypsum), the lime and earth, optionally mixed with at least one of a pigment, a plasticizer, mineral, electrolyte, water repellent additive, additive fire resistant, an anti-bacteriological additive and a fungicidal additive. This demonstrates the very big versatility of use of the plaster / mortar of the present invention, which can adapt to a large number of scenarios (the majority of those encountered in of-design and construction).

Preferably, the interactive powder material comprising properties electro-conductivity is at least one of carbon black, carbon active, the graphene, carbon, a fullerene, non-oxidizable aluminum, lignin, tin, copper and silicon. Carbon black is a particularly inter-feeling thanks to the delicacy of its grain and its excellent electro-conductivity, especially since it can be obtained inexpensively by recycling tires used.

More specifically, the interactive powder material comprising properties electro-conductivity is present in the composition in a range of 2 to 70% in weight and preferably between 5 and 50% by weight.

The present invention also relates to an assembly comprising an element decorative or building exterior, such as a sheet, panel or a slab, having an outer surface and an inner surface covering a plaster / mortar sub-layer as described above, said rigid outer element presenting, to level of its external surface, an electro-conductivity transforming said together in capacitive touchscreen support.

Advantageously the outer element is a paper frame or textile, a layer of paint, a wood-based panel such as paneling, plywood, melamine, MDF or parquet, a sheet of insulation made of natural material such as plaster and /
or synthetic material such as expanded or extruded polystyrene, or a slab tel than a cement tile or tile.

[0014] According to a particular application, the assembly constitutes a sensor of the type capacitive switch with tactile effect such as a binary switch or a variator.

Preferably the assembly further comprises an electronic module of treatment of signal emitted by the capacitive plaster / mortar, said module being connected deported way to the plaster / mortar via a cable.

According to a particular embodiment, the signal at the output of the electronic module treatment is wired, and / or in the light spectrum type and / or in the spectrum of radio frequencies.

[0017] .. According to a specific aspect of the present invention, the assembly is present under the form of a unit measuring a few mm2 to about 2 m2.

Advantageously, the thickness of the outer element is between 1 mm and about 30 mm.

According to a preferred embodiment, the assembly comprises several separate areas covering the capacitive plaster / mortar and each forming a surface capacitive effect distinct touch from others

More specifically, the assembly comprises several distinct zones covering capacitive plaster / mortar and together forming a single capacitive surface to effect tactile.

In an alternative embodiment, the zones form a pattern such as a grid.
Brief description of the figures

[0022] Other advantages, aims and characteristics of the present invention emerge from the description which follows given, for explanatory and in no way limiting, look of accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] [fig.1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing various possible use a plaster / mortar in accordance with the present invention,

[0024] [Fig.2] Figure 2 is a detail view of an assembly according to the current invention,

[0025] [Fig.3] Figure 3 is a detail view of a variant of realization of figure 2,

[0026] [Fig.4] Figure 4 is a detail view of another variant of realization of the figure 2,

[0027] [fig.5] Figure 5 is a schematic view of a device electronics incorporated in the assembly in accordance with the present invention,

[0028] [fig.6] Figure 6 is a schematic view of several possible locations of the whole of Figure 1, and

[0029] [fig.7] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the making the composition plaster / mortar.
Description of the embodiments

Figure 1 illustrates, on the same view, different applications possible for a plaster / mortar 10 in accordance with the present invention, and in particular a application wall and floor application.

The plaster / mortar 10 in question and the manufacture of which is described in relation with FIG. 7, comprises at least one base material 12 (list indicated subsequent laughing), a fluid binder 13, for example water, and a material interactive powder 14 having electro-conductivity properties respecting one at the less, and preferably all of the following criteria:
- particle size between approximately 29 and 149 microns / between approximately 500 and 100 MeSH, - stainless, and - electrical resistivity between about 10-8 and 107 Ohm.m.

More specifically, the interactive powder material 14 comprising properties electro-conductivity is at least one of carbon black, carbon active, the graphene, carbon, a fullerene, non-oxidizable aluminum, lignin, tin, copper and silicon.

The interactive powder material 14 having properties electro-conductivity is present in the composition in a range of 2 to 70% by weight and preference between 5 and 50% by weight.

The base material 12 entering into the composition of the plaster / mortar is at least one of plaster (gypsum), lime and earth, possibly mixed with at least one of a pigment, a plasticizer, a mineral, an electrolyte, a additive water repellent, a fire resistant additive, a bacteriological additive and a additive fungicide.

The composition consisting of the base material 12, water 13 and material teractant 14 is stirred in a container 16 (for example a bucket) using a spatula or industrially in specific powder mixers 15 in order to form a mixture in liquid phase 10, that is to say the plaster or the mortar concerned.

In the two variant embodiments shown in the figure 1, a part P is re-shown inside which an individual A is standing. A set (or as-appearance) decorative or construction 1 according to the present invention is integrated, depending on the desired use, to a wall 2 and a floor 3. A lamp L, a system of sound distribution S (audio speaker or alarm bell) and a card electronic C

are also fixed or incorporated (embedded) in said wall 2.

As illustrated in Figure 2, this decorative assembly or construction 1 comprises firstly an interactive plaster / mortar 10 as described above be linked for example using an electric cable 11 to the electronic board C.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the coating interactive 10 covers a hidden internal surface 22 of a rigid support 20, such as a panel or a slab, and thus forms an underlayer for the decorative or building set 1.

Thus, as illustrated in Figure 1, the underlayer coating 10 is placed behind the rigid support 20, so that said coating 10 is invisible to the individual A
all in allowing the assembly 1 to form a capacitive support with tactile effect at the level of the visible external surface 21 of the support 20.

In use, the capacitive composition (the electro-conductive component coating 10) detects the electric field radiated by the human body from individual A
which comes into contact with the surface 21 (by direct contact, by flush, even at a few millimeters away). This electric field is captured and then diffused in the electronic circuit C implanted at a fixed place of the place where is applied plaster 10 (see figure 1). The electronic card C then translates the electric field received as an order to activate or deactivate an accessory (sound, light, etc.).
Set 1 thus authorizes a relationship between user A and his habitat P. It allows to create capacitive tactile surfaces 21 allowing interactions smart.
[00411 The user A can therefore turn on / off the light L or activate the device of re sound production S simply by touching / flushing wall area 2 on which the coating 10 is laid as an underlayer for the rigid support 20, and this at anything which location of the outer surface 21. The present invention therefore makes it possible to to give a additional functionality to masonry or decorative products.
[0042] Depending on the types of use (decoration, renovation, construction), the rigid panel 20 can be wood-based (possibly hollowed out by milling), for example a paneling, plywood, MDF, melamine, or a mixture of these materials.
In Figure 3, the panel 20, wooden in this case, is locally dug in order that the coating 10 is embedded in the frame formed at the internal surface 22.
The panel 20 can also be an insulating panel such as a plasterboard or a plaster + insulation complex, or a paper and / or textile weft (woven or no woven), such as decorative wallpaper.
The set 1 of decoration or construction comprising the panel 20 on the surface capacitive outer layer 21 and the plaster sub-layer 10 connected to the surface internal 22 can be sold individually and be placed according to the wishes of user A in function in particular of the accessory to which he wishes to connect said assembly 1.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, the assembly 1 can also be constituted by a slab 30 placed on the floor 3, for example a decorative cement tile.
The tile cement 30 is first provided, on a hidden internal surface 32, with a mortar 10 according to the present invention allowing the assembly 1 to form a support capacitive with tactile effect at the level of the external surface 31. The mortar 10 is thus em-prisoner (arrows F) between floor 3 and cement tile 30.
For this type of ground application, the invention can be used for assistance to disabled people by creating a path for the visually impaired, or for sensory awakening in children through interactive games. So a once the mortar composition 10 is applied to a cement screed 3 (figure 4), he is possible to have sound tiles 30 on said floor in order to create a path in the part P. The electro-conductive mortar 10 is then applied according to a template deposit separating the different electrically conductive zones.
According to an alternative embodiment, the cement tile 30 can be replaced by tile or marble.
According to another variant, the support 30 can be constituted by a finishing screed (placed above the sub-layer formed by the mortar 10) covered of a re-decorative clothing such as linoleum, carpet, parquet, tiles, of marble, etc.
In all the cases described, the thickness of the support 20/30 (rigid panel, slab, fine paper or textile weft) and a possible decorative coating (for example carpet or linoleum in the case of floor use, or wallpaper in the case of use on an insulation board) is between approximately 1 and 30 mm from so that the electro-conductivity of the outer surface 21/31 can be captured by the electronic card C.
In this regard, Figure 5 shows in more detail said card.
C electronics arranged for example at a distance from the electrically conductive outer surface 21/31 by virtue of the cable 11. Thus, this card C comprises microcontrollers C1 making the calculations of data processing, a sensitivity adjustment element C2 (adjustment physical, thanks to the designated element, or digital, via an application), a C3 element of calibration and size adjustment of the electrically conductive outer surface (physical adjustment, thanks to the designated element, or digitally, via a ap-plication), a C4 connector to a possible power supply connected to the network electric 220 V or 12 V (replaceable by a transformer), a C5 unit of communication wireless, a C6 battery, a C7 module to connect at least one area external electrically conductive 21/31 and a C8 network connection module wired from home if there is no wireless / home automation system.
The card C plays the role of signal processing to process the information that the plaster /

capacitive / electro-conductive mortar collects in case of human interaction.
The system connected to the accessory (luminaire, sound transmission device, object connected, home automation box, roller shutter, etc.) will be able to retrieve the information by way wired or wireless, for example in the light spectrum (infrared, microwave, radio waves, etc.) for communication values greater than or equal to 800 na-nometers and in Radio waves for frequencies between 0 and 1 Tera Hertz.
This card C is powered by either a power supply connected to 220 V networks conventional, either by a transformer directly installed on the card, or per battery /
drums.
Multiple arrangements of several individual wall panels or linked between they can be envisaged, such as those illustrated in FIG. 6 where shapes various of tactile surfaces 21 are shown, for example a single switch big surface (up to 2m2), various smaller switches, patterns geometric rectilinear and / or curved, such as a checkerboard, parallel lines, an arc, etc.
Compared to a conventional switch, the advantages are numerous, in particular:
- the switch function implemented by the plaster is more comfortable that devices of the prior art because it is adaptable according to the needs and desires and it avoids having to cross a room to press a switch distant, - the switch function prevents the installation of a two-way switch, - the use of a plaster leaves free room for artistic creativity in regards to the outer aesthetic layer covering it, - applications related to health and learning are possible, - the surfaces forming switches can be highlighted by any way (texture, relief, color), - greater ease of connecting to existing electrical systems, - greater ease of applying the coating on already existing walls.
It should of course be understood that the detailed description of the object of the Invention, given for illustrative purposes only, does not in any way constitute limitation, technical equivalents also being included in the scope of this present invention.
[0057] Thus, the number and the shape of the external electro-conductive 21/31 can vary according to use, room, type of support.
Other flexible or rigid 20/30 supports can be envisaged from when they make it possible to form, with the plaster / mortar 10 conforming to this present invention, a assembly 1 having an electrically conductive outer surface 21/31. So, he is possible to consider electrically conductive furniture such as a table, a office, a sofa, cupboard, bookcase, kitchen furniture, headboard bed, one nightstand, etc.

Claims

Claims [Claim 1] Electroconductive composition for sub-material decorative layer or construction, such as a plaster or a mortar (10), comprising at minus a base material (12), a fluid binder (13) and an in-powdered teractant (14) having electro-conductivity properties, characterized in that the interactive powder material (14) comprising of the electro-conductivity properties meets at least one of the criteria following:
- particle size between approximately 29 and 149 microns / between approximately between 500 and 100 MeSH, - stainless, and - electrical resistivity between about 10-8 and 107 Ohm.m.
[Claim 2] Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that than the material base (12) is at least one of plaster (gypsum), lime and earth, optionally mixed with at least one of a pigment, a plasticizer, mineral, electrolyte, water repellent additive, additive fire resistant, an anti bacteriological additive and a fungicidal additive.
[Claim 3] Composition according to claim 2, characterized in that than the material interactive powder (14) with properties electro-conductivity is at least one of carbon black, activated carbon, graphene, carbon, a fullerene, aluminum no oxidizable, lignin, tin, copper and silicon.
[Claim 4] A composition according to claim 3, characterized in that than the material interactive powder (14) with properties electro-conductivity is present in the composition in a range of 2 to 70% by weight and preferably between 5 and 50% by weight.
[Claim 5] Assembly (1) comprising an external element of decoration or construction (20; 30), such as a sheet / film, panel or slab, having an outer surface (21; 31) and an inner surface (22; 32) covering a plaster / mortar (10) of an underlayment according to one any one of the preceding claims, said outer member (20;
30) having, at its outer surface (21; 31), an electro-conductivity transforming said assembly (1) into a capacitive effect support tactile.
[Claim 6] An assembly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that as the element outer (20; 30) is a paper or textile weft, a layer of paint, a wood-based panel (20) such as paneling, plywood, melamine, MDF or parquet, a sheet insulation made of natural material such as plaster and / or synthetic thetic such as expanded or extruded polystyrene, or a slab (30) such as cement tile or tile.
[Claim 7] An assembly (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 6, ca-characterized in that it constitutes a sensor of the capacitive switch type tactile effect such as a binary switch or a dimmer.
[Claim 8] An assembly (1) according to any one of claims 5 at 7, ca-characterized in that it further comprises an electronic module (C) for processing the signal emitted by the capacitive plaster / mortar (10), said module (C) being connected in a deported manner to the plaster / mortar (10) by through a cable (11).
[Claim 9] An assembly (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that that the signal in output of the electronic processing module (C) is wired, and / or in the light spectrum and / or in the radio frequency spectrum.
[Claim 10] An assembly (1) according to any one of claims 5 at 9, ca-characterized in that it is in the form of a unit measuring a few mm2 to about 2 m2.
[Claim 11] An assembly (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 10, ca-characterized in that the thickness of the outer element (20; 30) is between 1 mm and approximately 30 mm.
[Claim 12] An assembly (1) according to any one of claims 5 at 11, ca-characterized in that it comprises several distinct zones (21; 31) re-covering the capacitive plaster / mortar (10) and each forming a surface capacitive touch effect distinct from others.
[Claim 13] An assembly (1) according to any one of claims 5 at 11, ca-characterized in that it comprises several distinct zones (21; 31) re-covering the capacitive plaster / mortar (10) and together forming a single capacitive surface with tactile effect.
[Claim 14] An assembly (1) according to claim 12 or claim 13, ca-characterized in that the zones (21; 31) form a pattern such as a qua-drillage.