EP1063068A2 - Procédé de revêtement décoratif de surfaces, en particulier de carreaux, et dispositif de mise en oeuvre dudit procédé - Google Patents

Procédé de revêtement décoratif de surfaces, en particulier de carreaux, et dispositif de mise en oeuvre dudit procédé Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1063068A2
EP1063068A2 EP99830428A EP99830428A EP1063068A2 EP 1063068 A2 EP1063068 A2 EP 1063068A2 EP 99830428 A EP99830428 A EP 99830428A EP 99830428 A EP99830428 A EP 99830428A EP 1063068 A2 EP1063068 A2 EP 1063068A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
mask
nozzle
printing
machine according
jet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99830428A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1063068A3 (fr
Inventor
Mauro Cestari
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ARKTYPE S.R.L.
Original Assignee
Tyke Int'l Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tyke Int'l Srl filed Critical Tyke Int'l Srl
Publication of EP1063068A2 publication Critical patent/EP1063068A2/fr
Publication of EP1063068A3 publication Critical patent/EP1063068A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
    • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
    • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
    • B28B11/04—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for coating or applying engobing layers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B12/00—Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
    • B05B12/16—Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area for controlling the spray area
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
    • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
    • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
    • B28B11/001—Applying decorations on shaped articles, e.g. by painting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
    • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
    • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
    • B28B11/04—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for coating or applying engobing layers
    • B28B11/048—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for coating or applying engobing layers by spraying or projecting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
    • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
    • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
    • B28B11/04—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for coating or applying engobing layers
    • B28B11/049—Recycling of the coating material

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for the decorative printing of surfaces, particularly of tiles and the like, according to the preamble to the main claim.
  • a further subject of the invention is a machine devised for implementing the method of the invention.
  • the invention has been devised, in particular but not exclusively, for the decorative printing of surfaces of tiles but may be applied equally advantageously in any field in which decorative characters or figures are to be printed on surfaces of products.
  • the so-called "contact” printing method which provides for contact to take place between the printing means and the surface of the tile.
  • the contact printing technique has some limitations due mainly to the fact that the printing is greatly affected by the nature of the surface of the tile. In fact if this surface is moist or wet, the colouring substance is not transferred adequately to the surface whereas, on the other hand, with dry surfaces there is a risk of too rapid a transfer of the colouring substance with an excessive absorption effect.
  • Another limitation of contact printing is that, in the edge portions of the tile, which are generally chamfered, the printing cannot be performed effectively owing to the lack of contact of the printing head with the surface of the tile.
  • the so-called ink-jet printing technique which permits printing on surfaces without contact between the surface and the printing means is also known.
  • This technique provides for selective spraying, through one or more nozzles provided on the printing head, of ink in the form of minuscule drops which dry upon contact with the air, building up the character or printed decorative figure by dots.
  • This technique of which, however, there are no known applications in the field of tile decoration, has some limitations to its application in the specific technical field of the present invention.
  • the nozzle-bearing head is typically moved relative to the printing surface to reach the positions in which to spray the ink, fast printing speeds comparable to the production rates reached for tiles nowadays could not generally be achieved.
  • the object of the present invention is to overcome the problems mentioned with reference to the prior art by means of a method for the decorative printing of surfaces which overcomes the above-mentioned problems connected with contact printing and at the same time ensures printing speeds adequate for the production rates which can be achieved nowadays for tiles.
  • the subject of the present invention is a method for the decorative printing of surfaces of tiles and the like, the characteristics of which are indicated in Claims 1 to 6 below.
  • the present invention also relates to a machine which has been devised specially for implementing the method of the invention and the characteristics of which are indicated in Claims 7 to 18.
  • a machine is for the decorative printing of a surface 2, particularly one of the opposed surfaces of a tile 3, according to the method of the present invention.
  • Figure 1 shows four machines 1 arranged in series, only one of which will be described in detail below.
  • the machine 1 comprises a pair of endless conveyor belts 4 each of which has an upper pass 4a on which the tile 3 is transported.
  • the upper passes 4a of the two conveyor belts 4 are aligned with one another and spaced apart, a gap 5 being defined between them.
  • the machine 1 also comprises a printing head, generally indicated 6, by means of which a colouring substance, for example enamel, paint, or another coloured pigment, is sprayed onto the surface 2 of the tile.
  • the printing head 6 is fixed to a framework 1a of the machine and has a nozzle 7 having a substantially rectangular outlet section 7a which is elongate along a major axis ( Figure 2).
  • the nozzle 7 faces the conveyor belts 4 and is arranged in vertical alignment with the gap 5 between the conveyors.
  • the machine On the opposite side of the conveyors 4 to the head 6, the machine comprises a reservoir 8 for holding the colouring substance, the reservoir having an upper opening 8a aligned vertically with the nozzle 7 and the gap 5.
  • a pump 9 In the bottom of the reservoir 8, at the opposite end to the opening 8a, there is a pump 9 for pumping the colouring substance through a duct 10 to the printing head 6.
  • a first chamber 11 defined in the printing head 6 is supplied with the colouring substance under pressure through the duct 10 and is in communication with a second chamber 12 which in turn is in communication with the nozzle 7.
  • the second chamber 12 serves to bring about partial expansion of the colouring substance before it is expelled through the nozzle 7.
  • Two cavities 13, 14 defined in the head 6 upstream and downstream of the nozzle 7 are in communication with respective ducts 13a, 14a the opposite ends of which are connected to the reservoir 8 by means of a pump 15.
  • the pump 15 serves to create a partial vacuum in the ducts 13a, 14a so as to draw in through the cavities 13, 14 the quantity of colouring substance which is sprayed by the nozzle but is not deposited on the tile 3, and to convey it back to the reservoir 8.
  • the machine according to the present invention further comprises a ribbon-like mask, indicated 16, which extends in a closed loop around a set of three guide rollers 17a, 17b, 17c between which three respective portions 18a, 18b, 18c are defined.
  • the portion 18a defined between the rollers 17a, 17b is interposed between the head 6 and the conveyors 4 in a manner such that it is disposed between the nozzle 7 and the surface 2 of the tile, in operation.
  • the ribbon-like mask 16 which is preferably made of metal, has a plurality of through-holes 19 in a substantially matrix-like arrangement, some of the holes being blocked in accordance with a preselected configuration correlated with a corresponding decorative figure to be produced by printing on the tile 3.
  • the ribbon-like element 16 is driven around the guide rollers 17a, 17b, 17c in a manner such that the portion 18a performs a translational movement relative to the printing head 6.
  • the mask 16 is struck by the jet of colouring substance which is sprayed through the nozzle 7 and is directed onto the surface 2 of the tile through the holes 19, thus printing the preselected decorative figure.
  • the tile 3 is carried by the conveyor belts 4 with a translational movement synchronous with the movement of the ribbon-like mask 16 and the jet of colouring substance is sprayed through the nozzle 7 continuously, without interruption, during the passage of the tile beneath the printing head 6.
  • the colouring substance is thus directed onto the surface 2 of the tile through the holes 19, which interfere with the flow of colouring substance expelled by the nozzle 7 during the passage of the mask beneath the printing head. It will be noted that the elongate shape of the nozzle 7 enables the colouring substance to be sprayed simultaneously over the entire transverse dimension of the tile, with reference to the direction of advance of the mask.
  • ribbon-like mask 16 is also provision for the ribbon-like mask 16 to be replaceable by other masks, each having an arrangement of partially-blocked holes which is representative of a corresponding decorative figure to be printed.
  • a device which is not shown and is not a subject of the present invention is provided for converting the preselected decorative figure into a configuration of partially-blocked through-holes for a respective mask such as to reproduce the figure on the surface of the tile during printing.
  • Figure 1 shows a plant comprising four machines formed in accordance with the present invention, arranged in series. This arrangement may be provided, for example, for colour printing of tile surfaces when, in each machine 1, there is provision for a step to print a respective colour or a portion of the whole decorative figure to be printed on the tile.
  • the method according to the present invention provides for the tiles 3 to be carried by the belts 4 from the first machine to the fourth machine with a translational movement synchronous with the relative movement of each respective ribbon-like mask 16.
  • the method provides for the colouring substance sprayed by the respective nozzle 7 to be directed onto the surface 2 of the tile through the corresponding ribbon-like mask 16. Since, during the movement of the tiles past the printing heads 6, the colouring substance is sprayed continuously and in potentially excessive quantities, the excess quantity of colouring substance which is not transferred to the tile is recovered, on the one hand, by falling into the reservoir 8 through the gap 5 and the opening 8a of the reservoir and, on the other hand, by suction thereof into the cavities 13, 14 and subsequent transportation to the reservoir 8.
  • the invention thus solves the problem set, achieving many advantages in comparison with known solutions.
  • the method and the machine according to the invention enable printing to be carried out on tile surfaces without any contact between the surface and the printing head so that the nature of the surface has no effect on the type of writing or decoration produced.
  • the absence of contact with the surface of the tile also advantageously permits fast printing speeds and enables improved and more accurate control of the speed and synchronism in the movement of the tile and of the ribbon-like mask to be achieved, owing to the absence of friction.
  • Another advantage is that the contactless printing which can be achieved by the method and the machine of the invention enables the chamfered edges of the tiles to be printed effectively so that any curvature of the edge relative to the remaining surface has no effect. All of the problems connected with contamination caused by the substance, whether it be enamel, paint, or colouring pigment of another type, between one printing head and the next are also advantageously prevented. Not the least advantage is that, since the printing head in the machine of the invention is fixed and the ribbon-like mask is in motion relative to the head, all of the problems connected with the speed and accuracy of positioning of the head which are typical of known printing machines are overcome.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)
  • Printing Methods (AREA)
  • Finishing Walls (AREA)
EP99830428A 1999-06-22 1999-07-05 Procédé de revêtement décoratif de surfaces, en particulier de carreaux, et dispositif de mise en oeuvre dudit procédé Withdrawn EP1063068A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT1999PD000132A IT1306670B1 (it) 1999-06-22 1999-06-22 Metodo per la stampa decorativa di superfici, particolarmente dipiastrelle e simili, e macchina operante secondo tale metodo.
ITPD990132 1999-06-22

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1063068A2 true EP1063068A2 (fr) 2000-12-27
EP1063068A3 EP1063068A3 (fr) 2002-01-30

Family

ID=11392655

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99830428A Withdrawn EP1063068A3 (fr) 1999-06-22 1999-07-05 Procédé de revêtement décoratif de surfaces, en particulier de carreaux, et dispositif de mise en oeuvre dudit procédé

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1063068A3 (fr)
IT (1) IT1306670B1 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003099737A2 (fr) * 2002-05-24 2003-12-04 Alberto Franceschini Appareil et procede pour fabriquer des carreaux ceramiques decores
WO2004028767A1 (fr) * 2002-09-30 2004-04-08 System S.P.A. Appareil de distribution de poudres sur un support selon un motif predetermine
WO2004076179A1 (fr) * 2003-02-28 2004-09-10 Ciemme 80 S.R.L. Procede de decoration de carreaux et dispositif permettant de mettre en oeuvre ledit procede
EP1439045A3 (fr) * 2003-01-13 2005-10-26 Villeroy & Boch Ag Procédé et dispositif de décoration de carreaux
WO2007050434A1 (fr) * 2005-10-21 2007-05-03 Arnold George M Images pigmentees creees sur de la pierre
EP2954991A1 (fr) * 2014-05-30 2015-12-16 Mohawk Carpet Corporation Systèmes et méthodes de plinthes pour carrelage

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1995018020A2 (fr) * 1993-12-24 1995-07-06 Carlo Antonio Camorani Procede serigraphique destine a la decoration d'articles, et appareil associe

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1995018020A2 (fr) * 1993-12-24 1995-07-06 Carlo Antonio Camorani Procede serigraphique destine a la decoration d'articles, et appareil associe

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003099737A2 (fr) * 2002-05-24 2003-12-04 Alberto Franceschini Appareil et procede pour fabriquer des carreaux ceramiques decores
WO2003099737A3 (fr) * 2002-05-24 2004-03-18 Alberto Franceschini Appareil et procede pour fabriquer des carreaux ceramiques decores
WO2004028767A1 (fr) * 2002-09-30 2004-04-08 System S.P.A. Appareil de distribution de poudres sur un support selon un motif predetermine
US7178459B2 (en) 2002-09-30 2007-02-20 System S.P.A. Apparatus for distributing powders on a support in a predetermined pattern
EP1439045A3 (fr) * 2003-01-13 2005-10-26 Villeroy & Boch Ag Procédé et dispositif de décoration de carreaux
WO2004076179A1 (fr) * 2003-02-28 2004-09-10 Ciemme 80 S.R.L. Procede de decoration de carreaux et dispositif permettant de mettre en oeuvre ledit procede
WO2007050434A1 (fr) * 2005-10-21 2007-05-03 Arnold George M Images pigmentees creees sur de la pierre
US7919191B2 (en) 2005-10-21 2011-04-05 Arnold George M Pigmented images on stone
EP2954991A1 (fr) * 2014-05-30 2015-12-16 Mohawk Carpet Corporation Systèmes et méthodes de plinthes pour carrelage
EP3718722A1 (fr) * 2014-05-30 2020-10-07 Daltile Corporation Systèmes et méthodes de plinthes pour carrelage
US11136758B2 (en) 2014-05-30 2021-10-05 Daltile Corporation Tile edge systems and methods
US11549263B2 (en) 2014-05-30 2023-01-10 Daltile Corporation Tile edge systems and methods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1306670B1 (it) 2001-10-02
ITPD990132A1 (it) 2000-12-22
EP1063068A3 (fr) 2002-01-30

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