EP1742807A2

EP1742807A2 - Method to produce a covering modular panel, and modular panel thus obtained

Info

Publication number: EP1742807A2
Application number: EP05718266A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pietro Biasion
Original assignee: INTERMOS Ltd
Current assignee: ERGUN Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-26
Filing date: 2005-03-24
Publication date: 2007-01-17
Also published as: WO2005092638A3; WO2005092638A2; ITUD20040054A1

Abstract

Method to produce a covering modular panel (10) comprising a plurality of decorative elements (13) arranged on the same plane and distanced from each other according to a pre-established pattern so as to define a plurality of intervals or grooves (15), filled with a cohesive material. The method comprises a first step (16) of co-planar and distanced positioning of the decorative elements (13) on a supporting plane, a second step (17) of filling the grooves (15) by means of a not yet polymerized thermosetting resin, a third step (18) of polymerizing the thermosetting resin, and a fourth step (19) of removing from the supporting plane the decorative elements (13) connected to each other by the polymerized thermosetting resin.

Description

"METHOD TO PRODUCE A COVERING MODULAR PANEL, AND MODULAR PANEL THUS OBTAINED" * * * * * FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a method to produce a covering modular panel, able to be laid on a rigid wall next to other similar modular panels, so as to cover and decorate this wall. Each modular panel comprises a plurality of mosaic tesserae, or tiles, put adjacent to each other according to a desired pattern and distanced from each other so as to present intervals, usually regular and uniform, called grooves. To be more exact, the method according to the present invention allows to make a modular panel which does not require subsequent operations to fill the grooves defined between the tesserae of mosaic, or tiles, after the panel has been laid on surfaces that may even be curved, and with non-toxic materials. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In order to cover and decorate blank walls, it is known to use modular panels, consisting substantially of a plurality of mosaic tesserae, tiles, or other decorative elements arranged on the same plane and distanced from each other according to a desired pattern, so as to define intermediate grooves. To ensure the correct arrangement of the individual tesserae, two types of solution are used in the state of the art. A first known solution provides to use a sheet of paper or alternatively a plastic film, which are glued onto the visible surface of the tesserae so that, during laying, each sheet is first attached directly on the blank wall by means of the non-visible surfaces of the decorative elements, and then the protective film is removed so that stuccoing can be carried out. A second known solution provides to use a supporting net, glued on the non-visible side of the decorative elements, which is incorporated in the adhesive to the wall of the sheet. Another solution is also known, which provides -to prepare rigid panels, for example of- fiber glass, on which the pre- assembled sheets of decorative elements are attached and stuccoed, which will later be glued to the walls to be covered, necessarily with chemical glues and with consequent exhalations. In achieving mosaic coverings with all the met?hodologies known until now, it is necessary to leave between the first step of laying the tesserae and the second step of filling the grooves, a time varying between 12 and 24 hours to allow the laying glue itself to set. To attach the decorative elements that are not pre- assembled to the surfaces to be covered and to fill the relative grooves, it is known to use a material of a cement type, which however has high porosity, with the intrinsic risk of infiltrations of water and humidity, and the formation of mold. Moreover, to attach the sheets to the rigid wall and to stucco the grooves, it is known to use thermosetting resins, for example epoxy resins, necessary for pre- assembled panels. The latter, although they are more impermeable than cement products, are difficult to apply, especially on vertical walls. Moreover, the polymerization in situ of such resins also entails the emanation of toxic substances, which are particularly dangerous for the workers who use them. From the patent US-A-4,068,441 the technique is also known for making panels of cut glass, assembled by means of organic-epoxy compounds in a rigid self bearing construction absolutely without even the least flexibility. From the patent US-A-3,335,048 the technique is also known for making pre-fabricated panels consisting of a plurality of tesserae incorporated in a sheet of composite material in a rigid construction not suitable for application on non-plane surfaces and that can only be attached with chemical glues. From the German patent application DE-A-2263525 -the technique is also known to make pre-fabricated panels or rollers consisting of a plurality of tesserae or tiles, attached by gluing on a flexible support such as a fleece of continuous non-woven filaments, of the spunbonded type, which require the grooves to be filled after they have been attached to the support to be covered. One purpose of the present invention is to perfect a method to make modular covering panels which do not require, during laying, any operations to fill the grooves between the elementary decorative elements and between the panels themselves, and having flexibility such that they can be attached on surfaces with any shape whatsoever up to a minimum radius of curvature of 100 mm, while each decorative element remains substantially rigid. Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a covering modular panel which does not entail heavier weights than the embodiment of said covering with traditional methods. Another purpose of the present invention is to produce a covering modular panel with grooves that are filled and finished with thermosetting resins without the risk of emanation of toxic substances into the environment where the panels are laid, and which can be attached to the wall to be decorated with cement product, and hence non-toxic. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. In accordance with the aforesaid purposes, a method according to the present invention is applied to produce a covering modular panel comprising a plurality of decorative elements arranged on the same plane and distanced from each other according to a pre-established pattern so as to define a plurality of intervals, or grooves, filled with a cohesive material. The method according to the invention comprises a first step of co-planar and distanced positioning of the decorative elements on a provisional supporting structure; a second step of filling the grooves by means of a high- flexibility thermosetting resin, not yet polymerized; a third step of polymerizing said high-flexibility thermosetting resin and a fourth step of removing the decorative elements from the provisional supporting structure so that the decorative elements remain connected to each other by the high-flexibility thermosetting resin, now polymerized. With the method according to the present invention it is thus possible to produce a highly flexible modular panel, while still using substantially rigid decorative elements, such as stone, glass or very hard plastic materials. This allows, among other things, to arrange the panel thus obtained not only on plane surfaces, but also on curved surfaces, both concave and convex, with a radius of curvature even relatively limited, for example in the order of 100 mm. In this way, it is possible to use high-flexibility thermosetting resins to fill the grooves, even if the panels are laid on vertical walls, and without the risk of the application of these resins entailing the emanation of toxic substances that are dangerous for the workers that use them. Moreover, with the panels made using the method according to the present invention, it is possible to considerably reduce both times and costs of laying, since this modular panel emerges from the production process in a substantially finished state and requires only the normal steps of personalizing its profile, and attaching to the wall. Moreover, in the panels according to the present invention the surface of the decorative elements remains unchanged, preserving its capacity to be attached using the normal traditional cement materials. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 shows a covering modular panel according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a method to produce a covering modular panel according to the present invention;

- fig. 3 shows a first form of execution of the production method in fig. 2;

- fig. 4 shows a second form of execution of the production method in fig. 2. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT With reference to the attached drawingrs, a method 10 according to the present invention is used to produce a modular panel 11, to cover and enhance a blank wall 12. As shown in fig. 1, the modular panel 11 is able to be arranged adjacent to other analogous modular panels 11a, indicated with the line of dashes, in or<ier to cover at least a visible surface of the blank wal]_ 12. The latter can be either plane, curved, concave or coa-vex. To be more exact, the modular panel 1-1 consists of a plurality of mosaic tesserae 13, or tiles, arranged on the same plane, each one of a size of aboixt 20x20 mm and separated from the adjacent tessera 13, so as to define respective intermediate grooves 15, of a width of about 2 mm. The tesserae 13 forming the modular panel 11 can be made of any material whatsoever, such as for example glass, plastic ceramic or other. The shape, size and number of the tesserrae 13, and also the shape of the profile of the modular pan-el 11, according to some variants, can be different from those described and shown here. For example, the tesserae 13 cran be of a size that varies from about 10x10 mm to about 100x100 mm and more, or have other shapes than square, or polygonal; or the profile of the modular panel 11 can be shaped in a personalized manner according to the requirements of laying on the rigid wall 12 , or otherwise . According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the grooves 15 are filled, during the production of the modular panel 11, with a high-flexibility thermosetting resin, for example polyurethane, so as to connect together the various tesserae 13, and define the structure of the modular panel 11, in oirder to make it transportable, and ready for laying on the wall 12. Moreover, the polyurethane resin is also positioned along the perimeter of the panel 11, with a width of about 1 mm, or half of the width of the grooves 15. In this way, when two modular panels 11 and 11a are laid adjacent on the rigid wall 12, a groove 15a is defined between them which is filled with polyurethane resin and of a width substantially equal to the other grooves 15. Moreover, colored pigments can be added to the polyurethane resin used to fill the grooves 15, so as to create an aesthetic effect that can be personalized on each occasion. With reference to fig. 2, the method 10 to produce the aforesaid modular panel 11 comprises the following steps: a first step 16 of co-planar and distanced positioning of the tesserae 13 on a supporting plane, so as to define the relative grooves 15; a second step 17 of filling the grooves 15 with the not yet polymerized polyurethane resin; a third step 18 during which, in a known manner, polymerization occurs, that is, the polyurethane resin is hardened in order to connect the tesserae 13 to each other; and a fourth step 19 of removing the tesserae 13 from the supporting plane, when they are connected to each other by the polymerized polyurethane resin. In the second step 17 the still unpolymerized polyurethane resin is also cast, injected or in some way arranged along the perimeter of the panel 11, with a width half that of the grooves 15. The method 10 according to the invention can be put into practice, according to a first solution shown in fig. 3, by means of a press 20 provided with a lower plate 21, preferably fixed, which defines the aforesaid supporting plane and with an opposite upper plate 22, movable parallel to the lower plate 21 by means of a linear actuator 23 of a known type. According to the provisions of the first step 16, the tesserae 13 are positioned on the upper surface of the lower plate 21, distanced from each other so as to define the relative grooves 15, and hence define -the shape of the modular panel 11. In this embodiment, at the sides of -the press 20 a plurality of nozzles 26 is also provided, o± which two only are shown in fig. 3, able to inject the polyurethane resin inside the grooves 15 defined between the tesserae 13. To be more exact, before this operation is performed, the upper plate 22 is brought near the lower plate 21, to keep the tesserae 13 pressed together, so that d^~uring the second step 17 the injected resin does not leak from the grooves

15, especially from the visible part of the surface of the modular panel 11. Once the second step 17 has been completed, the step 18 is performed to polymerize, in a known manner, the polyurethane resin, so as to make the te sserae 13 solid with each other and thus form the modular panel 11 in its entirety. When the polymerization step 18 is terminated, the upper plate 22 is distanced from the lower pL ate 21 and the fourth step 19 of the method is carried ouxt, that is, the panel 11 thus formed is removed. The lat-fcer can then be stored and subsequently used for laying on the walls to be covered. According to a variant, shown schematically in fig. 4, the method 10 according to the present invention is carried out by means of an apparatus 36 comprising sa. fixed bench 27 provided at the upper part with a subs tantially plane surface, and a plurality of temporary clsmping pins 29, able to act substantially perpendicular to said plane surface. The pins 29 are all connected to each other, and are selectively thrust against the tesserae 13 by means of a linear actuator 31. In this embodiment, the tesserae 13 are positioned distanced from each other on the upper surface of the fixed bench 27, and temporarily clamped to the latter by means of the pins 29. In this condition the polyurethane resin is cast, injected or in some way deposited inside the grooves 15 defined between the tesserae 13, by means of a plurality of nozzles 30 able to slide either only transversely or also longitudinally with respect to the fixed bench 27. When the casting operation or deposition of the polyurethane resin is finished, the resin is made to polymerize and the panel 11 thus formed is removed from the fixed bench 27. With the method 10 according to the present invention it is therefore possible to produce a panel 11 to cover a rigid wall 12, with grooves 15 provided between the various tesserae 13 that, before the operations to lay the panel 11, are already full of a polymerized polyurethane resin, so as to reduce the laying times and costs of said panel 11. Moreover, since the polymerization of the polyurethane resin is carried out when the panel 11 is produced, the toxic fumes which notoriously are emanated during this operation can be sucked in by suitable suction plants arranged near the press 20 or the apparatus 36 with which said panel 11 is made, and therefore without polluting the environments where the panel 11 will be laid. It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of steps or parts may be made to the method 10 and the modular panel 11 as described heretofore, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, it comes within the field of the present invention to provide a further finishing step, wherein at least the visible surface of the panel 11 is smoothed. It also comes within the field of the invention to provide that each of the clamping pins 29 of the embodiment shown in fig. 4 can be commanded by a respective linear actuator 31. It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of method to produce a covering modular panel, and modular panel thus obtained, all of which shall come within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Method to produce a covering modular panel, with hicj-h flexibility and applicable both on plane surfaces and also on curved, concave or convex surfaces, comprising a plurality of decorative elements (13) such as mosa-Lc tesserae or tiles, substantially rigid and arrang&d distanced from each other according to a pre-establish&d pattern so as to define a plurality of intervals, or grooves (15), filled with a cohesive material-, characterized in that it comprises a first step (16) of distanced positioning of said decorative elements (13) on a provisional supporting structure, a second step (17) of filling said grooves (15) by means of a highly flexibLe thermosetting resin, not yet polymerized, a third step (IS) of polymerizing said highly flexible thermosetting resin-, in order to thus achieve said cohesive material, and a fourth step (19) of removing, from said provisiona-1 supporting structure, said decorative elements (13), which remain connected to each other by means of said highly flexible polymerized thermosetting resin.

2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that in said second step (17) it is provided that said highly flexible thermosetting resin, not yet polymerized, is also cast or injected or deposited along the perimeter of said pane 1 (11), for a width equal to half the width of said grooves (15).

3. Method as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that sai<i highly flexible thermosetting resin is of the polyurethan« type.

4. Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized iztx that said highly flexible thermosetting resin comprises colored pigments incorporated inside it.

5. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that in sai<i first step (16), said decorative elements (13) are arranged distanced from each other on a lower plate (21) of a press (20) and kept in this distanced arrangement by means of the action of an upper plate (22) of said press (20), opposite said lower plate (21).

6. Method as in claim 5, characterized in that in said second step (17) said not yet polymerized thermosetting resin is injected into said grooves (15), by means of a first plurality of nozzles (26) arranged at the sides of said press (20) .

7. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that in said first step (16), said decorative elements (13) are arranged distanced from each other on the upper surface of a fixed bench (27), and are kept distanced, by means of the action of a plurality of temporary clamping elements (29), each of which is able to act perpendicularly, by means of the action of a linear actuator (31), on a respective decorative element (13).

8. Method as in claim 7, characterized in that in said second step (17) said highly flexible thermosetting resin, not yet polymerized, is cast or deposited in said grooves (15) by means of a second plurality of nozzles (30) able to slide transversely and/or longitudinally with respect to said fixed bench (27).

9. Covering modular panel comprising a plurality of decorative elements (13) substantially rigid and arranged on the same plane and distanced from each other according to a pre-established pattern so as to define a plurality of grooves (15) filled with a cohesive material, characterized in that said cohesive material is a highly flexible thermosetting resin, which connects said decorative elements (13) to each other.

10. Panel as in claim 9, characterized in that said highly - In ¬

flexible thermosetting resin is of the polyurethane type.

11. Panel as in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said highly flexible thermosetting resin comprises colored pigments incorporated inside it.

12. Panel as in claim 9, characterized in that each of said decorative elements (13) has a size varying from about 10x10 mm to about 100x100 mm.

13. Panel as in claim 12, characterized in that each of said decorative elements is a mosaic tessera (13) with a size of about 20x20 mm.

14. Panel as in any claim from 9 to 13 inclusive, characterized in that it also comprises said highly flexible thermosetting resin along its perimeter.

15. Panel as in any claim from 9 to 14 inclusive, characterized in that the surface of said decorative elements (13) remains unchanged, preserving its capacity to be attached using traditional cement materials.