EP3593968A1 - Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained - Google Patents

Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP3593968A1
EP3593968A1 EP18382525.6A EP18382525A EP3593968A1 EP 3593968 A1 EP3593968 A1 EP 3593968A1 EP 18382525 A EP18382525 A EP 18382525A EP 3593968 A1 EP3593968 A1 EP 3593968A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
machining
base mixture
mixture layer
support surface
machining device
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Withdrawn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
EP18382525.6A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Salvador Cristóbal RODRÍGUEZ GARCÍA
José Muñoz Tengo
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.)
Cosentino Research and Development SL
Original Assignee
Cosentino Research and Development SL
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 Cosentino Research and Development SL filed Critical Cosentino Research and Development SL
Priority to EP18382525.6A priority Critical patent/EP3593968A1/en
Priority to ES201931212U priority patent/ES1242154Y/es
Publication of EP3593968A1 publication Critical patent/EP3593968A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • B28B13/00—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles; Discharging shaped articles from such moulds or apparatus
    • B28B13/02—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles
    • B28B13/0295—Treating the surface of the fed layer, e.g. removing material or equalization of the surface
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D1/00—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor
    • B26D1/01—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work
    • B26D1/12—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a cutting member moving about an axis
    • B26D1/14—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a cutting member moving about an axis with a circular cutting member, e.g. disc cutter
    • B26D1/157—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a cutting member moving about an axis with a circular cutting member, e.g. disc cutter rotating about a movable axis
    • B26D1/16—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a cutting member moving about an axis with a circular cutting member, e.g. disc cutter rotating about a movable axis mounted on a movable arm or the like
    • B26D1/165—Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member or particular materials not otherwise provided for; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a cutting member moving about an axis with a circular cutting member, e.g. disc cutter rotating about a movable axis mounted on a movable arm or the like for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D7/26—Means for mounting or adjusting the cutting member; Means for adjusting the stroke of the cutting member
    • B26D7/2614—Means for mounting the cutting member
    • B26D7/2621—Means for mounting the cutting member for circular cutters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
    • B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
    • B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
    • B26F1/3806—Cutting-out; Stamping-out wherein relative movements of tool head and work during cutting have a component tangential to the work surface
    • B26F1/3813—Cutting-out; Stamping-out wherein relative movements of tool head and work during cutting have a component tangential to the work surface wherein the tool head is moved in a plane parallel to the work in a coordinate system fixed with respect to the work
    • B26F1/3826—Cutting-out; Stamping-out wherein relative movements of tool head and work during cutting have a component tangential to the work surface wherein the tool head is moved in a plane parallel to the work in a coordinate system fixed with respect to the work using a rotary circular cutting member
    • 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
    • B28B1/00—Producing shaped prefabricated articles from the material
    • B28B1/005—Devices or processes for obtaining articles having a marble appearance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D2210/00—Machines or methods used for cutting special materials

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates the production of artificial stone slabs, boards or panels, particularly those made of agglomerates of inorganic particles and binder, having decoration that simulates veins or streaks - which might be fine veins - of a different colour from that of the matrix, the (fine) veins extending in some depth through the thickness of the respective artificial stone slab, board or panel.
  • artificial stone is understood to include composites comprising grounded stone and a binder (organic or inorganic), as well as stoneware, fine stoneware or ceramics, preferably composites.
  • agglomerated stones One common type of artificial stones, in which the invention is focused, are the so called agglomerated stones.
  • manufacturing these artificial agglomerate stone composites comprises crushing filler materials (e.g. ground stone) to obtain particles with different granulometries, followed by mixing with a binder (e.g. organic resin or hydraulic inorganic cement). The mixture thus obtained is coloured, homogenized, conformed to the desired shape, compacted and cured (polymerization/crosslinking of resin or hydration of cement).
  • the curing results in the hardening of the binder in a process that may or may not require heat, depending on the selected binder.
  • the binder Once the binder has been hardened, and thus also the material, it is submitted to cutting to size, gauging and polishing.
  • Different binders are used in the industry, for example, unsaturated polyester resins or thermosetting resins such as methacrylate resins, epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, or vinyl resins.
  • the materials used as fillers vary as well, and usually are of inorganic stony origin.
  • the filler can be one or more selected from the group consisting of quartz, feldspars, porphyries, granites, syenites, bentonites, basalts, nephelines, carbonates, clays, silicates, boron salts, sands, kaolins, talcs, alumina, glass materials, recycled glass, recycled porcelains, recycled stoneware, and mixtures thereof.
  • Many of the properties of the artificial stone aggregates depend on the nature and the characteristics of the fillers.
  • the type of binder and the filler/binder ratio also strongly influence the final properties of the articles manufactured, and where hard stone-like materials are
  • the granulometry of the inorganic particles can also be chosen by the skilled person and, for example, the average particle diameter can be less than 9 mm and can include a mixture of granulometries to produce specific aesthetic effects or obtain the mechanical properties required for a given application.
  • the mixture of the filler and the binder typically includes further additives, such as a curing catalyst, colouring agents (e.g. inks, pigments), or anti-UV agents.
  • agglomerate artificial stone is intended to be an engineered imitation of natural rocks, in the production of artificial stone slabs, it is also known to create decorative effects that simulate coloured veins, particularly veins having small width, which attempt to simulate the fine veins that can be found in some types of natural stone, such as marble.
  • coloured veins particularly veins having small width
  • some types of natural stone such as marble.
  • thin veins there are different types of thin veins that can be simulated.
  • One type of thin veins that can be simulated are veins of small length randomly distributed in the body of the manufactured artificial stone, resembling randomly located thin 'capillaries'. This type of effect is obtained for example by the process described in patent document WO-2006/134179-A2 .
  • a second type of thin veins are those extending along lengthy extensions of the stone material, following continuous random trajectories which may run from one edge of the article to another edge, for instance, along the full extension of the product (long-range veins).
  • a base mixture resulting from the mixture of inorganic particles (such as stone particles) and an unhardened binder are distributed over a production surface; this production surface is normally provided with some sort of protective sheet of paper or elastomer.
  • a base mixture layer over the surface is formed, which has a shape corresponding to the article to be produced, i.e. a slab or a board.
  • the layer of base mixture and binder deposited on the surface is then machined so that grooves are created at some depth through the thickness of the layer following previously defined groove paths and extending across the width and/or length of the layer.
  • a colouring mixture of a different colour or shade to that of the initial mixture, is projected onto the grooves in such a way that the colouring mixture penetrates sufficiently into the grooves.
  • This mixture in addition to the dyes, may also contain binder and/or inorganic particles.
  • the resulting base mix layer is then covered by another protective film and subjected to vibrocompaction or vibrocompression - in some instances under vacuum -, to compact and extract most of the air present in the base mix layer. Subsequently, the binder is hardened, before proceeding with the cutting, calibrating (or gauging) and/or polishing stages, until the desired artificial agglomerate stone board is obtained.
  • Patent document EP-3095768-A1 describes a method of manufacturing an artificial stone slab with veins in which an upper portion of a mouldable hardenable fluid mixture is engraved with a predefined pattern of grooves coinciding with a pattern of thin veins to be obtained; the inner faces of the grooves are impregnated with another mouldable hardenable fluid mixture of a different colour. The grooves are then caused to collapse and close, and the mixtures of the two colours are cured and hardened so that the visible pattern of thin veins is created.
  • grooves can be obtained by means of a punch (a stencil having a number of protrusions) which presses on the base mix layer by dislodging and/or compressing the mix in the positions where the grooves will be created, or apparently also, although not described in any detail, by means of a horizontal rotating disc, which is moved creating trajectories of grooves reproducing the pattern of thin veins to be obtained.
  • a punch a stencil having a number of protrusions
  • a station and a method for producing colouring effects on a slab are disclosed.
  • the station disclosed in this document includes a working surface intended to accommodate a temporary support with a basic mix layer for the formation of a slab; dye dispensing devices for emitting dyes towards the working surface so as to deposit the dyes on the basic mix layer on the temporary support; the dye dispensing devices are controllable to move over the working surface following specific trajectories; the station also comprises a tool, either a V-blade grooving tool or a mixer tool, which is also movable and is intended to mechanically interact with areas of the basic mix layer to achieve colouring effects.
  • the service life of the production surface is reduced and the function of the protective sheet is significantly limited in the subsequent stages of the process (for example, during pressing).
  • the undesirable pressure and friction of the machining tool also significantly reduce the service life of the punching or engraving tool. It has been found very difficult, or even impossible, to find the right installation settings to assure full-thickness machining of the base mixture layer during industrial manufacturing and to simultaneously avoid damage and premature deterioration of the production surface, the protective sheet or the machining tool.
  • the punching or engraving tool are usually configured to limit their penetration into the base mix layer so as not to press or rub the production surface or the protective sheet; but then the thickness of the base mix layer is not fully machined, and the resulting veins do not cover the full thickness of the table.
  • the obtained veins lack the continuous appearance on all sides of the slab of the veins found in slabs obtained from natural stone.
  • the present disclosure intends to solve the shortcomings of prior-art devices and methods by providing a machining device, installation and method which, in a simple manner, guarantee that long veins can be produced in the artificial stone slab extending through the whole thickness of the slab, in a reproducible and precise way, which are better suitable for industrial mass production.
  • a first aspect of the invention relates to a machining device for machining a base mixture layer deposited over a support surface, the base mixture layer comprising inorganic particles and unhardened binder; the machining device comprises:
  • a machining device that includes this damper means for dampening a force of the machining element over the support surface during machining of the base mixture layer, it can be ensured that the base mixture layer is machined by the machining element from the upper surface of the base mixture layer until the support surface, preventing that the machining element is pressed or rubbed excessively against the support layer, since the damper means mitigate and/or limit the force or pressure exerted by the machining element over the support surface.
  • the machining element is configured to machine the base mixture layer by compacting the base mixture layer on the walls of the grooves it creates, without producing swarf or shavings; that is, the machine element is a machine element that does not chip away or push material of the base mixture layer out to the side of the grooves it creates while being used.
  • the damper means for dampening a force of the machining element comprise a spring, particularly a compression spring.
  • a spring is a very simple and cheap way of providing damper means for absorbing, by compression and elastic deformation, the force the machining element exerts against the support surface.
  • the dampening parameters of the spring can be set or adjusted depending on the nature, or in general the resistance to mechanization (cohesiveness, coarseness, solidity or in general), of the base mixture layer and the fragility of the support surface and/or protective layer.
  • the damper means for dampening a force of the machining element comprise a hydraulic or a pneumatic damper, or any other means for elastically compressing and decompressing a liquid (such as oil, water or others).
  • a hydraulic or pneumatic damper provide damper means whose dampening parameters can be precisely adjusted depending on the characteristics and the nature of the base mixture layer.
  • the damper means for dampening a force of the machining element comprise a rubber piece, such as a block or ball, which also is a very simple and cheap way of providing damper means for absorbing, by compression and elastic deformation, the force of the machining element against the support surface.
  • the compression strength and the elasticity response of the rubber piece can be varied by selecting its constituent rubber material (natural rubber, silicone rubber, SBS rubber, EPDM rubber, etc.) and its mechanical properties (stress-strain behaviour), these rubber parameters allowing to adjust the dampening to the characteristics and nature of the base mixture layer.
  • the machining device further comprises coupling means for its coupling to a displacement device configured to move the machining device following specific trajectories.
  • the displacement device can be, for example, an automatic device, such as a programmable robotic arm. This way, the machining device can be made to follow the predefined specific trajectories of the automatic displacement device along the base mixture layer.
  • the coupling means can be mechanic coupling means (such as a clip, or a snap-fit coupling), or can be magnetic coupling means, or any other suitable means for coupling the machining device to the displacement device, preferably in an automatic manner without the direct intervention of an external user (the user might control the coupling/uncoupling with a computer).
  • the damper means - for dampening a force of the machining element over the support surface during machining of the base mixture layer - are coupled to the machining element and to the coupling means. It is also possible that the damper means are integrated in or part of the machining element and/or the coupling means.
  • the machining device further comprises a piston, coupled to the damper means and the machining element. This way, the piston facilitates a vertical movement of the machining element and the damper means can have a shorter length than when there is no piston present.
  • the piston comprises a head having a shape complementary with a housing provided in the coupling means. This configuration blocks and prevents undesired rotation/vibrations of the machining element around the central axis of the piston, which rotation may reduce the repeatability and the definition of the grooves produced by the machining element, which would ultimately result in poor aspect of the veins in the artificial stone slab produced.
  • the specific trajectories can be predefined to cover a partial or full extent (length and width) of the base mixture layer, and to follow any pattern or design of the desired veins, for example, an apparently random pattern to make it look more natural.
  • the width of the obtained grooves can be adjusted by selecting the width of the machining element.
  • the machining element may comprise a rolling blade or a cutting tool or any other know machining tool; the machining element has a maximum width between 5 mm and 50 mm, more preferably between 10 mm and 30 mm, so that the veins produced in the artificial stone slab obtained have the appearance of the veins of natural stone.
  • the most preferred machining element is a rolling blade with a decreasing thickness from the rotating axis towards the external diameter of the blade, with a thickness in its broadest part between 10 mm and 30 mm.
  • the machining element can be made of a material capable of resisting a chemical attack of any of the components of the base mixture, such as stainless steel or a polymer such as polyamide.
  • the damper means for dampening a force of the machining element over the support surface during machining of the base mixture layer are configured to damp the force by their deformation, and to elastically return to their initial form or shape, once the force of the machining element over the support surface is reduced or has disappeared.
  • preferred damper means are chosen, which provide an elastic deformation-recovery response, when the stress causing its deformation is increase or reduced.
  • a preferred damper means of this type are elastic straight metal coil springs or elastic rubber pieces, which may compress under pressure, and decompress when the compression ceases.
  • the damper means preferably returns the absorbed energy (such as deformation or compression) by means of an elastic response when the action of the force of the support surface is reduced.
  • the machining element and/or a protective sheet may move in continuous contact with the support surface and/or the protective sheet, even if the distance from the end of the displacement device (robotic arm) to the support surface varies, for example, at the boundaries or in the case of other irregularities of the support surface. This ensures that the depth of the groove is maximum at every point along the specific trajectories through the base mixture layer.
  • the base mixture layer might comprise more than 50 wt.%, preferably 80 - 95 wt.%, and more preferably 85-95 wt.%, content of inorganic particles as filler; also, the base mixture might comprise less than 15 wt.% content of uncured (liquid) binder, preferably between 5 - 10 wt.%; the combination of the high filler content and low liquid binder content results in the base mixture layer, before hardening, having a texture similar to that of wet sand, with a certain solid consistency and stickiness, and with a high tendency to form aggregates and to clump together.
  • This consistency and stickiness makes particularly difficult to obtain full-thickness grooves, by mechanizing the base mixture layer with the previous mechanizing tools and methods.
  • the current invention allows to create full thickness grooves in an industrial setting even in these more demanding situations.
  • the damper means for dampening a force comprise a spring, preferably a compression spring, which may be made of metal or other resilient material, for instance with the shape of a straight coil, formed by a turning thread running in a spiral course.
  • the spring is suitably located inside a recess of the coupling means for coupling with the displacement device.
  • the spring is preferably designed to cooperate with a piston coupled with a rolling blade.
  • the inorganic particles can be obtained from natural or artificial materials, for example, by grinding, mashing and/or milling to obtain inorganic particles of different grain sizes.
  • the inorganic particles are nowadays available from specialized companies that sell them dried and fractionated according to their granulometry.
  • Inorganic particles can be obtained from, for example, but not limited to, materials such as marble, porphyry, quartz (both opaque and clear), silica, glass, cristobalite, granite, porphyry, quartzite, silica sand, albite, basalt, ceramic, etc.
  • inorganic particles from a single material or a mixture of particles from different sources can be used.
  • the inorganic particles comprise quartz particles, or quartz particles are incorporated into the base mixture.
  • Inorganic particles should preferably account for 70 to 95% by weight of the base mixture, more preferably 85 to 95%.
  • the base mixture also contains at least one unhardened binder, which is hardenable (or curable).
  • the binder preferably accounts for 5 to 30 % by weight, preferably 5 to 15 % by weight, of binder in relation to the total base mixture. This binder once hardened, serves to achieve cohesion and adhesion between the inorganic particles in the slab or board produced.
  • binders There are numerous known binders that can be used in the state of the art. Organic resins, such as unsaturated polyester resins, are especially suitable for the present invention, but other types of binders can also be applied, for example, inorganic binders such as cement (for example, Portland cement).
  • the binder used can be a thermally cured resin, that is, that it cures, hardens, by means of heat, for example by a treatment between 70 oC and 120 oC.
  • thermosetting resins are, but are not limited to, an unsaturated polyester resin, a methacrylate resin, an epoxy resin, vinyl resins, etc.
  • a suitable catalyst and/or accelerant is added in order to achieve the curing of this type of thermosetting resin in a practicable time.
  • This catalyst and/or accelerant may be added in a proportion between 0.1 - 5% by weight to the weight of the binder.
  • the catalyst is preferably incorporated into the corresponding base mixture in a mixing stage, prior to the manufacturing of the slabs.
  • the base mixture may further include other additives such as dyes, for example, metal oxides, adhesion promoters between the inorganic particles and the binder, for example, silanes. These types of additives and their proportion thereof are widely known in the technique.
  • a further object of the invention relates to an installation for producing an artificial stone slab with coloured veins, the installation comprising:
  • the support surface further comprises a protective sheet
  • the machining element is configured to machine the base mixture layer from an upper surface thereof until the protective sheet.
  • the installation for producing an artificial stone slab further comprises a vibro-compression station, preferably with application of vacuum (this is, with air-pressure reduction) and a curing station for compacting and hardening the base mixture layer comprising the grooves filled with dye.
  • a further aspect of the invention refers to a method for producing an artificial stone slab with coloured veins, the method comprising:
  • the step of machining the base mixture layer is carried out with at least one machining device according to the previously defined aspect of the invention or to any of its embodiments.
  • the step of machining the base mixture layer can be carried out with a machining device including damper means for dampening a counterforce of the support surface against the machining device during machining of the base mixture layer, such that the base mixture layer is machined from an upper surface thereof until the support surface.
  • the grooves are produced following predefined specific trajectories. This means that these trajectories are designed in forehand and can be repeated and reproduced accurately for an unlimited number of slabs.
  • the design of the trajectories is intended to imitate the random trajectories normally found in natural stone slabs.
  • the method further comprises subsequent steps of compacting and/or of curing the base mixture layer including the grooves penetrated with dye.
  • the present invention further refers to the artificial stone slab with coloured veins produced with the previously defined method or any of its embodiments, or using the previously defined installation or any of its embodiments, or using the previously defined machining device or any of its embodiments.
  • the resulting artificial stone slab presents an improved appearance, even before calibrating/gauging, which resembles more closely the appearance of a natural stone slab, particularly because of the appearance of the veins being exposed at the edges of the slab or after cutting the slab. Since there is no need of grinding a large portion of the thickness of the slab portion where the vein is not present, the slab can be produced without modifying the employed industrial processes with a larger range of slab thicknesses, which for instance might reach up to 3 cm or more.
  • the present invention and the embodiments shown in the Figures are particularly suitable for the production of artificial stone slabs or boards having coloured veins, especially long-range fine veins.
  • Figure 1 shows the main components of an installation 100 for producing an artificial stone slab with coloured veins, and more precisely, an installation 100 for producing an artificial agglomerated stone slab comprising inorganic particles and a binder, with coloured long-range veins.
  • the installation 100 comprises a support surface 30, wherein a base mixture is homogenously deposited in a predetermined amount, forming a base mixture layer 20 of regular thickness.
  • the support surface 30 might be formed by a levelled metal upper horizontal part of the production line, located in the discharge zone under a distribution device (not shown) for the base mixture.
  • the support surface 30 might be formed by the upper horizontal surface of a movable conveyor belt made of any suitable material, which supports the base mixture layer and transports it to the next manufacturing stations where the subsequent production steps are conducted.
  • the support surface 30 is covered by a protective sheet (not shown) on the part that comes into contact with the base mixture.
  • the protective sheet is a laminated sheet of Kraft paper, which may be laminated with a non-stick polymer, or it might be made of an elastomer such as a silicone rubber optionally treated with a non-adherent coating.
  • the protective sheet serves as a temporary support for the base mixture layer 20 deposited on top of it, facilitating its transport to subsequent stages of the production process, and protecting the support surface 30 and other machine components from being in contact with the base mixture during compaction and curing. Once the slab has cured and hardened, the protective sheet may be simply detached from the slab or it may be removed by calibrating/gauging and polishing.
  • the base mixture layer is deposited inside a frame 31 located on and projecting up from the support surface 30 with a shape corresponding to the article to be manufactured (rectangular in Figure 1 ).
  • This frame 31 might be made of metal or any other suitable material resistant to the components of the base mixture.
  • this frame 31 can be raised from the support surface 30 to advance the base mixture layer to the compaction and curing stations (not shown).
  • the base mixture layer 20 comprises inorganic particles and unhardened binder for the formation of the artificial stone slab.
  • This mixture normally coloured, is produced using one or several mixers (not shown), in a known manner.
  • the inorganic particles account for 85-95% by weight of the base mixture and primarily comprise quartz particles.
  • the unhardened binder accounts for 5-15% by weight and comprises an unsaturated polyester liquid resin which can be cured between 80 °C and 100 °C.
  • the installation 100 further comprises a rolling blade 11, that can freely rotate around its axial axis 15.
  • the material of the rolling blade 11 is preferably stainless steel or a polymer, e.g. polyamide.
  • the outer diameter of the rolling blade 11 is chosen depending on the thickness of the base mixture layer to be machined, and can vary from 5 cm to 40 cm, preferably from 10 cm to 30 cm.
  • the width of the rolling blade can also vary depending on the thickness of the grooves to be produced, so that wider blades produce thicker grooves, and can vary from 5 mm to 50 mm, preferably from 10 mm to 30 mm.
  • the rolling blade has an outer diameter of 20 cm and a width at its broadest part of 25 mm.
  • the rolling blade 11 is provided with a ball bearing 17 around the axis element 15.
  • the configuration of the machining element as a rolling blade 11, preferably with the parameters described herein, provides advantages in comparison with other alternative machining elements.
  • the rolling blade 11 is moved mechanizing the base mixture layer 20, the mixture is pressed on the sides of the blade, generating compacted walls of the grooves, which enhance their stability and prevent them from crumbling down before the dye is applied to the inside of the grooves.
  • This enhances the definition of the veins obtained in the produced slab.
  • the groove is created by pushing the mixture out to create the grooves (in a similar way a snowplow pushes out snow from the road to the road edges). This results in accumulation of mixture on the sides of the grooves, translating into density differences in the finished slab, into more unstable groove walls, and into a poorer definition of the veins.
  • the rolling blade 11 is coupled to a programmable automatic displacement device, in the embodiment shown being a robotic arm 50.
  • the automatic displacement device might be as well a cartesian robot.
  • the robotic arm 50 is programmable to move automatically over the base mixture layer 20 following pre-established trajectories or paths, which are defined to simulate the random veins found in natural stones.
  • the rolling blade 11 is coupled to a rotatable end of the robotic arm 50 by means of mechanic coupling means.
  • the coupling means may be configured in the form of "fingers” (not shown) located at the end of the robotic arm 50, which grip and clamp a cylindrical part 13 of the machining device, which is connected through a piston 14 to an element 15 functioning as the rotation axis of the rolling blade 11.
  • the rolling blade 11 is coupled to the robotic arm 50 by means of the damper means 12, which, as can be seen in Figure 4 , is embodied by a metallic compression coil spring 12, which is itself coupled with the piston 14 connected to the rotation axis element 15 of the rolling blade 11.
  • the spring 12 is coupled with the piston 14 by resting in direct contact with it, the spring 12 and the piston 14 being housed in a housing or receptacle 16 provided in the cylindrical part of the coupling means 13, allowing axial compression of the metallic spring 12, and the axial movement of the piston 14 inside and outside the receptacle 16.
  • compression coil spring 12 is a steel compression spring with flat ends, the main parameters thereof being as follows:
  • the cylindrical part 13 for coupling with the robotic arm 50 is formed by two detachable parts 13' and 13", fixed together by screws 13'''.
  • the receptacle 16 extends along both parts 13' and 13".
  • the piston 14 may be shaped as a cylinder with a head 14', which is intended to be housed in the receptacle 16.
  • the head 14' prevents the piston 14 from coming out of the receptacle 16 during use.
  • the head 14' is favorably provided with a shape complementary with the shape of the receptacle 16, which blocks and avoids undesired rotation/vibrations of the rolling blade 11 around axis Z of the piston 14. Such undesired rotation would cause problems in the repeatability and the definition of the grooves 21 produced by the blade 11, and would ultimately result in poor aspect of the veins in the artificial stone slab produced.
  • the robotic arm 50 is programmed to move so that the rolling blade 11 at its end enters into contact with the support surface 30 and/or the protective sheet, by extending from the exposed surface of the base mixture layer 20, and preferably this contact is maintained continuously while the rolling blade 11 is moved through the layer. This ensures that the grooves machined by the rolling blade 11 are complete, that is, they extend over the entire thickness of the base mixture layer 20; there is no need for limiting the extension of the grooves as in the previous art.
  • the spring 12 is capable of mitigating or absorbing at least some portion of a force that the rolling blade 11 effects over the support surface 30 during machining of the base mixture layer 20, and over the protective sheet, damage or deterioration of the support surface 30 and of the protective sheet is minimized and/limited. This is achieved by the capacity of the spring 12 to absorb such force (or the counterforce of the support surface 30 and/or the protective sheet) and by means of the spring's elastic deformation and/or compression upon pushing of the piston 14.
  • the spring 12 By adjusting the parameters or properties of the spring (material, length, number and dimensions of wires, resistance to compression, elasticity, etc.), it is possible to adjust and/or limit the pressure that the rolling blade 11 may exert on the support surface 30, and thus, to assure full thickness machining without important deterioration of the tools.
  • the spring 12 When the force is reduced, the spring 12 is decompressed (the deformation of the spring is elastic), and the piston 14 is pushed towards its original position, for instance, to proceed to the machining of a different part of the base mixture layer 20.
  • the robotic arm 50 is configured to move the rolling blade 11 so that contact with the support surface 30 and/or the protective sheet is continuous, that is, the rolling blade 11 does not separate from them while machining a vein in the base mixture layer 20, thereby improving production times and avoidance of irregularities in the depth of the produced veins.
  • the rolling blade 11 Since the rolling blade 11, spring 12 and piston 14 are coupled to the robotic arm 50, and the end of the robotic arm 50 is rotatable, the rolling blade 11 can be moved automatically according to the predefined specific trajectories programmed for the robotic arm 50, producing continuous full-thickness and long-range grooves over the entire width and length of the base mixture layer 20, if desired.
  • the installation 100 further comprises one or more dye dispensing devices 40 (only one dye dispensing device 40 being shown in the Figures), which dispense dye towards the upper surface of the base mixture layer 20 into the grooves 21, after the grooves 21 have been machined in the base mixture layer 20.
  • the dye dispensing device 40 is mounted on the same robotic arm 50 (or coupled thereto) as the machining device, and therefore can also be moved following the specific trajectories of the robotic arm 50.
  • the dye dispensing device might be located on a different robotic arm.
  • the dye dispensing device 40 might be a spraying or projecting head mounted at the end of the robotic arm 50.
  • the dye dispensing device 40 When the dye dispensing device 40 is mounted on the same robotic arm 50 as the rolling blade 11, it is preferably done in a position that allows the dispensing of the dye just after the groove 21 has been machined. In either configuration, with one or several robotic arms 50, the dye can be dispensed specifically and exclusively into the grooves 21 after the rolling blade 11 has produced the full-depth grooves 21 in the base mixture layer 20. The dye penetrates in the grooves 21, colouring their walls, to achieve the coloured veins in the produced slab after compaction and hardening.
  • the dye is a colouring composition which may be solid (in powder form) or liquid, and comprises one or more pigments.
  • the dye may also comprise solvent, resin, inorganic particles, or a mixture of at least two thereof.
  • the base mixture layer 20 with the grooves 21 filled with the dye is covered with another layer of protective film, in this case a second layer of Kraft paper, on top before being compacted.
  • a second layer of Kraft paper is covered with another layer of protective film, in this case a second layer of Kraft paper, on top before being compacted.
  • compaction is done through a press, and more preferably in combination with vibration, through the process known as vibro-compression.
  • the compaction can be done with air extraction by means of vacuum application. Vacuum vibro-compaction, is a widely known method, and frequently used for the manufacture of artificial stone articles from inorganic particle-bound agglomerates.
  • the binder in the compacted base mixture layer is hardened.
  • the binder is an organic resin
  • the compacted base mixture layer is placed in an oven at a sufficiently high temperature to cure within reasonable time.
  • the temperature should be in the range 80 - 110 oC and the residence time in the oven should be between 15 - 60 minutes.
  • curing can be carried out at room temperature over a period of one to several days.
  • the slabs, boards or plates obtained can be cut and/or calibrated to the desired final dimensions and can be polished on one or both larger faces, depending on the foreseen application.
EP18382525.6A 2018-07-13 2018-07-13 Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained Withdrawn EP3593968A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18382525.6A EP3593968A1 (en) 2018-07-13 2018-07-13 Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained
ES201931212U ES1242154Y (es) 2018-07-13 2019-07-15 Dispositivo e instalacion para producir una losa de piedraartificial que tiene vetas coloreadas, y losa de piedraartificial asi obtenida

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18382525.6A EP3593968A1 (en) 2018-07-13 2018-07-13 Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3593968A1 true EP3593968A1 (en) 2020-01-15

Family

ID=62986029

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18382525.6A Withdrawn EP3593968A1 (en) 2018-07-13 2018-07-13 Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3593968A1 (es)
ES (1) ES1242154Y (es)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111844360A (zh) * 2020-08-04 2020-10-30 朱秀才 混凝土自动浇筑系统
CN115366242A (zh) * 2022-07-22 2022-11-22 魏子龙 一种人造纹理石材表层均匀铺砂装置

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE59471C (de) * C. BLANKE in Barmen Messerhalter für Ritzmaschinen
GB265644A (en) * 1925-09-07 1927-02-07 Reginald Arthur Ryves Improvements in or relating to tile and slab making machines
EP1344615A2 (de) * 2002-03-15 2003-09-17 Dienes Werke Für Maschinenteile Gmbh & Co Kg Messerhalter mit spielfrei festzusetzender Messerhalterung
WO2005090034A1 (en) * 2004-03-10 2005-09-29 Sacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa' Cooperativa Method and plant for preparing a layer of powders to be pressed to obtain ceramic tiles
WO2006134179A2 (es) 2005-06-15 2006-12-21 Cosentino, S.A. Procedimiento para la fabricaciòn de tableros de piedra artificial y resina polimerizable con efecto veteado mediante el sistema de vibro-compresiòn al vacio
US20080032050A1 (en) * 2006-08-04 2008-02-07 Geesan M-Teck Co., Ltd. Method of producing patterned artificial marble
WO2016113652A1 (en) 2015-01-13 2016-07-21 Luca Toncelli Programmable station and plant for the production of plates with chromatic effects
EP3095768A1 (en) 2015-05-22 2016-11-23 Enrok Surfaces, Sl Artificial stone slab comprising veins and method of making the same

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE59471C (de) * C. BLANKE in Barmen Messerhalter für Ritzmaschinen
GB265644A (en) * 1925-09-07 1927-02-07 Reginald Arthur Ryves Improvements in or relating to tile and slab making machines
EP1344615A2 (de) * 2002-03-15 2003-09-17 Dienes Werke Für Maschinenteile Gmbh & Co Kg Messerhalter mit spielfrei festzusetzender Messerhalterung
WO2005090034A1 (en) * 2004-03-10 2005-09-29 Sacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa' Cooperativa Method and plant for preparing a layer of powders to be pressed to obtain ceramic tiles
WO2006134179A2 (es) 2005-06-15 2006-12-21 Cosentino, S.A. Procedimiento para la fabricaciòn de tableros de piedra artificial y resina polimerizable con efecto veteado mediante el sistema de vibro-compresiòn al vacio
US20080032050A1 (en) * 2006-08-04 2008-02-07 Geesan M-Teck Co., Ltd. Method of producing patterned artificial marble
WO2016113652A1 (en) 2015-01-13 2016-07-21 Luca Toncelli Programmable station and plant for the production of plates with chromatic effects
EP3095768A1 (en) 2015-05-22 2016-11-23 Enrok Surfaces, Sl Artificial stone slab comprising veins and method of making the same

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111844360A (zh) * 2020-08-04 2020-10-30 朱秀才 混凝土自动浇筑系统
CN115366242A (zh) * 2022-07-22 2022-11-22 魏子龙 一种人造纹理石材表层均匀铺砂装置
CN115366242B (zh) * 2022-07-22 2023-08-22 山东康洁利新材料有限公司 一种人造纹理石材表层均匀铺砂装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES1242154U (es) 2020-02-25
ES1242154Y (es) 2020-08-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP3713729B1 (en) Method for producing slabs, tiles or sheets of artificial stone with a wide vein effect
EP1685077B1 (en) Method of making cementitious slab products having antimicrobial properties
US5047187A (en) Method of making ornamental pre-cast terrazzo panels with integral inlay design
US5185192A (en) Ornamental pre-cast terrazzo panels with integral inlay design
WO2005014256A1 (en) Composite material having the appearance of natural stone
AU2018253406B2 (en) Method for manufacturing articles in the form of a slab or block with a hardening binder, and articles thus obtained
EP3593968A1 (en) Device, installation and method for producing an artificial stone slab having coloured veins, and artificial stone slab so obtained
US6159401A (en) Cementitious products
JP2005506263A (ja) 異なった鉱物の集塊を使用してパネル、タイルなどを実現するプロセス
WO2007014809A1 (en) Method for manufacturing articles in the form of sheets consisting of a conglomerate stone material and a binder and resultant sheet
EP1862286A1 (en) Rigid abrasive tool for facing and shaping stone-like or ceramic materials and associated manufacturing method
US20240131745A1 (en) Method and System for Producing Slabs, Tiles or Sheets of Artificial Stone with a Wide Vein Effect
EP2314432A1 (en) Method for forming floor tiles
AU2018253407B2 (en) Method for manufacturing articles in the form of a slab or block with a hardening binder, and articles thus obtained
US20240002304A1 (en) Method for manufacturing a decorative element comprising an engineered stone and a decorative element comprising an engineered stone
US20240001690A1 (en) A method for manufacturing a decorative element comprising an engineered stone and a decorative element comprising an engineered stone
KR102290116B1 (ko) 응집된 석재 및 시멘트 바인더로 모자이크를 갖는 슬래브를 제조하는 방법 및 이에 따라 제조된 슬래브

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: BA ME

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20200716