ES2279247T3 - PROCEDURE FOR MANUFACTURING MEDIA TO OBTAIN DECORATIVE PATTERNS RECORDED IN RELIEF ON CERAMIC TILES. - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the method, the decoration pattern in reverse is etched on a test plate of gummy material by laser controlled by an electronic processor. Then, the test plate is mounted on a punch of a press and a series of sample tiles are press-died. The above operations can be repeated until the final decoration pattern is obtained; then, the die (M) with the final decoration pattern in positive, is etched on a plate (3), flexible and thin, which is coupled with a rigid plate (6) to heat-gum the punch (40) of the production press (4). During the last operation, the layers (R) of gummy material, reproducing the decoration pattern, are applied to the punch (40) to die-press the production tiles. Then, the plate (3) is removed from the rigid plate (6) and stored, to be re-used, when a new gumming of the punch is needed. The method accelerates the introduction of the new decoration patterns into production and facilitates handling of the deposited plates. <IMAGE>

Description

Procedure for manufacturing means to obtain embossed decorative patterns on tiles ceramics.

The invention relates to manufacturing means to make decorative patterns embossed on tiles Ceramic

The ceramics industry produces tiles with different decorative patterns embossed, for example geometric drawings or figures, on tiles with a particular surface roughness or other means to obtain the aesthetic effect
wanted.

Embossed decorations are obtained on the tiles during stamping using a mold of pressure with a pattern to be played inverted.

The patent US-A-5,922,260 discloses the process to make ceramic tiles with at least one side conformed.

The manufacturing mold manufacturing is preceded by an experimental stage which includes:

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             machining, using cutters or similar tools, a original decorative pattern on an aluminum plate;

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             prepare a rubber engraving from the original machining;

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             use rubber engraving on a sampling press to get sample tiles;

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             Evaluate the aesthetic effect obtained.

If the evaluation is positive, that is, if the result is satisfactory, the mold can be manufactured elaboration, otherwise, if the opinion is negative, it is repeated the whole procedure, starting from a new plate of aluminum.

After the decoration has been obtained In the end, the aluminum plate is used to transfer the pattern printing to the mold by a technique known as "thermal gumming", which includes applying substantially forms layers of rubber material to the surface that is intended to press against the tile. These layers obviously they are complementary to the embossing on the plate  of aluminum.

The machining of aluminum plates is slow and its difficulty increases along with the complexity of the decoration to be obtained. In addition, material removal using the mechanical tools reduces the possible definition that can be obtained on the decorative pattern.

Given that in practice they are many attempts are needed to obtain a decoration satisfactory, and therefore final, after the first attempt, it is easy to understand that the above mentioned procedure Introduce a new pattern very slowly.

In addition, during manufacturing, the parts of mold rubber wear out, therefore must be rebuilt at the scheduled times in order to keep the tiles within the set quality standards.

For this purpose, the aluminum plate with the final pattern is saved, so that it can be reused when The rubber parts of the mold must be rebuilt.

Naturally, in industrial conditions normal, many types of decoration are produced on tiles different measures, therefore the total number of plates Aluminum to be stored becomes considerable.

Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a warehouse from which the aluminum plate is removed whenever needed paste the mold again and then return to the warehouse After the operation is finished.

The handling of the plates indicated above may be difficult, due to its considerable weight, especially in the large case; actually the plates are quite thick to ensure sufficient rigidity during gummed

All of the above negatively influences general production costs, but the inconvenience check more frequently refers to the slowness of the Manufacturing adaptation to market needs.

Thus, the object of the present invention is propose a procedure to accelerate the experimental stage  described above to obtain the final pattern to be produce.

Another object of the procedure is to obtain even more complicated decorations with features of higher definition than those normally obtained.

A further object of the procedure is to facilitate the storage and handling of the plates to gum again baking tin.

The stages of the proposed procedure are will indicate in the following description according to the contents of the claims and with the help of the attached drawings, in those who:

fig. 1 is a view of an iron of rubber material without any decoration and prepared for the machining of the original pattern;

the figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are schematic views of some stages of the proposed procedure;

fig. 7 is a schematic view of a press for stamping tiles;

The procedure that is the subject of this invention allows to prepare a mold 40 of a press 4 to obtain embossed decorations on ceramic tiles 1 (figure 7).

The procedure includes a first stage, during which the final decorative pattern that is going to be designed is designed Emboss later on the tiles.

The first operation of the first stage mentioned above, not shown, includes etching the inverted decorative pattern on a test plate rubber material, synthetic or natural, using a laser beam controlled by an electronic processor (not shown), in which the decorative pattern to be obtained is stored in a way digital.

The second operation is to mount (by fastening that can be removed) the rubber material plate on a punch of a press, with the inverted decoration oriented towards the upper surface 1a of a tile 1 that must press the awl.

The press mentioned above may be the sampling press, mentioned in the introductory note, as well as the manufacturing press (figure 7).

The next operation is to stamp a series of Sample tiles 1 and assess the result.

If the result is satisfactory, the second procedure stage can begin, otherwise, if the result is not satisfactory, the digital pattern stored in the electronic processor is modified and then the operations described above are repeated until you get the desired result.

In the second stage of the procedure, the lightning laser mentioned above, directed by the processor electronic, is used to etch a mold M with the positive final decoration on a plate 3, which has a firm flexibility and that can withstand temperatures of approximately 120º, without any change in its features.

The thickness of the plate 3 is limited and, obviously, it must have a surface, which can be treated with the To be.

Figure 1 shows by an example no limiting, a possible embodiment of the plate 3, according to which a layer 30 of rubber material, synthetic or natural, intended to be mechanized, it is connected with a support 31, which provides the desired overall flexibility.

Layer 30 is preferably made with a synthetic material, normally available, already used in this field, which maintains its characteristics physical-mechanical up to approximately 160º, which It goes well beyond the necessary temperature.

During etching, plate 3 it can be arranged flat or applied around a drum 13, with the laser 15 arranged radially (figure 2).

The settings applied around, which results possible due to the flexibility of the plate 3, it is advantageous to the reduction of time required for etching.

After finishing engraving on etching of positive decorative M mold (figure 3), plate 3 is held, of so that it can be removed, to a rigid plate 6 with the mold M oriented outwards (figure 4).

Next, the punch 40 of the press 4 of manufacturing, thermally sticker, which includes, as already said in the introductory note, the application of R layers of material of rubber on the surface 40a of the punch 40 intended for tightening against tile 1 with the R layers that reproduce the decoration desired inverted.

According to known technique, in order that the punch 40 is glued, it must be removed from the press 4 and its surface 40a should be covered with a suitable, softened material by heating, intended to form the mentioned R layers above (figure 6).

Next, the surface 40a is made from punch 40 touch mold M embossed on plate 3, attached to the rigid plate 6, and then the mold M is pressed with in order to form the rubber material of the R layers (figure 7).

At the end of the last operation, punch 40 can be reassembled on the press 4 and the manufacture of the Tiles 1 can start.

The plate 3 is separated from the rigid plate 6 and It is stored for use when needed.

The procedure just described It has many advantages; First, processing is avoided slow and expensive aluminum plates, due to the use of plates test, which can be etched with laser.

The laser technique for etching the rubber material allows to obtain complicated patterns of high definition without noticeable increase in costs.

In addition, it is possible to obtain indifferently a etched in positive or inverted without any loss of quality because the decoration is stored digitally.

All of the above makes the experimental stage, necessary to prepare the final decoration, be faster and more economical

In addition, when a result has been obtained satisfactory, it is possible to gum the press punch by driving an iron 3, which is lighter, thinner and easier to transport: actually, plate 3 is attached to plate 6 rigid only during the gumming stage and then removed.

The main advantages of the proposed procedure, that is to say, the low costs and the possibility of quickly starting the manufacturing, allow to obtain even small series of tiles with custom patterns sufficiently
economic.

Claims (8)

1. Procedure for manufacturing means to obtain embossed decorations on ceramic tiles, characterized in that it includes a first stage for the definition of the final decoration, which consists of:

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Record etching a default decorative pattern, inverted, on a test plate made of natural or synthetic material, by means of a adequate laser beam, controlled by computer means, in which the decorative pattern to be obtained is stored in a way digital;

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          assemble, so that it can be removed, said iron on a punch of a press, with said inverted decorative pattern oriented towards the upper surface (1a) of said tile (1) of ceramic, on which the punch is then pressed (40);

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          stamp a series of sample tiles (1) and assess the obtained result;

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          in the case of a satisfactory result, that is, consider the decorative pattern as finished, remove the test plate from the awl;

including the same procedure a second stage to assemble the manufacture of tiles (1) with the final decorative pattern, which It includes:

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          etch a positive mold (M) of the decorative pattern end by said computer-controlled laser beam on an iron (3), which has a predetermined flexibility and that it can withstand preset temperatures without changing its features;

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          fasten so that said plate (3) can be removed to a rigid plate (6), with said mold (M) oriented towards outside;

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          use the plate (3), rigid plate assembly (6) for the thermal gumming of the punch (40) of a press (4), causing the mold (M), embossed on the plate (3), press the surface (40a) of the punch (40) with interposition of material adequate, softened and intended to form layers (R), which reproduce said inverted final decorative pattern, said said press (4) to manufacture said tiles (1);

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          separating said plate (3) from said rigid plate (6) after finish the gumming operation to store the iron (3).

2. Procedure for making molds to make decorative patterns embossed on ceramic tiles, characterized in that it includes:

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Record etching a default decorative pattern, inverted, on a test plate made of natural or synthetic material, by means of a adequate laser beam, controlled by computer means, in which the decorative pattern to be obtained is stored in a way digital;

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          assemble, so that it can be removed, said iron on a punch of a press, with said inverted decorative pattern oriented towards the upper surface (1a) of said tile (1) of ceramic, on which the punch is then pressed (40);

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          stamp a series of sample tiles (1) and assess the obtained result;

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          in the case of an unsatisfactory result, remove the iron punch test, modify the digital pattern stored in said electronic processor, and then repeat the operations mentioned in the previous points until define the plate with the final pattern;

including the same procedure a second stage for the production of tiles (1) with the pattern final decorative which It includes:

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          etch a positive mold (M) of the decorative pattern end by said computer-controlled laser beam on an iron (3), which has a predetermined flexibility and that it can withstand preset temperatures without changing its features;

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          fasten so that said plate (3) can be removed to a rigid plate (6), with said mold (M) oriented towards outside;

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          use the plate (3), rigid plate assembly (6) for the thermal gumming of the punch (40) of a press (4), causing the mold (M), embossed on the plate (3), press on the surface (40a) of the punch (40) with interposition of material suitable, made of plastic and intended to form layers (R), which reproduce said inverted final decorative pattern, being said press (4) intended to produce said tiles (1);

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          separating said plate (3) from said rigid plate (6) after that you have finished the gumming operation to store the iron (3).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said synthetic or natural material is of the rubber type. 4. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a sampling press is used to mold said tiles, said test plate being mounted, so that it can be removed, on the punch of said sampling press. 5. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the manufacturing press (4) is used for pressure molding said sample tiles, said test plate being mounted, so that it can be removed, on the punch (40) ) of said manufacturing press. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it uses an iron (3) that includes a layer (30) of a rubber material, synthetic or natural, on which said positive mold (M) is etched, and that it is connected with a support (31) that provides the predetermined flexibility to said plate (3). Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said positive mold (M) is etched with the plate (3) arranged flat. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said positive mold (M) is etched with the plate (3) applied around a drum (13) and with said laser (15) arranged radially.