KR20130038379A - Slab production and processing - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of slab cutting of a material comprising cutting a slab of material with a cutting tool that vibrates at a preselected frequency when the material is in a semi-set state.

Description

Slab manufacturing and processing {SLAB PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING}

The present invention relates generally to slab products and methods of making the same.

At present, the manufacturing process of cementitious products, such as tiles in small individual molds, has been employed for the last 50 years and remains substantially the same as the production methods that are still common throughout the world.

Over the last two decades, however, the development of tiles has resulted in tiles with a more modern appearance in response to the ways and trends of modern architectural and interior design.

Currently, commercially available cementitious slab products are typically made from a mixture comprising cement, silica sand, large (or coarse) aggregate pieces, water reducing admixtures, and water. Large aggregate pieces are included to make the mass and may vary in size from approximately 3 mm to 10 mm or more. Stone chips are often used as large aggregate pieces. The reducing agent may be a plasticizer based on a polycarboxylatic ether polymer.

The strength of the materials used to make tiles has increased relatively recently, which allows for the manufacture of tiles from a single large, thin slab, similar to marble or granite, which can be cut to produce square or rectangular tiles of the desired size. .

Large slabs are formed in separate molds and then a vibration process is taken. This moves the fine particles to the bottom of the mold. The slab takes the form or shape of the surface of the mold. This is known as an "off-form" material.

This manufacturing method allows greater flexibility in various sizes and thicknesses of square and / or rectangular tiles. Cutting tiles from a single slab allows for the production of square and / or rectangular tiles of different sizes that were conventionally made in small individual molds. Flexibility in manufacturing allows the tiles to be manufactured to the size according to the customer's request without significant re-tooling or inventory of many different mold sizes. In addition, precision machines allow for a more accurate and better finish to the tile.

In addition to the advantages described above, by cutting the large slab into small tiles, one can take advantage of the natural aesthetic texture inherent in the large specification slab. When separated, the small tiles have a unique appearance that increases the visual appeal of large surfaces such as walls and floors when covered with small tiles.

After the materials are mixed, the materials are placed into a large mold where the mixture is vibrated. In the case of a mixture in which fluid is added to activate the bonding process, the mixture is injected into the mold and cured to a sufficient extent so that the slab can be removed from the mold. In the case of a dry mixture in which the mixture is exposed to heat to initiate the bonding process, the mixture is injected into the mold and pressed. Dry mixes typically comprise a resin having a relatively high melting point, and once sufficient heat is applied the resin melts to bond the remaining materials in the dry mix together. After cooling the material in the mold, the liquefied resin is set and the slab is extracted from the mold.

The mold is generally stored in a location where the material can be set and hardened before the cutting step. The shelf life for the wet mixture slab is approximately one to four weeks before the slab has fully cured to cut the material.

In the case of naturally cured large slabs, once sufficiently hardened, the slabs are demolded and stacked for hardening. Curing may take up to 4 weeks depending on the method and efficiency of the curing process.

Of course, in order for the slab material to be cured for a sufficient time before the cutting process, the injected slab needs to be moved from the injection line to the storage area. Generally, the slab is removed from the mold and then placed on a frame and packaged for curing. This requires the provision of sufficient storage space for storing the slab for interruption and curing of the manufacturing process in addition to the manual, intensive processes associated with removing the slab from the mold and placing it in a reservoir for curing.

The slab is calibrated before it is cut into tiles. After cutting, the tiles are "rectified" to get a more accurate side, and the edges of the tile are chamfered or arrised to remove the chipping damage typically caused during the cutting process. The individual tiles are then processed including washing, drying and packaging before shipping for sale.

The cutting process and subsequent operations are typically processed on a continuous automated production line.

As a result, cement or concrete tiles can be ordered and installed in a manner similar to marble, granite and / or magnetic tiles. In addition, tiles treated in this way generally result in higher quality installation results.

However, current tile manufacturing methods have many serious problems.

For example, the treatment of slabs (cutting, adjusting, cornering and / or correcting) is generally influenced by the use of diamond cutting tools such as cutting blades, adjusting tools, and the like.

When cutting slabs, which are very hard materials, the edges of the cuttings have varying degrees of chipping and rough edges. In addition, slabs and / or tiles are susceptible to cracking or breaking during the cutting and adjusting process. Stress can cause chipping and breakage, particularly at corners where the cementitious slabs or tiles are the weakest. Chipping, cracking and / or breakage can result in wastage or repair of damaged material. This can be costly and time consuming.

Another disadvantage is that the treatment process is difficult and requires the attention of a skilled worker to improve waste due to chipping, cracking and / or breakage. These skilled workers are expensive and the manufacture of tiles from slabs is time consuming and interrupts the manufacturing process.

After the adjustment and cutting process, the slab product is generally stored again for complete hardening, which may require an additional three to four weeks of storage in a controlled environment prior to shipping the product to the installation destination. Additional storage of slab products for the final cutting is subject to additional handling and storage costs.

Other drawbacks of current manufacturing techniques are the expensive equipment for cutting (including diamond tools and expensive equipment), the large energy costs (eg, electricity) and the need for large amounts of water consumed during the processing of slabs into products. Include. It is not uncommon for adjustment equipment to cost $ 400,000 or more, and cutting lines are expected to cost approximately $ 700,000 to $ 1,000,000.

The cutting and adjusting process also results in a large amount of waste material, which is formed when the material is removed during the cutting and adjusting process. The waste must then be separated from the water used for disposal before the water is reused. Separated waste material must be collected, processed and disposed of, which can be inconvenient and / or expensive. In this regard, the cost of the water filtration system is expected to be approximately $ 100,000 to $ 200,000. In addition, since most devices require a versatile power supply, the operating costs associated with the electrical energy consumption of all devices are generally significant.

Since the diamond cutting blades remove approximately 3 to 5 mm of material per cut, the cutting process is particularly wasteful when cutting small tiles or mosaic pieces. When producing a large number of tiles from a slab, the total volume of material removed during the cutting process is significant.

As a result of the problems associated with existing processes, it has been considered too problematic to produce small tiles, mosaic pieces and tiles with curved or non-square shapes. In the case of mosaics, current manufacturing methods typically yield only 40% to 50% yield by incurring approximately 50% to 60% material waste. This is primarily due to the increased incidence of damage to the tiles and the considerable amount of material that is discarded as a result of the cutting process of making the bonded relatively small tiles. Unfortunately, the relatively small size of the tiles results in increased chipping occurrences due to movement and vibration when the small tiles are separated from the slab when compared to large tiles that are not susceptible to movement during separation due to the larger weight of the large tiles. Cause.

In addition, cutting other types of slab materials, such as plasterboard, can be problematic because these materials are generally manufactured and then cut in a hardened state. Typically, preparing a plant for the manufacture of slabs and tiles is an expensive operation that requires considerable planning, preparation, construction, and installation time. The factory floor must be specially configured to accommodate a heavy load mounting device, where each plant requires a drainage system and wastewater tank to collect, separate, and dispose of waste material from the water. In addition to all the above disadvantages, the construction of a plant with a special purpose drainage system is in itself a significant cost, thereby making it an obstacle to the installation of manufacturing facilities.

Tiles produced by current processes are not suitable for applications such as making mosaics, countertops, kitchen islands and / or furniture, etc., due to the rough edges and / or appearance of large aggregate pieces on the tile surface or side. It is presently preferred to use other materials which are considered less problematic in these applications.

At least one further disadvantage associated with current slab and tile manufacture is that the product has a high flexural strength. High flexural strengths have the disadvantage that cracks in tiles are not easily found and can only become apparent after the product has been fixed in place. This may lead to the need for expensive replacement of products such as installed tiles.

Cracks do not easily appear in the product even when the product is subjected to a solid impact. This cracking does not appear easily because the interlocking structure of the coarse bone pieces tends to hold the material of the product together.

An alternative product for slabs and tiles produced therefrom is natural stone materials. Natural stone materials, however, have many variations that are difficult to control. The stone material may be too soft, too hard, too porous, or have too many veins to be used for a particular application. In addition, these materials may not be aesthetically appealing to customers or may not be suitable for certain applications.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process and an article that at least ameliorate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages associated with slab and tile manufacture.

The literature for any background and prior art herein is neither a confirmation nor any suggestion that such documents form part of the general common sense of those skilled in the technical fields of the present invention as claimed herein. do.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of slab cutting of a material comprising cutting the slab with a cutting tool that vibrates at a preselected frequency when the material is in a semi-set state.

In one embodiment, the slab material is cementitious, the cementitious material comprising cement and other materials having a combined mixture, the combined mixture having a particle size small enough to allow the material to be cut with a vibratory cutting tool. The cementitious material is injected into the mold, which is then cured into a semi-set state, in which the material does not deform during or after the cutting tool when the material is fully cured and the cutting tool cuts the slab into small pieces. It is in a state of separating (or removing material from the slab).

In one embodiment, the preselected frequency of the vibration cutting tool is an ultrasonic frequency. The vibration frequency can be adjusted or selected to best suit the constituent material of the slab.

In one embodiment, the cutting tool is a straight blade mounted to a robotic arm and operated under the command of a control system operating the arm. While the blades are typically positioned substantially vertically for cutting of slabs that are positioned substantially horizontally, no geometrical arrangement existing between the blades and the slab is necessary. For example, the slabs may be placed at an angle, and the blades may also be angled to the slab so as to cut the chamfers or create sloped edges for the tiles.

In another embodiment, the cutting tool is a curved blade that can be used to create the desired profile.

The cutting tool need not be limited to a blade, and in other embodiments the cutting tool includes a cutting tool or grating device that reciprocates to remove microlayers of material.

A profile can serve a functional purpose or simply provide an aesthetic effect. In this regard, there is an increasing market demand for new and novel shaped wall tiles and floors. In response to the demand for original products, high resolution digital printing technology is used to add complex surface decoration to the tiles, and in particular the present invention mainly meets the need for aesthetic differences in the acceptable range of square and / or rectangular tiles. Suitable.

In one embodiment, the slab material is cementitious, and the cementitious material may otherwise interfere with the passage of the cutting tool when the cutting tool penetrates the material and / or cause tearing or rippling of the material. It does not include large aggregates. The cementitious material is injected into the mold, which is then cured into a semi-set state, in which the cutting tool separates the slab into small pieces (or removes material from the slab) without the deformation of the material following operation of the cutting tool. Sufficiently hardened to allow removal).

In another embodiment, the slab is extruded porcelain. The magnetic slab will be for the purpose of making monocottura (single heated) tiles or bicottura (single heated) tiles. In this case, any slab material heated twice (or prebaked), the first heating or baking process effective to reduce the moisture content of the slab, should not harden the slab material to such an extent that the slab material cannot be cut with the vibration cutting tool.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the slab is a composite stone comprising a polymer or polyester resin which acts as a binder for fine siliceous, or a calcareous aggregate material having similar physical properties as described above. Cutting with an ultrasonic cutting tool such as a straight blade (usually operated by a robotic arm or a CNC machine) will occur after pressing and vibration, not before heating / curing of the material. In this regard, the material can be cut to the required size and shape using one or more vibratory cutting tools. Dry material in a pressurized state exhibits a semi-set state for this particular material, and cutting of the material occurs in this state.

This material is then placed in an oven where the resin binder is activated to bond the dry material. Once the baking process is complete, the cooled material is a very hard material that can withstand considerable impact.

In another embodiment, the mold includes a sacrificial layer of material that absorbs cutting damage that may be imparted to the mold by the cutting tool. The sacrificial layer of material (mold lining) may be applied prior to the injection (or pressurization) of the material into the mold and may be removed following the cutting process when mold dismantling occurs. Mold linings can reduce wear on the mold surface, reduce daily cleaning and / or maintenance requirements and thus reduce waste and / or cost and / or improve the quality of slab products.

In another embodiment, the material comprises gypsum. In this embodiment, the slab may further comprise a liner board. The liner board may be cut with the material in a semi-set state to produce a liner board of a shape and / or size not available according to current manufacturing methods.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a cutting device including a vibratory cutting tool and a micro-processor operably connected to a memory storing instructions. The position of the cutting tool is determined by the stored instructions, and the micro-processor executes the stored instructions so that the control system instructs the vibratory cutting tool to penetrate the slab of material in the semi-set state.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a production product comprising a computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium stores instructions for controlling a cutting device according to the present invention.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a slab product according to the method of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the term "curing" is compatible with the term "set". In addition, the term "semi-set" has a meaning substantially similar to "semi-plastic" or "semi-hardening".

1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a cutting process according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slab of material having an array of straight cuts providing an array of square or rectangular tiles when mold disassembly occurs. In this figure, the mold is omitted for explanation.
3 is a perspective view of a slab of material illustrating a slanted cut performed to provide a tile with a sloped sidewall, wherein the tile with the sloped sidewall is chipping damage to the top surface for individual tiles for design purposes. Help prevent).
4A is a perspective view of a slab of material having an array of curved cuts providing an array of circular tiles.
4B is a cross-sectional view of the slab along plane 4B-4B of FIG. 4 illustrating the inclined cut providing a circular tile with a sloped wall.
5A-5F are schematic views of the cross-sectional range of a slab product, showing possible profiles in which a vibratory cutting tool according to an embodiment of the present invention may be provided.

It should be noted that all of the description below is illustrative rather than limiting, regardless of whether a particular embodiment has been described.

The present invention relates to tiles (inner tiles, exterior tiles, floor and wall tiles, conventional tiles and modified tiles), paving cladding for walls (both internal and external) mosaics (including floor mosaics), kitchen benches Exterior cladding and curtain with optional accessories including top, kitchen counters, benches and islands, table tops, integrally molded products for inclined panels including scott systems, products containing fibers It relates to the manufacture of slabs which can be separated into smaller products such as curtain walling, other slab products in the slab market, furniture, roof tiles or slabs, and / or other suitable tiles.

An exemplary method for producing a slab comprising a cement material includes mixing cement, fine aggregate material and ultrafine aggregate material, and water. The fine aggregate material and / or the ultrafine aggregate material may be a silicic acid material comprising sand. In addition, the cement mixture may comprise pulverized aggregate material and / or powder, wherein the pulverized aggregate material may be sand.

In order to reduce the water content of the cement mixture, a water reducing agent may be added, which may be a polycarboxylatic ether polymer. The amount of reducing agent may be between about 1% and 5% of the mixture by weight of the cement. For example, if the cement content of the cement mixture is 100 kg, the amount of water reducing agent may be between about 1 kg and 5 kg. If a water reducing agent is used the ratio of water to cement may be approximately 0.26.

The ratio of cement to fine aggregate material to ultrafine aggregate material may be 2: 2: 1. For example, the cement mixture may comprise 100 kg of cement, 100 kg of fine aggregate material, and 50 kg of ultrafine aggregate material. Further, in embodiments where the cement mixture comprises pulverized aggregate material or powder, the ratio of cement to fine aggregate material to ultrafine aggregate material to crushed sand or powder may be 10: 10: 5: 2. For example, the cement mixture may include 100 kg of cement, 100 kg of fine aggregate material, 50 kg of ultrafine aggregate material, and 20 kg of crushed aggregate material or powder.

Of course, the exact proportion of material in any mixture that produces the best results will depend on the quality and suitability of the material, the quality of the polycarboxylate mixture, and the efficiency of the mixing apparatus.

In further embodiments, the cement mixture may include vinegar and / or ethanol (buffer) which is included to reduce the air content of the cement mixture. The air content of the cement mixture may be in the form of air bubbles, and vinegar and / or ethanol is intended to reduce the air bubble content of the cement mixture. Vinegar and / or alcohol to cement ratio may be approximately 0.075.

The ingredients are mixed in a wet consistency. Mixing time may be approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

Following mixing of the cement mixture, the material is then placed in the mold to produce a cement slab. Molds can have varying shapes and sizes and can be made from a variety of materials, including aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, and / or acrylic. In one embodiment, the mold is made of glass.

Since the cutting equipment can damage the surface of the mold, a sacrificial layer (or mold liner) of material can be used with the mold to prevent or at least reduce damage to the mold. The mold liner can be discarded and replaced after the demolding process and made of any suitable material to prevent damage to the mold surface that may occur when the cutting tool is used to cut plastic, waxed paper, or slabs. Can be formed.

In addition to preventing damage to the mold by the cutting tool, the mold liner also protects the mold surface from the material injected into the mold. In this regard, the mold liner avoids the requirement for cleaning the surface of the mold after the slab product has been demoulded. Eliminating the need to clean the mold surface avoids the time and cost incurred in this operation. In addition, consistency of the appearance of the slab product made from the mold is ensured by avoiding any deposition and damage of the material on the mold surface.

When in the mold, the cement mixture is allowed to self-level. As the air and air bubbles exit the cement mixture, self leveling takes a duration of approximately 2 to 6 minutes. It is expected that approximately 80% to 95% of the air will exit the mixture during the self-leveling process without interruption.

Further reduction of air and air bubbles can be achieved by slowly oscillating the mold containing the cement mixture. The cement mixture may be vibrated until air and air bubbles are no longer likely to reach the surface of the cement mixture. In this regard, gentle vibrations can have a duration of approximately 3 to 10 seconds. In any case, the extent to which the mixture requires vibration is significantly reduced compared to conventional methods of producing slabs of cement material. Reducing the extent to which vibration is required substantially reduces significant variables in the production process. Of course, the reduction of any variable in the production process has the effect of improving the quality and reproducibility of the product from the process.

Following the leveling and vibration of the cement mixture, it is allowed to set until the cement mixture is in a substantially semi-set (or substantially semi-hardened) state. When in the semi-set state, the cement slab can be cut into tiles or other desired products. In the semi-set state, the cement material may be cut with a cutting tool or a sharp tool, such as a knife, vibrated at a preselected frequency.

The preselected frequency may be ultrasound, which may be in the range of 20 kHz to 40 kHz. The ultrasonic cutting tool may be of a portable type or integrated into an automated machine such as a computer controlled automated cutting machine.

The use of blades vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies results in little or no cement material adhering to the blades during cutting. This eliminates the need for the blades to be cleaned, and also almost or substantially eliminates the need for any cement material to be removed from the slab during the cutting process. Of course, this helps to ensure that the slab material does not burst, ripple or deform without providing smooth separation during the cutting process.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cement slab 2 can be formed in the mold 1 and cut with a cutting tool such as a blade 4 fitted to the cutting device 5. The cutting device 5 may be an ultrasonic cutting device.

The blade 4 cuts the cement slab 2 into the desired shape. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cutting part 3 has an irregular shape of a curved shape. Since the slab is cut when in the semi-set state, the cutting portion 3 can have many different shapes, including curved and sharp corners. This is particularly useful when a curved shape is desired, such as removing some from the slab used as the kitchen bench top for subsequent mounting of the sink and faucet.

1 also shows various other components of the mold, including the substrate 7, the layer of material 9 forming the mold lining, and the mold retaining wall 10. The substrate 7 should provide a surface to the injected material that is acceptable for an "off-form" mold. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the substrate 7 is a glass sheet that provides a very uniform surface to the injected material.

In order to protect the substrate 7 from the cutting tool 4, a mold lining 9 is applied to the surface of the substrate 7. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the mold lining 9 must be applied to the substrate 7 with a tool to ensure that any air between the mold lining 9 and the substrate 7 is substantially removed.

Following application of the lining 9, a retaining wall 10 is formed. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the retention wall 10 is formed of an acrylic material that is malleable and quick-drying. Once solidified, the wall 10 remains relatively soft and malleable so that it can be easily removed.

The ultrasonic cutting tool may be a thin blade capable of cutting cement material in a semi-set state. In addition, the cutting of the material can be carried out at approximately 4 m to 8 m or more per minute.

The cement material is cured to a substantially semi-set state following self-leveling and / or vibration. The portion of the curing process can be approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour at an ambient temperature of approximately 21 degrees Celsius. Higher ambient temperatures can promote curing time. Cutting of the cement slab can be carried out at any time after placement in the mold of cement material, but the cement material must be leveled and air and / or air bubbles are allowed to be released and / or removed, the cement material being semi-set It is important to understand that it is cured enough.

The cement material can be evaluated for cutting suitability by applying a cutter to the cement material and observing that the material does not deform and / or fuse together over or around the cut when the material is cut.

When the cementitious slab is cut while in the semi-set state, it is substantially reduced on the cementitious material, compared to conventional cutting methods involving the use of saw blades embedded with diamond ore to cut the material in the hardened state. It will be appreciated that there is a stress. As a result of the reduced stress on the cementitious material, chipping and breaking of the cementitious slab will be eliminated or at least substantially reduced. In addition, substantially no cementitious material is attached to the cutting tool during the cutting process of the present invention.

Cementitious slabs can be cut into tiles having various sizes and shapes. The shape may include curved and rounded shapes and the tiles may be made to have sharp corners.

Referring to Figure 2, a slab is shown without the retaining wall or substrate and mold lining. However, FIG. 2 shows two longitudinal straight cuts 14, 16 and a plurality of transverse straight cuts 18, 20, 22, 24 so that the slab 12 is cut into fifteen individual square or rectangular tile products. The slab 12 of the material being shown is shown.

Of course, vibration cutting tools can be used to cut the slab material at an angle other than substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the injected slab.

Referring to FIG. 3, the slab 26 is shown once again with no retaining wall, substrate or mold lining. However, FIG. 3 has longitudinal cuts 28, 30 and four transverse cuts 31, 32, 33, 34, with each longitudinal cut shown at an angle to the surface of the slab 26. The slab 26 is shown comprising a path of two vibrating knife blades. For example, the longitudinal cut 28 actually includes two separate paths of the vibrating knife blade such that a reverse “V” shaped cut is imparted. Individual slab products removed from the mold will have walls that are inclined to the surface of the individual slab products. Compared to the individual tiles made from the slab 12 of FIG. 2, the individual tiles made from the slab 26 of FIG. 3 have the upper surface of the tile compared to the tile product made from the slab 12 shown in FIG. 2. Will have a beveled edge wall with better resilience to chipping of the injected slab bottom surface).

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that cutting a slab in a semi-set state with a vibratory cutting tool provides significantly greater flexibility compared to current slab product manufacturing methods. For example, referring to FIG. 4A, a slab is shown that represents slab products of various shapes. In this regard, individual slab products have a variety of shapes, including round, triangular and diamond shapes. Each such product can be cut from the slab with an inclined wall, and in this particular example, the flexibility provided by the present invention is that a single slab can be made of a variety of different shaped slabs depending on the particular manufacturing requirements of the time. It is clearly demonstrated as it can be cut to produce a product.

In addition, the slab 36 shown in FIG. 4A includes a slab product having a shape and structure that is extremely difficult to manufacture according to current manufacturing methods or at least extremely difficult to manufacture without a significant amount of waste. For example, diamond shaped tiles are particularly rare considering the difficulties associated with cutting diamond shaped tiles from slabs with saw blades embedded with diamond ore. In this regard, the physical stresses exerted on the tile during the cutting process using cutting blades embedded with diamond ore are usually damaged in the form of chipping at the point where the intersection of the walls of the tile forms an acute angle within the region of the diamond-shaped tile. As a result, it is very difficult to produce diamond-shaped tiles according to the current production method.

For this reason, the present approach to making tiles with curved shapes and / or sharp edges is to use a high pressure water jet to cut the desired specific shape from the slab. However, this approach has a number of disadvantages that are not commercially viable for producing slab products such as tiles. In general, this approach to the manufacture of tiles is used only for designs where special requirements or premium prices are expected.

As can be seen from FIG. 4A, the effective flexibility for cutting a slab product of a particular shape from a slab in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention is limited only by the ability to control the position and path of the vibratory cutting tool. In this embodiment, the vibratory cutting tool is controlled by a robotic arm or CNC machine, and for any particular manufacturing requirement, only selecting an appropriate control program to form the shape and / or structure of the slab product to be cut from the slab. This is necessary.

The control system can determine the path of the cutting tool through the slab and also control the selection of a particular cutting tool for any particular zone of the slab. The control system includes a memory device and a micro-processor that store instruction codes for controlling the robotic arm. The indication code may be embodied explicitly in an information medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, or a hard disk. Such a computer program product may cause the data processing device to perform one or more of the operations described herein. The memory may encode one or more programs that cause the processor to perform one or more method acts described herein. In addition, the subject matter described herein may be practiced using a variety of machines.

Selected aspects, features, and components of the instrument described above appear to be stored in memory. However, all or part of an apparatus and / or system comprising logic (such as computer executable instructions) for carrying out a method is stored on, distributed over, or from a wide variety of machines or computer-readable media. Can be read. The medium may include a hard disk, a flash memory, a floppy disk, or a storage device that may be developed in the future. The logic may also be encoded as a transitory or non-transitory signal that encodes the logic as the signal propagates from source to destination.

The logic for executing the apparatus and / or system may include any combination of hardware and software, which may vary in execution. For example, a processor may be implemented as a microprocessor or microcontroller, DSP, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), discrete logic, or other type of circuit or combination of logic. Similarly, the memory can be DRAM, SRAM, flash or any other type of memory. The functionality of the apparatus and / or system may be distributed across multiple computer systems. Parameters, databases, and other data structures can be stored and managed individually, integrated into a single memory or database, or logically and physically organized in a wide variety of ways. Any logic described may be executed as a program that is part of a single program, such as a separate program, or may be distributed across multiple memories and processors. The logic may be organized into a software library including a dynamic link library (DLL), an application programming interface (API) or other libraries.

Each slab product formed from the slab 36 of FIG. 4A has a sloped wall, which crosses a plane formed by lines 4B-4B and extends through the slab 36 perpendicular to the top surface of the slab. Also shown in FIG. 4B, which is a top view.

Referring to FIG. 4B, the slab 36 has two circular tiles 38, 40 cut from the slab 36. In addition to applying circular cuts to the slab 36 to form the circular tiles 38 and 40, for cutting the circular tiles 38 and 40 from the slab 36 with the oscillating cutting blade having an inclined wall. It is disposed at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the slab 36. The inclined walls for each circular tile 38, 40 are shown as cuts 42, 44, 46, 48 in FIG. 4B.

In addition to cutting various shaped tile products from slabs with considerable flexibility, the present invention also allows the slab products to be produced with various profiles as well as the inclined walls shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B. In this regard, referring to FIGS. 5A-5F, various slab product profiles are shown.

In FIG. 5A, a slab article having a sloped wall as demolded from the slab shown in FIG. 3 is shown with a wall sloped approximately 80 degrees from the horizontal plane. As mentioned above, making a tile with a sloped wall will result in a tile with improved resilience to chipping damage to the tile at the point of intersection between the wall and the top surface 50. However, the present invention provides considerable flexibility with respect to the manufacture of tiles or slab products having a desired profile.

For example, FIG. 5B shows a slab product with one end having a wall inclined at approximately 45 degrees from vertical. This type of profile is particularly useful for wall tiles used to cover corners of walls with miter cut edges that allow two wall tiles with similar profiles to be joined together at the corners of the wall. Thereby forming a relatively continuous tile contour around the corners of the wall.

In addition, the profile shown in FIG. 5B may be useful when making a stepping step of a step where the miter cutting edge is used to join a similar profile of another slab product that forms the vertical surface of the step.

In this regard, the present invention makes it possible to produce a profile as shown in Fig. 5C, which may also be useful for the stepping of the stairs, where the profile represents a rounded profile and the user falls over the rounded surface of the stepping platform. It is generally referred to as a "Bull Nose" that mitigates the risk of stability to the user of the staircase in the event of an impact. Of course, in producing the profile as shown in Fig. 5C, it is preferable to use a vibration cutting device in the form of a round or curved vibrating knife blade. In addition, in creating the profile as shown in FIG. 5C, the vibratory cutting tool requires a number of runs back and forth along the edge of the slab product to produce the desired profile in a continuous path that removes a relatively small amount of slab material. There can be.

Referring to FIG. 5D, a profile of a tile with chamfered edges is shown. 5E also shows a tile with stepped edges that can be useful and / or produce a desired aesthetic effect. In the example of the profile shown in FIG. 5E, the vibratory cutting tool needs to be moved back and forth along the edge of the slab product many times, and when creating such an edge profile, the vibratory cutting tool is slab to form the desired profile. It may be necessary to remove the slab material during or after the cutting process to provide sufficient available space to perform additional desired cutting of the material.

Referring to FIG. 5F, another slab product profile is shown, in which the vibration cutting tool can take the form of a cylindrical or semi-cylindrical device, with the sharp edge extending along the periphery of the cylindrical or semi-cylindrical device.

In any or all of the profiles shown in FIGS. 5A-5F, it may be desirable to produce a mold with approximately the desired width so that the illustrated profile can be provided by cutting the slab article at each edge of the slab article. This is particularly the case for the profile shown in FIGS. 5C-5F, where the profile needs to extend from the top surface of the tile formed as the bottom surface of the injected slab. In these cases, once the slab is cured to a semi-set state, it is necessary to remove the retaining wall formed by the malleable acrylic material to expose the edge of the slab material to allow access of the vibratory cutting tool to form the desired edge profile. Vibratory cutting tools can be used. In one embodiment of the present invention performing this particular method, when cutting and trimming the mold retaining wall and any excess material to form the edge of the slab product, the material that needs to be removed separates the unwanted material from the slab. May be removed during or after the cutting process. Removal of the slab material may be performed by a robotic arm that activates the cutting device and the cutting tool.

However, in other embodiments of the present invention, once the slab is injected and the initial hardening process begins, the top surface of the injected slab is treated to make it satisfactory to expose the top surface of the injected slab as the top surface of the slab product. do. In this regard, the top surface of the injected slab can be wiped and rubbed to provide a suitable surface of the slab product. If such a surface is satisfactory as the top surface of the slab product, the formation of the profile shown in FIGS. 5B-5F becomes easier.

Cutting a slab that is cemented and semi-set does not require the use of expensive cutting equipment, such as diamond tools, and reduces cutting time. In addition, the amount of water required for cutting can be significantly reduced or completely eliminated. This has the further advantage that little or no effluent has occurred which required expensive treatment and / or disposal.

Cutting a slab that is cemented and substantially semi-set consumes significantly less energy than prior art cutting methods. Many of the advantages described above also lead to reduced production costs. This is especially the case for mosaic tiles (tiles of relatively small dimensions). At present, the losses incurred when cutting mosaic tiles from slabs using saw blades with diamond tips are significant. Thus, mosaic tiles are expensive because the range of losses during production using currently accepted methods is as high as 50% to 60% due to damage during production and the material removed by the saw blade. Since the average yield in the production of mosaic tiles is 40% to 50%, the price of the mosaic tiles is remarkably expensive and therefore is rarely used in construction.

Of course, mosaic tile production using the systems and methods of the present invention will result in significantly higher yields with virtually no loss (or at least substantially less loss) compared to mosaic tile cutting by saw blades with diamond tips.

Cementitious slabs can be injected to produce slab products having a thickness of approximately 3 mm to 6 mm. This makes new and original products possible.

In addition, because the stress induced on the product during processing is small, the material may be substantially stronger. Thus, problems such as corner breakage and the like during installation of the product can be less.

Moreover, since large aggregate pieces are not used to produce cementitious materials, post-installation problems associated with the slow progression of cracks (including hairy cracks) can be reduced.

Fine materials and / or ultrafine materials may include limestone, granite or marble. The cementitious mixture may comprise a combination of any or all of these materials or other silica containing materials.

Cementitious slabs can also be evaluated and / or adjusted for thickness consistency. Any area of cementitious slab thicker (higher) than desired can be removed. Removal may be performed by a cheese greater type device serving as a cutting tool. However, it will be appreciated that any requirement for evaluating and / or adjusting the thickness of cementitious slabs and / or removing material from thick areas of the slab should be substantially minimized or eliminated due to the slab production method according to the invention. .

Evaluating and / or adjusting the thickness and / or removing the cementitious material to obtain an even thickness can be made before or after the slab is cut into tiles. However, evaluating and / or removing the cementitious material occurs when the cementitious material is in a semi-hardened (semi-set) state, thereby reducing the stress the product receives compared to the hardened product.

Following the cutting of the cementitious slab, the tile is stored for approximately 20 to 24 hours, which allows for further hardening of the product, such as the tile. The tile is hardened to such an extent that it can be removed from the mold.

In an alternative embodiment, the present invention can be used to produce gypsum board. In this embodiment, the gypsum board may be produced in a mold, the first side of the gypsum board linerboard is disposed in the mold, the gypsum material (including gypsum) is injected over the first linerboard in the mold, and the gypsum A second side of the board linerboard is disposed over the gypsum material to form a "sandwich" of the linerboard with the gypsum material covered.

The gypsum board is then cut by the blade vibrating at a preselected frequency when the gypsum material is in the semi-set state. The blade also cuts through the first and second sides of the linerboard.

In this way, it is possible to form gypsum board into shapes that would have been virtually difficult to form if the gypsum board had been cut when the gypsum material had fully or substantially fully cured.

The present invention implements various advantages, and in particular enables the efficient and inexpensive production of slab products compared to existing processes. For example, cutting the slab material in a semi-set state does not have to harden the slab enough to withstand the stress and impact of slab cutting by the blade with the diamond tip. This has the combined advantage that there is no need to interrupt the treatment of the slab between injection and cutting, eliminating the need for expensive mixing and adjusting / cutting equipment typically used in current manufacturing processes.

In addition, by reducing or substantially erasing the amount of material removed from the slab during the cutting process, the manufacturing process does not require the use of water to catch the excess material away from the cutting surface and move it away. This eliminates the water filtration plant and ongoing maintenance normally required for such systems.

The need for large and heavy equipment or no water drainage and treatment system eliminates the need to manufacture slab products in dedicated installations. In contrast, the production of slab products according to the invention can be carried out in any installation that can accommodate the equipment needed to cut the slab material in a semi-set state. In this regard, the power consumption for operating such equipment is significantly less than currently required. In addition, by allowing the cutting process to be carried out immediately after the injection process, no labor intensive handling associated with the intermediate storage of the slab for curing is required, and there is no need to store the slab until the time the slabs are cured.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methods described above can be applied when producing slabs made of materials other than cementitious slabs or gypsum board.

While specific example embodiments have been described, such embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting, and the invention is not limited to the specific structures and configurations described, for reasons other than those described above. It is to be understood that various changes, combinations, omissions, modifications and substitutions are possible. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the embodiments described above can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described above.

Claims (23)

Cutting the slab of material with a cutting tool that vibrates at a preselected frequency when the material is in a semi-set state. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the slab material is cementitious, the constituent material comprises cement with the other material, and the combined mixture has a particle size small enough to allow the slab material to be cut with a vibrating cutting tool. The method of claim 2,
The cementitious material is injected into the mold and then cured into a semi-set state, wherein the semi-set state is sufficiently cured to allow the cutting tool to separate the slab without material deformation during or after operation of the cutting tool. Phosphorus, slab cutting method of material. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the slab material is uncemented, the constituent material is relatively dry after mixing, and the mixture is pressed into the mold and heated to bring the material into a semi-set state before cutting the slab. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the slab material is gypsum and the gypsum slab material is lined with the cellulose material such that both the gypsum slab material and the cellulose material are cut with a cutting tool while the gypsum material is in a semi-set state. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The preselected frequency of the vibratory cutting tool is an ultrasonic frequency. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The vibration frequency can be selected to best suit the constituent material of the slab. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
And the cutting tool is a blade. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
And the cutting tool is a curved blade. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The cutting tool is operated under the command of a control system including a micro-processor and a memory for storing instructions such that the position and movement of the cutting tool is determined by stored instructions executed by the micro-processor. . 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The slab material in the semi-set state is disposed substantially horizontally and the cutting tool is a slab cutting of material, which is a straight blade that is operated under the command of the control system to allow the vibrating blade to pass through the slab material and cut it at the optimum position. Way. The method according to claim 10 or 11,
Wherein said blade is disposed at an angle other than perpendicular to the surface of the slab of material such that a portion of the slab is separated by oblique cutting. 13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
A plurality of cutting tools are used in slab cutting of material, the most suitable cutting tool being selected according to the cutting requirements for a particular area of the slab of material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
Cutting the slab of material comprises removing a microlayer of material from any one or more surfaces of the slab of material. 15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
The slab material is cementitious, the mold is formed from a substrate having a malleable material applied thereto to form a mold wall that holds the slab material injected into the mold,
And said malleable material is separable by a cutting tool that vibrates during cutting of the slab material in a semi-set state. Slab product separated from a slab of material according to the method of claim 1. Cutting device,
A memory storing instructions operatively coupled to the vibratory cutting tool, the micro-processor and the micro-processor,
The position of the cutting tool is determined by the stored instructions, and the micro-processor executes the stored instructions such that the control system instructs the vibratory cutting tool to penetrate the slab of material in a semi-set state. 18. The method of claim 17,
And the control system selects a vibration frequency of the cutting tool. 19. The method of claim 18,
And the control system selects an ultrasonic frequency for vibration of the cutting tool. 19. The method of claim 18,
And the control system is operable to select a vibration frequency that best suits the cutting of the slab of material. 21. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20,
And the control system is operable to select from a plurality of cutting tools including straight and curved blades. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21,
And the cutting tool is operable to cut the slab of material at an angle other than perpendicular to the surface of the slab. 23. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored in a medium controlling the cutting device according to any one of claims 17 to 22.

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