Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C39/00—Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C39/003—Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor characterised by the choice of material
  • B29C39/006—Monomers or prepolymers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
  • A47B77/00—Kitchen cabinets
  • A47B77/02—General layout, e.g. relative arrangement of compartments, working surface or surfaces, supports for apparatus
  • A47B77/022—Work tops
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J5/00—Manufacture of articles or shaped materials containing macromolecular substances
  • C08J5/18—Manufacture of films or sheets
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J2333/00—Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and only one being terminated by only one carboxyl radical, or of salts, anhydrides, esters, amides, imides, or nitriles thereof; Derivatives of such polymers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J2367/00—Characterised by the use of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers

Definitions

• the invention is generally related to manufacture of a counter top. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved method for manufacturing a single layer counter top of acceptable thickness.
• solid-surface pertains to a material where there is no painted or laminated skin or outer surface. With solid surface materials, small scratches and burns, etc. are sanded or buffed out.
• Counter tops are used in a variety of places, such as the kitchen or bathroom, to provide a horizontal work space.
• Methods for manufacturing prior counter top materials resulted in thin sheets of material having thicknesses of 1 ⁇ 2′′ to 3 ⁇ 4′′.
• these 1 ⁇ 2′′ thick sheets of solid surface material were cut into sheets to generate pieces to glue up to the ends of the sheet material. These pieces were glued together to create a thicker edge on the material and then sanded down to create a finished product. Gluing the sheets adds numerous manufacturing steps which results in an expensive end product.
• a method for manufacturing a solid surface is provided.
• alumina tri-hydrate is poured into a vat mixer having vacuum capabilities.
• a previously cast solid surface preferably made from alumina tri-hydrate, granules and resin, is ground into granules and added to the vat.
• a resin preferably acrylic resin, polyester resin or polyester acrylic resin, is added to form a mixture wherein the alumina tri-hydrate and granules comprise at least thirty-five percent of the mixture.
• the alumina tri-hydrate and granules comprise between fifty and seventy percent of the mixture.
• the alumina tri-hydrate and granules comprise fifty-five percent of the mixture and the resin comprises forty-three percent of the mixture.
• the resin is polyester acrylic resin comprised of idophthalic acid, acrylic ester, propanediol, diethylene glycol, malice anhydride, ethylene glycol, benze anhydride and adipic anhydride.
• the ingredients are mixed until a homogeneous mixture is formed and a catalyst, preferably peroxide, is blended into the homogeneous mixture to form a moldable mixture.
• a catalyst preferably peroxide
• polyester coloring pastes, or other appropriate ingredients can be added to impart color to the homogeneous mixture.
• the moldable mixture is then poured onto a glass, stainless steel or fiberglass mold, cured to form a sheet of solid surface and then released from the mold.
• the moldable mixture may be agitate by, for example by vibration.
• the curing process preferably occurs at an elevated temperature initially, preferably at about 130° F. for about 2 hours and then at 65° F. to 85° F. for about 4 hours.
• the sheet can then be polished using, preferably, varying grits of diamond polishing pads and water to provide finished sheets of solid surface.
• the invention is an improved composition for solid surface countertop material. Previous compositions resulted in sheets of material having thicknesses of 1 ⁇ 2′′ to 3 ⁇ 4′′. This novel method produced a solid surface having a thickness of 3 cm which allows for simplified end user fabrication and tremendous labor savings from the cast thickness of the material. Traditionally, users of 1 ⁇ 2′′ solid surface material had to cut sheets of the material to generate pieces to glue up to the ends of the sheet materials. These pieces were glued together to create a thicker edge on the material and then sanded down to create a finished product. The present invention eliminates this step as no edge build up is necessary due to the increased thickness of the material. The present invention relates to countertops primarily used for kitchens and bathrooms and allows for a significant labor savings in end fabrication of the countertops due to increased material thickness.
• the process for manufacturing a solid surface according to the present method includes the following steps:
• Alumina tri-hydrate (hereinafter “ATH”) is poured into a vat mixer with vacuum capabilities along with ground up granules of a previously cast solid surface which are comprised of the same ingredients and made according to the same process described herein.
• Acrylic resin polyester resin or, preferably, polyester acrylic resin (hereinafter “Resin”) is added to the vat mixer such that the finished mixture will provide the desired characteristics of the finished solid surface.
• the mixture preferably includes at least thirty-five percent (35%) ATH and crushed granules.
• the most preferred embodiment includes fifty-five percent (55%) ATH and crushed granules mixed with forty-three percent (43%).
• the resulting mixture is then mixed in the vat under a vacuum until the mixture is homogenous.
• polyester coloring pastes are added to effect the desired color.
• a catalyst is then added to promote the hardening process; peroxide is the preferred catalyst.
• the optional pastes and catalyst are fully blended into the mixture.
• the resulting mixture is then poured onto molds of varying sizes depending upon the desired dimensions of the finished sheets of solid surface. Glass molds are preferred for ease of use but stainless steel or fiberglass molds can also be used with the appropriate mold releases.
• the cast mixture is then preferably agitated to settle in the mold, preferably by vibration.
• the cast mixture is then cured to form a sheet.
• the mold is then moved into an oven to cure at an elevated temperature, preferably around 130° F. Lower temperatures may also be used; an excessive temperature can cause the sheet to warp.
• oven curing preferably, the curing process continues outside the oven on racks at approximately room temperatures for several hours.
• the cast sheets are then released from the molds and polished using varying grits of diamond polishing pads and water to provide finished sheets of solid surface.
• ATH alumina tri-hydrate
• polyester acrylic resin comprised of idophthalic acid, acrylic ester, propanediol, diethylene glycol, malice anhydride, ethylene glycol, benze anhydride and adipic anhydride (hereinafter “Resin”) is added to the vat mixer such that the ratio of the mixture is fifty-five percent (55%) ATH and crushed granules to forty three percent (43%) Resin;
• polyester coloring pastes are added to effect the desired color and peroxide is added to act as a catalyst for the hardening process;
• the cast sheet cures outside the oven on racks for another four hours at a temperature between 65° F. and 85° F.;
• the cast sheets are then released from the mold and polished using varying grits of diamond polishing pads and water to provide finished sheets of solid surface having a thickness of 3 cm.

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Citations (21)

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• 2005
  • 2005-12-15 US US11/304,418 patent/US20060125137A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-12-15 WO PCT/US2005/045314 patent/WO2006065936A2/fr active Application Filing
• 2007
  • 2007-02-12 US US11/705,240 patent/US20070138685A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (21)

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