WO2005079625A1

WO2005079625A1 - Apparatus for surface treatment of manufactured products

Info

Publication number: WO2005079625A1
Application number: PCT/IB2005/000175
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Corradini
Original assignee: Ancora S.P.A.
Priority date: 2004-01-27
Filing date: 2005-01-25
Publication date: 2005-09-01
Also published as: ITMO20040017A1; EP1708589A1; TW200536693A

Abstract

Apparatus for finishing a surface (8) of a manufactured slab product (2), comprising brush means (11,11’,44) arranged to distribute a manufactured product (4) on said surface (8), wherein said brush means (11,11’,44) is arranged in such a way as to interact with said surface (8) in a first direction (F1,T1,F3,F3’) and a second direction (F2,T2,F4,F4’) different from said first direction.

Description

Apparatus for surface treatment of manufactured products

The invention relates to an apparatus for surface treatment of manufactured products, and in particular for finishing ceramic tiles or natural-stone slabs, or stone material in general. It is- known how in tiles made of porcelain stoneware, during •firing, microscopic cavities form which, particularly after polishing, make the visible face of the tile porous, thus altering its aesthetic qualities. Similarly, during cutting of natural-stone slabs, visible surfaces can originate that are provided with a porous appearance, that is due to the presence of cavities within- the structure of the stone.In order to obviate the presence of these microscopic cavities and thus obtain ceramic tiles and/or stone slabs provided with a homogenous visible face, apparatuses are known wherein the manufactured products to be treated, located on suitable moving means, for example conveyor belts, are passed- in sequence underneath^' a device delivering an appropriate liquid filling material, for- example wax,' and underneath a device provided with rotating brushes. The delivered liquid wax forms a layer on the visible face of the manufactured product, thus filling all .the microscopic cavities present in the latter. Subsequently, the device provided with rotating brushes intervenes to distribute the wax on the^' treated surface of the manufactured product and remove the excess quantity therefrom. The rotating brushes, in order to be able to operate in an optimal manner, must, have their rotation axis arranged in a manner' that deviates slightly from - a direction that . is orthogonal to the surface of the tiles to be finished. A drawback associated with the use of the known apparatuses is due to the fact that the surface provided with bristles of each brush interacts with the surface to be polished, distributing, on the latter the- ax in circular stripes. As a result, as the wax is distributed unevenly on the surface of the tile, the aesthetic result that is obtainable by polishing is substantially altered. Another drawback present in the known apparatuses consists of the fact that the rotating brushes, during their movement over 5 the surface of the visible face, are unable to completely remove the excess wax. The latter tends to be retained between the bristles of the brushes and therefore to be substantially deposited afresh ^'on the surface of the manufactured product. Furthermore, near the edges of the manufactured products, the

10 rotating brushes act in a- manner that is hardly effective, inasmuch as the bristles of the brμsh, owing to ' the aforementioned deviated rotation axis, cannot all interact • simultaneously with the surface to be treated. An object of the invention is to improve the known apparatuses

15 ^' for_. finishing the - surfaces of s-ubstantially flat manufactured products, in particular ceramic tiles and/or natural-stone slabs. Another object is to provide an apparatus for surface finishing of substantially flat manufactured products, ^' in

20 particular ceramic tiles .and/or natural-stone slabs, that is able .to distribute the wax homogenously during brushing. A further object is to provide an apparatus for surface ■ finishing of substantially flat manufactured products that enables the excess wax to be effectively removed during the

25. brushing phase. A still further object is to provide an apparatus for surface finishing of manufactured products that also acts effectively at the edges of the latter. The invention provides an apparatus for finishing a surface of

30 a manufactured, slab product,, comprising brush means arranged to distribute . a manufactured product -on said surface, characterised in that said brush means is arranged in such a way as to interact with said ■ surface in ^' a first direction and a second direction different from said first direction.. 'In an embodiment, said first direction and said second direction are opposite each other. Owing to the invention, it is possible during brushing to evenly distribute the wax on the visible face- of the treated manufactured products, and to remove the excess quantity of wax from it in a substantially complete manner. The invention . will be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, that show some embodiments by way of non-limitative example, wherein: ^' Figure 1 is a longitudinal schematic view of an apparatus for surface finishing of tiles; Figure 2 is a fragmentary and incomplete schematic plan view of a part of the apparatus in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating • the effect produced on a visible^' face of a manufactured product by a prior-art apparatus; Figure 4' is a schematic plan view illustrating the effect produced on a visible .face of a . manufactured product by an apparatus like the one in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a view like the one in Figure 1 illustrating an embodiment of a part of the apparatus for surface finishing of tiles; Figure -6 and Figure 7 are views like the one in Figure 2, illustrating versions of further parts of the apparatus in Figure 1. In Figures, ϊ and 2, an apparatus 1 for surface , finishing of manufactured slab products 2,. for^' example ceramic tiles, comprises, near a moving line 5 of the manufactured products 2, a heating station.33, a delivery station 23 of a product 4, for example liquid wax, a distribution station 43, and downstream .of said distribution station 43, a brushing station 26. The moving line 5 comprises prior-art moving means, for example a pair of drive-belts 7. The heating station 33 comprises an oven 12 indicated by a broken line, within which a temperature is created and kept constant that is suitable for heating the manufactured products 2 such as to facilitate the deposition of the product 4 delivered^" in the subsequent delivery station 23. .The latter is enclosed in a chamber 53, indicated by a broken line, that is heat-insulated from the oven 12. The delivery station 23 comprises a prior-art . delivery machine 3 that acts by delivering a preset quantity of the product 4 onto a visible face 8 of said manufactured products 2. A first aspirator 13, of known type, enables ambient air to be ^' delivered to the chamber 53, which air^' by passing through a prior-art inlet filter 14 is purified of any undesired powder - particles . The vapours that .develop inside the. chamber 12, that are potentially harmful for the system operators, are^" aspirated by a second aspirator 16 into an outlet conduit 15 and are there filtered by an outlet filter 17.

The manufactured products 2, by proceeding in an advancedirection F of the moving line 5, are then transferred to the distribution station 43, comprising a distribution brush 44. The distribution brush 44 is driven by a crank device 45 so as to move straight in a common orthogonal direction in relation to- the advance direction . F but in opposite directions F3, F4. The straight movement .produced by the crank device 45 is such as to- enable the distribution brush 44 to carry out,, in relation 'to an intermediate^' position D1-D2, a first excursion E1-E2 and a second excursion E3-E4 having the same width and which are indicated by a broken line. In this way, the distribution brush 44 acts by distributing in a substantially homogenous manner the product 4 on the visible face 8, thus preparing the latter for the action of the subsequent brushing station 26. The brushing station. 26 comprises a brushing machine' 6, equipped with a pair of pulleys 9, 9a (driven by a motor that is not shown) , the respective rotation axes X, X' of which are arranged in a manner that is reciprocally parallel and orthogonal to the visible faces 8. Between the pulleys 9 and 9a a drive-belt .1^*0 is tensioned that supports the brushes 11, which have a substantially rectangular plan profile and are equipped with bristles 18. In an alternative embodiment that is not shown, instead of the bristles 18, the brushes 11 are provided with buffer elements, for example natural or synthetic sponge, or metal or polymer wire. The brushing machine 6 is located near the moving line 5, in such a way that the^' bristles 18 can lick the visible face .8 of the moved manufactured products - 2. Through the effect of the coupled rotation of the pulleys 9, 9a, during operation of the brushing machine 6 each of the ^' brushes 11 supported on the drive-belt 10 is conveyed by the latter from the pulley 9 to the pulley 9a in a first direction FI and is then again conveyed from the pulley 9a to the pulley 9 in a second direction F2, that is parallel to and opposite Fl . Each brush 11 travelling along this path interacts consecutively with the visible face 8 of each manufactured product 2 in the two aforementioned directions Fl and -F2. During operation of the brushing machine 6, the brushes 11 together form a brushing

^• train 56 acting on the visible faces 8. Providing a plurality of, brushing elements. enables the

^' apparatus to effectively ^'• remove the excess wax from the visible faces 8, inasmuch as the particles of product 4 removed by the bristles 18 of each -brush 11 interfere with the bristles 18 of the immediately next brush 11 before being able to fall back on the manufactured product 2. Furthermore, as each brush 11 is arranged parallel to the visible face 8 underneath,, all the bristles 18 of- the same brush 11 can together- interact with - the surface of the manufactured product 2, thus performing an effective action of removal of the excess even near its peripheral portions. In a version that is not shown, there is provided a plurality of brushing stations, which by acting in sequence significantly increase the efficiency of the apparatus 1. Figures 3 and 4 furthermore show that the brushing carried out by a prior-art rotating brush 30 in the manufactured pro^'duct 2, advancing in 'the advance direction F, affects only a single portion at a time of the visible face 8.

On the other hand, by using^' an apparatus made according to the invention, the brushing carried out within the time unity affects several portions at a time, from Bl to Bn, of the visible face 8. The portions Bl-Bn develop longitudinally, defining significantly acute angles, such as to partially overlap. This- results in substantially more effective brushing, owing to greater frequency of interaction between the bristles 18 and the visible face 8 during operation of the apparatus .

In an embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises a delivery machine 3' of the roller type, shown in Figure 5. The delivery machine 3' comprises a receptacle 19 for containing the product -4 to be delivered, a roller 20 that is rotatable aro nd its Y axis and is suitable for depositing, the product 4 on the manufactured products 2, and - a doctor blade 21- that is cylindrical in shape .that adjusts the quantity of product 4 conveyed by the roller^' 20. The Y axis is arranged transversely to the advance direction F and the doctor blade 21 is substantially parallel . to the roller 20 near a top region of the roller 20, in such a way that a gap defined between the blade 21 and the roller 20 can be occupied by the product 4 coming from the receptacle 19 arranged above the roller 20 and the doctor blade 21.

The roller 20, by rotating in a direction R that Is the same as the^' advance direction F, deposits a coat of product 4 through contact with the manufactured product 2. The roller 20 rotates at a tangential speed that is greater- than the advance speed of the moving line 5, producing^" a lamination effect on the product 4. In this way, the product 4 effectively penetrates the microscopic pores of the visible face 8. The roller 20 comprises -a cylindrical layer made of yielding material, in particular silicone. This cylindrical layer may be provided with a further layer, for example of a polyurethane material. The roller 20 is in fact subjected to significant abrasive action due to contact with the manufactured products 2, this action being accentuated by the temperature conditions and the speed of the manufactured products 2 in the apparatus 1. The further layer acts -as a protection of the roller 20 and gives the roller 20 a particular duration. This further layer may be sprayed onto the surface of the silicone layer using known techniques. When the further layer becomes abraded, it is thus possible to restore the surface of the worn roller by spraying on a new protective layer. In this way-, it is possible to recycle a worn roller without having to replace it with a new spare part. ^• As shown in 'Figure 6, in an alternative embodiment of the distribution station 43, the distribution brush 44' is actuated to move alternately in a transverse and non- orthogonal direction in relation to the advance direction F with opposite directions F3' and F4' . In Figure 7 an alternative embodiment of the brushing station 26 is shown - provided with a brushing machine 6' equipped with brushes 11' actuated to move along a substantially circular path by motor, means that is not shown. In particular, the brushing machine .6' comprises a rotating platform 28, actuated to rotate around its own Z axis substantially orthogonally to the visible faces 8 in a rotation direction indicated by the arrow S. The brushes 11' are fitted on the- rotating platform 28, near one of its peripheral regions. The • brushes 11' have a circular plan shape and are rotatable around their own K axis in a direction indicated by the - arrows U, that is substantially opposite the rotation direction S. The brushes 11' are controlled by driving means that is not shown. When the manufactured products 2 proceed in the advance direction F, the brushes 11' that are upstream of the Z axis interact with the visible face 8 in a first direction Tl, directed from one side 8a to a further side ^■ 8b opposite the side 8a of the visible face 8. The brushes 11' that are downstream of the Z axis interact with the visible face ^" 8 in a second direction T2, directed from the further side 8b to the side 8a. The directions Tl and T2 therefore define curved paths of the brushes 11' , said paths having opposite directions. The brushes 11' fitted on the rotating platform 28 may not be rotatable and may be of the type disclosed in the version in Figure 2.

• The brushes 11 fitted to the drive-belt 10 in the version in Figure 2, may be fixed in relation to the drive-belt 10 or be rotatingly supported on the drive-belt 10 or be of the type disclosed in the version in Figure 7. ^{• •} Owing to the apparatus 1, it is possible to obtain a greater shine on the visible faces 8 than was the case . with apparatuses of the known type as the pores o . the visible- face 8 are effectively filled with product 4 and the excess product 4 is removed by the brushing machine.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for finishing a surface (8) of a manufactured slab - product (2), comprising brush means (11; 11'; 44) arranged to distribute a product (4) on said surface (8), characterised in that said brush means (11; 11'; 44) is arranged^' in such a way as to interact with said surface (8) ^'in a first direction (Fl; Tl; F3; F3' ) and in a second direction (F2; T2; F4; F4' ) different 'from said first direction.

2.- pparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first direction (Fl; Tl; F3; F3' ) and said second direction (F2; T2; F4 , F4') are opposite each other.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, or 2, wherein said first direction (Fl; F3; F3' ) and said second direction (F2; F4; F4' ) are parallel and in opposite directions.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first direction (Tl) and said second direction (T2) are curved.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said brush means (11; 11'; 44) comprises first brush means (11; 11' ) .

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein- said first brush means (11) is associated with drive-belt means (10) .

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said drive-belt means (10) is associated with powered pulley means (9, 9a).

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein .said first brush means (11) is arranged to form a train of individual brushing elements (56) .

9. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first brush means (11') is associated with _.table means (28).

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said table means (28) is rotatable around an axis (Z) substantially orthogonal to an advance direction (F) of said manufactured product (2) in said apparatus (1) .

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, or 10, wherein said first brush means (11') is arranged to form an arc of individual brushing elements.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 11, 5 wherein said first brush means (11; 11' ) has a plan-view rectangular shape.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 11, wherein said . first brush means (11; 11') has a plan-view circular shape.

-10 14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to '10, wherein said brush means (11; 11'; 44) furthermore comprises second brush means (44). 15. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said second brush means (44) is associated with alternative driving i5 means (45) . 16. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said alternative driving means (45) comprises a crank device (45).

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