WO2015168711A1

WO2015168711A1 - Composite body comprising a jewel

Info

Publication number: WO2015168711A1
Application number: PCT/AT2015/000055
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter Lederle; Thomas Rauch
Original assignee: D.Swarovski Kg
Priority date: 2014-05-05
Filing date: 2015-04-14
Publication date: 2015-11-12
Also published as: EP2941981A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a composite body (5) containing a jewel (1), in which method the at least one jewel (1) is placed in or on a compact (2) consisting of a plastics powder or plastics granulate (7) and the at least one jewel (1) together with the compact (2) are subjected to a heat treatment.

Description

Composite body with gemstone

The invention relates to a method for producing a composite body starting from at least one gemstone and a compact of plastic powder or - granules.

It is about the formation of a material connection between a gemstone and a support medium made of plastic in a decorative composite body.

The secure attachment of gemstones on a support medium for producing a composite body is a problem to which there are many approaches in the art of the jewelry industry. Requirements for the fastening technology include:

Create a secure and solid connection

Cost-effective and automatable production

Avoidance of additional materials or post-treatment steps

Adaptability to a variety of shapes and materials of gemstones

DE 2452250 describes, for example, a method for fixing gemstones on a support, wherein arranging the gemstones with coated setting surfaces in corresponding recesses of the carrier, melts together with the carrier in a tempering at melting temperature of the film to the carrier and then cools the jewelry. According to this method, therefore, all gemstones must be provided with an adhesive layer before being attached to the carrier. This is a complex step, in which the gems are first aligned with their visible surfaces on a plane and applied a hot melt adhesive film on the visible surface facing away from setting surface and is heated by heating in a plastic state and finally integrally formed on all setting surfaces, so that the stones are provided at their setting surfaces with a melt adhesive layer. Also, the production of the wells that must be adapted to the gemstone forms is very expensive, with complicated shaped gemstones, the wells are extremely difficult to mill. For small gemstones this usually does not succeed at all.

If gemstones are placed in a carrier body by sonication with ultrasound, without predrilling the indentations, no acceptable result is achieved. In addition, when pressed into the plastic carrier beads caused by the displaced plastic, whereby the composite body made of gemstones and plastic carrier produced does not meet the optical requirements of a decorative element.

Another way to connect gemstones, especially with garments, is to apply a heat activatable adhesive to a flat side of a gemstone. With their opposite side (the later visible side) the gems are fixed on a transfer film. By ironing, heat passes through the transfer film and the gemstone to the adhesive, which activates this and the gemstone is glued to the garment. Subsequently, the transfer film can be removed.

From EP 2 189 078 a method for setting gemstones is known by depressions are drilled in the plastic carrier body, which correspond approximately to the dimensions of the gemstone. Subsequently, the support body is heated in the region of the cavities, the gems are placed in the cavities and pressed into the cavities in such a way that a plastic deformation of the support to the gemstones arises.

In another method of the prior art gemstones are placed on a metal support and the surface between the stones poured with liquid synthetic resin, as shown for example in DE 35 03 941. This has the disadvantage that in the metal support to the shape and size of the gems customized recordings must be provided. Should other gems poured other metal carriers must be used, making the manufacturing process inflexible.

FR 2 725 882 relates to a method for fixing a gemstone in a ring of plastic, wherein an element is cut from a block of thermoplastic material. In a milled recess with small dimensions after a heat treatment, a gemstone is pressed and applied as long as high pressure until the plastic has cooled. For the final fixation of the gemstone is another heat treatment, in which a retention area along the opening of the recess is formed, whereby a positive connection is made for the gem. However, this method can only be used for one block of solid plastic. In the case of other starting materials, such as pressed plastic powder or granules, however, this process would lead to the destruction of the starting material since, on the one hand, the plastic powder or granules would melt due to the heating without inserted gemstone. On the other hand, would be displaced by the high pressure, the powder or granules, so that a connection with the gem could not be easily reached. This method is thus usable only for a narrow range of starting materials.

It can thus be seen that the methods for setting or fixing gemstones for producing a decorative composite body according to the prior art are very expensive. Especially cumbersome are the steps of applying an adhesive layer to the setting side of the stone, the handling of the gems on transfer films and the mechanical processing of the composite body and the accurate positioning of the precious stones in the previously created cavities in the composite body.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method which avoids the abovementioned disadvantages and offers a simple and cost-effective possibility for producing a decorative composite body or a decorative element. The object is achieved by a method for producing a composite body starting from at least one gemstone and a compact of plastic powder or granules according to claim 1, and a method for producing a decorative element according to claim 9. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention thus relates to a method for producing a composite body starting from at least one gemstone and a compact of plastic powder or granules, wherein the at least one gemstone is placed in or on the compact and the gemstone is subjected to a heat treatment together with the compact.

As a result of the heat treatment, a carrier body, in which the gemstone is arranged, is formed from the compact, wherein the carrier body solidifies to form a cohesive connection with the gemstone. Here, a cohesive connection is understood as a connection in which the connection partners are held together by atomic or molecular forces. In particular, an adhesive bond belongs to the cohesive connections. According to the method of the invention, a compact of plastic powder or granules is first produced. A powder is understood to be a fine bulk material. If the particles contained in the powder become larger, this is generally referred to as granules. In particular, a granulate is to be understood as meaning a granular to pulverulent bulk material. For this purpose, for example, a cold pressing process can be used, where the plastic powder or granules are pressed by means of a hydraulic hand press or a mechanical press under a pressure of for example 2 * 10 ⁹ Pa. The gemstone is now placed in or on this compact. For this purpose, a cavity may be preformed in the compact, so that the gemstone can be placed better. This is indicated, for example, when the lower part representing the setting surface, that is to say the surface facing away from the visible side, that is to say from the upper part, is not flat, so that the gemstone would not assume a defined end position. In this case it can be provided that on the compact one of the shape of the gemstone approximately corresponding cavity is created. This can be done for example by impressions or by mechanical processing. If a cavity for the gem is created in the compact, it can be placed in the cavity without pretreatment. An advantage of the dosage form of the plastic starting material of the composite body as a compact of plastic powder or granules is the particularly easy machinability of the compact in this process step.

The gem can be placed under pressure in optionally provided with cavities compact, with additional heat can be supplied or can also be a sonication with ultrasound. In this case, the gemstone can be attached to a transfer film by means of which the gemstone is transported to the compact. By ironing the transfer film, the gemstone is pressed with heat into the compact. Additionally or alternatively, the gems may be preheated separately from the compact for placement in the compact. If no cavities are preformed in the pellet for the gemstone, the supply of heat can often prevent destruction of the pellet during the pressurization of the gem during placement. But it can also be provided to place the gemstone without pressure in the preformed cavity or to place a gemstone with a flat surface without pressure on the compact. The gemstone dips into the softened compact during heat treatment due to gravity.

Subsequently, therefore, as described above placed gemstone is subjected to heat treatment together with the compact, that is heated in the vast majority of cases, after which the carrier body for the gemstone forming plastic portion of the composite solidifies to form a material connection with the gemstone. The gemstone is preferably provided with facets, eg by grinding, and a natural or synthetic gemstone or a glass stone. However, other gemstones, such as ceramic gemstones, possible. Especially with glass blocks, the lower part is often similiar or provided with a mirror coating. The inventive method is easy to automate. The placement of the gemstone or a plurality of gemstones in or on the compact is simply vonstatten. You do not need your own holder for every kind of gemstone, especially since the gemstone (s) in the pellet only need to be held temporarily and not set perfectly. If an impression of the gemstone in the compact arises while accumulated at the edges of plastic material. However, as a result of the heat treatment, the surface of the plastic portion of the composite body becomes smooth again. With regard to the number and distribution of gemstones in the composite body is given maximum freedom of design. In particular, various shapes and sizes of gemstones can be readily arranged in a single compact. In particular, smaller gemstones can be arranged perfectly in the composite body regardless of production tolerances of the gemstones.

As a result of the heat treatment is formed from the starting material of the compact of plastic powder or granules a liquid or pasty mass in which floats the gemstone, wherein the gem dips to a predetermined depth in the softened mass. The given depth depends on various influencing factors, such as gravity, the viscosity of the plastic material, the respective surface tensions, the density of the plastic and the gem, the shape of the gem. In this case, the adjustable influencing factors can be selected so that a sinking of the gemstone in the resulting from the compact liquid or pasty mass into the region of the edge between the upper part and lower part of the gem or in the presence of a Rondiste between the upper part and lower part in the field of Rondiste he follows. Before the heat treatment, the gemstone placed in the pellet protrudes significantly further out of the pellet. The immersion in the liquid or pasty mass takes place without a separate, mechanical support for the gemstone is necessary. The gemstone can set itself, so to speak, in the composite body. It is preferably provided that the immersion up to a range of 10% of the height of the gemstone below or above the edge or the Rondiste takes place. Under the height of the gem is understood to be its greatest length. In a gem stone whose upper part is provided with a board, the longitudinal extension is usually in the direction of the vertical line on the board. In a gemstone with a flat base, a so-called Fiat-back, the longitudinal extent extends in the direction of the vertical on the flat bottom part, which is also referred to as a flat back. If the upper part and / or the lower part of the gemstone is provided with facets, the edge between upper part and lower part does not have to be straight. Rather, depending on the shape of the facets, an edge line can result in the form of a zigzag course. The Rondiste is a peripheral edge between the upper part and lower part, which is defined by the Rondiste that area which lies between the upper part and lower part of the gem and in which the gemstone has its largest circumferential extent.

Due to the fact that the gemstone already obtains its desired end position with respect to the composite body due to the softening due to the heat treatment, with no special mechanical supports or the like being necessary, a particularly advantageous effect of the invention results.

As a result of the immersion of the gemstone in the resulting from the compact liquid or pasty mass of the composite body to form an at least partially convex curved surface solidify, wherein the convex curved portions arise on that side of the composite body on which the gemstone is arranged. The extent and strength of the convex curvature in turn depend on various influencing factors, such as gravity, the viscosity of the plastic material, the respective surface tensions, the density of the plastic and the gemstone, the shape of the gemstone. After solidification of pasty or liquid mass, which has emerged from the compact, the composite body thus often has a more or less curved contour on its surface. This curvature may be in the area of the interface with the gem used as a result of the weight of the gem change and optionally form a dent with a concave curved area. Depending on the shape of the gemstone, this indentation of the plastic surface is not necessarily rotationally symmetrical, especially if the edges between the facets of the upper part and the lower part do not lie in one plane. As a result, the shape of the gemstone is clearly reflected in the plastic surface of the composite body, whereby the composite obtained receives additional optical stimuli.

In particular local concavely curved regions can thus possibly arise in the region of the interface with the gemstone used, the shape of the gemstone being reflected in the concavely curved regions of the plastic surface of the composite body, that is, the shape and arrangement of the concave regions is dependent on the shape of the gemstone. If, as in the prior art, gemstones held by mechanical holders in a form that is filled with liquid plastic, no surface is at least partially convex curved and optionally provided with concave curved areas. This distinguishes the composites of the present invention from those of the prior art. In another embodiment, it is provided that the compact is selected from the group of thermosets and, for example, consists of powder coating or powder coating and the heat treatment leads to a curing of the composite body. This example thus describes the case that a thermosetting plastic material, for example powder coating, is selected as base material for the compact and the heat treatment causes a chemical crosslinking. The solidification corresponds to the chemical hardening. Curing means that the reactants of the powder coating crosslink. There is an irreversible transition from the liquid to the solid state. In a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the powder coating is an epoxy powder coating. Other possible powder coatings include polyester powder coatings, acrylate powder coatings, polyurethane powder coatings or hybrid powder coatings. Alternatively it can be provided that the compact consists of a thermoplastic material or comprises thermoplastic material and the solidification takes place by cooling. This variant thus describes the case that a powder or granules of a thermoplastic material is selected as the material for the compact and the heat treatment initially causes a softening of the thermoplastic material. The formation of the cohesive connection with the gem takes place in this case by the solidification of the thermoplastic material during cooling. In contrast to thermosetting systems, thermoplastic resins do not form any other bonds, but the strength is created by cooling to a temperature below the solidification temperature. Thermoplastics include ethyl vinyl acetates, polymethyl acrylates (PMMA), polycarbonates (PC), polyethylenes (PE), polypropylenes (PP), polystyrenes (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrenes (ABS) and the like. In a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the duration of the heat treatment is between 10 and 30 minutes, preferably between 15 and 20 minutes, the temperature of the heat treatment between 120 ° C and 250 ° C, preferably between 140 ° C and 180 ° C. , Conveniently, it can be provided that the compact is produced by cold pressing. In this case, the corresponding basic active ingredient is provided in powder or granular form and brought to the desired basic shape of the compact by known pressing methods such as a hydraulic hand press or a mechanical press.

Furthermore, a method for producing a decorative element is proposed. Here, in a preferably metallic version, preferably in a recess, a compact placed with at least one gemstone and then subjected to a heat treatment together. Thus, the composite body described above can be generated directly in or on a socket. This embodiment thus indicates the case in which the production of an approximately finished ornamental element takes place by the compact and the gemstone together in a receptacle provided as a socket subjected to the heat treatment be, as described above leads to a formation of a material connection between the gemstone and the plastic be rich of the composite body. The particular advantage of this embodiment is that a finished or approximately finished jewelry element is obtained, while usually usually only placed in a plastic carrier gemstones must be placed in a socket and secured there by a further processing step. In the method according to the invention, a cohesive connection forms both between the composite body and the socket, and between the plastic region of the composite body and the gemstone.

In a further preferred embodiment it can be provided that a material and / or positive connection between the socket and the composite body is produced by solidification of the plastic of the composite body after the heat treatment. According to this embodiment, therefore, a particularly stable and permanent connection between the socket and the composite body can be achieved by solidifying the plastic of the composite body after the heat treatment on or in the version. For example, it can be provided that the socket has undercuts, that is, that the opening of the socket tapers in the direction of the visible side. If the compact is then inserted into the holder and subjected to a heat treatment, then the pasty or liquid mass resulting from the compact can also cover regions of the undercut as a result of the softening and thus produce a positive connection between the composite body and the holder.

The described method can thus be used in a very elegant way to produce composite bodies with at least one gemstone and a support body provided for embedding the gemstone, which has emerged from the compact, or in a further preferred variant jewelery elements with a preferably metallic socket and a composite body. Thus, the method is equally suitable for the production of semi-finished products, namely composite bodies consisting of gemstones, which are used in plastic, from which subsequently jewelry elements can be produced. Alternatively, the method also offers to produce finished or almost finished decorative elements with shapely and high-quality versions, for example, made of precious metal.

The invention further relates to a composite body having the features of claim 11, wherein the solidified mass resulting from the compact after the heat treatment constitutes a carrier body for the gemstone or stones and a decorative element having the features of claim 12.

The invention further relates to the use of a composite body with the features of claim 1 as or in a button, earring, brooch, pendant, ring or a decorative object for clothing, shoes, bags, belts, headgear or an associated accessory. It can be provided to glue the carrier body with the opposite side of the gemstone on the object to be decorated, for which known adhesives are used in the prior art. It can also be provided to provide in the carrier body with one or more through-holes, with which the carrier body can be sewn onto the object to be decorated.

The invention further relates to the use of a decorative element with the features of claim 13 as a button, earring, brooch, pendant, ring, chain or other jewelry for personal use and as a decorative object for clothing, headgear, shoes, bags, belts and related accessories , The version of the decorative element is adapted to the corresponding use. Thus, e.g. an earring or a chain corresponding closure options.

The invention is explained in more detail by figures. Showing: A gemstone, prepared for procedure to put

Gemstones according to the prior art, a schematic representation of the production of a compact from

Plastic powder,

Cross-sectional view of a compact of plastic powder or granules with placed gemstone,

Cross-sectional views for the production of a decorative element according to the invention,

Cross-sectional views of a compact and a resulting support body with gemstone and

Photographs of process steps in the manufacture of a decorative element.

The following is the detailed description of the figures.

FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic representation, a gemstone 1 provided with a hot-melt adhesive film 14 according to the prior art. The gemstone 1 has a faceted upper part 10 and a faceted lower part 1 1. The facets of the upper part 10 and the lower part 1 1 are separated by an edge 12. The height of the gemstone 1 results from the distance between the flat board, which closes the upper part 10, and arranged on the opposite side tip, which closes the lower part 1 1.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the production of the compact 2 from plastic powder or granules 7. The process steps shown in a vertical sequence are:

- Providing a powder 7, a powder mixture or granules

- Pressing of the powder 7 to a compact 2 in a press 8th

Placing gemstones 1 on the compact 2, in which case cavities are provided on the surface of the compact 2 in which the gems 1 are placed. FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a gemstone 1 placed on a compact 2. In the compact a recess is formed, through which the gemstone 1 can be easily positioned. The gemstone 1 of this embodiment has a Rondiste 13 between the upper part 10 and lower part 1 1.

Figures 4a and 4b show in a schematic view how a jewelry element is produced according to the invention, in which a positive and cohesive connection between the socket 4 and the composite body 5 is produced. FIG. 4 a shows how the pressed article 2 with inserted gemstone 1 is inserted into a recess 6 of a socket 4. The recess 6 has undercuts. The version 4 is placed together with the compact 2 in a furnace and subjected to a heat treatment, whereby a substance-coherent connection between the, a support body 3 forming plastic region of the composite body 5 and the gemstone 1 and a material and positive connection between the composite body. 5 and the version 4 is produced. In a schematic cross-sectional illustration, the decorative element 9 is shown in Figure 4b. It can be seen that that side of the composite body 5, on which the gemstone 1 is arranged, has convexly curved regions 15. The situation before and after the heat treatment is illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b. As a result of the heat treatment, a cohesive connection has been established between the carrier body 3, which has emerged from the compact 2, and the gemstone 1. In sum, therefore, a composite body 5 is obtained consisting of at least one gemstone 1 and a resulting from the compact 2 after the heat treatment carrier body 3 made of plastic. During the heat treatment, the gem 1 dives by its own weight in the softened and pasty or liquid mass that has emerged from the compact 2 by the heat treatment. The final position of the gemstone 1 is determined inter alia by the density of the gemstone 1 and by the wetting conditions and by the viscosity of the softened mass of the compact 2. Favorably, one selects the process parameters so that the gem down to the area of the Rondiste 13 or edge 12 immersed between the upper part 10 and lower part 1 1 in the softened mass. In FIG. 5a, the pressed article with gemstone 1 placed therein is shown in a schematic representation. It can be clearly seen that the gem 1 protrudes clearly from the latter when placed in the compact 2 and, as a result of the heat treatment and the resulting softening of the mass of the compact 2, sinks by itself into the softened mass. The distance x shows the flow of the compact 2 during the heat treatment as well as the immersion of the gemstone 1 on the basis of the two horizontal lines between the figures 5a and 5b. In Figure 5b, the convex curved portions 15 are shown schematically. FIG. 5b shows the finished composite body 5 in a schematic cross-sectional representation.

FIGS. 6a-d show photographs of process steps in the production of a decorative element, FIG. 9 wherein FIG. 6a shows a compact 2 before the heat treatment. FIG. 6b shows a compact 2 with gemstones 1 and a socket 4, before the heat treatment FIG. 6c again shows how the compact 2 with gemstones 1 is placed in the socket 4 before the heat treatment is carried out. Finally, FIG. 6d shows the decorative element 9 after the heat treatment. In this case, the resulting from the compact 2 carrier body 3 has experienced a shrinkage by the heat treatment, as shown schematically in Figures 5a and 5b.

In this embodiment, a powder coating in powder form, e.g. an epoxy powder coating or a polyester powder coating, pressed into a round tablet-shaped compact 2. Subsequently, six chaton-shaped gemstones 1 made of glass were glued with the board on a transfer film. The transfer film was spent to Pressling 2, whereupon the gems 1 were placed with the converging to a tip bottom on the compact 2 and pressed with an approximately 180 ° C aluminum block something in the compact 2, the Rondiste between top 10 and lower part 1 1 outside the compact 2 remains. Subsequently, the transfer film was peeled off.

Subsequently, the compact 2 was placed with the used gemstones 1 in a version 4 for an earring. The version 4 is provided with a recess 6 for the Pressling 2 provided. The version 4 with the compact 2 was placed in a preheated to 150 ° C drying oven, taking care that the recess 6 and the compact 2 remain horizontal and are not tilted. After about 30 minutes heat treatment, the jewelry element 9 was removed, wherein the cured composite body 5 is positively connected to the socket 4.

After cooling, the jewelry element 9 is substantially completed.

Claims

claims:

1 . Method for producing a composite body (5) containing a gemstone (1), in which

• the at least one gemstone (1) is placed in or on a compact (2) of plastic powder or granules (7), and

• the at least one gemstone (1) is subjected to a heat treatment together with the compact (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the composite body (5) to form an at least partially convexly curved surface (15) on that side on which the gemstone (1) is arranged in the composite body (5) solidifies.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gemstone (1) has a, preferably provided with facets, upper part (10) and one, preferably provided with facets, lower part (1 1), wherein the upper part (10) and the lower part (11) is separated from an edge (12) or a ridge strip (13), and wherein the gemstone (1) due to the heat treatment up to an area above or below the edge (12) or the Rondiste (13) in immersed in the softened compact (2), the dimensions of the region being 20%, preferably 10%, of the height of the decorative element (1).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the compact (2) is selected from the group of thermosetting plastics and the heat treatment leads to a curing of the composite body (5).

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressed body (2) consists of powder coating or comprises powder coating.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the powder coating is an epoxy powder coating, a polyester powder coating, an acrylate powder coating, a polyurethane powder coating or a hybrid powder coating.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pressed body (2) consists of a thermoplastic material or comprises thermoplastic material and the solidification of the composite body (5) is effected by cooling.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the duration of the heat treatment is between 10 and 30 minutes, preferably between 15 and 20 minutes, the temperature of the heat treatment between 120 and 250 ° C, preferably between 140 to 180 ° C, is.

9. A method for producing a decorative element (9) from a, preferably metallic, socket (4) and a composite body (5), produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the socket (4) together with the at least one gemstone (1) and the compact (2) is subjected to the heat treatment.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that a material and / or positive connection between the socket (4) and the composite body (5) by solidification of the plastic of the composite body (5) is produced after the heat treatment.

1 1. Composite body with at least one gemstone (1) and a carrier body (3) made of plastic, in which the gemstone (1) is embedded, wherein the composite body (5) is produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 8.

12. decorative element with a, preferably metallic, socket (4) and a composite body (5) produced by a method according to claim 9 or 10.

13. Use of a composite body according to claim 1 1 in or as an earring, button, brooch, pendant, ring or in one or other jewelry for personal use and in or as a decorative object for clothing, shoes, headgear, bags, belts and associated accessories.

14. Use of a decorative element according to claim 12 in or as an earring, button, brooch, pendant, ring or in one or other jewelry for personal use and in or as a decorative object for clothing, shoes, headgear, bags, belts and related Accessories.