WO2018178949A1

WO2018178949A1 - Plant for surface treating plate-shaped elements

Info

Publication number: WO2018178949A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/052234
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe SOLI
Original assignee: Surfaces Technological Abrasives S.P.A.
Priority date: 2017-03-31
Filing date: 2018-03-30
Publication date: 2018-10-04
Also published as: IT201700035961A1

Abstract

A plant (1) for treating the surface of plates (L) with a given chemical (SC); the plant (1) has a frame (10) supporting a surface (12) that extends along a given direction (D) and is designed for supporting the plates (L) so that they can be moved along the surface (12) between an entrance station (20) and an unloading station (30); a feeding device (40) is provided for moving the plates (L) along the direction (D); brushing members (60) are arranged above the surface (12) between the entrance station (20) and the unloading station (30).

Description

PLANT FOR SURFACE TREATING PLATE-SHAPED ELEMENTS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a plant for the treatment, especially surface treatment, of plates. In particular, the present invention relates to a plant for the surface treatment of plates while they are moved along a given direction. In more detail, the present invention relates to a plant for the surface treatment of plates moved along a given direction and arranged in parallel rows.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In the production of building materials, in particular plates for covering floors or walls, it is well known to perform a substantially chemical treatment onto planar (plate-shaped) products, for instance tiles made of ceramic or natural stone, or similar products, in order to increase the resistance to dirt and chemicals thereof. These kind of treatments are done by applying a so-called "filming" substance or a so-called "filling" substance, based on the effect on the plates, but in any case a substance that dries quickly. Filming substances produce a film that adheres to the visible surface of the plates, whilst filling substances penetrate inside the pores of the plates. The reaction time of both the filming substances and the filling substances is very fast, in the order of few seconds; this means that the setting of these substances occurs within the time the plates move from the applying station, i.e. the station where the substance is applied, to the next station.

The industrial machinery for performing the surface treatments - briefly mentioned above - on plates moving forward on a rest surface along a given direction comprise a plurality of cylindrical dispensing heads made of spongy fabric and carried rotating around a respective axis that is perpendicular to the rest surface by a cylindrical pin directed transversally to the feeding surface. The dispensing heads are arranged on more rows transversally to the plate feeding direction. Each pin is axially hollow, and the filling and/or filming chemical to be applied to the plates is supplied through the respective axial hole. Obviously, the chemical is applied circularly, from the centre of the heads towards the outside and, from here, outside the plates.

An industrial machinery of this type is disclosed in the

Italian patent document n. 1417874 by the Applicant.

In case of improper operation of the mechanisms transmitting motion to the pins of the dispensing heads, due for example to poor maintenance, and therefore in case for example the heads cannot not rotate, the chemical to be applied on the plates could be distributed only on the directrix of the pins corresponding to the static heads, thus leaving portions of plates where no chemical has been applied, resulting in lack of uniformity of both the distribution of the chemical on the plates and the surface finishing of the plates treated with the filming or the filling substance.

In view of what described above, the problem of performing surface treatments on tiles and/or planar and plate-shaped products in general, for example in order to close the pores thereof in a qualitatively and quantitatively homogeneous manner is currently solved in an unsatisfactory manner by means of machine as those described above, and represents therefore an interesting challenge for the Applicant. In view of the above description it would be desirable to have available a solution that, in addition to allow limiting and possibly overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art, defines a new standard in the field of surface treatments for tiles and planar and plate-shaped product in general, in particular for the building industry.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a plant for the treatment, especially surface treatment, of plate-shaped elements and/or products. In particular, the present invention relates to a plant for the surface treatment of plates that are moved along a given direction. In more detail, the present invention relates to a plant for the surface treatment of plates moved along a given direction and arranged in parallel rows.

An object of the invention is to provide a plant for the surface treatment of plates that is devoid of the prior art drawbacks described above and is practical to be used and economical to be constructed and managed.

According to the present invention a plant is provided for the surface treatment of plates, whose main features will be described in at least one of the appended claims.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brushing device for a plant for the surface treatment of plates, which is structured in a simple and economical manner.

In fact, the present invention is based on the general idea that the drawbacks of the prior art systems for surface treating plate-shaped elements and/or products resulting from the non homogeneous distribution of the chemicals used for the treatment can be effectively overcome or at least reduced by means of a brushing device suitable to act on the previously distributed substance and therefore suitable to remove and any excessive accumulation of the substance and to distribute it again. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

Further characteristics and advantages of the plant and the brushing device of the invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the attached drawings, that illustrate some examples of embodiment, where identical or corresponding parts of the plant and the device are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

- Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a plant according to the present invention;

- Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a detail of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 shows a detail of Fig. 1 in enlarged scale and with some parts removed for the sake of clarity;

- Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of a first component extracted from Fig. 2;

- Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of a second component extracted from Fig. 2;

- Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of a third component extracted from Fig. 2;

- Fig 7 is view in enlarged scale of a variant of a detail of Fig. 1, with some parts removed for the sake of clarity; and

- Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of a variant of figure 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In Fig. 1 number 1 indicates, as a whole, the diagram of a plant for surface treating plate-shaped elements L and in particular for applying a viscous quick-dry chemical SC to a side or face or surface of these elements or products accessible in free air. Usually these elements or products, for example plates made of ceramics, natural stone or of any other material, are subjected to treatment for improving the resistance to chemicals.

The treatment is performed using a dispensing station 2 for dispensing the substance SC (whose traces are visible on the plates L in figure 2) , wherein the station 2 comprises a unit 50 designed to apply the substance SC to the plates L, the unit 50 being provided with a plurality of rotating heads 52 arranged in succession along at least one row 5 that is transverse to a given feeding direction D of the plates L. The unit 50 is conceptually similar to that disclosed in the Italian patent document no. 1417874, whose teachings are incorporated into the present description for the sake of text economy.

The plant 1 comprises a frame 10 supporting a surface 12 extending along the given direction D and substantially horizontal, and therefore illustrated in the sheet plane in figure 1. The surface 12 is designed to support the plates L while they are move forwards in the given direction D between an entrance station 20, arranged upstream of the station 2 according to the forward direction of the plates L on the surface 12, and an unload station 30 where the plates L exiting from the surface 12 are unloaded, according to the feeding direction D of the plates L, i.e. from the left to the right in figure 1, making a face or surface thereof accessible so as to treat it. The surface 12 has a given extension E, measured transversally to the direction D. In particular, the unit 50 for the surface treatment of the plates L is arranged between the entrance station 20 and the unload station 30. The plant 1 comprises a feeding device 40 associated with the surface 12, whose function is to move forward the plates L, for example arranged in rows, along the given direction D. For drawing economy, but without limiting the protective scope of the invention, the feeding device 40 comprises a conveyor 42 extending between two rollers 44 directed transversally to the direction D, one of which is driven into rotation by means of an actuator, known and therefore not shown, while the second one is a return roller drawn into rotation by means of the conveyor 42. In figure 1 only the upper branch 46 of the conveyor 42 is shown, which is supported by friction by the surface 12 (figure 2) .

The plant 1 also comprises a brushing device 60 arranged above the surface 12 between the treating unit 50 and the unload station 30.

With reference to figure 1 again, the plant 1 comprises a cleaning device 70 associated with the brushing device 60 and arranged outside the feeding surface 12. In figure 1, two cleaning devices 70 are shown, one for each side of the surface 12, whilst in figure 2, for the sake of drawing economy, only one cleaning device is illustrated, arranged on the right side of the surface 12. However, it is clearly apparent that a plant 1 provided with a cleaning device 70 for each side of the surface 12 is more efficient.

With particular reference to figure 2, the brushing device 60 comprises at least one close endless belt 62 extending between two pulleys 63, each of which rotates around a respective vertical rotation axis 630 (perpendicular to the surface 12), wherein both the rotation axes 630 are arranged outside the surface 12. This feature is apparent only in figure 1, without however limiting the protective scope of the invention. With reference to figure 4, each pulley 63 has a toothing 632 oriented transversally to the given direction D. In particular, in plan view, each pulley 63 has a plurality of projections, each of which extends radially towards the outside with respect to an outer circumferential reference surface, said projections alternating with recesses or grooves, each of which extends radially towards the inside with respect to said outer circumferential reference surface. Moreover, each of said projections and grooves extends longitudinally (in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 630 of the pulley 63) for a given extension that is lower than the thickness of the pulley 63. Moreover, the belt 62 supports a plurality of brushes 622 arranged externally and distributed uniformly along the extension of the belt 62. Moreover, with reference to figure 3, each brush 622 is provided with a L-shaped coupling element 6220 allowing to stably connect the brush to the belt 62 and therefore allowing to move it annularly. Practically, the branch of the L parallel to the outer surface of the belt 62, and therefore perpendicular to the surface 12, is fastened to the outer surface of the belt 62. Each brush 622 also has a brushing element 6222 facing the surface 12 (fixed to the surface of the second branch of the L facing the surface 12) and therefore facing, in use, the plates L moved between the entrance station 20 and the unload station 30.

With reference to figure 3 again, the brushing element 6222 comprises a plurality of wires 6224 for brushing each plate L moved forward along the given direction D below the two branches 62' and 62'' (figure 1) of the belt 62 of the surface treating unit 50. In view of what described above, in use, the wires 6224 of each brushing element 6222 scrape the upper surface of the plates L transversally to the given direction D remaining at a given distance from the upper surface of the plates L. In this way, if, in use, the thickness of the viscous substance applied to at least one plate L is greater than the given distance from the upper surface of the plates L, the wires 6224 touch the substance and distribute it on the adjacent plates L, thus making the thickness and distribution thereof uniform. Obviously, the distribution of the substance on the adjacent plates L ends when the amount of substance removed by means of the wires 6224 has finished, i.e. when it has been distributed on the adjacent plates L up to a thickness lower than the given distance from the upper surfaces of the same plates L. It should be specified that the free end of the wires 6224 may wear due to friction if the distance of the brushes 622 would be adjusted so that the respective wires 6224 scrape the upper surface of the plates L during the operation of the plant 1. Therefore, to ensure a high quality production of the plant, there should be the possibility of replacing the brushes 622. In particular, each brushing element 6220 may be provided with screw couplings for being replaced, or the brushes 622 may be incorporated on a face outside the belt 62. In this case the belt shall be replaced when the wires 6224 become too short, taking into account the set of the distance from the surface 12 and of the thickness of the substance that shall be distributed on the surface of the plates L by means of the brushes 622, to ensure a uniform overall thickness of the plates L.

The wires 6224 may be made of different materials. Just by way of non limiting example, they can be made of non woven fabric, if necessary loaded with abrasive particles, felt or nylon filaments or filaments made of tampico, a natural fibre obtained from some species of agave.

According to figure 2, the cleaning device 70 comprises a cleaning member 72 carried by the frame 10 outside the surface 12 but facing the wires 6224. The cleaning member 72 comprises, in particular, a plate 74 provided with a plurality of points 76 facing upwards and visible only in the enlargement of figure 2. The points 76 are arranged on the path of the brushes 622 to move and separate the respective wires 6224 when passing with respect to an operative position. It is clearly apparent that the object thereof is to remove dust and/or liquids from the wires 6224 by shaking them. The illustrated solution with the points 76 has been provided just to give an example of embodiment of the solution and for the sake of drawing economy, but it does not limit the protective scope of the invention .

The use of the plant 1 and of the brushing device 70 described above is clearly apparent from the description above and does not require further explanations. However, it should be useful to specify that by providing the pulleys 63 with a toothing 632 directed transversally to the given direction D and parallel to the axes 630 of the pulleys 63 it is possible to prevent the scraping of the belt 62 on the pulleys 63, and it is therefore possible constantly to move forward the brushes 622 by given lengths .

Lastly, it is clearly apparent that variants and modifications can be done to the plant 1 and the brushing device 70 described and illustrated herein without however departing from the protective scope of the invention as defined in the claims. For example, with particular reference to the upper and lower portion of figure 5, the toothing 632 comprises at least one first group of radial teeth 6320 of the type described above, and therefore defined by a plurality of projections alternating with grooves, each projection extending radially from a peripheral circumferential reference surface and longitudinally (parallel to the rotation axis of the pulley 63) for an extension lower than the thickness of the pulley 63, a corresponding toothing being provided on the inner face of the belt 62 engaging the pulleys 63. In fact, in order to couple with the radial teeth 6320, the belt 62, the two branches 62' and 62'' of which are shown open in the figure for the sake of practicality, has first teeth 624 that are parallel to the axes 630. The pulley 63 also has two groups of teeth 6320 parallel to the axes 630 and at least one second group of toroidal teeth 6322 that are directed parallel to the surface 12. Practically, there is a plurality of circumferential nips alternating with circumferential projections. In this case, the belt 62 shall have, in addition to two groups of first teeth 624, second longitudinal teeth 626 that are transverse to the axes 630.

The two toothing of each pulley 63 and of the belt 62 allow effective and reliable engagement between the belt 62 and the pulleys 63. In fact, as mentioned above, the radial teeth allow to avoid the belt 62 scraping on the pulley 63 while they are rotating, wherein the toroidal teeth allow to avoid the belt 62 scraping on the pulleys 63 while the pulleys 63 move in a direction perpendicular to the surface 12, in particular both when moving away from, and moving towards, the surface 12 (see the description below) . Alternatively, according to an embodiment, each pulley 63 may comprise one or more outer nips with trapezoidal radial cross-section, each of which is engaged by a projection of the inner surface of the belt 62 having corresponding shape .

According to what described above, it could be useful to specify that it is possible to use combinations of belt 62 and pulleys 63 shaped so as to couple together, taking into account that each second group of teeth 6322 is arranged alternating with a first group of radial teeth 6320 and vice versa, as in figures 5 and 6. In this case, the belt 62 has therefore first teeth 624 alternating with second teeth 626.

It should be specified that every time the pulleys 63 have a toothing 632 provided with teeth directed parallel to the surface 12/to the given direction D and transversally to the axes 630 of the pulleys 63, it is possible to exert, on the brushes 622, a pressure directed from the top downwards in figure 2 by applying a pre-load acting downwards on the pulleys 63, and therefore, through the toroidal teeth 6322, on the second teeth 626 of the belts 62, and therefore on the brushes 622.

Moreover, it should be also specified that, if pulleys 63 would be added provided with second teeth 626 between the axes 630 of the pulleys 63 tensioning the belt 62, the pressure that the brushes 622 can exert could be more homogeneous along the two branches 62' and 62'', and therefore on the plates L arranged transversally to the given direction D. If the wires 6224 of the brushes 622 would be replaced with pads made of sponge or rigid (known and not shown) , the concurrence of the pulleys 63 carried by a gantry body 10' (visible only in figure 7) through a plate 6300 and of the respective brushes 622 carried by the respective belt 62 would allow to apply pressure on the plates L facing the two branches 62' and 62" of the same belt 62. In this case the brushing device 60 would be a selectively pressure brushing device.

With reference to what mentioned above, it is clearly apparent that, according to the embodiment represented in figure 7, the pulleys 63 are coupled in a rotoidally free manner to a plate 6300, which is in turn carried movable by the gantry body 10' that is integrally connected to the frame 10. In particular, the plate 6300 is coupled to the gantry body 10' by means of guides 101 for guiding the vertical motion in figure 7; moreover, the gantry body 10' has an upper portion 102 supporting at least one electric motor 104, whose drive shaft 106 is keyed to a screw 108 engaging the plate 6300 in a respective nut screw 6302. In view of what described above, each electric motor 104 is suitable to adjust the vertical position of the plate 6300 relative to the surface 12, or better to the transport branch 46 of the conveyor 42 that moves the plates L in the direction D by acting on the respective screw 108, corresponding to a pulley 63. In this way, since the pulleys 63 are carried by the plate 6300, the height adjustment of the plate 6300 with respect to the belt 42, and therefore with respect to the plates L results in an adjustment of the pulleys 63, and therefore of the belt 62 with the respective brushes, with respect to the surface to be treated of the plates L, wherein by moving the plate 6300 closer to the conveyor 42, there is an increase in the pressure exerted by the brushes on the plates L, whilst by moving the plate 6300 away from the conveyor 42 there is a reduction in the pressure exerted by the brushes. In this regard, it should be highlighted again that the above effect (increase and reduction in the pressure exerted by the brushes) is facilitated by the conformation of the toothing of the pulleys 63 and respectively of the belt 62 that, during the motion of the pulleys along a direction perpendicular to the surface 12, allows to avoid any slippage of the belt 62 with respect to the pulleys 63; on the contrary, the belt 62 is drawn in translation and thus moved respectively towards and away from the conveyor 42. The same applies in the case each pulley 63 has a nip with trapezoidal radial cross-section and the belt comprises respectively one or more projections of corresponding shape. The brushing device 60 is therefore adjustable in height with respect to the plates L moving forward along the surface 12, for example, although without limitation, to adjust the height of the free end of the wires 6224 with respect to the visible side of the plates L. The adjustment could be controlled manually based on the operator's sensitivity, or it can be performed continuously, for example, although without limitation, indexed on the basis of the power absorption corresponding to the actuation of the belt 62 at a given speed. To implement this operating mode, according to an embodiment, the brushing device 60 can be equipped with a power absorption sensor 61, for example carried by the gantry body 10' at the side of the electric motor 104 and electronically connected to a control unit 610 also carried by the upper portion 102 and designed to calculate the displacement to give to the plate 6300 proportionally to the current power absorption and electronically connected to the electric motor 104. For the sake of practicality, the sensor 61 has been shown contained within the control unit 610, without thereby limiting the scope of the present invention. Other systems can be used for adjusting the position of the plate 600 and having the same effect, anyway falling within the protective scope of the invention, independently of the nature thereof, that can be electric, magnetic or optical systems.

Obviously, by adequately adjusting the vertical position of the wires 6224 with respect to the plates L it is possible to control the extension of the portion of the wires 6224 brushing the plates L, determining different levels of removal and/or re-distribution of the viscous substance SC applied in excess or in non uniform manner to the plates L in order to close the pores thereof or cover them with a protective film. As described above, set of the gantry body 10', plate 6300, each electric motor 104, the respective pair screw 108-nut screw 6302, together with the sensor 61 and the control unit 610, defines an adjusting unit 6305 for adjusting the position of the free ends of the brushes 622, and therefore of the wires 6224 or of the pads, made of sponge or rigid (known and not illustrated) , with respect to the plates L on the transport branch 46 of the conveyor 42, and thus with respect to the surface 12.

In view of what described above, it is easy to understand that the plant 1 and the brushing device 60 solve the problem of performing surface treatments on L plates (in particular of tiles and planar products), in particular the problem of removing the excess of viscous substance SC applied to the plates to close the pores thereof in a quantitatively and qualitatively homogeneous way or to produce a plastic film on the same plates L whose thickness can be defined at will each electric motor 104. Therefore, the present invention defines a new standard in the field of devices and plants for the surface treatment of tiles and planar products for the building industry.

According to the embodiment of figure 8, the adjustment unit 6305 shown in Figure 7 is modified to reduce the vertical dimensions of the plant 1. In particular, the brushes 622 are provided with a lowered back and the pulleys 63 are replaced by pulleys 63' (only one of which is visible in figure 8) provided with at least one toroidal nip 630' and the respective belt 62' engages the nip 630' in a form-fit manner with a longitudinal projection 620' transverse to the axes 630 for each nip 630' of each pulley 63'. For the sake of practicality, although without limiting the scope of the present invention, each nip 630' and each projection 620' have a toroidal profile.

Claims

1. Plant (1) for surface treating plate-shaped elements (L) with a given substance (SC) ; said plant (1) having a frame 810) with a surface (12) suitable to support said plate- shaped elements (L) and moving means (40) suitable to translate said plate-shaped elements (L) along a given substantially rectilinear direction (D) , said plant comprising a brushing device (60) with at least one belt (62) wound around at least two pulleys (63) rotating around respective rotation axes (630) directed perpendicularly to said surface (12); said belt (62) supporting a plurality of brushes (622) arranged externally and distributed uniformly along the extension of said belt (62), characterized in that said pulleys (63) are carried by a plate (6300) translatable with respect to said surface (12) along a direction substantially perpendicular to said surface (12) in two opposite translation direction.

2. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said at least two pulley (63) comprises a toothing (632) with at least a first group of teeth (6322) and/or toroidal nips directed parallel to said surface (12) ; and in that said belt (62) has respective first teeth (626) that are longitudinal and transversal to said axes (630) .

3. Plant according to claim 2, characterized in that said toothing (632) of said at least one pulley (63) comprises at least one second group of teeth (6320) that are radial and directed transversally to said surface (12) and parallel to said axes (630) of said pulleys (63); said belt (62) having respective second teeth (624) that are parallel to said axes (630) .

4. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that each said pulley (63') has at least one toroidal nip (630') and that said belt (62') has a longitudinal projection (620') transverse to said axes (630) and suitable to engage said nip (630') in a form-fit manner for each said nip (630') of each said pulley (63') .

5. Plant according to claim 4, characterized in that each said nip (630') and each said projection (620') have toroidal profile.

6. Plant according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each said brush (622) is provided with a coupling element (6220) for coupling to said belt (62) and with a brushing element (6222) .

7. Plant according to claim 6, characterized in that each said first group of teeth (6322) alternates with a said second group of teeth (6320) that are radial, and vice versa; said belt (62) having said second teeth (624) alternate with said first teeth (626) .

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each said brush (622) has a plurality of wires (6224) for brushing said plates (L) .

9. Plant according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by comprising; applying means (50) for applying said substance (SC) to said plates (L) and arranged upstream of said brushing device (60) with respect to the feeding direction (D) .

10. Plant according to claim 9, characterized by comprising cleaning means (70) associated with said brushing means (60) and arranged externally with respect to said feeding surface (12) .

11. Plant according to claim 10, characterized in that said cleaning means (70) are arranged at the side of said feeding surface (12) .