WO2020058922A1

WO2020058922A1 - Tool for the processing of ceramic articles and related plant

Info

Publication number: WO2020058922A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/057961
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio TAROZZI
Original assignee: Siti - B&T Group S.P.A.
Priority date: 2018-09-21
Filing date: 2019-09-20
Publication date: 2020-03-26

Abstract

The tool (1, 2) for the processing of ceramic articles comprises: a cutting disk (3) movable in rotation around an axis of rotation (A) for the cut of at least one ceramic article (4); and at least one abrasive body (5) locked together in rotation with the cutting disk (3) and adapted to the chamfering of the ceramic article (4).

Description

TOOL FOR THE PROCESSING OF CERAMIC ARTICLES AND RELATED PLANT

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a tool for the processing of ceramic articles and related plant.

Background Art

Various tools are known for the processing of ceramic articles having different technical and structural characteristics depending on the type of ceramic articles to be processed and depending on the type of processing to be performed.

In particular, it is well known that in the field of ceramic slab processing, tools are frequently used to cut ceramic slabs, so as to produce, from an initial ceramic slab, a number of smaller ceramic slabs having different sizes, e.g. depending on the intended use.

Generally, the tools used for cutting ceramic articles comprise cutting disks mounted on suitable processing plants, which are generally installed along the processing lines of the ceramic articles.

In particular, this type of plant generally comprises movement means for moving the ceramic articles along a direction of forward movement, along which there is at least one cutting station provided with one or more cutting disks adapted to cut the ceramic article moved along the forward movement line.

However, the tools and the related plants of known type are subject to upgrading linked to the execution of additional processing operations in addition to cutting.

In fact, it is well known that for a wide variety of processing operations, the need exists to use tools for chamfering the ceramic articles at the cutting section.

Generally, the tools used for chamfering comprise grinding wheels which have to be fitted on the processing plant.

In particular, along the direction of forward movement, downstream of the cutting station, a chamfering station must be installed, at which one or more grinding wheels are fitted which are adapted to chamfer the ceramic article at the cutting section created by the cutting disks.

For this reason, the plants of known type have to use particularly long processing lines adapted to permit the installation of at least one cutting station and at least one chamfering station.

What is more, the cutting disks and the grinding wheels must be perfectly aligned along the direction of forward movement of the ceramic article, so that chamfering is carried out exactly at the cutting section.

If this is not the case, in fact, the chamfer could be too far away or too close to the cutting profile, thus compromising the processing of the ceramic article.

In addition, the plants of known type require cleaning means of the ceramic article which are intended to remove the processing waste which is inevitably produced by the tools during the processing of the ceramic article.

For this reason, the plants of known type comprise cleaning means installed at each cutting station and each chamfering station.

These drawbacks significantly increase the cost of the processing plant, which must provide for the installation of a chamfering station for each cutting station, thus significantly increasing the cost of the plant.

In addition, the maintenance of this type of plant must be carried out for each station, increasing the cost of plant maintenance.

Moreover, the carrying out of the chamfering operations after the cutting operations considerably complicates the overall processing of the ceramic article, thus reducing the quality of the processing.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a tool for the processing of ceramic articles and related plant which permit the cutting and chamfering of the ceramic articles to be performed at the same time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tool for the processing of ceramic articles and related plant which permit the cutting and chamfering of the ceramic articles to be performed without any alignment operation between the cutting disks and the grinding wheels, thereby increasing the quality of the processing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool for the processing of ceramic articles and related plant which allows overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art in a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low cost solution.

The objects set forth above are achieved by the present tool for the processing of ceramic articles having the characteristics of claim 1.

Furthermore, the objects set forth above are achieved by the present plant for the processing of ceramic articles having the characteristics of claim 10.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of several preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a tool for the processing of ceramic articles and related plant, illustrated by way of a non-limiting example in the accompanying tables of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic axonometric view of an embodiment of the tool according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic axonometric view of a further embodiment of the tool according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic exploded view of the tool shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a schematic front view of the tool shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a schematic axonometric view of the plant according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these illustrations, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a tool for the processing of ceramic articles.

In particular, the tool 1 , 2 comprises a cutting disk 3 movable in rotation around an axis of rotation A for the cut of at least one ceramic article 4.

Furthermore, the tool 1, 2 comprises at least one abrasive body 5 locked together in rotation with the cutting disk 3 and adapted to the chamfering of the ceramic article 4.

In the rest of the present treatise, the term“chamfering” means an operation of beveling the sharp edge produced by the cut made by the cutting disk 3 alone.

In other words,“chamfering” means the realization of an inclined cut with respect to the perpendicular cut made by the cutting disk 3, like that shown in Figure 4, wherein the ceramic article 4 has an inclined cut made by the abrasive body 5 which joins the perpendicular cut made by the cutting disk 3, making a substantially bevel cut.

Advantageously, the cutting disk 3 and the abrasive body 5 comprise at least a cutting profile 6 and at least an abrasive profile 7 respectively, having a substantially circular extension and concentric to each other along the axis of rotation A.

In particular, the cutting disk 3 comprises a pair of side faces 8 opposite to each other and the tool 1, 2 comprises a pair of abrasive bodies 5, each of which is associated with a corresponding side face 8 of the pair.

Conveniently, the side faces 8 are substantially flat and circular in shape and define, together with the cutting profile 6, the overall dimensions of the cutting disk 3.

This way, the cutting disk 3 is enclosed between two abrasive bodies 5 to make a substantially symmetrical tool 1, 2, as shown in Figure 1.

In detail, the abrasive body 5 is substantially frusto-conical in shape and the abrasive profile 7 extends starting from the side face 8 of the cutting disk 3, converging towards the axis of rotation A.

Conveniently, the tool 1, 2 comprises removable retention means for retaining the abrasive body 5 onto the cutting disk 3.

Preferably, the retention means comprise at least one through hole made longitudinally through the cutting disk 3 and the abrasive bodies 5, and at least one locking element, such as a bolt, which can be inserted through the through hole so as to secure the cutting disk 3 to the abrasive bodies 5.

In the rest of the following treatise, the terms“longitudinally” and“radially” are used to indicate a parallel extension direction and an orthogonal extension direction to the axis of rotation A respectively.

Advantageously, the retention means also comprise a pair of retention plates 9 arranged opposite each other at the abrasive bodies 5 to enclose inside them the latter and the cutting disk 3.

Furthermore, the retention plates 9 are provided with at least one through channel made at the through hole and adapted to accommodate the locking body.

This way, the cutting disk 3 and the abrasive bodies 5 are enclosed and fixed to each other between the retention plates 9, as shown in Figure 3.

Appropriately, the retention plates 9 extend radially for a shorter distance than the radial extension of the cutting disk 3 and of the abrasive bodies 5, so as not to interfere with the processing of the ceramic article 4.

In fact, if this were not the case, the retention plates 9 could come into contact with the ceramic article 4 during the cutting and/or chamfering operations, thus jeopardizing the processing.

In addition, the cutting profile 6 has a radius of extension and the abrasive profile 7 has at least a minimum radius and at least a maximum radius, which is larger in size than the minimum radius and is smaller in size than the radius of extension.

In particular, the radius of extension substantially defines the radial extension of the cutting profile 6, that is, in other words, the height of the cutting disk 3.

On the other hand, the minimum radius and the maximum radius substantially define the radial extension of the abrasive body 5 at the point of association of the latter with the retention plate 9 and the side face 8 of the cutting disk 3, respectively.

Conveniently, the difference between the radius of extension and the minimum radius is greater than or equal to the thickness of the ceramic article 4 to be cut. The term“thickness” used with reference to the ceramic article 4 means the extension of ceramic article 4 along the cutting direction, as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the difference between the radius of extension and the maximum radius is smaller than the thickness of the ceramic article 4.

Such constraints on the sizes of the radius of extension, the maximum radius and the minimum radius, enable the tool 1, 2 to cut and chamfer the ceramic article 4 in a precise way.

In other words, if the difference between the radius of extension and the minimum radius is less than the thickness of the ceramic article 4 to be cut, the tool 1, 2 is not able to cut the entire thickness of the ceramic article 4 without jeopardizing the chamfer.

In fact, in this case, when the abrasive profile 7 has made the chamfer, the cutting disk 3 has not cut the entire thickness of the ceramic article 4.

Instead, if the difference between the radius of extension and the maximum radius is greater than or equal to the thickness of the ceramic article 4, the tool 1 , 2 cuts the ceramic article 4, but is not able to make the chamfer.

In fact, in this case, when the cutting disk 3 has cut the entire thickness of the ceramic article 4, the abrasive profile 7 is not in contact with the article itself.

In an alternative embodiment of the tool 1 , 2 shown in Figure 2, the cutting disk 3 comprises a pair of side faces 8 opposite each other and the abrasive body 5 is associated with a side face 8 of the pair.

Unlike the embodiment of the tool 1, 2 described above, in this embodiment the retention means fix the cutting disk 3 and a single abrasive body 5 together, as shown in Figure 2.

The present invention also relates to a plant 10 for the processing of ceramic articles comprising:

at least one base frame 11 ;

movement means 12 of at least one ceramic article 4 to be cut and chamfered along a direction of forward movement B;

cutting means 13 of the ceramic article 4 mounted on the base frame 11 and arranged along the direction of forward movement.

In particular, the cutting means 13 comprise at least one tool 1, 2.

Preferably, the movement means 12 are mounted on the base frame 11 and comprise at least one holding surface, which is movable along the direction of forward movement B and is adapted to support the ceramic article 4 during the cutting and chamfering operations.

With reference to the embodiment of the plant 1 shown in the illustrations, the movement means 12 are placed below the cutting means 13, i.e. they are at a lower height, relative to the ground, than the height at which the cutting means 13 are located.

Advantageously, the cutting means 13 comprise means for setting in rotation 14 the tool 1, 2 around at least one axis of rotation A. Preferably, the means for setting in rotation 14 comprise at least one driving shaft rotating around the axis of rotation A and arranged substantially orthogonal with respect to the direction of forward movement of the ceramic article 4.

Advantageously, the tool 1, 2 is locked in rotation together with the driving shaft.

In particular, the plant 10 comprises removable securing means of the tool 1, 2 to the driving shaft.

Conveniently, the securing means comprise at least one through opening made longitudinally through the cutting disk 3, the abrasive body(ies) 5 and the retention plates 9, and which is adapted to house the driving shaft.

In fact, the securing means comprise at least one securing element made on at least one of either the tool 1, 2 or the driving shaft and adapted to secure the mutual position of the latter when the driving shaft is inserted through the through opening.

With reference to the embodiment of the plant 10 shown in the illustrations, the plant 10 comprises a plurality of the tools 1, 2 arranged at a distance from each other along the axis of rotation A.

In particular, the tools 1 are associated in succession with each other along the driving shaft.

This way, the tools 1, 2 perform the cutting and chamfering of the ceramic article 4, dividing it into different portions with different shapes the one to the other.

Preferably, the tools 2 that occupy the first and last position respectively along the driving shaft are of the type comprising a single abrasive body 5 associated with the cutting disk 3.

More in detail, the abrasive body 5 of this type of tool 2 is associated with the side face 8 of the cutting disk 3 which faces the side face of another cutting disk 3 of another tool 1, 2.

In fact, these tools 2 process the peripheral portions of the ceramic article 4, i.e. they divide it into a processed portion, which remains at the side of the tool 2 provided with the abrasive body 5, and a reject portion, which remains at the portion of the tool 2 without the abrasive body 5, and which generally has particularly small dimensions compared to the processed portion.

Alternatively, these tools 2 only use the abrasive body 5 to process the peripheral portions of the ceramic article 4, without making any cut.

Furthermore, the plant 10 comprises displacement means of the tools 1, 2 close to or away from each other along the axis of rotation A.

This solution makes it possible to vary the size of the portions of ceramic article 4 obtained after cutting.

Preferably, the movement means are electronically-controlled motorized means to vary the mutual distance between the tools 1, 2, thereby varying the size of the portions of ceramic article 4 obtained as a result of cutting.

Alternative embodiments of the plant 10 cannot however be ruled out wherein the displacement means are of a different type, e.g. of the manual type.

According to the embodiment of the plant 10 shown in the illustrations, the plant 10 comprises removal means 15 of the processing waste produced by the cutting and chamfering of the ceramic article 4 associated with the tools 1, 2. Preferably, the removal means 15 comprise at least one suction hood located in the proximity of the tools 1, 2 and adapted to extract without contact the processing waste produced by the cutting and chamfering of the ceramic article 4, as shown in Figure 5.

The operation of the plant 10 is as follows.

Initially it is necessary to arrange the tools 1, 2 along the axis of rotation A by means of the displacement means, which make it possible to vary the position of each of the tools 1, 2 along the driving shaft.

Subsequently, the ceramic article 4 is moved by means of the movement means 12 along the direction of forward movement B.

As soon as the ceramic article 4 reaches the cutting means 13, the means for setting in rotation 14 set the tools 1, 2 in rotation, which start the cutting of the article itself.

In particular, the cutting disk 3 divides the ceramic article 4 into two different portions and at the same time the abrasive body 5 chamfers the portions of the ceramic article 4 obtained by cutting. This way, the cutting operation carried out at the same time as the chamfering operation permits considerably reducing the risk of the formation of imperfections in the ceramic article 4, such as e.g. the formation of micro cracks, thus increasing the quality of the work and of the obtained article.

In fact, such imperfections can significantly compromise the structural integrity of the ceramic article 4 not only during the cutting operations, but also during the subsequent processing operations, e.g., during chemical treatments and/or during firing.

At the same time, the removal means 15 remove the processing waste produced by the cutting and chamfering of the ceramic article 4.

Preferably, cutting and chamfering are carried out along the entire length of the ceramic article 4 thanks to the movement of the same along the direction of forward movement B.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In particular, the fact is underlined that the abrasive body locked in rotation together with the cutting disk enables cutting and chamfering to be performed at the same time.

Moreover, such solution permits significantly reducing the size of the processing plant, using a single cutting and chamfering station with a consequent reduction in the costs of the plant itself, also due to the simplification of the tool maintenance operations.

Claims

1) Tool (1, 2) for the processing of ceramic articles comprising a cutting disk (3) movable in rotation around an axis of rotation (A) for the cut of at least one ceramic article (4);

characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one abrasive body (5) locked together in rotation with said cutting disk (3) and adapted to the chamfering of said ceramic article (4).

2) Tool (1, 2) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said cutting disk (3) and said abrasive body (5) comprise at least a cutting profile (6) and at least an abrasive profile (7) respectively, having a substantially circular extension and concentric to each other along said axis of rotation (A).

3) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said cutting disk (3) comprises a pair of side faces (8) opposed to each other and by the fact that said abrasive body (5) is associated with a side face (8) of said pair.

4) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said cutting disk (3) comprises a pair of side faces (8) opposed to each other and by the fact that it comprises a pair of abrasive bodies (5), each of which is associated with a corresponding side face (8) of said pair.

5) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said abrasive body (5) has a substantially frusto-conical shape and said abrasive profile (7) extends starting from the side face (8) of said cutting disk (3), converging towards said axis of rotation (A).

6) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises removable retention means for retaining said abrasive body (5) onto said cutting disk (3).

7) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said cutting profile (6) has a radius of extension and said abrasive profile (7) has at least a minimum radius and at least a maximum radius, which is larger in size than said minimum radius and is smaller in size than said radius of extension.

8) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the difference between said radius of extension and said minimum radius is greater than or equal to the thickness of said ceramic article (4) to be cut.

9) Tool (1, 2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the difference between said radius of extension and said maximum radius is less than the thickness of said ceramic article (4).

10) Plant (10) for the processing of ceramic articles comprising:

at least one base frame (11);

movement means (12) of at least one ceramic article (4) to be cut and chamfered along a direction of forward movement (B);

cutting means (13) of said ceramic article (4) mounted on said base frame (11) and arranged along said direction of forward movement;

characterized by the fact that said cutting means (13) comprise at least one tool (1, 2) according to one or more of claims from 1 to 9.

11) Plant (10) according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that said cutting means (13) comprise means for setting in rotation (14) said tool (1, 2) around at least one axis of rotation (A).

12) Plant (10) according to one or more of claims from 10 to 11, characterized by the fact that it comprises a plurality of said tools (1, 2) arranged at a distance from each other along said axis of rotation (A).

13) Plant (10) according to one or more of claims from 10 to 12, characterized by the fact that it comprises displacement means of said tools (1, 2) close to or away from each other along said axis of rotation (A).

14) Plant (10) according to one or more of claims from 10 to 13, characterized by the fact that it comprises removal means (15) of the processing waste produced by the cutting and chamfering of said ceramic article (4) associated with said tools (1, 2).