Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
  • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
  • B28B1/00—Producing shaped prefabricated articles from the material
  • B28B1/005—Devices or processes for obtaining articles having a marble appearance
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
  • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
  • B28B13/00—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles; Discharging shaped articles from such moulds or apparatus
  • B28B13/02—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles
  • B28B13/021—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles by fluid pressure acting directly on the material, e.g. using vacuum, air pressure
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
  • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
  • B28B13/00—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles; Discharging shaped articles from such moulds or apparatus
  • B28B13/02—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles
  • B28B13/0215—Feeding the moulding material in measured quantities from a container or silo
  • B28B13/022—Feeding several successive layers, optionally of different materials
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C67/00—Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00
  • B29C67/24—Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00 characterised by the choice of material
  • B29C67/242—Moulding mineral aggregates bonded with resin, e.g. resin concrete

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a piece of equipment and a process for the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material.
• the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material such as slabs of mineral grits bound with resins, generally involves a deposition phase of a base material, which may consist of ceramic materials or a mixture of mineral compounds in granular form (e.g. marble, granite), glass, mirror fragments, quartz powder, etc., as well as resins which act as binders, on a supporting surface, such as a belt or a mould, to form a slab to be compacted, and a subsequent pressing phase, so as to obtain a compacted slab.
• a base material which may consist of ceramic materials or a mixture of mineral compounds in granular form (e.g. marble, granite), glass, mirror fragments, quartz powder, etc., as well as resins which act as binders
• phase is then carried out, such as e.g. firing and subsequent cooling, in order to obtain a product with special mechanical and physical properties.
• the equipment required to carry out these phases therefore involves the presence of dispensing means for dispensing the base material on a supporting surface, so as to form a slab to be compacted, and pressing means to obtain a compacted slab.
• a known type of equipment involves the use of a hopper that extends for the entire width of the slab to be obtained and inside which the ceramic materials to be deposited on an extraction surface are loaded, as there is a relative movement between the latter and the hopper itself.
• chromatic effects such as e.g. a “veined” effect
• a plurality of materials of different type are deposited inside the hopper, which stratify inside the hopper and are then deposited in succession on the extraction surface.
• the ceramic material coming out of the hopper, coming into contact with the end portion of the walls, is partly dragged on the surface of the slab with a consequent alteration of the desired aesthetic effect.
• the slab thus obtained has surface veins that do not pass through the entire thickness of the slab itself.
• the main aim of the present invention is to devise a piece of equipment and a process for the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material that allow obtaining a wide variety of aesthetic effects in a simple and reliable manner.
• one object of the present invention is to make aesthetic variants distinguished by colors and/or designs that cannot be obtained using the above mentioned natural materials, and at the same time to reproduce as faithfully as possible the veined effect typical of natural rocks, thus allowing a particularly versatile and customizable production.
• a further object of the present invention is to devise a piece of equipment and a process for the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material that are highly repeatable and allow obtaining slabs with the same aesthetic effect over time.
• Another object of the present invention is to devise a piece of equipment and a process for the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material that allow overcoming the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low cost solution.
• Figures 1-5 are schematic representations of a first embodiment of the equipment and of the process for the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material according to the invention
• Figures 6-7 are schematic representations of a second embodiment of the equipment and of the process according to the invention.
• reference numeral 1 globally indicates a piece of equipment for the manufacture of slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material.
• ceramic and/or stone material means a material of the ceramic type, in the form of atomized, grains or flakes, and/or stone material, such as marble, granite, minerals or other natural stones, in the form of powder and/or granulate and/or flakes and mixed with a binder of a cementitious or resinous nature.
• the equipment 1 comprises at least one mould 2 adapted to be positioned resting on a supporting surface 3.
• the mould 2 is provided with a plurality of perimeter walls 2a that define a closed profile.
• the mould 2 has a substantially rectangular shape and the perimeter walls 2a define a lower opening, intended to come into contact with the supporting surface 3 and an upper opening, opposite the lower opening.
• the mould 2 defines with the supporting surface 3 at least one collecting cavity 4,5 of at least one ceramic and/or stone material intended to be deposited on the supporting surface 3 to obtain at least one slab to be compacted C.
• the collecting cavity 4,5 is delimited below by the supporting surface 3 and laterally by the perimeter walls 2a, while it is communicating with the outside through the upper opening of the mould 2 through which the ceramic and/or stone material is introduced inside.
• the supporting surface 3 is movable along a direction of forward movement A.
• the supporting surface 3, e.g., is of the type of a conveyor belt or the like. Further embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the supporting surface 3 is of the fixed type.
• the mould 2 comprises at least one inner wall 2b adapted to divide the collecting cavity 4,5 into at least a first cavity 4, adapted to contain at least a first type of ceramic and/or stone material Ml, and at least a second cavity 5, adapted to contain at least a second type of ceramic and/or stone material M2.
• the inner wall 2b generates a compartmentalization of the collecting cavity 4,5 allowing the deposition of different materials inside the two cavities 4 and 5.
• the two types of materials Ml and M2 differ from each other for at least one of grain size, color and composition of the ceramic and/or stone grits.
• the at least one inner wall 2b is curvilinear, so as to create an aesthetic effect in the finished slab very similar to what is found in natural rocks.
• the at least one inner wall 2b extends from one of the perimeter walls 2a of the mould 2, to reach another of the perimeter walls 2a.
• the inner wall 2b extends from one of the perimeter walls 2a to reach the opposite perimeter wall 2a.
• the inner wall 2b runs through the mould 2.
• the mould 2 comprises at least one pair of inner walls 2b spaced apart from each other.
• the volume positioned between the inner walls 2b defines the second cavity 5 and the first cavity 4 is located on opposite sides of the second cavity 5 with respect to the inner walls 2b.
• the inner walls 2b are substantially parallel to each other.
• the mould 2 also comprises one or more supporting elements 6 positioned between the inner walls 2b and at least one of the perimeter walls 2a.
• the supporting elements 6 have the function of supporting the inner walls 2b so that the cavities 4 and 5 do not suffer deformation due to mechanical stress during the manufacture of the slab.
• the equipment 1 also comprises dispensing means 7,8 adapted to deposit a plurality of ceramic and/or stone materials on the supporting surface 3.
• the dispensing means 7,8 deposit the ceramic and/or stone material inside the collecting cavity 4,5.
• the equipment 1 comprises first dispensing means 7 of the first type of material Ml, which are adapted to deposit the first type of material Ml inside the first cavity 4.
• the first dispensing means 7 are of the type of a hopper.
• the equipment 1 also comprises second dispensing means 8 of the second type of material M2, which are adapted to introduce the second type of material M2 inside the second cavity 5.
• the second dispensing means 8 are conveniently arranged upstream of the first dispensing means 7 along the direction of forward movement A.
• the second dispensing means 8 comprise at least one dispensing element 9 movable with respect to the mould 2 to dispense the second type of material M2 inside the second cavity 5.
• the dispensing element 9 is movable along a direction of dispensing E that is substantially parallel to the supporting surface 3 and transverse to the direction of forward movement A.
• the supporting elements 6 are of the tubular type and define a passage adapted to connect the second cavity 5 to the outside.
• the passage defines a communication hole 10 communicating with the outside and facing the relevant perimeter wall 2a.
• the second dispensing means 8 comprise at least one injection element 11 connectable to at least one of the supporting elements 6 to inject the second type of material M2 into the second cavity 5.
• the injection element 11 is associable with the communication hole 10.
• the mould 2 is then removed from the supporting surface 3, thus defining a slab to be compacted C placed resting on the supporting surface 3.
• the equipment 1 comprises smoothing means 12 adapted to level the materials Ml and M2.
• the smoothing means 12 may comprise a roller device 13, arranged downstream of the first dispensing means 7, which are able to level the surface of the slab to be compacted C while the supporting surface 3 is sliding along the direction of forward movement A.
• This embodiment provides that the leveling is carried out as a result of the removal of the mould 2.
• the smoothing means 12 can be associated with the first dispensing means 7 and make the leveling operation at the same time as the deposition of the first type of material Ml inside the mould
• the equipment 1 comprises pressing means, not shown in detail in the figures, and adapted to press the slab to be compacted C to obtain a slab made of ceramic and/or stone material.
• the pressing means are of a type known to the technician of the sector and will not be described in the present discussion.
• the operation of the equipment 1 in the process according to the invention is as follows.
• the process comprises, first of all, the supply of at least a first type of ceramic and/or stone material Ml and of at least a second type of ceramic and/or stone material M2, other than the first type of material Ml.
• the process also comprises the supply of at least one mould 2 defining a closed profile.
• the mould 2 is placed on the supporting surface 3 in such a way as to define therewith at least one collecting cavity 4,5, wherein the mould 2 comprises at least one inner wall 2b adapted to divide the collecting cavity 4,5 into at least a first cavity 4 and at least a second cavity 5.
• the process comprises the deposition of the first type of material Ml inside the first cavity and the introduction of the second type of material M2 inside the second cavity 5.
• the deposition of the first type of material Ml is carried out after the introduction of the second type of material M2.
• the mould 2 is moved along the direction of forward movement A by means of the supporting surface
• the process comprises, therefore, the introduction of the second type of material M2 inside the second cavity 5 by means of the second dispensing means 8.
• the introduction of the second type of material M2 is carried out by means of the dispensing element 9, which, by moving with respect to the supporting surface 3, dispenses the material inside the second cavity 5 following the extension of the inner walls 2b.
• the introduction of the second type of material M2 is carried out by means of at least one injection element 11, suitably connected to a respective communication hole 10, which dispenses the material inside the second cavity 5 through the passages defined in the supporting elements 6.
• the first type of material Ml is deposited inside the first cavity 4. More particularly, in the embodiment shown in the figures, the mould 2 containing the second type of material M2 is moved by means of the supporting surface 3 up to the first dispensing means 7, where the deposition of the first type of material Ml is carried out inside at least the first cavity 4.
• the mould is removed from the supporting surface 3 to obtain the slab to be compacted C, which is positioned resting on the supporting surface 3.
• the slab to be compacted C continues along the direction of forward movement A and is then pressed using the pressing means.
• the process conveniently comprises a leveling phase of the materials Ml and M2 before pressing.
• the leveling phase is carried out by the smoothing means 12.
• the leveling can be carried out by means of the roller device 13, after the removal of the mould 2, and/or by the first dispensing means 7, during the deposition of the first type of material Ml.
• the leveling of the materials Ml and M2 allows obtaining a slab to be compacted C with a substantially even surface so as to optimize the pressing phase. It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects and, in particular, the fact is underlined that the equipment and the process according to the invention allow obtaining a wide variety of aesthetic effects in a simple and reliable manner and, in particular, obtaining slabs provided with aesthetic variants distinguished by colors and/or designs that cannot be obtained using the above mentioned natural materials, thus allowing a particularly versatile and customizable production.
• the equipment and the process according to the invention allow obtaining slabs that reproduce as faithfully as possible the chromatic effect of natural rocks.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Press-Shaping Or Shaping Using Conveyers (AREA)
• Glass Compositions (AREA)
• Preparation Of Clay, And Manufacture Of Mixtures Containing Clay Or Cement (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Devices For Post-Treatments, Processing, Supply, Discharge, And Other Processes (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=69701266

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (4)

Citations (4)

• 2019
  • 2019-10-07 IT IT102019000018119A patent/IT201900018119A1/it unknown
• 2020
  • 2020-10-05 ES ES202290012U patent/ES1290469Y/es active Active
  • 2020-10-05 WO PCT/IB2020/059318 patent/WO2021070030A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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