This document describes systems and processes for forming stone slabs, which may be suitable for use in living or working spaces (e.g., along a countertop, table, floor, shower surrounds, tiles, or the like). In some embodiments, the stone slabs may be processed by partially filling a mold with a particulate mineral mix, and preparing a top surface of the particulate mineral mix to received one or more additional materials.

A preparing process for pressing particulate aggregates into a slab and a shaping apparatus are described. The preparing process includes: mixing particulate aggregates of different sizes and a liquid material as per a preset proportion to obtain a mixture; spreading the mixture flatly in a preset thickness onto a conveyor belt or into a mould frame; vacuumizing the mixture; shaping, wherein a pressing plate is disposed covering the mixture during the shaping procedure to constantly apply a downward pressure against the mixture; a ram disposed over the pressing plate continuously smashes the pressing plate, wherein during ram smashing, the pressure created by the pressing plate forms a continuous holding force to the mixture, the smashing force created from up-down motion of the ram is transferred to the mixture via the pressing plate.

The changes to the abstract are shown below:

A preparing process for pressing particulate aggregates into a slab and a shaping apparatus are described. The preparing process includes: mixing particulate aggregates of different sizes and a liquid material as per a preset proportion to obtain a mixture; spreading the mixture flatly in a preset thickness onto a conveyor belt or into a mould frame; vacuumizing the mixture; shaping, wherein a pressing plate is disposed covering the mixture during the shaping procedure to constantly apply a downward pressure against the mixture; a ram disposed over the pressing plate continuously smashes the pressing plate, wherein during ram smashing, the pressure created by the pressing plate forms a continuous holding force to the mixture, the smashing force created from up-down motion of the ram is transferred to the mixture via the pressing plate.

A method for manufacturing an engineered stone, the method including: providing a mixture comprising at least a stone or stone like material and a binder; compacting the mixture; curing the binder; and further comprising printing a printed pattern on at least a top surface of the engineered stone.

This document describes systems and processes for forming improved synthetic molded slabs suitable for use in living or working spaces (e.g., along a countertop, table, floor, or the like).

A glass/quartz composite structure comprises quartz grit (and/or nan-glass crystals), quartz powder and glass grit wherein the glass grit is in an amount greater than any other single material by weight of the composite structure (e.g. a combined weight of the quartz grit, quartz powder, glass grit, resin, and coupling agent). Natural stone components, which may include the quartz grit and quartz powder, may be in an amount greater than 30% by weight of the composite structure. The structure may be formed into a 1.2-1.5 cm thick slab for countertops using standard cabinet perimeter support. The slab may be made by mixing the quartz grit, quartz powder, glass grit, and binding resin, pouring the mixture in a mold, and compacting the mixture in the mold. Specific natural mineral components, decorative chips, and/or wet mixture pieces may be added to the composite structure to provide aesthetics of specific natural stones.

A procedure for the production of slabs made of mineral grits bound with resins comprises at least the phases of supplying one basic mixture including mineral grits and resins; dispensing the basic mixture over a molding support so as to obtain a slab to be compacted provided with an exposed surface facing upwards and a laying surface facing downwards; compacting the slab to be compacted to obtain a compacted slab; and hardening the compacted slab to obtain a slab made of mineral grits; at least one decoration with ink by digital printing of at least the basic mixture carried out prior to the compaction, wherein the decoration phase includes at least one phase of pre-decoration by digital printing which is carried out prior to the dispensing and at least one phase of post-decoration by digital printing which is carried out after the dispensing.

The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing artificial marble, which includes a granite soil storage unit configured to supply a granite soil by storing, drying, and heating it, a granite soil heating unit configured to heat the granite soil supplied from the granite soil storage unit, a resin storage unit configured to store a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin maintained in a solid phase at room temperature, a mixing-transporting unit configured to accommodate the TPU resin and the heated granite soil therein and then melting and mixing them to produce and simultaneously transport an artificial marble slurry, a material guide unit configured to guide the granite soil and the TPU resin into the mixing-transporting unit, a discharge unit configured to discharge the artificial marble slurry mixed in the mixing-transporting unit by a certain amount, a mold supply unit configured to continuously supply a mold for accommodating and molding the artificial marble slurry therein, a mold guide unit configured to guide the mold supplied from the mold supply unit downward of the discharge unit to accommodate the artificial marble slurry in the mold, a forming unit configured to form an artificial marble by applying vibration and pressure to the artificial marble slurry accommodated in the mold, an extraction unit configured to extract the mold accommodating the artificial marble, and a lamination unit configured to laminate and store the mold extracted by the extraction unit.

A process for the production of slabs made of mineral grits bound with resins comprises at least the phases of supplying a basic mixture that includes mineral grits and resins; loading the basic mixture inside at least one forming mold so as to obtain a laying surface facing downwards and an exposed surface facing upwards; compacting the basic mixture inside the forming mold to obtain a compacted slab; and hardening the compacted slab to obtain a slab made of mineral grits, wherein, after the compacting, a decoration phase with ink by digital printing of said exposed surface of said compacted slab is provided.

Stone slabs, and systems and methods of forming slabs, are described. Some example slabs include a first pattern defined by a first particulate mineral mix and a second pattern defined by a second particulate mineral mix different from the first particulate mineral mix. The first particulate mix includes greater than 50 weight percent of first metallic particles.

Stone slabs, and systems and methods of forming slabs, are described. Some example slabs include a first pattern defined by a first particulate mineral mix and a second pattern defined by a second particulate mineral mix different from the first particulate mineral mix. Locations of the first pattern have a first average thickness perpendicular to the slab width and the slab length, and locations of the second pattern have a second average thickness perpendicular to the slab width and the slab length that is different from the first average thickness.