Compound Monolithic 3-D Fused FHD/S Products and Method

Abstract

Fused, monolithic 3-D products of high-SiO2-containing body materials, called FHD/S, cut to pattern, mating surfaces honed or polished, assembled with mating surfaces in contact, and fusion fired until the contacting parts fuse without added flux. Fused FHD/S products may be used unglazed, or glaze may be applied to selected fused surfaces and then glaze fired. FHD/S body materials may include colorants so that the fused parts exhibit color contrast and variation when used without glazing. Examples include countertops having integral fused vertical back-splashes and front edges, and bowls fused to openings. The inventive 3-D monolithic fused FHD/S products are produced in standard sizes or as custom-fit interior and exterior products that are stain resistant, moisture impervious, UV resistant, acid resistant, dimensionally stable, abrasion and impact resistant, and may be glazed to produce unique decorative and utilitarian surfaces in a wide range of colors and textures, including artistic, one-of-a-kind 3-D works.

Claims

1. A process for producing a custom unitary monolithic 3-D product comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of fired body pieces formed of a high silica composition having in excess of 80% by weight SiO.sub.2; b) forming at least one planar surface area on selected ones of said fired body pieces, which, when assembled with selected ones of said planar surface areas in contact, form a 3-D assembly; c) assembling selected ones of said planar surface areas of said parts in mating contact to form a 3-D assembly; and d) firing said 3-D assembly at a temperature and for a time to fuse together said parts that are placed in mating contact, said firing producing a unitary, fused monolithic 3-D product.

2. A process as in claim 1 which includes the added steps of: e) applying at least one glaze composition to at least selected surfaces of said unitary, fused monolithic 3D product; and f) firing said glaze composition to produce a fused monolithic 3-D product having at least one area having a fired glaze surface.

3. A process as in claim 2 which includes a post-glaze firing step from at least one of over-glazing, machine finishing and flaming at least portions of said fired glaze surface on said fused monolithic 3-D product.

4. A process as in claim 3 wherein said fired glaze surface is a controlled crackle glaze, and said surface treatment machine finishing includes diamond brushing to produce a leather-like finish.

5. A process as in claim 3 wherein said post-firing step of flaming includes applying an open flame to selected areas of said fired glazed surface for a time sufficient to produce an iridescent finish.

6. A process as in claim 1 which includes applying a second, over-glaze to selected areas of said fired glazed surface to provide at least one of artistic effect, surface sealing, enhanced visual depth, or enhanced surface hardening, abrasion resistance, impact resistance and acid resistance.

7. A process as in claim 1 wherein at least one part comprising said monolithic product is processed to include on selected areas of said part, at least one of an engobe coating, a surface texture, and a surface relief.

8. A process as in claim 1 which includes the step of applying at least one glaze composition to at least selected surfaces of said parts prior to fusion firing.

9. A process as in claim 1 which includes providing a plurality of body parts having different colorants therein, and selecting different colored parts for fusion to produce a multi-colored monolithic 3-D fused product.

10. A process as in claim 1 which includes providing a plurality of stacked annular parts having different overlapping radial dimensions oriented in a generally bowl configuration, fuse-firing said parts in said stack to form a crude bowl shape, and finishing said fused stacked parts to provide 3-D products having a finished bowl configuration.

11. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product comprising in operative combination: a) a plurality of body pieces having planar surface areas, each said body pieces comprising a fired, high density, high SiO.sub.2 composition having in excess of 80% by weight SiO.sub.2 and having compatible thermal coefficient of expansions; and b) said body pieces being arranged into a 3-D assembly with said selected planar surfaces of said body pieces fusion bonded to each other to form said monolithic, unitary 3-D product.

12. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 11, wherein at least some surface areas thereof include a compatible, fired-glaze surface coating thereon.

13. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 12 wherein said fired-glaze surface coating includes a surface treatment selected from machine texturing and flaming to produce a leather-like or iridescent appearance.

14. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 12 wherein said fired-glaze surface is selected from at least one of metallic, crazed, crystalline, gloss, matte, semi-gloss, eggshell, orange-peel, and satin looks.

15. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 12 wherein said fired-glaze surface coating includes a design.

16. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 15 wherein said design comprises a plurality of glaze compositions selected from at least two different colors.

17. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 11 wherein said high SiO.sub.2 composition, before firing, includes less than about 3% by weight moisture and less than about 1% by weight of an organic binder.

18. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 17 wherein said SiO.sub.2 is comprises crushed crystalline quartz material having less than about 2% by weight natural impurities, a lower particle size in the range of 325 to 200 USS mesh and an upper particle size ranging from about +50 to 20 USS mesh particles, and includes additives selected from at least one of less than 3% by weight Al.sub.2O.sub.3 as a binder, less than about 1% by weight ZrO.sub.2 as a flux, a colorant, and kaolinite in place of up to 10% by weight of said quartz and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 components.

19. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 11 which includes a plurality of different colored fused parts as a multi-colored monolithic 3-D fused product.

20. A monolithic, unitary 3-D product as in claim 11 which includes a plurality of stacked annular parts having different overlapping radial dimensions oriented, fused and finished into a bowl shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] The invention is described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and photographic illustrations. This patent or application file contains at least one drawing, as a photo, in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s), as photo(s), will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0053] Photos in the parent priority application Ser. No. 15/009,548, published on Aug. 11, 2016 as US 2016-0230396, are not repeated here, but are incorporated by reference to the extent needed for support.

[0054] FIG. 1A is a flow sheet outlining the steps of the basic FHD/S body production;

[0055] FIG. 1B is a flow sheet outlining the steps of the forming a 3-D monolithic, unitary product by fusion of FHD/S parts placed in contact, both with or without glazing;

[0056] FIG. 2 is a photographic illustration of two Samples, A and B, of different composition FHD/S body material before fusion or glazing has been applied;

[0057] FIG. 3 is a photographic illustration, in color, of an unglazed, fused monolithic 3-D FHD/S product of the invention as seen in % elevated view to show the interior angle of a vertical back-splash as it joins a horizontal base piece, both materials being Sample B body materials;

[0058] FIG. 4 is a photographic illustration, in color, of several unglazed, fused samples of different color FHD/S body material, illustrating that the fusion line is faint at best; Sample C on the left being two pieces of white FHD/S body material B fused to each other, Sample D in the center being a white upper FHD/S piece fused to a beige lower FHD/S piece, both being body material B, the join line being defined by the color boundary of the respective pieces: and Sample E on the right being a white upper FHD/S piece fused to a black lower FHD/S piece, both being body material B;

[0059] FIG. 5 is a photographic illustration, in color, of a glazed piece of Sample B FHD/S body material, the glaze being a transparent pale green crackle glaze;

[0060] FIG. 6 is a photographic illustration, in black and white of the fused FHD/S product of FIG. 3 which has been destructively tested to break the vertical back-splash segment from the base segment and illustrating that the break does not occur at the fusion join interface;

[0061] FIG. 7 is a photographic illustration, in color, of the exposed, broken edge of the base FHD/S body segment shown in FIG. 6 showing that the break is conchoidal in nature and not along the fusion join interface; and

[0062] FIG. 8 is an SEM photographic illustration, in black and white, of a segment of the fusion bond interface between the two FHD/S body parts of Sample D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0063] The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example, not by way of limitation of the scope, equivalents or principles of the invention. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention. The disclosure of the parent priority application, Ser. No. 15/009,458, including text, photographs, Examples and glaze composition examples, are incorporated by reference herein to avoid needless enlargement of this specification.

[0064] FIG. 1A shows the steps of a first process embodiment of the invention in flow-sheet format for preparation of an FHD/S body in slab form. The inventive process 10 begins with selection and weighing out of the components 12, preparing a damp or wet mix 14, and where a body color is desired, a colorant such as a stain or oxide, is added at 16. A body slab is extruded that is up to about 20% oversize (as compared to finished slab dimensions, to compensate for water content and size reduction due to compression to densify) at 18. The rough damp slab is dried to less than about 1% moisture by weight at 20. Optionally, during one or more of the extrusion and drying steps, vibratory compaction at 22 may be employed. The resulting green slab is then densified by compression under pressure sufficient to result in a 10-25% volume reduction at 24. During the densification step 26, a surface texture optionally may be imparted to the upper and/or lower surfaces of the slab in a platen or roller press, at 26. The densified, dried green slab is then fired at 28 in the range of from about 1200-2700 F. for a time sufficient to provide a partial surface sintering of the mix particles to each other. After firing the slab is cooled and is now a gauged (thickness), fired undecorated FHD/S slab. Optionally, one or more of the surfaces may be machine textured at 30, which can also serve to provide a precise dimensional thickness to the slab, e.g., 3 cm for countertops and to provide a custom edge contour. The fired FHD/S body slab 28/30 may be stored for inventory, or moved on to the next phase of processing.

[0065] In the next phase, site or plan-based dimensions are developed at 32 for a unique custom job. The gauged, fired FHD/S body slab 28/30 is then cut to dimension at 34 in a fabrication shop, including cut-outs and dimensional allowances for exposed glazed surfaces, e.g., outer exposed edges, and cut-out edges for under-mount sinks and the like. The optional machine texturing 30 of selected surfaces or edges may be done at this stage as well. Then one or more selected glaze compositions is/are applied to selected areas 36, in accord with a custom design 38. The glaze is fired at 40 pursuant to a firing schedule appropriate for the slab body and glaze composition. As shown at optional steps 42, 44 and 46, a second glaze may be applied and fired, including after an intermediary surface texturing by machine or flaming at 44. An example is diamond brushing of a crackle glaze laid down and fired at steps 36 and 40 to produce a leather texture look, optionally followed by a thin clear over-glaze or silicone sealant at 46 to seal the expose crackle grooves produced by the diamond brushing. The completed piece 48 may be installed at the site without the necessity of cut-to-fit, since the glaze firing did not result in slab shrinkage.

[0066] In accord with this invention the FHD/S slab produced in the FIG. 1A process at stages 32, 34 or 38 (including optional machine texturing at 30) is then processed to form a fused 3-D monolithic product as shown in FIG. 1B. By way of example, a kitchen or bath countertop is produced. The cutting to dimensions at 34 of FIG. 1A includes cutting of a back-splash portion from one edge of the larger FHD/S slab. Then the areas of the back-splash piece and the base horizontal countertop that are to be fused are honed or polished to produce precision flat mating surfaces at 50.

[0067] In this example, the bottom edge of the back-splash piece is honed or polished flat, and a top marginal edge of the countertop slab that is the width of the back-splash is likewise honed or polished flat. These FHD/S pieces are assembled as required into the compound 3-D shape at 52, with the honed or polished surfaces in contact. The assembled piece is fixtured in place at 54 in a firing furnace to retain the pieces in the required contact to permit fusion to be effected. The fixture assembly is fired for a selected time at a selected firing schedule at step 56. An exemplary firing schedule is 400 F./hr to a maximum firing temperature in the range of from about 2000 F. to about 2300 F., and held at the peak temperature for on the order of 1-5 hours to effect fusion. The result is an unglazed 3-D monolithic compound FHD/S product 58, in this example, a kitchen or bath countertop that includes an integral back-splash. This piece may be installed as-is on site, see FIG. 1A, step 48.

[0068] In an important option, the fused FHD/S product 58 may then be glazed and refired, as shown in steps 36-48 of FIG. 1A. Alternatively, glaze may be applied to the assembled pieces or fixture pieces at 60, and the fusion firing also serves as a glaze firing, in cases when the glaze can handle the fusion firing schedule. The glazing also serves to cover any minor seam lines at the fusion interface between two or more pieces.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows two Samples, Sample A and Sample B of different compositions cut from base FHD/S slab materials as produced by steps 12-28 of FIG. 1A. Sample A is a white body, approximately 33 by 1.3 cm thick, with one side polished and the other honed smooth and planar. Sample B is an off-white, pale grey-white FHD/S body approximately 22 by 2 cm thick, both sides honed smooth and planar.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a fused FHD/S compound 3-D) product following the process steps of FIG. 1B, formed from a base piece of Sample B FHD/S body material 62 onto which has been placed a back-splash section 64 of Sample B FHD/S body material. The respective mating surface of each piece was honed smooth and planar. The assembled piece was fixtured in a kiln and fired per steps 54 and 56 of FIG. 1B, the firing schedule being 400 F./hr to a peak temperature in the range of 2100 F.100 F. at which temperature the assembly was held for from 1-2 hrs to effect fusion of the pieces together, and then the assembly was let cool overnight about 10-12 hrs. FIG. 3 shows the resulting fused 3-D compound monolithic FHD/S product corresponding to 58 in FIG. 1B. As noted by arrow 66, no join line is discernable at the plane of the original mating surfaces, indicating excellent fusion into a monolithic compound FHD/S product.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a series of three additional FIG. 1B-process fusion Samples C-E, all using Sample B FHD/S body material: Sample C has a base piece of FHD/S material 62 onto which a piece of FHD/S material 64 (See FIG. 2 above) has been fused. Because of the slightly differing color of the body materials, only a faint join line is discernable at 66. Sample D is a base piece of cream colored FHD/S body 62 onto which a piece of Sample B FHD/S body material has been fused. Of course, the materials being different color, the plane of the mating surfaces 66 is visible, but there is no thick seam, and each piece retains its integrity. Sample E is a base piece of black-stained FHD/S Sample B body 62, to which a piece of unstained Sample B FHD/S body material 64 has been fused. As with Sample D, the plane of the mating surfaces is visible, but only because of the difference in the FHD/S body material color. These samples show that a complex shape, even a lavatory or kitchen sink, can be constructed by assembling graduated sized annular pieces, stacked one on the other in decreasing size to form a rough, stepped bowl (inverted), and fused in that orientation, after which the steps of the inner surface are ground to produce a smooth bowl shape. The resulting bowl may be fused to the underside of a counter-top slab having a suitable sized and located cut-out. Or the assembled stacked graduated pieces may be fused to the slab in a single firing operation.

[0072] FIG. 5, Glazing Example 1, shows a sample of Sample B FHD/S body material 62 that has been glazed at 68, following steps 36, 40 of FIG. 1A, with a green crackle glaze of the following composition using copper carbonate to provide the green colorant:

TABLE-US-00001 Clear Crystalline Glaze Ferro Frit #3269 91 Bentonite 4 Lithium Carbonate 5 Cryolite 1
The glaze adheres well to the body and the crackle may be sealed with a conventional silicone sealant. This is glaze composition F of priority publication US 2016-0230396, published on Aug. 11, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10______, modified with the colorant.

[0073] FIGS. 6 and 7 show destructive testing of the fused join of the FIG. 3 compound 3-D monolithic FHD/S product having a base portion 62 and a back-splash portion 64. For the test, the right angled fused assembly was inverted in an upside-down orientation, thus: A, and the apex was struck with heavy mallet until the pieces separated as shown along fracture 70 in FIG. 6. It is significant that the FHD/S parts did not separate along the original mating surfaces plane, indicated by dash-dot line 66; rather, the base fractured cleanly away from the back-splash section, and the fused assembly did not shatter into multiple small pieces. The conchoidal fracture surface 70 of the FHD/S body is shown in FIG. 7. It is not a glassy conchoidal fracture. Rather, examination of the fracture surface shows the nature of the body to be finely grained, highly uniform and dense. Indeed, this test also demonstrates that the fused assembly is robust.

Glazing Example 2

[0074] Following the Steps of FIG. 1A, a gauged, FHD/S slab (28 of FIG. 1A) having the dimensions of 3 cm thick, by 130 long and 58 wide is selected for a horizontal kitchen counter-top. Following Steps 32-40 of FIG. 1A, a job site is measured, a template created and the FHD/S slab is cut in the fab shop to the job-site measure, including cut-outs for under mount sink, faucet water supply and sprayer holes, and an angular (45) join-cut for a horizontal counter L-section (which backs against a side wall). In addition, a double ogee pattern is machined on the outside front edge. The sink cut-out is over-sized since glaze will cover the vertical edge, the sink chosen being an under-mount sink. The counter L-section FHD/S slab is cut per the required measure, including a matching join-cut, double ogee on the exposed front and end edges, and a cut-out for a drop-in range top. A third FHD/S strip, 6 high by 120 long, is cut for a backsplash of the sink section. The top edge of the countertop slab cut-out for the sink is chamfered so the sink cut-out edge is rounded. Optionally, that vertical edge may be machined to form a desired ogee curved surface. In the case of an exposed island that mates orthogonally to the sink counter section, the respective join areas of the sink counter and island are left with a vertical, matching cut, and neither chamfered at their top edges nor machined with an ogee shape. However, the other three exposed 3 side edges of the island are ogee machined.

[0075] A back-splash or/and front edge piece may be fused to the back top surface and the front edge of the slab if desired to produce a compound, 3-D FHD/S monolithic sink assembly per the steps of FIG. 1B. The island section may also be fused to the counter section.

[0076] A suitable glaze is applied to the sink section, L-section and/or island sections, including any back-splash and front edge pieces, and then fired in an appropriate firing schedule to a suitable cone temperature, for a suitable time, such as cone 06 for 8 hours. The backsplash may have applied to it a glaze of different composition and color per the designer's specification. For example, the back-splash glaze may be crackle as seen in FIG. 5. The glazed pieces are compared to the pattern and found to not have expanded or shrunk out of tolerance. Since the sink is an undermount, the vertical edges of the sink cut-out are glazed, as are all exposed ogee front and end edge surface(s). In this example, per specifications, the back-splash crackle glaze is diamond brushed after glaze firing to provide a leather look that also reveals the fine crazing as part of the artistic appeal. The finished fused assembly is installed at the job site as a unitary 3-D compound-shape FHD/S monolithic piece.

[0077] Exemplary glaze formulations that may be used with inventive gauged, fused and fired slabs and 3-D assemblies as described above may be found in our co-pending priority published US application for patent, US 2016-0230396, published on Aug. 11, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10______, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, as may be needed.

[0078] The glaze of FIG. 5 is a clear crystalline glaze with mild crazing and can be colored with a wide rage of conventional stains and oxide colorants. For example, FIG. 5 (Glazing Example 1) uses Copper Carbonate for colorant to produce a pale green glaze. Optionally, this glaze can include up to about 5% of a flux or glass former such as Boron Oxide (e.g. as Boron Trioxide B.sub.2O.sub.3), K.sub.2O, Na.sub.2O, Li.sub.2O, and the like, for greater visual depth to the crackle, possibly due to increased refractive index. It is particularly suited for post-firing machine texturing, e.g., by diamond polishing or brushing at step 44 of FIG. 1A, to produce a leather-look textured finish as described above in Glazing Example 1 for the back-splash piece. If desired, crazed glazes can be overglazed or sealed with standard sealants, such as are used for granite counter-tops.

[0079] The examples given above show that the inventive fused and glaze-fired monolithic high-density 3-D FHD/S assemblies have a uniquely custom look, texture and color palette. The glaze top surface layer is on the order of between from about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm in thickness, and is acid resistant, abrasion and impact resistant, and color-fast, permitting external uses in areas exposed to solar radiation without fading or degradation. The glaze layer provides an added layer of weather and use resistance to the base slab material.

[0080] It is also important to note that the unique glaze texture and artistic look of the inventive FHD/S surface slabs may be applied and fired to be continuous from a top surface over the front-facing fused face piece of a horizontal slab and up a fused back-splash piece. The brilliance, depth and unique look of the inventive 3-D fused monolithic glazed products cannot be achieved in an unglazed monolithic slab alone, not only top surface but also exposed edges, nor the range of palette choices and continuity of color, design, texture and depth.

[0081] FIG. 8 is an SEM micrograph of a representative segment of the fusion bond between the pieces of Sample d at a magnification of 100, the scale being at the lower right. The grains and crystals of the individual FHD/S pieces are visible, and the central dark, somewhat sinusoidal line central of the image and running from bottom to top, is the fusion bond interface 72. It shows that the bond ranges from less than 1, for example at the very top and bottom, and about 50 in the center. The sinusoidal shape shows that there is also some mechanical interlock of the surfaces in association with the glassy bond phase.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0082] It is clear that the inventive fusion process and fused or/and glazed 3-D FHD/S products of this application have wide applicability to the construction and interior design fields, namely to bringing custom design, including a full range of artistic and design creativity to large slab surfaces.

[0083] It should be understood that various modifications within the scope of this invention can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit thereof and without undue experimentation. For example, the fused 3-D FHD/S assemblies with their optionally glazed surfaces can have a wide range of functional and artistic designs, yet retain the functionalities disclosed herein. Surfaces may be treated with anti-bacterial compositions or compounds, such as inorganic Ag or TiO2-containing compositions, or organic biocides and anti-bacterials. This invention is therefore to be defined by the scope of the appended claims as broadly as the prior art will permit, and in view of the specification if need be, including a full range of current and future equivalents thereof.

TABLE-US-00002 Parts List (This Parts List is provided as an aid to Examination and may be canceled upon allowance) 10 Inventive Process 82 12 Selection, weighing out components 84 14 Dry or wet mix 86 16 Colorant optionally added 88 18 Dense slab or body shape extruded 90 20 Drying extruded, densified slab or body shape 92 22 Vibratory compaction (optional) 94 24 Pressure applied - reduces volume and increase density 96 26 Platen press to texture surface 98 28 Fire dry body, partial particulate surface sintering 100 30 Optional machine texturing 102 32 Site or plan dimensioning 104 34 Cutting slab or body shape to dimensions 106 36 Glaze applied 108 38 Custom design to be applied 110 40 Glaze firing 112 42 Optional overglaze 134 44 Optional surface texturing or flaming of glaze 136 46 Optional overglaze after texturing 118 48 Completed piece installed 120 50 Hone or polish areas of body to be fused 122 52 Assemble pieces into 3-D shape, surfaces to be fused in 124 contact 54 Fixture assembly in fusion furnace 126 56 Fire assembly in fusion firing schedule 128 58 Return to Glazing, glaze firing, finishing Steps FIG. 1A 130 60 Optional application of glaze to exposed 3-D surfaces 132 62 Horizontal Base piece of fused assembly 154 64 Vertical body piece of fused assembly 136 66 Join plane of 62/64 not visible in fused piece 138 68 Pale green crackle glaze on base body piece 62 140 70 Destructive testing conchoidal fracture in base 62, no 142 fracture along join plane 66 (shown in phantom) 72 Fusion bond plane micrograph at 100X 144 74 146 76 148