SHAPED TILE AND ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME

Abstract

A shaped tile and its manufacturing method are described. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile comprises a thermoforming process, which comprises using a thermoforming mold to perform heat-compression on an intermediate tile so as to melt and deform the intermediate tile while heat-compression is applied, and to form a molding edge on at least one periphery of the intermediate tile such that the intermediate tile is turned into a shaped tile. By employing the proposed present invention, it is advantages of maintaining a final configuration of the shaped tile without getting any distortion.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile, comprising: a thermoforming process, which comprises using a thermoforming mold to perform heat-compression on an intermediate tile, wherein the thermoforming mold comprises at least one forming area so as to melt and deform the intermediate tile while heat-compression is applied, and to form a molding edge on at least one periphery of the intermediate tile which is corresponding to the at least one forming area such that the intermediate tile is turned into a shaped tile.

2. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, before the thermoforming process, further comprising: a material providing process, comprising providing a rooting material, wherein a printing layer and a grinding layer are further disposed upon the rooting material in sequence; a hydraulic process, for oil-pressing the rooting material, the printing layer and the grinding layer so as to form a hybrid planking tile; and a stamping process, for stamping and punching the hybrid planking tile so as to form the intermediate tile.

3. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, wherein the thermoforming process is applied for only melting and deforming the intermediate tile.

4. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 2, further comprising a waiting process after the hydraulic process, the waiting process comprising stilling the hybrid planking tile at a constant temperature for a first certain time period.

5. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 4, wherein the first certain time period in the waiting process is at least 24 hours.

6. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 4, wherein the first certain time period in the waiting process is 24-48 hours.

7. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, wherein a temperature when performing the heat compression in the thermoforming process is 30-80 C.

8. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 7, wherein the temperature when performing the heat compression in the thermoforming process is 40-60 C.

9. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling process after the thermoforming process, the cooling process comprising cooling the shaped tile at a room temperature for a second certain time period.

10. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 9, wherein the second certain time period in the cooling process is at least 20 minutes.

11. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 9, wherein the second certain time period in the cooling process is 20-50 minutes.

12. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, wherein a pressure utilized when applying the thermoforming process is controlled to be at least 40 kg/m.sup.2.

13. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, wherein a pressure utilized when applying the thermoforming process is controlled to be 40-130 kg/m.sup.2.

14. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, wherein the thermoforming mold further comprises a plurality of surface so as to perform the heat-compression on a plurality of the intermediate tile at one time.

15. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to claim 1, wherein a cross sectional contour of the molding edge of the shaped tile comprises a bevel edge, a round edge or any other irregular edge, or the molding edge of the shaped tile comprises irregular and/or certain patterns which are successively disposed along the at least one periphery of the shaped tile.

16. A shaped tile made by employing the manufacturing method for fabricating the shaped tile according to claim 1, comprising a tile body including an upper plane and a plurality of upper corner being configured on the upper plane, wherein the molding edge is formed on at least one of the plurality of the upper corner.

17. The shaped tile made by employing the manufacturing method for fabricating the shaped tile according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of the molding edge is formed on all the upper corners.

18. The shaped tile made by employing the manufacturing method for fabricating the shaped tile according to claim 16, wherein a cross sectional contour of the molding edge of the shaped tile comprises a bevel edge, a round edge or any other irregular edge, or the molding edge of the shaped tile comprises irregular and/or certain patterns which are successively disposed along the at least one periphery of the shaped tile.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a shaped tile in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of a shaped tile in together with a thermoforming mold in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows an upward view of a thermoforming mold in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows an actual view of a shaped tile in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows an actual view of a conventional tile with shaped rims in the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

[0035] The embodiments described below are illustrated to demonstrate the technical contents and characteristics of the present invention and to enable the persons skilled in the art to understand, make, and use the present invention. However, it shall be noticed that, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent modification or variation according to the spirit of the present invention is to be also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0036] Please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. The manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile of the present invention comprises steps of a material providing process S10, a hydraulic process S20, a waiting process S30, a stamping process S40, a thermoforming process S50 and a cooling process S60.

[0037] The material providing process S10 comprises providing a rooting material, wherein a printing layer and a grinding layer are further disposed upon the rooting material in sequence. The rooting material may comprise PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC), and by stirring the at least one raw material, the rooting material is formed.

[0038] The hydraulic process S20 comprises using a hydraulic machinery for oil-pressing the rooting material, the printing layer and the grinding layer so as to form a hybrid planking tile.

[0039] The waiting process S30 comprises stilling the hybrid planking tile at a constant temperature for a first certain time period. For example, the first certain time period in the waiting process S30 may be at least 24 hours. Preferably, the first certain time period in the waiting process S30 can be 24-48 hours.

[0040] The stamping process S40 comprises using a stamping press to stamp and punch the hybrid planking tile so as to form an intermediate tile.

[0041] The thermoforming process S50 comprises using a thermoforming mold 2 to perform heat-compression on the intermediate tile, wherein a surface 200 of the thermoforming mold 2 comprises at least one forming area 20 so as to melt and deform the intermediate tile while heat-compression is applied, and to form a molding edge on at least one periphery of the intermediate tile such that the intermediate tile is turned into a shaped tile 1. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a molding edge comprises for instance, a bevel edge, a round edge or any other irregular edge as long as its cross sectional contour is not right angle. Alternatively, the molding edge can further comprise irregular and/or certain patterns which are successively disposed along the at least one periphery of the shaped tile. Please refer to FIG. 2. For example, the cross sectional contour of the molding edge in the shaped tile 1 is a round edge. And the abovementioned certain patterns comprise patterns composed of cartoons, artistries, geometries, nature-mimic drafts and so on.

[0042] Furthermore, the thermoforming process S50 is applied for only melting and deforming the intermediate tile, but not destroying it. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature when performing the heat compression on the intermediate tile is set to be in a range of 30-80 C. Compared to the prior art in which temperatures high than 100 C. are commonly used, the temperature of the present invention is much lowered, thereby making very little (almost no) destruction to the intermediate tile. In addition, a pressure utilized when applying the thermoforming process S50 is controlled to be at least 40 kg/m.sup.2. Preferably, the pressure utilized when applying the thermoforming process S50 can be set in a range of 40-130 kg/m.sup.2. In such a preferable embodiment, the temperature when performing the heat compression on the intermediate tile is 40-60 C.

[0043] Please refer to FIG. 5, which shows an actual view of the shaped tile 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, it is apparent that the cross sectional contour of the molding edge in the shaped tile 1 is a round edge. With respect to the prior art, the round edge of the present invention is much more art-curved and delicate in outline.

[0044] Moreover, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the molding edge in the shaped tile 1 can be determined by a variety of forming areas which are configured on the surface 200 of the thermoforming mold 2. For example, the molding edge in one embodiment may comprise a bevel edge, a round edge or any other irregular edge as long as its cross sectional contour is not right angle. Alternatively, the molding edge in other embodiments may further comprise irregular and/or certain patterns which are successively disposed along the at least one periphery of the shaped tile and composed of cartoons, artistries, geometries, nature-mimic drafts and so on.

[0045] Please refer to FIG. 3, which shows an upward view of the thermoforming mold 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, it is obvious that the thermoforming mold 2 may further comprise a plurality of surface 2 so as to perform heat-compression on multiple intermediate tiles at one time.

[0046] The cooling process S60 of the present invention comprises cooling the shaped tile 1 at a room temperature for a second certain time period. For example, the second certain time period in the cooling process S60 may be at least 20 minutes. Preferably, the second certain time period in the cooling process S60 can be 20-50 minutes.

[0047] Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows a cross sectional view of the shaped tile 1 made by employing the abovementioned manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile according to one embodiment of the present invention. The proposed shaped tile 1 comprises a tile body 100, including an upper plane 101 and a plurality of upper corner 10 being configured on the upper plane 101. The proposed molding edge is formed on at least one upper corner 10. In a preferable embodiment, the proposed molding edges are formed on all the upper corners 10 of the tile body 100. For example, a shape of the tile body 100 can be triangle, rectangle or polygon. Similarly, the proposed molding edge of the shaped tile 1 according to one embodiment may comprise a bevel edge, a round edge or any other irregular edge as long as its cross sectional contour is not right angle. Alternatively, the molding edge in other embodiments may further comprise irregular and/or certain patterns which are successively disposed along the at least one periphery of the shaped tile and composed of cartoons, artistries, geometries, nature-mimic drafts and so on.

[0048] As a result, to sum up, the present invention certainly provides a novel and inventive manufacturing method for fabricating a shaped tile which has never been seen or proposed ever before. The proposed invention employs a thermoforming mold 2 to form at least one molding edge on at least one periphery of the intermediate tile such that the intermediate tile is turned into a shaped tile 1. Since the thermoforming mold 2 is specifically employed to perform the thermoforming process S50 in which its pressure and temperature when the heat compression is applied can be controlled respectively, the molding edge on the intermediate tile can be effectively and successfully designed without destroying the inner material of the intermediate tile. Moreover, the thermoforming process S50 can be utilized for preventing the formed molding edge from accidentally reversing back to its original state. By such processes, a consistency of all the shaped tiles 1 can be accomplished, thereby making an extremely high quality of the shaped tiles 1 of the present invention.

[0049] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the invention and its equivalent.