A METHOD FOR PRODUCING CERAMIC TILES, AND CERAMIC TILES

Abstract

Method for making a ceramic tile, comprising the steps of providing a raw tile having a body with an upper surface, said body being formed from a ceramic mixture; providing a surface coating on said upper surface of the body, said surface coating comprising refractory particles; firing said raw tile to produce a ceramic tile. The method also comprises a step of brushing the upper surface of the ceramic tile.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. Method for making a ceramic tile, comprising the steps of providing a raw tile having a body with an upper surface, said body being formed from a ceramic mixture; providing a surface coating on said upper surface of the body, said surface coating comprising refractory particles; and firing said raw tile to produce a ceramic tile, wherein it comprises a step of brushing the upper surface of the ceramic tile.

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein said brushing is carried out by means of brushes made of polymer material or metallic material.

18. Method according to claim 16, wherein said brushes may comprise abrasive material.

19. Method according to claim 16, wherein the brushing is carried out after the firing of the tile.

20. Method according to claim 16, wherein said particles comprise aluminum trihydrate particles.

21. Method according to claim 16, wherein said particles are added to the surface coating in a quantity of between 1% and 5% by weight of the surface coating.

22. Method according to claim 16, wherein the surface coating comprises a base layer and a decorative layer placed on said base layer.

23. Method according to claim 22, wherein said particles are added into said base layer.

24. Method according to claim 22, wherein the surface coating comprises a protective layer above said decorative layer.

25. Method according to claim 24, wherein said protective layer is free of said particles.

26. Ceramic tile having a body with an upper surface and a surface coating of said upper surface, in which said surface coating comprises refractory particles, wherein said surface coating comprises a base layer and a decorative layer placed on said base layer, and in which said particles are placed in said base layer.

27. Tile according to claim 26, wherein the surface coating comprises a protective layer above said decorative layer.

28. Tile according to claim 27, wherein said protective layer is free of said particles.

29. Tile according to claim 26, wherein said particles comprise aluminum trihydrate particles.

30. Tile according to claim 26, wherein said particles are present in said surface coating in a quantity of between 1% and 5% by weight of the surface coating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] With the intention of better showing the characteristics and advantages of the invention, in the following, as an example without any limitative character, several preferred forms of embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0030] FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of a tile produced by the method according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 is an enlargement of the cross section taken along the plane II-II of FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 3 is an enlargement of the area III of FIG. 2;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows schematically a production line and some procedures of a method according to a first possible implementation of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a ceramic tile 1 comprising a body 2 of ceramic material, porcelaneous stoneware for example, and an upper surface 3 having a design 4, representing wood or stone for example.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, the tile 1 comprises a relief structure 5 formed in said body 2 and apparent on the upper surface 3. The relief structure 5 may represent the grain of wood or natural stone, and may have structural characteristics, such as recesses or protrusions, corresponding to characteristics of the design 4.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows that the tile 1 further comprises a surface coating 6 capable of covering an upper surface of the body 2. The surface coating 6 comprises a base layer 7, a glaze for example, placed on the upper surface of the body 2.

[0037] The surface coating 6 further comprises a decorative layer 8 in which the design 4 placed above the base layer 7 is at least partially formed. The design 4 is preferably formed by digital printing. The surface coating 6 further comprises a protective layer 9, preferably transparent or translucent, placed above the decorative layer 8. The protective layer preferably comprises a transparent glaze.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, the protective coating 6 comprises particles 10 placed mainly in the base layer. The particles 10 preferably form between 1% and 5% by weight of the base layer 7. In the preferred embodiment, at least 70% by weight of the particles, or preferably all of the particles, are aluminum trihydrate particles.

[0039] In the illustrated example, all the particles have a maximum size of less than 40 ?m, or preferably less than 35 ?m. Additionally, 90% of the particles have a maximum size of less than 25 ?m, or preferably less than 20 ?m. 50% of the particles have a maximum size of less than 15 ?m, or preferably less than 10 ?m.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, the particles 10 cause the formation of a surface roughness 11 on the upper surface 3 of the tile, enabling the slip resistance to be improved, particularly for bare feet. As shown in FIG. 3, the layers placed above the base layer 7 which contains particles 10 enable the roughness generated by the particles 10 to be partially flattened, so as to improve the response to touch. Additionally, a pronounced but gentler roughness 11 promotes the adaptation of bare feet to the upper surface 3 of the tile 1, so as to improve slip resistance for bare feet. This effect of softening the roughness 11 is also obtained as a result of brushing the surface.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows some steps of a method for producing the tile 1 of FIG. 1, according to a first possibility of the first independent aspect of the invention.

[0042] The method comprises a step S1 of forming a raw tile 12, which in this step is substantially defined by the body 2, by compacting powders of a ceramic mixture. In practice, in a compaction station 13 the powders are compacted, by means of a discontinuous press in the example, so as to impart a substantially panel-like shape to the body 2.

[0043] The body 2 advances along the line in a direction of advance D towards a drier 14 for removing moisture from the mixture of the body 2 in a drying step S2.

[0044] The body 2 advances in the direction D towards a coating station 15 in which, by means of a first coating procedure S3, the raw tile 12 is provided with the base layer 6, by means of airless spraying or airbrushing, or by pouring, for example. During the first coating procedure S3, the particles 10 are placed on the surface of the raw tile 12 together with the base layer 7.

[0045] The coated raw tile 12 advances towards a decorating station 16 having an inkjet printer 17, in which the raw tile 12 is provided with the design 4 by a printing step S4. The raw tile 12, now decorated, advances towards a second coating station 18 in which, by means of a second coating procedure S5, the raw tile 12 is provided with the protective coating 9, by means of airless spraying or airbrushing for example.

[0046] The raw tile 12 is then subjected to a firing step S6 in a kiln 19, for example a continuous roller kiln, at a maximum temperature of approximately 1200? C., so as to produce the tile 1.

[0047] After the firing step S6, the tile 1 is subjected to a step S7 of brushing the upper surface 3 of the tile 1, in a brushing machine 20, so as to flatten sharp areas of the roughness 11, making the surface softer to the touch and improving the performance in terms of slip resistance for bare feet.

[0048] The brushing S7 is preferably carried out by means of brushes made of polymer material filled with abrasive fillers, for example Tynex? (extruded PA with inorganic grit).

[0049] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the inventive concept.

[0050] Furthermore, all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any, according to requirements, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the following claims.