Curved slab surfaces, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518439-B2
Application number	US-201715714827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods of thermoforming stone slabs are provided, such as by heating a stone slab while forming it to a mold. Curved stone slabs may be produced having low radii of curvature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of thermoforming a slab, comprising:
applying conductive heat simultaneously to a first major surface and a second major surface of a slab comprising particulate material, the first major surface separated from the second major surface by a slab thickness; and
forming the slab to a mold while applying the conductive heat to the first and second major surfaces.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises a curved molding surface, and forming the slab to the mold comprises applying the conductive heat to the first and second major surfaces of the slab while at least one of the major surfaces is urged toward the curved molding surface of the mold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying conductive heat comprises heating a first conductive pad positioned on the first major surface of the slab.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein applying conductive heat comprises heating a second conductive pad positioned on the second major surface of the slab.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the slab comprises forming a curve having a radius of curvature of less than 100 inches.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the slab comprises forming a curve having a radius of curvature between 18 inches and 80 inches.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the slab comprises forming a curve having a radius of curvature between 23 inches and 70 inches.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the radius of curvature is a minimum radius of curvature.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the slab comprises a particulate material, one or more pigments, and one or more resin binders.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the particulate material comprises predominantly quartz.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the slab has a first major surface and a second major surface separated by a thickness, and the thickness is between 0.001 inches and 3 inches.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising manufacturing the slab by compacting, compressing, and at least partially curing the slab prior to applying conductive heat to the slab.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying conductive heat comprises applying heat above a slab moldable temperature, the slab at least partially malleable when heated to the slab moldable temperature.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slab comprises a binder material having a glass transition temperature (Tg).

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein applying conductive heat comprises applying heat at a temperature within 20° C. of the glass transition temperature (Tg) according to dynamic mechanical analysis.

16. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
clamping the slab in a first curved configuration for a first period of time while heat is simultaneously applied to the first and second major surfaces to form a first curve having a first radius of curvature; and
clamping the slab in a second curved configuration for a second period of time while heat is simultaneously applied to the first and second major surfaces to form a second curve having a second radius of curvature.

17. A method of thermoforming a slab, comprising:
applying conductive heat simultaneously to a first major surface and a second major surface of a slab comprising particulate material, the first major surface separated from the second major surface by a slab thickness; and
forming the slab to a mold while applying the conductive heat to the first and second major surfaces by heating a first conductive pad positioned on the first major surface of the slab and heating a second conductive pad positioned on the second major surface of the slab;
wherein the resulting slab includes a curve having a minimum radius of curvature between 18 inches and 100 inches.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the slab comprises a particulate material, one or more pigments, and one or more resin binders, and applying conductive heat comprises applying heat at a temperature within 20° C. of a glass transition temperature (Tg) according to dynamic mechanical analysis of the one or more resin binders.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the slab comprises a particulate material, one or more pigments, and one or more resin binders, and applying conductive heat comprises applying heat at a temperature at or within 20° C. above a Vicat softening point temperature of the one or more resin binders.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the slab comprises a particulate material, one or more pigments, and one or more resin binders, and applying conductive heat comprises applying heat at a temperature at or within 20° C. above a heat distortion temperature (HDT) of the one or more resin binders.

Assignees

• Cambria Co Llc

Inventors

• Tolzman Craig
• Scoggin Brian R
• Grzeskowiak Ii Jon Louis
• Davis Martin E

Classifications

• B28B1/004

  Devices for shaping artificial aggregates from ceramic mixtures or from mixtures containing hydraulic binder (from slag C04B5/00; composition of artificial aggregates C04B18/02) · CPC title

• B29C67/242 Primary

  Moulding mineral aggregates bonded with resin, e.g. resin concrete (shaping ceramic compositions without binder or water-setting cementitious material B28B; compositions per se C04B) · CPC title

• B28B11/005

  Using heat to allow reshaping, e.g. to soften ceramic articles · CPC title

• B28B1/005

  Devices or processes for obtaining articles having a marble appearance (producing decorative effects B44C; design of stone surfaces, e.g. marble, B44F9/04) · CPC title

• B28B19/0076 Primary

  the tiles, bricks or the like being sunk in heated mould material, e.g. thermoplastic material to temporarily fix them · CPC title