Stone slabs, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12064900-B2
Application number	US-202217977634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2022
Priority date	Dec 24, 2019
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stone slab, comprising:
a first layer defined by a first particulate mineral mix;
a second layer defined by a pigmented material; and
a third layer defined by a second particulate mineral mix;
wherein the second layer is between the first layer and the third layer, and the third layer is translucent such that the second layer is visible through the third layer.

2. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material provides a visible image.

3. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material does not include a particulate mineral mix.

4. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the second layer is less than 10% of a thickness of the third layer.

5. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is a bottom layer, the second layer is a middle layer, and the third layer is a top layer.

6. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material is arranged in a vein pattern.

7. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material includes a predetermined pattern.

8. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material forms a portion of an exposed surface of the stone slab.

9. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material comprises predominantly quartz.

10. The stone slab of claim 5 , wherein the top layer includes a top-most layer that defines an exposed top surface, and the bottom layer includes a bottom-most layer that defines an exposed bottom surface.

11. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the first layer at least partially defines a vein pattern.

12. The stone slab of claim 1 , wherein the pigmented material is located entirely above the first layer.

13. A stone slab, comprising:
a first layer, comprising:
a first particulate mineral mix and a second particulate mineral mix different from the first particulate mineral mix, and
a vein pattern defined at least partially by the first particulate mineral mix;

a second layer, comprising:
a first pigmented material, the first pigmented material located entirely above the first layer and arranged in a predetermined pattern; and

a third layer defined at least partially by a third particulate mineral mix, wherein the second layer is between the first layer and the third layer, and the third layer is translucent such that the second layer is visible through the third layer.

14. The stone slab of claim 13 , wherein the second layer at least partially defines a top-most layer of the stone slab.

15. The stone slab of claim 13 , wherein the second layer at least partially penetrates through the third layer.

16. The stone slab of claim 13 , wherein the second layer extends across an entire length and an entire width of the stone slab.

17. The stone slab of claim 13 , wherein the second layer comprises a second pigmented material, the first pigmented material and second pigmented material cover all of the first layer.

18. The stone slab of claim 13 , wherein the vein pattern defined by the first layer is at least partially visible through the second layer.

Assignees

• Cambria Co Llc

Inventors

• Grzeskowiak Ii Jon Louis
• Davis Martin E

Classifications

• B28B11/001

  Applying decorations on shaped articles, e.g. by painting · CPC title

• B32B2307/414

  Translucent · CPC title

• B28B11/10

  by using presses · CPC title

• B32B2307/4026

  within the layer by addition of a colorant, e.g. pigments, dyes · CPC title

• B32B9/002

  comprising natural stone or artificial stone · CPC title