Ceramic tile and method for manufacturing ceramic tiles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874030-B2
Application number	US-201415102447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer comprising a printed pattern, wherein the surface of the ceramic tile comprises a relief having structural features corresponding to said printed pattern. The invention further concerns a method which allows for the manufacturing of such ceramic tiles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer comprising a printed pattern, wherein the surface of the ceramic tile comprises a relief having structural features corresponding to said printed pattern,
wherein said printed pattern is a digitally printed pattern.

2. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said printed pattern extends substantially over the entire surface of the ceramic tile.

3. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said printed pattern represents a wood or stone pattern, preferably representing only one one-piece wooden plank or stone tile over the entire surface of the ceramic tile.

4. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said printed pattern is a wood pattern and said structural features are lines following the course of the grain lines of the wood pattern or a plurality of successive dashes having a configuration following the grain lines of the wood pattern.

5. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above said ceramic base layer.

6. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said cover glaze layer at least comprises a glaze layer of uniform color arranged underneath said printed pattern.

7. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said cover glaze layer at least comprises a transparent glaze layer arranged over said printed pattern.

8. The ceramic tile according to claim 7 , wherein at least some of said structural features are formed in said transparent glaze layer.

9. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said printed pattern is formed at least from the base colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

10. The ceramic tile according to claim 1 , wherein said relief is basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile.

11. A method for manufacturing a ceramic tile, wherein said ceramic tile has a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer with a printed pattern, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:
the step of forming the ceramic base layer;
the step of providing a glaze layer on said ceramic base layer;
the step of digitally printing a pattern on said glaze layer using a digital printing technique;
the step of firing the ceramic base layer with the glaze layer having the printed pattern;
wherein the method further comprises the step of forming a relief having structural features corresponding to said printed pattern.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said relief is basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said relief is formed on the surface of said cover glaze layer before said step of firing and/or at the same time as said step of firing.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said relief is formed on the surface of said ceramic base layer before said step of providing a glaze layer.

15. A method for manufacturing a ceramic tile comprising the following steps:
forming a ceramic base layer;
providing a glaze layer on said ceramic base layer;
digitally printing a pattern on said glaze layer using an inkjet digital printing technique;
forming a relief having structural features corresponding to said printed pattern; and
firing the ceramic base layer with the glaze layer having the printed pattern.

Assignees

• Flooring Ind Ltd Sarl

Inventors

• Thiers Bernard
• Walmsley-Scott Christine
• Van Der Stockt Bart

Classifications

• C04B41/89

  for obtaining at least two superposed coatings having different compositions · CPC title

• C04B41/5022

  with vitreous materials (composition of vitreous glazes and enamels C03C; ceramic pigments C09C1/0009) · CPC title

• B44F9/02

  wood grain effects · CPC title

• E04F15/08 Primary

  only of stone or stone-like material, e.g. {ceramics}, concrete; of glass {or with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass (E04F15/02005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E04F15/02161

  Floor elements with grooved main surface · CPC title