IMPROVED GRANITE PARQUETRY TILE ASSEMBLY METHOD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001 ] The present invention relates to an improved granite tile assembly method. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved method for assembling granite pieces into a decorative parquetry tile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] The prior art reveals a number of methods for assembling individual stone materials into a singular finished tile comprising a pattern, for example a mosaic or a decorative pattern.

[003] As part of the assembly methods of such tiles, stone material is prearranged and secured in place during a bonding process wherein resin or adhesive is used to permanently join the stone material pieces together to form a singular tile. Such steps generally require a frame or jig structure which maintains a spacing between the individual stone pieces to allow a resin to be injected and cured therebetween. However, the use of the frame or jig structure becomes more complex to construct as the complexity of the pattern increases. In other methods, the placement of stone pieces is achieved by bonding these pieces in a predetermined position to a backer plate prior to bonding the stone pieces together with a resin. The use of such a backer plate is to ensure that the stone pieces do not shift during curing or resin applied between them and distort the final tile design. However, backings used to provide structural support and fixation add additional material, cost and weight to a tile and require additional steps in the manufacturing process.

[004] For example, US Patent Publication 2006/0175000 (OSTERWALDER) discloses the use of an adhesive sheet, which is preferably water-soluble paper, onto which are positioned tiles, whereby this adhesive sheet is removed by means of water. As such, the need to use water adds an additional step, which increases costs. Also, it is not possible to use resin in such tiles as the mix of water and resin is not compatible.

[005] Other prior art documents require the use of vacuum to restrain tiles placed on a jig, which increases costs.

[006] WO2012139221 (Applicant Tuiles de Granite Ancor inc.; Inventor: Maurizio Favretto) discloses a method addressing the above-identified problems of the prior art. The method includes the steps of: assembling a plurality of stone strips in a tray comprising a non-stick coating; securing the plurality of stone strips in a predetermined pattern; applying a resin between the assembled plurality of stone strips and curing the resin to bond the stone strips into a tile; removing said tile from said tray; and polishing the tile.

[007] However, the method disclosed in WO2012139221 has the drawback that when the resin is applied between the stone strips, the resin drips down in the grooves between the strip stones towards the bottom of the tray. With such prior method, it can be difficult to fill the grooves with resin between the tiles so the resin is somewhat level with the surface of the tile for the later step of polishing. As a result, the joint between the strips tends to be concave.

[008] What is therefore needed is a tile assembly method that solves the problem of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[009] In accordance with a present embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of assembling a tile, comprising: applying a nonstick coating in a tray comprising a non-stick surface material; applying a resin in said tray to cover said tray with said resin; assembling a plurality of stone pieces in said tray in a predetermined pattern, wherein during said assembling said resin is pushed between said stone pieces; curing said resin to bond said stone pieces into a tile; removing said tile from said tray; and polishing said tile. [010] An advantage of the present invention is that one may use less resin as compared to the prior art method disclosed in WO2012139221 (Favretto). Indeed, in the prior art method disclosed in WO2012139221 (Favretto) the resin drips down between the joints when it is applied and this is why relatively more resin may be used. Another advantage of the present invention compared to the prior art method disclosed in WO2012139221 (Favretto) is that the joints can be made flat and not concave. Indeed, the joints that result from the method of the present invention may be relatively flatter compared to the joints resulting from prior method disclosed in WO2012139221 (Favretto) because the surface of the tray is generally flat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[01 1 ] In the appended drawings:

[012] Figure 1 is a top view of a parquetry tile, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

[013] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method of assembling the parquetry tile of Figure 1 , in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

[014] Figure 3A is a perspective view of an empty tray used for assembling the parquetry tile of Figure 1 ;

[015] Figure 3B is a top view of the tray shown in Figure 3A with a plurality of tiles assembled within;

[016] Figures 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of stone pieces being applied into a tray covered with resin to form the parquetry tile of Figure 1 . DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[017] The present invention is illustrated in further detail by the following non- limiting examples.

[018] Referring now to Figure 1 , and in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a stone tile 10 comprising a plurality of individually pre-cut stone pieces or strips of different shapes as in 12. The tile 10 illustratively comprises a parquetry design formed by the bonding of the variety of pre-cut stones 12 together using a resin 14, such as epoxy holding together the pre-cut stones pieces 12. The pre-cut stones as in 12 illustratively comprise a variety of shapes such as triangles, squares, rectangles, trapezoids, or other shapes that are used in formation of a parquetry design. Illustratively, the pre-cut stones as in 12 may be any variety of stone such as granite, marble, limestone, other building stones or combination, having any type of texture and colour and which is generally known to have a hardness and toughness for the use in tiling applications. Depending on the application, for instance the use of the tile 10 in flooring or for decorative murals, the tile 10 is sized accordingly. Illustratively, the tile 10 may comprise a square dimension having a length and a width of approximately 24 inches and a thickness of about 0.5 inches. Of note, other sizes, shapes, thicknesses, widths, may be provided for in addition to the use of other materials such as woods, plastics, and metals, in the formation of the tile 10. Additionally, other patterns and geometric configurations of the pre-cut stones as in 12 may be provided for forming the decorative tile 10.

[019] Now referring to Figure 2, in addition to Figure 1 , in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a Method of Assembly 16 of the tile 10, generally comprising a series of steps as will now described. As part of the Method of Assembly 16, a Pre-cutting 18 of an unprocessed rough stone block (not shown) illustratively comprises cutting the stone block to various sizes and shapes as depending on the design of the final assembled tile 10. Illustratively, an unprocessed stone is cut into strips of between 3/8 and 1 .25 inches widths by a block saw (not shown) as is generally known in the art. The strip is then fed into a trimming saw which cuts the slab into smaller geometric pieces, such as a rectangular piece as in 12-i , or a triangular piece as in 12 ₂ , or any other pre-cut stones as in 12 that have be sized and shaped so as to form a parquetry patterned tile 10.

[020] Now referring to Figures 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B, in addition Figure 1 and Figure 2, there is shown a tray 30 where the stone pieces will be eventually assembled. The tray 30 is illustratively a rectangular or square shape comprising a depth and lengths that is capable of receiving the pre-cut stone pieces as in 12 therein in addition to accommodating the resin 34 at a prior step 22 where the resin 34 is applied to the tray 30 up to a predetermined thickness level.lt is possible to form a singular tile 10 as shown in Figure 1 or a plurality of tiles as shown in Figure 3B.or. Prior to step 22, there is a step 20 of applying a mold release agent or anti-stick spray or a non-stick coating 32 on the tray 30. There are a few mold release agents that may be used. These fall into the following categories: semi-permanent polymer release agent such as Teflon™, semi-permanent hybrid wax release agent, or silicone release agent.

[021 ] The tray 30 is illustratively comprised of a high density plastic polymer surface material such as polyethylene or the like that generally will not adhere to the resin 34, such as epoxy resin, and is resistant to the application of heat during a curing of the resin 34along with the degradation due to the any contact with chemical adhesives and resins. Alternatively, a metallic tray coated with such a plastic material may also be provided for. Of note, while the tray 30 is illustratively shown to accommodate the pre-cut stone pieces as in 12 for forming a single square tile 10, the tray 30 may also illustratively comprise a shape that accommodates more than one such square tile 10, for instance a rectangular shape that can accommodate the stone pieces as in 12 for two or more tiles 10. In the illustrated example, the tray 30 accommodates three tiles 10 by three tiles. Other configurations could be simple a row of three to six tiles long by one tile high. Still additionally, the tray 30 may be triangular, or circular, or the like for accommodating a tile 10 of different geometries.

[022] Now referring back to Figures 4A and 4B, in addition to Figures 1 , 2 and 3, prior to assembling the stone pieces as in 12 within the tray 30, the tray 30 is Coated 20 with an anti-stick coating 32 such as Teflon™ or a known non-stick plastic or silicon that generally resists a permanent bonding of a resin or epoxy or grout thereto during a later step of the Method of Assembly 16. Then, once the resin 34 is applied in the tray 30 as in step 22, the next step 24 is to assemble the individual stone shapes within the tray to a form a parquetry design while the resin is pushed upwards between the stone shapes 12.

[023] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, each stone piece 12 may have a top decorative face 38 and a bottom face 36. The decorative face 38 is positioned downwards during said assembling 22 such that the top decorative face 38 of each said stone piece 12 is applied against said resin 34. Each stone piece 12 may have a bevel 40 on said top decorative face 38 for facilitating penetration of the resin 34 between two adjacent stone pieces that is shown being pushed upwards in Figure 4B.

[024] Still referring to Figures 1 , 2, 3, 4A, and 4B the pre-cut stone pieces as in 12 could be Arranged 24 into a decorative arrangement within the tray 30, for instance by a robotic arm or the like.

[025] Illustratively, the resin 34 has an adhesive shear strength of about 4,000 psi and can be mixed, applied and cured in an oven so that it hardens within 2 hours. Once cured, the pre-cut stone pieces as in 12 form a solid singular tile 10 as in Figure 1 A or several individual tiles as in Figure 3B.

[026] Now referring back to Figure 2, in addition to Figure 1 , once the resin 34 has cured in step 26, the tiles 10 are Removed 28 from the tray 30. The bonds formed by the anti-stick coating 32 between the tray 30 and the pre-cut stone pieces 12 are easily broken and any excess resin 34 contacting thereto does not stick to the tray 30. Once removed, the tile 10 is advantageously polished as one unitary tile 10 thereby evening any differences between adjacent pre-cut stone pieces as in 12 and removing any resin according to methods as are generally known in the art, by pneumatic polisher for instance. It also provides for an exact thickness of a tile. Illustratively, the tile 10 may be polished in a polishing line. The tiles 10 are cut into individual tiles 10 and finished. As a result of the method, a finished unitary parquetry 10 tile is formed.

[027] The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole