The invention relates to decorating means, suitable for decorating a wide range of objects, such as, for example, glass, wood, ceramic tiles, tissues, films of plastic material, paper and cardboard, as well as a method for producing such decorating means and a kit of decorating means suitable for being mounted on already existing decorating machines.

The Italian Patent Application M099A000196. discloses an apparatus for decorating objects, for example ceramic tiles, comprising a decorating tape wound round a plurality of rollers and provided on its surface with multiple recesses arranged so as to form a pattern.

At a region of the path of the tape, the recesses are filled with a decorating product, for example ceramic glaze; then the tape is led to interact with a surface to be decorated of the tiles moving along a conveying line. The decorating product is so transferred from the recesses obtained on the tape onto the surface to be decorated of the tiles, whereon said decorating product originates the desired pattern.

The decorating tape of the apparatuses according to M099A000196 is made of silicone and has a quite reduced thickness, typically equal to or smaller than 3 millimetres.

The internal surface of such tape is directly in contact with the rollers defining the path of the tape itself, whereas the recesses suitable for receiving the glaze are obtained onto its external surface.

A drawback of the apparatus disclosed in M099A000196 is that it requires a particularly high precision while working the mechanical elements, from which it is composed, particularly the pressing roller round which the tape winds near the conveying line of the tiles and the respective supports.

In case that, for example, due to working errors, the above- mentioned pressing roller rotates eccentrically with respect to the theoretical rotation axis, then the tiles are decorated with low quality patterns. On the one hand the position of the pressing roller can actually be adjusted so that the decorating tape transfers the glaze onto the tiles in ideal conditions when the roller lies in the configuration which is the closest to the surface to be decorated of the tiles. By so doing, however, when the pressing roller, due to its eccentricity, comes to lie in a configuration more distant from the surface to be decorated of the tiles, said pressing roller risks not coming into contact with said surface, or exerting on said surface a too low pressure, that implies transferring an amount of glaze too small or even null. Thus, also very noticeable faults are created in the decoration.

In addition, considering the small thickness of the known decorating tape, if the roller, round which the tape wraps itself near the tile to be decorated, shows an excessive surface roughness, then the tape can superficially arrange itself according to an irregular configuration, capable of compromising the quality of the decoration.

A further drawback of the apparatuses known from M099A000196 is that said apparatuses do not enable to adjust sharply and with precision the printing pressure, only offering the possibility of moving, near or away from the tiles, the pressing roller round which the tape wraps itself near the conveying line of the tiles themselves. This adjusting possibility does not enable the printing pressure to be varied with sufficient accuracy according to the type of glaze to be transferred and the surface properties of the tile to be decorated.

In addition, decorating machines of flat serigraphic type are known, provided with a flat silk-screen arranged above a conveying line of ceramic tiles, placed in a plane parallel to

the plane defined by such tiles. The flat silk-screen is provided with a set of holes, arranged so as to form a pattern that is desired to be reproduced on the ceramic tiles. A decorating product, for example a ceramic glaze, is supplied above the silk-screen; a translating ink knife provides to spread the glaze over the entire silk-screen, as well as to enable the glaze to pass, through the suitable holes, onto the underlying tile, so as to form the pattern that has to be reproduced.

The flat silk-screen machines have been historically the first decorating machines employed on large scale in the ceramic sector; subsequently, they have been surpassed by decorating machines of more modern conception, such as, for example, the rotary serigraphic machines, the flexographic machines and the machines for intaglio printing, that enable to obtain improved printing resolutions and higher production rates.

However, most ceramic plants possess still today a high number of flat serigraphic machines, which can not be converted into other printing techniques unless the machine itself is reconstructed almost entirely. This way, for obvious economical reasons, is almost never considered practicable by the tile producers.

An aim of the invention is to improve the apparatuses of known type for decorating objects.

A further aim of the invention is to provide decorating means, particularly of tape type, for which the printing pressure can be adjusted in accurate and sharp manner.

A still further aim of the invention is to provide decorating means, particularly of the tape type, that does not suffer, in too penalizing manner, from possible working errors of mechanical parts composing a decorating apparatus.

A further aim of the invention is to make the flat serigraphic machines easy to be transformed into decorating machines working according to other printing techniques.

In a first aspect of the invention, decorating means is provided for decorating objects with a decorating product, comprising decorating tape means provided with a first layer suitable for coming into contact with said objects, characterized in that, said decorating tape means further comprises a second compressible layer.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, the known decorating means can be improved, in particular in view that also decorating means showing manufacturing defects can be used, so as to obtain a good decorating quality.

The second compressible layer, capable of locally yielding, actually enables to compensate possible manufacturing defects, such as an excessive surface roughness or eccentricity errors.

In a preferred embodiment, said second compressible layer comprises elastically yielding material, for example elastomeric material.

Advantageously, said second compressible layer comprises material under spongy form.

By properly selecting the type and the thickness of the compressible material, the decorating tape means can be "designed", so to speak, so that the printing pressure is gradually adapted according to the specific properties of the object that is desired to be decorated. In the case that, for example, that object is a ceramic tile, a second compressible layer can be selected that is different according to the type of glaze that is desired to be applied and according to the surface properties of the tile onto which the pattern must be transferred.

In the case that the second compressible layer is of spongy form, different starting materials, different strengths, different types of sponge can be selected, for example with open or closed cells, or different size of the cells can be selected, so as to obtain a"tailored"printing pressure with

respect to the application in which the decorating means according to this aspect of the invention has to be used.

A further possibility of creating"tailored"decorating tape means, from the point of view of the printing pressure, is given by the selection of the material with which the first layer is manufactured, which material, within certain limits, can be chosen as a function of the application type.

In a preferred embodiment, the decorating tape means further comprises a third layer made of material having a relatively high friction factor.

In the case the decorating tape means is wrapped round roller means according to a defined path, then the third layer can be placed in contact with the roller means. Thus, when at least one roller of said roller means is driven into rotation, so as to drive the decorating tape means, the third layer, owing to the material with high friction factor of which it is made, enables to reduce the sliding risks between the decorating tape means and the roller means, so that a good quality and reproducibility of the decoration during the time is therefore assured.

In a further preferred embodiment, the decorating tape means comprises driving belt means.

Advantageously, the driving belt means comprises V-shaped belt means, or toothed belt means.

Owing to the driving belt means, any sliding, also minimal, can be prevented, between the decorating tape means and the roller means round which such decorating tape means can be wrapped. That reveals itself of great importance in order to hold in a proper mutual position portions of a pattern made by applying, on a same object, decorating products of different colours, transferred from decorating tape means arranged in sequence. In that case, in effect, in order to prevent loss of precision that would result into undesired overlapping of the different portions of the pattern, it is essential that all

the portions are properly positioned exactly in the theoretical position provided for them.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the decorating tape means is provided on its surface with transferring means suitable for transferring on said objects said decorating product.

Advantageously, the transferring means can comprise recess means arranged for transferring said decorating product on said objects according to an intaglio printing technique.

Still advantageously, the transferring means can comprise raised means arranged for transferring the decorating product on said objects according to a letterpress printing technique.

Therefore, the decorating tape means can advantageously be equipped with transferring means of different type, according to the desired quality of decoration to be obtained, the type of pattern to be transferred, and the properties of the object to be decorated, as well as the decorating product.

In a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided for producing decorating tape means, suitable for decorating objects, comprising providing a first layer of said decorating tape means, characterized in that, said method further comprises making firmly connected with said first layer a second layer made of compressible material.

Owing to this second aspect of the invention, decorating tape means can be obtained that can be mounted also on a decorating machine showing a not particularly high working precision. The compressible material with which the second layer is made actually enables, by compressing itself, the first layer to be separated from components, of the decorating machine, having a low finishing degree and the loss of respect for the working tolerances to be compensated.

In addition, the decorating means obtained owing to this second aspect of the invention is capable of applying on objects to be decorated printing pressures that can be

precisely selected and gradually applied, as the physical, chemical and dimensional properties of the compressible material are properly chosen.

Advantageously, said providing comprises positioning said first layer on rigid support means, suitable for holding said first layer in an undeformed configuration during said making firmly connected.

Still advantageously, said positioning comprises reversing said first layer, so that a surface of said first layer, suitable for interacting operatively with said objects, comes into contact with said support means.

The rigid support means, by holding the first layer in an undeformed configuration, enables the second layer to be applied in accurate manner and without forming of crinkles, that could reduce the quality of the decoration.

In an advantageous embodiment, the method further comprises fixing to said second layer a third layer, made of material having a relatively high friction factor.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the method still comprises providing said decorating tape means with driving belt means.

Owing to the third layer and the driving belt means, decorating tape means can be obtained capable of preventing slipping with respect to possible roller means, by means of which the decorating tape means is driven.

In a third aspect of the invention, a kit of decorating means is provided, comprising decorating tape means arranged for decorating objects, roller means round which said decorating tape means can be wrapped, and support means arranged for supporting said roller means.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, a kit of decorating means can be obtained that can be easily assembled, in the case stored, and then transported in a production plant for being mounted on already existing decorating machines.

Advantageously, said support means comprises clamping means suitable for being clamped on column means of traditional flat serigraphic machines.

That enables advantageously to convert, in rapid and economical manner, traditional flat serigraphic machines into machines operating according to more innovative printing techniques. It is actually sufficient to remove the flat silk- screen and the ink-knife from the traditional flat serigraphic machines, and to use the column means normally supporting the ink-knife in order to support the kit of decorating means according to the third aspect of the invention, properly pre- assembled.

The invention can be better understood and carried out with reference to the enclosed drawings, that illustrate some exemplifying and not restrictive embodiment forms thereof, wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of decorating means according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic top view of the decorating means of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross section of a decorating tape forming portion of the decorating means of the Figures 1 and 2, according to a first embodiment mode; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic cross section like Figure 3, wherein the decorating tape is produced according to a second embodiment mode; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic section of the decorating tape of Figure 4, during the manufacturing process; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic front view of decorating means according to a first aspect of the invention, in an alternative version; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic top view of the decorating means of Figure 6.

With reference to the Figures 1 and 2, decorating means 1 is shown suitable for decorating objects, particularly ceramic tiles 2, transiting according to an advancing direction indicated by the arrow F along a conveying line, not shown, arranged below the decorating means 1.

The decorating means 1 comprises a decorating tape 3, describing a prefixed path wrapping itself round roller means comprising a drive roller 4, a pressing roller 5 and a tensioning roller 6.

The drive roller 4 is mounted on a drive shaft 7, at an end of which a pulley 8 is fit-coupled, which pulley 8 is placed in rotation by driving means comprising a belt 9, cooperating with a further pulley 12, not shown in the Figure 2, firmly fixed to the shaft 10 of a motor 11. A tensioning roller 13 assures that the belt 9 is properly tensioned between the pulley 8 and the further pulley 12.

The pressing roller 5 is arranged near the tiles 2 transiting along the conveying line and has the function of assuring that the decorating tape 3 comes into contact with the surface to be decorated of the tiles 2 with a suitable pressure. In order to enable the printing pressure to be properly selected, according to the type of object to be decorated and the decorating product to be applied, the position of the pressing roller 5, i. e. its distance from the tiles 2, is adjustable.

Also the position of the tensioning roller 6 is adjustable, so as to give the decorating tape 3 the proper tension along its path on the roller means.

The structure of the decorating roller 3 is shown in detail in the Figure 3, from which it is noted that the decorating tape 3 comprises a first layer 14, arranged on the external surface of the decorating tape 3, i. e. on the side opposing that wherein the decorating tape 3 wraps itself round the roller means. The first layer 14 is preferably made of elastically deformable material, for example silicone, or polyurethane.

Below the first layer 14 there is arranged a second layer 15, made of compressible material, and firmly connected to the first layer 14, for example by means of gluing. The compressible material of the second layer 15 can be an elastically yielding material, such as an elastomer, preferably in spongy form. Remarkable results in terms of printing quality have been obtained by using silicone in spongy form or expanded polyurethane.

To the second layer 15 there is further glued, along its lower surface, a third layer 16, produced with a material having a relatively high friction factor, for example cloth for conveyor belts or polyurethane for conveyor belts.

The third layer 16, owing to the high friction factor of the constituting material, enables slipping to be prevented between the decorating tape 3 and the roller means round which said decorating tape 3 is wrapped, assuring a satisfying reproducibility of the decoration transferred by the decorating tape 3 onto the tiles 2.

Below the third layer 16 there are provided two driving V- shaped belts 17a, 17b, arranged near the two lateral regions of the third layer 16 and fixed to said third layer 16 preferably by means of gluing. The V-shaped belts 17a, 17b enable to further reduce the risk of slipping for the decorating tape 3 on the roller means and to obtain so remarkable decorating precision. In addition, the V-shaped belts 17a, 17b operate also as transversal guide for the decorating tape 3, enabling the position of the decorating tape 3 to be held unaltered along the longitudinal axes of the roller means.

The driving V-shaped belts 17a, 17b engage themselves into respective first lateral grooves 18a, 18b obtained on the drive roller 4, in second lateral grooves 19a, 19b obtained on the pressing roller 5, and in third lateral grooves 20a, 20b, obtained on the tensioning roller 6.

In an alternative embodiment, shown in Figure 4, below the third layer 16 there is provided a single driving V-shaped belt 17c, substantially arranged on the centre line of said third layer 16. This alternative embodiment is suitable for being used in the case that tiles 2, having reduced size in a direction normal to the advancing direction F, have to be decorated. In that case, a single driving V-shaped belt 17c can be actually sufficient for obtaining a movement free from slithering of the decorating tape 3.

In addition to the first lateral grooves 18a, 18b, to the second lateral grooves 19a, 19b and to the third lateral grooves 20a, 20b, on the drive roller 4, on the pressing roller 5 and on the tensioning roller 6 there are provided respectively a first central groove 18c, a second central groove 19c and a third central groove 20c, suitable for being shapingly coupled with the single driving V-shaped belt 17c.

Thus, the same roller means can interact with decorating tapes 3 of different sizes, provided with a different number of driving V-shaped belts, that enables to minimize the operations needed for making the decorating means 1 suitable for decorating tiles 2 belonging to different ranges of formats.

In an embodiment not shown, on the underside of the decorating tape 3 there are provided one or more driving toothed belts, engaging themselves into corresponding toothed pulleys provided on the roller means. This version enables a very high printing precision to be reached, since the relative slippages between the decorating tape 3 and the roller means are virtually totally prevented.

Within the decorating tape 3, for example within the first layer 14, a magnet can be inserted, the angular position of which during the movement of the tape is detected by a magnetic sensor in order to establish with precision, at all the passages of the decorating tape 3, the possible shifting

of said decorating tape 3 with respect to its theoretical position. By so doing, a feedback control can be carried out in order to restore at all the passages the theoretical position of the decorating tape 3.

In a further embodiment, not shown, the decorating tape 3 comprises only the first layer 14, the second layer 15 and the third layer 16, but no driving belts are present, neither V- shaped belts, nor toothed belts, nor belts of other type. Also the third layer 16 can be not used, in which case the second layer 15 is directly wrapped round the roller means. These last embodiments can be used in the case that no accurate equality is required for the pattern transferred on tiles 2, successively passing under the decorating means 1, as this happens when the tiles 2 are decorated according to the so- called"random"way, i. e. with casual patterns that do not repeat invariably between one tile and another. In that case possible slippages between the decorating tape 3 and the roller means contribute to increase the"random"aspect of the decoration.

On the external surface of the first layer 14 of the decorating tape 3 there is obtained transferring means comprising a plurality of recesses 21, for example obtained by means of incision with a laser beam, arranged so as to define a pattern to be transferred on the tiles 2. The recesses 21 are suitable for receiving a decorating product, for example ceramic glaze 22, supplied by a supplying device, not shown, arranged near the drive roller 4, or in any other suitable position along the path of the decorating tape 3. A doctor blade 23 enables to remove the ceramic glaze 22 in excess and to restrict said glaze only within the recesses 21, while the surface portions of the decorating tape 3, not involved by the recesses 21, are kept clean.

When the decorating tape 3, after having received the ceramic glaze 22 into the recesses 21 by means of said supplying

device, arrives near to the tile 2 passing below, the pressing roller 5 presses said decorating tape 3 again the tile 2 so as to cause the ceramic glaze to be transferred onto the surface of said ceramic tile 2. The dimensions of the pressing roller 5 can be freely selected so as to optimize the transfer of the glaze onto the tile 2; in particular, small radii of curvature of the surface, whereon the decorating tape 3 winds, enable high deformations of the recesses 21, as a consequence of which the ceramic glaze 22 can be transferred more easily onto the tile 2. In particular, excellent results in terms of glaze transferring have been obtained by using pressing rollers 5 having a diameter of about 80 millimetres.

In the case above disclosed, the decorating tape 3 transfers the pattern onto the tiles 2 by operating according to an intaglio printing technique ; it is also possible, in an embodiment not shown, to provide a decorating tape 3 operating according to a letterpress printing technique. In this last embodiment, the transferring means, obtained on the external surface of the first layer 14 of the decorating tape 3, comprises a plurality of raised elements, arranged so as to form a pattern and suitable for receiving, on their respective tops, a decorating product. The decorating tape 3, provided with said plurality of raised elements, can interact with a distributing roller, in case kept clean by a further doctor blade, and arranged for distributing onto the raised elements the decorating product with which the pattern will be produced.

As shown in Figure 2, the roller means and the driving means are supported by means of a first supporting plate 24 and a second supporting plate 25, both arranged parallel each other, at the two ends of the shafts whereon the roller means is mounted.

To the first supporting plate 24 and to the second supporting plate 25 there are fixed clamping elements 26, by means of

which said supporting plates 24 and 25 can be firmly connected to two columns 27, horizontally arranged and protruding from the frame 28 of a decorating machine.

The clamping elements 26 are provided with a tubular body 29 suitable for being shapingly coupled with the columns 27 and that can be tightly clamped on these latter, for example by means of a clamp, not shown.

The decorating means 1 so far described can be used for building a new decorating machine, or can be mounted on an already existing decorating machine, for example of the flat serigraphic type, in order to adapt said flat decorating machine to operate according to a printing technology more accurate and with more high quality.

In the case that the decorating means 1 is mounted on a flat serigraphic machine, the columns 27 can coincide with the columns provided in the traditional flat serigraphic machines for supporting and driving the translating ink knife, that causes the glaze to pass through the silk screen so as to decorate the underlying tile.

Figures 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment of the decorating means 1 according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the roller means comprises only one pressing roller 5, suitable for pressing the decorating tape 3 onto the tiles 2, not shown in the Figures 6 and 7, and a tensioning roller 6, whose position is adjustable in order to give the decorating roller 3 a suitable tension.

The pressing roller 5 is directly motorized by means of driving means comprising a motor 11, whose shaft 10 transmits the motion to the further shaft 5a of the pressing roller 5 by means of a belt 9, connecting the pulley 8, fit-coupled with the further shaft 5a, to the further pulley 12, fit-coupled with the shaft 10 of the motor 11. A tensioning roller 13 assures that the belt 9 is properly tensioned between the pulley 8 and the further pulley 12.

As already previously disclosed, the roller means and the driving means are supported by a first supporting plate 24 and a second supporting plate 25, mutually parallel, that are fixed to the frame 28 of the decorating machine by means of tubular supporting means, comprising a tubular element of greater diameter 32, provided with two end flanges 33 and suitable for connecting the first supporting plate 24 and the second supporting plate 25, by holding them at a prefixed relative distance. The tubular supporting means further comprises a further tubular element of smaller diameter 34, connected with the frame 28 of the decorating machine and sliding within the tubular element of greater diameter 32.

The tubular supporting means enables to adjust the position of the decorating tape 3 along the transversal dimension of the tile 2 to be decorated; by causing the tubular element of greater diameter 32 to be translated with respect to the further tubular element of smaller diameter 34, the decorating tape 3 can be actually displaced in any position with respect to the transversal extension of the tile 2. Clamping means, not shown, is provided enabling to clamp the tubular element of greater diameter 32 with respect to the further tubular element of smaller diameter 34, once the right transversal position of the decorating tape 3 has been identified.

The decorating means 1 further comprises inclination adjusting means, arranged for enabling to freely set the inclination of the axis A, passing through the centre of the pressing roller 5 and the tensioning roller 6, with respect to the horizontal plane along which the tiles 2 are conveyed.

The inclination adjusting means comprises a threaded pin 35, provided with a hexagonal head 35a, said threaded pin being fixed to the first supporting plate 24 by means of a block 36, and to the frame 28 by means of a further block 37.

The threaded pin 35 can be caused to slide within the block 36, and clamped in the desired position by means of the stop

nuts 38. By varying the position of the threaded pin 35 within the block 36, the inclination of the axis A can be varied with respect to the horizontal plane whereon the tiles 2 transit, that enables the pressing roller 5 to be moved close or away, together with the decorating tape 3, with respect to the surface of the tiles 2 to be decorated.

The alternative embodiment disclosed with reference to the Figures 6 and 7 offers a particularly simple construction, due to the low number of rollers used.

A number of roller greater than three can also be used, for example in the case that tiles 2 of remarkable size must be decorated and/or a high number of images is desired to be provided on the decorating tape 3 for being transferred on more tiles 2, to be decorated in succession.

In the case that multiple colours are desired to be applied on the tiles 2, more printing stations can be used, each of said printing stations comprising decorating means of the type so far disclosed, each of said printing stations being suitable for applying a different colour and arranged for operating in synchronized manner or independently each from the other.

As shown in Figure 5, in order to implement the decorating tape 3 previously disclosed, rigid supporting means is preferably used, comprising for example a tubular support 30 of metal or plastic material, that can be rested to ground as shown in Figure 5, or fixed to a framework or to a work table, with its own longitudinal axis Z arranged horizontally or vertically.

On the external diameter of the tubular support 30 there is fitted a first layer 14, obtained by known methods, the first layer 14 being positioned on the tubular support 30 in reversed way with respect to its operating configuration, i. e. with the surface of the first layer 14, designed for decorating tiles 2, arranged in contact with the external surface 31 of the tubular support 30. After adhesive means,

preferably by spraying, has been applied on the first layer 14, on the latter there is positioned the second layer 15, in a spongy form, which second layer 15, owing to the presence of the adhesive means, so results firmly connected to the first layer 14. The second layer 15 can be in annular closed form, in which case it will be sufficient to be inserted above the first layer 14, or in the form of a flat band, in which case it must be wrapped round the first layer 14 and the two ends of the flat band must be joined by means of the adhesive means.

The free surface of the second layer 15, i. e. the surface arranged at the opposing side with respect to the anchoring surface on the first tape 14, is now ground in order to remove possible inaccuracies that could compromise the quality of the decoration.

Successively, preferably still by spraying, on the free ground surface of the second layer 15 further adhesive means is applied, enabling a third layer 16 to be anchored, said third layer 16 being made for example of cloth for conveyor belts.

Two V-shaped belts 17a, 17b can now be fixed above the third layer 16, for example by means of still further adhesive means, or a single V-shaped belt can be fixed, or one or more toothed belts can be fixed, according to as previously described.

After the time necessary for enabling the adhesive means, the further adhesive means, and the still further adhesive means to accomplish their action has been possibly left to elapse, the decorating tape 3 can be removed from the tubular support 30 and stored, or incised by laser beam, or still directly mounted on the decorating machines.

When the adhesive means, by means of which the first layer 14 is fixed to the second layer 15, enables it, a same first layer 14, incised with a prefixed pattern, can be reused in conjunction with second layers 15 of different materials and

properties, for example for decorating, with a same pattern, objects also very different one from the other, such as crude or baked tiles 2 or tiles 2 and plates of glass.