Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the technical field of surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material and it particularly relates to a jet tool.

[0002] The invention also relates to a pressurized fluid jet processing head comprising such tool.

Background art

[0003] The surface processing of products made of stone or wood material, such as slabs, blocks, planks and the like, by directing one or more high- pressure and/or speed fluid jets on the surface of the product is known.

[0004] The action of the jets is adapted to provide surface deformations, possibly associated with removal of material, to obtain technical and/or aesthetic effects such as abrasions, scratches, roughness, dents, marks, drawings, or similar surface alterations.

[0005] In particular, the use is known of pressurized fluid jet tools moved above the surface of the product to be processed, generally in form of a marble slab or wooden plank.

[0006] In order to obtain the required abrasive effect, the jet of fluid, generally water, may be mixed with an abrasive powdered material adapted to be projected at a high speed on the surface to be processed together with the jet.

[0007] As a result, the deformation effect of the surface being processed is mainly due to the action of the abrasive material and, as a result, the water supply pressures may be relatively low.

[0008] However, the use of abrasive materials entails various problems, above all related to the management of the abrasive material, in that there arises the need to store and recover it after use.

[0009] Furthermore, during the processing it is important to prevent the particles of abrasive material from being dispersed into the environment given that they could be a source of serious danger for operators inspecting the apparatus.

[0010] Last but not least, the abrasive material has a deteriorating effect against the components of the jet tool management system, especially with the line for supplying the mixture and with the nozzles.

[0011] Therefore, these known tools are characterised by frequent maintenance operations, with ensuing machine downtime and reduction of productivity, and continuous replacement of the most stressed pieces.

[0012] In an attempt to overcome such problems, machines have been developed for the surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material exclusively using waterjets without abrasive material.

[0013] Furthermore, in the known machines equipped with such tools, the nozzles are distributed along one or more straight lines for simultaneously operating on the surface of the slab, in generally fixed position and on a plane parallel to the one defined by the surface to be treated.

[0014] However, such arrangement, does not allow to produce, on the surface being processed, a surface effect which acceptably reproduces the random effect produced by an exclusively manual processing.

[0015] On the contrary, the effects of the schematic and repetitive processing motion of the nozzles, which highlight the industrial nature of the processing, with negative effects on the aesthetic quality of the end product, are normally evident.

[0016] Last but not least, the relatively low pressures entail the need to operate with high flow rates and therefore with nozzles having relatively large output diameters. Therefore, the processing imprints are particularly unrefined and they do not allow to obtain particularly fine patterns.

Technical problem

[0017] In the light of the prior art the technical problem addressed by the present invention is to achieve a surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material which allows to obtain particularly distinct surface effects and which reproduce the effects of a manual processing.

Summary of the invention

[0018] The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problem by providing a jet tool combined with a machine for the surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material which is highly effective and cost-effective.

[0019] A particular object of the present invention is to provide a jet tool of the type indicated above which allows to obtain the particularly distinct surface effects and which reproduce the effects of a manual processing.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a jet tool of the type indicated above which allows to obtain any ornamental pattern like patterns, or even writings, barcodes, QR codes and the like, without particular restrictions and in a single cycle of moving the jet tools.

[0021] A further object of the present invention is to provide a jet tool of the type indicated above which has high flexibility of use, allowing to change the surface texture even with the head moving.

[0022] Last but not least, a further object of the present invention is to provide a head for the surface processing of objects made of stone and/or wood material which allows to obtain a plurality of processing operations of high aesthetic value.

[0023] The objects mentioned above and others which will be more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a jet tool combined with a machine for the surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material, according to claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a nozzle facing the surface of the material being processed, connected to a supply line for supplying a pressurized fluid and associated with movement means for obtaining, on the surface being processed, a pattern or a texture with predetermined shape.

[0024] The movement means comprise at least one linear actuator adapted to move the nozzle along a first and/or a second plane each substantially transverse with respect to the surface being processed.

[0025] This combination of characteristics allows the surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material obtaining surface effects that are particularly distinct and that reproduce the effects of a manual processing.

[0026] Furthermore, the tool allows a movement along planes that are differentiated and transverse to the support surface, as well as randomised movements, depending on the operating needs or the requirements of the processing operations to be carried out.

[0027] The invention also relates to a pressurized fluid jet processing head for the surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material comprising a support plate for one or more tools of the type described above and means for supplying the nozzle with the pressurized fluid, wherein the support plate is rotatable around a rotation axis and/or movable along a translation axis substantially transverse to the surface of the material being processed, according to claim 7.

[0028] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are attained according to the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in the light of the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a head and of a jet tool combined with a machine for the surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material, like the ones mentioned above, shown by way of non-limiting example with reference to the drawings below, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the fluid jet tool and of the fluid jet head according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the head of Fig. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a view of the head of Fig. 1 in which there is only one tool according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the tool according to the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a perspective lateral view of the tool of Fig. 4 in a first and second operative position;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively a lateral and front view of the tool of Fig. 4.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

[0030] With particular reference to the figures, there is shown a jet tool, generally indicated with reference numeral 1, combined with a machine 2 for the surface processing of products P made of stone and/or wood material. [0031] In particular, the tool 1 can be used for processing products made of basic material of the stoneware type, such as stone, marble, granite, concrete material, conglomerates or the like, or wood-based material, or wood derivatives, for carrying out surface processing thereon.

[0032] The processing may be aimed at obtaining deformations on the surface S of a product P possibly associated with removal of material, so as to obtain a predetermined pattern or texture.

[0033] For example, if the product P consists of a wooden plank, the processing may be carried out on the surface S to create an ageing effect or an image, even complex.

[0034] The product P may be in the form of a slab, plank, block or three- dimensional shaped not necessarily even.

[0035] According to the invention, the machine 2 comprises at least one pressurized fluid jet processing head 3 which comprises a support plate 4 for one or more tools 1, as better shown in FIGS. 1-3 and means for supplying the nozzle 1 with the pressurized fluid, not shown in the figures.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support plate 4 is circular plate-shaped. However, it cannot be ruled out that such plate 4 may be polygonal-shaped, for example rectangular.

[0037] Preferably, the support plate 4 is rotatable around a rotation axis Y and/or movable along a translation axis Y’ substantially transverse to the surface S being processed.

[0038] Obviously, when the support plate 4 is rotatable, the machine 2 comprises rotation means 5 operatively associated with the plate 4.

[0039] The rotation means 5 can comprise a first motor 6 adapted to drive in rotation a first drive shaft 7 rotatable along a staggered axis with respect to the rotation axis Y and operatively associated with a drive belt 8 interacting with the outer profile 9 of the support plate 4.

[0040] In an alternative embodiment of the head 3, not shown in the figures, the rotation means 5 can be axial to the rotation axis Y and directly keyed to the support plate 4.

[0041] Preferably, the rotation speed of the head 3 may continuously vary up to a maximum of 5,000 revolutions/minute, as well as carried out continuously or discretely during the processing, without having to stop the machine 2, so as to obtain undulated engravings, corrugated engravings or engravings with complex shape.

[0042] With the support plate 4 there can be operatively associated means for the inclination of the rotation axis Y, not shown in the figures, for varying the angle of incidence, or the angular orientation, of one or more tools 1 on the surface S of the product P being processed.

[0043] However, the angular orientation of the head 3 with respect to the surface S of the product P being processed can be carried out dynamically, that is variable during the rotation of the support plate 4, or non-dynamically, by inclining the support plate with an angle kept constant during the entire processing.

[0044] Suitably, the machine 2 can be of the portal type or comprise an anthropomorphic arm at whose ends the head 3 is equipped to move it above the surface S being processed using inclination means and along three cartesian axes, in a manner known to the person skilled in the art.

[0045] Similarly, the support surface of the product P being processed may be substantially horizontal and of the movable or fixed type, depending on the operating needs or on the requirements of the processing operations to be carried out.

[0046] However, the machine 2 can also process surfaces S which are inclined or arranged on an inclined support surface with respect to the horizontal one, or even vertical at most.

[0047] Preferably, as better shown in FIGS. 1-3, the tool 1 or the tools T, 1”, ... are positioned near the outer profile 9 of the support plate 4 so that the rotation of the latter, through the rotation means 5, allows each tool 1 to rotate along a circle.

[0048] Furthermore, the tools T, 1”, ... can be mutually staggered along such circle with a predetermined pitch to reach a maximum of 180.

[0049] Hereinafter, for the sake of greater simplicity, reference will be made to a single tool 1, but it is understood that, unless indicated otherwise, all the parts referring to such tool 1 will be substantially identical and operatively equivalent even in the other tools 1’, 1”, ... fitted onto the support plate 4 of the head 3.

[0050] The tool 1 comprises a nozzle 10 facing the surface S of the material being processed and connected to a supply line 11 for supplying a pressurized fluid.

[0051] Therefore, the nozzle 10 is adapted to generate a jet J oriented towards the surface S of the product P being processed.

[0052] Preferably, the supply line 11 is adapted to supply the nozzle 10 with a fluid at a pressure comprised between 0 and 6,000 bars and in which the maximum values may be adjusted even continuously without particular restrictions and depending both on the material to be processed and the thickness of the product P.

[0053] Such supply pressure values will allow to obtain the required definition of the engravings without using abrasive materials therein, eliminating all drawbacks related to such operating modes.

[0054] Furthermore, the tool 1 comprises a tubular body 12 having a first end 12A connected to the supply line 11 and a second end 12B provided with the nozzle 10 and movement means 13 for moving the nozzle 10 to obtain a pattern or texture with a predetermined shape on the surface S being processed.

[0055] Advantageously, the movement means 13 comprise at least one linear actuator 14, 15; 16, 17 adapted to move the nozzle 10 along a first a and/or a second plane p each substantially transverse with respect to the surface S being processed. The first a and the second plane are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0056] As better shown in FIGS. 3-4, the movement means 13 comprise at least one first pair of linear actuators 14, 15 having a respective first end 14A, 15A hinged on a support member 18 movable along substantially linear guide means 19 for moving the nozzle 10 along the first plane a substantially transverse to the surface S being processed.

[0057] It should be observed that the first pair of actuators 14, 15 and the support member 18 are connected to each other to form a triangle coplanar to the first transverse plane a and having a side with variable length consisting of the first actuator 14.

[0058] As a matter of fact, the actuators 14, 15 of the first pair are configured to incline the nozzle 10 with respect to the surface S being processed and/or approaching/moving away the nozzle 10 to/from the surface S being processed along the first transverse plane a, as better described below.

[0059] According to a peculiar aspect of the invention, each linear actuator 14, 15 of the first pair comprises a fixed portion 20, 21 and a movable portion 22, 23 with respect to the respective fixed portion 20, 21 , as better shown in FIG. 4.

[0060] Furthermore, the movable portion 22 of a first actuator 14 has a second end 14B hinged to the fixed portion 21 of the second actuator 15 of the first pair 14, 15.

[0061] In this manner, the actuation of the first linear actuator 14, which is hinged to the support member 18 with the first end 14A thereof, allows to incline the second actuator 15 also hinged to the support member 18 with the first end 15A thereof.

[0062] Furthermore, the first end 12A of the tubular body 12 is operatively connected to the movable portion 23 of the second linear actuator 15 of the first pair through a connection element 24, preferably plate-shaped.

[0063] Therefore, the actuation of the second linear actuator 15 allows to approach/move away the nozzle 10 to/from the surface S being processed.

[0064] As better shown in FIGS. 4-6, the movement means 13 comprise a motorized eccentric 25 acting on said support member 18 to alternately move it along the linear guide means 19.

[0065] As a matter of fact, the support member 18 has a slot 26 in which the motorized eccentric 25 acts.

[0066] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the slot 26 has a substantially elliptical or extended shape in plan view, and the eccentric 25 has a substantially circular shape in plan view. [0067] Therefore, the rotation of the motorized eccentric 25 allows the support member 18 to be movable along linear guide means 19 parallel to the support plate 4 and, more precisely, to be alternately movable approaching and moving away to and from the outer profile 9 of the support plate 4.

[0068] To this end, a second motor 27 can be provided having a second drive shaft 28 on which there is fixed the eccentric 25 and the support member 18 can comprise a pair of slides 29 slidable along the guide means 19

[0069] Obviously, the guide means 19 are joined with support plate 4.

[0070] It is clear that the first pair of linear actuators 14, 15 and the motorized eccentric 25 allow the nozzle 10 to be moved along the first transverse plane a.

[0071] Advantageously, as better shown in FIGS. 7-8, the movement means 13 comprise at least one second pair 16, 17 of linear actuators substantially transverse to the surface S being processed to move the nozzle 10 along a second plane p substantially transverse to the surface S being processed and to the first transverse plane a.

[0072] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the linear actuators 16, 17 of the second pair are parallel to each other.

[0073] Preferably, the linear actuators 16, 17 of the second pair are also parallel to the second actuator 15 of the first pair of linear actuators 14, 15 and comprise respective movable ends 30, 31 interacting with the end 12A of the tubular body 12 of the tool 1.

[0074] Therefore, the actuators 16, 17 are configured to be alternately moved so as to incline the nozzle 10 along the second transverse plane p.

[0075] Advantageously, the machine 2 can also comprise electronic control means, not shown in the figures, adapted to interpolate the various movements imparted by the first 14, 15 and second pair of linear actuators 16, 17, by the eccentric 25, by the means for the inclination of the rotation axis Y, by the means for the translation along the axis Y’ and by the rotation means 5, as well as all further possible movements imparted by the machine 2 of the portal or anthropomorphic arm type.

[0076] Furthermore, all movements imparted by the electronic control means described above, can occur with a constant or variable, randomised or oscillatory speed.

[0077] It should be observed that if multiple tools T, 1” are installed on the support plate 4, the electronic control means can be configured to move each tool 1 with independent and differentiated or synchronised and randomised movement, depending on the operating needs or on the requirements of the processing operations to be carried out.

[0078] Furthermore, all the aforementioned movement means can comprise actuators of the mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic, oil-hydraulic, pneumatic type, with manual or automated actuation, possibly controlled independently according to methods typical for this type of machines and known to the persons skilled in the art.

[0079] In the light of the above, it is clear that the fluid jet tool and the fluid jet head according to the invention attain the pre-established objects and in particular they achieve a surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material obtaining particularly distinct surface effects and reproducing the effects of a manual processing.

[0080] The fluid jet tool and head according to the invention are susceptible to numerous modifications and variants all falling within the inventive concept outlined in the attached claims.

[0081] Although the jet tool and head have been described with particular reference to the attached figures, the reference numerals used in the description and in the claims are meant for improving the intelligibility of the invention and do not limit the claimed scope of protection in any manner whatsoever.

[0082] Throughout the description, reference to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment” or “some embodiments” indicate that a particular characteristic, structure or element described is comprised in at least one embodiment of the object of the present invention.

[0083] Furthermore, the particular characteristics, structures or elements may be combined in any appropriate fashion in one or more embodiments. Industrial applicability

[0084] The present invention can be applied at industrial level because it can be produced on industrial scale by industries belonging to the field of surface processing of products made of stone and/or wood material.