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(11) | EP 2 085 243 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A process for realising a tile |
| (57) A process for realising a tile comprises a stage of designing a virtual model (1)
of the tile and thereafter forming the tile. The designing of the virtual model (1)
of the tile consists in realising at least a virtual solid (4) starting from a base
plane (2) as well as projecting an image (7) of the virtual solid (4) onto a virtual
workpiece plane (8), such that the virtual workpiece plane (8) reproduces a three-dimensional
image (7) of the virtual solid (4). Subsequently, the virtual workpiece plane (8)
is reproduced on the tiles by means of one or more known processes.
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[0002] The invention is particularly applicable to the building sector, and in particular is directed at the realising of tiles or like cladding elements destined for covering floors and/or walls in domestic and public places.
[0003] As is known, the ceramic and building materials sector includes various types of tiles having in-view surfaces which exhibit a smooth surface or a surface bearing one or more raised parts or jags.
[0004] With reference to smooth tiles, they can be single-tone or can be provided with two or more suitably-arranged colours in order to highlight special figure or ornaments having a strictly aesthetic aim.
[0005] With reference, though, to tiles having raised parts, the in-view surfaces thereof can be made in different colour schemes or according to particular irregular shapes including jags, reliefs, concavities and other like projections or recesses.
[0006] A particular example of a tile of the above type is one which is provided with a plurality of reliefs that develop substantially parallel to one another and are arranged close to one another, thus defining a single treading plane. The reliefs delimit respective gullies, so that the tiles exhibit, in transversal section, a sawtooth profile. The flanks of the reliefs are normally inclined such as to exhibit, depending on an observational point of view thereof, two different aspects of the same in-view surface. In particular, the totality of all the flanks having the same inclination can be used to define a single in-view surface of the tile, opposite the in-view surface of the totality of the other flanks which are substantially incident to the first flanks and parallel to one another. In this structural configuration it is possible to produce and define different images or relative figures, which are selectively seen according to the point of observation of the tiles.
[0007] Although the above-mentioned double-effect tiles enable two images or figures to be seen according to the observational point of view thereof, the Applicant has noted that they are not without drawbacks, especially in relation to the jags of the treading plane, as well as the definition of the figures and/or the ornamentations afforded on the tiles.
[0008] In particular, the Applicant has found that in order to obtain figures and ornamentations of a sufficient sharpness, the crests of the above-mentioned reliefs have to be especially distanced, delimiting there-between corresponding gullies of considerable width and/or particularly deep. Obviously on increasing the width and depth of the gullies between the reliefs, the degree of jaggedness of the treading surface defined by the tile also increases, which transmits sensations similar to those of an uneven treading plane.
[0009] Further, the alternating of deep or wide gullies tends to considerably weaken the structure of the tile, which is more subject to the formation of cracks which might even lead to the breakage of the tiles, especially if subjected to large loads or stress, either during laying or during their working life in continuously-used passage zones. It is also important to consider that the delicate structure of the above-mentioned tiles can make their storage especially critical, when stacked in piles or columns; so this part of production too requires much care and attention.
[0010] It should also be noted that as regards floor-located signals, the Applicant has found the incomplete perception of the signal, or the figure reproduced on the in-view surface a limiting factor. For example, if the tile is provided with an indication of an emergency exit in a public place, the signal is seen only if the observer is positioned such that he or she is practically frontal with respect to the figure in question; i.e. if he looks frontally at the inclined flanks of the above-mentioned reliefs. On the contrary, if the observer is located laterally with respect to the figure to be seen, i.e. if the observer is viewing from a point of view which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal development of the crests of the reliefs, he has no perception of the illustration of the signal that is reproduced on the tile.
[0011] A further important point is that the various channels render cleaning and washing operations particular long and arduous; if the tiles are located in an industrial context they can be cleaned by means of suitable apparatus of an industrial type, differently to uses of domestic/private type in which they are transformed into collecting repositories of dirt and are long and laborious to clean.
[0012] In this situation, the technical task at the base of the present invention is to provide a process for realising a tile which can substantially obviate the cited drawbacks.
[0013] In the ambit of the technical objective, an important aim of the invention is to provide a process for realising a tile which defines a smooth treading plane provided with one or more signals which are visible from any angulation and point of observation.
[0014] A further aim of the present invention is to provide a process for realising tiles which are resistant to significant loads and stress.
[0015] A further aim of the present invention is to provide a process which results in the tiles' giving a three-dimensional view to an observer of a signal, from any point of observation.
[0016] The set technical task and the specified aim are substantially attained by a process for realising a tile as described in the appended claims.
[0017] By way of non-limiting example, a description will now be made of a process for realising a tile according to the invention, the stages of which are described with the aid of the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:
figure 1 is a perspective of a three-dimensional starting model, in agreement with the present invention;
figure 2 is a perspective of the model of the preceding figure, partially sub-divided according to a plurality of predetermined planes;
figure 3 is a perspective representation of a workpiece plane on which the profiles of the crests of the three-dimensions model of figure 2 are projected, tilted according to a predetermined rotation angle;
figure 4 is a perspective representation of the workpiece plane of figure 3, illustrated in a predefined scale of grey tones;
figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative starting three-dimensional model, already partially sub-divided into a plurality of predetermined planes;
figure 6 is a plan view representation of a workpiece plane on which the profiles of the crests of the portions of the three-dimensional model of claim 5 are projected, tilted at a predetermined rotation angle;
figure 7 is a representation of the workpiece plane of figure 6, illustrated in a predefined scale of grey tones.
[0018] The object of the present invention relates to a model for realising one or more tiles (not illustrated).
[0019] With reference to the figures of the drawings, the process which is object of the present invention first includes a three-dimensional model stage of the tile to be produced (figures 1 and 5) which is advantageously actuated by means of an electronic device for three-dimensional design (not shown in the figures).
[0020] In particular, with reference to figure 1, the model comprises realisation of a virtual starting three-dimensional model 1, provided with a substantially laminar or plate-shaped base 2 exhibiting a main surface 3 from which at least a geometric solid 4 develops.
[0021] In the illustrated embodiment of figure 1, the solid 4 developing from the base 2 is an arrow which can be subdivided into a first portion 4a, defined by a parallelepiped, i.e. the leg of an arrow, and a second portion 4b, defined by a triangular-base prism.
[0022] It is understood that without forsaking the ambit of protection of the present invention, any regular or irregular solid can be reproduced on the main surface 3, as well as writings, motifs and any kind of decoration, as illustrated in figure 5.
[0023] Once the starting three-dimensional model 1 has been realised, it is sub-divided into a plurality of pre-defined sub-division planes 5 (figures 1 and 2), such as to give rise to a plurality of sections 6, each different to another. In particular, the sub-division planes 5 are preferably substantially parallel, so that the above-mentioned sections 6 exhibit respectively parallel surfaces. The sub-division planes 5 are advantageously substantially perpendicular to the main surface 3 of the base 2, so that the surfaces of the sections 6 extend substantially vertically.
[0024] Still with reference to figures 1 and 2, the sub-division planes 5 are preferably equidistant in order to give the sections 6 a same thickness.
[0025] When the sub-division of the starting three-dimensional model is complete, an image 7 of the starting three-dimensional model 1 is projected. In detail, an image 7 of the three-dimensional model 1 is projected onto a virtual workpiece plane 8 (figure 3). The image 7 is advantageously obtained by tilting each section 6 of the virtual three-dimensional model 1 to a predefined angle which is such as to ensure that each section 6 rests on the virtual workpiece plane 8 and thereafter by tracing a line 9 on the virtual workpiece plane 8, which line 9 corresponds to the profile of the respective crest 6a of the tilted section.
[0026] Each section 6 is preferably tilted by means of a rotation to an angle of about 90° about a respective rotation axis arranged on an opposite side with respect to the crest 6a.
[0027] Once the projection of the virtual solid 4 has been obtained on the virtual workpiece plane 8, the process can include a stage of automated conversion of the image 7 obtained into a predefined scale of "grey" tones which has extreme tones of white and black. In particular, the conversion consists in inverting at least a pair of contrast colours, such as for example white and black, and the management of the tones in the scale of "greys" between the above-mentioned contrasted tones.
[0028] When the virtual workpiece plane 8 has been completed, it is reproduced on at least an in-view surface of a tile for transferring thereon the image 7 of the signal represented on the virtual workpiece plane 8.
[0030] Reproduction can be done using silk-screening methods, using various known devices and apparatus, such as, for example, flat screens, screen rollers, rotocolors and the like.
[0031] Alternatively the reproduction of the virtual workpiece plane 8 can be manually performed by using aerograph brushes; by powder drop of glass paste filling; using special colours or soluble salts absorbed by the tiles.
[0032] The reproduction of the workpiece plane 8 can also be done by means of decal systems or photo-ceramic techniques in which the virtual workpiece plane 8 is reproduced on silk screen films constructed using photo-sensitive material, such as for example collodium or other materials, in order to be applied thereafter directly on the tiles being realised.
[0033] Finally the virtual workpiece plane 8 can be directly reproduced on the tiles with the use of systems of appropriate digital machines or colour printers using the inkjet principle.
[0034] The present invention solves the problems encountered in the prior art and achieves the set aims.
[0035] Firstly, the proposed process enables tiles to be realised which have an in-view surface provided with three-dimensional signal indications although the in-view surface is completely smooth.
[0036] In fact, the tiles realised according to the above-described process exhibits smooth in-view surfaces that are totally free of unwanted jags.
[0037] Also to be considered is the fact that the total lack of jags and reliefs gives the tiles greater structural resistance if subjected to considerable loads or stress, also facilitating the stackability thereof during storage and warehousing.
1. A process for realising a tile, comprising stages of:
designing a virtual model (1) of the tile;
forming the tile based on the virtual model (1) obtained during a design stage;
characterised in that the designing of the virtual model (1) of the tile comprises stages of:realising at least a virtual solid (4) starting from a base plane (2);
projecting an image (7) of the virtual solid (4) on a predetermined virtual workpiece plane (8) such that the virtual workpiece plane (8) reproduces a three-dimensional image (7) of the virtual solid (4).
2. The process of claim 1, comprising a stage of subdividing the virtual solid (4) into
a plurality of predefined planes in order to form a plurality of sections (6).
3. The process of claim 2, wherein the sub-division of the virtual solid (4) is performed
according to a substantially-parallel plurality of sub-dividing planes (5) for forming
substantially parallel sections (6).
4. The process of claim 2 or 3, wherein the sub-division of the virtual solid (4) is
performed according to a plurality of sub-dividing planes (5) which are substantially
perpendicular with respect to the base plane (2) in order to form sections (6) which
are substantially perpendicular to the base plane (2).
5. The process of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sub-dividing of the virtual
solid (1) is performed according to a plurality of planes (5) which are equidistant
for forming sections (6) having substantially a same width.
6. The process of any one of claims from 2 to 5, wherein the projection of the solid
(4) onto the virtual workpiece plane (8) comprises following stages:
tilting each section (6) obtained from the subdivision of the solid (4) at a predefined angle such that the section (6) is resting on the workpiece plane (8);
tracing, for each virtual workpiece plane (8), for each tilted section (6), a line (9) corresponding to the profile of a crest (6a) of the section (6), the lines (9) defining a projection of the virtual solid (4).
7. The process of claim 6, wherein each section (6) is tilted to an angle of substantially
90° about a respective axis which is identifiable at the base plane (2) on the opposite
side to the respective crest (6a).
8. The process of claim 6 or 7, wherein the stage of tracing is followed by a stage of
automated conversion, into a scale of greys, of the virtual workpiece plane (8), the
conversion inverting at least two contrasting colours, preferably white and black,
and determining one or more tones from among the white and black which are different
tones of grey.
9. The process of any one of claims from 6 to 8, further comprising a stage of reproducing
the virtual workpiece plane (8) on at least an in-view surface of a tile.
10. The process of claim 9, wherein the reproduction is performed by silk-screening.
11. The process of claim 9, wherein the reproduction is performed manually.
12. The process of claim 9, wherein the reproduction is performed by a decal transferring
technique or a photo-ceramic technique.
13. The process of claim 9, wherein the reproduction is performed by means of at least
an inkjet device.