Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROCEDURE FOR THE ORNIMENTATION OF WALL AND FhOpR TIKES
D E S C R I P T I O~N
PURPOSE OF THE TNVENTIOrT
The present invention refers to a new process for the
ornamentation of wall and floor tiles by making it possible
to reproduce any type of design, especially photographic
motifs or images, on them.
The procedure permits the reproduction of such images
in black-and-white as well as colour.
ANTECEDENTS OF THE INVENTION
At the present time for the ornamentation of ceramic
surfaces the following processes are employed:
- Single baking The entire product is heated in the
kiln once so that the unbaked base element or bisque
4 receives the enamel using a sprayer and later the
decoration, via a serigraphic screen with a type of
fixative being used between screens.
- Double baking First the base or bisque is baked,
and then the coats cited above are applied. It is then
returned to the kiln.
- Third baking With this option first the bisque is
heated, as in the previous case, and then next, after
applying the engobe as in the two previous methods, we
proceed to the enamelling and a new baking phase, with the
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final decoration being applied with screens or by hand (by
brush), proceeding finally to the "third bakin ' which
gives the process its name. The decoration in this "third
bakin ' system also tends to be done by applying pre-
decorated transfers over the enamelled ceramic base.
There has recently appeared a system by which the
entire process of glazing, enamelling, and decoration using
rubber rollers or something similar without employing
enamel sprayers or serigraphic screens.
At any rate, these approaches have their own
disadvantages which consist mainly in the following:
- The surface area of serigraphic screens is very
limited since, physically, the holes where the paste must
pass (coloured ceramic + liquid carrier) need to be of
large enough diameter for the paste to flow through with
the ensuing danger of that the orifices become quickly
clogged. To mitigate this problem weaves of very few
threads should be used, causing a final image definition
t that is notably inferior.
- The angling of each serigraphic screen is critical
when working with liquid paste, which tends to expand to
some degree after passing through the orifice of the
screen, depending on the diameter of the points of the
weave, the density of the paste, and pressure and speed of
the spatula. Other besides inconveniences or defects are
also suffered.
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- Defects registering the crosses of each screen over
the former, due to the very manufacture prOCe55, i.e.,
inherent ~.n the process itself.
Thus, the present technological state in the area of
application of the invention shows an area of difficulty
associated mainly with a lack of exact registry and the
consequent impossibility of working with elevated weaves in
order to obtain high-quality photographic images in the
generation'of~weave points and unequa-1 point density and in
the use of larger points in the process, the serigraphic
screen, with which still more point definition is lost,
since it is probable that a point of photolith is found in
the intersection between two threads of the screen making
it impossible to obtain a motif in the serigraphic panel
identical to the photolith.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The procedure for the ornamentation of wall and floor
tiles that the invention proposes more than satisfactorily
resolves the problem mentioned above, insuring the perfect
engraving of the images selected, in black-and-white as
well as colour; in glossy or flat finishes, with maximum
durability and resistance.
For it, and more precisely, in a primary operative
phase we proceed, after selecting the image, to the
digitalisation and processing of the same for its
~hoto.IithographY, i. e. , in order to obtain a hotolith
through photoli thogra by
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Next the transfer paper is laminated and printed. down,
i. e. , e.xt~osing it to ultraviolet light, through photolith
polychrome printing. This operation of lamination and
printing down should be repeated as many times as the
number of colours to be used in the printing make
necessary, according to intention whether said printing is
monochrome' or polychrome, as previously mentioned. More
specifically, four photolyths will be used in the four
cot our sol uti on wi th the foll owing cot ours - cyan, lrcagen ta,
yellor~r and black. ,
Next, in a third operative stage, a commonly used
transport solution is applied and allowed to dry. The
enamelled ceramic substrate is cleaned, after which it is
baked at a maximum temperature of 1,050° C, a baking phase
performed at the same time as that of the tile so that the
image becomes integrated in its enamel surface.
In agreement with the other characteristics of the
invention, the baking curve is to evolve in the following
manner
During the first hour the kiln teiaperature is raised
from room temperature to 325° C. At Zh.45min. a
temperature of 700° C is reached. After 30 minutes more,
the temperature reaches 1,050° C, which is maintained for
minutes, only to be lowered afterwards to room
temperature for a period of 2h.30min.
A glossy or flat finish is achieved by incorporating
more or less flux into the ceramic colours so that they
melt with more or less facility in order to obtain more or
less brilliance.
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REFERABLE EMPLOYMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to a preferred example of the practical use
of the invention and when dealing with the ornamentation of
wall and floor tiles and with images in colour, the image
to be applied onto the ceramic substrate in question is
digitised and processed. More exactly, filming in
photolith at 200 lines per inch, which equals 78.74 points
per cm2 is done .
The transfer paper is laminated and printed down by
magenta four-colour print photolith. The protective
plastic is removed from the transfer sheet to apply the
powdered magenta ceramic colour and the transfer is
instantly cleaned with anti-static gauze.
Next this operation is repeated, i.e., a second
lamination and insolation is performed, following the same
process, with cyan photolith colour, a third with yellow
and a final one with black.
. Afterwards, a commonly used transport solution is
applied, either by brush or serigraphic screen. After
drying, the enamelled ceramic substrate is cleaned. Then
the transfer is submerged in water to loosen the image from
the cardboard support. Once loosened, it is applied onto
the ceramic substrat, eliminating the water and the air
with a rubber spatula.
Once again, it is allowed to dry and then baked at
high temperature, concretely at 1,050° C in order to bake
the die of the image together with the tile and integrate
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the image with the enamel of the latter. More or less flux
is incorporated into the ceramic colours according to the
desired gloss.
When dealing with black-and-white images or sepia, the
procedure is exactly the same as described for obtaining
those of colour except that only one phase of lamination
and inso.iation is carried out, i.e., in black or sepia.
In obtaining black-and-white images as well as those
in colour the .baking curve is the following:
a) 350° C increase in one hour.
b) 700° C increase in 4'45".
c) 1,050° C for 30 minutes more.
d) Maintenance at 1,050° C for 10 minutes.
e) Reduction to room temperature in 2h.45min.
As may be~deduced from the above, the use of colours
--~,~s~''-'='+ ''''~~ ~ capable of supporting the high
temperatures mentioned is necessary in order to achieve
greater durability and resistance in the finish.
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