AU714796B2 - Imitation granite - Google Patents

Description

U

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: PETER THOMAS SMITH Actual Inventor(s): PETER THOMAS SMITH Address for Service: SANDERCOCK COWIE Suite 6, 50-54 Robinson Street, DANDENONG VIC 3175 Invention Title: IMITATION GRANITE Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. P5326 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 1 96090cmsdat,096%,smtidl, la- TITLE: IMITATION GRANITE FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to imitation granite.

In a particular aspect this invention relates to a method of making the imitation granite and to an imitation granite slab.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Granite is a commonly occurring mineral but it is difficult to mine and work and such mining and working is quite expensive.

96909,cmsdat.096smithlap,1 -2- However, when mined and worked, granite can show an extreme gloss appearance and be most attractive.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an imitation of granite which nevertheless has a realistic appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides:- A method of making imitation granite comprising: .9 .9 *999* 9 9*9 9 taking a sheet of transparent material having a front surface and a rear surface; 15 (b) applying a coating comprising a mixture of: 60-90% by volume of a resin which is light transmitting when it has set; and 40-10% by volume mica flakes, to the rear surface of the transparent material; and applying an opaque coating over the resin and mica flake coating.

The present invention also provides an imitation granite slab which is made according to the method of the invention.

PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION The transparent material may be a flat sheet but it is to be noted that in some instances one or both of the front surface and rear surface may bear a pattern, texture or ornamentation.

991104,237smith.cap.wpd I 3 The transparent material may be any suitable material but particularly preferred are glass and transparent plastics material.

A preferred plastics material is acrylic.

One advantage of transparent plastics material is that they can usually be bent under heat. The bending would occur after the performance of the method of the invention.

The use of bevelled glass is particularly attractive.

Laminated glass may also be used.

15 A toughened glass may be used.

The transparent material may be of any desired shape such as square, rectangular, round, oval and etc.

It is desirable that the transparent material be clean and non-oily.

The transparent material may be tinted with colour although clear transparent material is generally preferred.

The mica is preferably in the form of mica flakes.

The flakes of mica are preferably sieved or screened to have a flake size of about 2-10mm long and 2-10mm wide.

The thickness of the mica flakes does not seem to be material but Applicant prefers that flakes are 0.5mm or less thick more preferably 0.25mm or less thick.

The resin used for making the resin-mica mixture can be any convenient clear resin. Applicant presently prefers to use an epoxy resin but an alternative is acrylic polyurethane.

960909msdat096.smithcap3 I I-~-^l-LIIIIII lll1~IIWI.

4 The resin in the resin-mica mixture is preferably clear but may be tinted with colour and may even be translucent.

The resin in the resin-mica mixture may be a single or 2 pack resin.

A preferred resin carries the brand "Araldite" but an alternative is "Mirotone Brand".

The amount of resin and mica in the resin-mica mixture is preferably 60-90% by volume resin and 40-10% by volume mica.

The resin-mica mixture is preferably formed by slowly adding the mica to the resin and stick stirring to distribute the mica.

The resin-mica mixture is preferably applied to the transparent material by pouring it on to the glass and 20 allowing it to spread by gravity.

Spray coating of a resin-mica mix has had some success but was not considered to be as attractive.

It is preferred not to use a brush to spread the resin-mica mixture on the transparent material as brushing tends to "produce streaking. However, in some instances streaking may be desirable.

Drying of the resin-mica mixture may occur naturally or may be accelerated by heat and/or a forced draft of air or by use of catalysts. In general, a natural drying time of about 48 hours at 25°C is preferred.

The opaque coating may be any convenient coating material such as paint but Applicant presently prefers to use an epoxy resin containing an opaque pigment.

960909,ansdat.096.smthzap,4 5 A preferred opaque pigment is black pigment as this gives a very realistic black granite appearance. However, colour such as pink or grey pigment might be used to simulate pink or grey granite but do not seem to be as effective as black.

Several applications of the opaque coating may be necessary ,to achieve the required degree of opacity particularly if the pigment used is pink or grey and/or to protect the surface.

An intermediate coating may be interposed between the resin-mica coating and the opaque coating. That intermediate coating may be transparent, translucent or 15 opaque and may be coloured.

Drying of the opaque coating may be by natural or accelerated means as with respect to drying of the resinmica mixture.

SA specific example of a slab of imitation granite and a method of manufacture of it will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of the imitation granite slab in accordance with this invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-section through part of the slab of Figure 1.

INTEGER LIST 1. Glass 2. Mica flakes 960909,CMsdat.-096,Sith 6 3. Resin 4. Opaque coating DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS In the drawings is shown an imitation granite slab formed of glass 1 having bevelled edges.

The glass has a front surface and a rear surface.

On the rear surface is a coating of resin 3 containing mica flakes 2 and over that coating is laid an opaque coating 4.

The imitation granite slab shown in the drawings was made 15 by the method described below by way of example.

Example I The sheet of glass 1 was taken and was cleaned and deoiled.

A resin-mica mixture was made by blending together by stirring 30% by volume of mica flakes and 70% by volume of Mirotone acrylic polyurethane resin.

The mixing was done by stirring with a stick.

The resin-mica mixture was then poured onto the glass and allowed to spread by gravity.

The resin-mica mixture was allowed 48hrs to dry.

Thereafter, an epoxy resin 4, containing black pigment was applied over the resin-mica coating.

The resultant imitation granite slab had an excellent appearance.

960909Msdat.096xsnithzapA6 1 _II 7 Example II The procedure of Example I was repeated but in lieu of glass a clear acrylic sheet was used.

The appearance of the resultant product was similar as in Example I.

The imitation granite slabs of the present invention will find many uses such as tiles in bathrooms, as floorings, as splashbacks behind cooking tops, on kitchen benches, and as an architectural finish, signs and displays and award plaques.

15 The claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings, if any, form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings of any associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document, if any, all of "20 which are imported hereinto as part of the record hereof.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements or parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

960909,cmsdat.096.smithxap,7

Claims (2)

1. A method of making imitation granite comprising: taking a sheet of transparent material having a front surface and a rear surface; applying a coating comprising a mixture of:

60-90% by volume of a resin which is light transmitting when it has set; and 40-10% by volume mica flakes, to the rear surface of the transparent material; and applying an opaque coating over the resin and mica flake coating. 2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein one or both of the front surface and rear surface bear a pattern, texture or ornamentation. 3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the mica is in the form of mica flakes. 4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flakes of mica are sieved or screened to have a flake size of about 2-10mm long and 2- wide. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resin-mica mixture is tinted with colour. 6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resin is Stransparent. 991104,237smith.cap.wpd 7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resin is translucent. 8. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resin-mica mixture is applied to the transparent material by pouring it on to the transparent material and allowing it to spread by gravity. 9. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resin has a drying time of about 48 hours at A method of making imitation granite as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, substantially as described with reference to the drawings. 15 11. A method of making imitation granite, substantially as described with reference to the examples. 12. An imitation granite slab, made according to the method defined in any one of the preceding claims. Dated this 4 th day of November, 1999. 2 5 SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR PETER THOMAS SMITH 991104,237smith.cap.wpd