Patent Application
20110220277
This invention, in general, relates to building structures. More particularly, this invention relates to a body structure for furniture and building structures, for example, doors, tables and windows.
When planar surfaces are used to manufacture furniture, such as wood planks or thin stone sheets, the joints between the wood planks or between the thin stone sheets are difficult to eliminate and are visually displeasing. There is a need to eliminate these aesthetically displeasing joint lines. There is also a need to eliminate the additional process of jointing in the manufacture of furniture or building structures.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The method of manufacturing a furniture body disclosed herein addresses the above stated unmet need for eliminating aesthetically displeasing joint lines created during the manufacture of furniture. The method disclosed herein comprises the steps of: placing a layer of a release sheet on a surface; depositing an uncured artificial stone mix on the release sheet; placing a central core on the release sheet deposited with the uncured artificial stone mix; wrapping the central core with the release sheet deposited with the uncured artificial stone mix; and removing the release sheet after allowing the deposited artificial stone mix to partially or fully cure over the central core. The wrapping provides a continuous surface of the artificial stone mix over the sides, edges, corners, and curved surfaces of the central core, thereby eliminating the joint lines.
The central core is a lightweight core comprising one or a combination of porous ceramic blocks, paper honeycomb, structural polyurethane foam, etc. Multiple decorative materials comprising, for example, ornamental glass, semiprecious stones, metal art, colored quartz, glass jewelry, stone jewelry, etc. may be included on the release sheet. A metal grid may be inserted in the central core for additional reinforcement. The release sheet is, for example, one or more of a polyethylene terephthalate sheet, a plastic sheet, a silicone rubber sheet, a rubber sheet, and a polytetrafluoroethylene sheet. After the deposition of the uncured artificial stone mix on the release sheet, the following additional processes may be exercised. For example, pressure may be applied on the deposited artificial stone mix. A backing of glass fiber and resin may be applied to the deposited artificial stone mix. Vibro-compaction may be applied to the deposited artificial stone mix for better compaction. Vibro-compaction in a vacuum may also be applied to the deposited artificial stone mix to release entrapped volatiles and air.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein.
A central core 401 is placed on the release sheet 201 deposited with the artificial stone mix 301 as exemplarily illustrated in
In an embodiment, pressure is applied on the uncured artificial stone mix 301 for better compaction. In another embodiment, a fiber layer is placed on the compacted artificial stone mix 301 and coated with a resin for improved handling during the wrapping process and for improving the mechanical strength of the furniture body 600. The fiber is, for example, a glass fiber.
In another embodiment, vibro-compaction is applied to the deposited artificial stone mix 301 for better compaction. Vibro-compaction in a vacuum may also be applied to the deposited artificial stone mix 301 to release entrapped volatiles and air.
The artificial stone mix 301 comprises particulates and resin. The particulates comprise, for example, one or more of quartz, granite, glass, ceramic etc. The size of the particulates, for example, varies from fine powder to about 4 mm. The size distribution may follow Fuller's formula to achieve maximum compaction. The resin is, for example, a polyester resin. An example of a polyester resin is a combination of about 80% of ortho neo pentyl glycol and about 20% of styrene monomer. Another example of a polyester resin is a combination of about 80% of ortho neo pentyl glycol, about 10% of methyl acrylate monomer and about 10% of styrene monomer. Room temperature catalysts, for example, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) and room temperature accelerators may be used for curing the resin. In another embodiment, high temperature setting catalysts, for example, dimethyl aniline (DMA) are used for curing the resin. The artificial stone mix 301 may also be a cement based mix. The cement is, for example, Portland cement.
Examples 1, 2 and 3 are example compositions of the artificial stone mix 301.
Curing is carried out at 70 deg Celsius for 15 minutes.
Curing is carried out at 70 deg Celsius for 15 minutes.
Curing is carried out at room temperature.
Finally, the surface of the furniture body 600 is polished by typical polishing techniques applied in granite polishing.
This example illustrates the manufacture of a furniture body 600, for example, a table-top. A release sheet 201, for example, a polyethylene terephthalate sheet, is placed on a flat floor. The artificial stone mix 301 having the composition disclosed in example 3 above is deposited on the polyethylene terephthalate sheet. Another polyethylene terephthalate sheet is placed over the deposited artificial stone mix 301 and rolled with a heavy roller to compact the artificial stone mix 301. The polyethylene terephthalate sheet is removed and a layer of glass fiber is deposited on the compacted artificial stone mix 301. The glass fiber layer is wetted with an unsaturated polyester resin containing a catalyst, for example, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) and an accelerator, for example, cobalt naphtenate. A central core 401 comprising, for example, structural polyurethane foam, is placed on the resin coated glass fiber layer. The polyethylene terephthalate sheet along with the compacted artificial stone mix 301 and the coated glass fiber layer is wrapped over the structural polyurethane foam on all sides. The lines of contact from the wrapping process are made planar by rolling with a hand held light weight roller. The artificial stone mix 301 is allowed to cure over a period of 48 hours at room temperature. The polyethylene terephthalate sheet is removed from the cured artificial stone mix 301. The cured artificial stone mix 301 is polished is several stages using a rotary head polishing machine. Diamond polishing pads from, for example, about 60 grit to about 3000 grit are used for polishing. Each grit size is used in a single stage to create the table-top.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention disclosed herein. While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2929/CHE/2008 | Nov 2008 | IN | national |
This application claims the benefit of the following patent applications: 1. Provisional patent application number 2929/CHE/2008 titled “Eliminating Joint Lines In Furniture”, filed on Nov. 25, 2008 in the Indian Patent Office.2. PCT application number PCT/IN2009/000664 titled “Eliminating Joint Lines In Furniture”, filed on Nov. 19, 2009 in the Indian Patent Office. The specifications of the above referenced patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IN2009/000664 | 11/19/2009 | WO | 00 | 5/20/2011 |
