Patent Application
20190208965
The present invention relates to sanitary ware, for instance a bath sink or shower base. More particularly this invention concerns a method of making the sanitary ware.
A sanitary basin has a body made of metal and an enamel coating on the body. The invention further relates to a sanitary basin preform, particularly for forming a sanitary basin according to the invention, and to a manufacturing method.
Such combinations of a body made of steel and an enamel coating thereon are also generally referred to as steel enamel. Sanitary basins made of steel enamel are characterized by high scratch, abrasion, and impact resistance and are hygienic and stain-resistant. In addition, the high-quality appearance of steel enamel is of long duration, with no color or surface changes occurring even under the influence of chemicals and heat.
The person skilled in the art is familiar with the manufacture of enamel and enameled products. Reference is made in this respect to the “Römpp Chemie Lexikon” (“Römpp's Chemistry Lexicon”), vol. 2, 9th edition, 1990, pp. 1147ff and to “Ullmanns Encyklopadie der technischen Chemie” (“Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry”), vol. 10, 4th edition, 1975, pp. 436-447.
Quartz, feldspar, soda, calcium carbonate, borax, sodium nitrate, and fluorspar and aggregates are used as raw materials for making enamel, depending on the intended use. The raw materials are mixed and melted at about 1200° C. and solidified, producing a frit in the form of granules or flakes.
The frit is ground and usually mixed with water to form a paste that is applied to the steel surface to be coated, usually a steel sheet. Before firing, the enamel coating is dried, the dried layer also being referred to as an enamel biscuit or simply biscuit.
In the context of the invention, the preform is the intermediate product that is produced in this way before the final firing process. This is true even if, in the case of a multilayer, typically two-layer application of enamel with a base enamel and a top enamel, the base enamel coating is already baked on and the top enamel coating is present thereon as a biscuit layer.
The sanitary basin can be a bathtub or a shower pan, for example. A basin is generally understood as being a body with a raised outer edge surrounding a vessel-shaped depression. The vessel-shaped depression is also usually slightly pitched toward a drain opening. In the context of the invention, bodies that deviate from the standard sense of the word are also referred to as basins. It is thus conceivable, for example, for a sanitary device that is embodied as a shower pan to consist of a substantially planar body that has a defined pitch only when installed, the slope being directed toward an outlet at the edge. The seal is created by special sealing tapes. Therefore, a broad interpretation of the term “basin” is generally required.
With sanitary basins made of steel enamel, the danger always exists of the user slipping on the surface of the sanitary bath due to moisture.
A thin film of water forms between the human skin and the surface whose formation is further promoted by surface-active substances such as those contained in personal care products such as shower gels, bath products, shampoos, or skin-care products.
In order to make a surface slip resistant, it is thus already known to break through the surface film at least in part by producing edges and roughness.
In this context, US 2004/0105966 describes a sanitary basin made of metal with an enameled surface, with the enameled surface being provided in at least one section with an anti-slip coating. The anti-slip coating consists of a granular inorganic material that is firmly bonded to the enameled surface by firing.
Alternatively, DE 4309019 describes a sanitary basin having a non-slip floor surface produced by mechanical roughening. The roughening is done by blasting using corundum or glass beads by etching, brushing, or grinding. The described method is primarily suitable for basins made of acrylic glass, but it is also intended to be used for enameled steel basins. However, the mechanical removal of material from enameled surfaces is very elaborate in terms of production engineering. In addition, mechanical material removal has the disadvantage of damaging the high-quality enameled surface.
Moreover, slip-resistant structures according to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,167,879 and 6,434,897 EP 0 825 917 B1 can also be produced by generating microcraters by a laser. Such a manner of application for steel enamel basins is also known from DE 20 2016 003 216, according to which small depressions or elevations are introduced into the surface of the already-formed shower pan or bathtub by the laser. Overall, however, this method has room for improvement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved sanitary ware and method of making same.
Another object is the provision of such an improved sanitary ware and method of making same that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particular that modifies a sanitary basin such that it is easy to manufacture and it has especially effective anti-slip properties on the surface, more particularly on the surface walked on by the user.
A method of making a sanitary basin has according to the invention the steps of providing a steel basin body, coating a face of the body with a layer of enamel, and forming macroscopic structures into the enamel coating with a laser beam. In the context of the invention a “macroscopic structure” is a structure in the form of an elevation or depression having a length of at least 4 mm, preferably 10 mm or more, and/or a base area of at least 1 mm2.
The invention is based on the insight that the water film can be broken up in a targeted manner by such macroscopic structures. If the macroscopic structures are depressions, it is expedient for the macroscopic structures to be configured in such a way that the base area of the depression is suitable for receiving and/or dissipating at least part of the water quantity. In the case of macroscopic structures in the form of elevations, then the valleys between the elevations should fulfill this task.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the structures are interconnected. For example, a channel network can then be created by the macroscopic structures, in which case the individual channels are either branched or arranged successively one after the other. It is also possible for such an arrangement of macroscopic structures to form a self-contained channel system, for example in the form of a rectangle or a circle.
The body is pitched, it being possible for the macroscopic structures to be aligned on this slope. Such an orientation of macroscopic structures serving as channels can transport the water in a targeted manner toward the drain opening. It is unimportant here whether the macroscopic structures are interconnected or not. If the macroscopic structures are not interconnected, an array of a plurality of grooves in a star shape around the drain opening is recommended that are embodied in the form of depressions or even two adjacent arranged depressions. The channels can for example be straight or wave-shaped or zigzag-shaped. When using interconnected macroscopic structures, at least individual structures are aligned on the slope and/or extend toward the drain opening. The macroscopic structures that do not extend toward the slope can then preferably be branched off from at least one structure that extends toward the drain opening.
Often however, transporting of water by the described macroscopic structures is not crucial. Instead, it is considered essential to provide edges at which the water film is locally disrupted. Particularly in the case of linear structures, the effective edge length is decisive for a wavy course. In this context, it should also be observed that the generation of the macroscopic structures by lasers generally does not result in a straight but rather a wavy edge course. A certain wavy structure and an associated irregularity is particularly advantageous for the interruption of a coherent water film. On the other hand, larger disruptions should be avoided.
For the macroscopic structures to achieve a good anti-slip effect, the macroscopic structures preferably have a depth in the range from 10 μm to 150 μm. The depth of the macroscopic structures is especially preferably between 20 μm and 50 μm, particularly between 30 μm and 40 μm.
In the case of a linear configuration of the macroscopic structures, the width can be between 35 μm and 250 μm, for example, with a range between 70 μm and 130 μm being especially preferred.
It should be noted that the specified values refer to a mean line width, since the edges are not straight but extend in a certain wavy or jagged shape. For example, if a linear macroscopic structure having a line width of 85 μm is formed, the variation in the line width can typically lie in a range between −8 μm and +15 μm. Such a variation in the line width is readily acceptable and is even advantageous because the irregular course increases the effective edge length.
It is also advantageous if the macroscopic structures have a mutual spacing in the range from 1 mm to 20 mm, preferably in the range from 2 mm to 7 mm. This mutual spacing is intended to ensure that a sufficient number of macroscopic structures can be arranged in a corresponding surface section of the sanitary basin, so that the amount of water can also be effectively absorbed or transported away.
As a matter of principle, it lies within the scope of the invention that the macroscopic structures can be distributed over the entire surface of the sanitary basin. Preferably, however, macroscopic structures are provided only where an anti-slip effect is required. For example, the edge areas of a sanitary basin may be able do without such structures. The proportion of the surface of the sanitary basin that is provided with macroscopic structures is in the range from 5% to 100%, for example between 40% and 50%. In the case of shower pans in particular, it may also happen to be advantageous if the entire surface is provided with macroscopic structures.
The invention also relates to a sanitary basin preform that is particularly intended to form a sanitary basin according to the invention having a body made of steel and a enamel coating on the body, with the enamel coating carrying at least one unfired frit layer in the form of a biscuit layer. According to the invention, this sanitary basin preform is characterized in that the unfired structure layer is modified with a laser beam. In the context of the invention, the sanitary basin preform is to be understood as a semifinished product from which an enameled sanitary basin can be formed.
The sanitary basin preform according to the invention is based on the insight that the unfired structured layer of enamel frits can already be modified with a laser in such a way that, after a final firing process, no further steps are required in order to form an anti-slip surface. In particular, laser processing of the surface that has undergone final firing can then be dispensed with. In this way, the problem of an already-finished topcoat being potentially damaged by the laser processing such that the water impermeability is compromised is avoided. According to the present invention, only the sanitary basin preform is processed, so that possible damage that may already be present can be compensated for before the firing process. What is more, the modification of a sanitary basin preform is advantageous in terms of process management compared to the modification of a sanitary basin that has undergone final firing.
According to the conventional configuration, the enamel coating is composed of one to three sublayers. In the case of a three-layer construction, there is the enamel layer consisting of a base layer and a cover layer thereon, and the frit layer is on the cover layer. In principle, however, it is also possible to 10o form the coating in only two layers with a cover layer and a structure/frit layer, in which case the cover layer is composed of so-called direct white. This is especially possible if the basin preform is made of nickel-plated steel. Finally, a single-layer construction is possible, in which case the macroscopic structures are then introduced with the laser into the still-unfired layer of direct white. Particularly in the case of a basin preform made of nickel-plated steel and a sufficiently thick biscuit layer of the not-yet-fired direct white, this is readily possible in the context of the invention.
The laser can then be used to make various types of modifications in order to achieve anti-slip structures in the unfired structure or frit.
According to a first variant, the unfired structure layer has notches burnt in by the laser beam. The laser beam thus removes ground enamel frits or the (dried) slip in the structure layer. The laser beam must be of sufficiently high energy in order to do this. This is usually done using a pulsed laser such as a Nd:YAG laser or a CO2 laser. The laser energy is concentrated here in a short time pulse so that very high laser power is available for a brief moment.
The depth of the notch is generally limited to the thickness of the structure layer, the structure or frit preferably having a thickness in the range from 100 μm to 200 μm. Since the cover layer and, optionally, also a base layer beneath the structure layer must not be damaged during the modification by a laser beam, a smaller depth of the notch is best, with it being preferred for the structure layer to have at least a residual layer thickness of 50 μm, for example.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a modification by laser can also be provided such that the structure layer is fixed only partially to the cover layer with the laser beam. In contrast to a full-surface structure layer with notches introduced according to this variant, the structure layer is no longer spread over the entire surface of the cover layer and thus forms by itself an anti-slip surface in the form of elevations on the cover layer. In this case as well, both an at least two-layer structure with a cover layer of direct white and a three-layer structure with an additional layer are possible. The structure or frit is fixed to the cover layer such that the enamel frit layer is partially melted with the laser beam and thereby solidified. The non-solidified regions of the structure layer can then be removed, in which case the solidified regions remain on the cover layer in the form of ridges or bumps.
In contrast to the modifications already known from the state of the art, macroscopic structures such as channels, for example, that are formed in an especially preferred manner can already be introduced into or applied to the sanitary basin preform. There is thus a complete modification of the sanitary basin preform that is then formed into a finished sanitary basin through a final firing. Subsequent processing of the fired structure layer is not required.
In addition to a sanitary basin and a sanitary basin preform, a method of making a sanitary basin according to the invention constitutes part of the invention. A sanitary basin preform is first formed such that an enamel coating is applied to a body made of steel with an unfired structure or frit, upon which the unfired structure layer is modified by a laser beam. For this purpose, the enamel coating typically has a one- to three-layer construction. In the case of an at least three-layer construction, a base layer is first applied to the body, and a cover layer is then applied to this base layer. A firing process for fixing the individual layers to the body is usually carried out between the application of the individual layers. The unfired structure layer of enamel frits is then applied to the cover layer and then modified with a laser beam.
If the enamel coating has a two-layer design, the cover layer can be applied directly to the body. An additional base layer is thus not required. In this method, a cover layer of so-called direct white is used. Furthermore, the body must be a body of nickel-plated steel.
A two-layer construction is also possible if a base layer is initially applied and fired before the described structuring is then performed in a sufficiently thick cover layer. The cover layer then coincides with the structuring layer.
After all, a single layer and thus a single firing process is also likewise sufficient if nickel-plated steel and a sufficiently thick layer of direct white are used.
The application of the enamel coating or of the individual layers of the enamel coating can be performed by all application methods that are known from the prior art, with it being readily understood that, as in the frit layer, the enamel can be applied wet in the form of ground enamel frit or as a liquid slip in a spraying process, dried, and subsequently fired. To produce anti-slip structures, the cover layer is then modified with the laser, with two different modification methods having proven to be advantageous that have already been described in connection with the sanitary basin.
According to a first variant, material is removed by the laser beam and, as a result, notches or grooves are produced in the unfired structure layer. For this purpose, preferably lasers are used that generate a pulsed laser beam, such as an Nd:YAG laser or CO2 laser. It is possible as a matter of principle to focus the laser beam and then aim it directly onto the unfired structure layer.
According to a second variant of the method, the laser beam partially melts and solidifies material of the unfired structure layer. In contrast to the previous method, there is thus no removal of material or no appreciable removal of material, but rather only a partial fixation of the structure layer as a result of the effect of heat from the laser beam. As a result of the fixation in certain areas, solidified and non-solidified regions thus form in the unfired structure layer, with the non-solidified regions remaining mechanically sensitive to external influences.
Therefore, in order to form anti-slip structures, the non-solidified material is then preferably removed, particularly blown off. In principle, however, rinsing with water or brushing is possible.
Through the removal of the non-solidified material, the unfired structure layer forms elevations on the cover layer to intentionally disrupt the water film. It will readily be understood that the unfired structure layer is then also disposed only in the regions on the cover layer in which the structure layer was previously also solidified. The cover layer can thus be exposed in regions, so that the coating, less a possible base layer, is embodied in a single layer and in two layers.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the unfired structure layer is applied to the cover layer only in certain regions. This approach utilizes the consideration that an unfired structure layer need only be applied where an anti-slip structure is to be subsequently achieved through modification of the unfired structure layer. Special applied masks that allow the application of the structure or frit only where a corresponding opening is provided can also be considered in this regard. The material used can thus be substantially reduced in an especially advantageous manner.
The unfired structure layer is then fired, thus forming a finished sanitary basin. In a preferred development of the invention, the unfired structure layer is first heated to a temperature between the glass transition temperature and the softening point of the enamel prior to fixation with the laser beam. This approach offers the advantage that only a comparatively small amount of energy has to be applied with the laser beam in order to fix the unfired structure layer, since a substantial part of the temperature increase already takes place as a result of the additional heating process. The laser beam is then used only to exceed the threshold for fixation without requiring appreciable energy input for a temperature increase.
After the modification of the unfired structure layer, either in the form of notches or in the form of an area-by-area fixation, the sanitary basin preform then preferably undergoes a final firing, thus forming a finished sanitary basin.
In a preferred development of the invention, the unfired structure layer is modified with the laser beam in such a way that macroscopic structures, particularly interconnected macroscopic structures such as branched or closed grooves, for example, are produced in the structure layer. Such structures can be produced in such a way, for example, that the laser or laser beam is guided along a predetermined direction and macroscopic structures that are created as a result in the form of grooves are formed by notches in the cover layer or two mutually adjacent solidified regions in the structure layer.
However, the formation of interconnected macroscopic structures is not limited to the above-described variants of the method but can also be applied, for example, to a ready-made sanitary basin, particularly a steel enamel basin, in which case the interconnected macroscopic structures are introduced into the fired cover layer by a laser.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:
This is a shower pan made of steel enamel with an enamel coating on its upper face. Macroscopic structures produced in this enamel coating with a laser beam are also introduced and/or applied, it being possible for these macroscopic structures to have different configurations. Grooves or linear structures are especially preferred. According to the sanitary basin at the top in
The lower part of
In this context,
According to
Then, according to
Depending on the power of the laser 5 or the strength of the laser beam 6, and depending on the duration of the exposure time of the laser beam 6 in the structure layer 4, notches 7 of different depths can be produced, the depth of the notches 7 being limited by the layer thickness of the structure layer 4. The depth of the notches 7 can only be so large that sufficient residual thickness remains in the region of the notches 7 in the structure layer 4. If the structure layer 4 is intended to cover the underlying layer in terms of color, then a residual thickness of greater than 80 μm is preferably provided. If color coverage is not necessary, the residual thickness can certainly also be smaller.
Once all the notches 7 have been produced with the laser 5 within the frit layer 4, in a next method step according to
For best visibility,
According to
The method steps for forming such a sanitary basin with an enamel coating without a base layer 2 correspond substantially to the steps already described for a three-layer coating according to
Instead of notches 7, the structure layer 4 can also be modified in another way by a laser beam 6, with anti-slip structures also being formed in the coating in this case. According to
In a next method step according to
Subsequently, in a method step according to
Finally,
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102018100159.2 | Jan 2018 | DE | national |
| 102018118041.1 | Jul 2018 | DE | national |
