SLAB SUPPORT

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to a slab support. More specifically, the slab support as disclosed herein includes multiple inter-engageable and relatively light-weight panels adherable to a back surface of a delicate slab to provide reinforcement thereto.

Delicate stone and porcelain slabs may be used for a variety of purposes in a home, restaurant, or office, such as for custom kitchen countertops, for use in bathrooms, as desks, outdoor designs (e.g., countertops), built-in furniture, and as a decorative façade, such as for a fireplace or the like. Custom fabrication processes for such delicate slabs currently requires state of the art machinery and relatively expensive and advanced technology capable of creating high precision cuts to form the delicate stone or porcelain slab to the desired size and shape. As such, fabricating fragile thin porcelain slabs by way of cutting, transporting and installing the slab has been difficult, inefficient and costly because delicate slabs are prone to breaking during fabrication and installation due to the large size and fragility of the relatively thin body surface area. Certainly, slabs that break or are damaged during the fabrication process usually results in the complete loss of the material. Moreover, working in and around broken or damaged slabs can also be unsafe and increase the risk of worker injury.

Some fabricators have attempted to use techniques to improve cut quality and reduce the amount of breakage during the fabrication process by reducing the cutting speed and consistently recalibrating machinery from one project to another. Although, such techniques have been inconsistent in effectiveness and otherwise undesirably increase fabrication costs. Some porcelain manufacturers recommend placing a thin or delicate slab on foam boards on the processing tables to absorb vibration and impact throughout the body of the slab during formation, with the idea that doing so will reduce breakage. Although, the problem here is that smaller fabricated pieces still need to be removed from the equipment without the foam board, and remain unstable and are relatively more fragile post-fabrication. This can be particularly problematic for edge strips and/or a countertop section with a sink cut-out. Moreover, these techniques also do nothing to counter breakage during transportation after fabrication, which tend to necessitate costly fixes during installation.

To help reinforce an otherwise delicate slab, plywood sheets or concrete have been applied to the backing of such delicate slabs to provide additional structural reinforcement and support thereof. Providing additional plywood or concrete reinforcement helps reduce the potential that the delicate slab break or crack during the manufacturing and formation processes by increasing the overall structural integrity thereof. Although, plywood sheets and concrete are relatively large and/or heavy and particularly difficult to manipulate without machinery. This particularly exacerbates handling problems as relatively large delicate slabs (e.g., those to be used as kitchen countertops) become even heavier when the plywood or concrete is attached thereto. Consequently, plywood or concrete reinforced delicate stone or porcelain slabs are virtually impossible to manipulate manually, which requires the use of complex and expensive lifting systems. Moreover, plywood also absorbs water, so plywood is prone to warping, rotting, and harboring mold over time as a result. Plywood is also known to contain formaldehyde, an undesirable compound in certain environments such as kitchens. Concrete is also more prone to cracking, and not guaranteed to work as a reinforced backing.

Alternatively, fabricators have attempted to back delicate slabs with a variety of other products, most of which are expensive, perform inconsistently, are difficult to laminate, or otherwise require special equipment to laminate as a large sheet. Consequently, as a result of the complexity and cost-related issues, some fabricators simply refuse to handle thin and fragile slabs altogether, thereby undesirably narrowing the field of fabricators for consumers.

There exists, therefore, a significant need in the art for a portable slab support that includes multiple lightweight panel reinforcements manually adherable to a rear or back surface of a delicate slab by a single person and selectively engageable with one another in a keyed relationship, to reinforce the delicate slab during the fabrication process. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the slab support disclosed herein includes a lightweight and portable honeycomb structure that includes multiple reinforcement panels that selectively engage one another in a keyed relationship by way of a wave pattern, the individual reinforcement panels being adherable to a rear or back surface of a delicate slab, to reinforce the delicate slab during the cutting, forming, and/or installation processes.

In one embodiment, the slab support may be partially or entirely made from a high-durability aluminum material having a honeycomb core bonded between two metal or non-metal-based rigid skins. As such, the slab support provides structural reinforcement as a support backing when attached to a relatively delicate slab such a porcelain. Such strengthening enables the delicate slab to be more easily handled, cut, transported and installed without breaking. The aluminum material is more lightweight than plywood and the honeycomb structure provides enhanced structural reinforcement with relatively low weight gain. Moreover, the additional structural rigidity the slab support provides helps simplify the fabrication process, thereby making the fabrication process more efficient, less costly, and safer (e.g., there is no longer a need for corbels or engineering metal frames to support an overhang). Moreover, the relatively lightweight nature of the slab support allows it to be installable with a single person in less than 30 minutes, thereby saving time and minimizing overhead and fabrication costs. The slab support may be used to reinforce porcelain slabs and/or any other relatively fragile natural or engineered stone slab known in the art.

In another embodiment, the slab support disclosed herein may include a first panel sized to selectively attach to a relatively delicate slab, of which at least one side thereof is non-linear, and a second panel sized to selectively attach to the relatively delicate slab simultaneously with the first panel, wherein a non-linear side of the second panel is positionable relative to the non-linear side of the first panel for keyed engagement therewith when the first panel and the second panel selectively couple to the delicate slab to provide reinforcement thereto. When in keyed engagement, the non-linear side of the first panel and the non-linear side of the second panel slidably engage one another in flush non-slip engagement relative to one another. The combined mass of at least the first panel and the second panel may be relatively less than a mass of the delicate slab, and a combined structural rigidity of the first panel and the second panel is relatively higher than a rigidity of the delicate slab.

In one embodiment, the non-linear side of the first panel and the non-linear side of the second panel may be reciprocal wave patterns, wherein each reciprocal wave pattern includes a plurality of individual waves having a depth between 3 and 5 inches and a width between 4 and 6 inches. More specifically, such a wave pattern may be a sine wave according to the following formula: depth*sin((PI/width)*(height))+(wave center edge distance).

The slab support may also include a third panel having at least two non-linear sides, one of which has a pattern for keyed engagement with the non-linear side of the first panel and the other of which has a pattern for keyed engagement with the non-linear side of the second panel. In these embodiments, the delicate slab may be made from a porcelain material, a natural stone material, or an engineered stone material. Additionally, the first panel and the second panel may also be made from a composite material such as a high-durability water resistant aluminum.

Each of the first panel and the second panel may further include a selectively removable protective peel-ply layer that covers at least one side thereof. Here, the protective peel-ply layer may overly a double-sided tape designed to adhere each of the first and second panels to the delicate slab. In particular, the double-sided tape may include different adhesives that are designed to be specifically bondable to a slab material such as foam materials, ceramic materials, porcelain materials, engineered stone materials, natural stone materials, and/or sintered stone materials.

In another alternative embodiment, the slab support may include a base having a first side with an adhesive thereon positioned underneath a selectively removable peel-ply layer, wherein the adhesive is selectively bondable to a delicate slab. The slab support may further include a support substrate, and a core bonded between the base and the support substrate. The core may have a honeycomb structure that forms a plurality of air gaps between the base and the support substrate. Here, the combination of the base, the support substrate, and the core have a shear strength of at least 200 pounds and a density relatively lower than a density of the delicate slab bondable to the base by the adhesive.

Additionally, the base and the support substrate of the slab support may be made from polyvinyl-chloride (“PVC”) and have a density of 315-385 kg/m³and a thickness of 8-18 mm. The adhesive may be a double-sided tape or an acrylic glue having a thickness of 0.9 mm to 1.0 mm. Additionally, the removable peel-ply layer may include a shear strength of 20-30 newtons (“N”) and a tensile strength of 40-50 N at 90 degrees, and the slab support may have a fire burning index less than or equal to 250 watts per second. Additionally, in some embodiments, the slab support may include a vibration coefficient that is four times less than a vibration coefficient of the delicate slab without the slab support coupled thereto, which helps prevent the delicate slab from breaking during fabrication and transportation.

In another aspect of the embodiments disclosed herein, a process for reinforcing a delicate slab may include steps for mounting the delicate slab in a position exposing a bonding surface, removing a protective film from an attachment surface of a first support panel and from an attachment surface of a second support panel, interlocking the first support panel and the second support panel, and adhering the attachment surface of the first support panel and the attachment surface of the second support panel to the bonding surface of the delicate slab. This process may further include the step of attaching a third support panel in interlocking keyed relationship between the first support panel and the second support panel, whereby the slab support includes three support panels instead of two.

Additionally, the attachment surfaces of the first support panel and the second support panel may be cleaned with an ultra-violet (“UV”) light prior to assembly. Moreover, the process disclosed herein may further include steps for applying a primer to the attachment surface of the first panel and the second panel, drying the primer for at least one hour prior to the adhering step, and then applying an adhesive to the bonding surface of the delicate slab for attachment to the primed attachment surfaces of the first and second panels. The first support panel and the second support panel may also be clamped to the delicate slab after the adhering step, and then the adhesive may be allowed to cure for at least 24 hours at room temperature.

Additionally, the first support panel may include a non-linear side reciprocally keyed for engagement with a non-linear side of the second support panel, wherein the respective non-linear sides of the first and second panels may include a wave pattern. Here, the interlocking step may include the step of distributing a shear force along an arcuate surface between the interlocked first support panel and second support panel along the wave pattern. As such, the first and second panels may also effectively self-align with one another along the reciprocal wave patterns during the interlocking step. This may further assist in aligning an outer periphery of the first support panel with a portion of an outer periphery of the delicate slab and an outer periphery of the second support panel with another portion of the outer periphery of the delicate slab during the reinforcing process.

Additionally, the processes disclosed herein may include the step of peeling a peel-ply layer off of a pressure-sensitive double-sided adhesive tape coupled to the attachment surfaces of the first panel and the second panel, wherein the adhering step includes the step of activating a pressure sensitive adhesive between the delicate slab and each of the first support panel and the second support panel to facilitate adhesive bonding of the support panels to the delicate slab.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a slab support as disclosed herein relative to a delicate slab;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the slab support, further illustrating a left support panel, a middle support panel, and a right support panel having a respective set of wave patterns in keyed relation relative to one another;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view taken about the circle 3 in FIG. 2, further illustrating a wave of the wave pattern;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view taken about the circle 4 in FIG. 1, further illustrating keyed engagement of the respective wave patterns of the left support panel and the middle support panel;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a process for reinforcing the delicate slab with the slab support disclosed herein;

FIG. 6 is an environmental perspective view illustrating cutting the slab support to the size of the delicate slab;

FIG. 7 is an environmental perspective view illustrating the delicate slab mounted to an A-frame rack;

FIG. 8 is an environmental perspective view illustrating cleaning a bonding surface of the delicate slab;

FIG. 9 is an environmental perspective view illustrating removing a protective film from an abraded surface of the middle support panel;

FIG. 10 is an environmental perspective view illustrating cleaning the abraded surface of the middle support panel;

FIG. 11 is an environmental perspective view illustrating applying a primer to the abraded surface;

FIG. 12 is an environmental perspective view illustrating mixing an adhesive;

FIG. 13 is an environmental perspective view illustrating applying the adhesive to a back surface of the delicate slab;

FIG. 14 is an environmental perspective view illustrating spreading the adhesive on the back surface of the delicate slab with a trowel;

FIG. 15 is an environmental front view illustrating adhering the right support panel to the adhesive on the back surface of the delicate slab;

FIG. 16 is an environmental front view illustrating adhering the middle support panel to the adhesive on the back surface of the delicate slab in keyed engagement with the wave pattern of the right support panel;

FIG. 17 is an environmental front view illustrating adhering the left support panel to the adhesive on the back surface of the delicate slab in keyed engagement with the wave pattern of the middle support panel;

FIG. 18 is an environmental front view illustrating vibrating the left support panel into leveled engagement with the delicate slab;

FIG. 19 is an environmental front view illustrating curing the left support panel, the middle support panel, and the right support panel to form a reinforced slab support for the delicate slab;

FIG. 20 is a partial cut-away perspective view illustrating an internal honeycomb structure of each of the left support panel, the middle support panel, and the right support panel;

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative slab support as disclosed herein;

FIG. 22 is a flow chart illustrating a process for reinforcing the delicate slab with the alternative slab support of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an environmental perspective view illustrating removing a protective peel-ply covering protecting an adhesive of the alternative slab support;

FIG. 24 is an environmental front view illustrating adhering a right support panel of the alternative slab support to the back surface of the delicate slab;

FIG. 25 is an environmental front view illustrating adhering a middle support panel of the alternative slab support to the back surface of the delicate slab in keyed engagement with the wave pattern of the right support panel;

FIG. 26 is an environmental front view illustrating adhering the left support panel of the alternative slab support to the back surface of the delicate slab in keyed engagement with the wave pattern of the middle support panel;

FIG. 27 is an environmental perspective view illustrating transporting the alternative slab support reinforced delicate slab with a lift;

FIG. 28 is an environmental view illustrating cutting the alternative slab support reinforced delicate slab with a circular saw;

FIG. 29 is a side view illustrating cutting the alternative slab support reinforced delicate slab with a hand saw;

FIG. 30 is a side view illustrating the alternative slab support reinforced delicate slab cut to form a countertop overhang; and

FIG. 31 is an environmental perspective view illustrating the alternative slab support reinforced delicate slab assembled into the countertop overhang.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the exemplary drawings for purposes of illustration, the present disclosure for a slab support is generally illustrated in FIGS. 1-2, 19, 26-31 with respect to reference numerals 40, 40′. In general, the slab support 40, 40′ may generally be made from a series of interconnectable sections that are designed to be handled by a single person to reinforce a delicate slab 42 (e.g., pre-fabricated from natural or engineered stone, porcelain, thin-bodied porcelain, sintered stone, ultra-compact surface, or any other relatively fragile or brittle slab material known in the art). More specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment wherein the slab support 40 is made from three sections, namely a left support panel 44, a middle support panel 46, and a right support panel 48. Although, of course, the slab support 40 may be made from as few as one panel, and may also be made from four or more panels depending on the size of the delicate slab 42 the slab support 40 is designed to reinforce. In the embodiment of the three support panels 44, 46, 48, each are sized so a single person can manually install the slab support 40 to the delicate slab 42 in less than 30 minutes, as discussed in more detail below with respect to a process (500) illustrated in FIGS. 5-19. Since a panel the size of an entire slab is typically too large for a single person to handle, the slab support 40 disclosed herein provides an alternative solution that fabricators can adopt without the need to purchase expensive fabrication equipment.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, in one embodiment, each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 may be partially or entirely constructed from a high-durability aluminum material having a honeycomb core 50 bonded between an upper rigid skin 52 and a lower rigid skin 54. In an alternative embodiment, the honeycomb core 50 and/or either of the upper rigid skin 52 or the lower rigid skin 54 may be made from another metal or non-metal material, including, e.g., a lightweight composite material that provides further strength at a relatively minimal weight gain. As such, the slab support 40 is able to provide structural reinforcement as a support backing when attached to the delicate slab 42. Moreover, the honeycomb shape of the core 50 includes a series of air gaps 56 therein naturally decreasing the overall density and weight of the slab support 40 for use with the delicate slab 42, as disclosed herein. Thus, unlike plywood or concrete, the slab support 40 is relatively lightweight and water and moisture resistant, thereby substantially decreasing any potential for warping or rotting years after installation. The slab support 40 is particularly advantageous over plywood and concrete because the overall structure remains relatively more rigid, durable, safe and sanitary during the usable life thereof. Also advantageously, when the delicate slab 42 has the slab support 40 applied thereto as disclosed herein, there is no longer a need to build in corbels or to integrate an engineered metal frame to support an overhang as the slab support 40 provides the necessary structural reinforcement for the delicate slab 42.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 and 16-19, each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 have a keyed configuration designed to interconnect with one another. More specifically, in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, 9-10, and 15-19, the keyed configuration is in the form of a wave pattern 58. Each of the respective wave patterns 58 of each of the three support panels 44, 46, 48 are machined for keyed engagement with one another as best illustrated, e.g., in FIG. 19. In one embodiment, each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 may be between 40-50 inches wide and 60-70 inches in height. More specifically, each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 may be 45 inches wide and 65 inches in height. Additionally, an individual wave 60 (e.g., as best illustrated in FIG. 3) in each of the wave patterns 58 may have a depth 62 of 3-5 inches, and more specifically the depth 62 may be 4 inches. The individual wave 60 may also have a width 64 of 4-6 inches, and more specifically the width 64 may be 5 inches. In one embodiment best illustrated in FIG. 2, the wave pattern 58 may be defined as a sine wave calculated by: Depth 62*sin ((PI/Width 64)*(Height 65))+(Wave Center Edge Distance 67).

The wave pattern 58 provides several advantages over a straight cut panel, including, e.g., that the wave pattern 58 serves as a guide for non-slip engagement in one orientation during assembly. Each respective panel 44, 46, 48 may simply be pulled together (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 4) so their respective wave patterns 58 slidably engage in flush engagement therewith, such as illustrated generally in FIGS. 16-19 and 25-26. Thus, aligning one of the support panels 44, 46, 48 along the delicate slab 42 provides little room for misalignment of the other of the support panels 44, 46, 48 when the slab support 40 is fully formed to the delicate slab 42 as discussed herein. In other words, the wave patterns 58 are self-aligning when in flush engagement. Moreover, the wave patterns 58 also provide a stronger joint that prevents relative movement of one support panel relative to another.

Specifically with respect to the three-panel embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wave patterns 58 hold the left support panel 44 relative to the middle support panel 46 and hold the middle support panel 46 relative to the right support panel 48. Straight cut panels known in the art have a tendency to allow one panel to slip or move relative to another panel as there is no interconnected engagement therebetween like the wave patterns 58 disclosed herein. Additionally, the relative sizing of the waves 60 within each of the wave patterns 58 helps distribute tension along a curved or arcuate surface thereof to reduce individual stress points, whereas straight cuts tend to have, at most, a singular weak point due to minimal surface-to-surface engagement between adjoining panels.

As generally illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 may be constructed with one side being pre-coated with an epoxy primer 66 for additional bond strength when applied to a back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42 using a two-part epoxy. As such, when the support panels 44, 46, 48 are adhered to the delicate slab 42 in the form illustrated, e.g., in FIG. 19, the slab support 40 will perform as well as (if not better than) a full plywood panel of commensurate size and shape, and the resultant reinforced slab is lighter. Moreover, the slab support 40 can be attached to the delicate slab 42, as discussed in more detail below, manually by one person and without the need for expensive fabrication equipment. The keyed interfaces of the wave patterns 58, in particular, ensure consistent alignment and inter-engagement of each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 during assembly and are otherwise relatively easy to install as a result (e.g., one panel is unlikely to slide relative to another due to the interlocking relationship of each). As such, assembly of the slab support 40 on the delicate slab 42 can be completed by one person in a relatively short amount of time (e.g., under 30 minutes).

FIG. 5 illustrates a process (500) for reinforcing the delicate slab 42 having the slab support 40 thereon, as disclosed herein. As generally illustrated in FIG. 6, the first step (502) in the process (500) is to, if necessary, cut the slab support 40 with a circular saw 70 (or like device such as a table saw) to the corresponding size of the delicate slab 42 to which the slab support 40 is to be applied. In one embodiment, the standard size of the slab support 40 may be 136″×64″ when all three of the support panels 44, 46, 48 are fully assembled and adhered to the delicate slab 42. In this respect each of the left support panel 44, the middle support panel 46, and the right support panel 48 may be cut to the dimensions illustrated in FIG. 2. To the extent the subject delicate slab 42 is smaller, the slab support 40 would be cut to size as part of this first step (502).

The next step (504) illustrated in FIG. 5 is to mount the delicate slab 42 to a rack 72 (e.g., the A-frame 72 illustrated in FIG. 7), in a position where the delicate slab 42 is able to remain undisturbed for at least 24 hours to permit curing. Once mounted, the next step (506) is to wipe down a bonding surface 74 of the delicate slab 42 with a cleaning agent using a non-abrasive rag 76, such as illustrated in FIG. 8, to ensure correct or desired adhesive bonding.

Thereafter, the next step (508) includes removing a protective film 78 from a smooth surface (not shown) and an opposing abraded surface 80 (illustrated in FIG. 9) of each of the support panels 44, 46, 48. In this respect, the abraded surface 80 (FIG. 9) is the side to be bonded to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42. The next step (510) is to wipe down the abraded side 70 of each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 with a cleaning agent (e.g., acetone) using a non-abrasive rag 82, as illustrated, e.g., in FIG. 10. This helps ensure that any remaining adhesive from the protective film 78 is wiped off the abrasive surface 80 before attempting to bond the panel to the delicate slab 42.

The next step (512) in the process (500) illustrated in FIG. 5 is to apply a primer to the abraded surface 80 of each of the support panels 44, 46, 48, and then allow the applied primer to dry for at least 1 hour. The primer is designed to enhance the bonding strength between the delicate slab 42 and each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 making up the slab support 40 when used in combination with an adhesive. FIG. 11, e.g., illustrates applying the primer to the abraded surface 80 with a paint roller 84, although other primer application techniques known in the art may be used as well.

Next, FIG. 12 illustrates a step (514) of thoroughly mixing an adhesive 86 such that the resulting color is consistent throughout. Once mixed, the adhesive 86 is applied to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42 with a spreader 88, as illustrated in FIG. 13 with respect to a step (516). FIG. 14 illustrates using a trowel 90 (e.g., a ¼″ trowel) to more evenly spread the adhesive 86 along the back surface 68 to effectively create a series of trowel lines 92 within the adhesive 86 as part of a step (518). The trowel lines 92 may be all generally aligned in one direction (e.g., horizontally as illustrated in FIG. 14) to enhance bonding effectiveness.

The next step (520) in the fabrication process (500) is illustrated in FIG. 15 with respect to placing the right support panel 48 against the delicate slab 42, and aligning the outer periphery of the right support panel 48 to that of the right side of the delicate slab 42. Firmly pressing down on the right support panel 48 while wiggling the support panel 48 back and forth perpendicular to the trowel lines 92 helps bind the support panel 48 to the adhesive 86. If the delicate slab 42 is not substantially flat, the right support panel 48 may be clamped to the delicate slab 42 so the right support panel 48 does not sag while curing.

The next step (522) is illustrated in FIG. 16, wherein the middle support panel 46 is adhered to the adhesive 86 on the delicate slab 42 in keyed relationship with the right support panel 48, namely by interlocking the respective wave patterns 58 of each of the support panels 46, 48. The same press/wiggle process referred to with respect to step (520) may be repeated to properly adhere the middle support panel 46 to the adhesive 86. The same basic process is then repeated with respect to step (524) wherein the left support panel 44 is adhered to the adhesive 86 on the delicate slab 42 in keyed relationship with the middle support panel 46. In this respect, FIGS. 15-17 illustrate that a single person 94 is able to carry the respective left support panel 44 (FIG. 18), the middle support panel 46 (FIG. 17), and the right support panel 48 (FIG. 16), such as with a pair of suction cups 96, for coupling to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42. As a result, no expensive machinery is needed to reinforce the delicate slab 42 with the slab support 40.

Once each of the support panels 44, 46, 48 are applied over the adhesive 86 on the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42, the next step (526) is to use a vibrating suction cup 98 on a rear surface 100 of the now formed slab support 40 so that the support panels 44, 46, 48 more evenly adhere to the adhesive 86 underneath. To this end, the last step (528), as illustrated in FIG. 19, is to cure the adhesive 86 by allowing the fully formed combination of the slab support 40 on the delicate slab 42 to remain undisturbed on the rack 72 for at least 24 hours at room temperature. Once the two-part epoxy cures, the now reinforced slab 102 may be handled as easily as a stronger engineered stone slab for fabrication and installation.

In another embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 21, an alternative slab support 40′ illustrated herein includes a set of high-density, rigid foam panels (e.g., made from polyvinyl-chloride (“PVC”)) having a density (e.g., 315-385 kilograms per meter cubed (“kg/m³”) and thickness (e.g., 8-18 millimeters (“mm”)) designed to provide shock and vibration dampening properties, quick and easy installation, and improved safety by way of providing reinforcement for the delicate slab 42 through the entire shipping, handling, fabrication, and installation process. Similar to the slab support 40 discussed above, the alternative slab support 40′ may also include a set of similarly shaped panels, including a left support panel 44′, a middle support panel 46′, and a right support panel 48′ made from the above-mentioned foam material. Although, of course, the alternative slab support 40′ may also be made from as few as one panel, or may be made from four or more panels depending on the size of the delicate slab 42 the slab support 40′ is designed to reinforce.

In this embodiment, each of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ are likewise able to quickly and easily bond to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42 (e.g., including, but not limited to, porcelain, sintered stone, ultra-compact surfaces, and/or other fragile slabs as disclosed herein), to provide added support and safety to ensure the reinforced slab 102′ (best illustrated in FIG. 27) is able to be shipped, handled, fabricated, and installed without breakage.

When compared to known methods for reinforcing delicate slabs, the slab support 40′ costs relatively less, is relatively faster to install, has a relatively lighter weight and, by extension, is easier to handle. In one embodiment, the slab support 40′ may be formed from the aforementioned three panels 44′, 46′, 48′ and be approximately 65″×128″×⅝″ in size. In another embodiment, the slab support 40′ may include two of the middle support panels 46′, in addition to the left support panel 44′ and the right support panel 48′, whereby the entire slab support 40′ is a four-piece panel having an approximate size of 65″×136″×⅝″. Appropriately, the slab support 40′ is thus suitable to reinforce delicate slabs 42 that are 63″×128″ and larger. Although, of course, the slab support 40′ may also be suitable to reinforce delicate slabs 42 that are smaller than 63″×128″ (e.g., in one or two panel embodiments). Because the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ in the three-panel design are approximately a third of the size of a full 63″×128″ panel, each of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ are less costly to ship, handle, and ultimately install. Even in a two-panel design, the individual support panels 44′, 48′ would still be approximately half the size of a full 63″×128″ panel. As such, the person 94 should normally be able to handle and install up to three of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ in less than 10 minutes, as discussed in more detail below.

Similar to the embodiments disclosed above, FIGS. 21 and 24-26 illustrate that each of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ are machined to have a keyed configuration designed to interconnect with one another by way of a wave pattern 58′, as best illustrated, e.g., in FIG. 26. In one embodiment, the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ may have the dimensions as disclosed herein with respect to the support panels 44, 46, 48, e.g., in some embodiments each wave 60 in each of the wave patterns 58′ may have the depth 62 of approximately 3-5 inches, and more specifically 4 inches; and the width 64 of approximately 4-6 inches, and more specifically 5 inches. The respective wave patterns 58′ provide a guide for assembly onto the delicate slab 42, which reduces the potential for placing one or more of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ in an incorrect or offset position from another of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′. Thus, aligning one of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ along the delicate slab 42 provides little room to misalign any of the other support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ when the slab support 40′ is fully formed to the delicate slab 42, as disclosed herein. In other words, the wave patterns 58′ are self-aligning when in flush engagement with one another.

The inter-locking nature of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ featuring the wave patterns 58′ also provides several additional advantages over a straight cut panel. In addition to being self-aligning, the wave patterns 58′ serve as a guide for non-slip engagement during assembly whereas a straight cut panel has a weak joint prone to slippage along its straight length. Additionally, the interlocking wave patterns 58′ are also able to dissipate destructive forces along a larger surface area (e.g., akin to a concrete expansion joint) because the forces are spread over each wave 60, as opposed to a single focused failure point. As such, the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ with their interlocking wave patterns 58′ are multiple times more resistant to breakage than a straight cut panel because straight cut panels are subject to breakage along a line.

As illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 23, each of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ include a protective peel-ply covering 104 sealing in or otherwise protecting an adhesive 106 coating the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′. In one embodiment, the adhesive 106 may be a pressure-sensitive double-sided adhesive tape that remains bonded to the substrate of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ when the protective peel-ply covering 104 is removed therefrom, e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 23. Once the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ are affixed to the back surface 68 of the delicate substrate 42, the adhesive 106 cures at a rate wherein the respective support panel 44′, 46′, 48′ remains substantially fixed to the delicate substrate 42 after a few minutes for purposes of handling. Thereafter, the adhesive 106 then fully cures or sets within 24 hours, for purposes of machining thereafter. As such, the slab support 40′ is particularly easy to install because the adhesive 106 can be exposed by simply peeling off the protective peel-ply covering 104 before immediate attachment to the delicate slab 42. As such, there is no need to mix viscous or thick epoxies or adhesives that need to be applied in between the slab support 40′ and the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42. As such, installation is cleaner, quicker, easier, and cheaper. As a result of the relatively quick curing adhesive 106, the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ are able to create a strong bond to the delicate slab 42 almost immediately, which eliminates the need to wait for an epoxy or viscous adhesive to cure over several hours. As such, the reinforced slab 102′ can be handled in a manner of minutes after assembly.

In one embodiment, the adhesive 106 may be a double-sided tape that includes adhesive properties sufficient to bond to two different surfaces. For example, in one embodiment, the double-sided tape 106 may include a first side specifically or particularly bondable to a foam material and a second side specifically or particularly bondable to a stone or ceramic slab material, such as the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42. Of course, the type of adhesive used with the double-sided tape 106 vary depending on the desired application of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′. For example, in one embodiment, the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ may need to be affixed to a porcelain slab whereby the second side of the double-sided tape 106 is specifically or particularly bondable to porcelain. Alternatively, the second side of the double-sided tape 106 may be specifically or particularly bondable to a different material, such as engineered stone, sintered stone, an ultra-compact surface, or any other slab material known in the art such as, but not limited to, granite, quartzite, marble, etc. In one embodiment, the density, adhesive, thickness, and strength of the double-sided tape 106 may be engineered specifically for bonding the foam reinforcement support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ to a specific type of material of the delicate slab 42.

In another feature of the embodiments disclosed herein, the thickness of the double—sided tape 106 may also vary depending on the application. For example, the double-sided tape 106 may be thicker to provide a more even installation of kitchen countertops when in use with relatively thinner delicate slabs, and vice versa.

Moreover, the adhesive 106 has a bond strength sufficient to remain attached to the delicate slab 42 when applied to the back surface 68 thereof. As such, when the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ adhere to the delicate slab 42 in the form illustrated, e.g., in FIG. 26, the slab support 40′ performs at least as well as, if not better than, a full plywood panel of commensurate size and shape, yet the resultant reinforced slab 102′ is lighter. Moreover, the slab support 40′ can be attached to the delicate slab 42, as discussed in more detail below, manually by one person and without the need for expensive fabrication equipment. As such, assembly of the slab support 40′ on the delicate slab 42 can be completed by one person in a relatively short amount of time (e.g., under 10 minutes).

FIG. 22 illustrates an alternative process (2200) for reinforcing the delicate slab 42 with the alternative slab support 40′. Here, the first step (2202) in the process (2200) is to mount the delicate slab 42 to the rack 72, e.g., as discussed above with respect to mounting the delicate slab 42 to the A-frame 72 as illustrated in FIG. 7. Here, the delicate slab 42 should be positionable on the rack 72 to remain substantially undisturbed for at least 24 hours, e.g., in the position illustrated in FIG. 24, to permit curing.

As such, once mounted, the next step (2204) is to clean the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42, e.g., with a cleaning agent such as isopropyl alcohol. This step (2204) initially helps prepare the back surface 68 to receive the adhesive 106, as discussed above. Further to preparing the back surface 68, the next step in the process (2200) may be to blow any remaining dirt and/or debris off the back surface 68 using a blower (not shown), as part of a step (2206). This step (2206) helps ensure that there are no irregularities along the back surface 68 that may otherwise prevent the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ from engaging the back surface 68 in flush engagement therewith. Once it is determined that the back surface 68 is adequately prepared as part of steps (2204) and (2206), the protective peel-ply covering 104 is removed from one of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′, e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 23, as part of a step (2208). Doing so exposes the adhesive 106 underneath.

The next step (2210) in the fabrication process (2200) is illustrated in FIG. 24 with respect to placing the right support panel 48′ against the delicate slab 42, and aligning the outer periphery of the right support panel 48′ to that of the right side of the delicate slab 42. Firmly pressing down on the right support panel 48′ activates the adhesive 106 to bind the support panel 48′ to the back surface 68 thereof. Alternatively, step (2210) could start by placing the left support panel 44′ against the delicate slab 42, and aligning the outer periphery of the left support panel 46′ to that of the left side of the delicate slab 42. In either embodiment, the left or right support panel 44′ or 48′ is aligned with the outer periphery of the delicate slab 42. Firmly pressing down on the applicable left or right support panel 44′ or 48′ activates the adhesive 106 to bind the applicable support panel 44′ or 48′ to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42.

Optionally for use in a three-panel design, the next step (2212), as illustrated in FIG. 25, is to adhere the middle support panel 46′ to the delicate slab 42 in keyed relationship with the right support panel 48′, namely by interlocking the respective wave patterns 58′ of each of the support panels 46′, 48′. Alternatively, in embodiments where the left support panel 44′ is first adhered to the delicate panel 42 instead of the right support panel 48′ (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25), this step (2210) could involve adhering the middle support panel 46′ to the delicate slab 42 in keyed relationship with the left support panel 44′, namely by interlocking the respective wave patterns 58′ of each of the support panels 44′, 46′. Again, firmly pressing down on the middle panel 46′ activates the adhesive 106 to bind the middle support panel 46′ to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42.

The same basic process is then repeated with respect to step (2214) wherein the other of the left support panel 44′ or the right support panel 48′ is then adhered to the delicate slab 42 in keyed relationship with the middle support panel 46′ such that all three of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ are adhered to the delicate slab 42 as illustrated in FIG. 26 to form the reinforced slab 102′.

In this respect, FIGS. 23-26 illustrate that the single person 94 is able to remove the protective peel-ply covering 104 from the applicable support panel 44′, 46′, 48′, and then carry the respective left support panel 44′ (FIG. 24), the middle support panel 46′ (FIG. 25), and the right support panel 48′ (FIG. 26) for coupling to the back surface 68 of the delicate slab 42. As a result, no expensive machinery is needed to reinforce the delicate slab 42 with the slab support 40′. Thereafter, the reinforced slab 102′ can be handled and shipped in less than 10 minutes after assembly, and the reinforced slab 102′ can be fabricated (cut) like any other slab in as little as 24 hours later. As such, the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ remain permanently bonded to the delicate slab 42 and can be installed directly onto a countertop sub-top using a special adhesive.

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 27, the reinforced slab 102′ may be moved with a lift 108 as part of a step (2216) for purposes of machining the reinforced slab 102 to a desired size, such as by way of a band saw 110 (FIG. 28) or a hand saw 112 (FIG. 29) as part of a step (2218). In this respect, FIG. 30 illustrates a pair of cross cuts 114, 116 and an end cut 118 formed from the reinforced slab 102′. Here, the delicate slab 42 remains intact along relatively thin or small sections near the cuts 114, 116, 118, which are illustrated as cleanly formed therein because the slab support 40′ provides the requisite reinforcement to prevent breaking or cracking during machining. Removing a triangular cutout 120 (FIG. 30) allows an end piece 122 to be repositioned and assembled as part of a step (2220), e.g., to that of a countertop overhang as generally illustrated in FIG. 31. Here, the relatively thin layer of the delicate slab 42 continues to remain substantially intact by way of being continually reinforced by the slab support 40′. As such, the process (2200) disclosed herein results in a product that is safer, less prone to failure, and easier to install than thicker slabs and/or slabs reinforced with plywood, fiberglass, concrete, etc. Moreover, the foam material of each of the support panels 44′, 46′, 48′ offers additional vibration and shock dampening over known prior art designs.

For example, in a vibration test, plain porcelain reinforced with the slab support 40′ performed approximately 4 times better in reducing measured vibration levels when compared to unreinforced plain porcelain. Specifically, e.g., in one test, the vibration performance of a 6 mm thick sample of plain porcelain was compared to that of a similarly shaped 6 mm thick porcelain reinforced with the slab support 40′ disclosed herein. Both samples were similarly clamped and had a vibration sensor positioned in approximately the same location to measure vibration caused by a grinder cutting into each sample in the same relative location. Here, the vibration sensor measured 117 root mean square acceleration (“GRMS”) for the plain “unreinforced” porcelain and 30 GRMS for the plain porcelain reinforced with the slab support 40′. As such, the plain porcelain reinforced with the slab support 40′ experienced approximately 4 times less vibration compared to the plain “unreinforced” porcelain during cutting.

In an adhesive bonding test, a hole was cut in the middle of a plain porcelain slab measuring 3 inches by 12 inches in size. The plain porcelain was then bonded to the slab support 40′ using a hydraulic press. Here, the adhesive was an acrylic glue bonded directly to the slab support 40′ and initially covered by way of a protective peel-off paper layer. In these embodiments, the adhesive may have a thickness of about 1.0 mm±0.05 mm, a peel strength of about 20-30 newtons (“N”) at 90 degrees, and a tensile strength of about 40-50 N. The slab support 40′ may be prepared to receive the adhesive thereon by first performing ultra-violet (“UV”) treatment and corona treatment on the receiving surface. This helps clear any debris and to create a clean and bondable surface where the slab support 40′ will receive application of the above-mentioned adhesive covered by the protective peel-off paper layer before being removed therefrom for bonding to the plain porcelain slab. In this respect, once bonded to the plain porcelain slab in this test, the slab support 40′ was pushed away from its bonded engagement to the plain porcelain by engaging the slab support 40′ directly through the hole cut in the plain porcelain slab. In this test, the adhesive bonding the slab support 40′ to the plain porcelain slab was able to withstand more than 300 pounds (“lbs.”) of force.

In a water resistance test, the slab support 40′ was compared to that of a plywood sample by submerging the two in individual buckets of water for more than 3 weeks, removing to dry, and then testing the relative moisture levels. Here, the slab support 40′ absorbed less moisture than the plywood. In fact, the moisture sensor could not accurately read the amount of moisture absorbed by the plywood because the reading was over the range of the meter as a result of the plywood absorbing too much moisture.

In a fire resistance test, the slab support 40′ also performed well, namely having a fire burning index that was less than or equal to 250 watts per second (“W/s”), the heat release after 600 seconds was less than 15 mega-joules (“MJ”), the flame tip height after 60 seconds was less than 150 mm, and the slab support 40′ experienced no burning drop that ignited filter paper after 60 seconds. Furthermore, the slab support 40′ measured a smoke generation rate of less than 180 meters cubed per second (“m³/s”) and a total smoke production after 600 seconds of less than 200 meters squared (“m2”), in this fire resistance test.

Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.

	Number	Date	Country
	63442091	Jan 2023	US
	63533096	Aug 2023	US

SLAB SUPPORT

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