US 10,189,041 B1Granted

Apparatus and method for spraying color into cracks of a moving formed quartz slab to create veins in an engineered stone

OwnerAlex Xieinventor

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Abstract

An apparatus including a device which moves a first portion of a soft, damp, and/or wet slab out of alignment with a majority of the slab and thus introduces a first crack in the slab; and a device for spraying a first colored material into the first crack of the slab. The device which moves the first portion of the slab out of alignment with the rest of the slab may include a first lift bar. The device for spraying the first colored material in the first crack of the slab may include a first spray bar having a plurality of nozzles fixed thereto, arranged in a substantially straight line. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus may also include a device which moves a second portion of the slab out of alignment with the majority of the slab and thereby introduces a second crack in the slab.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for using an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises

a device which moves a first portion of a slab out of alignment with a majority of the slab and thereby introduces a first crack in the slab;
and
a device for spraying a first material having a color into the first crack of the slab, so that the first crack sprayed with the first material becomes a line having the color of the first material;
a conveyor device which is configured to move in a first direction;
and
and wherein the conveyor device is configured to move the slab over a least a portion of the device which moves the first portion of the slab out of alignment with the majority of the slab;
and further comprising the steps of:
moving the first portion of the slab out of alignment with a majority of the slab and thereby introducing the first crack in the slab;
and
spraying the first material having the color into the first crack of the slab.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/131,103Filed 14 Sep 2018 · division
Priority: 2 Jan 2018
Granted: 29 Jan 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

B05B 12/02
Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area: for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery
B05B 1/20
With multiple outlet openings ; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening: perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms; Outlet elements…
B05C 9/10
For applying liquid or other fluent material and performing an auxiliary operation: the auxiliary operation being performed before the application
B05C 13/02
Means for manipulating or holding work, e.g. for separate articles: for particular articles