Back to results
US 5,568,391 AGranted
Automated tile mosaic creation system
OwnerLance D. Mckeeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tile mosaics are created for architectural decorative surfaces or other purposes using mosaic design system linked with a manufacturing sequence to enable efficient design of mosaics and complex filings, implemented in a production line with elements for continuous cutting (46), drying (56), firing (58), glazing (52), glaze-firing, diamond film coating (64), application of resilient backing, labeling, and packaging (68) of matted sections of tiles (T) of ceramic or other materials, of any shape, size, or orientation, in which the tiles in a section are held together by embedded wires (39) or by bonding edge-to-edge.
Claims31
Apparatus for designing and manufacturing tile mosaics, comprising, in combination:
- (a) means for patterning a plan area with tile pattern comprising special program means to facilitate mosaic design and provide a digital vector pattern to guide the automated manufacture of actual custom tiles of any size or shape,
- (b) means for dividing the resulting whole design pattern into smaller patterns for separate, sections, each containing multiple tiles, and such that there are no rectilinear seam or grid lines visibly separating the sections after installation, and such that sections may be labeled after manufacturing with a description of their place in the whole design, and
- (c) means for keeping the tiles of a section in place relative to each other within a said section and from section-to-section, said means comprising a uniform sheet precursor of the tile which has embedded wires or other embedded matting material therein maintained through all steps of manufacturing and installation, so that gap widths appear even and regular in the finished product without any handling of individual tiles.
Apparatus for designing and manufacturing tile mosaics, comprising, in combination:
- (a) means for patterning a plan area with tile pattern comprising special program means to facilitate mosaic design and provide a digital vector pattern to guide the automated manufacture of actual custom tiles of any size or shape,
- (b) means for dividing the resulting whole design pattern into smaller patterns for separate, sections, each containing multiple tiles, such that three are no rectilinear seam or grid lines visibly separating the sections after installation, and such that sections may be labeled after manufacturing with a description of their place in the whole design, and
- (c) means for keeping the tiles of a section in place relative to each other within a said section and from section-to-section, said means comprising a uniform sheet precursor of the tile which has embedded wires or other embedded matting material therein maintained through all steps of manufacturing and installation, so that gap widths appear even and regular in the finished product without any handling of individual tiles, and
- (d) wherein said means for cutting a section of tiles in place comprise a tool moved by a computer-controlled x-y positioning device, such that the tiles may be of any shape, and with intentionally varying gap widths, including zero gap width, corresponding to the tiles and varying gap lines in the section of the mosaic design, and
- (e) further comprising means for trimming said embedded wires around the periphery of a section of tiles either before the wires are embedded or after the tiles have been cut, and
- (f) further comprising means for glazing or otherwise coloring individual tiles in a section of tiles, and
- (g) further comprising means for chemical vapor deposition of hard coatings on tiles to improve wear resistance and gloss, and to enable use of brightly colored low-fire glazes on floor tiles and
- (h) further comprising means for attachment of resilient underlayment to a section of tiles, for the purpose of combining the hardness and durability of ceramic tiles with the comfort and safety of resilient flooring, and to make installation easier.
5 more elements
Process for designing and manufacturing tile mosaics, comprising, in combination the steps of:
- (a) patterning a plan area with tile patterns comprising special program means to facilitate mosaic design and provide a digital vector pattern to guide the automated manufacture of actual custom tiles,
- (b) dividing the resulting whole patterned design into smaller patterns for separate, sections, each containing multiple tiles, such that there are no rectilinear seam or grid lines visibly separating the sections after installation, and such that sections may be labeled after manufacturing with a description of their place in the whole design, and
- (c) keeping the tiles of a section in place relative to each other within a said section and from section to section, said step comprising production of a uniform sheet precursor of the tiles which has embedded wires or other embedded matting material therein maintained through all steps of manufacturing and installation, so that gap widths appear even and regular in the finished product without any handling of individual tiles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.