Mold process for producing a finished solid surface countertop
AssigneeTalon Surfaces, LLC
InventorRobert Bordener
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cast, composite countertop is prepared by spraying a castable, curable organic resin composition which includes over 20% by weight of an inorganic, particulate material therein, into a mold cavity corresponding to a top surface and side wall of a countertop so as to produce a continuous coating therein. This coating is at least partially cured, and a hardenable, liquid substrate composition introduced into the mold cavity, and the resultant composite is fully cured to produce a countertop. In some instances, an additional casting step may be employed to build up the edge thickness. Also disclosed are dual spray techniques for enhancing the surface quality of the composite, and techniques for enhancing the thermal stability thereof. Also disclosed are countertops made by the disclosed methods.
Claims22
A method for producing a cast, composite countertop, said method including the steps of:
- providing a mold having a mold cavity defined therein, said mold cavity corresponding to a countertop, and including a bottom surface which corresponds to a top surface of the countertop, and a side wall which corresponds to an edge surface of the countertop;
- providing a castable, curable, organic resin composition which includes an inorganic, particulate material therein;
- coating said cavity with said castable, curable organic resin composition so as to form a continuous coating therein which covers the bottom surface and side wall of said mold cavity;
- at least partially curing said continuous coating of castable, curable organic resin composition so as to provide an at least partially cured coating thereof;
- providing a hardenable, liquid, substrate composition;
- disposing a first portion of said hardenable, liquid, substrate composition in said mold cavity, atop only a portion of said at least partially cured coating so as to form a first layer of said hardenable liquid substrate composition therein which fills only a portion of said mold cavity and which leaves exposed a portion of said at least partially cured coating which covers said side wall;
- at least partially hardening said first layer of hardenable, liquid, substrate composition;
- disposing a dam member on said at least partially hardened first layer of hardenable liquid substrate composition, in a spaced apart relationship with the side wall of the mold cavity so as to define a space therebetween which has exposed therein said portion of said at least partially cured coating which said first layer leaves exposed;
- and
- disposing a second portion of said hardenable, liquid, substrate composition in the space defined between said dam member and said side wall;
- whereby there is provided a composite countertop having a thickness which is the greatest proximate an edge thereof.
A method for producing a thermally stable cast, composite countertop, said method including the steps of:
- providing a mold having a mold cavity defined therein, said mold cavity corresponding to a countertop, and including a bottom surface which corresponds to a top surface of the countertop, and a side wall which corresponds to an edge surface of the countertop;
- providing a castable, curable, organic resin composition;
- coating said cavity with said castable, curable organic resin composition so as to form a continuous coating therein which covers the bottom and side wall of said mold cavity;
- at least partially curing said continuous coating of castable, curable organic resin composition so as to provide an at least partially cured coating thereof;
- providing a hardenable, liquid, substrate composition which, when hardened, has a coefficient of thermal expansion which differs from a coefficient of thermal expansion of said castable, curable, organic resin composition, when cured, by no more than .+-.50%;
- disposing said hardenable, liquid, substrate composition in said mold cavity, atop said at least partially cured coating;
- and
- hardening said hardenable, liquid, substrate composition;
- whereby there is produced a thermally stable, composite countertop having a top surface comprised of a cured body of said castable, curable organic resin composition.
A method for producing a cast, composite countertop, said method including the steps of:
- providing a mold having a cavity defined therein, said cavity corresponding to a countertop, and including a bottom surface which corresponds to a top surface of the countertop, and a side wall which corresponds to an edge surface of the countertop;
- providing a castable, curable, organic resin composition which includes a first concentration of granules of a particulate material in a curable organic resin;
- spraying a first coat of said castable, curable organic resin composition into said cavity so as to flash off a portion of said curable organic resin and coat said cavity with a first continuous coating comprised of a second concentration of said granules in said curable resin, said second concentration being greater than said first concentration;
- spraying a second coat of said castable, curable organic resin composition into said cavity, atop said first continuous coating, so as to provide a second coating thereupon;
- at least partially curing said first continuous coating and said second coating;
- providing a hardenable, liquid, substrate composition;
- disposing said hardenable, liquid, substrate composition in said mold cavity, atop said second coating after said second coating has been at least partially cured;
- and
- hardening said hardenable, liquid, substrate composition;
- whereby there is produced a composite countertop having a top surface comprised of a cured body of said castable, curable organic resin composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.