US 6,641,696 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for laminating ceramic tile

OwnerDavid A. Edgertoninventor

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Abstract

A method of laminating a graphic sheet of material onto a substrate material, including the steps of positioning a substrate material, having a top and sides, into a desired position, disposing (a) at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive on the top of the substrate material, disposing (b) at least one opaque white melamine sheet on the at least one adhesive sheet, disposing the (c) graphic sheet of material on the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, disposing a (d) at least one clear sheet of melamine on the graphic sheet of material, disposing a (e) at least one release paper sheet on the at least one clear sheet of melamine, applying heat to the sheets a, b, c, d and e, and applying pressure to force said sheets a, b, c, d and e against the substrate to thereby cause bonding of said sheets a, b, c and d together and to the substrate. A preferred product produced by the method is formed with a ceramic tile as the substrate and a printed paper sheet as the graphic sheet of material.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of laminating a graphic sheet of material onto a substrate material, said method comprising:

positioning a substrate material, having a top and sides, into a desired position;
disposing (a) at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive on the top of said substrate material;
disposing (b) at least one opaque white melamine sheet on said at least one adhesive sheet;
disposing said (c) graphic sheet of material on said at least one opaque white melamine sheet;
disposing (d) at least one clear sheet of melamine on said graphic sheet of material;
disposing (e) at least one release paper sheet on said at least one clear sheet of melamine;
applying heat to said sheets sufficient to at least partially melt (a) the at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive, (b) the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, (d) the at least one clear sheet of melamine;
and
applying pressure sufficient to force said sheets (a) the at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive, (b) the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, (c) the graphic sheet of material, (d) the at least one clear sheet of melamine and (e) the at least one release paper sheet, together and against said substrate to thereby cause (1) bonding of said thermo-setting adhesive to the substrate and (2) to cause (b) the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, (c) the graphic sheet of material and (d) the at least one clear sheet of melamine to be cross-linked together.

6 more elements

An article of manufacture prepared by a process comprising:

positioning a substrate material, having a top and sides, into a desired position;
disposing (a) at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive on the top of said substrate material;
disposing (b) at least one opaque white melamine-sheet on said at least one adhesive sheet;
disposing a (c) graphic sheet of material on said at least one opaque white melamine. sheet;
disposing (d) at least one clear sheet of melamine on said graphic sheet of material;
disposing (e) at least one release paper sheet on said at least one clear sheet of melamine;
applying heat to said sheets sufficient to at least partially melt (a) the at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive, (b) the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, (d) the at least one clear sheet of melamine;
and
applying pressure sufficient to force said sheets (a) the at least one sheet of thermo-setting adhesive, (b) the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, (c) the graphic sheet of material, (d) the at least one clear sheet of melamine and (e) the at least one release paper sheet, together and against said substrate to thereby cause (1) bonding of said thermo-setting adhesive to the substrate and (2) to cause (b) the at least one opaque white melamine sheet, (c) the graphic sheet of material and (d) the at least one clear sheet of melamine to be cross-linked together.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.