Glass veneer on ceramics
OwnerWalter Henry Huberinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of polishing a fired ceramic article such as brick, tile etc article comprising applying to a surface of fired ceramic article a hardening/densifying compound comprising a member selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, silicates, siliconates, fluorosilicates, siloxanes, silazanes, silanes, silicon esters, and combinations thereof and allowing the hardening/densifying compound to contact with the surface for a period of time sufficient to allow the compound to harden surface, which can then be ground, polished etc to a high gloss.
Claims48
A method of polishing a surface of a fired ceramic article, comprising the steps of:
- a) applying to a surface of a fired ceramic article a hardening/densifying compound comprising at least one hydroxide and at least one silicate, or at least one hydroxide and silica;
- b) allowing the hardening/densifying compound to contact the surface for a period of time sufficient to allow the hardening/densifying compound to harden the surface;
- and
- c) polishing the surface.
A method of polishing a kiln-fired ceramic surface, comprising the steps of:
- (a) applying to the ceramic surface a diluted polishing compound, at a rate sufficient to adequately penetrate the surface, wherein the diluted polishing compound comprises at least one hydroxide and at least one silicate, or at least one hydroxide and silica, in water or alcohol;
- and (b) polishing the ceramic surface to which the diluted polishing compound has been applied.
A method of honing and polishing a rough, irregular, ceramic surface, comprising the steps of:
- (a) honing the ceramic surface with a rough grit honing pad, disc or drum with or without a lubricant to produce a substantially smooth, even surface;
- (b) applying to the ceramic surface a hardening/densifying compound comprising at least one hydroxide and at least one silicate, or at least one hydroxide and silica, in a solvent selected from the group consisting of water and alcohol;
- and
- (c) allowing the hardening/densifying compound to remain in contact with the ceramic surface for a period of time sufficient to harden the surface of the ceramic;
- (d) polishing the ceramic surface.
A method of removing and leveling soft, porous, ceramic from a cured ceramic surface and polishing the surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) abrading and removing a soft ceramic surface with a coarse rotating grinder;
- (b) cleaning the ceramic surface and allowing it to dry;
- (c) applying to the ceramic surface a hardening/densifying compound comprising at least one hydroxide and at least one silicate, or at least one hydroxide and silica in a solvent selected from the group consisting of water and alcohol;
- (d) allowing the hardening/densifying compound to remain in contact with the ceramic surface for a period of time sufficient to harden/densify the surface;
- (e) polishing the ceramic surface with a polishing pad, disc or drum having a grit coarseness from about 20 to 10,000;
- (f) cleaning the ceramic surface;
- (g) applying to the ceramic surface a diluted polishing compound comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, silicates, siliconates, fluorosilicates, siloxanes, silazanes, silanes, silicon esters, and any combinations thereof in a solvent selected from the group consisting of water and alcohol;
- (h) polishing the ceramic surface with a polishing pad, disc or drum having a less rough grit than was used in previous polishing step;
- and
- (i) repeating steps (f) through (h) until, upon cleaning, the surface has a desired level of shine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.