US 11,865,737 B2
Method for manufacturing an engineered stone and an engineered stone
Terry Adams, Dallas, TX (US); and Claudio Caselli, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to Dal-Tile, LLC, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed by Dal-Tile, LLC, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/146,488.
Application 18/146,488 is a continuation of application No. 16/647,055, granted, now 11,565,438, previously published as PCT/US2018/053836, filed on Oct. 2, 2018.
Application 16/647,055 is a continuation of application No. 15/722,804, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, granted, now 11,628,593.
Prior Publication US 2023/0139870 A1, May 4, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B29C 70/44 (2006.01); C04B 40/02 (2006.01); B29C 67/24 (2006.01); B29K 509/00 (2006.01); C04B 26/18 (2006.01); C04B 20/00 (2006.01); C04B 40/00 (2006.01); B28B 11/00 (2006.01); C04B 26/16 (2006.01); C04B 28/04 (2006.01); C04B 26/06 (2006.01); C04B 26/04 (2006.01); B28B 11/04 (2006.01); B28B 7/00 (2006.01); C04B 111/54 (2006.01)
CPC B28B 1/005 (2013.01) [B28B 7/007 (2013.01); B28B 11/001 (2013.01); B28B 11/048 (2013.01); B29C 67/243 (2013.01); B29C 70/44 (2013.01); C04B 20/0076 (2013.01); C04B 26/04 (2013.01); C04B 26/06 (2013.01); C04B 26/16 (2013.01); C04B 26/18 (2013.01); C04B 28/04 (2013.01); C04B 40/0067 (2013.01); C04B 40/0263 (2013.01); C04B 40/0272 (2013.01); B29C 67/244 (2013.01); B29C 2791/006 (2013.01); B29C 2791/008 (2013.01); B29K 2509/14 (2013.01); C04B 2111/54 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing an engineered stone comprising the steps of:
providing a mixture comprising at least a particulate material and a binder;
adding a coloring agent to the mixture in such a manner to provide a basic décor;
compacting the mixture;
curing the binder to form a cured engineered stone;
polishing a top surface of the cured engineered stone;
printing a pattern with at least one organic heat curable ink on the top surface of the cured engineered stone; and
curing the at least one organic heat curable ink;
wherein the printing step comprises inkjet digital printing,
wherein the printing step is performed after the compacting step, and
wherein the basic décor and the printed pattern are both visible on at least the top surface of the cured engineered stone.