Screen printing masks, pattern molds, manufacturing methods of artificial marble, and artificial marble.

Abstract

This invention relates to artificial marble and a method for manufacturing artificial marble. Furthermore, this invention relates to a screen printing mask and a pattern mold for manufacturing artificial marble.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority and benefit from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0181400, filed on December 22, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This invention relates to a screen printing mask, a pattern mold, a method for manufacturing artificial marble using the screen printing mask and the pattern mold, and artificial marble. Background Technology

[0003] Engineered stone, also known as artificial marble or E-stone, is an interior design material that mimics the texture and feel of natural stone. Research has been conducted in the industry to enhance the aesthetic appeal of engineered marble by improving its color, shape, and other aspects. For example, Korean Patent No. 10-1270415 discloses an artificial marble with various patterns and appearances made from marble fragments. The demand for engineered stone in interior flooring, wall coverings, and kitchen countertops is steadily increasing, with most products mimicking natural stone types such as granite and marble.

[0004] However, in the recent interior design market, there is a growing interest in natural stone with sharp, textured patterns, such as quartz. Responding to this trend, E-stone Industry is also heavily promoting natural stone designs.

[0005] However, achieving designs from natural stone using current E-stone production technology is not easy. Existing E-stone production processes express flowing patterns by spraying pigments onto the surface of the base material, or by removing portions of the base material with a knife and then filling them with other materials. However, these methods produce a significant difference in appearance compared to actual natural stone. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The object of this invention is to provide an artificial marble and a method for manufacturing the artificial marble, wherein the artificial marble has clear boundaries between the patterned area and the base area and the wide striped area.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a screen printing mask and pattern mold for use in a method of manufacturing artificial marble.

[0009] Technical solution

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered stone artificial marble, comprising a substrate and a pattern disposed in the substrate, wherein the pattern comprises a textured pattern, and the textured pattern is present on the surface of the artificial marble on at most the surface of the surface, wherein 50% or more of the textured pattern has a width of 5 mm to 50 mm, and wherein in a cross-section perpendicular to the surface of the artificial marble, the textured pattern has a thickness of 10% or more of the total thickness of the artificial marble, and the area of ​​the textured pattern is 50% or more of the area of ​​the entire pattern.

[0011] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered stone artificial marble, including a substrate and a pattern disposed in the substrate, wherein the pattern includes a textured pattern, and wherein any square area on the surface of the artificial marble in which the textured pattern is most present is equally divided into 20×20 surfaces, and then a straight line is drawn through the textured pattern in the width direction with both ends on the substrate, or if it is not possible to draw a straight line with both ends on the substrate, a straight line is drawn with one end on the substrate and the other end on the textured pattern, wherein in the square area, the area of ​​the dividing face of the textured pattern having two or more peaks on a graph of a 5-interval moving average of gray values ​​measured along the straight line is less than 30% of the area other than the dividing face where only the textured pattern or only the substrate exists.

[0012] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered stone artificial marble, comprising a first region formed on a surface by a first distribution and a second region formed after the first distribution by a second distribution, wherein the components of the first region and the second region are different from each other, and the first region and the second region are substantially unmixed.

[0013] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a screen printing mask including a flat plate portion and one or more openings.

[0014] However, another embodiment of the present invention provides a pattern mold including a recess and one or more protrusions, wherein the protrusions correspond to an opening of a screen printing mask and can be inserted into the opening.

[0015] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing artificial marble, comprising: molding a base component into a mold; placing a screen printing mask and a pattern mold on the base component, the screen printing mask including a flat portion and one or more openings, the pattern mold including a recess and one or more protrusions, the protrusions corresponding to and insertable into the openings of the screen printing mask; pressing the pattern mold to compress the base component; removing the pattern mold to form one or more grooves in the base component; placing a pattern forming component into the grooves and removing the screen printing mask; manufacturing an artificial marble slab by compressing the component in the mold while applying vacuum and vibration to the component; and applying heat to the artificial marble slab before curing and curing the artificial marble slab.

[0016] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an artificial marble, the artificial marble including a patterned area and a base area, and manufactured by the artificial marble manufacturing method according to the above embodiment.

[0017] Beneficial effects

[0018] Artificial marble manufactured using the screen printing mask and pattern mold of the present invention includes a pattern area and a base area, and the boundary between the pattern area and the base area is clear, and the pattern area is wide. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 A cross-section of a portion of a printing screen mask 200 according to the present invention is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A cross-section of a portion of a pattern mold 100 according to the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view showing a pattern dies 100 stacked on a screen printing mask 200 and a protrusion of the pattern die inserted into an opening in the screen printing mask;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a photograph illustrating an example of the pattern mold of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a photograph illustrating an example of the printing mask of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 The process of manufacturing artificial marble using the screen printing mask and pattern mold of the present invention is shown;

[0025] Figure 7 The embedded mold used in Comparative Example 2 is shown;

[0026] Figure 8The process of manufacturing artificial marble using the embedded mold of Comparative Example 2 is shown;

[0027] Figure 9 The manufacturing process of the artificial marble sample of Comparative Example 1 is shown;

[0028] Figure 10 The manufacturing process of the artificial marble sample of Example 1 is shown;

[0029] Figure 11 This is a graph of the 5-interval moving average of grayscale values ​​measured in the texture pattern on the surface of the artificial marble in Example 1.

[0030] Figure 12 It is a graph of the 5-interval moving average of gray values ​​measured in the texture pattern on the surface of the artificial marble in the control area;

[0031] Figure 13 and Figure 14 The measured grayscale values ​​are shown to obtain the results separately. Figure 11 and Figure 12 The process leading to the result;

[0032] Figure 15 The width (W), length (L), and center line (C) of the textured pattern on the surface of the artificial marble of Example 1 are shown.

[0033] Figure 16 An example is shown of measuring the thickness of the texture pattern of the artificial marble in Example 1;

[0034] Figure 17 Photographs of the top surface of the artificial marble manufactured in Example 1 (left) and Comparative Example 3 (right) are shown;

[0035] Figure 18 Shown in Figure 17 In the photograph, the parts with clear boundaries to the base are represented by short dashed lines, and the parts with disordered boundaries are represented by long dashed lines;

[0036] Figure 19 Show Figure 17 The 20x20 division of the photograph;

[0037] Figure 20 Show Figure 19 Virtual lines drawn on valid segmentation surfaces other than those containing only base or texture patterns;

[0038] Figure 21 It is along Figure 20 A graph of the 5-interval moving average of grayscale values ​​measured by virtual straight lines on the mid-division surfaces A, B, C, and D;

[0039] Figure 22Use 1 to indicate Figure 20 The effective segmentation surface in the data is a segmentation surface that has two or more peaks as described above. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described in detail. However, the following description is intended to illustrate the above embodiments and not to limit the scope of the invention.

[0041] The terms or words used throughout the specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their common or dictionary meanings, but rather as having meanings and concepts consistent with the technical spirit of the invention. The principle is that the inventors may appropriately define the concepts of words or terms to best interpret the invention.

[0042] The terminology used in this specification is only for describing various exemplary embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0043] In this specification, it should be understood that terms such as “comprising,” “including,” or “having” are used to describe the presence of a specific ingredient and do not exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of other ingredients.

[0044] In this specification, the expression “exists” on a particular component is intended to express that it “exists” on one side of a particular component, and is not intended to limit the vertical relationship or the physical contact with the component, but rather to indicate that an additional component may be provided between the components.

[0045] In this specification, "pattern" or "pattern area" is a term distinct from the entire surface layer. Unlike the entire surface layer in which a specific material occupies the entire volume of a layer, it refers to a specific material occupying only a portion of the volume of a layer, while a portion of the corresponding layer is empty space or filled with other materials.

[0046] In this specification, "substrate" or "substrate area" refers to the base portion other than the pattern in the artificial marble.

[0047] In this specification, a textured pattern refers to a pattern resembling grain or tree branches, and is a pattern that continues for a specific length or longer. In this specification, a textured pattern is not limited to straight lines or specific curves. In this specification, a textured pattern may also be referred to as a striped pattern.

[0048] In this specification, the width of a pattern or pattern area refers to the distance between two face-to-face points where, when a center line is drawn on the pattern as observed on the surface or side of the artificial marble, a line perpendicular to the slope at the center point intersects the edge of the pattern. Here, the center line is a line drawn by connecting points where the shortest distance from the center line to the edge of the pattern is the same. In other words, the center line is a line drawn by connecting the center points of the lines that provide the shortest distance from the edge of any pattern to the edge of the facing pattern. For example, Figure 15 In the diagram, the center line and width of the pattern are represented by C and W, respectively.

[0049] In this specification, the length of a pattern or patterned area refers to the length of the center line when it is drawn on a textured pattern observed on the surface or side surface of artificial marble. For example, Figure 15 The length of each pattern in the diagram is represented by L.

[0050] In this specification, the area of ​​a pattern refers to the area occupied by the pattern as observed on the surface or side of the artificial marble.

[0051] In this specification, the thickness of artificial marble refers to the shortest length between the facing surfaces of the artificial marble.

[0052] In this specification, the thickness of a pattern or patterned area refers to the length of the pattern in the thickness direction of the artificial marble.

[0053] The present invention will now be described in detail.

[0054] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered stone artificial marble, including a substrate and a pattern disposed in the substrate, wherein the pattern includes a textured pattern, wherein 50% or more of the textured pattern has a width of 5 mm to 50 mm on the surface of the artificial marble where the textured pattern appears most frequently, wherein in a cross section including the section perpendicular to the surface of the artificial marble, the thickness of the textured pattern is 10% or more of the total thickness of the artificial marble, and the area of ​​the textured pattern is 50% or more of the area of ​​the entire pattern.

[0055] Artificial marble is manufactured by the methods described later, resulting in a textured pattern characterized by a wide width and a relatively thick thickness. In this specification, the surface of artificial marble refers to the outermost portion of the artificial marble, such as the two facing surfaces of the artificial marble: the upper and lower surfaces, and the side surfaces. For example, when the artificial marble is a rectangular parallelepiped, the surface includes the upper surface, the lower surface, and four side surfaces. The textured pattern is shown on at least one surface of the artificial marble and may appear only on the upper surface or on both the upper and lower surfaces. In an exemplary embodiment, the width of the textured pattern is a value measured on the surface of the artificial marble where the textured pattern is most abundant.

[0056] According to an exemplary embodiment, the texture pattern present on the surface of the artificial marble, up to 80% or more of the surface texture pattern, may have a width of 5 mm to 50 mm.

[0057] According to an exemplary embodiment, 80% or more of the texture pattern can have a width of 5 mm to 20 mm on the surface of the artificial marble where the texture pattern is most present.

[0058] In the artificial marble according to an exemplary embodiment, the surface in which the texture pattern is most present may include a texture pattern having a continuous length of 50 mm or longer.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, in a cross section perpendicular to the surface of the artificial marble slab, the thickness of the textured pattern is 30% or more of the area of ​​the textured pattern, preferably 50% or more of the total thickness of the artificial marble, which may be 50% or more of the area of ​​the entire pattern.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the base and texture pattern are essentially not mixed, and the boundaries between them are clear.

[0061] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered stone artificial marble, including a base and a pattern disposed in the base, wherein the pattern includes a textured pattern, wherein any square area on the surface in which the textured pattern is most present in the artificial marble is equally divided into 20×20 surfaces, and then a straight line is drawn through the textured pattern in the width direction with both ends on the base, or, if it is not possible to draw a straight line with both ends on the base, a straight line is drawn with one end on the base and the other end on the textured pattern, wherein the area of ​​the dividing face of the textured pattern having two or more peaks on a graph of a 5-interval moving average of gray values ​​measured along the straight line is less than 30% of the area of ​​the square area other than the dividing face where only the textured pattern exists or only the base exists.

[0062] In regions with two or more peaks, one peak is generated when a textured pattern with a different color from the substrate is included in the figure, and the other additional peak indicates irregularity caused by substantial diffusion of the pattern, pigment deposition of the textured pattern into the substrate, or scattered residues of textured pattern components that do not neatly fill the textured pattern area. Therefore, although a peak mathematically implies an inflection point, forms without inflection points (i.e., long intermediate ridges observed between the substrate / texture pattern / substrate, which can be understood by those skilled in the art as sufficient interference) should also be interpreted as substantial peaks.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, the length of a straight line that traverses the texture pattern in the width direction and is drawn with both ends on the base can be twice the width of the texture pattern. The length of a straight line drawn with one end on the base and the other end on the texture pattern can be the same as the width of the texture pattern.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, any square area can be 30cm×30cm, 60cm×60cm, or 120cm×120cm.

[0065] The 5-interval moving average of grayscale values ​​is obtained by capturing an image of the object under test, scanning the captured image, drawing a virtual line on the scanned image (i.e., a straight line that crosses the texture pattern along its width and has both ends on the substrate, or a straight line that crosses the boundary between the texture pattern and the substrate and has one end on the substrate and the other end on the texture pattern, or, if a straight line with both ends on the substrate cannot be drawn, a line with one end on the substrate and the other end on the texture pattern is drawn using a program called ImageJ), graphically obtaining the grayscale value for each point, and using that value. The moving average is the average obtained by moving from one interval to another to determine changes in trend; in the exemplary embodiment, a 5-interval moving average is used. ImageJ is a Java-based image processing program developed and released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Wisconsin-LOCI (Laboratory for Optical and Computational Instrumentation), and can be downloaded from https: / / imagej.nih.gov / . ImageJ can be used in accordance with how the program is intended. For example, 1) after scanning the image, 2) open the file, 3) click the linear selection bar, 4) select the area in the image to be measured, i.e., the area of ​​the substrate / texture pattern / substrate or substrate / texture pattern mentioned above, 5) analyze the values, plot the graph (Plot Profile), and then the moving average can be obtained using the data. Gray values ​​can also be represented as gray levels, which can be obtained by known methods, such as the basic formula (R+G+B) / 3 or the YUV method (YPbPr, YCbCr, YIQ, etc.). For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the basic formula and (R+G+B) / 3 provided by ImageJ can be used.

[0066] The presence of peaks in the graph of the 5-interval moving average of grayscale values ​​indicates an unclear boundary between the pattern and the substrate. Therefore, even with areas of unclear boundary, this invention is characterized by such areas being less than 30%. Here, a peak refers to a portion that protrudes upwards or downwards on the graph compared to other areas. When the color of the texture pattern is darker than the color of the substrate, the peak is shown as a downward-protruding portion on the graph. For example, Figure 12 The following example illustrates a peak that juts downwards on the graph. In this case, the lowest point of the peak may differ from the highest point of the graph by 50 or more. However, in designs where the texture pattern and base color are similar but visually distinguishable, the grayscale values ​​may not differ by 50 or more, so it should be considered a baseline value. When the texture pattern color is lighter than the base color, the peak is shown as an upward-protruding portion on the graph. In this case, the highest point of the peak may differ from the lowest point of the graph by 50 or more. For example, Figure 11This illustrates an example where the peak points downwards in the graphic. Here, the grayscale values ​​are relative. A grayscale value (R / 3 + G / 3 + B / 3) of 0 represents black, while a grayscale value of 255 (R = 255, G = 255, B = 255) represents white. Figure 11 and Figure 12 In the diagram, the vertical axis represents the grayscale value, and the horizontal axis represents the point on the virtual straight line where the grayscale value is measured.

[0067] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered stone artificial marble, comprising a first region formed on a surface by a first distribution and a second region formed after the first distribution by a second distribution, wherein the components of the first region and the second region are different from each other, and the first region and the second region are substantially non-mixed. Here, the components (composition) may include at least one of the types of compounds contained in the first region and the second region, particle size, distribution of constituent particles, additives, chroma, or color perception. The artificial marble may have the characteristic that, according to the method described below, by using a method of compressing the substrate components using a screen printing mask and a pattern mold, the first region and the second region are substantially non-mixed.

[0068] <Printing Mask>

[0069] Figure 1 A cross-section of a portion of a screen printing mask according to the present invention is shown (the arrangement of the screen printing mask behind the cut portion is not shown). Figure 1 The image shows a magnified view of a case with only one opening. The screen printing mask 200 of the present invention includes a flat plate portion 201 and one or more openings 202 formed on the flat plate portion 201. The screen printing mask of the present invention may further include protrusions 203 projecting from the edge of the opening along the shape of the opening. Here, the starting point of the protrusion is the same as the outer peripheral surface of the opening, but the end of the protrusion may not have a shape consistent with the outer peripheral surface of the opening. The protrusions may have a form that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the flat plate portion, a form that the distance between the protrusions decreases as the distance from the plate surface of the flat plate portion increases, or a form that the ends of the protrusions converge with each other. However, since the screen printing mask must eventually be removed, if the protrusions converge excessively, the screen printing mask may not be suitable for neat patterns. Therefore, the most suitable case is that the protrusions are formed in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the flat plate portion, and the shape of the outer peripheral surface at the end of the protrusion is consistent with the shape of the outer peripheral surface at the starting point of the protrusion.

[0070] The flat portion can correspond to the recess of the pattern die. When the screen mask and the pattern die are stacked sequentially on the substrate component and pressure is applied to the pattern die, the substrate component is compressed. In this case, the portion of the substrate component that presses against the flat portion of the screen mask is also compressed.

[0071] There are no particular limitations on the thickness (d”) of the plate portion; those skilled in the art can make appropriate selections by considering the material and size of the screen printing mask.

[0072] The opening corresponds to the protrusion of the pattern mold, and the protrusion is inserted into the opening. The width (l') of the opening can be equal to or greater than the width (l) of the protrusion. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the width (l') of the opening can be 0.1 mm to 5 mm, preferably 0.1 mm to 3 mm larger than the width (l) of the protrusion.

[0073] The length (d') of the protrusion can be equal to or less than the thickness of the artificial marble. For example, when the thickness of the artificial marble is 5 cm, the length of the protrusion can be 3 mm to 5 cm. The length (d') of the protrusion can be 1% to 100% of the thickness of the artificial marble, preferably 1% or more and 80% or less, more preferably 1% or more and 70% or less. Those skilled in the art can make appropriate selections by considering the depth and shape of the patterned area formed on the artificial marble, the composition of the patterned area, the composition of the base material, etc.

[0074] <Pattern Mold>

[0075] Figure 2 A cross-section of a portion of a patterned mold 100 according to the present invention is shown. Figure 2 The image shows a case with only one protrusion. The pattern mold 100 of the present invention includes a recess 101 and one or more protrusions 102.

[0076] The protrusion corresponds to the opening of the screen printing mask and can be inserted into the opening. The width (l) of the protrusion can be equal to or less than the width (l') of the opening. The width of the protrusion can be 5 mm or more and 50 mm or less, preferably 5 mm or more and 40 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or more and 30 mm or less. However, it is obvious that a pattern mold can be formed such that the width of the protrusion of the pattern mold is less than 5 mm or greater than 50 mm. Those skilled in the art can adjust the width of the protrusion of the pattern mold according to the required width of the pattern area of ​​the artificial marble. However, a predetermined plastic width is required to form the protrusion 203 of the screen printing mask, which inevitably creates a fixed gap during the removal of the screen printing mask with a width twice (on both sides). If the width is less than 5 mm, the empty space becomes important compared to the actual texture area to be formed, and the texture pattern may concentrate towards the empty space, which may cause disorder during the removal of the screen printing mask. Furthermore, although the present invention does not have major problems in forming patterns with a width greater than 50 mm, a protrusion width of 50 mm or less may be more suitable because the cut-out filling process of filling the substrate, cutting out the part to be formed of the textured pattern and filling it with the textured components is relatively efficient and inexpensive.

[0077] Those skilled in the art can consider the depth, shape, composition, and base composition of the pattern area to be formed on the artificial marble, and appropriately select the width of the protrusion.

[0078] The thickness (i.e., depth) of the patterned area of ​​the artificial marble can be formed by subtracting the thickness (d”) of the flat portion from the length (d) of the protrusion. That is, in the manufacturing process of the artificial marble of the present invention, grooves are formed on the base material. In this case, the depth of the groove can be obtained by subtracting the thickness of the flat portion from the length of the protrusion.

[0079] Furthermore, the value obtained by subtracting the thickness of the flat portion from the length of the protrusion can be equal to or less than the thickness of the artificial marble. Additionally, the value obtained by subtracting the thickness of the flat portion from the length of the protrusion can be 1% or more and 100% or less of the thickness of the artificial marble, preferably 1% or more and 80% or less, more preferably 1% or more and 70% or less. When the value obtained by subtracting the thickness of the flat portion from the length of the protrusion is 100% of the thickness of the artificial marble, a patterned area extending from one surface of the artificial marble to the opposite surface can be formed.

[0080] Furthermore, the value obtained by subtracting the thickness of the flat portion from the length of the protrusion can be equal to or less than the length of the protrusion of the screen printing mask.

[0081] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing a pattern dies 100 stacked on a screen printing mask 200, with the protrusions of the pattern dies inserted into the openings of the screen printing mask. The flat portion of the screen printing mask can contact the recesses of the pattern dies, while the opening of the screen printing mask can contact the protrusions of the pattern dies.

[0082] Figure 4 This is a photograph illustrating an example of the pattern mold of the present invention. Multiple protrusions are formed in different directions and with different shapes; some protrusions extend to the edge of the pattern mold, while others do not. The width (l) and length (d) of the protrusions can differ from each other, and the lengths of the protrusions extending along the recesses of the pattern mold can also differ. It is readily understood that the length and shape of the protrusions can be suitably selected by those skilled in the art.

[0083] Figure 5 This is a photograph illustrating an example of a screen printing mask according to the present invention. Multiple openings are formed in different directions and shapes; some openings extend to the edge of the screen printing mask, while others do not. It is readily understood that the openings correspond to the protrusions of the pattern die, and the shapes of the protrusions and openings can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art.

[0084] <Manufacturing Methods of Artificial Marble>

[0085] This invention relates to a method for manufacturing artificial marble, comprising: molding a base component into a mold; placing a screen printing mask 200 and a pattern mold 100 on the base component 300; pressing the pattern mold to compress the base component; removing the pattern mold to form one or more grooves in the base component; placing a pattern forming component 400 into the grooves and removing the screen printing mask; manufacturing an artificial marble slab by compressing the component in the mold while applying vacuum and vibration to the component; and applying heat to the artificial marble slab before curing and curing the artificial marble slab. Figure 6 ).

[0086] The base components are molded into the mold.

[0087] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes molding a base component into a mold. Molding is the step of placing the base component into the mold. The mold can be a general mold used in the manufacture of artificial marble, without particular limitations.

[0088] Place the printing mask and pattern mold on the substrate.

[0089] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes placing a screen printing mask and a pattern mold on a base component. In this case, the base component, the screen printing mask, and the pattern mold are stacked in sequence, and the protrusions of the pattern mold are inserted into the openings of the screen printing mask.

[0090] Press the pattern mold to compress the base component.

[0091] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes pressing a pattern mold to compress a base component. Pressing the pattern mold transfers pressure to the base component. For example, when pressure is applied to the pattern mold, the pressure can be transferred to the base component in contact with the protrusions of the pattern mold and the base component in contact with the flat portion of the screen printing mask. By the pressure transferred in this way, the base component is compressed into a compacted state. When the density of the base component increases in the portion where the pressure transferred in this way is applied, the base component may be pushed to one side. In this case, the method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention may include compressing the component in the mold while applying vacuum and vibration to the component in the step of pressing the pattern mold to compress the base component. In this case, by vacuum compaction, the density of the base component in the final artificial marble becomes uniform. Compression can be described as a pressing method. By compacting the base component while compressing the pressing mold, the textured pattern will not collapse significantly even when the vibration-compression-vacuum process described later is performed while filling the pattern forming component in the process described below. On the other hand, according to the conventional digging-filling method, it is difficult to sufficiently compact the base component because the base component is removed by simply digging out the base component without compression, i.e., a compression process.

[0092] The base component is pressed and moved to one side as much as the protrusions of the pattern mold, which are positioned where the base component has been moved out.

[0093] Remove the pattern stencil to form one or more grooves in the base composition.

[0094] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes removing a pattern mold to form one or more grooves in a base component. When the pattern mold is removed, a screen mask is left on the compressed base component. Grooves are then formed in the base component at the locations of the protrusions of the pattern mold. Because the base component is compressed due to the pressure applied to the pattern mold, the likelihood of the base component penetrating into the grooves formed in the base component is low.

[0095] The depth of the groove can be obtained by subtracting the thickness (d”) of the flat portion of the printing mask from the length (d) of the protrusion of the pattern die. The width of the groove can be equal to or greater than the width (l) of the protrusion of the pattern die.

[0096] Place the pattern-forming component into the groove and remove the mask.

[0097] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes placing a pattern-forming component into a groove and removing a screen printing mask. Since the base component is in a compressed state even when the screen printing mask is removed, the pattern-forming component remains in the groove and does not infiltrate the base component.

[0098] Artificial marble slabs are manufactured by compressing the components in a mold while applying vacuum and vibration.

[0099] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes manufacturing artificial marble slabs by compressing the components in a mold while applying vacuum and vibration to the components. The above steps can be performed using a vibration-compression-vacuum process.

[0100] In this invention, since the substrate component is compressed using a screen printing mask and a pattern forming mold, the mixing and / or overlap of the substrate component and the pattern forming component will not occur even during the vibration-compression-vacuum process.

[0101] The vibration-compression-vacuum process can be performed for 1 to 5 minutes at a vacuum level of 1 to 20 mbar and a vibration speed of 2000 to 5000 rpm. The vacuum level can be 5 to 18 mbar or 10 to 15 mbar. The vibration speed can be 2500 to 4500 rpm or 3000 to 4000 rpm. The execution time of the vibration-compression-vacuum process can be 2 to 4 minutes. By performing the vibration-compression-vacuum process under the above conditions, artificial marble components compressed into flat plates, i.e., artificial marble slabs, can be manufactured, and then cured to produce artificial marble.

[0102] Heat is applied to the artificial marble slab before curing, and the artificial marble slab is then cured.

[0103] The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to the present invention includes applying heat to an artificial marble slab before curing, and curing the artificial marble slab. Curing can be performed using the general curing process used in the manufacturing of artificial marble, and is not particularly limited thereto.

[0104] In this invention, since the substrate component is compressed using a screen printing mask and a pattern forming mold, the mixing and / or overlap of the substrate component and the pattern forming component will not occur even during the vibration-compression-vacuum process.

[0105] Therefore, in the artificial marble manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention, the boundary between the base area where the base component is cured and the pattern area where the pattern forming component is cured is clear and has a sharp straight line shape.

[0106] Curing can be achieved by curing the artificial marble component at 90°C to 130°C for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After curing, the component is cooled to room temperature and then removed from the mold (demolding).

[0107] Base components and pattern-forming components

[0108] The base component and / or pattern-forming component of this invention can be components used in artificial stone, without particular limitation. Those skilled in the art can appropriately select the base component and pattern-forming component according to the desired physical properties and aesthetics of the artificial marble.

[0109] For example, based on 100 parts by weight of the adhesive resin, the base component and / or pattern-forming component of the present invention may include 500 to 700 parts by weight of inorganic particles and 200 to 400 parts by weight of quartz powder, and the adhesive resin may include 90% or more of unsaturated polyester resin. In this case, based on 100 parts by weight of the adhesive resin, the base component and / or pattern-forming component of the present invention may further include 0 to 20 parts by weight, preferably 0 parts by weight or more and 15 parts by weight or less of pigment. That is, at least one of the base component or pattern-forming component of the present invention may not include pigment. Furthermore, both the base component and the pattern-forming component of the present invention may also include pigment.

[0110] Regarding the base composition, a first sub-base composition is prepared by mixing inorganic particles with the binder resin composition, thoroughly mixing the mixture, and mixing quartz powder, pigments, and / or chips with the mixture. Simultaneously, a second sub-base composition is prepared in the same manner using different types of pigments and / or fragments. Multiple (e.g., two or more) sub-base compositions are prepared in small quantities in this way and then mixed to produce the final base composition.

[0111] Each sub-base component may include different pigments and / or chips, and the amount of each sub-base component added in the manufacture of the base component may also vary. Furthermore, when the final base component is manufactured by mixing multiple sub-base components, the mixing is preferably incomplete in such a way that the sub-base components are not completely mixed with each other, and the sub-base components remain clumped in some places in the final base component.

[0112] When artificial marble is manufactured by incompletely mixing multiple sub-base components to create the final base composition, the first-used sub-base components still clump in some places in the base area of ​​the artificial marble, and the clumps give the artificial marble its unique aesthetic appeal.

[0113] Adhesive resin

[0114] The artificial marble and / or areas of artificial marble of the present invention include adhesive resin.

[0115] The adhesive resin is an adhesive resin that includes unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin. The adhesive resin may include unsaturated polyester resin in an amount of 90% by weight or more.

[0116] Based on 100 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester resin, the adhesive resin can be manufactured by mixing, dispersing and curing 0.4 to 2.5 parts by weight of curing agent, 0.05 to 0.3 parts by weight of catalyst and 0.5 to 7 parts by weight of coupling agent.

[0117] Unsaturated polyester resins can be manufactured using resin mixtures comprising unsaturated polyester polymers and vinyl monomers. Preferably, the unsaturated polyester resin is manufactured using an ingredient comprising an unsaturated polyester polymer and vinyl monomers in a weight ratio of 100:30 to 70. More preferably, the unsaturated polyester resin is manufactured using an ingredient comprising 60% to 75% by weight of unsaturated polyester polymer and 25% to 40% by weight of vinyl monomers.

[0118] Unsaturated polyester resins are typically viscous solutions in which the unsaturated polyester polymer is diluted with vinyl monomers. Therefore, when the vinyl monomer content is within the aforementioned range, the viscosity can be reduced, making the unsaturated polyester resin easier to handle. Furthermore, the vinyl monomers can solidify the unsaturated polyester resin from a liquid to a solid state through cross-linking of the polyester molecular chains without producing byproducts. The weight-average molecular weight of unsaturated polyester resins ranges from 1000 to 10000 g / mol.

[0119] There are no particular limitations on the unsaturated polyester polymers, but examples may include unsaturated polyester polymers produced by the condensation reaction of saturated or unsaturated diacids and polyols. Examples of saturated or unsaturated diacids may include phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, maleic anhydride, citric acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, phthalic acid, phthalic anhydride, terephthalic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, or tetrahydrobenzenesulfonic acid. Furthermore, examples of polyols may include ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, hydrogenated bisphenol A, trimethylolpropane monoaryl ether, neopentyl glycol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol, and / or glycerol. Additionally, if necessary, monobasic acids, such as acrylic acid, propionic acid, or benzoic acid, or polybasic acids, such as trimellitic acid or tetrabenzoic acid, may be further used.

[0120] Examples of vinyl monomer types may include alkyl acrylate monomers or aromatic vinyl monomers. However, aromatic vinyl monomers are preferred due to their reactivity with unsaturated polyester polymers. For example, as aromatic vinyl monomers, one or more of the group consisting of styrene, α-methylstyrene, p-methylstyrene, vinyltoluene, alkylstyrene substituted with alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and halogen-substituted styrene may be used, with styrene monomers being preferred.

[0121] For the curing reaction of the adhesive, a curing agent may be included, with no particular limitation as long as the curing agent used in the manufacture of engineered stone is used. The curing agent may be an organic peroxide-based compound or an azo compound. The organic peroxide-based compound may be one or more of the following: tert-butyl peroxybenzoate thermosetting agent (TBPB, Trigonox C, Akzo Nobel), diacyl peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, ketone peroxide, ester peroxide, ketone peroxide, dialkyl peroxide, alkyl peroxide, percarbonate, and dicarbonate peroxide. For example, the compound may be tert-butyl peroxybenzoate thermosetting agent, benzoyl peroxide, diisocyanate peroxide, butyl peroxide, cumyl hydrogen peroxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, t-butyl maleic peroxide, t-butyl hydrogen peroxide, acetyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide, t-butyl neodecanoic acid peroxide, or t-amyl 2-ethylhexanoic acid peroxide, but is not necessarily limited to these.

[0122] Furthermore, the azo compound can be azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), but is not necessarily limited to it. Based on 100 parts of unsaturated polyester resin, the adhesive resin may include 0.4 to 2.5 parts by weight of a curing agent. If the curing agent content is below the above range, the adhesive will be difficult to cure; if the curing agent content exceeds the above range, discoloration of the adhesive may occur. Therefore, a curing agent within the above range may be included.

[0123] Catalysts may be included to promote the curing of the adhesive at low temperatures. There are no particular limitations on the use of catalysts used in engineered stone manufacturing, and these catalysts may be selected from one or more of cobalt-based, vanadium-based, or manganese-based metal soaps, tertiary amines, quaternary ammonium salts, and thiols. For example, a 6% cobalt catalyst (Hex-Cem, Borchers) may be used. Based on 100 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester resin, the adhesive resin may include 0.05 to 0.3 parts by weight of catalyst. If the catalyst content is below the above range, curing will not be promoted; if the catalyst content exceeds the above range, discoloration of the adhesive may occur. Therefore, catalysts within the above range may be included.

[0124] Coupling agents may be included to improve the adhesion between the adhesive and the natural mineral particles. These coupling agents may be silane- or silicate-based. Based on 100 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester resin, the adhesive resin may include 0.5 to 7 parts by weight of the coupling agent. If the content of the coupling agent is below the above range, the adhesion to the natural mineral particles decreases; if the content of the coupling agent exceeds the above range, the cost of the raw materials increases. Therefore, coupling agents within the above range may be included.

[0125] Inorganic particles

[0126] The artificial marble and / or areas of artificial marble of the present invention may include inorganic particles. The inorganic particles of the present invention refer to inorganic particles with a particle size of 0.1 to 4 mm, and may be amorphous silica particles, glass particles, crystalline quartz particles, etc. The particle size can be measured using a particle size analyzer (Beckman Coulter LS13 320 particle size analyzer).

[0127] The inorganic particles of this invention can be amorphous silica particles. Silica particles are a commonly used term in the field of artificial marble, generally referring to SiO2-based inorganic particles having a high SiO2 content of 90% by weight or more, and including small amounts of other components such as minerals in addition to SiO2. The amorphous silica particles of this invention can be amorphous fused silica particles, which can also be referred to as highly transparent amorphous fused silica particles. For amorphous fused silica particles, particles with a particle size of 0.1 to 4 mm can be used. When a region with high transparency is desired, the SiO2 content of the amorphous silica particles can be 99.5% to 100% by weight, preferably 99.6% to 100% by weight, more preferably 99.7% to 100% by weight, and the alumina content can be 0.5% by weight or less, preferably 0.4% by weight or less, more preferably 0.3% by weight or less, and even more preferably 0.2% by weight or less. When the SiO2 content of the amorphous silica particles is 99.5% by weight or more, preferably 99.6% by weight or more, and more preferably 99.7% by weight or more, the transparency of the areas where the raw material components of the artificial marble are cured is further improved.

[0128] The SiO2 content of the silica and quartz particles of the present invention can be confirmed by quantitative analysis using XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectrometry). Furthermore, crystalline and amorphous particles can be confirmed by XRD (X-ray diffraction), typically by forming the particles into pellets and measuring them.

[0129] The inorganic particles of this invention can be crystalline quartz particles. The crystalline quartz particles of this invention can be highly transparent crystalline quartz particles or opaque crystalline quartz particles.

[0130] The highly transparent crystalline quartz particles can be highly transparent crystalline quartz particles with a particle size of 0.1 to 4 mm, a SiO2 content of 99.5% to 100% by weight, preferably 99.6% to 100% by weight, more preferably 99.7% to 100% by weight, and an alumina content of 0.5% by weight or less, preferably 0.4% by weight or less, more preferably 0.3% by weight or less, and even more preferably 0.2% by weight or less.

[0131] When the SiO2 content in high-transparency crystalline quartz particles is less than 99.5% by weight, for example, 99.4% by weight or less, the transparency of the areas where the raw material components of the artificial marble are solidified decreases. Therefore, when areas with high transparency are desired, high-transparency crystalline quartz particles with a SiO2 content of 99.5% by weight or more can be used.

[0132] The opaque crystalline quartz particles may be opaque crystalline quartz particles with a particle size of 0.1 to 4 mm, a SiO2 content of 80.0% or more and less than 99.5% by weight, preferably 85.0% or more and 99.4% or less by weight, more preferably 90.0% or more and 99.3% or less by weight, and an alumina content of 0.5% or less, preferably 0.4% or less by weight, more preferably 0.3% or less by weight, and even more preferably 0.2% or less by weight.

[0133] When the SiO2 content in the opaque crystalline quartz particles is less than 99.5% by weight, for example, 99.4% by weight or less, the transparency of the areas where the raw material components of the artificial marble are cured decreases. Therefore, when areas with low transparency are desired, opaque crystalline quartz particles with a SiO2 content of less than 99.5% by weight, preferably 99.4% by weight or less, more preferably 99.3% by weight or less can be used.

[0134] Quartz powder

[0135] The artificial marble and / or areas of artificial marble in this invention may include quartz powder. In this case, quartz powder refers to quartz powder with a particle size of 0.1 mm or less. The particle size can be measured using a particle size analyzer (Beckman Coulter LS13 320 particle size analyzer).

[0136] The quartz powder of the present invention is crystalline quartz powder, which can be highly transparent crystalline quartz powder or opaque crystalline quartz powder.

[0137] When areas with high transparency of artificial marble are desired, crystalline quartz powder with a SiO2 content of 99.5% to 100% by weight can be used. When areas with high transparency of artificial marble are desired, the quartz powder can be a quartz powder with an SiO2 content of 99.5% to 100% by weight, preferably 99.6% to 100% by weight, more preferably 99.7% to 100% by weight, and an alumina content of 0.5% by weight or less, preferably 0.4% by weight or less, more preferably 0.3% by weight or less, and even more preferably 0.2% by weight or less. When areas with high transparency of artificial marble are desired, the quartz powder is preferably a quartz powder with an average SiO2 content of 99.5% by weight or more and 100% by weight or less, and an average alumina content of 0.5% by weight or less.

[0138] When areas with high transparency of artificial marble are desired, crystalline quartz powder with a SiO2 content of 80.0% or more but less than 99.5% by weight can be used. When areas with low transparency of artificial marble are desired, the quartz powder can be a quartz powder with a content of 80.0% or more but less than 99.5% by weight, preferably 85.0% or more and 99.4% by weight or less, more preferably 90.0% or more and 99.3% by weight or less. When areas with low transparency of artificial marble are desired, the quartz powder is preferably a quartz powder with an average SiO2 content of less than 99.5% by weight, preferably 99.4% by weight or less, more preferably 99.3% by weight or less, and an average alumina content of 0.5% by weight or less.

[0139] The SiO2 content of the quartz powder of the present invention can be confirmed by quantitative analysis using XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectrometry). In this case, the powder is generally made into small balls, and then its content is measured and confirmed.

[0140] Because of the small particle size of quartz powder, self-scattering occurs. Therefore, when it is necessary to increase the internal transparency of areas in artificial marble, crystalline quartz powder with a SiO2 content of 99.5% by weight or more can be used.

[0141] pigment

[0142] The artificial marble and / or areas of the artificial marble of the present invention may include pigments. Pigments may be, for example, TiO2, NiO·Sb2O3·2OTiO2, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, etc., as long as they are pigments used in the manufacture of artificial marble, there are no particular limitations.

[0143] <Artificial Marble>

[0144] This invention relates to an artificial marble, comprising a patterned area and a base area manufactured by the artificial marble manufacturing method of this invention. The patterned area is formed by curing a pattern-forming component, while the base area is formed by curing a base component.

[0145] The artificial marble of the present invention includes a patterned area in which a pattern-forming component is cured on the surface of the artificial marble. The patterned area can have various shapes depending on the shape of the pattern mold and the printing mask. For example, the artificial marble of the present invention may include a patterned area having a striped shape on the surface of the artificial marble. In this case, the patterned area may have a striped shape on the surface of the artificial marble.

[0146] The thickness of the patterned area can be equal to or less than the thickness of the artificial marble. The thickness of the patterned area can be 1% or more and 100% or less of the thickness of the artificial marble, preferably 10% or more, more preferably 30% or more, and even more preferably 50% or more.

[0147] The artificial marble of the present invention may include pattern areas with a width of 5 mm or more and 50 mm or less, pattern areas with a width of 5 mm or more and 40 mm or less, and pattern areas with a width of 5 mm or more and 30 mm or less. Preferably, the artificial marble of the present invention may include pattern areas with a width of 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less. However, it is obvious that the width of the pattern area can be less than 5 mm or greater than 50 mm by adjusting the opening width of the printing mask and the width of the protrusion of the pattern mold. That is, the thickness and width of the pattern area can be adjusted by adjusting the shape of the pattern mold. For example, the artificial marble of the present invention can be manufactured by adjusting the shape of the printing mask and the pattern mold of the present invention, thereby manufacturing artificial marble with the desired pattern area width and depth, and the boundary between the pattern area and the base area is clear and can be sharp and straight. In particular, the artificial marble of the present invention can have a clearer boundary between the pattern area and the base area than artificial marble manufactured by cutting the base component with a knife to form a groove, placing the pattern forming component into the groove, and then curing the pattern forming component.

[0148] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the methods for achieving these advantages and features, will become apparent upon reference to the examples described in detail below. However, the invention is not limited to the examples disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms. These examples are provided only to complete the disclosure of the invention and to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention. The disclosure of the invention is defined by the claims.

[0149] Materials and Methods

[0150] For highly transparent crystalline quartz particles, highly transparent crystalline quartz particles with a particle size of 0.1 to 2.5 mm are used. In addition, highly transparent crystalline quartz particles are quartz with a SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight or more and 100% by weight or less, and a crystallinity of 100%.

[0151] For the highly transparent amorphous fused silica particles, highly transparent amorphous fused silica particles with a particle size of 0.1 to 2.5 mm were used. Furthermore, the highly transparent amorphous fused silica particles had a SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight or more and 100% by weight or less, with an average SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight.

[0152] For highly transparent crystalline quartz powder, a particle size of 0.1 mm or smaller was used. Furthermore, the alumina content of the highly transparent crystalline quartz powder was 0.5% by weight or less. In this experiment, various types of quartz powder were used depending on the SiO2 content.

[0153] That is, highly transparent crystalline quartz powder with a SiO2 content of 99.7% or more and 100% or less and an average SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight was used, as well as transparent crystalline quartz powder with a SiO2 content of 99.4% or more and less than 99.5% by weight and an average SiO2 content of 99.4% by weight was used.

[0154] The adhesive resin composition is manufactured as follows: An unsaturated polyester resin was used, in which an unsaturated polyester polymer obtained by polycondensation of phthalic acid with polyols and styrene monomers was used at a weight ratio of 65:35. Then, based on 100 parts by weight of the unsaturated polyester resin, 1.5 parts by weight of a tert-butyl peroxide thermosetting agent (TBPB, Trigonox C, Akzo Nobel) used as a curing agent, 0.1 parts by weight of a 6% cobalt catalyst (Hex-Cem, Borchers) used as a catalyst, and 3 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent were mixed and dispersed to prepare the adhesive resin composition.

[0155] Regarding pigments, TiO2, NiO·Sb2O3·2OTiO2, Fe2O3, and Fe3O4 are used; these are pigments used in the manufacture of artificial marble. The pigments used in each manufacturing example can be different, the purpose being simply to produce various colors, without significantly affecting the physical properties of the artificial marble.

[0156] For the pattern mold, a pattern mold comprising multiple protrusions is used, wherein the length (d) of the protrusions is 15 mm and the width (l) of the protrusions is 10 to 18 mm. For the screen printing mask, a screen printing mask comprising multiple openings corresponding to the protrusions of the pattern mold, protrusions with a length of 10 mm, and a flat portion with a thickness of 3 mm is used. In this case, the width of the opening is 0.5 to 1 mm wider than the width of the corresponding protrusion.

[0157] <Manufacturing Example 1>

[0158] Highly transparent amorphous fused quartz particles are added to the binder resin component and thoroughly mixed using a planetary mixer. Then, highly transparent crystalline quartz powder and pigment are added and thoroughly mixed to create a mixture. The resulting mixture is placed on a conveyor belt, and as the conveyor belt moves, pulverized pigment is dropped from a height of approximately 30 cm above the conveyor belt, adding it to the mixture to create the raw material composition for artificial marble.

[0159] In this case, based on 100 parts by weight of the binder resin composition, 600 parts by weight of highly transparent amorphous fused silica particles with an average SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight, 300 parts by weight of highly transparent crystalline silica powder with an average SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight, and 3 parts by weight of pigment were used.

[0160] <Manufacturing Example 2>

[0161] Except that the high-transparency amorphous fused quartz particles in Comparative Manufacturing Example 1 were replaced with high-transparency crystalline quartz particles with an average SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight, the raw material composition of artificial marble was manufactured in the same manner as in Manufacturing Example 1.

[0162] <Manufacturing Example 3>

[0163] Except that transparent crystalline quartz powder with an average SiO2 content of 99.4% by weight was used instead of the highly transparent crystalline quartz powder with an average SiO2 content of 99.7% by weight in Manufacturing Example 1, the raw material composition of artificial marble was manufactured in the same manner as in Manufacturing Example 1.

[0164] In other words, the weight of the materials used in the raw material composition for manufacturing the artificial marbles in Examples 1 to 3 is as follows (Table 1). In Table 1, the SiO2 content is the average SiO2 content in the granules or powder.

[0165] [Table 1]

[0166]

[0167] <Example 1>

[0168] The raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 3 were used as the base component, while the raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 were used as the pattern forming component.

[0169] First, the base component is dispensed, i.e., placed into a rubber mold. A screen printing mask and a pattern mold are placed on the base component, and the pattern mold is pressed to compress the base component. After the base component is compressed, the pattern mold is removed. Next, a pattern-forming component is placed on the screen printing mask and positioned into the groove formed when the pattern mold was removed. The screen printing mask is then removed, leaving the pattern-forming component in the groove without penetrating the base component. The mold is then placed in a vibration-compression-vacuum process, subjected to a vacuum atmosphere of 10 mbar and vibration at 2700 rpm for 2 minutes. The component is then cured at 120°C for 1 hour. After curing, it is cooled to room temperature and removed from the mold to produce artificial marble. After cutting the artificial marble on all four sides, the surface is polished smooth to create an artificial marble sample.

[0170] Measurements of the upper surface of the artificial marble manufactured in Example 1 confirm that 50% or more of the texture pattern has a width of 5 mm to 50 mm, and in the section perpendicular to the artificial marble slab, including the section with the maximum thickness of the texture pattern, the thickness of the texture pattern is 10% or more of the total thickness of the artificial marble. Figure 16 ).

[0171] <Example 2>

[0172] The raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 and Manufacturing Example 2 were mixed at a weight ratio of 1:3 to produce the raw material component of the artificial marble, which was used as the base component. In this case, the raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 and Manufacturing Example 2 each included different pigments and were not completely mixed. As a result, the raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 and Manufacturing Example 2 were not completely mixed with each other, and each of the raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 and Manufacturing Example 2 still clumped in some places in the final base component.

[0173] Except for using the base components mixed in this manner and using the raw material components for manufacturing the artificial marble in Example 3 as the pattern-forming components, the artificial marble samples were manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0174] <Example 3>

[0175] The artificial marble sample was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a non-protruding printing mask was used.

[0176] <Comparative Example 1>

[0177] The raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 were used as the base component, and the raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 3 were used as the pattern forming component.

[0178] First, the base component is dispensed, i.e., placed into a rubber mold. The surface of the base component corresponding to the same textured area as in Example 1 is excavated to form cracked grooves. The pattern-forming component is then placed into the grooves. (Excavation-filling method) Afterward, the mold is placed in a vibration-compression-vacuum process, and the process is performed for 2 minutes under a vacuum atmosphere of 10 mbar and vibration conditions of 2700 rpm. Then, the component is cured at 120°C for 1 hour. After curing, it is cooled to room temperature and then removed from the mold to manufacture artificial marble. After cutting the artificial marble on all four sides, its surface is polished smooth to create an artificial marble sample.

[0179] <Comparative Example 2>

[0180] The raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 3 were used as the base component, while the raw material components of the artificial marble in Manufacturing Example 1 were used as the pattern forming component.

[0181] At the same time, such as Figure 7 As shown, an embedding mold (a) is prepared, which has a rectangular shape and includes a plurality of internal embedding portions (b) extending from one side of the rectangle to the facing edge. The thickness of the embedding portion is greater than the thickness of the edge of the embedding mold, and the width of the embedding portion is 15 cm.

[0182] An insert mold is placed on a rubber mold, with the edge of the insert mold on the rubber mold and the insert portion located inside the rubber mold. Then, base component 300 is dispensed, i.e., placed into the insert mold and the rubber mold, so that the base component is placed into the rubber mold. Then, when the insert mold is removed, multiple elongated grooves are formed at the location of the insert portion, and the base component next to the grooves partially flows into the grooves. Pattern forming component 400 is placed into the multiple grooves. Figure 8 The mold is then placed in a vibration-compression-vacuum process, where it undergoes a vibration-compression-vacuum process for 2 minutes under a vacuum atmosphere of 10 mbar and vibration at 2700 rpm. The composition is then cured at 120°C for 1 hour. After curing, it is cooled to room temperature and removed from the mold to produce artificial marble. After cutting the artificial marble on all four sides, the surfaces are polished smooth to create an artificial marble sample.

[0183] <Comparative Example 3>

[0184] Artificial marble samples were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that no printing mask was used.

[0185] In other words, the raw material components of the artificial marble in manufacturing example 3 are used as base components, and the raw material components of the artificial marble in manufacturing example 1 are used as pattern forming components.

[0186] First, the base component is dispensed, i.e., placed into a rubber mold. A pattern mold is placed on the base component and pressed down to compress it. After compression, the pattern mold is removed. Next, a pattern-forming component is placed in, positioning it within the groove created when the pattern mold was removed. The mold is then subjected to a vibration-compression-vacuum process, performed for 2 minutes under a vacuum atmosphere of 10 mbar and vibration at 2700 rpm. The component is then cured at 120°C for 1 hour. After curing, it is cooled to room temperature and removed from the mold to produce artificial marble. After cutting the artificial marble on all four sides, the surface is polished smooth to create an artificial marble sample.

[0187] In Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, after manufacturing artificial marble with a thickness of 18 mm, the upper and lower parts were polished by about 1 to 2 mm each to complete the final artificial marble with a thickness of 15 mm.

[0188] <Experimental Example 1>

[0189] The artificial marble samples in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were observed with the naked eye.

[0190] As a result, in the artificial marble samples of Examples 1 to 3, the boundary between the base area and the pattern area was clear and straight, and the width of the pattern was approximately 10 to 18 mm.

[0191] However, in the artificial marble sample of Comparative Example 1, the boundary between the base area and the pattern area was unclear, making it difficult to measure the pattern area and thus difficult to define the width of the pattern. This is because the excavation-filling method was used when forming the pattern in Comparative Example 1, so part of the pattern area was invaded by the collapsed base material, making the boundary unclear. In addition, it was determined that the base component was subjected to vibration-compression-vacuum treatment without being compacted, and the insufficiently compacted base and texture pattern components mixed with each other, resulting in an unclear boundary between the base area and the pattern area.

[0192] In the artificial marble samples of Comparative Examples 2 and 3, the boundary between the base area and the pattern area was also unclear. The reason is as follows. In the case of Comparative Example 2, it was determined that the base component flowed into the groove formed when the embedded mold was removed, and the pattern forming component was placed into the groove while the pattern forming component fell on the base component.

[0193] In Comparative Example 3, the effect of pattern collapse was relatively small, but while the pattern-forming component was placed into the groove formed after the pattern mold was removed, the pattern-forming component also fell onto the base component. Even after the final polishing (a process of adjusting the thickness and improving surface properties while polishing the surface), it can be determined that due to the texture-forming component partially remaining in the base area, the boundary between the base area and the pattern area is not clear after curing into artificial marble.

[0194] <Experimental Example 2>

[0195] The manufacturing process of the artificial marble samples of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was documented with photographs according to the procedures.

[0196] Figure 9 The manufacturing process of the artificial marble sample of Comparative Example 1 is shown. (a) The base component placed in the mold is removed to form a groove, (b) the pattern forming component is placed in the groove, and (c) the component is then cured to manufacture artificial marble.

[0197] Figure 10 The manufacturing process of the artificial marble sample of Example 1 is shown. The base component placed in the mold is formed with grooves by using a pattern mold and a screen mask. (a) The pattern mold is removed, (b) the pattern-forming component is placed into the grooves, and (c) the screen mask is then removed, and the component is cured to manufacture artificial marble.

[0198] <Experimental Example 3>

[0199] On the artificial marble manufactured in Example 1 and the artificial marble used for comparison, such as Figure 13 and 14 As shown, a straight line is drawn that traverses the texture pattern along its width and has both ends on the base. Gray values ​​are measured along the line to obtain a 5-interval moving average, which is then displayed. Figure 11 and 12 In the diagram. Figure 13 In the diagram, the boundaries of the pattern are clear at the measured values, therefore... Figure 11 Only one peak appears. Figure 14 In the diagram, the boundary of the pattern is unclear in the measured numerical areas, therefore... Figure 12 Two downward-pointing peaks were observed.

[0200] <Experimental Example 4>

[0201] Figure 17 A 30cm × 30cm area is shown on the upper surface of each of the artificial marbles manufactured in Example 1 (left) and Comparative Example 3 (right). Figure 18In the textured pattern appearing on the upper surface of the artificial marble, areas with clear boundaries to the substrate are represented by short dashed lines, while areas with disordered boundaries are represented by long dashed lines, which are easily distinguishable to the naked eye. It can be confirmed that in Example 1, where a screen printing mask was applied, there are many neat areas.

[0202] Figure 19 It shows Figure 17 The photograph shows 20x20 segmented surfaces. In the artificial marble of Example 1 (left image), out of a total of 400 segmented surfaces, except for 261 segmented surfaces that only have a base or texture pattern, virtual straight lines were drawn on 139 segmented surfaces, and grayscale values ​​were measured along the lines to obtain a 5-interval moving average. In the artificial marble of Comparative Example 1 (right image), out of a total of 400 segmented surfaces, except for 258 segmented surfaces that only have a base or texture pattern, virtual straight lines were drawn on 141 segmented surfaces, and grayscale values ​​were measured along the lines to obtain a 5-interval moving average. The virtual straight line is a straight line that crosses the texture pattern along the width direction and has both ends on the base, or, when it is not possible to draw a straight line with both ends on the base, a straight line with one end on the base and the other end on the texture pattern is drawn.

[0203] Figure 20 The diagram shows virtual lines drawn on valid segmentation surfaces other than those with only a base or texture pattern. Figure 21 The graph shows the five-interval moving average of grayscale values ​​measured along a virtual straight line on segments A and B (left image) of the artificial marble in Example 1 and segments C and D (right image) of the artificial marble in Comparative Example 3. Only one peak appears on segments A and B, but two peaks corresponding to the inflection points appear on segments C and D.

[0204] exist Figure 22 In the effective segmentation planes, segmentation planes exhibiting two or more peaks as described above are marked as 1. In the artificial marble of Example 1 (left figure), two peaks appear on 23 out of 139 effective segmentation planes, so the ratio is 17%. In the artificial marble of Comparative Example 3 (left figure), two peaks appear on 50 out of 141 effective segmentation planes, so the ratio is 35%. Segmentation planes with two peaks indicate portions of pattern diffusion.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing artificial marble, comprising: The base components are molded into the mold; A screen printing mask and a pattern die are placed on the substrate component. The screen printing mask includes a flat portion and one or more openings. The pattern die includes a recess and one or more protrusions. The protrusions correspond to the openings of the screen printing mask and can be inserted into the openings. Press the pattern mold to compress the base component; Remove the pattern mold to form one or more grooves in the base composition; The pattern-forming component is placed into the groove and the printing mask is removed; Artificial marble slabs are manufactured by compressing the pattern-forming component in a mold while applying vacuum and vibration to the pattern-forming component; and Heat is applied to the artificial marble slab before curing, and the artificial marble slab is then cured.

2. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 1, wherein, The printing mask includes a flat plate portion and one or more openings, and The pattern mold includes a recess and one or more protrusions, and the protrusions correspond to the opening and can be inserted into the opening.

3. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 1, wherein, The artificial marble includes patterned areas on its surface, where pattern-forming components are cured.

4. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 3, wherein, The patterned area includes a textured pattern.

5. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 1, wherein, The width of each of the protrusions is more than 5 mm and less than 50 mm.

6. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 1, wherein, The printing mask also includes protrusions, and the length of the protrusions is 1% to 100% of the thickness of the artificial marble.

7. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 1, wherein, The artificial marble includes a patterned area where the pattern-forming components are solidified, and the thickness of the patterned area is more than 10% of the thickness of the artificial marble.

8. The method for manufacturing artificial marble according to claim 1, wherein, The artificial marble includes a patterned area where the pattern-forming component is cured, and the thickness and width of the patterned area can be adjusted by adjusting the shape of the pattern mold.

9. An artificial marble comprising a patterned area and a base area, and manufactured by the method of manufacturing artificial marble according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The artificial marble according to claim 9, wherein, The artificial marble includes a patterned area having a width of more than 5 mm and less than 50 mm on the surface of the artificial marble.

11. The artificial marble according to claim 9, wherein, Compared to artificial marble manufactured by cutting a base component with a knife to form a groove, placing a pattern-forming component into the groove, and then curing the pattern-forming component, the artificial marble described above has a clearer boundary between the patterned area and the base area.

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