Manufacturing method of artificial stone slabs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing artificial stone slabs, comprising: pressing a composite mixture into a dense composite mixture; then breaking it into multiple fragments of the composite mixture; depositing an additional mixture onto corresponding areas of the fragments along a predetermined trajectory to form an additional layer; and then using a device to flatten and extend the additional layer including the corresponding areas and the multiple fragments of the composite mixture together into a slab; the slab exhibiting at least partially continuous veins with random bends.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method and equipment for manufacturing artificial stone slabs. Background Technology

[0002] Quartz, the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust and one of the hardest natural materials, is used in "artificial stone," one of its many applications. Quartz-containing artificial stone has become a common choice for surfaces and countertops in many countries worldwide; its applications include kitchen and bathroom countertops, tables and tabletops, floor tiles, food service areas, wall cladding, and various other horizontal and vertical applications. The production of artificial stone generally involves mixing granular materials such as crushed quartzite, broken glass, rock, pebbles, sand, shells, silicon, and other inorganic minerals with polymers, binders, resins, colorants, dyes, etc. These granular materials of varying sizes used simultaneously can range from 400 mesh to 4 mesh. The polymer may include additives such as binders, curing agents, initiators, or combinations thereof. The granular materials are mixed with the polymer, binder, resin, colorant, dye, etc., to obtain a slightly moist mixture. This initial mixture can be processed by a block crusher, which can be any existing known machine used to reduce lumps formed during the mixing process. The resulting finer mixture can be poured into supporting molds, trays, or other support structures. The mixture can also be slightly compacted to make the surface of the material flatter and smoother. Then, the mold or tray containing the slightly moist quartz mixture is moved onto a padded conveyor belt and fed into a vacuum press to be pressed into a slab. The slab is then placed in a curing oven and heated to harden into a hardened plate. The hardened plate is then transferred to a grinder to be ground to the desired thickness, and finally the product is finished using a polishing machine.

[0003] Compared to natural stones such as marble and granite, artificial stone, including quartz-based artificial stone, has many advantages, including higher hardness and strength, lower water absorption, and greater resistance to stains, scratches, damage, chemicals, and high temperatures. However, artificial stone also has obvious disadvantages compared to these natural stones. One of them is that artificial stone lacks natural, random veins and color patterns, and its aesthetic and decorative effects are often inferior.

[0004] Among the known prior art are various methods, equipment, and systems for producing artificial stone slabs with colors and vein patterns that mimic natural stone.

[0005] In these known methods, composite materials are mixed, which may include or consist of granular stone or mineral, quartz, glass, shell or silicone resin with polymer, dye, binder, curing agent, initiator, or any combination of these materials. Composite materials can vary depending on many factors, such as particle size, resin percentage, colorant used, or composition. Notably, a mixture of resin and colorant, or simply a liquid, powder, or other particulate colorant, can be considered a composite mixture. Such composite materials or multiple composite materials can achieve the aesthetic effect of natural stone by process steps as disclosed in U.S. Patent US10,376,912B2, which is incorporated herein by reference. Before or after this process, the composite material can also be processed by process steps as disclosed in U.S. Patents 9,707,698 B1 and 10,843,977 B2 by Alex Xie, which are also incorporated herein by reference.

[0006] Xie's U.S. Patent No. 9,707,698B1 discloses a process in which a composite material or multiple composite materials undergoes processes including layering, compaction, and fragmentation to obtain artificial stone with a natural stone texture effect. Prior art discloses such processes in which, before compressing the composite material using methods such as pressure rollers, the composite material can be lightly pressed, fragmented, or any excess material can be scraped off using a gate device to obtain a layer of composite material with a substantially flat or smooth upper surface.

[0007] In existing technologies, such as Toncelli's US application US20220048216A1, it is specifically mentioned that different materials are layered and stacked on a generally flat surface, then these materials are pressed together or sandwiched together, and then folded and pressed again. This will ensure that the colorant layer and the material are essentially on the same horizontal plane, and will not cause any mixing or deformation in the vertical direction.

[0008] In the prior art, such as Xie's U.S. patents US9707698B1 and US10843977, colorants or composite mixtures of different colors are contained in each fragment. Therefore, after compression, such as by a pressure roller, the vein length does not extend to connect with other different fragments.

[0009] One method to ensure that the side surface areas of a large number of fragments are covered with colorant is to have an apparatus similar to that taught in Xie's U.S. Patent Application 2019 / 0105800 (published April 11, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), in which a cutting device or V-shaped roller is connected to a computer-controlled CNC to form a groove through the composite material, and colorant is then deposited / placed on the groove walls. The problem is that the work performed by the device on the material creates lines that are not the desired straight, clean-edged artificial finish, and this defect is exacerbated when the material is rolled over by pressure rollers. Summary of the Invention

[0010] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention discloses a method for manufacturing artificial stone slabs, comprising:

[0011] A method for manufacturing artificial stone slabs, comprising:

[0012] The composite mixture is compressed into a dense composite mixture;

[0013] The dense composite mixture is broken into multiple fragments of the composite mixture; the fragments are generally irregular in shape.

[0014] An additional mixture is deposited along a predetermined trajectory into the corresponding regions of the fragments to form an additional layer; and,

[0015] The apparatus then uses a method to flatten and extend the additional layer, including the corresponding area, and the fragments of the multiple composite mixtures into a single plate.

[0016] The additional mixture differs from the dense composite mixture in at least color; for example, the additional mixture is a colorant mixture containing colorants. The colorant mixture can be in different forms, such as liquid, powder, or granules.

[0017] The corresponding region includes at least a portion of the surface of the fragment along the predetermined trajectory range and at least a portion of the connecting region between adjacent fragments; the surface includes at least a portion of the side surface (or sidewall) of the fragment.

[0018] According to the present invention, the fragments of the composite mixture are eventually calendered into a sheet. The density of the fragments placed or stacked before calendering depends on a variety of factors, including the shape and size of the fragments: larger fragments produce a greater amount of deformation (including stretching) during the calendering step, while smaller fragments produce a relatively smaller amount of deformation during the calendering step; therefore, larger irregular fragments can be placed more widely, with a certain gap between adjacent fragments; in contrast, smaller irregular fragments are usually placed relatively closely, with adjacent fragments in contact with each other and some opposing surfaces partially or completely overlapping or covering each other.

[0019] Accordingly, in the step of depositing additional mixture along a predetermined trajectory, the connecting area between adjacent fragments within the predetermined trajectory range includes, for example, the gap between larger fragments or the area where smaller fragments contact, overlap, or cover each other.

[0020] The additional layer refers to a coating layer formed by the additional mixture on the corresponding area, which is a different color from the original dense composite mixture or its fragments.

[0021] Specifically, the flattened and stretched plate exhibits continuous long veins with random bends. These veins are typically formed by the additional layer being rolled or stretched along with the fragments, and a significant portion of the veins will essentially run through the plate or extend across the entire plate thickness.

[0022] Furthermore, prior to depositing the additional mixture along a predetermined trajectory, one or more of the fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures are moved to form grooves in the fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures without substantially breaking or deforming; the grooves constitute at least a portion of the predetermined trajectory.

[0023] The trenching work can be carried out manually, mechanically, semi-automatically or automatically, including but not limited to the tools or devices described in this invention, or other existing tools, devices or methods.

[0024] Specifically, for example, the present invention discloses a material-pushing device for pushing or shoving away fragments to expose more surface of irregularly shaped fragments (especially including the sidewalls), while maintaining the shape of the fragments and preventing them from breaking or deforming.

[0025] For example, the method and equipment for manufacturing textured artificial quartz stone slabs disclosed in Chinese Patent CN108501409 (published on September 7, 2018) can achieve the above-mentioned process steps and are incorporated herein by reference.

[0026] Furthermore, before flattening and extending it into a plate, at least a portion of the fragments with additional mixture deposits are arranged on the support structure in a predetermined pattern.

[0027] Alternatively, before depositing the additional mixture along a predetermined trajectory, at least a portion of the fragments of the corresponding region are arranged on the support structure in a predetermined pattern.

[0028] Specifically, the device for flattening and extending the fragments of the multiple composite mixtures includes a first pressure roller or a pair of first pressure rollers. Typically, the first pressure roller pair includes an upper pressure roller and a bottom pressure roller, which are correspondingly positioned. The upper pressure roller of the first pressure roller or the first pressure roller pair is driven. The operation performed using the first pressure roller or the first pressure roller pair can be referred to as a single calendering operation.

[0029] Furthermore, the apparatus for flattening and extending the fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures also includes a second pressure roller or a pair of second pressure rollers. Typically, the pair of second pressure rollers includes an upper pressure roller and a lower pressure roller, wherein the upper pressure roller of the second pressure roller or the pair of second pressure rollers is driven. Corresponding to the primary calendering operation, the operation performed using the second pressure roller or the pair of second pressure rollers can be referred to as a secondary calendering operation.

[0030] The fragments of the multiple composite mixtures pass sequentially through the first pressure roller or the first pair of pressure rollers and the second pressure roller or the second pair of pressure rollers.

[0031] That is, depending on the specific requirements of the board making process, the flattening and stretching operation may include only one calendering or more than two graded calenderings; at the same time, the flattening and stretching operation in this invention also includes extrusion.

[0032] This invention provides a method and equipment for manufacturing artificial stone slabs, wherein the size of the fragments of the composite mixture can be changed, controlled or adjusted, and then these fragments can be squeezed, pressed and stretched by a pressure roller or a pressure roller-calendering device to finally become a slab, thereby obtaining the desired more realistic natural stone aesthetic design effect.

[0033] According to the present invention, aggregate minerals, such as quartz sand grains and powders, can be mixed with resins, colorants, and other additives in a high-speed mixer to obtain a slightly moist and soft loose composite mixture, which is the original base material used in the present invention. As is known in the art, such a composite mixture can be compressed into a dense composite mixture.

[0034] After the dense composite mixture is obtained, it can be broken into multiple fragments in a controllable manner, for example, by using a stirring device to break the dense composite mixture, wherein the rotation speed of the stirring device can be varied: the faster the stirring device rotates, the smaller the fragments obtained from breaking the dense composite mixture. Alternatively, the dense composite mixture can be dropped onto a rigid grid or screen, and fragments of the desired size can be obtained by controlling the size of the rigid grid or screen and / or the drop height. There are also other methods to complete the crushing process to obtain irregularly shaped fragments of the desired size.

[0035] Then, these irregularly shaped fragments of the composite mixture are evenly distributed on a supporting structure (such as a conveyor belt), specifically, in such a way that no area contains significantly more fragments of the composite mixture than another area. Generally, no area should have more than 50% more fragments than another area; ideally, smaller fragments should not be noticeably piled up next to a large fragment, preventing the deposition of colorant on the sidewalls of the large fragment. Furthermore, if the irregularly shaped fragments are piled up too high, they may compress together due to their own weight, losing their original shape.

[0036] The advantage of handling and arranging these irregularly shaped fragments of the composite mixture in this way is that when additional mixtures are deposited or coated on certain areas of the fragments, for example by spraying a colorant mixture along a predetermined trajectory onto the sidewalls of the irregularly shaped fragments in the corresponding areas, i.e., the side surfaces and the junction areas of adjacent fragments, the colorant mixture is sprayed onto these sidewalls. These sidewalls are typically not smooth, flat surfaces, but have irregular shapes. Compared to a dense composite mixture, the irregularly shaped fragments have a larger surface area for coating with the colorant mixture to form the corresponding additional layer because the dense composite mixture is obtained through a compaction process, and its surface is essentially flat before it is fragmented; therefore, the colorant mixture can only be applied to the upper surface of the dense composite mixture. The number of irregularly shaped fragments can vary, and the height of the irregularly shaped fragments distributed on the conveyor belt can be greater than, or even much greater than, the specified distance between the pressure rollers and the conveyor belt, or the distance between pairs of pressure rollers. Therefore, when irregularly shaped fragments pass through the pressure rollers or pressure roller pairs, material accumulates in front of the pressure rollers or pressure roller pairs (referring to the upper pressure rollers). The height of this accumulation can be controlled by several factors, including the conveyor belt speed, the pressure roller rotation speed, the height or average height of the irregularly shaped fragments distributed on the conveyor belt, and the distance between the pressure rollers and the conveyor belt or between the pressure roller pairs. As the irregularly shaped fragments pass through the pressure rollers or pressure roller pairs, they are flattened and stretched, deforming into a plate. Compared to smaller fragments, larger irregularly shaped fragments are more likely to be squeezed out from under the pressure rollers, thereby correspondingly altering the veins formed by the additional layers on the sidewalls of the irregularly shaped fragments.

[0037] It is worth noting that, depending on the desired final aesthetic design (especially including veining), it is desirable to cover more surface area of ​​irregularly shaped fragments of any particular shape. This means applying an additional mixture to more of the surface of the irregularly shaped fragments, particularly their sidewalls. Rollers tend to significantly stretch or extend the composite mixture in the horizontal direction, while stretching or extending it in the vertical direction is little or extremely limited. Therefore, if the additional mixture (such as a colorant mixture) is applied only to the upper surface of the original or matrix composite mixture, or if the irregular fragment is lightly pressed with a flat upper surface, the additional mixture will essentially remain on the upper surface after passing through the rolls. For example, if an irregularly shaped fragment has a significantly larger horizontal surface area, like a flat plate, after passing through the rolls, all the additional mixture on the upper surface of the plate will essentially remain on it. This results in the additional mixture or additional layer appearing on the horizontal upper surface of the slab formed after rolling, rather than having veins running through the slab in the vertical direction. However, if the irregularly shaped fragments are cylinders with a height greater than their width, and the additive mixture is applied across the entire height of their sidewalls, then after the irregular fragments pass through the pressure rollers, the additive mixture or additional layer on their side surfaces will be stretched and deformed horizontally. The resulting appearance of the slab will not only have visible veins on the horizontal surface due to the color of the additive layer, but will also form corresponding random veins along the thickness direction of the slab.

[0038] To achieve the same effect, in addition to pressure rollers, various other existing methods and devices can be used, such as using pressure to squeeze the fragments of the composite mixture through narrow openings such as injection molds.

[0039] According to the present invention, an apparatus for breaking down a dense composite mixture into smaller pieces may include a CNC (computer numerical control) controlled material feeding device having a narrow head structure and an elongated, narrow tail made of a rigid plate, which gently pushes or disperses the irregularly shaped pieces while maintaining their irregular shape; without cutting through the irregularly shaped pieces of the composite mixture, or causing the pieces to break or be compressed. Specifically, the elongated and narrow tail of the material-feeding device can be connected to its narrow head and swing back and forth like a pendulum to pry apart or push away irregularly shaped fragments to form grooves with irregular edge contours. As mentioned above, the force of its swing will not cause the fragments to deform or break. Compared with the devices and processes in the prior art, such as V-wheel rolling devices that pass through the smooth groove walls formed by the composite mixture, the device and process of the present invention have their own outstanding features: after forming the above-mentioned grooves according to the present invention, an additional mixture is sprayed into the inside of the grooves and their sidewalls. The additional mixture includes, but is not limited to, a colorant mixture, which is different from the original composite mixture or its fragments in color (including brightness, hue, and saturation). Then, the irregular fragments of the composite mixture, including the area where the grooves are located, are flattened and extended into a plate by a pressure roller, so that the desired veins can be formed in the plate. For example, a colorant mixture can be deposited on certain areas of irregularly shaped fragments using a CNC-controlled, robot-controlled, or manual spray gun. In this way, at least a portion of the surface (including at least a portion of the sidewalls) of the irregularly shaped fragments, which have been moved by a feeding device, is deposited with the colorant mixture, forming a corresponding additional layer. Each irregularly shaped fragment along the colorant mixture deposition path is typically close to each other, and the colorant mixture on each irregularly shaped fragment, or the additional layer it forms, extends onto adjacent randomly shaped fragments. After being rolled by pressure rollers, this simulates the appearance of continuous long veins in the slab. Because the state of compression and deformation of each irregularly shaped fragment is random, the continuous long veins often present irregular zigzag patterns, thus achieving a more realistic simulation of the random veining effect commonly seen in natural stone.

[0040] The size of the irregularly shaped fragments is important for controlling the amount of additional mixture applied to them. Since the additional mixture forms a corresponding additional layer only by depositing on the outer surface of any given irregularly shaped fragment, as the size of the irregularly shaped fragments decreases, the volume with the color of the original composite mixture or its fragments relative to the color of the additional layer decreases, until the particle size is so small that the color of the entire composite mixture becomes the color of the additional layer. Consequently, smaller fragments, after passing through the pressure rollers, will result in a monochromatic or short-veined appearance, which is generally undesirable.

[0041] Another method to coat a large number of surfaces, especially the sidewalls, with the additive mixture is to place irregularly shaped fragments that are significantly larger than the other fragments. The additive mixture can be applied to these large, irregularly shaped fragments before or after they are placed on the support structure. The placement of each large, irregularly shaped fragment can be controlled or predefined. This will ensure that a considerable portion of the sidewalls of the large, irregularly shaped fragments are coated with the colorant, and if enough of these large, irregularly shaped fragments are placed together, after being calendered by pressure rollers, they will connect together and produce a long, zigzag vein effect.

[0042] The larger the size of the irregularly shaped fragments distributed on the conveyor belt, or the more irregularly shaped fragments accumulate in front of the pressure roller relative to the distance between the pressure roller and the conveyor belt, the greater the deformation and stretching of the composite mixture fragments as they pass through the pressure roller or pressure roller pair, thus forming continuous long lines. This stretching or deformation is to some extent controllable, depending on how many composite mixture fragments are accumulated in front of the pressure roller. If not enough fragments are accumulated in front of the pressure roller, the amount of stretching or deformation will be minimal. In extreme cases, without sufficient fragments, the fragments may not even be pressed together and will ultimately leave the pressure roller as fragments rather than a plate. Conversely, if too much material is accumulated in front of the pressure roller, the composite material will be excessively stretched. Depending on the final aesthetic design requirements, there will be a specific amount of stretching or deformation to be achieved. Furthermore, the conveyor belt speed can be increased to accumulate more irregularly shaped fragments in front of the pressure roller, or decreased to accumulate fewer irregularly shaped fragments in front of the pressure roller.

[0043] The rotational speed of the pressure rollers or pressure roller pairs, as well as the distance between the conveyor belt and the pressure rollers or pressure roller pairs, also affect the deformation and elongation of irregularly shaped fragments of composite materials.

[0044] According to the invention, an additional mixture is deposited along a predetermined pattern or trajectory connecting multiple fragments, the additional mixture being deposited not only on the upper surface of the fragments but also on the sidewalls of the fragments and at least part of the connecting areas between adjacent fragments, forming a corresponding additional layer; then the fragments of the composite mixture, including the corresponding areas where the additional layers are formed, are rolled into a sheet by pressure rollers, on which the desired continuous veins are formed accordingly, wherein at least part of the veins are through the entire thickness of the sheet.

[0045] Multiple additives can be deposited along a predetermined trajectory in the corresponding areas of the fragments of the composite mixture. These additives can typically have different color effects. Multiple additives can be deposited simultaneously or at different times. The type of additives, the order of deposition, and the corresponding amount of deposition can be controlled by a computer.

[0046] According to the invention, the size and / or position of irregularly shaped fragments are controlled, and various methods of applying an additional mixture to specific locations are combined to coat the surface (especially its side surfaces) of the irregularly shaped fragments to the desired size or area; the fragments of the composite mixture are then processed by pressure rollers or pairs of pressure rollers, or other calendering and deformation devices, to form the desired veins that better simulate natural stone.

[0047] According to the present invention, the manufacturing method and apparatus are configured to store and adjust variables in a computer memory in response to the control of a computer processor, to control the type of colorant, the amount of each colorant used, the area on the composite mixture to be deposited with additional mixtures (including but not limited to colorant mixtures), and the amount of deformation and stretching of the composite mixture fragments after passing through one or any known extrusion or calendering device / equipment (including but not limited to one or more pressure rollers or pairs of pressure rollers). It also includes, for example, the positioning of the feeding device, its oscillation direction and amplitude (or angle), the distance between the pressure rollers and the conveyor belt, or the distance between a pair of pressure rollers, the height and number of composite mixture fragments, and the conveyor belt speed, all of which can be configured in response to the control of the computer processor.

[0048] Compared to existing technologies, this invention achieves the production of artificial stone slabs that better meet modern aesthetic standards through a relatively convenient process, without the need for high-investment equipment or devices. In particular, compared to existing artificial stone materials, its simulated veins are naturally formed and lifelike, satisfying modern people's aesthetic pursuit of returning to simplicity to a greater extent.

[0049] According to the method and corresponding equipment or apparatus disclosed in this invention, firstly, from forming a dense composite mixture to fragmenting it; and / or further, moving at least a portion of the irregularly shaped fragments to form grooves without substantially breaking or deforming them; and / or arranging a portion of the fragments on a support structure in a predetermined pattern; all are for the purpose of forming a relatively non-smooth and irregular profile of a predetermined trajectory. When an additional mixture (e.g., a colorant mixture) is deposited onto the corresponding area of ​​the fragments along the predetermined trajectory (the grooves constitute at least a part of the predetermined trajectory) to form an additional layer and then a calendering operation is performed, the corresponding area coated with the additional layer (e.g., grooves, the upper and side surfaces of the corresponding fragments, and the connecting areas between corresponding adjacent fragments, etc.) and the fragments outside the predetermined trajectory are calendered together into a plate, and a continuous, relatively long vein with random bends is presented on the plate. This effect is difficult to achieve with the prior art and is more similar to the vein characteristics in natural stone. Furthermore, irregularly shaped fragments, including the sidewalls, coated with an additional layer, are brought close together. The additional layer on each fragment extends to the adjacent fragments, and through a flattening and stretching process, a slab is formed, creating continuous, irregular long veins within the slab. Simultaneously, the calendering process also produces a color transition or gradient effect in the veins. In summary, the artificial stone slabs manufactured according to the process and equipment of the present invention can possess realistic and natural veins, overcoming the technical difficulty of simulating the vein effects of natural stone under existing technological conditions.

[0050] A significant advantage of this invention is that, compared to the piece-by-piece forming process before the vibration and compaction of the sheet material, this invention enables continuous material conveying and continuous operations including unloading, coloring, and calendering to form a continuous strip. This advantage, besides cost savings, also allows for the production of sheets longer than the standard sheet length (typically 3.2 meters), resulting in both aesthetic and practical benefits. This is because the degree of stretching at the front or back of a single sheet differs significantly from that in the middle, primarily because a suitable or stable amount of material cannot typically accumulate in front of the pressure rollers at these points. However, in continuous production, such as for 10 sheet lengths, only the material at the front and back of the sheet length needs to be removed, and the remaining sheet is cut into standard lengths in 3.2-meter increments for further processing.

[0051] The material cost savings of this invention are also prominently reflected in the following: Typically, it is difficult to evenly distribute material across a sufficiently large surface during sheet processing, for example, a sheet with an area of ​​1.6m × 3.2m and a thickness of, say, 60 mm. Vibration and compaction steps can smooth out localized areas, but if one end of the sheet has more material than the other, it is difficult to achieve flatness. Under existing production technology, to accommodate this unevenness, the blank is usually thicker than required by other methods, and correspondingly, it needs to be ground to the appropriate dimensions in subsequent process steps. For example, if the required thickness of the final product is 30.0 mm, a sheet thickness of 36.0 mm would be produced, followed by rough grinding and polishing to 30.0 mm, wasting an extra 6.0 mm of material. Compared to existing technologies, by using pressure rollers or similar devices to compress and flatten any excess material, a more consistent and flat sheet can be produced, allowing for the production of sheets with a thickness less than 36.0 mm before grinding, while still ensuring a final product thickness of 30.0 mm. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of the first device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 2 is a colorant storage tank, 4 is a Z-axis lifting device, 6 is a spraying device for spraying colorant or other additional mixtures, 8 is a rotating device for driving the feeding device 10 to rotate, and 102 is a conveyor belt.

[0053] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A close-up simplified diagram of a portion of the structure in the first device;

[0054] Figure 3 A simplified top view of the first device is shown, with a portion of it displayed. Figure 1 In the illustrated state, the feeding device of the equipment has formed a groove in the composite mixture while maintaining the irregular shape of the sidewall of the fragments;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a second device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 5 A simplified side view 400 of irregularly shaped fragments of a composite mixture is shown, illustrating various fragment sizes and their random placement on the sides;

[0057] Figure 6 Image 500 shows fragments, fragment 505 showing traces of colorant mixture as fragment 504 enters pressure roller 502, and fragment 504a showing obvious accumulation in front of pressure roller;

[0058] Figure 7Image 600 shows fragments being pressed into a sheet as they leave the pressure rollers, forming a plate, where the fragments are stretched and deformed to form irregular Z-shaped veins running through the plate.

[0059] Figure 8 It showed that it had passed Figure 6 and Figure 7 The process steps shown are illustrated, along with images 700 of the finished sheet material after edge trimming, rough grinding, and polishing.

[0060] Figure 9 A flowchart 800 of the method described according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0061] Figure 10 A simplified block diagram 900 of the device components used in embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0062] Figure 11 A side view 1000 is shown during the operation of the pressure roller in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein fragments of the composite mixture are deformed under the action of the pressure roller, pressed into a sheet and extended to form a plate;

[0063] Figure 12 A side view 1100 of a pair of pressure rollers used according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0064] Figure 13 Image 1200 shows a sheet material produced using a known prior art technique that involves coating fragments with a colorant that forms short textures within each individual fragment but does not connect with short textures formed in other fragments. This differs from the present invention, which presents the appearance of long, connected textures extending across the entire sheet.

[0065] Figure 14 Image 1300 of a sheet metal produced in a single batch according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in contrast to continuous production, where the degree of stretching on the left side differs significantly from that on the right side; and

[0066] Figure 15 Image 1400 shows a sheet material produced in continuous operation according to an embodiment of the present invention, which has a generally uniform stretch along the entire length of the sheet material. Detailed Implementation

[0067] In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing artificial stone slabs is provided, comprising:

[0068] Compacting: Compacting the composite mixture to form a dense composite mixture;

[0069] Fragmentation: breaking the dense composite mixture into multiple fragments of the composite mixture;

[0070] Coloring: Depositing a colorant mixture (or another additional mixture with a different color from the original dense composite mixture) along a predetermined trajectory onto the corresponding area of ​​the fragment to form an additional layer with a different color from the original dense composite mixture; and

[0071] Rolling into a sheet and forming continuous, folded veins: A device is used to flatten and stretch fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures into a sheet, the sheet exhibiting continuous, randomly folded veins. These veins are formed by the additional layer being rolled, stretched, and connected along with the fragments, and a significant portion of them penetrates the sheet or extends across its entire thickness.

[0072] The method may further include the step of forming trenches, namely, moving one or more of the plurality of fragments without breaking or deforming them substantially before depositing the colorant mixture along a predetermined trajectory, thereby forming trenches in the plurality of fragments, the trenches forming at least a portion of the predetermined trajectory.

[0073] Specifically, the device for flattening and extending the plurality of fragments may include a first pressure roller or a first pressure roller pair, and may also include a second pressure roller or a second pressure roller pair; wherein the plurality of fragments are sequentially passed through the first pressure roller / first pressure roller pair and the second pressure roller / second pressure roller pair, and are flattened and extended into a plate.

[0074] In at least one embodiment of the present invention, before the plurality of composite material fragments are flattened and extended into a plate using the device, a plurality of fragments having additional layers on a portion of their surfaces are arranged in a predetermined pattern on a support structure.

[0075] In at least one embodiment of the invention, the first set of fragments may be arranged on the support structure in a predetermined pattern before the colorant mixture or other additional mixture is deposited on a portion of the surface of the first set of fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures and an additional layer is formed.

[0076] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0077] In one embodiment of the present invention, the groove can be formed using a feeding device 10, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, grooves 150 are formed in the fragments 160 of the composite mixture, while maintaining the random shape and orientation of the fragments forming the edges of the grooves 150, thus giving the grooves 150 an irregular edge profile, such as... Figure 3 As shown.

[0078] The feeding device 10 and its associated structures are detailed in [reference needed]. Figure 2The image shows a lifting device 18, a connector 14, a connecting rod 16, a feeding device 10, and a spraying device 6, etc.; the spraying device 6 shows nozzles 6a and 6b and pipes 7a and 7b for feeding the nozzles.

[0079] In another embodiment of the present invention, a second device may be used, such as... Figure 4 As shown. The second device includes a pressure roller assembly 200 and a pressure roller assembly 300. The pressure roller assembly 200 includes a pressure roller pair consisting of an upper pressure roller 202 and a bottom pressure roller 210, and the pressure roller assembly 300 includes a pressure roller pair consisting of an upper pressure roller 302 and a bottom pressure roller 310.

[0080] Furthermore, the pressure roller assembly 200 also includes a take-up roller 204 and a release roller 206. The pressure roller assembly 300 also includes a take-up roller 304 and a release roller 306.

[0081] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the artificial stone slab manufacturing process is as follows: Figure 9 As shown, where:

[0082] In step 802, aggregate minerals, such as quartz sand particles and powders, are mixed with resin, colorant, other additives, or any combination thereof in a high-speed mixer to obtain a slightly moist and soft loose composite mixture.

[0083] In step 804, the composite mixture is pressed into a dense composite mixture.

[0084] In step 806, the dense composite mixture is broken into multiple irregularly shaped fragments of the desired size.

[0085] Preferably, the dense composite mixture is broken into multiple fragments in a controllable manner, such as by using a stirring device to disperse the dense composite mixture. Adjusting the rotation speed of the stirring device can change the size of the fragments. Generally, the faster the rotation speed, the smaller the resulting fragments.

[0086] Alternatively, to break the dense composite mixture into large or irregularly shaped fragments of the composite material, the dense composite mixture can be dropped onto a rigid grid or screen. The desired fragment size can be achieved by controlling the size of the rigid grid or screen and / or the drop height of the composite mixture.

[0087] There are other methods to break the dense composite mixture into the desired number of fragments.

[0088] The variation in fragment size depends on the final aesthetic design requirements. However, each three-dimensional fragment involved in step 806 can be described as having width, length, and height, with the maximum dimensions of width, length, and height preferably ranging between 25 mm and 250 mm. The size of the fragment depends on the desired veining effect for the final aesthetic design. Generally, the larger the fragment, the sparser the overall veining of the slab after pressing by the pressure rollers or pressure rollers.

[0089] The shape of each fragment is usually irregular. Conversely, if the fragments are too uniform, the veins obtained after being processed by the pressure rollers will be too mechanical and rigid, and will lack naturalness.

[0090] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the obtained composite mixture consists of irregularly shaped fragments, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the composite mixture 400 includes multiple randomly placed fragments of varying sizes, shapes, and orientations, such as fragments 402 and 404. Fragment 402 has sides 402a and 402b, and fragment 404 has sides 404a and 404b. The sides 402a, 402b, 404a, and 404b have random different orientations relative to the surface of the conveyor belt 102.

[0091] In step 808, the plurality of fragments are placed relatively evenly on a support structure, such as a conveyor belt, to avoid situations where there is significantly more composite material in some areas than in other areas.

[0092] In step 810, the colorant mixture is applied to the surface of the multiple fragments, particularly the sidewalls, to form a corresponding additional layer.

[0093] The advantage of processing (as in step 806) and placing (as in step 808) the plurality of fragments in the aforementioned manner is that when an additional mixture is used in certain areas, for example by spraying a colorant mixture onto the previous composite mixture layer in the corresponding area (as in step 810), the colorant mixture will also be sprayed onto the sidewalls of the corresponding fragments to form an additional layer, which will have a different color from the previous composite mixture. Meanwhile, these sidewalls are typically irregular in shape and are at least not entirely smooth, flat surfaces; in particular, these sidewalls will each have their own random orientation. Thus, it can be seen that, compared to a dense composite mixture with a substantially flat surface obtained after pressing, irregularly shaped fragments obtained after crushing will obtain an additional layer with a larger surface area after deposition (e.g., spraying) of the additional mixture; the reason is simple: the former's additional layer is primarily formed on the upper surface of the dense composite mixture, while the latter's additional layer will also be formed more extensively on the side surfaces of the irregularly shaped fragments.

[0094] In step 812, irregularly shaped fragments are pressed using a pressure roller or a pair of pressure rollers or other calendering device to stretch and extend them into a plate.

[0095] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, step 812 includes the following processes and states, such as... Figure 6 As shown, when the fragments 504 enter the pressure roller 502, the trajectory of the colorant mixture appears on some of the fragments 505, and the fragments 504a in a certain area of ​​the fragments 504 (i.e. the area directly in front of the pressure roller 502) appear to be "accumulated".

[0096] Subsequently, as the fragments leave the pressure rollers, they have been pressed together and stretched into a slab, such as... Figure 7 As shown; furthermore, the slab undergoes vacuum vibration pressing, curing, edge trimming, rough grinding, and polishing processes to become a finished sheet material, such as... Figure 8 As shown.

[0097] The number of irregularly shaped fragments distributed on the conveyor belt can vary, and the height of these fragments can be greater than, or even significantly greater than, the specified distance between the pressure rollers and the conveyor belt, or between pressure roller pairs. Therefore, material accumulates in front of the pressure rollers as the irregularly shaped fragments pass through. The height of this accumulation can be controlled by several factors, including the conveyor belt speed, the pressure roller rotation speed, the height or average height of the irregularly shaped fragments, and the distance between the pressure rollers and the conveyor belt, or between pressure roller pairs. The irregularly shaped fragments of the composite mixture are compressed together by the pressure rollers or pressure roller pairs, extending into a sheet, which eventually forms a plate after passing through the pressure rollers. Compared to smaller irregularly shaped fragments, larger fragments experience greater deformation as they are extruded from under the pressure rollers, thereby altering the effect of the veining formed by the additional layers on the surface of the irregularly shaped fragments (especially the sidewalls).

[0098] For example, the irregularly shaped fragments piled in front of the pressure roller can be 100 mm above the conveyor belt, and the gap between the pressure roller and the conveyor belt can be 25 mm. After leaving the pressure roller, the irregularly shaped fragments are pressed and squeezed, deforming into a slab with a height slightly exceeding 25 mm. The composite mixture has a certain degree of elasticity, so its final height may be slightly greater than the height of the pressure roller. Since the colorant mixture will be deposited (or sprayed) onto the surface of the irregularly shaped fragments, especially including their sidewalls, and forming a corresponding additional layer, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the veins subsequently formed and displayed due to the additional layer will not only appear on the upper surface of the slab formed after rolling, but will also penetrate the entire thickness of the slab, thus achieving a satisfactory vein appearance that penetrates the entire slab, such as... Figure 7 As shown.

[0099] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, multiple sets of pressure rollers or pairs of pressure rollers can be used sequentially for graded calendering, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the composite mixture fragments are progressively stretched / extended by calendering them step by step using multiple pressure rollers or pressure rollers. For example, the irregularly shaped fragments piled up in front of the pressure rollers may be 100 mm above the conveyor belt, the distance between the first pressure roller and the conveyor belt or between the first pressure roller pair (including the upper pressure roller 302 and the bottom pressure roller 310) may be 30 mm, and the distance between the second pressure roller and the conveyor belt or between the second pressure roller pair (including the upper pressure roller 202 and the bottom pressure roller 210) may be 25 mm.

[0100] In one or more embodiments of the invention, irregularly shaped fragments can be placed on a fixed support structure, and pressure rollers or pairs of pressure rollers are designed to move back and forth along a track to roll the irregularly shaped fragments, similar to rolling dough with a rolling pin. The distance between the pressure rollers and the support structure or between the pressure roller pairs is adjustable.

[0101] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a film-releasing roller and a film-receiving roller are attached to the pressure roller to apply a release film to the working surface of the pressure roller before the pressure roller calenders the fragments, and to roll up or remove the release film after the pressure roller pressing operation is completed. Since the composite material is a mixture of slightly wet and soft particles, it is easy to stick to the pressure roller when in contact with it. Using a release film can prevent the working surface of the pressure roller from directly contacting the composite mixture, so that the pressure roller always maintains a smooth working surface during production, thereby ensuring the surface quality of the formed slab. Specifically, the release film can be applied to the pressure roller (here, the upper pressure roller 202, 302) upstream through the film-releasing roller 206, 306. The pressure roller begins to contact the irregular fragments from this upstream position, and the used protective film is removed or rolled up by the film-receiving roller 204, 304 downstream (here, the upstream and downstream positions can be understood as the position where the fragments begin to enter the pressure roller or initially contact the pressure roller, and the position where the fragments detach from the pressure roller after being calendered and deformed by the pressure roller, respectively).

[0102] Device components 900 that can be used in one or more embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 10 As shown, it includes a computer processor 902, a computer memory 904, and a computer interaction device 906, wherein the computer interaction device 906 may be, for example, a computer touchscreen, a computer mouse, and / or a computer keyboard. The device assembly 900 also includes a feeding device 10, see [link to documentation]. Figure 1 or Figure 2 .

[0103] The computer processor 902 is connected to at least the spraying device 6, the material feeding device 10, the placement position control device 908, the pressure roller speed control device 912, the pressure roller height control device 910, and the conveyor belt transmission speed control device 102a, and is also connected to the computer memory 904 and the computer interaction device 906.

[0104] In one embodiment of the present invention, a material feeding device 10 controlled by a CNC or robot, for example by a computer processor 902 executing a computer program stored in a computer memory 904, performs the following steps: the material feeding device 10, including a narrow head 10c at one end 10a, is configured to gently push away irregularly shaped fragments while maintaining the irregular shape of the fragments without cutting through them and causing them to break or be deformed.

[0105] Combination Figure 2 As can be seen, the feeding device 10 includes a head 10c and a tail 10d, having one end 10a and the other end 10b, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown; its tail is 10d long and slender, having a width W1, a length L1, and a height H1. Preferably, the width W1 is the same throughout the length L1. The dimensions of W1, L1, and H1 can be 2 mm, 90 mm, and 80 mm, respectively.

[0106] Preferably, the slender and narrow tail 10d is made of a flat, rigid sheet metal and is connected to the head 10c. It can be configured to swing back and forth like a pendulum by rotating about the connecting rod 16 to further push away irregularly shaped fragments, but without applying force large enough to deform or break the fragments. The swing distance can vary according to design requirements, such as the required width of the groove, and the swing force can vary according to a specific formula used to form the irregularly shaped fragments.

[0107] A groove is formed in multiple fragments by the oscillation of the feeding device 10. Because the multiple irregularly shaped fragments are pushed aside without breaking or deforming and / or substantially without breaking or deforming, the groove has a slightly irregular edge profile. A realistic veining effect is produced when the sidewalls of the groove are coated with a colorant mixture and flattened and stretched by a pressure roller or pressure roller. This contrasts sharply with the relatively smooth groove walls formed in composite mixtures by various known grooving devices and methods.

[0108] In one embodiment of the present invention, a spraying device 6 (such as a spray gun or spraying device controlled by a CNC (numerical control unit) is included. Figure 2As shown), a colorant mixture is sprayed or deposited onto certain areas of multiple irregularly shaped fragments. Thus, the colorant mixture is deposited on the sidewalls of the multiple irregularly shaped fragments that have been pushed by the feeding device 10, forming an additional layer with a color different from the original composite mixture or the fragments themselves. The irregularly shaped fragments are close to each other, on the pressure rollers or pairs of pressure rollers (such as...). Figure 4 During the calendering process of the pressure roller devices 200 and 300 shown, each fragment extends or stretches to its adjacent fragment. Similarly, fragments coated with an additional layer are connected to each other along a predetermined trajectory. During the calendering process, the additional layer extends from one fragment to another adjacent fragment as the fragments are extended and stretched, thereby forming a continuous long vein appearance in the synchronously stretched slab. Because each irregularly shaped fragment is compressed and stretched differently, the continuous long veins naturally exhibit a random bending effect, thus more closely resembling the veins in natural stone.

[0109] The size of the irregularly shaped fragments is important for controlling the amount of colorant mixture applied to them. As the size of the irregularly shaped fragments decreases, the volume containing the original color of the composite mixture decreases, until the particle size is small enough that the color of the entire composite mixture becomes the color of the colorant mixture. After passing through a pressure roller or a pair of pressure rollers, as... Figure 11 The pressure roller 1002 shown, or as... Figure 12 As shown in the pressure roller pairs 1102 and 1108, if the fragment size is too small, it will result in an undesirable monochromatic or short-veined appearance.

[0110] Another method to ensure that a large surface area (especially the side surfaces) of the composite mixture fragments is coated with the colorant is to place irregularly shaped fragments that are significantly larger than other fragments on a supporting structure, such as a conveyor belt 102. In embodiments of the invention, the conveyor belt 102 is supported by a steel plate 100, and the conveyor belt 102 is movable on the steel plate 100. Figure 4 As shown. The placement of each large, irregularly shaped fragment on the conveyor belt 102 or other supporting structure can be controlled by a placement position control device 908, which responds to the control of a computer processor 902, such as... Figure 10 As shown in the diagram, when a significant portion of the sidewalls of large, irregularly shaped fragments is coated with a colorant mixture, and if enough of these large, irregularly shaped fragments are brought together close enough, after being calendered by a pressure roller device, the irregularly shaped fragments will join together and form a continuous long vein.

[0111] Distributed on conveyor belt 102 (e.g.) Figure 1 or Figure 4The larger the size or the greater the number of irregularly shaped fragments of the composite mixture on the surface, the more the fragments pass through the pressure roller device 200 and / or 300 (as shown). Figure 4 The greater the deformation and stretching after (as shown), the more elongated veins are formed, which can be stretched or deformed in a controlled manner, depending to some extent on how many pieces of the composite mixture are piled up in front of the upper pressure rollers 202 and / or 302. If not enough of the piled-up pieces are piled up in front of the upper pressure rollers 202 and / or 302, the amount of stretching or deformation of the pieces will be relatively small. In extreme cases, if there is not enough material piled up, the pieces will not even be compressed or the compression will be insufficient, and they will eventually leave the pressure rollers as pieces rather than a plate. Conversely, if too much material is piled up in front of the upper pressure rollers 202 and / or 302, the composite material will be excessively stretched. Depending on the needs of the final aesthetic design, there will be a specific amount of stretching or deformation to be achieved, which will determine the amount of piled-up pieces in front of the pressure rollers. Furthermore, the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 102 can be controlled by the conveyor belt speed control device 102a connected to the computer processor 902. For example, by increasing the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 102, more irregularly shaped fragments can be accumulated in front of the upper pressure roller 202 or 302, or by decreasing the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 102, fewer irregularly shaped fragments can be accumulated in front of the upper pressure roller 202 or 302.

[0112] Side baffles 104 and 106 are also provided corresponding to the upper pressure rollers 202 / 302. The side baffles are arranged in pairs at both ends of the pressure roller or upper pressure roller, located on both sides of the conveyor belt width direction. Figure 4 Only one side baffle is shown. When the pressure roller or upper pressure roller presses down on the fragments of the composite mixture piled up in front of it, the pressed composite mixture fragments are prevented from being squeezed out from both sides of the roller by the physical constraint of the side baffle; at the same time, the side baffle serves to set or limit the width of the final slab or strip.

[0113] The rotational speed of the pressure rollers or roller pairs, as well as the height between the conveyor belt and the pressure rollers or roller pairs, also affect the degree of deformation of the irregularly shaped fragments of the composite mixture. The rotational speed and height are controlled by a pressure roller speed control device 912 and a pressure roller height control device 910, respectively, which are connected to a computer processor 902. Figure 10 As shown.

[0114] In one or more embodiments of the invention, for example, a colorant mixture can be deposited on the surface (including the side surfaces) of the fragments along a predetermined pattern or trajectory using a spraying device 6. After the multiple fragments are colored according to the predetermined pattern or trajectory and calendered by one or more pressure rollers, the resulting elongated veins running through the sheet will appear as the desired continuous veins on the formed slab, such as... Figure 7 As shown.

[0115] The size of the granules is typically controlled by a variety of factors, including the desired final aesthetic design requirements and the method of applying additional composite mixtures (including but not limited to colorant mixtures) to the surface or sidewalls of the granules. After applying the additional mixtures, the desired pattern is formed on one or more granules; these are then calendered with one or more pressure rolls or pairs of pressure rolls to achieve the desired effect.

[0116] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, other known devices and apparatus besides the feeding device 10 are used to push the fragments apart, exposing more surface area or sidewalls of the fragments while maintaining their shape and preventing them from breaking or deforming, or thereby forming grooves 150, such as Figure 3 As shown.

[0117] Variables can be adjusted and stored in computer memory 904, and computer software executed by computer processor 902 controls the degree of deformation and calendering stretching of the composite mixture fragments after passing through one or more pressure rollers / pairs of pressure rollers. In at least one embodiment, the height and number of composite mixture fragments, the distance between the pressure rollers and the conveyor belt or between the upper and lower pressure rollers of a pressure roller pair, and the conveyor belt speed are respectively controlled by corresponding control devices (including position placement control device 910, pressure roller height control device 908, conveyor belt speed control device 102a, etc.) connected to computer processor 902, such as... Figure 10 As shown.

[0118] One embodiment of the present invention illustrates the operation of a driven pressure roller 1002, as shown in the side view 1000. Figure 11 As shown, in this state, irregular fragments 1050 of the composite mixture are placed on a conveyor belt 1006, supported by a steel plate 1008 underneath. The conveyor belt 1006 can move on the steel plate 1008. A pressure roller 1002 is rotatably mounted on the component 1004, wherein at least a portion of the irregular fragments 1050 of the composite mixture is being pressed by the pressure roller 1002, and the remaining portion of the fragments 1050 is also moving towards the pressure roller 1002 along the direction D1 of the conveyor belt 1006, about to be pressed. The portion of the plate 1052 that has been flattened and extended by the pressure roller 1002 has veins covering the entire plate.

[0119] One embodiment of the present invention illustrates the operation of pressure rollers 1102 and 1108, with a side view 1100 as shown. Figure 12As shown, in this state, irregular fragments 1150 of the composite mixture are placed on a conveyor belt 1106, supported by a steel plate 1112. The conveyor belt 1106 can move on the steel plate 1112. A driven upper pressure roller 1102 is rotatably mounted on a component 1104, and a bottom pressure roller 1108 is rotatably mounted on a component 1110. The bottom pressure roller can be driven or freely rotating without a driving force. At least a portion of the irregular fragments 1150 of the composite mixture is being crushed by the pressure rollers 1102 and 1108, and the remaining fragments 1150 are also moving towards the position and direction between the pressure rollers 1102 and 1108 as the conveyor belt 1106 moves in the direction indicated by D1, about to be pressed. The fragments have been flattened and extended into a single sheet 1152 by the pressure rollers 1102 and 1108, with veins covering the entire sheet. It can be understood that during the operation of the pressure rollers 1102 and 1108, the upper pressure roller 1102 directly contacts the fragments of the composite mixture and calenders them during rotation, while the lower pressure roller 1108, which works in conjunction with it, also rotates at the same time to help ensure that braking problems do not occur due to friction between the upper pressure roller 1102 and the conveyor belt 1106.

[0120] The artificial stone slabs manufactured using the method described in this invention can ultimately achieve an appearance with continuous long veins running a considerable distance throughout the entire slab, such as... Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, in contrast, the existing technology uses colorants to coat fragments, forming short veins within each individual fragment. However, the short veins formed within each fragment typically cannot connect with each other, such as... Figure 13 As shown in image 1200.

[0121] A significant advantage of one or more embodiments of the present invention is the ability to operate continuously, rather than producing only one board at a time. In addition to cost savings, the present invention can thus produce boards longer than the standard board length (typically 3.2m), offering aesthetic advantages and practical value. Figure 15 Image 1400 of the sheet material shown depicts a slab produced in continuous operation as described in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the degree of stretching is substantially uniform along the entire length of the slab; in contrast, Figure 14 Image 1300 shows a sheet material, which is a single-batch, non-continuously produced slab blank as described in an embodiment of the present invention. It can be clearly seen from the image that there is a significant difference in the degree of stretching on the left side of the slab blank compared to the degree of stretching on the right side.

[0122] One or more embodiments of the present invention overcome a common problem under existing technology: it is often difficult to achieve uniform material distribution within a sufficiently large size range. For example, for a 1.6m × 3.2m sheet with a required thickness of 60mm, vibration and compaction processes can flatten local areas, but if one end of the sheet has more material than the other, it is difficult to completely flatten it under a vacuum vibratory press. Under existing production conditions, to accommodate this unevenness, the sheet thickness is usually increased beyond the required thickness. This inevitably increases raw material costs, processing costs, etc., and further increases various costs, including processing costs, in subsequent cutting processes. For example, when a final product thickness of 30mm is desired, existing processes typically require producing a 36mm sheet thickness, which is then ground and polished to 30mm, wasting an extra 6mm of material (obviously, the corresponding cost increase is not limited to this). In embodiments of the present invention, using pressure rollers or pressure rollers to break up the calendered composite mixture can produce slabs with a more uniform thickness than those in the prior art. This allows for the initial slab production to be less than 36 mm thick, while still obtaining a final product with a thickness of 30 mm. This not only saves material costs, but also undoubtedly saves costs in all aspects, including labor, equipment, and tools. Naturally, this also includes the value of energy conservation and green ecology.

[0123] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific illustrative embodiments, many changes and modifications to the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its core essence and scope. Therefore, all such changes and modifications should also be reasonably and appropriately considered as contributions to the art and included within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing artificial stone slabs, comprising: The slightly moist and soft composite mixture is pressed into a dense composite mixture; The dense composite mixture is broken into multiple irregularly shaped fragments of the desired size; The multiple fragments are placed relatively evenly on the supporting structure; An additional mixture is deposited along a predetermined trajectory onto corresponding regions of the fragments to form an additional layer. The irregularly shaped fragments along the deposition path of the additional mixture are typically close to each other, forming a relatively non-smooth and irregular outline of the predetermined trajectory. The corresponding region includes at least a portion of the surface of the fragment along the predetermined trajectory and at least a portion of the interface between adjacent fragments, the surface including at least a portion of the side surfaces of the fragment. The device then uses an additional layer, including the corresponding area, and the fragments of the multiple composite mixtures to flatten and extend them into a plate. During this calendering process, the fragments are extended or stretched to adjacent fragments, and the additional layer extends from one fragment to another adjacent fragment as the fragments are extended and stretched. The plate then exhibits continuous long lines with at least some random bends. The additional mixture differs from the dense composite mixture in at least color.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The additional mixture is a colorant mixture containing colorants.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Before depositing additional mixtures along a predetermined trajectory, one or more of the fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures are moved to form grooves in the fragments of the plurality of composite mixtures without substantially breaking or deforming; the grooves constitute at least a portion of the predetermined trajectory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before flattening and stretching into a sheet, at least a portion of the fragments with additional layers on the surface are arranged on the support structure in a predetermined pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before depositing the additional mixture along a predetermined trajectory, at least a portion of the fragments of the corresponding region are arranged on the support structure in a predetermined pattern.

6. The method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The apparatus for flattening and extending into a sheet includes a first pressure roller or a pair of first pressure rollers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The apparatus for flattening and extending the sheet also includes a second pressure roller or a pair of second pressure rollers; The fragments of the multiple composite mixtures pass sequentially through the first pressure roller or the first pair of pressure rollers and the second pressure roller or the second pair of pressure rollers.

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