METHOD FOR PRINTING A COLOR IMAGE ON A STONE TILE

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of printing, more precisely to the field of procedures for printing colour images onto a stone surface.The technical problem

[0002] The technical problem is how to print a colour image directly to a stone tile, so that the image is persistent in all weather conditions, including sun, cold, snow, rain, ice, smog and similar. It is the aim of the invention to create a colour image on a stone tile to be mounted on a tombstone.State of the art

[0003] Procedures for engraving images to stone, particularly granite or marble surfaces, are known, but these processes only result in grey-white images. An image can also be made on stone surface with a laser, creating different dots and lines of variable depth which form the whole image. Image can also be created by scratching with an appropriate tool. Such images are not well visible in bad weather conditions, in particular during rain or high moisture during winter. Weather conditions do not affect image clarity if it is a colour image.

[0004] A colour image can be made by printing on a ceramic tile, wherein the ceramic tile is then attached to a tombstone.

[0005] Some patent documents disclose processes for making images on different surfaces.

[0006] Patent application US 2007220788A1 describes a process of printing a memorial plaque on a tombstone. This solution is not similar to the present invention. XP055488154 discloses a process for printing a colour image to a stone tile.

[0007] All mentioned procedures do not allow printing a colour image directly to a stone surface or a stone tile.

[0008] Two videos available at web addresses www.youtube.com / watch?v=ifyOb7mi64o and www.youtube.com / watch?v=55CjzDj2A-c disclose a UV printer printing an image to a piece of stone, but does not disclose how the stone is prepared to be suitable for printing the image.

[0009] Document US2016 / 104060 A1 discloses UV printing on a stone, wherein the stone is prepared for printing by filling the pores. Further, the stone is treated with a primer to achieve improved printed image. After the image is printed the stone is additionally protected with agents for enhancing image stability. This document differs from the present invention in the process for preparation of the stone.

[0010] XP055488154 is a study addressing the print quality and durability of prints on marble surfaces and recycled foil highly. It has been established that the quality and durability depend upon smoothness / roughness of the surface. This document compares printing characteristics of polished and unpolished stone, but there is no information how the stone is polished or otherwise prepared for UV printing.Description of the solution of the technical problem

[0011] The essence of the process for printing a colour image to a stone tile of any shape is that from a larger piece of a stone, preferably granite or marble, a tile is cut out, the said tile having a selected shape, of which edges are finely processed and a front surface with rough structure is grinded to a selected roughness achieved with a grinding paper with granulation from 100 to 200. After grinding a protective foil is placed on the edges around the circumference of the tile. The so prepared tile is then inserted into a UV printer with a loaded image to be printed on the tile. When the UV printer prints the image, the protective foil is removed and the tile is ready to be mounted onto a tombstone.

[0012] The process and the tile with a printed colour image will be described in further detail based on embodiments.

[0013] The process for printing a colour image onto a stone tile comprises: preparation of the stone tile, which comprises: o cutting the tile of any chosen shape from a larger piece of stone, preferably granite or marble; ∘ finely processing of the edges and the front surface of the stone tile; ∘ grinding or sanding the front surface of the said tile to a selected roughness achieved with a grinding paper with granulation from 100 to 200; protecting the edges with a protective foil around the circumference of the tile; placing the prepared stone tile in a UV printer, which has a loaded image to be printed on the tile; printing the colour image with the UV printer; removing the protective foil and final polishing of edges.

[0014] The process according to a second embodiment does not include protecting edges with a foil, as only the upper surface of the tile is finely processed, while the edges are not. When the printing of the colour image onto the stone tile is completed, the edges are processed into an oval or slanted edge.

[0015] The process for printing a colour image to a stone tile begins by selecting a stone tile from a natural or synthetic stone, from which the wanted shape of the tile is cut out. The shape can be oval, circular, square, rectangular, triangular or any other possible shape. The natural or synthetic stone may be of any colour, such as black, green, grey, blue, red and all nuances of these colours. The stone tile is preferably granite or marble. The tile is after cutting finely processed with a grinder, so that all side and the front surfaces are smooth. After that the front surface of the tile is grinded to a selected roughness using grinding paper with granulation from 100 to 200, which is suitable for application of colour with the UV printer. After grinding or sanding edges around the circumference of the foil can be covered with a protective foil. If the edges are grinded after printing, the protective foil is not needed. The so prepared tile is inserted into the UV printer, which has a prepared computer entry of the image and printing is initiated. When the UV printer prints the image on the surface, the protective foil is removed and the tile with the colour image is prepared for mounting, preferably to a tombstone. In case of the second embodiment the edges are grinded after printing, after which the tile is ready for mounting.

[0016] The stone for making the tile is preferably granite or marble, but may also be any other rock with a structure allowing machine processing. The tile may have different width and shapes, as already mentioned. Instead of the protective foil the tile, to which the image will be printed, can be grinded so that the edge from the front surface is shaped in a flat, an oval or a triangular manner and extends from one edge to the other, which means that only the width and stone structure is visible form the side.

[0017] The stone tile made with the process described above can have any width or shape, such as oval, circular, square, rectangular, triangular or any other shape.

[0018] The stone tile may have the edge flat, oval or slanted. Only a colour image or an image in combination with text and graphic elements can be printed onto the stone tile.

[0019] The tiles or larger plates processed with the process according to the invention have on their front side the colour image and / or image and text, and can be mounted on a tombstone or wall of a house, church, museum, fence, hallways or similar suitable places. The tile with the printed colour image made with the described process can have any shape, but is preferably oval or rectangular. The front surface for printing can have its edge in the same plane as the other surface, while it can also be rounded or flat, wherein the bottom surface is larger than the upper surface.

Claims

1. A process for printing a colour image on a stone tile, comprising: - preparation of a stone tile, comprising: ▪ cutting the tile having any shape from a larger piece of stone, preferably granite or marble; ▪ fine processing of edges and front surface of the stone tile; - protecting the edges with a protective foil around the circumference of the tile; - placing the prepared stone tile into a UV printer, which has a loaded image to be printed; - printing a colour image with the UV printer; and - removing the protective foil and final polishing of edges; characterized in that during preparation of the stone tile for printing, the front surface of the said tile is grinded or sanded to a selected roughness achieved with a grinding paper having granulation from 100 to 200, which is suitable for application of colour with the UV printer.

2. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the preparation of the stone tile does not include fine processing of the edge and protection of the edges with the protective foil and that after printing the colour image, the edge of the tile is grinded into a flat, oval or slanted edge.

3. The process according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the stone tile is cut out from a larger part of a stone plate of natural or synthetic stone with a structure allowing machine processing; that the natural or synthetic stone can have any colour such as black, green, grey, blue, red or different nuances of these colours.

4. A stone tile made by the process according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has any width or shape, such as oval, circular, square, rectangular, triangular or any other shape, characterized in that the front surface of the said tile has a roughness achieved with grinding or sanding with a grinding paper having granulation from 100 to 200.

5. The stone tile according to claim 4, characterized in that its edge is flat, oval or slanted.

6. The stone tile according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that has a printed colour image or a printed image in combination with text and graphic elements.