Resin, method and system for stabilising and colouring a layer of particulate material for an area of hard standing

Abstract

A resin material 12 for bonding particulate material 4 to form hard standing is disclosed where the resin includes a colouring agent. The resin may be water based and may be applied to the particulate

Description

The invention to which this application relates is the provision of a resin and a method and a system for stabilising and colouring a layer of particulate material to form the external surface of an area of hard standing, the particulate material being any of gravel and / or stones and / or marble chippings or the like and, generally, although not necessarily exclusively, relatively small stone or gravel particles and hereby referred to, in a non-limiting manner, as particulate material. The area of hard standing including the layer of resin and particulate material can be, for example, provided as part of a path, driveway, play area or the like so as to provide added permanence to the surface and provide hardwearing characteristics in comparison to, for example, a surface of grass, soil or the like or loose particulate material which is susceptible to movement due to, for example, rainwater flowing across the same, puddles and / or differences in levels of wear on different part of the surface by persons or vehicles. It is known to provide a resin bound layer of particulate material for an area of hard standing, an example of which is described in the applicant’s granted patent GB 2591174, the contents of which are included herein by reference. The teachings of this granted patent disclose a system for retaining a particulate material in a location to act as an area of hard standing, and spray coating the same in a binding resin which, once cured, binds the individual particulates to each other so as to form a unitary body of particulate material and cured resin. This provides the advantage that the body including the particulate material is stabilised when load is applied, and that there is a reduced likelihood that particulates will be removed from the location at which the body is located, whilst also allowing the area of hard standing to be permeable and prevent the gathering of water thereon and therein. Particulates suitable for this use are conventionally often grey or dull in colour, and so the range of possible colour effects which can be achieved by using different colours of particulates is relatively limited. Thus, conventionally, any further colour adaptation is typically performed by the application of paint or other markings to the external surface of the area of hard standing to highlight a certain path or area of the area of hard standing. Another possibility is to first dye or colour the particulate material, and then subsequently apply a clear resin to bind the particulate material. The dye or colouring of the particulate material is achieved by mixing a portion of the particulate material with a colouring agent before applying the particulate material to the area which is to form the area of hard standing with the particulate, or by placing the particulate material in position on the area on which the area of hard standing is to be formed and then apply the colouring agent onto the upper surface of the particulate body. This is disadvantageous as there is no guarantee that all of the particulates will be coated with a suitable quantity of dye, or consistently be coated, or that the dyed particulates will subsequently be correctly coated with the binding resin, as this is conventionally done as a subsequent step. Furthermore, this known process is subject to colour variation across the area and, if not performed correctly, can result in discolouration of the resin-bound particulate body, which cannot easily be recoloured once the binding resin has cured, as the cured particulate material and resin mixture has to be dug up and destroyed and / or results in the wasted colouring of particulates that will not form the unitary body and / or the visual appearance which is intended to be created by the colouring may be vague and / or imprecise to the human eye. Furthermore, the two separate colouring and binding processes are time-consuming, as the colouring agent must be left to dry to bind with the particulates before the binding resin can be applied. An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a resin, method and system for stabilising an area of particulate material to form an area of hard standing, while also allow the selective colouring of the same in a more efficient and accurate manner and process. In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a resin material for use in stabilising and bonding particulate material into a substantially unitary body to form at least a portion of an area of hard standing when the resin has cured and wherein the said resin includes a colouring agent to impart a colour to the particulate material and / or said at least portion of the area of hard standing. Thus, there is provided a means to bind a particulate material and colour the same as a one step process via the application of the resin with the colouring agent included therein, to the particulate material. This provides the advantage that only one process is required to be carried out on the treatment of the particulate material, reducing the time taken to stabilise the material, and ensuring that the same particulate material is both coloured and bound. Furthermore, it allows the colouring effect to be achieved as part of the application of the resin to the particulate material which is a process which is required to be performed in order to form the area of hard standing and so, in accordance with the invention, no additional process or time is required to achieve the colouring effect. The current invention therefore reduces the likelihood that uncoloured particulate material is bound within the substantially unitary body, and / or that any coloured material is removed from the unitary body during, or as a result of, a second or further process step of the type which would conventionally be required. In one embodiment the resin is a water-based resin. Typically, the viscosity of the Equid resin, prior to apphcation, is suitable such that the resin may be applied to the particulate material using a spray appEcator apparatus. Preferably the viscosity of the Equid resin, prior to appEcation and curing, is up to 40 cSt and more preferably is in the range of 4-40 cSt. In one embodiment, the colouring agent includes an acryhc copolymer and / or acryhc pigment. TypicaUy the colouring agent comprises acryhc copolymer; butyl diglycol; benzyl alcohol; a defoamer; acrylic pigment; and water. It is found that a colouring agent of this composition is suitable for colouring the particulate material when the resin is applied to the particulate material. TypicaUy the resin including the colouring agent provides a visual indication of the colour which is to be imparted to the particulates and at least part of an area of hard standing which is to be formed by said coloured particulates. In one embodiment the colouring agent is suited, as it is provided as part of the resin, to bind to the particulates and colour the same. This provides the advantage that the colouring agent colours the particulate material itself as well as the resin. In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming at least a portion of an area of hard standing, said method including the steps of spreading a layer of a particulate material across an area to a required depth, providing a resin material, when in a liquid form, to the particulate material, and allowing the said resin to cure to harden and form a substantially unitary body, wherein said resin includes a colouring agent to colour the said particulate material and / or said at least portion of area of hard standing. Typically, the particulate material is substantially entirely coated by the resin such that, when the resin cures, the particulates of the material are bound with each other to form a unitary body of the particulates and cured resin and with the particulates coloured to the colour provided by the resin so that, in turn the said area of hard standing is provided to have the visual appearance of the said colour. In one embodiment the said resin is applied in the Equid form as a spray across said area using a spray apphcator apparatus to apply the resin to the particulate material after the said particulate material has been spread onto said base. In one embodiment, the spray apphcator apparatus appEes the resin material as a pressurised spray so as to encourage the passage of the resin between gaps in said particulates and into a depth of the said layer of particulate material. In one embodiment the apparatus to aUow the said resin material to be sprayed is a powered spray pump or alternatively, is a manuaUy actuated spray apparatus. In one embodiment, the resin is water based and of a viscosity which enables the said resin to be apphed using a spray system, with the resin provided in a sufficiently Equid form and with a viscosity to aUow the Equid to pass through, and be apphed from, the spray apparatus and without the risk of hazard to the user. This is in contrast to conventional solvent based resins which are typicaUy hazardous and which cannot be apphed safely using spray apparatus as the conventional chemical solvent resin creates hazardous air borne solvent vapours. Thus, the conventional pouring and spreading of the resin leads to the conventional resin being applied in a non-continuous, uncontrolled manner and also results in larger quantities of resin being applied than is required to achieve the bonded unitary body. Typically, the spray is applied such that the resin is applied to cover substantially all of the said surface area of the said particulates and allow the same to be bonded together when the resin cures. Typically, the resin is provided of a viscosity which is sufficiently low so as to allow the resin to pass through the gaps between the particulates and penetrate into the said layer of particulates to a sufficient depth so as to allow the bonding of the particulates to occur, once the resin cures, to a sufficient extent to form a substantially unitary body of particulate material and resin. In one embodiment, the viscosity of the Equid, the spray pressure and the required depth to which the apphed resin is required to pass before curing, are aU taken into account so as to ensure that the system aUows the said unitary body of particulate material and resin to be achieved. In another embodiment the resin material is added to and mixed with the particulate material and the resin material and particulate material mixture is applied in a fluid condition onto a base to form said at least a portion of the area of hard standing. In one embodiment the resin, once cured, bonds the particulate material to adjacent surfaces of the area of hard standing and forms the particulate material and adjacent surfaces as a substantiaUy integral part of said hard standing area. In one embodiment the area of hard standing which is formed is permeable to water. This provides the advantage that water cannot coUect on the surface of the area of hard standing or within the same, which may otherwise discolour or destabilise the unitary body. In one embodiment the particulate material is formed of gravel and / or marble chippings. In one embodiment the said area of hard standing is formed by a series of side by side portions of bound particulate material, and said resin is applied to each of said portions to bond the said particulate material in position. In one embodiment different forms of particulate material and / or resin materials are used for said different portions. In one embodiment said different portions are formed to be of different colours due to the use of differing particulate materials and / or differing resins with different colouring agents which are selectively applied to the respective portions. In one embodiment the area of hard standing is a path suitable for pedestrian and / or vehicle traffic. In a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided an area of hard standing, said area of hard standing formed by one or more portions including a layer of a particulate material in which the said particulates are bound together by a resin and wherein the resin used for at least one of the one or more portions includes a colouring agent so as to provide a colour effect to said particulates and / or to said at least one of said one or more portions of the area of hard standing. In one embodiment, the resin is applied to the particulate material by a spray applicator apparatus once the particulate material has been applied to a base on which the area of hard standing is to be formed. In another embodiment the resin is applied to the particulate material by mixing the same together, typically using a mixer apparatus, and then applying the particulate material and resin mixture whilst in a fluid condition onto the base on which the area of hard standing is to be formed. In either embodiment the resin is then left to cure and harden and form the bound layer of the area of hard standing. There is therefore provided a resin that is suitable for binding a particulate material and colouring the same to form an area of hard standing. The colouring agent within the resin binds to the particulate material and colours the same. Typically the resin is coloured and substantially transparent once cured such that the particulates within the particulate material and resin mixture are at least partially visible at the external surface of the area of hard standing. Specific embodiments of the invention are herein described with reference to the following figures, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates an area of hard standing formed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a cross-section through a layer of particulate material of the area of hard standing prior to the application of the resin material including a colouring agent thereto; Figure 3 illustrates the application of the resin material including a colouring agent in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 illustrates a substantially bonded and coloured particulate material layer of the area of hard standing achieved in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 illustrates a detailed view of coloured and bound particulates within the unitary body of the area of hardstanding in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention. Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is illustrated a plan view of an area of hardstanding which is, in this embodiment, a driveway 2 of a domestic premises surrounded by a garden 1 of grass, flower beds or the like. The driveway 2 includes an external surface 3 that is suitable for pedestrian traffic, including the use of garden implements such as wheelbarrows or mowers thereover, and light vehicle traffic such as a car to be parked thereon. The driveway 2 links the domestic residence to a road onto and from which vehicles and pedestrians may pass. In order to allow the driveway 2 to withstand the pressure of this passage and provide a surface which is stronger and more reliable than the surrounding garden 1, the driveway is conventionally formed by removing top soil to form a support surface or sub base and then forming an area of hard standing, using gravel, concrete, tarmac or the like but each of these surfaces have disadvantages. It is also known to bond the gravel, but this can be prone to cracking and disintegration over time. Thus, in Figure 1 the area of hard standing 2 is formed by a surface structure formed in accordance with the invention. It should be appreciated that the uses of this invention may extend to the formation of any area of hard standing using particulate material such as gravel or chippings which are bound together, such as footpaths, courtyards and the like. Figure 2 illustrates a cross-section along line AA of the said area of hard standing 2. The area 2 is formed by a layer 4 comprising a particulate material 6 provided on an underlying base or surface 8. When forming the area of hard standing 2, the support surface 8 is prepared by compacting and flattening the same before the particulate material 6 is applied thereon to the appropriate depth. The support surface 8 in this embodiment is a layer of soil. In other examples, the support surface 8 is a prefabricated surface such as an existing concrete surface or the like or may include a compacted aggregate material. Once the particulate material 6 is applied to the required depth, it is flattened using a trowel or the like, forming the layer 4. At this point, the gravel particulates are free to move with respect to each other and the support surface 8 and, if not bound together, the layer 4 would quickly be worn and gravel would be lost from the layer and, furthermore, the shape and appearance of the layer would soon become undistinguishable and not fit for the intended purpose. The particulate layer 4 at this stage is the natural colour of the particulates. In this example, this may be a dull grey. This natural colour may not be suitable for certain uses, for example at least a portion of the the area of hard standing 2 may need to indicate a certain pathway or feature distinct from the rest of the area of hard standing and / or the surrounding environment. The natural colour may also be unappealing to a viewer, who may wish for the area 2 to have a lighter appearance or resemble the use of a higher cost particulate such as marble. Once the layer 4 has been formed, a quantity of a resin material 10, including a colouring agent, is provided in a Equid form in a reservoir 12 such as a tub, as illustrated in Figure 3. The liquid resin including a colouring agent is water-based and preferably is provided so as to have a viscosity such as to allow the same to pass through a spray apphcation apparatus 14. The apparatus typicaUy includes or is connected to the reservoir 12 so that the resin can pass from the reservoir through a channel 16 which aUows the flow of the resin material, including the colouring agent to the spray pump 18 and then under pressure to an application nozzle 20. The spray pump is typicaUy provided with power and a motor to aUow the Equid resin including the colouring agent to be pumped to the nozzle 20 and applied from the nozzle in a spray pattern 22 onto the top 24 of the particulate layer 4 and the user can move the spray apparatus across the external surface 3 to apply the resin over aU of the same as a spray and the resin is forced into the layer 4, passing between the gaps in the particulate material. The apphcation of the resin in a spray pattern, rather than pouring the resin onto the gravel particulates, allows a significantly greater degree of control to be achieved in terms of the coverage of the resin to ensure that aU of the surface 3 has the resin apphed thereto, and, equaUy importantly, to ensure that the volume of resin including the colouring agent which is apphed to any particular location on the surface 3 and into the layer 4 is within a suitable range so that once the resin has been apphed, it will cure and the particulates wiU be coloured to the required extent. It is found that if an excessive quantity of resin material including the colouring agent is apphed, then the resin which lies to the bottom of the layer may not completely cure and hence the required bonding of the particulates 6 with each other and / or bonding of the particulates 6 adjacent to the base or support surface 8 will not be achieved. However, it is found that the provision of a water-based resin, when provided at the required viscosity, typicaUy in the range of up to 40 cSt, is capable of being apphed via the spray apparatus and hence achieves the required controlled bonding of a significantly higher percentage of the particulate material. In an alternative example, rather than spraying the resin onto the particulate material in situ on the base, the resin, including the colouring agent, in a liquid form is mixed and combined with the particulate material, such as by using a forced-action mixer apparatus and then, once sufficiently mixed, the particulate material and resin mixture, in a fluid condition, is poured and spread onto the base of the area of hard standing. This, for certain uses, provides the advantage that the particulates of the particulate layer are substantially uniformly coated in the resin and the colouring agent. Thus, in accordance with the invention there is formed a substantially stable, unitary body or layer 4 as shown in Figure 4 in which the particulates 6 are bonded by the cured resin material 26 with the resin material filling the gaps between the same and therefore forms a coloured substantially unitary body 28 of the area of hard standing in accordance with the invention. Figure 5 illustrates in detail particulate bodies 6 that have been coated in the binding resin including the colouring agent within the unitary body 28. The cured resin 26 substantially coats the individual bodies 6 to bind the same forming the unitary body 28 and so the colouring agent within the resin also binds to the particulate bodies 6 and dyes the outer layer 32 of the same. In this example, the colouring agent comprises acrylic copolymer, butyl diglycol, benzyl alcohol, a defoamer, acrylic pigment, and water. The acrylic pigment used is selected to provide the desired colour of the particulate material and the portion of the area of hard standing formed thereby, and it is to be understood that this acrylic pigment can be any of a variety of colours. This results in a unitary body 28 with the appearance of coloured particulates 6. This also provides the advantage that particulate bodies 6 that have not been coated in the resin 26 and so are not formed with the unitary layer 28 are not coloured. This is beneficial to an applicator of the resin, as it provides a visual indication as to what portions of the layer 4 have yet to be treated and also means that no colouring is wasted on particulates that do not need to be treated. It also provides the benefit that uncoloured particulates are not inadvertently bound with the unitary layer 28, which would result in patches of discolouration that would not easily be recoloured or removed from the unitary body 28. Figure 6 illustrates the manner in which the area of hard standing may be formed of a series of adjacent portions 36, 38, 40 which may all be formed of particulate material of the same colour but onto or with which resins including differing colouring agents are selectively applied so as to form the area of hard standing with different coloured portions 36,38,40- This is achieved by the application of resins with different colouring agents to the different portions with the respective pigments being selected to suit the particular colour effect which is to be achieved so that, for example, a blue pigment colouring agent is provided in the resin for use in the portion 36 for the particulate material which is to be coloured blue, a yellow pigment colouring agent is provided for the resin to be used for the portion 38 for the particulate material which is to be coloured yellow and a green pigment colouring agent is to be used for the resin which is to be used for the portion 40 for the particulate material which is to be coloured green.

Claims

1. A resin material for use in stabilising and bonding particulate material into a substantially unitary body to form at least a portion of an area of hard standing when the resin has cured and wherein the said resin includes a colouring agent to impart a colour to the particulate material and / or said at least portion of the area of hard standing.

2. A resin material according to claim 1, wherein the resin is water-based.

3. A resin material according to any preceding claim, wherein the viscosity of the resin when in Equid form is suitable to be appEed by a spray apphcator apparatus.

4. A resin material according to claim 3, wherein the viscosity of the resin when in Equid form is up to 40 centiStokes (cSt).

5. A resin material according to any preceding claim wherein the colouring agent includes an acryhc copolymer and / or acrylic pigment.

6. A resin material according to claim 5 wherein the colouring agent further includes butyl diglycol; benzyl alcohol; a defoamer; and water.

7. A resin material according to any preceding claim, wherein the resin provides a binding colouring effect to form a bound layer of coloured resin and particulate material.

8. A method of forming at least a portion of an area of hard standing, said method including the steps of spreading a layer of a particulate material across an area to a required depth, providing a resin material when in a Equid form, to the particulate material, and aUowing the said resin to cure to harden and form a substantially unitary body, wherein said resin includes a colouring agent to colour the said particulate material and / or said at least portion of area of hard standing.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the said resin is apphed in the Equid form as a spray across said layer of particulate material using a spray appEcator apparatus.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the resin material is applied as a pressurised spray from the spray applicator apparatus so as to encourage the passage of the resin into gaps between said particulates and into the said layer.

11. A method according to claims 9-10, wherein the apparatus to allow the said resin material to be sprayed is a powered spray pump.

12. A method according to any of claims 8-11, wherein the said resin is water based.

13. A method according to any of claims 8-12, wherein the resin, once cured, bonds the particulate material to adjacent surfaces of the hard standing area and forms the particulate material and adjacent surfaces as a substantially integral part of said are of hard standing.

14. A method according to any of claims 8-13, wherein the particulate material is formed of gravel or marble.15 A method according to claim 8 wherein the resin is provided to and mixed with the particulate material prior to the particulate material being spread across said area and said mixture of particulate material and resin is applied in a fluid condition over said area and then the resin is allowed to cure.

16. A method according to any of the claims 8-15 wherein the said area of hard standing is formed by a plurality of portions of particulate material and resin.17 A method according to claim 16 wherein the colouring agent of resin applied to the particulate material of at least one of said portions is a different colour to the colouring agent of a resin applied to another of said portions.18 A method according to any of claims 8-17 wherein the colour or colours of the particulate material used to form at least one of said portions is a different colour to the particulate material used to form another of said portions.

19. An area of hard standing, said area of hard standing formed by one or more portions including a layer of a particulate material in which the said particulates arebound together by a resin and wherein the resin used for at least one of the one or more portions includes a colouring agent so as to provide a colour effect to said particulates and / or to said at least one of said one or more portions of the area of hard standing.IntellectualPropertyOfficeApplication GB2502649.3Search report under Section 17 of the Patents Act 1977Date search completed: 10 September 2025Claims searched: 1-19International classificationSubclass and subgroup Valid from E01C7 / 30 01 / 01 / 2006Field of searchWorldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC:E01CDatabases used in the preparation of this search report:SEARCH-PATENTDocuments considered to be relevantPatent literatureCategory Relevant claims Document of relevance X 1-19 JP 2008266886 A KONO YUJI, Figure 1 and description [0018], [0027] show a resin 3 material for bonding particulate material 2 to form hard standing where the resin includes a colouring agent.Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Officewww.gov.uk / ipoX 1-19 JP H03125702A TAKEUCHI HISATOMO, Figures 1 and 2 and description [0001] show a resin material 3 for bonding particulate material 2 to form hard standing where the resin includes a colouring agent. X 1-7, 19 JP 2001336105 A NICHIREKI CO LTD, Figures 4, 5 and description [0008], [0046], [0072] show a resin material 4, 6 for bonding particulate material 5, 7 to form hard standing where the resin includes a colouring agent. X 1,2, 5, 7, 19 CN 111434715 A SHENZHEN TRAFFIC ENG TESTING &INSPECTION CENTER CO LTD, Description paragraphs [0050]-[0060] show a resin material for bonding particulate material to form hard standing where the resin includes a colouring agent. X 1,2, 7, 19 CN 104846713 B JIANGSU SINOROAD ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY RES INST CO LTD, Description paragraphs 5-15 show a resin material for bonding particulate material to form hard standing where the said resin includes a colouring agent. X 1,2, 8, 19 ES 2165811 B1 PEREZ ANSALAS JESUS MARIA, Figures 3-5 and description column 11 show a resin material 13 for bonding particulate material 11 to form hard standing where the said resin includes a colouring agent. Non-patent literature Category Relevant claims Document of relevanceCategoriesLetter or DescriptionsymbolLetter or symbol Description X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step.Y Document indicating lack of inventive step, if combined with another document of the same category. & Member of the same patent family. A Document indicating technological background. P Document published on or after the priority date but before the fling date of the present application. E Earlier application published on or after the filing date of the present application.

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