U.S. patent application number 10/589294 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-19 for dividable paving slabs.
Invention is credited to Michel Cornaz.
Application Number | 20070166102 10/589294 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34916941 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070166102 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cornaz; Michel |
July 19, 2007 |
Dividable paving slabs
Abstract
Dividable slab made up of several sections separated by grooves
allowing easy separation of the said sections on site during
laying, thereby offering a variety of different sizes to imitate
natural stone paving.
Inventors: |
Cornaz; Michel; (Allaman,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ronald R. Santucci;Frommer Lawrence & Haug
745 Fifth Avenue
New York
NY
10151
US
|
Family ID: |
34916941 |
Appl. No.: |
10/589294 |
Filed: |
October 12, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
October 12, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB04/03357 |
371 Date: |
August 14, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B28B 7/0073 20130101;
E04F 15/08 20130101; E01C 5/065 20130101; B28B 13/022 20130101;
B28B 17/0018 20130101; E01C 2201/162 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/034 |
International
Class: |
E01C 5/00 20060101
E01C005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 18, 2004 |
CH |
0262/04 |
Claims
1. A thick slab for covering a ground surface, wherein it comprises
at least a surface layer made of facing concrete, at least two
sections (2, 3) separated by a deep groove (5) ending in a point to
define a breaking line (7) allowing the slab to be divided along
this breaking line to separate the two sections (2, 3) and obtain
two slabs.
2. The slab as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the
slab is greater than or equal to 35 millimeters and wherein the
groove is between 6 and 10 millimeters deep.
3. The slab as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a square or
rectangular overall shape, the length of whose sides is between 40
and 100 centimeters approximately, and which comprises between 2
and 4 dividable sections.
4. The slab as claimed in claim 3, wherein it is overall square in
shape with sides approximately 50 centimeters in length and
comprises sections whose sides are between 20 and 50 centimeters in
length.
5. A mold (20) for manufacturing a slab as claimed in claim 1,
wherein it comprises several sections (22, 23, 24), whose surfaces
feature textures reproducing the texture of natural paving stones,
the sections being separated by a high, pointed rib (25).
6. Process for manufacturing a slab as claimed in claim 1,
comprising the following steps: a) placing of a mold for
manufacturing a slab as claimed in claim 1 wherein it comprises
several sections, whose surfaces feature textures reproducing the
texture of natural paving stones, the sections being separated by a
high pointed rib in an automatic machine; b) filling of the mold
with concrete, the bottom of the mold at least being filled with
facing concrete; c) pressing of the slab and immediate
demolding.
7. The process for manufacturing a slab as claimed in claim 6,
wherein step b) comprises the following steps: filling of the mold
with a first layer of facing concrete to a depth slightly greater
than the height of the mold ribs; filling of the remaining volume
of the mold with ordinary concrete.
8. A process for laying slabs, which includes the step of
straightforward slab division, as claimed in claim 1.
9. The process for laying slabs as claimed in claim 8, wherein
dividing is simply performed by striking the slab on the projecting
edge of a hard surface or by striking the slab with a club hammer
and a wide chisel.
10. The process for laying slabs as claimed in claim 8, wherein a
joint comprising polymer filler or cement mortar is introduced
between the slab divided sections.
11. The process for laying slabs as claimed in claim 8, wherein it
uses an assortment of slabs overall square with sides approximately
50 centimeters in length and comprising: a first approximately
50.times.30 centimeter sized section, a second approximately
30.times.20 centimeter sized section and a third approximately
20.times.20 centimeter sized section; and/or a first approximately
50.times.20 centimeter sized section, a second approximately
30.times.30 centimeter sized section and a third approximately
30.times.20 centimeter sized section.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a relatively thick concrete paving
slab used to cover a ground surface. It also relates to its
manufacturing process and the associated mold, its distribution and
its laying.
[0002] The esthetics of natural stone paving is highly attractive
and sought after. The major characteristics explaining this
esthetic effect are as follows: the various stones used are thick,
have an irregular surface and are all of different sizes. The
disadvantage of this paving is of course its cost. Thus, many
manufacturers opt for a more economical solution, which involves
producing imitation slabs based on concrete slabs produced by
molding.
[0003] A first, currently used process for manufacturing concrete
slabs allows so-called "pressed slabs" to be produced. In this
process, concrete is poured into a mold and then pressed, which
causes it to harden structurally to a sufficient degree to allow
de-molding and immediate handling of the slab. In this process, a
mold is used only for a very short time for each slab. The
advantage is therefore to enable many slabs to be manufactured in
one day using the six to eight molds equipping a machine. However,
these molds are expensive and difficult to change on the machine.
This process is thus quite unsuitable for producing slabs of
various sizes, which represents a limit to reproducing the variety
of natural stone sizes. Paving slab manufacturers use this process
to manufactured a standard slab size, usually 40.times.40,
50.times.50 or 60.times.40 centimeters. They sometimes produce
slabs featuring surface geometrical shapes, whose function is
solely esthetic, to mask this uniformity.
[0004] A second manufacturing process of the prior art involves
casting slabs then awaiting their hardening for 24 hours before
manufacturing them. The advantage of this process results from the
fact that it is sufficient to choose molds of various sizes to
obtain readily slabs of different sizes. Its disadvantage results
from the fact that a mold is only used once a day, which means that
as many molds as the number of slabs to be manufactured per day are
required.
[0005] An alternative allowing different size slabs to be obtained
involves factory sawing 50.times.50 centimeter slabs produced, for
example, according to the pressed slab process, and delivering them
cut to the customer. However, this process complicates and
lengthens significantly slab manufacture. This is because the slabs
according to the invention seek to imitate effectively natural
stones and are relatively thick, at least 35 centimeters, which
does not make their cutting easy.
[0006] Moreover, distribution of the different size slabs obtained
according to the previous processes is complex and represents a
second disadvantage. Specifically, their placement on a pallet,
called palletization, requires a number of slabs of each size to be
prespecified per pallet to optimize the space available on a pallet
and to offer a suitable assortment with a view to laying.
[0007] A general object of the invention involves proposing slabs
that do not have the disadvantages of the prior art.
[0008] More specifically, a first object of the invention involves
proposing slabs allowing the installation of paving made up of
different size slabs to imitate the esthetics of natural stone
paving.
[0009] A second object of the invention involves proposing thick
slabs with an irregular surface to imitate the esthetics of natural
stone paving.
[0010] A third object of the invention involves proposing slabs
whose manufacturing process allows high productivity at low cost,
using an automatic rotary press.
[0011] A fourth object of the invention involves proposing slabs
whose distribution, especially palletization, is simple.
[0012] The concept of the invention involves manufacturing single
size pressed slabs according to the most advantageous manufacturing
process of the prior art, incorporating means for easily dividing
them prior to laying, to obtain slabs of different sizes for laying
imitating natural stone paving.
[0013] To this end, the invention is based on a slab for covering a
ground surface, which comprises at least two sections separated by
a groove defining a breaking line allowing the slab to be divided
along this breaking line to separate the two sections.
[0014] For a slab thickness greater than or equal to 35
millimeters, the groove can be V-shaped and between 6 and 10
millimeters deep.
[0015] The slab is thus suitable for straightforward dividing.
[0016] The slab may have a square or rectangular overall shape, the
length of whose sides is between 40 and 100 centimeters
approximately, and may comprise between 2 and 4 dividable
sections.
[0017] It may comprise three sections.
[0018] It may be overall square in shape will sides approximately
50 centimeters in length and comprise sections whose sides are
between 20 and 50 centimeters in length. More specifically, it may
be overall square with sides approximately 50 centimeters in length
and comprises a first approximately 50.times.30 centimeter sized
section, a second approximately 30.times.20 centimeter sized
section and a third approximately 20.times.20 centimeter sized
section. In an alternative embodiment, it is overall square in
shape with sides approximately 50 centimeters in length and
comprises a first approximately 50.times.20 centimeter section, a
second approximately 30.times.30 centimeter section and a third
approximately 30.times.20 centimeter section.
[0019] The invention also relates to the mold for manufacturing a
slab according to the invention, which comprises several sections
separated by a rib suitable for forming slab fractions separated by
grooves.
[0020] The invention also relates to a slab manufacturing process
comprising a molding step, a pressing step and a subsequent
demolding step using the mold according to the invention.
[0021] The invention also relates to a method for laying slabs that
includes the step of straightforward slab division. In this laying
method, dividing can be simply performed by striking the slab on
the projecting edge of a hard surface or by striking the slab with
a club hammer and a wide chisel. A joint comprising polymer filler
or cement mortar can be introduced between the slab sections.
[0022] These objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will be detailed in the following description of one
particular embodiment provided without limitation in conjunction
with the appended figures, amongst which:
[0023] FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a dividable slab
according to an embodiment;
[0024] FIG. 2 represents a sectional view along axis II-II of the
dividable slab according to one embodiment;
[0025] FIGS. 3a and 3b represent processes for dividing a dividable
slab according to one embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 4 represents a possible assortment of slabs according
to one embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 5 represents an example of paving obtained using slabs
according to one embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a mold for implementing the manufacturing
process according to the invention for manufacturing a slab such as
the one represented in FIG. 1.
[0029] The solution is based on a dividable slab 1 for which one
embodiment is represented in FIG. 1. It is overall 50.times.50
centimeters in size and it is composed of a first 50.times.30
centimeter sized section 2, a second 30.times.20 centimeter sized
section 3 and a third 20.times.20 centimeter sized section 4.
[0030] Such a slab is manufactured according to the pressed slab
manufacturing process of the prior art, but using a special mold
allowing the formation of several sections 2, 3, 4, with a surface
texture, separated by deep V-shaped grooves 5 penetrating over a
thickness 6 of the slab surface. In this embodiment, the slab is 40
millimeters thick and has grooves 5 approximately 7 millimeters
deep. The slab features a surface layer 16 of facing concrete, for
example reconstituted stone obtained by binding fragments of
crushed stone with cement of the same color as the stone. This
layer 16 is slightly thicker than the thickness 6 corresponding to
the depth of the grooves 5. The bottom layer 17 of the slab 1 is
made of ordinary concrete.
[0031] The purpose of the grooves 5 is to allow the slab to be
easily divided to separate the various sections 2, 3, 4, each of
these sections, once divided, having a breaking surface flat enough
to be used in paving, in other words, a surface whose unevenness
does not exceed the usual thickness of a joint between two
slabs.
[0032] The dividable slab 1 is shown in cross section in FIG. 2.
The two sections 2 and 3 of the slab are separated by a groove 5,
which pre-defines a breaking line 7 within the slab thickness. The
depth of the groove is designed to allow relatively easy breakage,
as detailed hereafter, whilst avoiding excessive weakening, leading
to accidental breakage during manufacturing or transport, for
example. Compared with the existing esthetic surface contours, a
deep groove, between 6 and 10 millimeters for an approximately 40
millimeter thick slab, must be chosen to ensure this. Moreover, a
pointed shape will be chosen for the bottom part of the groove for
clearly pre-defining the breaking line 7 so as to obtain a
relatively clean break. A V-shaped groove is most suitable. A
groove with a wide bottom, of rectangular shape, for example, or of
insufficient depth, would be unsuitable because the probability of
obtaining breaking surfaces with protuberances larger than the
acceptable width of a joint between two slabs would be too high.
Use of such a groove for dividing in the sense of the invention
would result in a large number of unusable slabs, which would not
fulfill the objective of an economic solution.
[0033] According to FIG. 3a, a few blows of the club hammer 8 with
a wide chisel on the face opposite the groove also allows the slab
to be divided along the line 7. According to the illustration in
FIG. 3b, the slab can be divided by striking it cleanly, yet
effortlessly, at its breaking line, against the projecting edge of
a hard material, for example a pack of slabs. These very
straightforward dividing methods are particularly suitable for
implementation when laying slabs on site. They require neither
complex tooling nor great force, unlike what the use of a sawing
method could represent.
[0034] FIG. 4 represents an assortment of dividable slabs according
to one possible form of division. This assortment comprises two
types of dividable slabs 1 and 11 associated with a conventional,
solid slab 10 of 50.times.50 centimeter size. The slab 1
corresponds to the previously described slab and the slab 11 is
made up of the 50.times.20 centimeter sized section 12, the
30.times.30 centimeter sized section 13 and the 30.times.20
centimeter sized section 14. All these slabs come from the
manufacturing process in the same 50.times.50 centimeter size,
allowing easy, optimal palletization. Their distribution is
therefore equivalent to that of the single size slabs.
[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates the laying of an assortment of slabs,
such as that proposed in FIG. 4, comprising three slabs 10, three
slabs 1 and three slabs 11 to form a square with approximately
1.5-meter sides. Advantageously, joints 15 filled with polymer
filler, a material with the property of hardening with water whilst
remaining soft and porous, are introduced between these slabs.
These joints offer the advantage of sustaining well any slight
deformation of the paving, whilst remaining in position oven time
despite bad weather and other wearing factors. They also allow the
slab side faces or the breaking surfaces, which were not clean
following the breaking they were subjected to during dividing, to
be effectively concealed. In an alternative embodiment, a cement
mortar joint can be used.
[0036] The invention also relates to the process for manufacturing
the slabs according to the invention, described hereafter with a
view to obtaining a slab as shown in FIG. 1.
[0037] This manufacturing process is based on a special plastic
mold 20, illustrated in FIG. 6, featuring three sections 22, 23,
24, whose sizes correspond respectively to the sections 2, 3 and 4
of the slab 1. Each surface of the sections 22, 23, 24 has a
specific granularity obtained by fabricating the mold 20 by molding
it on three real natural stones of corresponding size to the
sections 2, 3 and 4 of the slab 1. The mold sections 22, 23 and 24
are separated by a projecting rib 25 of triangular cross section,
in the form of a point, whose dimensions correspond to those of the
groove 5 in the slab 1.
[0038] The manufacturing process is based on an automatic rotary
press comprising between six and eight molds, each mold 20 being
used according to the following steps: [0039] the bottom of the
mold is filled with facing concrete to a depth slightly greater
than the height of the ribs 25; [0040] the remaining volume of the
mold is filled with ordinary concrete; [0041] the assembly is
pressed; [0042] then the slab is immediately demolded.
[0043] The slab 1 is then formed. It must harden for approximately
24 hours before being totally consolidated. As the mold 20 was
produced from three real natural stones, so the surface obtained on
the facing concrete of the slab 1 represents a true image of these
three stones and, after dividing the three sections 2, 3, 4, the
three slabs obtained are faithful imitations of the three original
stones.
[0044] The previous embodiment was described with slabs of
50.times.50 centimeter overall size, but it could be applied to
slabs of other sizes. Sizes having sides between 40 and 100
centimeters such as, for example, 40.times.40 centimeters,
60.times.40 centimeters, 50.times.100 centimeters, 60.times.60
centimeters, are especially suited to application of the invention
because they allow slabs to be produced with an overall size
representing a weight that allows them to be handled, particularly
with a view to dividing them, whilst offering possibilities of
dividing sections of reasonable size.
[0045] Furthermore, the previous embodiment proposed slabs that can
be divided into three sections, but the invention also applies to
any other geometry. However, it is particularly well suited to
producing between two and four sections to maintain
straightforward, easy dividing and obtain esthetic, mutually
compatible sizes. A larger section size would risk weakening the
slab and complicating slab dividing.
[0046] Sections of 20.times.20 centimeter minimum size are
preferable.
[0047] Finally, the choice of the slab dimensions and of the sizes
of its three sections, as described in the embodiment in FIGS. 1 to
5, is a choice that has a first technical effect of particularly
easy dividing and a second technical effect of offering sections
resulting from the dividing of slabs having sizes that are
particularly mutually compatible sizes for being distributed over a
ground surface in any geometry, so as to obtain a crazy paving
effect of the natural stone paving.
[0048] In brief, the principle of the invention applies in
particular to slabs of rectangular shape with sides between 40 and
100 centimeters in length, comprising two to four sections with a
side at least 20 centimeters in length.
[0049] Finally, the invention has the following advantages: [0050]
the manufacturing of the dividable slabs is simple and allows a
multitude of sizes to be obtained, comparable with natural stone
paving arrangements; [0051] the slabs obtained are thick and have
an irregular surface, imitating natural stone; [0052] the
manufacturing process is very efficient; [0053] the distribution
and, in particular, the palletization of the dividable slabs is
simple because the slabs are all of the same initial size; [0054]
the laying of the dividable slabs is straightforward.
[0055] As a comments, slab dividing is conceivable at any time
before laying, the example of dividing on site being advantageous
but not limiting.
* * * * *