FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention is related to field of manufacturing of ceramic tiles and more
5 particularly to the anti-skid ceramic floor tiles having high values of dynamic coefficient
of friction.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present section is intended to assist in providing a framework for better understanding
10 of particular aspects of the present technology. Accordingly, the present section should be
read in this light, and not as admission of the prior art.
Tiles are usually flat piece of hard clay, stone or some other material that are used for
covering wall, floors, etc. Today, ceramic tiles are available in virtually unlimited colours,
15 patterns and designs and are widely used due to their durability, strength and aesthetic
qualities. Ceramic tiles may be provided with coatings to become impervious to water and
other liquids.
Due to their wide applications and ease of installation, tiles have become the prime choice
20 to be used for covering floors, walls, etc. However, general ceramic floor tiles have poor
anti-skid performances during use and are prone to causing people slipping especially in
wet condition. Various attempts have been made in past so as to increase anti-skid
properties in the ceramic tiles.
25 Existing technologies include two different methods of making skid resistant tiles. The first
method includes the manufacturing of tiles by using profiles whereas the second method
includes manufacturing of enhanced friction tiles by giving effect during printing or during
tile pressing by using special punches.
30 Abrasive particles can be incorporated into certain floor surfaces by mixing carbide
particles or grit in paint or glaze. Abrasive particles having a composition different from
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that of the floor surface have also been included in the floor surface such that the particles
protrude from the floor surface.
JP-A-53-78629 discloses sliding tiles with tiny protrusions. The hard particles on the first
5 glaze layer and the anti-slip tiles of the second glaze layer provided in such a manner as to
cover the hard particles. By the presence of the hard particles, a minute projection is formed
on the surface of the second glaze layer.
However, in such case, the abrasive particles tend to wear and detach from the surface with
10 time. Additionally, the concentration of the particles on the surface varies randomly, there
by resulting in non –uniform result. Further there are design limitations in using abrasive
particles for achieving anti-skid properties.

US 5815995 discloses use of a plurality of pyramidal shaped ridges which support an
15 individual’s foot at an elevation above liquid and other slip inducing substances which flow
through a network of drainage troughs (each trough being defined between adjacent ridges)
and channels in the upper surface of the tiles. However, such an arrangement leads to
cavities, passageways and bores present on the tile covering leading to accumulation of
dust, water clogging, etc. and also promote bacterial and fungal growth. Though, the said
20 document talks about use of anti bacterial and anti fungal agents impregnated into the
material of tile, the same cannot completely restrict such growth. Further, the arrangement
as disclosed in the document leads to uneven and rugged surface which may not be desired.
Another problem present with the existing technologies is that with increasing thickness of
anti-skidding glaze layer, transparency of the layer significantly reduces, affecting the
25 decorative effect of pattern.
CN201110359646.5 discloses one anti-skidding screen printing glaze and manufacture
method and application thereof. The anti-skidding screen printing glaze as disclosed in the
document, before entering kiln, is increased by one silk screen printing at non-gloss firing
30 face brick and then fired, to improve wear-resisting antiskid performance.
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Though the technique is simple, the limitation is that the finite thickness that silk screen
printing produces, and is difficult to stand long wearing and tearing. Further, when antiskidding glaze layer thickness increases, the transparency of glaze layer reduces, and will
affect the decorative effect of pattern.
5
It has been observed that for a floor tile to have an excellent skid resistance, the dynamic
coefficient of friction must be greater than 0.6. However, both the above disclosed methods
do not provide the desired skid resistance in both dry as well as wet condition.
10 Hence there is a demand for a anti-skid floor tile having durability, uniform performance,
and high skid resistance coefficients both in dry and wet conditions and which also provide
solution for the limitations/ drawbacks present in the existing technologies including
achieving high resistance without changing much the external appearance of the tiles.
15 Moreover, the scope of improvement in the existing technology regarding the materials
used, designs involved in the manufacturing the tiles always remain which may increase
the overall performance of the ceramic floor tiles including the anti-skid properties and/or
decreases manufacturing costs.
20 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The anti-skid ceramic floor tiles as envisaged in the present subject matter proposes a
solution to the problems existing in the prior art. The present subject matter discloses a
composition of coating of an anti-skid composition to be applied on the ceramic tiles for
the purpose of producing highly efficient tiles in terms of friction on tiles both in dry and
25 wet conditions.
The anti-skid ceramic floor tile according to the present invention comprising an anti-skid
slip coating providing the tile a dynamic coefficient of friction in wet and dry conditions
in the range 0.65 to 0.8; wherein, anti-skid slip coating composition comprises quartz, fused
30 mullite, feldspar, sintered powder and barium carbonate; and wherein, sintered powder
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composition comprises potassium oxide, sodium oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide,
iron oxide, alumina and silica.
The percentage weight ratio of materials of anti-skid slip coating composition are
5 combined in the range being quartz (33-36), fused mullite (33-36), feldspar (14-16),
sintered powder (8 to 10) and barium carbonate (3.5 to 5).
The percentage weight ratio of materials of sintered powder composition are combined in
the range being potassium oxide (2 to 2.2), sodium oxide (2 to 2.2), calcium oxide (2.5 to
10 2.8), magnesium oxide (2.5 to 2.8), iron oxide (1.2 to 1.5), alumina (24 to 26) and silica
(63 to 65).
While preparing the anti-skid ceramic floor tiles according to the present invention the antiskid composition is introduced into the process of manufacturing of tile just before the
15 firing stage with the help of a spraying application. The spraying application may involve
spray nozzle, atomizer, spray gun or the likes.

We claim:
1. An anti-skid ceramic floor tile comprising an anti-skid slip coating providing the tile
a dynamic coefficient of friction in wet and dry conditions in the range 0.65 to 0.8;
5 wherein,
anti-skid slip coating composition comprises quartz, fused mullite, feldspar, sintered
powder and barium carbonate; and wherein,
sintered powder composition comprises potassium oxide, sodium oxide, calcium
oxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, alumina and silica.
10
2. The anti-skid ceramic floor tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein percentage weight
ratio of materials of anti-skid slip coating composition are combined in the range
being quartz (33-36), fused mullite (33-36), feldspar (14-16), sintered powder (8 to
10) and barium carbonate (3.5 to 5).
15
3. The anti-skid ceramic floor tile as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein percentage weight
ratio of material of sintered powder composition are combined in the range being
potassium oxide (2 to 2.2), sodium oxide (2 to 2.2), calcium oxide (2.5 to 2.8),
magnesium oxide (2.5 to 2.8), iron oxide (1.2 to 1.5), alumina (24 to 26) and silica
20 (63 to 65).
4. A method of preparing anti-skid ceramic floor tile as claimed in any of the claims (1
to 3), characterized in that the anti-skid composition is introduced into the process of
manufacturing of tile just before the firing stage.
25
5. The method of preparing anti-skid ceramic floor tile as claimed in claim 4, wherein,
the anti-skid composition is sprayed on the tile by a spraying application.