CLIAMS:I/We Claim:
1. A ceramic tile coated with an anti slip composition providing the ceramic tile with a dynamic coefficient of friction in the range of 0.6 and 0.7, wherein the anti slip composition comprises calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium silicate.
2. A ceramic tile coated with an anti slip composition, wherein the anti slip composition comprises calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, reactive alumina, quartz, feldspar, and zirconium silicate, wherein the percentage weight of calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, reactive alumina, quartz, feldspar, and zirconium silicate are in the range of 1% to 4%, 1% to 4%, 2% to 5%, 4% to 8%, 0% to 2%, and 0% to 2% respectively.
3. The ceramic tile coated with the anti slip composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dynamic coefficient of friction on the ceramic tiles is 0.6 under dry conditions.
4. A ceramic tile coated with an anti slip composition, wherein the anti slip composition comprises tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, and precipitated silica wherein the percentage weight of tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium Silicate are in the range of 0% to 3%, 5% to 8%, 2% to 6%, 2% to 4%, 0% to 1%, and 0% to 1%respectively.
5. The ceramic tile coated with the anti slip composition as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dynamic coefficients of friction on the ceramic tiles are 0.7 and 0.65 under dry condition and soapy condition respectively.
6. The ceramic tile coated with the anti slip composition as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the anti slip composition is introduced into the process of manufacturing of tiles just before the firing stage.
7. The ceramic tile coated with an anti slip composition as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the coating of the anti slip composition is sprayed on the tiles by a spraying application.
8. The ceramic tile coated with an anti slip composition as claimed in preceding claims, wherein the spraying application includes spray nozzles, atomizers, spray guns, and the like.
 
,TagSPECI:TECHNICAL FIELD
The subject matter described herein relates to anti-slip floor tiles and more particular to the method of making the tiles safe and resistant from slips.
BACKGROUND
Man has always desired to create beautiful and durable living spaces. Ceramic tiles are an effort in that direction. There is evidence of use of the ceramic tiles by man for 4000 years. Tiles of various designs and patterns have been found in Egyptian pyramids and Greek cities. It is said that the tiles were invented in the east. Gradually they moved to Persia and much more vibrant designs were introduced under the Islamic culture. In late 12th century Europe was introduced to ceramic tiles and they gained prominence all over the world.
Ceramic tiles and other hard floor surfaces are easily maintained and withstand heavy traffic, but such floors can be slippery when soiled or wet. This problem is especially dangerous for floors in doorways, kitchens, bathrooms, and the like where soil, such as oil, grease, sand, or water, can be deposited onto the floor. A minimum floor tile slip resistance dynamic coefficient of friction of greater than 0.6 is required to prevent slipping. Accordingly, researches have been conducted on anti-slip floor materials.
These researches include two different methods of making slip resistant tiles. The first method includes the manufacturing of tiles by using profiled tiles (as shown in FIG. 1) whereas the second method includes manufacturing of enhanced friction tiles by giving effects during printing or during tile pressing by using special punches (as shown in FIG. 2). However, both these type of tiles do not provide enough friction as required in dry as well as wet conditions. Moreover, enhanced friction tiles, as manufactured by the second method as discussed, invites accumulation of dust over prolonged usage.
Abrasive particles have also been incorporated into certain floor surfaces by mixing sand, aluminum oxide, carbide particles, or grit in paint or glaze and painting or glazing the floor surface with the mixture. Abrasive particles having a composition different from that of the floor surface have also been included in the floor surface such that the particles protrude from the floor surface. In either case the abrasive particles tend to wear and detach from the surface with time. Additionally, the concentration of the particles on the surface varies randomly, thereby resulting in non-uniform results.
Therefore, there is a need for anti-slip floor tiles that can overcome the foregoing drawbacks of conventional titles system providing high durability, uniform performance, and high slip resistance coefficients.
SUMMARY
The subject matter described herein relates to anti-slip floor tiles and more particular to a composition of a coating of an anti slip composition to be applied on the ceramic tiles for the purpose of producing highly efficient tiles in terms of friction on tiles.
The anti slip composition for the ceramic tiles includes calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, tabular alumina, reactive Alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium silicate. This anti slip composition is introduced and sprayed during the process of manufacturing of tiles just before the firing stage. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the anti slip composition includes calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, reactive alumina, quartz, feldspar, and zirconium silicate, in which the percentage weight of calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, reactive alumina, quartz, feldspar, and zirconium silicate are in the range of 1% to 4%, 1% to 4%, 2% to 5%, 4% to 8%, 0% to 2%, and 0% to 2% respectively. The dynamic coefficient of friction achieved on the ceramic tiles with such composition is 0.6 under dry conditions. In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the anti slip composition includes tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, and precipitated silica in which the percentage weight of tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium Silicate are in the range of 0% to 3%, 5% to 8%, 2% to 6%, 2% to 4%, 0% to 1%, and 0% to 1%respectively.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the coating of the anti slip composition is sprayed on the tiles by a spraying application.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, spray of the coating of the anti slip composition on the tiles enhances the coefficient of friction considerably in dry condition without changing much the external appearance of the tiles.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the objective of the present subject matter is to manufacture the anti-slip floor tiles having high durability, uniform performance, and high slip resistance coefficients.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The aforementioned aspects and other features of the present disclosure will be explained in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG.1 illustrates a perspective view of profiled tiles as present in the conventional art of the present subject matter.
FIG.2 illustrates a perspective view of enhanced friction tiles as present in the conventional art of the present subject matter.
FIG.3 illustrates a flow chart of floor tile manufacturing process and application of anti-slip composition in accordance with the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The embodiments of the present subject matter are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present subject matter is not limited to these embodiments which are only provided to explain more clearly the present subject matter to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like components.
The subject matter described herein relates to anti-slip floor tiles and more particular to the composition of a coating of an anti slip composition on the ceramic tiles for the purpose of producing highly efficient tiles in terms of friction on tiles. In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the anti slip composition includes materials like calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium silicate. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the anti slip composition includes calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, reactive alumina, quartz, feldspar, and zirconium silicate, in which the percentage weight of calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, reactive alumina, quartz, feldspar, and zirconium silicate are in the range of 1% to 4%, 1% to 4%, 2% to 5%, 4% to 8%, 0% to 2%, and 0% to 2% respectively. In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the anti slip composition includes tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, and precipitated silica in which the percentage weight of tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium Silicate are in the range of 0% to 3%, 5% to 8%, 2% to 6%, 2% to 4%, 0% to 1%, and 0% to 1% respectively. The coating of any of the embodiments of these anti slip compositions is introduced during the process of manufacturing of tiles, as will be explained later with reference to FIG. 3. These materials are typically characterized with the properties that add excellent frictional quality to a smooth and pleasant to touch surface of the tiles.
A number of trials to combine one or more of the components, from calcined alumina A, calcined alumina B, tabular alumina, reactive alumina, quartz, precipitated silica, feldspar, and zirconium silicate, are made to achieve the criterion of minimum floor tile slip resistance dynamic coefficient of friction (hereinafter may referred as DCOF) which is 0.6. Table 1 illustrates the ranges of the percentages of the materials used during two trials for producing efficient anti slip compositions wherein the criterion of minimum floor tile slip resistance dynamic coefficient of friction is achieved.
Materials Range of percentage in Trial 1 Range of percentage in Trial 2
Calcined Alumina A 1% to 4% NIL
Calcined Alumina B 1% to 4% NIL
Tabular Alumina NIL 0% to 3%
Reactive Alumina 2% to 5% 5% to 8%
Quartz 4% to 8% 2% to 6%
Precipitated Silica NIL 2% to 4%
Feldspar 0% to 2% 0% to 1%
Zirconium Silicate 0% to 2% 0% to 1%
Table 1
Table 2 demonstrates dynamic coefficients of friction calculated after conducting tests on the tiles as obtained after the firing stage (as shown in FIG. 3) under dry and soapy conditions. As evident from Table 2, the dynamic coefficient of friction calculated after Trial 1 is equal to 0.6 under dry conditions. Similarly, the dynamic coefficient of friction calculated after Trial 2 is suitable (DCOF exceeds 0.6) for dry as well as for wet conditions. Hence, the criterion of minimum floor tile slip resistance dynamic coefficient of friction to prevent slipping is successfully achieved in Trials 1 and 2. Moreover, the physical appearance of the tiles after the Trial 2 is excellent and also reduces the loss of transparency in tiles as is clear from the table below:
Dynamic Coefficient of friction (DCOF) DCOF in Trial 1 DCOF in Trial 2
Under Dry Conditions 0.6 0.7
Under Soapy water condition 0.49 0.65
Physical Appearance Ok but loss of transparency Good friction without loss of transparency
Table 2
A few other tests such as ramp tests were conducted on the tiles to check the quality of friction present on the tiles. An antislip resistance standard of R11 was found for the tiles in the ramp test wherein the tiles were still not rough. Said standard indicates that the antislip properties can be upto an angle of 190 to 270.
FIG.3 illustrates a flow chart for the method of manufacturing the anti slip tiles in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The process defines various stages of the manufacturing of tiles from the step of slip preparation to the packaging of the anti slip tiles. During the method, the body material of tiles is prepared in the form of slip or slurry by mixing various raw materials such as clay, feldspar, quartz, etc. This slip is then stored into slip tanks and then sprayed through spray dryer which gives the output in terms of dust. The dust, which is stored in the silos, is automatically fed through hopper to press to form green tiles. Generally, the green tiles produced have a moisture content of between 5 and 7 per cent, which means they must be dried to reduce it to between 0.2 and 0.5 per cent and there requires the stage of drying. During drying, the green tiles are fed to a horizontal/vertical dryer which evaporates the moisture. These green tiles, after drying, are then passed to Glaze line via conveyor belts where engobe, glaze, and the like are applied to the tiles. The tiles can also be subjected to prints or designs in glaze line through flat, roller, digital printer, and the like. FIG.3 further shows an additional step of introducing the anti slip composition during the process of manufacturing the tiles. In particular, the coating of the anti slip composition is launched in the process before the step of firing in the method of manufacturing the tiles. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the coating of the anti slip composition is sprayed on the tiles by a spraying application which includes but not restricted to spray nozzles, atomizers, spray guns, and the like. After the application of engobe, glaze, design and slip safe coating, the tiles are sent to kiln for maturing the glaze during the firing stage. The temperature in the firing stage ranges from 1050 degree Celsius to 1220 degree Celsius. In the kiln a series of reactions take place that change the microstructure of the tile, creating the required final properties such as mechanical strength, size stability, resistance to chemical agents and fire and easy cleaning. During the firing stage, the key variables in the thermal cycle are the firing time and temperature and the kiln atmosphere, which depend on the composition of the raw materials and the type of product required. The tiles developed after the firing stage are then cut, polished (if required), sorted according to the defects and then sent for packaging.
The anti-slip floor tiles according to the present subject matter advantageously facilitate an excellent coefficient of friction in dry as well as in wet condition without changing much the external appearance of the tiles. In other words, the coefficient of friction is high enough even in wet and soapy conditions that clearly classify the tiles manufactured as slip resistant tiles. Moreover, there are no design limitations using the slip resistant coatings according to the present subject matter and thus it can be applied over plain surface. The application of such coating on the plain surfaces enhances the product portfolio of slip resistant tiles. Further, the anti-slip floor tiles according to the present subject matter reduces the risk of dirt accumulation as present in the existing anti slip tiles of the conventional arts. Additionally, the anti-slip floor tiles according to the present subject matter can also be tuned to high abrasion resistant tiles when subjected to abrasion testing machine qualified with 20000 revolutions.
Although the subject matter has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the subject matter, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the subject matter. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present subject matter as defined.