| 摘要 |
A vacuum vibration press manufactures engineered stone slabs that are equal or superior in appearance and physical properties to slabs manufactured using a conventional Breton press, while weighing less, costing less to manufacture, providing shorter press cycle times, requiring less resin, and consuming less energy. In addition to providing a vibration device above the slab, the press also includes a second vibration device below the slab, which replaces the massive inertial base of a Breton press. The vibration devices can have different frequencies, amplitudes, and/or vibration axes. The press can be completely enclosed within a vacuum chamber, and vibrationally isolated from surrounding structures. In embodiments, volume reduction blocks reduce the volume to be evacuated. Embodiments use screw jacks and springs or air bags to provide controlled pressing force and precisely uniform slab thickness. Slabs can be inserted and removed on a conveyor belt, or in separate trays on rollers. |
| 主权项 |
1. A lightweight, energy efficient, low cost vacuum vibration press for forming engineered stone slabs by simultaneously compressing and vibrating under vacuum a slab mixture having between 88% and 94% stone content, the press comprising:
a vacuum chamber; a vibration table having a planar surface configured to support the slab mixture, said vibration table being located within the vacuum chamber; a pressing mechanism that is configured to compress between the pressing mechanism and the vibration table a slab mixture having between 88% and 94% stone granules and stone powder, and between 6% and 12% resin, said slab mixture containing insufficient resin and stone powder to fill all voids between the stone granules as configured after initial mixing of the slab mixture; a first vibration device attached to a bottom of the vibration table; and a second vibration device attached to a top of the pressing mechanism; the pressing mechanism and the vibration devices being configured to apply compressional and vibrational forces to the slab, said compressional and vibrational forces being sufficient in amplitude to force the stone granules into a close-packed configuration in which there is sufficient resin and stone powder to fill all remaining voids between the stone granules. |
