Patent US5693395A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5693395A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Glazed ceramic floor tile having high-resolution image
Assignee: Imagine Tile Inc
•
Filing: 1995-03-30
•
Granted: 1997-12-02
•
Expires: 2015-03-30
Abstract
Abstract A decorated ceramic floor tile is disclosed, comprising a clay tile substrate, an initial glaze layer applied to the tile substrate, and a high-fired glazed decal image applied to the tile such that the decal extends substantially at least to the edges of the initial glaze layer around the entire perimeter of the tile substrate. A ceramic floor having a substantially continuous decorative image thereon, comprising a plurality of ceramic floor tiles of the invention also is disclosed. A process for making floor tiles of the invention includes providing a clay tile substrate, bisquing the clay substrate to remove moisture from the clay, applying an initial glaze layer to the bisqued clay tile substrate, performing a first firing of the glazed tile substrate, applying a glazed decal image to the fired glazed tile such that the decal extends substantially at least to the edges of the initial glaze layer, and performing a second firing of the decaled tile such that the decal image is substantially fully bled to the periphery of the tile around the entire perimeter of the tile.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael M. Wine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:17
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B41/00; C04B41/009; B; B28; B28B; B28B11/00; B28B11/001; B28B11/04; B28B11/044; B44; B44C; B44C1/00; B44C1/16; B44C1/165; B44C1/17; B44C1/1712; B44C5/00; B44C5/04; B44C5/0438; B44C5/0446; C04B41/45; C04B41/52; C04B41/80; C04B41/81; C04B41/89; C04B2103/00; C04B2103/0041; C04B2103/0043; C04B2111/00; C04B2111/80; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/16; Y10T428/163; Y10T428/164; Y10T428/166; Y10T428/22; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24893; Y10T428/24901; Y10T428/24926
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A decorated floor tile comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges; (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate, wherein the initial glaze layer extends to the periphery of the rounded edges of the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer, wherein the image is substantially fully bled to the periphery of the ceramic tile substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
A decorated floor tile comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges; (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate, wherein the initial glaze layer extends to the periphery of the rounded edges of the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer, wherein the image is substantially fully bled to the periphery of the ceramic tile substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A floor surface having a substantially continuous decorative image thereon, comprising a plurality of the decorated floor tiles of claim 1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the image is substantially fully bled to the periphery of the ceramic tile substrate around the entire perimeter of the ceramic tile substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the ceramic tile substrate contains about 50 to about 75 weight percent porcelain.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the image on the ceramic floor tile has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 5 wherein the floor tile has a wear rating guide value of at least 4.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 6 wherein the ceramic floor tile has an ASTM C 501 Abrasion Hardness of 100 or greater on the abrasive wear index.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 7 wherein the floor tile has a scratch hardness on the Mohs scale of at least 6.5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 8 wherein the image on the ceramic floor tile has a resolution greater than about 85 line screen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 8 wherein the floor tile has a wear rating guide value of at least 4+.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 8 wherein the ceramic floor tile has an ASTM C 501 Abrasion Hardness of 150 or greater on the abrasive wear index.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 8 wherein the floor tile has a scratch hardness on the Mohs scale of at least 7.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
A decorated floor tile with a high wear rating guide value comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges; (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer, wherein the image on the ceramic floor tile formed has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen and the ceramic floor tile has a wear rating guide value of at least 4.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
A decorated floor tile with a high wear rating guide value comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges; (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer, wherein the image on the ceramic floor tile formed has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen and the ceramic floor tile has a wear rating guide value of at least 4.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 13 wherein the ceramic tile substrate contains about 50 to about 75 weight percent porcelain.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 14 wherein the ceramic floor tile has an ASTM C 501 Abrasion Hardness of 100 or greater on the abrasive wear index.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 15 wherein the ceramic floor tile has a scratch hardness on the Mohs scale of at least 6.5.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
A decorated floor tile with high abrasion hardness comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges: (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer, wherein the image on the floor tile formed has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen and the ceramic floor tile has an ASTM C 501 Abrasion Hardness of 100 or greater on the abrasive wear index.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
A decorated floor tile with high abrasion hardness comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges: (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer, wherein the image on the floor tile formed has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen and the ceramic floor tile has an ASTM C 501 Abrasion Hardness of 100 or greater on the abrasive wear index.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 17 wherein the ceramic tile substrate contains about 50 to about 75 weight percent porcelain.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
85 words
A decorated floor tile with high scratch hardness comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges: (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer; wherein the image on the floor tile has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen and the ceramic floor tile has a scratch hardness on the Mohs scale of at least 6.5.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
85 words
A decorated floor tile with high scratch hardness comprising: a ceramic floor tile comprised of (a) a ceramic tile substrate having rounded edges: (b) an initial glaze layer in direct contact with the ceramic tile substrate; and (c) a glazed image layer fired into the surface of the initial glaze layer; wherein the image on the floor tile has a resolution of at least about 60 line screen and the ceramic floor tile has a scratch hardness on the Mohs scale of at least 6.5.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The decorated floor tile of claim 18 wherein the ceramic tile substrate contains about 50 to about 75 weight percent porcelain.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US257643A
Cited
US1334301A
Cited
US3816161A
Cited
US3871293A
Cited
US3857746A
Cited
US4634634A
Cited
US4477510A
Cited
US4584209A
Cited
US4939010A
Cited
US5069960A
Cited
US4888230A
Cited
US5141798A
Cited
US5330939A
Cited
US5139917A
Cited
US5132165A
Cited
US5304516A
Cited
US5348914A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-01 | 2001-06-02 | 2001-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-01 | 2005-06-02 | 2005-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-01 | 2009-06-02 | 2009-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |