Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – At least one aryl ring which is part of a fused or bridged...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-12
2003-10-14
Sanders, Kriellion A. (Department: 1714)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
At least one aryl ring which is part of a fused or bridged...
C523S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06632867
ABSTRACT:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an adhesive caulking material containing solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation. The caulking material has the capacity to take on the appearance of natural or synthetic solid substrates, including igneous or metamorphic stone. This invention also relates to solid colored chips used in the caulking material.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Caulking compositions are known that are colored to match existing solid surfaces. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,674,337 and 5,044,758 disclose addition of pigments to caulk compositions to produce colored caulking material having an essentially homogeneous appearance. These references do not suggest a caulking material which can take on the appearance of a variety of solid surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,439, granted to Gueret, discloses a molded article having the appearance of natural stone. A heat-setting resin, such as a urea formaldehyde resin, is mixed with natural fibers or mineral filler. This mixture is then compressed at high temperature and pressure in a mold to produce a solid part with a natural stone appearance. Gueret mentions only molded articles, and does not suggest that a natural stone appearance could be obtained in any other way. No mention is made of any pigment particles other than mineral fillers. Gueret does not suggest production of a caulk having the appearance of natural stone by incorporating pigment particles into a caulking or sealing compound.
A caulking composition having the capacity to match the appearance of a variety of surfaces, including natural stone surfaces would be useful in sealing or repair of natural or synthetic stone counter-tops and other substrates having a speckled or grainy appearance.
Solid colored particles derived from polymeric resins are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,106,889 and 4,166,811, granted to Hirata et al. and Marr et al., respectively. Hirata et al. describe production of particles by coagulation of a dispersion containing pigment and a resin onto particles of polyvinyl chloride. In one example, the resin is an acrylic resin, which is coagulated by addition of calcium chloride. However, Hirata et al. do not prepare any colored particles larger than 200 &mgr;m, i.e., 0.2 mm, and do not suggest that colored particles could be produced without using a polyvinyl chloride core. In Marr et al., a pigment-resin composite is produced from a dispersion of pigment and an acrylic resin by acidifying the mixture to coagulate the resin. Neither reference suggests that colored particles can be produced by coagulation of a mixture of an acrylic resin and pigment by addition of a metal salt.
3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation. The adhesive caulking material exhibits a cosmetic capacity to take on the appearance of a natural or synthetic solid substrate. The term “adhesive caulking material” is meant to include an adhesive caulk, caulk, sealant, or like material.
The invention is further directed to a method for producing the adhesive caulking material by: (a) providing a base formulation exhibiting a desired background color; and (b) adding to the base formulation an amount of granular solid colored particles effective to achieve a desired appearance.
The invention is still further directed to colored solid chips comprising a coagulated or aggregated mixture comprising a polymeric resin and an amount of one or more pigments sufficient to obtain a desired single- or multi-colored appearance. The chips have a granular shape and have a size in the range from about 0.25 mm to about 20 mm in diameter.
The invention is also directed to a process for the preparation of granular solid colored chips comprising: (a) mixing a polymeric resin and one or more pigments until a substantially uniformly dispersed resin mixture is obtained; and (b) adding the resin mixture to a stirred salt solution at an addition rate effective to provide a coagulated or aggregated pigmented resin mixture containing granular solid colored chips having a granular shape, a majority of which granular solid colored chips having a diameter falling within a desired range.
The invention is also directed to a solid material comprising: (a) a solid substrate comprising a plurality of sections with gaps therebetween; the substrate having a speckled or grainy appearance; and (b) a cured or curable adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation, the adhesive caulking material substantially filling the gaps and essentially matching the appearance of the substrate.
The adhesive caulking material of the present invention may have a variety of pigments optionally added to it. In addition, a wide variety of base formulations are suitable for use in same, as would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after due consideration of the disclosure provided herein. In particular, the base formulation may be aqueous-based or non-aqueous-based, with the resulting caulk preparations finding application in a wide variety of environments, as discussed further below.
The present invention allows a new way of designing solid surfaces in which substantially no gaps between, for example, tiles or sections of the solid surfaces can be perceived due to the substantial matching of the appearance of the natural or synthetic solid surface by the adhesive caulking material disclosed herein. Moreover, the invention also provides a method of repairing a damaged natural or synthetic solid substrate comprising applying in, on, or about the damaged area an effective amount of an adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation. Once again, because of the cosmetic capacity exhibited by the adhesive caulking material, the repaired area takes on the appearance of the natural or synthetic solid substrate. A variety of damages to the solid substrate can be repaired, including but not limited to chips, cracks, or breaks in, on, or about the solid substrate.
A more detailed discussion of the present invention is presented below, which is intended to provide additional illustrations of the invention.
4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The adhesive caulking material of this invention comprises a base formulation and granular solid colored particles. This material can take on the appearance of a natural or synthetic solid substrate having gradations in color, brightness, or both, which lend a speckled or grainy appearance to the substrate. The natural or synthetic solid substrate is a solid surface material, a composite laminate material, such as FORMICA, tile, wood, coral, natural igneous or sedimentary stone, including granite, sandstone and quartz, or synthetic stone having the appearance of igneous or sedimentary stone. A solid surface material is one which is uniform in color and texture, so that a scratch in the surface does not uncover material having a different color or texture. In preferred embodiments of this invention, the adhesive caulking material takes on the appearance of a single- or multi-colored aggregate substrate having areas of different color and/or brightness from the background area, e.g., granite, sandstone or coral. The natural or synthetic solid substrate (or solid material, as the case may be) can be part of a floor, wall, ceiling, counter top, back splash, bath tub, shower, sink, bar or decorative facade.
When the caulking material of this invention is used to fill gaps between sections of these substrates, the combination of the substrate and the cured or curable caulk in the gaps comprises a new surface having an appearance heretofore unattainable. The gaps between sections are of a size usually encountered in construction, and commonly filled in with a caulking material. For example, a wall or floor constructed from tiles having a speckled or grainy appearance, e.g., the appearance of granite or sandstone, comprises subs
Anderson Theodore P.
Boise Lawrence H.
Modrak Robert G.
Baker & Hosteler LLP
Gloucester Co., Inc.
Sanders Kriellion A.
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