Tile edge systems and methods

Abstract

Disclosed herein are tiles, systems, and methods related to manufacturing bullnose or other non-straight edge tiles. In a method of manufacturing a bullnose tile, the method comprises the steps of providing a tile, wherein said tile is a fired ceramic tile comprising a base and a decoration; cutting or milling the tile to form a bullnose edge; transporting the tile to at least a first printing station; printing at least one print layer of print media on the bullnose edge; transporting the tile to a curing station and curing the print media to provide the bullnose tile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ceramic slab comprising:
 a decorative edge;   a printed and cured decorative coat on the decorative edge comprising a radiation cured print media; and   a cured protective coat provided upon the decorative coat comprising a radiation cured protective coat.   
     
     
         2 . The tile of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation curable print media and/or the radiation curable protective coat is a UV curable coat. 
     
     
         3 . The tile of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative edge is a straight edge. 
     
     
         4 . The tile of  claim 1 , wherein the cured protective coat is a clear coat. 
     
     
         5 . The tile of  claim 1 , wherein the cured protective coat is based on a polyurethane or polyester chemistry. 
     
     
         6 . The tile of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation cured print media comprise binders/monomers based on acrylate, unsaturated polyester, polyester-acrylate, epoxide-acrylate, urethane-acrylate, polyurethane or polyurethane-acrylate dispersions (PUD), or blends thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The tile of  claim 1 , further comprising a base coat and/or a tie coat printed onto the decorative edge and cured, the decorative coat being provided on top of the base coat and/or the tie coat. 
     
     
         8 . The tile of  claim 7 , wherein the base coat and/or tie coat comprises a radiation curable coat. 
     
     
         9 . The tile of  claim 8 , wherein the radiation curable base and/or tie coat is a UV curable coat. 
     
     
         10 . The tile of  claim 7 , wherein the radiation curable base and/or tie coat is white. 
     
     
         11 . The tile of  claim 1 , further comprising a glazed and fired top surface. 
     
     
         12 . The tile of  claim 11 , wherein the decorative edge comprises a design matching a design on a top surface of the tile. 
     
     
         13 . The tile of  claim 12 , wherein the top surface of the tile comprises an intricate pattern, such as a wood grain pattern or a marble pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The tile of  claim 13 , wherein the decorative edge comprises printed wood grain lines or marble veins running uninterruptedly, or without noticeable interruption across the seam between the decorative front face and the decorative edge. 
     
     
         15 . The tile of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative coat is a digitally printed decorative coat.