GB1599346A

GB1599346A - Ceramic containers

Info

Publication number: GB1599346A
Application number: GB2329578A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-26
Filing date: 1978-05-26
Publication date: 1981-09-30

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CERAMIC CONTAINERS (71) 1, CHRISTOPHER JOHN SHER WIN, a British Subject of Fields Farm, Blackbrook. Newcastle, Staffs. do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to ceramic containers having handles especially but not exclusively cups and mugs.

In this specification the invention will be described in relation to mugs although it should be realised that this term includes cups and also casseroles. soup tureens. soup plates, coffee pots. tea pots, water jugs, etc.

which include one or more handles, such articles being referred to herein, for simplic ity, as mugs as hereinbefore defined, In the manufacture of mugs a substantial ly cylindrical body member is formed from clay, normallv on an automatic forming machine but possibly by a hand throwing technique. A handle for the mug is then formed from clay either manuallv or mechanically and normally the ends of the handle to be joined to the mug are enlarged to provide a greater contact area. The handle is carefully fixed to the mug utilising a clay slip.

This process is laborious and timeconsuming and owing to the fragile nature of the components. difficult to automate.

Furthermore. in view of the nature of the handle. firing of the mug often results in defects and there is a relatively high proportion of rejected mugs owing to defects in the handle or in the joint between the handle and the body of the mug.

After the mug has been fired, the handle causes considerable difficulties in the further processing of the mug. for example. it gives rise to difficulties during glazing and, owing to the protuberance of the handle.

the automatic printing or transfer of patterns to the outer surface of the mug is hindered. For this reason also the pattern cannot be applied continuously around the outer surface of the body portion of the mug.

Owing to the stress limitations of fired clay there are structural limitations imposed on the design and dimensions of the handle.

Further difficulties arise if the handle is manufactured from a clay different from that of the mug, for example, of a different colour. Owing to the joining technique there is some smearing at the joint.

Even after completion of the mug further difficulties arise, again in mechanical handling and transportation as a result of relatively fragile handles protruding from the otherwise substantially cylindrical surface of the mug.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages referred to above and also further disadvantages inherent in present mug construction.

According to the present invention there is provided a mug, as hereinbefore defined including a body portion manufactured from a ceramic material and a handle manufactured from a plastics material fixed thereto by a resin adhesive.

Preferably the plastics material is melamine.

Preferably the handle is fixed to the mug by a suitable adhesive for example, an epoxy or acrylic resin.

Preferably the body portion of the mug is glazed and fired prior to the attachment of the handle and to provide a good surface for the adhesive the glaze is removed from the surface of the mug over those areas where it will be covered by the handle.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a mug, as hereinbefore defined, including a body portion manufactured from a ceramic material to a finished condition and a handle separately manufactured to a finished condition fixed to the mug by a resin adhesive.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mug, as hereinbefore defined, comprising forming a ceramic body portion, glazing the body portion and firing the body portion such that the body portion is in a finished condition, thereafter fixing a handle thereto by use of a resin adhesive.

In the preceding two paragraphs and in the remainder of this specification and the claims. the term "a finished condition" is intended to mean that the mug body and the handle require no further manufacturing operations to be carried out thereon.

Preferably the handle is formed from plastics material. for example, melamine.

Preferably the method includes also the step of removing glaze from areas of the mug to which the handle is to be fixed, for example, by sand blasting.

Preferably the fixing of the handle to the body portion of the mug is automated and includes the step of automatically applying adhesive to the handle and/or the body portion.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only.

A mug body portion is manufactured automatically on a clay forming apparatus.

the mug having a substantially cylindrical open-topped configuration. The mug body portion is then fired, decorated and glazed according to any known technique. For example, it may be part-fired before decoration and glazing and thereafter re-fired or decorated and glazed by a "once-fired" technique.

It will be realized that in view of the fact that no handle is attached to the mug, applying decoration to its outside surface is easily achieved by normal bottle printing techniques. Using these techniques the entire outside surface of the mug body portion can be decorated bv a continuous circumferential design. if desired.

After the glazed mug has been formed a handle is attached thereto. Conveniently.

the handle takes a traditional form although this is not necessary. The handle of the mug now described is manufactured by an injection moulding technique from a melamine plastics maternal and includes a main handle portion and two enlarged end portions. the end portions being adapted to make contact with the outer surface of the mug and to be fixed thereto. The faces adapted to contact the mug are concave and arcuate, the diameter of the arc being substantially the same as that of the outer surface of the mug.

Conveniently these surfaces are roughened to provide a key for adhesive and in certain instances may include a recess into which adhesive may be supplied prior to fitment of the mug.

To prepare the mug body portion for the handle it is desirable to remove glaze from those areas to which the ends of the handle will be attached and for this purpose glaze is removed by sand blasting, the sand blasting procedure being automated and involving passing mugs before a sand blasting jet, those areas of the mug not to be sand blasted being protected by a mask.

Any adhesive which offers sufficient strength, relatively rapid drying or curing times and is compatible with the materials of the body portion and the handle. is suitable and it has been found that epoxy and acrylic resins are particularly useful.

One suitable resin is an acrylic resin which comprises a resin and an activator, and in use the resin may be applied to the body portion and the activator to the handle or conversely such that when the two are brought together the resin cures and fixes the handle permanently and firmly to the body portion. Any other suitable resin may be employed and it is important to apply a carefully metered amount to the surfaces to be joined such that when the handle is applied to the body portion no excess adhesive is squeezed out from the joint.

In the embodiment described above the mug is prepared for fixing the handle thereto by removing the glaze from two areas by sand blasting through a mask. In modified methods the two areas may be kept free of glaze by masking them during the glazing step, or by applying a resist before glazing or by removing the glaze from the area prior to firing.

Of course, if a suitable adhesive is used it may be unnecessary to remove the glaze from the areas.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A mug, as hereinbefore defined including a body portion manufactured from a ceramic material and a handle manufactured from a plastics material fixed thereto by a resin adhesive.

2. A mug as claimed in claim 1, in which the plastics material is melamine.

3. A mug as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the adhesive is an epoxy or acrylic resin.

4. A mug as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body portion of the mug is glazed and fired prior to the attachment of the handle.

5. A mug as claimed in claim 4. in which to provide a good surface for the adhesive the glaze is removed from the surface of the mug over those areas where it will be covered by the handle.

6. A method of manufacturing a mug. as hereinbefore defined. comprising forming a

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. finished condition and a handle separately manufactured to a finished condition fixed to the mug by a resin adhesive. Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mug, as hereinbefore defined, comprising forming a ceramic body portion, glazing the body portion and firing the body portion such that the body portion is in a finished condition, thereafter fixing a handle thereto by use of a resin adhesive. In the preceding two paragraphs and in the remainder of this specification and the claims. the term "a finished condition" is intended to mean that the mug body and the handle require no further manufacturing operations to be carried out thereon. Preferably the handle is formed from plastics material. for example, melamine. Preferably the method includes also the step of removing glaze from areas of the mug to which the handle is to be fixed, for example, by sand blasting. Preferably the fixing of the handle to the body portion of the mug is automated and includes the step of automatically applying adhesive to the handle and/or the body portion. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only. A mug body portion is manufactured automatically on a clay forming apparatus. the mug having a substantially cylindrical open-topped configuration. The mug body portion is then fired, decorated and glazed according to any known technique. For example, it may be part-fired before decoration and glazing and thereafter re-fired or decorated and glazed by a "once-fired" technique. It will be realized that in view of the fact that no handle is attached to the mug, applying decoration to its outside surface is easily achieved by normal bottle printing techniques. Using these techniques the entire outside surface of the mug body portion can be decorated bv a continuous circumferential design. if desired. After the glazed mug has been formed a handle is attached thereto. Conveniently. the handle takes a traditional form although this is not necessary. The handle of the mug now described is manufactured by an injection moulding technique from a melamine plastics maternal and includes a main handle portion and two enlarged end portions. the end portions being adapted to make contact with the outer surface of the mug and to be fixed thereto. The faces adapted to contact the mug are concave and arcuate, the diameter of the arc being substantially the same as that of the outer surface of the mug. Conveniently these surfaces are roughened to provide a key for adhesive and in certain instances may include a recess into which adhesive may be supplied prior to fitment of the mug. To prepare the mug body portion for the handle it is desirable to remove glaze from those areas to which the ends of the handle will be attached and for this purpose glaze is removed by sand blasting, the sand blasting procedure being automated and involving passing mugs before a sand blasting jet, those areas of the mug not to be sand blasted being protected by a mask. Any adhesive which offers sufficient strength, relatively rapid drying or curing times and is compatible with the materials of the body portion and the handle. is suitable and it has been found that epoxy and acrylic resins are particularly useful. One suitable resin is an acrylic resin which comprises a resin and an activator, and in use the resin may be applied to the body portion and the activator to the handle or conversely such that when the two are brought together the resin cures and fixes the handle permanently and firmly to the body portion. Any other suitable resin may be employed and it is important to apply a carefully metered amount to the surfaces to be joined such that when the handle is applied to the body portion no excess adhesive is squeezed out from the joint. In the embodiment described above the mug is prepared for fixing the handle thereto by removing the glaze from two areas by sand blasting through a mask. In modified methods the two areas may be kept free of glaze by masking them during the glazing step, or by applying a resist before glazing or by removing the glaze from the area prior to firing. Of course, if a suitable adhesive is used it may be unnecessary to remove the glaze from the areas. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A mug, as hereinbefore defined including a body portion manufactured from a ceramic material and a handle manufactured from a plastics material fixed thereto by a resin adhesive.

2. A mug as claimed in claim 1, in which the plastics material is melamine.

ceramic body portion, glazing the body portion and firing the body portion such that the body portion is in a finished condition thereafter fixing a handle manufactured from a plastics material thereto bv use of a resin adhesive.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, in which the handle is formed from melamine.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7. including the step of removing glaze from areas of the mug to which the handle is to be fixed, for example. by sand blasting.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8. in which the fixing of the handle to the body portion of the mug is automated and includes the step of automatically applying adhesive to the handle and/or the body portion.

10. A mug as claimed in claim 1. or claim 5 substantially as hereinbefore described by way of example.

11. A method of manufacturing a mug as hereinbefore defined. as claimed in claim 6 substantially as hereinbefore described bv way of example.