Patents by Inventor Jurgen Hofmann

Jurgen Hofmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20030047831
    Abstract: In a method for granulating thermoplastic polymers, in particular thermoplastic polyolefins, the polymer powder prepared in the polymerization reactor is melted and homogenized in an extruder, then forced through an extrusion die and granulated. In accordance with the invention, the polymer powder is subjected to heat treatment before introduction into the extruder, resulting in the introduction of the polymer powder into the extruder being carried out at an elevated powder temperature. The invention is particularly suitable for the granulation of polyethylene or polypropylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Michael Witt, Rainer Anderlik, Jurgen Hofmann, Thomas Kessler, Farid Rizk, Wolfgang Bickel
  • Publication number: 20030015814
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing solid active ingredient-containing forms from an active ingredient-containing formulation which comprises at least one polymeric binder. The apparatus according to the invention has at least one extruder 1 for continuous plastication of the formulation and at least two injection units 2 which are provided separate from one another, each of which is connected to the extruder 1, and through which the formulation can be injected into at least one mold 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Harald Krull, Jorg Rosenberg, Jorg Breitenbach, Jurgen Hofmann, Rainer Klenz, Hans Buhrle
  • Patent number: 6498232
    Abstract: Shear forces are used for essentially salt-free coagulation of plastics dispersions or rubber dispersions. For this, method of use is made of an apparatus with at least one shearing module which has a stator and a rotor arranged within the stator, where the surfaces facing toward one another in the stator and in the rotor are in each case smooth, or at least the rotor exhibits a structure formed on its surface and facing from this in the direction of the stator, and between the stator and the rotor there is a gap of predetermined gap width. The process is carried out by passing the dispersion to be coagulated through the gap between stator and rotor and precipitating the dispersion by rotation of the rotor with predetermined shear rate and shear deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Güntherberg, Jürgen Hofmann, Alexander Ludwig, Hartmut Heinen, Gerd Ehrmann, Peter Barghoorn, Andreas Kleinke, Sven Grabowski, Rainer Nachtrab, Bernhard Czauderna
  • Patent number: 6455612
    Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus and method for injecting an additive directly into a polymer melt stream. The method comprises supplying a melt flow of a polymeric host material to a die assembly having a thin-plate assembly and injecting at least one additive into at least one predetermined location in a cross-section of the melt flow of the polymeric host material while the melt flow passes through the die assembly. The method achieves uniform dosing of the one or more additives in the extrusion direction in the polymeric host material without homogeneously mixing the one or more additives and the polymeric host material. The apparatus for directly injecting one or more additives into a polymer melt stream comprises a pumping system, a die assembly having a thin-plate assembly, and a distribution line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Charles F. Helms, Jr., Dominick A. Burlone, James L. Huff, Thomas Kessler, Herman Brandt, Walter Gotz, Jürgen Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6391239
    Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus and method for injecting an additive directly into a polymer melt stream. The method comprises supplying a melt flow of a polymeric host material to a die assembly having a thin-plate assembly and injecting at least one additive into at least one predetermined location in a cross-section of the melt flow of the polymeric host material while the melt flow passes through the die assembly. The method achieves uniform dosing of the one or more additives in the extrusion direction in the polymeric host material without homogeneously mixing the one or more additives and the polymeric host material. The apparatus for directly injecting one or more additives into a polymer melt stream comprises a pumping system, a die assembly having a thin-plate assembly, and a distribution line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Charles F. Helms, Jr., Dominick A. Burlone, James L. Huff, Thomas Kessler, Herman Brandt, Walter Gotz, Jürgen Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6289928
    Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus and method for injecting an additive directly into a polymer melt stream. The method comprises supplying a melt flow of a polymeric host material to a die assembly having a thin-plate assembly and injecting at least one additive into at least one predetermined location in a cross-section of the melt flow of the polymeric host material while the melt flow passes through the die assembly. The method achieves uniform dosing of the one or more additives in the extrusion direction in the polymeric host material without homogeneously mixing the one or more additives and the polymeric host material. The apparatus for directly injecting one or more additives into a polymer melt stream comprises a pumping system, a die assembly having a thin-plate assembly, and a distribution line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Charles F. Helms, Jr., Dominick A. Burlone, James L. Huff, Thomas Kessler, Herman Brandt, Walter Gotz, Jürgen Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6187825
    Abstract: A process for the continuous coagulation of aqueous dispersions of graft rubbers suitable for toughening thermoplastics is described. In the process, dispersions are transported through an apparatus having at least one shear element with a slotted stator and a rotating of the rotor within the stator, so that said dispersions are passed radially from the inside to the outside as a result of the rotation of the rotor in the shear element and, during or after passage through the slots of the rotor and stator, are subjected to such strong shearing that they coagulate, resulting in graft rubber coagulums which can be readily worked up even at a solids content of more than 50% by weight of elastomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Güntherberg, Jürgen Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6187877
    Abstract: A polymer based on a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine is prepared by polycondensation in an extruder, by (a) heating a mixture of a dicarboxylic acid having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms and a diamine having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms, which mixture is solid at room temperature and has a residual moisture content of less than 5% by weight, to a temperature in the range from 150 to 400° C. under autogenous pressure in a contrarotating twin-screw extruder to give a product A, (b) feeding the product A to a corotating twin-screw extruder, with the product A being exposed to a temperature in the range from 150 to 400° C. and residual water present and also water from the polycondensation being removed through the degassing openings, to give a product B, with the proviso that the corotating twin-screw extruder has at least two segments having different pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Götz, Jürgen Hofmann, Michael Kopietz, Helmut Horle
  • Patent number: 6183286
    Abstract: A lamp socket system 1 is provided for mounting an associated lamp 20, 20′ by holding a base 15 of the lamp through engagement between a set of connection pins 8, 8′ extending outwardly from the lamp base and a set of bayonet catch contacts 17, 18. The lamp socket includes a main housing body 2 and a substantially cylindrical coding ring 3, 3′ selectively connectable with the housing. The cylindrical coding ring 3 includes a set of recesses 10, 10′ arranged on an inner circumference of the coding ring at positions corresponding with positions of the set of connection pins 8, 8′ extending from the associated lamp socket base 15. The set of recesses 10, 10′ are adapted to receive the set of bayonet catch contacts 17, 18 associated with the lamp socket. A plurality of cylindrical coding rings are provided for selective connection with the main housing body to provide a convertible lamp socket system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jürgen Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6165399
    Abstract: A process for preparing thermoplastics or polymer blends comprising (A) from 5 to 95% of a water-moist elastomer component containing up to 60% of residual water, (B) from 5 to 95% of a thermoplastic polymer, (C) from 0 to 95% of a further polymer, and (D) from 0 to 70% of additives, said process comprising mixing the components A to D in an extruder with mechanical dewatering of component A, wherein the extruder has at least two rotating screws and, in the conveying direction, is essentially composed of a metering section into which component A is fed, a squeeze section which serves for dewatering component A and contains a retarding element and an associated dewatering orifice which is present upstream of the retarding element by a distance corresponding to at least one screw diameter, a feed section in which the thermoplastic polymer B is introduced as a melt into the extruder, a plastication section with mixing or kneading elements, a devolatilization section with an orifice and in which the remaining wat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Guntherberg, Jurgen Hofmann, Elmar Mailahn, Hilmar Ohlig, Bernhard Czauderna, Sven Grabowski, Klaus Bus
  • Patent number: 6140409
    Abstract: Halogen-free antidrip agents for thermoplastic molding materials contain polymers based on vinylaromatic monomers and having molecular weights (M.sub.w) of at least 800 000 g/mol and a narrow molecular weight distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Weber, Jurgen Hofmann, Robert Weiss, Walter Heckmann, Roland Hingmann, Josef Wunsch, Graham Edmund McKee
  • Patent number: 6120802
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing multilayer, solid drug forms for oral or rectal administration, which comprises coextrusion of at least two compositions which in each case comprise a thermoplastic, pharmacologically acceptable polymeric binder which is soluble or swellable in a physiological environment, and at least one of which contains a pharmaceutical active ingredient, and shaping the coextruded multilayer material to the required drug form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jorg Breitenbach, Axel Paul Hartl, Jurgen Hofmann, Joerg Rosenberg, Michael Schiessl, Hans Dieter Zettler
  • Patent number: 6121391
    Abstract: Polymers of vinylaromatic compounds are prepared at from -80 to 150.degree. C. in the presence of metallocene catalyst systems by a process in which polymerization is carried out in one stage with the use of a closely intermeshing twin-screw extruder having corotating screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Josef Wunsch, Jurgen Hofmann, Thomas Kessler, David Fischer
  • Patent number: 6111058
    Abstract: Biodegradable polyesteramides as defined in the specification obtained by reacting a mixture consisting essentially of(a1) from 95 to 99.9% by weight of a polyesteramide,(a2) from 0.1 to 5% by weight of a divinyl ether, and(a3) from 0 to 5 mol % of compound D as defined in the specification, and other biodegradable polymers and thermoplastic molding compositions, processes for the preparation thereof, the use thereof for producing biodegradable moldings, and adhesives, biodegradable moldings obtained from the polymers and molding compositions according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Warzelhan, Matthias Kroner, Jurgen Hofmann, Ursula Seeliger, Motonori Yamamoto, Peter Bauer
  • Patent number: 6048951
    Abstract: Process for preparing copolymers of aromatic vinyl compounds at -80 to 150.degree. C. in the presence of metallocene catalyst systems using a corotating, closely intermeshing twin-screw extruder for polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Josef Wunsch, Jurgen Hofmann, Thomas Kessler
  • Patent number: 5958316
    Abstract: Toughened thermoplastics are prepared by mechanically dewatering a water-moist elastomer component A containing up to 50% by weight of residual water and mixing the resulting dewatered elastomer component A' with a thermoplastic polymer B in a mixing unit, by a process in which the elastomer component A is fed to a twin-screw extruder which has corotating screws and essentially includes, in the transport direction,one unheated metering section in which the elastomer component A is fed to the extruder by a metering means,at least one unheated squeeze section which serves for dewatering and contains at least one retarding element and in each case at least one associated dewatering orifice,at least one section in which the thermoplastic polymer B is introduced as a melt into the extruder,at least one section provided with mixing, kneading or other plasticating elements or combinations of these elements,at least one devolatilization section which is provided with at least one devolatilization orifice and in which
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Guntherberg, Jurgen Hofmann, Hilmar Ohlig, Elmar Mailahn, Klaus Bus, Bernhard Czauderna, Sven Grabowski
  • Patent number: 5910276
    Abstract: Toughened thermoplastics are prepared by mechanically dewatering a water-moist elastomer component A containing up to 60% by weight of residual water and mixing the resulting dewatered elastomer component A' with a thermoplastic polymer B in an extruder, by a process in which the elastomer component A is fed to a twin-screw extruder which has corotating, in each case double-flight, screws and essentially includes, in the transport direction,a metering section in which the elastomer component A is fed to the extruder by a metering means,at least one squeeze section which serves for dewatering and contains at least one retarding element and in each case at least one associated dewatering orifice,at least one section provided with a conveying screw or at least one section provided with mixing, kneading or other plasticating elements or combinations of these elements,at least one section in which the thermoplastic polymer B is introduced as a melt into the extruder,at least one section provided with mixing, knead
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Guntherberg, Jurgen Hofmann, Hilmar Ohlig, Elmar Mailahn, Klaus Bus, Bernhard Czauderna, Sven Grabowski
  • Patent number: 5881751
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing residues from an inner wall surface of a liquid-filled vessel includes a submergible carrier unit drivable in liquid; a coaxial, multi-pole electrode system mounted on the carrier unit; an arrangement for steering the carrier unit to a desired location at the wall surface; and a high-power pulse generator connected with the electrode system for generating a shock wave to be applied to the wall surface at the desired location, whereby the push-pull effect of the forces derived from the shock wave causes the residues to loosen and drop off the wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignees: TZN Forschungs- und Entwicklungs-zentrum Unterluss, Telerob Ges. fur Fernhantierungs-technik GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Hofmann, Bernd Birkicht
  • Patent number: 5855325
    Abstract: A method of separating glass from film in a recycling of laminated panes, includes the following consecutive steps: in a crusher, breaking the glass carried on the film; heating the broken panes in a heating bath; and removing the glass from the film in a separating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: TZN Forschungs-und
    Inventors: Jurgen Hofmann, Hans-Otto Demski
  • Patent number: 5852113
    Abstract: Toughened thermoplastics are prepared by mixing a water-moist elastomer component A containing up to 60% by weight of residual water with a thermoplastic polymer B and further polymers C and additives D in an extruder with mechanical dewatering of the elastomer component A, by a process in which the components A, B, C and D are fed to a twin-screw extruder which has corotating screws and essentially comprises, in the transport direction,at least one metering section in which the elastomer component A is fed to the extruder by a metering means,at least one squeeze section which serves for dewatering the component A and contains at least one retarding element and in each case at least one associated dewatering orifice,at least one section in which the thermoplastic polymer B is introduced as a melt into the extruder,at least one section provided with mixing, kneading or other plasticating elements or combinations of these elements,at least one devolatilization section which is provided with at least one devolat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Guntherberg, Jurgen Hofmann, Elmar Mailahn, Hilmar Ohlig, Sven Grabowski, Bernhard Czauderna, Klaus Bus