Patents by Inventor Thomas Beirnaert

Thomas Beirnaert 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).

  • Force-limiting energy absorber
    Patent number: 7048339
    Abstract: A force-limiting energy absorber comprises at least a first and a second elongated metal element (12, 13), being chosen out of a group consisting of a metal wire, a profiled metal wire, a metal strand, a bundle of untwisted metal wires and a metal rope. The elongated metal elements (12, 13) are deformable in its plastic region of its load-elongation diagram for absorbing energy. The load-elongation diagram and elongation at fracture of the first elongated metal element (12) is different from the load elongation diagram and elongation at fracture of the second elongated metal element (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: N.V. Bekaert S.A.
    Inventors: Feng Mei, Thomas Beirnaert
  • Force-limiting energy absorber
    Publication number: 20050225158
    Abstract: A force-limiting energy absorber comprises at least a first and a second elongated metal element (12, 13), being chosen out of a group consisting of a metal wire, a profiled metal wire, a metal strand, a bundle of untwisted metal wires and a metal rope. The elongated metal elements (12, 13) are deformable in its plastic region of its load-elongation diagram for absorbing energy. The load-elongation diagram and elongation at fracture of the first elongated metal element (12) is different from the load elongation diagram and elongation at fracture of the second elongated metal element (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Feng Mei, Thomas Beirnaert