Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Münch

Wolfgang Münch 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).

  • Patent number: 11787723
    Abstract: A system for use in a glass drawing process includes: a tensioning element; a refractory tube having a tubular element and a surface element, the refractory tube being configured so molten glass runs onto a contact surface area of the refractory tube during a glass drawing process, the contact surface area of the refractory tube being allocated at least in part on the surface element, the surface element covering at least one surface of an end section of the tubular element, and the surface element projects at least in part over the end section of the tubular element, at least one portion of the part of the surface element projecting over the end section of the tubular element being connected at least in part to the tensioning element; and a carrier that carries the refractory tube and is connected with the refractory tube in a non-rotating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Münch, Roland Fuchs, Gregor Rösel
  • Publication number: 20210403361
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for cooling a space around a sleeve shaft, a device for guiding a fluid along an outer surface area of a sleeve shaft, a sleeve shaft including such a device, and a refractory tube with such a sleeve shaft inserted. The present invention also relates to a system including such a device, which system may also include such a sleeve shaft and such a refractory tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Schott AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Münch, Roland Fuchs, Gregor Rösel
  • Publication number: 20210371319
    Abstract: A system for use in a glass drawing process includes: a tensioning element; a refractory tube having a tubular element and a surface element, the refractory tube being configured so molten glass runs onto a contact surface area of the refractory tube during a glass drawing process, the contact surface area of the refractory tube being allocated at least in part on the surface element, the surface element covering at least one surface of an end section of the tubular element, and the surface element projects at least in part over the end section of the tubular element, at least one portion of the part of the surface element projecting over the end section of the tubular element being connected at least in part to the tensioning element; and a carrier that carries the refractory tube and is connected with the refractory tube in a non-rotating manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Schott AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Münch, Roland Fuchs, Gregor Rösel
  • Patent number: 9802850
    Abstract: An energy-efficient device for refining a glass melt to produce a glass and/or a glass ceramic is provided. The device includes a refining crucible defined at least by lateral walls with a metallic lining as a melt contact surface, so that a melt refining volume is defined by a base surface, a top surface and a circumferential surface; at least one heating device that conductively heats the lining by an electric current in the lining, so that the melt is heated through the lining, the heating device and the lining are connected to one another by a feeding device. The feeding device establishes contact with the lining so that an electric current runs from the top surface to the base surface or from the base surface to the top surface, at least in sections of the lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Volker Ohmstede, Wolfgang Muench, Stefan Bauer, Holger Hunnius, Guenter Weidmann
  • Publication number: 20130279532
    Abstract: An energy-efficient device for refining a glass melt to produce a glass and/or a glass ceramic is provided. The device includes a refining crucible defined at least by lateral walls with a metallic lining as a melt contact surface, so that a melt refining volume is defined by a base surface, a top surface and a circumferential surface; at least one heating device that conductively heats the lining by an electric current in the lining, so that the melt is heated through the lining, the heating device and the lining are connected to one another by a feeding device. The feeding device establishes contact with the lining so that an electric current runs from the top surface to the base surface or from the base surface to the top surface, at least in sections of the lining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Volker Ohmstede, Wolfgang Muench, Stefan Bauer, Holger Hunnius, Guenter Weidmann
  • Patent number: 7343761
    Abstract: A device for the production of a glass rod is provided. The device has a Danner blowpipe constructed to avoid problems attributed to different heat expansion coefficients of the participating materials. The Danner blowpipe has an outer metal jacket surrounding a ceramic body and defines a supply end and a discharge end of the blowpipe. A clamping plate is provided at both the supply and discharge ends. The clamping plate on the discharge end is rigidly joined with a shaft and engages the outer metal jacket at the discharge end. The clamping plate on the supply end is joined in an axially displaceable manner on the shaft, which is rigidly joined with a pressure plate against displacement in an axial direction. A pressure spring is disposed between the pressure plate and the clamping plate on the supply end to urge the plates away from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
    Inventors: Erhard Dick, Roland Fuchs, Erich Fischer, Wolfgang Münch, Anton Winkelmann, Robert Rühl
  • Patent number: 7231788
    Abstract: The apparatus for reduced-pressure refining of a glass melt includes a refining bank formed so that a reduced pressure is generated by a glass flow in it. The refining bank has a component, which is made from a refractory metal or refractory alloy acting as glass-contact material. The refractory metal or alloy contains molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and/or hafnium. The device of the present invention includes a protective gas reservoir for a protective gas and an automatically operating valve connecting the reservoir with the refining bank so that an inner side of the component that would otherwise be exposed when a pressure rise or a falling glass melt column occurs is protected from oxidation by the protective gas. A process for using the device during refining of the glass melt is also part of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Frank Karetta, Joerg Witte, Klaus-Dieter Duch, Dirk Gohlke, Wolfgang Muench, Allen Jakway, Rainer Eichholz, Frank-Thomas Lentes
  • Publication number: 20050097922
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for refining a glass melt, using negative-pressure apparatus. According to the invention, the glass melt is fed to a refining bench by means of an uptake pipe and is discharged from the refining bench by means of a downpipe, a negative pressure being created over the flow of glass in the refining bench. The invention is characterised in that the uptake pipe and/or the downpipe and/or the refining bench has/have at least one component consisting of at least one refractory metal and/or of a refractory metal alloy as the glass contact material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: Frank Karetta, Joerg Witte, Klaus-Dieter Duch, Dirk Gohlke, Wolfgang Muench, Allen Jakway, Rainer Eichholz, Frank-Thomas Lentes
  • Patent number: 6883350
    Abstract: A hot forming unit or debiteuse for plate glass production, with a noble metal box or frame encompassed by and contained in a highly heat-resistant ceramic frame and having a drawing slot matched to a cross section of a plate glass sheet to be produced. The dimensional integrity of the drawing slot of the noble metal frame is assured because the ceramic frame is constructed of longitudinal components and lateral components, where the longitudinal components of the ceramic frame and the longitudinal legs of the noble metal box rest against one another and are held so that they can still move axially against each other in a limited fashion. The longitudinal legs of the noble metal box are held in a stretched position by tension springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Erich Rodek, Wolfgang Muench, Carsten Weinhold, Rudolf Singer
  • Publication number: 20030029198
    Abstract: A hot forming unit or debiteuse for plate glass production, with a noble metal box or frame encompassed by and contained in a highly heat-resistant ceramic frame and having a drawing slot matched to a cross section of a plate glass sheet to be produced. The dimensional integrity of the drawing slot of the noble metal frame is assured because the ceramic frame is constructed of longitudinal components and lateral components, where the longitudinal components of the ceramic frame and the longitudinal legs of the noble metal box rest against one another and are held so that they can still move axially against each other in a limited fashion. The longitudinal legs of the noble metal box are held in a stretched position by tension springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Erich Rodek, Wolfgang Muench, Carsten Weinhold, Rudolf Singer