Patents by Inventor Achim Grefenstein

Achim Grefenstein 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: 12679076
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for producing a multi-layer plastic may include coextruding a first laminate with a substrate layer having an HDPE content of at least 60% by volume; a barrier layer having a barrier polymer and having a thickness of at most 20% of a total thickness of the first laminate; and a connecting layer between the substrate layer and the barrier layer; stretching the coextruded first laminate in a machine direction only; and connecting a second laminate having a polyethylene content of at least 80% by volume to the barrier layer of the stretched first laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: CONSTANTIA PIRK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Thami Lamtigui
  • Publication number: 20260158769
    Abstract: Disclosed is a recyclable plastic-containing packaging material formed of a carrier material which has at least two plastic films laminated with an adhesive. The films have at least 70% by weight of a single type of monomer and/or polymer, and an optically perceptible element formed by a printing ink. The printing ink and/or the adhesive is thermally stable and has a weight loss of less than 20% when exposed to a temperature in the range of ?30° C. and ?320° C. Also disclosed is a method for predicting the recyclability of a plastic-containing packaging material having a printing ink and/or an adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: June 11, 2026
    Inventors: Inna DEWALD, Thomas KESMARSZKY, Stefan BÜTTNER, Achim GREFENSTEIN
  • Patent number: 12595101
    Abstract: The patent application relates to a paper-based packaging material with a carrier paper and a first coating arranged indirectly on at least one side of the carrier paper, wherein the first coating is a barrier layer and has an increased diffusion resistance to at least one substance selected from a group comprising fluid, gas, air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, inert gas, odorant, aromatic substance, water vapor, liquid, water, water-fat emulsion, fat, oil, mineral oil, and edible oil, odorant, flavorant, water vapor, liquid, water, water-fat emulsion, grease, oil, mineral oil, and edible oil individually or in combination, wherein the first coating is disposed between the carrier paper and a visually perceptible surface coating and directly contacts the surface coating. Furthermore, the invention relates to a package made of such a paper-based packaging material and a method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: CONSTANTIA PIRK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Matthias Scheck, Thomas Kesmarszky
  • Patent number: 12577023
    Abstract: A recycling-friendly, easily producible paper packaging laminate with a high barrier against water vapor, oxygen and/or aromas, wherein a barrier film includes at least one substrate layer, a joining layer, and a barrier layer, wherein the joining layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer, in that the substrate layer consists predominantly of polyethylene or polypropylene with a polyethylene content or a polypropylene content of at least 60 wt. % of the substrate layer, in that at least the at least one substrate layer of the barrier film is stretched, in that the content of the paper layer is between 50 wt. % and 90 wt. % of the paper packaging laminate, and in that the barrier film is joined to the paper layer by a hydrophilic adhesive layer, wherein the side of the paper layer facing the barrier film is uncoated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2026
    Assignee: Constantia Pirk GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Dudley Jones, Stefan Büttner
  • Publication number: 20260001307
    Abstract: A recyclable, easily tearable packaging laminate having a good barrier effect, including a first laminate having been formed by coextruding a substrate layer with a HDPE content of at least 60% by volume, a barrier layer, and a bonding layer between the substrate layer and the barrier layer; a second laminate bonded to the first laminate after the first laminate has been stretched in a machine direction only; and the packaging laminate adapted to be tearable in both the machine direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the machine direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2025
    Publication date: January 1, 2026
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Thami Lamtigui
  • Patent number: 12485655
    Abstract: A recyclable, easily tearable packaging laminate having a good barrier effect, including a first laminate layer and a second laminate layer. The the first laminate layer is a co-extruded, in the machine direction stretched composite consisting of a substrate layer having a high HDPE content of at least 60% by volume, a bonding layer and a barrier layer consisting of a barrier polymer, preferably polyamide or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, having a maximum thickness of 20% of the overall thickness of the first laminate layer. The bonding layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer and the first laminate layer is connected on the barrier layer thereof to the second laminate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2025
    Assignee: CONSTANTIA PIRK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Thami Lamtigui
  • Publication number: 20240359442
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a multi-layer plastic may include a first laminate and a second laminate; the first laminate having been formed by co-extruding a substrate layer with an HDPE content of at least 60% by volume, a connecting layer, and a barrier layer; the first laminate being stretched in a machine direction only; the barrier layer having a barrier polymer and having a thickness of at most 20% of a total thickness of the first laminate; the connecting layer being arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer; and the coextruded and stretched first laminate being connected to the second laminate via its barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Achim GREFENSTEIN, Markus KICK, Thami LAMTIGUI
  • Publication number: 20240359443
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for producing a multi-layer plastic may include coextruding a first laminate with a substrate layer having an HDPE content of at least 60% by volume; a barrier layer having a barrier polymer and having a thickness of at most 20% of a total thickness of the first laminate; and a connecting layer between the substrate layer and the barrier layer; stretching the coextruded first laminate in a machine direction only; and connecting a second laminate having a polyethylene content of at least 80% by volume to the barrier layer of the stretched first laminate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Achim GREFENSTEIN, Markus KICK, Thami LAMTIGUI
  • Publication number: 20240253335
    Abstract: A packaging laminate includes a carrier layer and a barrier film, wherein the carrier layer consists of paper with a grammage of 40 to 120 g/m2, wherein the barrier film is connected with the carrier layer via a connecting layer, wherein a plastics film stretched in at least one stretching direction is provided as the barrier film, wherein the barrier film has a layer thickness of 1 to 10 ?m, preferably less than 5 ?m and very preferably less than 3 ?m, and wherein the elongation at break of the barrier film in the at least one stretching direction is less than or equal to 180%, preferably less than or equal to 130%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Eger, Andreas Fischer, Werner Geitner, Tobias Stein, Achim Grefenstein, Matthias Scheck
  • Publication number: 20230130087
    Abstract: The patent application relates to a paper-based packaging material with a carrier paper and a first coating arranged indirectly on at least one side of the carrier paper, wherein the first coating is a barrier layer and has an increased diffusion resistance to at least one substance selected from a group comprising fluid, gas, air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, inert gas, odorant, aromatic substance, water vapor, liquid, water, water-fat emulsion, fat, oil, mineral oil, and edible oil, odorant, flavorant, water vapor, liquid, water, water-fat emulsion, grease, oil, mineral oil, and edible oil individually or in combination, wherein the first coating is disposed between the carrier paper and a visually perceptible surface coating and directly contacts the surface coating. Furthermore, the invention relates to a package made of such a paper-based packaging material and a method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Matthias Scheck, Thomas Kesmarszky
  • Publication number: 20230114239
    Abstract: A recycling-friendly, easily producible paper packaging laminate with a high barrier against water vapor, oxygen and/or aromas, wherein a barrier film includes at least one substrate layer, a joining layer, and a barrier layer, wherein the joining layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer, in that the substrate layer consists predominantly of polyethylene or polypropylene with a polyethylene content or a polypropylene content of at least 60 wt. % of the substrate layer, in that at least the at least one substrate layer of the barrier film is stretched, in that the content of the paper layer is between 50 wt. % and 90 wt. % of the paper packaging laminate, and in that the barrier film is joined to the paper layer by a hydrophilic adhesive layer, wherein the side of the paper layer facing the barrier film is uncoated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Dudley Jones, Stefan Büttner
  • Patent number: 11235562
    Abstract: The present teaching concerns a recyclable co-extruded PE packaging film with a first laminate layer of at least 60 vol % HDPE and a second laminate layer of a hetero-phase polypropylene block copolymer with a polyethylene content of 5-30 wt. % and a melting point higher than 155° C., preferably higher than 160°, the thickness of the second laminate layer being less than 5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Constantia Pirk GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Pragnesh Shah, Saket Jha
  • Publication number: 20210354894
    Abstract: A recyclable, easily tearable packaging laminate having a good barrier effect and low density, including a first laminate layer and a second laminate layer. The first laminate layer is a co-extruded, stretched composite consisting of a cavitated substrate layer having 5-30 wt. % cavitating agent and a PE proportion of at least 60 wt. %, a connecting layer and a barrier layer consisting of a barrier polymer, preferably polyamide or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, with a thickness of at most 20% of the overall thickness of the first laminate layer. The connecting layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer, and the first laminate layer is connected by its barrier layer to the second laminate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Thami Lamtigui, Achim Grefenstein
  • Publication number: 20210252839
    Abstract: The present teaching concerns a recyclable co-extruded PE packaging film with a first laminate layer of at least 60 vol % HDPE and a second laminate layer of a hetero-phase polypropylene block copolymer with a polyethylene content of 5-30 wt. % and a melting point higher than 155° C., preferably higher than 160°, the thickness of the second laminate layer being less than 5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Pragnesh Shah, Saket Jha
  • Publication number: 20210237949
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to a recyclable, easily tearable packaging laminate having a good barrier effect, including a first laminate layer and a second laminate layer. The first laminate layer is a co-extruded and bidirectionally stretched composite consisting of a substrate layer having an HDPE content of at least 60 vol. %, a connecting layer and a barrier layer consisting of a barrier polymer, preferably polyamide or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, having a thickness of maximum 20% of the total thickness of the first laminate layer. The connecting layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer, and the first laminate layer is connected, at its barrier layer, to the second laminate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Thami Lamtigui
  • Publication number: 20200391489
    Abstract: A recyclable packaging laminate with an externally arranged sealing layer having a polyethylene content of at least 80 vol %, with a substrate layer having a polyethylene content of at least 60 vol %, and with a thermal stabilization layer. The thermal stabilization layer is arranged externally opposite to the sealing layer, and the substrate layer is arranged between the sealing layer and the thermal stabilization layer, wherein the thermal stabilization layer is produced from ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, and the thickness of the thermal stabilization layer constitutes up to 10% of the total thickness of the packaging laminate, but no more than 10 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Thami Lamtigui, Achim Grefenstein
  • Patent number: 10766236
    Abstract: In order to improve the sealing properties and the sliding properties of a sealing film, surface structures are provided on a first side of the sealing film, the greatest thickness of the sealing film being at least 10% greater than the smallest thickness of the sealing film and the greatest lateral extension of the surface structures being less than 500 ?m. A slip additive is added to the sealing film in a maximum quantity that results in an S-value of less than 10,000, preferably less than 5,000, in order to achieve a COF relative to steel of dynamically less than 0.3, preferably less than 0.27, and statically less than 0.35, preferably less than 0.3, with the side comprising the surface structures, irrespective of an addition of an antiblock additive to the sealing film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Constantia Pirk GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Werner Geitner, Ingo Geillersdörfer
  • Patent number: 10751979
    Abstract: The present teaching describes a recyclable polyethylene film of at least 80% polyethylene material and max. 20% compatible polyolefin material. The polyethylene film is less than 40 ?m and has a central layer of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and/or metallocene linear low-density polyethylene (mLLDPE) and two outer layers made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and bonded to the central layer and surrounding a central layer. The HDPE content of the polyethylene film constitutes at least 60 vol %, preferably at least 70 vol %, especially preferably at least 80 vol. The two outer layers together are at least three times as thick as the central layer, preferably at least four times as thick. The polyethylene film is stretched in at least one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Constantia Pirk GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Stefan Büttner, Ingo Geillersdörfer
  • Publication number: 20200122439
    Abstract: A recyclable, easily tearable packaging laminate having a good barrier effect, including a first laminate layer and a second laminate layer. The the first laminate layer is a co-extruded, in the machine direction stretched composite consisting of a substrate layer having a high HDPE content of at least 60% by volume, a bonding layer and a barrier layer consisting of a barrier polymer, preferably polyamide or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, having a maximum thickness of 20% of the overall thickness of the first laminate layer. The bonding layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer and the first laminate layer is connected on the barrier layer thereof to the second laminate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Markus Kick, Thami Lamtigui
  • Patent number: 10611535
    Abstract: In order to improve the sealing properties and the sliding properties of a sealing film, it is provided that surface structures are provided on a first side of the sealing film, wherein the largest thickness of the sealing film is at least 10% greater than the smallest thickness of the sealing film, and the largest lateral extension of the surface structures is smaller than 500 ?m and a slip additive is added to the sealing film in an amount that yields an S-value of less than 10,000, and preferably less than 5,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Constantia Pirk GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Grefenstein, Werner Geitner, Ingo Geillersdörfer