Patents by Inventor Andrea Schuster

Andrea Schuster 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: 6300991
    Abstract: Orientation layers of monomeric or polymeric liquid crystal layers having any desired azimuthal orientation direction and a tilt angle are produced by irradiating at an angle differing from the normal to the surface photopolymers orienting parallel to linearly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Martin Schadt, Andreas Schuster, Hubert Seiberle
  • Patent number: 6215539
    Abstract: Orientation layers of monomeric or polymeric liquid crystal layers having any desired azimuthal orientation direction and a tilt angle are produced by irradiating at an angle differing from the normal to the surface photopolymers orienting parallel to linearly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Martin Schadt, Andreas Schuster, Hubert Seiberle
  • Patent number: 6201087
    Abstract: A polymer having the formula wherein M1 and M2 signify monomer units for homo- or copolymers. “x” and “y” indicate the mole fractions of the comonomers, with in each case 0<x≦1 and 0≦y<1 and x+y=1. The symbol “p” signifies 4 to 30,000 and “S1” and “S2” signify spacer units. “Q1” signifies a structural unit of the formula —A—(Z1—B)z—Z2— and “Q2” signifies a structural unit of the formula —A—(Z1—B)zR1. “A” and “B” each independently signify pyridine-2,5-diyl, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, 1,4—Cyclohexylene,1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl or optionally substituted 1,4-phenylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Rolf Peter Herr, François Herzog, Andreas Schuster
  • Patent number: 6160597
    Abstract: An optical component having a hybrid layer structure includes an orienting layer, a further layer in contact with the orienting layer and incorporating a cross-linked liquid crystalline monomer and at least one additional orienting layer on top of the liquid crystalline layer, and preferably includes one additional cross-linked liquid crystalline monomer. The layers have different functions, such as orienting or retarding. At least one of the orienting layers should be a photo-orientating polymer network layer, or have locally varying orienting pattern. These optical components are useful in transmittance and reflective liquid crystal displays, such as rotation cells, STN cells, ferroelectric cells, and cells having an addressable active matrix. Such cells are useful in optical and integrated optical devices, and may be used for safeguarding against counterfeiting and copying in transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Martin Schadt, Andreas Schuster, Hubert Seiberle
  • Patent number: 6144428
    Abstract: By combination of a hybrid layer formed from an orienting layer and a layer of a cross-linked liquid crystalline monomer with a reflector, and by appropriate local structuring of the molecule orientation, an optical pattern is obtained which cannot be copied using conventional photocopiers. This pattern is useful as means for protecting documents, such as banknotes, credit cards, and the like, from being copied, and can be detected by manually or automatically, operated optical reading devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Martin Schadt, Andreas Schuster, Hubert Seiberle
  • Patent number: 6107427
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with novel cross-linkable, photoactive polymer materials with 3-aryl-acrylic acid esters and amides as well as their use as orienting layers for liquid crystals and for the production of non-structured or structured optical elements and multi-layer systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Rolf-Peter Herr, Fran.cedilla.ois Herzog, Andreas Schuster
  • Patent number: 5965761
    Abstract: The invention provides novel cross-linkable, photoactive silane derivatives and mixtures with 3-aryl-acrylic acid esters and amides. The present invention also provides orienting layers for liquid crystals, and non-structured and structured optical elements and multi-layer systems based on the silane mixtures and derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Richard Buchecker, Fran.cedilla.ois Herzog, Guy Marck, Andreas Schuster
  • Patent number: 5762361
    Abstract: An improved airbag arrangement in motor vehicles is described having at least one gas generator, a generator carrier, a folded together gas bag having at least one opening which receives the gas generator and a pot-like cover which accommodates the folded together gas bag, with the base of the pot-like cover being capable of being broken open by means of the gas bag expanded by the gas generator and with the marginal region of the cover remote from the base being connected to the generator carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Takata (Europe) Safety Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Gert B. Herrmann, Martin Ritter, Alexander Nann, Andreas Schuster-Woldan, Benedikt Heudorfer, Gerhard Klingauf, Thomas Lung
  • Patent number: 5658008
    Abstract: An improved airbag arrangement in motor vehicles is described having at least one gas generator, a generator carrier, a folded together gas bag having at least one opening which receives the gas generator and a pot-like cover which accommodates the folded together gas bag, with the base of the pot-like cover being capable of being broken open by means of the gas bag expanded by the gas generator and with the marginal region of the cover remote from the base being connected to the generator carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Takata (Europe) Vehicle Safety Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Gert B. Herrmann, Martin Ritter, Alexander Nann, Andreas Schuster-Woldan, Benedikt Heudorfer, Gerhard Klingauf, Thomas Lung
  • Patent number: 5539074
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with linear and cyclic polymers or oligomers having a photoreactive ethene group. The polymers are of the formula ##STR1## wherein M.sub.a, M.sub.b, M.sub.c are monomer units for homo- or copolymers;x, y, z are mole fractions of the copolymers, whereby in each case 0<x.ltoreq.1; 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1 and 0.ltoreq.z<1;S.sub.a, S.sub.b are spacer units;Z.sub.a, Z.sub.b are molecule units which can undergo photochemical isomerization/dimerization;n is a magnitude of 4-100 000 andm is 0 or 1,The compounds are used as an orientating layer for liquid crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
    Inventors: Rolf-Peter Herr, Stephen Kelly, Martin Schadt, Klaus Schmitt, Andreas Schuster
  • Patent number: RE36625
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with linear and cyclic polymers or oligomers having a photoreactive ethene group. The polymers are of the formula ##STR1## wherein M.sub.a, M.sub.b, M.sub.c are monomer units for homo- or copolymers;x, y, z are mole fractions of the copolymers, whereby in each case 0<x.ltoreq.1; 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1 and 0.ltoreq.z<1;S.sub.a, S.sub.b are spacer units;Z.sub.a, Z.sub.b are molecular units which can undergo photochemical isomerization/dimerization;n is a magnitude of 4-100 000 andm is 0 or 1,The compounds are used as an orienting layer for liquid cyrstals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Rolf-Peter Herr, Stephen Kelly, Martin Schadt, Klauss Schmitt, Andreas Schuster