Patents by Inventor Annick Vanhulsel
Annick Vanhulsel 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).
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Patent number: 12689027Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying a protective layer on at least part of an exposed alkali metal or alkali metal alloy substrate. The method includes activating a gas using a plasma discharge to obtain an activated gas and contacting the exposed surface with the activated gas. A protective layer is formed on at least part of the exposed surface. The gas has a nitrogen-comprising compound such that the protective layer includes at least 60 mol % of a corresponding alkali metal nitrate. The present disclosure is further related to an article including a substrate having a surface including an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy and a protective layer arranged on at least part of the alkali metal or alkali metal alloy surface of the substrate. The protective layer is conductive to ions of the corresponding alkali metal and has at least 60 mol % of a corresponding alkali metal nitrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2021Date of Patent: July 21, 2026Assignee: VITO NVInventors: Vijay Shankar Rangasamy, Annick Vanhulsel, Bert Verheyde, Dirk Vangeneugden
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Patent number: 12146221Abstract: A polymer substrate having deposited on its surface a reaction product of a precursor material obtained or obtainable by a method for preparation of polymer, and to the use of the polymer having improved antibacterial properties and/or antiviral properties or of the polymer having improved antibacterial properties and/or antiviral properties obtained or obtainable by the method for medical applications, antibiofouling applications, hygiene applications, food industry applications, industrial or computer related applications, consumer goods applications and appliances, public and public transport applications, underwater, water sanitation or seawater applications.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2020Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignee: MOLECULAR PLASMA GROUP S.A.Inventors: Raphael Dabbous, Rupert Konradi, Bert Verheyde, Annick Vanhulsel, Olof Wallquist
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Publication number: 20240376585Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying a protective layer on at least part of an exposed surface of a substrate. The method includes activating a nitrogen comprising gas using an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge in a plasma discharge chamber to obtain an activated gas, and contacting the exposed surface with an afterglow of the activated gas egressing from the plasma discharge chamber. The protective layer is formed on at least part of the exposed surface. The surface comprises a metallic element or an alloy thereof. The metallic element is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. The surface and the plasma discharge chamber are moving relative one another during contacting the exposed surface with the afterglow of the activated gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2022Publication date: November 14, 2024Inventors: Vijay Shankar RANGASAMY, Annick VANHULSEL, Dirk VANGENEUGDEN
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Patent number: 12132191Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method for applying a functional compound on sulfur particles by means of an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge including a gas or an activated gas flow resulting from the atmospheric pressure plasma discharge. The coating composition includes an inorganic electrically conductive compound, an electrically conductive carbon compound, an organic precursor compound of a conjugated polymer, a precursor of a hybrid organic-inorganic compound, or a mixture, and the functional compound provides the sulfur particles with an electrically conductive surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2021Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: VITO NVInventors: Danny Havermans, Sébastien Sallard, Ahmed Shafique, Dirk Vangeneugden, Annick Vanhulsel, An Hardy
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Patent number: 12080525Abstract: Apparatus for plasma processing of a continuous fiber, comprising a first and a second plasma torch. Each plasma torch comprises oppositely arranged electrodes to define a plasma discharge chamber between the electrodes. The plasma discharge chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet for passing a plasma forming gas between the electrodes. The apparatus further comprises an afterglow chamber in fluid communication with the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers, which comprises a substrate inlet and a substrate outlet arranged at opposite sides of the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers. A transport system is configured to continuously transport the fiber from the substrate inlet to the substrate outlet through the afterglow chamber. The substrate inlet comprises an aperture having a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than a cross-sectional size of the afterglow chamber. The outlets of the plasma torches face each other and exhaust plasma activated species into the afterglow chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2022Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: VITO NVInventors: Annick Vanhulsel, Erwin Van Hoof, Jan Cools
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Publication number: 20240038969Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying a protective layer on at least part of an exposed alkali metal or alkali metal alloy substrate. The method includes activating a gas using a plasma discharge to obtain an activated gas and contacting the exposed surface with the activated gas. A protective layer is formed on at least part of the exposed surface. The gas has a nitrogen-comprising compound such that the protective layer includes at least 60 mol % of a corresponding alkali metal nitrate. The present disclosure is further related to an article including a substrate having a surface including an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy and a protective layer arranged on at least part of the alkali metal or alkali metal alloy surface of the substrate. The protective layer is conductive to ions of the corresponding alkali metal and has at least 60 mol % of a corresponding alkali metal nitrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2021Publication date: February 1, 2024Inventors: Vijay Shankar RANGASAMY, Annick VANHULSEL, Bert VERHEYDE, Dirk VANGENEUGDEN
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Publication number: 20230088349Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method for applying a functional compound on sulfur particles by means of an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge including a gas or an activated gas flow resulting from the atmospheric pressure plasma discharge. The coating composition includes an inorganic electrically conductive compound, an electrically conductive carbon compound, an organic precursor compound of a conjugated polymer, a precursor of a hybrid organic-inorganic compound, or a mixture, and the functional compound provides the sulfur particles with an electrically conductive surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2021Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Danny HAVERMANS, Sébastien SALLARD, Ahmed SHAFIQUE, Dirk VANGENEUGDEN, Annick VANHULSEL, An HARDY
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Publication number: 20220316064Abstract: A polymer substrate having deposited on its surface a reaction product of a precursor material obtained or obtainable by a method for preparation of polymer, and to the use of the polymer having improved antibacterial properties and/or antiviral properties or of the polymer having improved antibacterial properties and/or antiviral properties obtained or obtainable by the method for medical applications, antibiofouling applications, hygiene applications, food industry applications, industrial or computer related applications, consumer goods applications and appliances, public and public transport applications, underwater, water sanitation or seawater applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2020Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Raphael DABBOUS, Rupert KONRADI, Bert VERHEYDE, Annick VANHULSEL, Olof WALLQUIST
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Publication number: 20220230854Abstract: Apparatus for plasma processing of a continuous fiber, comprising a first and a second plasma torch. Each plasma torch comprises oppositely arranged electrodes to define a plasma discharge chamber between the electrodes. The plasma discharge chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet for passing a plasma forming gas between the electrodes. The apparatus further comprises an afterglow chamber in fluid communication with the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers, which comprises a substrate inlet and a substrate outlet arranged at opposite sides of the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers. A transport system is configured to continuously transport the fiber from the substrate inlet to the substrate outlet through the afterglow chamber. The substrate inlet comprises an aperture having a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than a cross-sectional size of the afterglow chamber. The outlets of the plasma torches face each other and exhaust plasma activated species into the afterglow chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Annick Vanhulsel, Erwin Van Hoof, Jan Cools
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Publication number: 20170125221Abstract: Apparatus for plasma processing of a continuous fiber, comprising a first and a second plasma torch. Each plasma torch comprises oppositely arranged electrodes to define a plasma discharge chamber between the electrodes. The plasma discharge chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet for passing a plasma forming gas between the electrodes. The apparatus further comprises an afterglow chamber in fluid communication with the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers, which comprises a substrate inlet and a substrate outlet arranged at opposite sides of the outlets of the plasma discharge chambers. A transport system is configured to continuously transport the fiber from the substrate inlet to the substrate outlet through the afterglow chamber. The substrate inlet comprises an aperture having a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than a cross-sectional size of the afterglow chamber. The outlets of the plasma torches face each other and exhaust plasma activated species into the afterglow chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2016Publication date: May 4, 2017Applicant: VITO NVInventors: Annick VANHULSEL, Erwin VAN HOOF, Jan COOLS
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Publication number: 20110223351Abstract: A method applies a coating (17) of a thermoplastic material on a substrate (11) made of a polymeric material, with the thermoplastic material and the polymeric material being incompatible. Firstly, the substrate and/or the powder are exposed to a plasma discharge (12) or the reactive gas stream resulting therefrom in order to obtain a plasma treated surface layer (14) introducing compatibility at the interface between substrate and coating. Secondly, laser cladding (15) the powder (16) on the substrate is conducted in order to form a coating on the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: Vlaamse Instelling VoorTechnologisch Onderzoek N.V. (VITO)Inventors: Bert Verheyde, Marleen Rombouts, Annick Vanhulsel, Robby Rego, Filip Motmans