Patents by Inventor Christian Drexler

Christian Drexler 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: 11794399
    Abstract: A flat laminate element made of thermoplastic is hot-formed in a two-stage method. In a first stage, the flat laminate which includes film(s) and/or panels(n) is placed on a flat frame-shaped pallet and is heated to a forming temperature in a heating zone between two flat heat screens in a contactless manner. The edge zone of the hot flat laminate element lies on the pallet such that the laminate piece cannot be clamped in a first laminate direction but rather can be slide on the pallet in this direction. Two non-flat rigid contours which are identical or largely identical act on two opposing parallel laminate edge sections uniaxially and perpendicularly to the laminate plane and only in the first laminate direction, i.e. monodirectionally, and shape the entire heated laminate element into a monodirectionally molded blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Christian Drexler, Curt Niebling
  • Publication number: 20220072760
    Abstract: A flat laminate element made of thermoplastic is hot-formed in a two-stage method. In a first stage, the flat laminate which includes film(s) and/or panels(n) is placed on a flat frame-shaped pallet and is heated to a forming temperature in a heating zone between two flat heat screens in a contactless manner. The edge zone of the hot flat laminate element lies on the pallet such that the laminate piece cannot be clamped in a first laminate direction but rather can be slide on the pallet in this direction. Two non-flat rigid contours which are identical or largely identical act on two opposing parallel laminate edge sections uniaxially and perpendicularly to the laminate plane and only in the first laminate direction, i.e. monodirectionally, and shape the entire heated laminate element into a monodirectionally molded blank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Christian Drexler, Curt Niebling
  • Patent number: 11267185
    Abstract: A forming tool is used, which has a tool trough arranged in a stationary manner and a pressure bell, which can be lowered onto and lifted away from the tool trough. An arrangement is created in which a single- or multi-layer, initially flat, flexible laminate separates the trough interior from the pressure-bell interior in a pressure tight manner. A table, on which the 3-D substrate to be coated is located, assumes a lowered position within the trough interior; there is a considerable, free intermediate space (between the laminate and the 3-D substrate. A radiant-heater assembly is inserted into said intermediate space. The radiant-heater assembly has a carrier, on the top side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached and on the bottom side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Drexler, Curt Niebling
  • Patent number: 11213994
    Abstract: A flat laminate element made of thermoplastic is hot-formed in a two-stage method. In a first stage, the flat laminate which includes film(s) and/or panels(n) is placed on a flat frame-shaped pallet and is heated to a forming temperature in a heating zone between two flat heat screens in a contactless manner. The edge zone of the hot flat laminate element lies on the pallet such that the laminate piece cannot be clamped in a first laminate direction but rather can be slide on the pallet in this direction. Two non-flat rigid contours which are identical or largely identical act on two opposing parallel laminate edge sections uniaxially and perpendicularly to the laminate plane and only in the first laminate direction, i.e. monodirectionally, and shape the entire heated laminate element into a monodirectionally molded blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Christian Drexler, Curt Niebling
  • Publication number: 20210023766
    Abstract: A forming tool is used, which has a tool trough arranged in a stationary manner and a pressure bell, which can be lowered onto and lifted away from the tool trough. An arrangement is created in which a single- or multi-layer, initially flat, flexible laminate separates the trough interior from the pressure-bell interior in a pressure tight manner. A table, on which the 3-D substrate to be coated is located, assumes a lowered position within the trough interior; there is a considerable, free intermediate space (between the laminate and the 3-D substrate. A radiant-heater assembly is inserted into said intermediate space. The radiant-heater assembly has a carrier, on the top side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached and on the bottom side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Christian Drexler, Curt Niebling
  • Publication number: 20190084214
    Abstract: A flat laminate element made of thermoplastic is hot-formed in a two-stage method. In a first stage, the flat laminate which includes film(s) and/or panels(n) is placed on a flat frame-shaped pallet and is heated to a forming temperature in a heating zone between two flat heat screens in a contactless manner. The edge zone of the hot flat laminate element lies on the pallet such that the laminate piece cannot be clamped in a first laminate direction but rather can be slide on the pallet in this direction. Two non-flat rigid contours which are identical or largely identical act on two opposing parallel laminate edge sections uniaxially and perpendicularly to the laminate plane and only in the first laminate direction, i.e. monodirectionally, and shape the entire heated laminate element into a monodirectionally molded blank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Christian Drexler, Curt Niebling
  • Patent number: 9757929
    Abstract: A transfer laminate (35), comprising a carrier film having an adhering decorative element having a solid, pigmented, partially cured decorative layer, is laminated on the decoration side onto a substrate (40) having a temperature between 50 and 70° C. on the decoration side, on which substrate a coating that can be painted over has been applied in the course of a traditional process. The paint layer of the coating that was applied last is still moist and tacky after the intermediate drying thereof. The transfer laminate (35) is laminated onto the still moist and tacky paint layer on the substrate (40), and at least the region of the transfer laminate (35) containing the decorative element is pressed onto the substrate coating over the entire area at a pressure of 0.2 to 5.0 bar for 40 to 240 seconds. Then the carrier film is quickly cooled to a temperature less than 20° C. and then removed from the substrate coating, wherein the decorative element remains on the substrate coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Karl Wörwag Lack-und Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Curt Niebling, Christian Drexler
  • Publication number: 20150352822
    Abstract: A transfer laminate (35), comprising a carrier film having an adhering decorative element having a solid, pigmented, partially cured decorative layer, is laminated on the decoration side onto a substrate (40) having a temperature between 50 and 70° C. on the decoration side, on which substrate a coating that can be painted over has been applied in the course of a traditional process. The paint layer of the coating that was applied last is still moist and tacky after the intermediate drying thereof. The transfer laminate (35) is laminated onto the still moist and tacky paint layer on the substrate (40), and at least the region of the transfer laminate (35) containing the decorative element is pressed onto the substrate coating over the entire area at a pressure of 0.2 to 5.0 bar for 40 to 240 seconds. Then the carrier film is quickly cooled to a temperature less than 20° C. and then removed from the substrate coating, wherein the decorative element remains on the substrate coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Curt Niebling, Christian Drexler