Patents by Inventor Curt Niebling

Curt Niebling 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
  • Patent number: 10792853
    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: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG
    Inventor: Curt Niebling
  • Publication number: 20200276747
    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: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventor: 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
  • Publication number: 20180207853
    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: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventor: 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
  • Patent number: 8168110
    Abstract: Process for the production of an at least partly printed, metallized and/or otherwise coated thermoformed film part with at least the following process steps: a flat film piece which is at least partly printed, metallized and/or otherwise coated on one or on both surface(s) and is made of at least one thermoplastic, and which includes at least one film section which corresponds to the thermoformed part to be produced with respect to size and printing, metallizing and/or coating is provided; this film piece is mounted in a defined arrangement on a frame, only the edge sections of the film piece lying on the frame; the film piece lying on the frame in this way is introduced into a heating zone, and at least the film section is heated there to a given temperature; and the film piece heated in this way is introduced rapidly into a forming zone and is charged there immediately and directly with a fluid pressure means under a pressure means pressure of greater than 20 bar and is formed isostatically to give the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Curt Niebling, Klaus Meyer
  • Publication number: 20100237544
    Abstract: Process for the production of an at least partly printed, metallized and/or otherwise coated thermoformed film part with at least the following process steps: a flat film piece which is at least partly printed, metallized and/or otherwise coated on one or on both surface(s) and is made of at least one thermoplastic, and which includes at least one film section which corresponds to the thermoformed part to be produced with respect to size and printing, metallizing and/or coating is provided; this film piece is mounted in a defined arrangement on a frame, only the edge sections of the film piece lying on the frame; the film piece lying on the frame in this way is introduced into a heating zone, and at least the film section is heated there to a given temperature; and the film piece heated in this way is introduced rapidly into a forming zone and is charged there immediately and directly with a fluid pressure means under a pressure means pressure of greater than 20 bar and is formed isostatically to give the
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Curt Niebling, Klaus Meyer
  • Patent number: 5217563
    Abstract: Cold-stretchable sheet material is isostatically formed at an operating temperature beneath the softening temperature of the sheet material by means of a fluid pressure medium at a pressure of more than 20 bars so as to produce a deep-drawn formed plastics piece. Forming may take place abruptly. The sheet to be formed may be provided with a coating such as an ink imprint. The resulting thin-walled deep-drawn piece may be backed and reinforced by injecting further plastics material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Curt Niebling, Joachim Wank
  • Patent number: 5108530
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a deep-drawn formed plastic piece comprises providing a cold-stretchable sheet material with a coating selected from a group of an ink film, an ink imprint, a vacuum evaporated metallic thin film, and an electrically conductive varnish film. The coated sheet is heated with a fluid pressure medium which has a fluid medium pressure of more than 20 bars, and at an operating temperature lower than the softening temperature of the sheet material, in order to deform the sheet material isostatically to obtain the deep-drawn formed coated plastic piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Curt Niebling, Jr., Joachim Wank