Patents by Inventor Heiko Kempe

Heiko Kempe 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: 10046485
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing leaf springs from a fiber composite material, for which a plurality of layers of fibers soaked or impregnated with synthetic resin in order to build up a not yet hardened unfinished leaf. The unfinished leaf spring is arranged in a compression mold, and the unfinished leaf spring is hardened under the influence of a predetermined pressing force and temperature curve over time to give a finished leaf spring. In order to reduce production costs, according to the invention a plurality of unfinished leaf springs are arranged vertically one above the other in the compression mold and the unfinished leaf springs are simultaneously hardened in the compression mold to give leaf springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: IFC Composite GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Voigt, Rudiger Trojahn, Heiko Kempe
  • Patent number: 9746046
    Abstract: A leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing holes and a method for producing is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of cutting prepreg strips of a predetermined length from a prepreg strand, removing cut-outs from the particular prepreg strip in the axial ends where a bearing hole should be formed, laying a plurality of prepreg strips one over the other in a prepreg stack in alternation so that the surfaces of the prepreg strips are flush to form a raw leaf spring forming a bearing hole by deforming an axial end of the prepreg stack in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (L) and perpendicular to the transverse extension (B) of the prepreg stack, setting the raw sheet spring to form the finished leaf spring in a mold with a suitable setting pressure and a suitable setting temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: IFC Composite GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Voigt, Maik Schreier, Heiko Kempe, Dirk Neyer
  • Patent number: 9194451
    Abstract: A leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing holes and a method for producing is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of cutting prepreg strips of a predetermined length from a prepreg strand, removing cut-outs from the particular prepreg strip in the axial ends where a bearing hole should be formed, laying a plurality of prepreg strips one over the other in a prepreg stack in alternation so that the surfaces of the prepreg strips are flush to form a raw leaf spring forming a bearing hole by deforming an axial end of the prepreg stack in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (L) and perpendicular to the transverse extension (B) of the prepreg stack, setting the raw sheet spring to form the finished leaf spring in a mold with a suitable setting pressure and a suitable setting temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: IFC Composite GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Voigt, Maik Schreier, Heiko Kempe, Dirk Neyer
  • Publication number: 20150316114
    Abstract: A leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing holes and a method for producing is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of cutting prepreg strips of a predetermined length from a prepreg strand, removing cut-outs from the particular prepreg strip in the axial ends where a bearing hole should be formed, laying a plurality of prepreg strips one over the other in a prepreg stack in alternation so that the surfaces of the prepreg strips are flush to form a raw leaf spring forming a bearing hole by deforming an axial end of the prepreg stack in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (L) and perpendicular to the transverse extension (B) of the prepreg stack, setting the raw sheet spring to form the finished leaf spring in a mold with a suitable setting pressure and a suitable setting temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Matthias Voigt, Maik Schreier, Heiko Kempe, Dirk Neyer
  • Publication number: 20150158212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing leaf springs from a fiber composite material, for which a plurality of layers of fibers soaked or impregnated with synthetic resin in order to build up a not yet hardened unfinished leaf. The unfinished leaf spring is arranged in a compression mold, and the unfinished leaf spring is hardened under the influence of a predetermined pressing force and temperature curve over time to give a finished leaf spring. In order to reduce production costs, according to the invention a plurality of unfinished leaf springs are arranged vertically one above the other in the compression mold and the unfinished leaf springs are simultaneously hardened in the compression mold to give leaf springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Matthias Voigt, Rudiger Trojahn, Heiko Kempe
  • Publication number: 20130001845
    Abstract: A leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing holes and a method for producing is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of cutting prepreg strips of a predetermined length from a prepreg strand, removing cut-outs from the particular prepreg strip in the axial ends where a bearing hole should be formed, laying a plurality of prepreg strips one over the other in a prepreg stack in alternation so that the surfaces of the prepreg strips are flush to form a raw leaf spring forming a bearing hole by deforming an axial end of the prepreg stack in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (L) and perpendicular to the transverse extension (B) of the prepreg stack, setting the raw sheet spring to form the finished leaf spring in a mold with a suitable setting pressure and a suitable setting temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Matthias Voigt, Maik Schreier, Heiko Kempe, Dirk Neyer
  • Publication number: 20090256296
    Abstract: Leaf spring (1) for a wheel suspension on a motor vehicle is produced from a fiber composite material. Leaf spring includes a central longitudinal section (3) and two adjoining axial end sections (10, 11) tapered in relation to the width of the leaf spring. Resin-impregnated unidirectional fibers (23) extend axially, without being cut, between the axial ends (4, 5) of the leaf spring (1). An unfinished leaf spring (2) includes axial end sections (10, 11) with a substantially V-shaped recess or final geometry, thereby forming two legs (8, 9) that extend at angles to the longitudinal extension of the unfinished leaf spring (2), said legs (8, 9) resting closely against each other in the finished leaf spring (1). Individual elongate segments (6; 13, 14) of substantially identical geometry which are separately produced as fiber composite bodies and which are assembled before being cured form the leaf spring (1, 2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2006
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: IFC COMPOSITE GMBH
    Inventors: Clemens Aulich, Rainer Förster, Heiko Kempe
  • Publication number: 20080284070
    Abstract: The invention relates to a leaf spring (1) consisting of a fibre-composite material for use in a vehicle. To prevent cracking or the escape of leaf spring material on the longitudinal edges (10) of said leaf spring (1) when the latter is fixed to a vehicle, according to the invention at least the upper face (13) and/or the lower face (14) of the leaf spring (1) are convex transversally to the longitudinal extension of said spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2006
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: IFC COMPOSITE GMBH
    Inventors: Clemens Aulich, Rainer Forster, Heiko Kempe
  • Publication number: 20080284069
    Abstract: The invention relates to a leaf spring (1) consisting of a fibre-composite material and having a central longitudinal section (2) and two adjoining axial end sections for a wheel suspension in a vehicle, the end sections of said leaf spring tapering with respect to the leaf spring width. The leaf spring (1) is composed of resin-impregnated fibre layers and axially orientated uncut first fibres (6) of the fibre-composite material extend the full length of the leaf spring (1) to the two axial ends (5) of said spring. The axial ends (5) of the unfinished untreated leaf spring (1?), when viewed from above, have an essentially V-shaped geometry or an essentially V-shaped notch and thus form two respective limbs (8, 9) lying transversally to the longitudinal extension of the axis of the untreated leaf spring (11), said limbs (8, 9) abutting one another in the finished leaf spring (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2006
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: IFC COMPOSITE GMBH
    Inventors: Clemens Aulich, Rainer Forster, Heiko Kempe
  • Patent number: 6075880
    Abstract: The object of a method for detecting defects in the inspection of structured surfaces is to ensure a detection of defects which is not dependent on the number of structuring planes and includes structure features in real-time operation for separating defects from good structures. From image point classification in which zones of a recorded image which have similar image point features are assembled, a gray-value intermediate image containing edge structures and corner structures is generated from the image and the behavior of the image point features of every image point in the intermediate image is analyzed with respect to its neighboring image points. The method is used predominantly in statistical process control in the production process of masks, LCD's, printed circuit boards and semiconductor wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Jenoptik Technologie GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Kollhof, Joachim Wienecke, Karl-Heinz Franke, Michael Graef, Heiko Kempe