Patents by Inventor Karl-Heinz Rodig

Karl-Heinz Rodig 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: 10343954
    Abstract: The invention relates to gas generating compositions for use in safety devices for vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to said compositions based on guanidine nitrate used in pedestrian protection devices. The composition substantially comprises 75 to 98% by weight of guanidine nitrate as fuel and 2 to 25% by weight of a burn accelerator selected from the group of the transition metal compounds, the metal nitrates, metal chlorates, metal perchlorates, ammonium perchlorate and mixtures thereof, wherein the transition metal compounds are selected from the compounds of the transition metals Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Zr and Mo and wherein the gas generating composition exhibits a burn rate of from 3 to 17 mm/s at 20 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Jorg Friedrich, Achim Hofmann, Karl-Heinz Rodig, Siegfried Zeuner
  • Publication number: 20150307410
    Abstract: The invention relates to gas generating compositions for use in safety devices for vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to said compositions based on guanidine nitrate used in pedestrian protection devices. The composition substantially comprises 75 to 98% by weight of guanidine nitrate as fuel and 2 to 25% by weight of a burn accelerator selected from the group of the transition metal compounds, the metal nitrates, metal chlorates, metal perchlorates, ammonium perchlorate and mixtures thereof, wherein the transition metal compounds are selected from the compounds of the transition metals Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Zr and Mo and wherein the gas generating composition exhibits a burn rate of from 3 to 17 mm/s at 20 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Jorg Friedrich, Achim Hofmann, Karl-Heinz Rodig, Siegfried Zeuner
  • Publication number: 20130248062
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generating composition, especially for use in safety devices for vehicles, comprising a) 40 to 60% by weight of a fuel consisting of one or more components selected from the group of guanidine compounds; b) 40 to 60% by weight of basic copper nitrate; c) 0 to 8% by weight of at least one transition metal oxide; d) 1 to 5% by weight of at least one stabilizer component and e) 0 to 5% by weight of further additives, each related to the total weight of the components a) through e); the stabilizer component at room temperature having a solubility in water of not more than 1 g/100 ml and the solubility in water at T=90° C. amounting to at least seven times the solubility at room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Jorg Friedrich, Karl-Heinz Rodig, Siegfried Zeuner
  • Publication number: 20130233636
    Abstract: The invention relates to gas generating compositions for use in safety devices for vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to said compositions based on guanidine nitrate used in pedestrian protection devices. The composition substantially comprises 75 to 98% by weight of guanidine nitrate as fuel and 2 to 25% by weight of a burn accelerator selected from the group of the transition metal compounds, the metal nitrates, metal chlorates, metal perchlorates, ammonium perchlorate and mixtures thereof, wherein the transition metal compounds are selected from the compounds of the transition metals Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Zr and Mo and wherein the gas generating composition exhibits a burn rate of from 3 to 17 mm/s at 20 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Jorg Friedrich, Achim Hofmann, Karl-Heinz Rodig, Siegfried Zeuner
  • Publication number: 20050189052
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an azide-free gas-generating composition, in particular for use in safety devices for motor vehicles, comprising a fuel in a proportion of 20 to 60% by weight and consisting of one or more components, and an oxidizer mixture in a proportion of 40 to 80% by weight and consisting of at least three components, each in relation to the total composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 6893517
    Abstract: A nitrocellulose-free, gas-generating composition for use in vehicle occupant restraint systems, in particular in a belt tensioner gas generator, substantially consists of at least one nitrogen-containing organic fuel in a proportion of 55 to 70% by weight, an inorganic oxidator in a proportion of 30 to 45% by weight, at least one combustion moderator in a proportion of up to 10% by weight and up to 5% by weight conventional adjuvants and additives, each in relation to the overall weight of the composition. The composition has a pressure exponent of less than 0.35 and a combustion rate at 200 bar of at least 40 mm/s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Roland Schropp, Achim Hofmann, Karl-Heinz Rödig
  • Publication number: 20030145926
    Abstract: A nitrocellulose-free, gas-generating composition for use in vehicle occupant restraint systems, in particular in a belt tensioner gas generator, substantially consists of at least one nitrogen-containing organic fuel in a proportion of 55 to 70% by weight, an inorganic oxidator in a proportion of 30 to 45% by weight, at least one combustion moderator in a proportion of up to 10% by weight and up to 5% by weight conventional adjuvants and additives, each in relation to the overall weight of the composition. The composition has a pressure exponent of less than 0.35 and a combustion rate at 200 bar of at least 40 mm/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Roland Schropp, Achim Hofmann, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 6599380
    Abstract: The invention relates to an igniter composition for use in a gas generator for a safety means in vehicles. The igniter composition consists of a gas-generating composition in an amount of 15 to 70 wt-% and of a thermite composition in an amount of 30 to 85 wt-%. The gas-generating composition consists essentially of a guanidine compound as fuel and an inorganic oxidizer. The thermite composition consisting essentially of a metal and a metal oxide. The igniter composition or the gas-generating composition and the thermite composition, each for itself, have an oxygen balance of between 0 and −20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rödig
  • Patent number: 6592778
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing propellant compacts for use in gas generators for safety devices in motor vehicles by extrusion, comprising the following steps: mixing the constituents of the propellant and stirring the mixture into a paste with a solvent so as to form a plasticizable mass, extruding the plasticizable mass in order to form propellant compacts, and drying the propellant compacts in order to remove the solvent, a thickening agent which increases the viscosity being added to the solvent prior to pasting in a proportion of from 0.1 to 10% by weight, relative to the solvent, and the dried propellant compacts having a density of at least 70% of the theoretical density. The invention further relates to propellant compacts obtainable in accordance with this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rödig
  • Publication number: 20020033211
    Abstract: The invention relates to an igniter composition for use in a gas generator for a safety means in vehicles. The igniter composition consists of a gas-generating composition in an amount of 15 to 70 wt-% and of a thermite composition in an amount of 30 to 85 wt-%. The gas-generating composition consists essentially of a guanidine compound as fuel and an inorganic oxidizer. The thermite composition consisting essentially of a metal and a metal oxide. The igniter composition or the gas-generating composition and the thermite composition, each for itself, have an oxygen balance of between 0 and −20%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Publication number: 20010018812
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing propellant compacts for use in gas generators for safety devices in motor vehicles by extrusion, comprising the following steps:
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Applicant: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 6132537
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composition, in particular for use in safety devices for motor vehicles, which comprises a fuel mixture consisting of at least two components in a proportion of from 20 to 60% by weight and an oxidizer mixture consisting of at least three components in a proportion of from 40 to 80% by weight, relative to the total composition in each case. The composition is wherein the fuel mixture is composed of 5 to 95% by weight of a guanidine compound, 5 to 95% by weight of a heterocyclic organic acid, and 0 to 20% by weight of further fuels, relative to the fuel mixture in each case. According to the invention the oxidizer mixture is composed of 20 to 70% by weight of one or more transition-metal oxides, 10 to 50% by weight of basic copper nitrate, and 2 to 30% by weight of metal chlorate, metal perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, alkali nitrate, alkaline-earth nitrate or mixtures thereof, relative to the oxidizer mixture in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 6004411
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an azide-free gas-producing composition, in particular for use in safety devices for motor vehicles, comprising or consisting essentially ofa fuel consisting of from 20 to 50% by weight of guanidine nitrate and from 0 to 20% by weight of cyanuric acid, isocyanuric acid, cyamelide and/or melamine;from 45 to 80% by weight of an oxidant, wherein the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of copper oxide (CuO) and CUO together with potassium perchlorate and/or potassium chlorate, andfrom 0 to 5% by weight of processing aids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 5989367
    Abstract: The invention relates to a particle-free, gas-producing mixture for use in a gas generator for a safety device, in particular for a vehicle-occupant restraint system, with a total water content of the gas-producing mixture of at most 0.3%, consisting of:a) an energy-rich fuel with an oxygen value of not less than -35%;b) an oxidant mixture of ammonium nitrate and ammonium perchlorate, wherein the ammonium nitrate is contained in a proportion of 35 to 50 wt. %, and the ammonium perchlorate in a proportion of 3 to 10 wt. %, in each case relative to the total weight of the mixture;c) optionally, relative to the total weight of the mixture, a phase-stabilizing additive for the ammonium nitrate in a proportion of at most 5 wt. % relative to the weight of the ammonium nitrate;d) 0 to 3 wt. % combustion moderators relative to the total weight of the mixture, ande) 0 to 5 wt. % processing aids relative to the total weight of the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Achim Hofmann, Roland Schropp, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 5542997
    Abstract: A gas-generating mixture for an air bag, which has a rate of burnoff exceeding 40 mm/sec and good ignitability, but leads to a relatively low combustion temperature. The mixture is formed of an alkali or alkaline earth azide as the principal component, a metal oxide as the oxidizing agent and slag-forming agent, and 5 to 23 wt. % of an accelerator consisting of a metal nitrate and silicon dioxide, wherein the ratio of the metal nitrate to the silicon dioxide ranges from 4:1 to 1:4, and the silicon dioxide content is at least 4 wt. % of the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Temic Bayern-Chemie Airbag GmbH
    Inventors: Siegfried Zeuner, Joachim Sans, Uwe Dolling, Karl-Heinz Rodig
  • Patent number: 5525170
    Abstract: The subject invention concerns a propellant mixture for producing propellant gas for passenger protection systems in motor vehicles, in particular airbag systems. According to this invention, this propellant mixture comprises fumaric acid, with a share of 20 to 45% by weight, as well as an inorganic oxidant with a share of 55 to 80% by weight. These revealed propellant components are non-toxic and characterized by a high thermal stability as well as low hygroscopicity. In addition, this propellant contains only minor traces of pollutant gases, with even combustion residues being non-toxic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: TEMIC Bayern-Chemie Airbag GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Stark, Siegfried Zeuner, Karl-Heinz Rodig