Patents by Inventor Kristiaan Bracke

Kristiaan Bracke 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: 8328972
    Abstract: The foamed article is produced starting from a core layer (1) which comprises a flexible, open-cell foam having voids forming at least 90% of the volume of the open-cell foam. The core layer (1) is applied in a mold (6, 8), optionally together with an upper (3) and/or a lower cover layer (2), between a lower (5) and an upper mold surface (9) thereof. The mold (6, 8) is closed and a curable, foamable composition (7) is allowed to foam in the mold to produce a further foam filling the voids of the open-cell foam. In order to enable to use less foamable composition (7) to fill the voids of the open-cell foam, the core layer (1) is laid onto the lower mold surface (5) and the foamable composition (7) is sprayed onto the core layer (1) lying onto the lower mold surface so that the foamable composition (7) can penetrate at least partially by gravity into the open-cell foam core layer (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Recticel
    Inventor: Kristiaan Bracke
  • Patent number: 8231817
    Abstract: The three-dimensionally shaped sandwich structure is produced starting from a layered material (1) comprising a compressible core layer, in particular a paper honeycomb structure, having two opposite main faces which are each covered with a reinforcing material and with a mouldable material. The layered material (1) is moulded in a compression mould comprising two mutually movable mould sections (7, 9). In order to reduce the formation of cracks, tears or breaks in the core layer, the first mould section (7) is composed of at least two mutually movable mould parts (10 and 11-12). A first portion of the layered material (1) is first deep-drawn by moving the first mould part (10) towards its moulding position so that wrinkles are formed in the layered material and the second mould part (11-12) is moved later and/or more slowly than the first mould part (10) towards its moulding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Recticel Automobilsysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Kristiaan Bracke
  • Patent number: 7842207
    Abstract: The panel-like laminate comprises a flexible skin (1), a rigid substrate (2) and an intermediate layer (3). The flexible skin (1) comprises a main part (8) which forms the front side of the laminate and at least one flange (9) which extends from the main part (8) of the skin towards the substrate (2) to form at least a portion of the lateral side of the laminate. In order to avoid foam leakage when molding the intermediate layer (3) between the skin (1) and the substrate (2), the flange (9) is extended by a border part (10) which comprises a flexible lip (11). The flexible lip is pressed against the rigid substrate (2) so that the flexible lip (11) forms a seal between the skin and the substrate. To prevent deformation of the skin, the border part (10) of the skin further comprises at least one continuous or discontinuous ridge (12) which extends along the flange (9) of the skin (1) and which prevents a sliding of this border part when closing the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Recticel NV
    Inventors: Nele Bosman, Kristiaan Bracke, Bart Broeckaert, Hugo De Winter, Jan Willems
  • Publication number: 20100243128
    Abstract: The foamed article is produced starting from a core layer (1) which comprises a flexible, open-cell foam having voids forming at least 90% of the volume of the open-cell foam. The core layer (1) is applied in a mould (6, 8), optionally together with an upper (3) and/or a lower cover layer (2), between a lower (5) and an upper mould surface (9) thereof. The mould (6, 8) is closed and a curable, foamable composition (7) is allowed to foam in the mould to produce a further foam filling the voids of the open-cell foam. In order to enable to use less foamable composition (7) to fill the voids of the open-cell foam, the core layer (1) is laid onto the lower mould surface (5) and the foamable composition (7) is sprayed onto the core layer (1) lying onto the lower mould surface so that the foamable composition (7) can penetrate at least partially by gravity into the open-cell foam core layer (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Recticel
    Inventor: Kristiaan Bracke
  • Publication number: 20090072441
    Abstract: The three-dimensionally shaped sandwich structure is produced starting from a layered material (1) comprising a compressible core layer, in particular a paper honeycomb structure, having two opposite main faces which are each covered with a reinforcing material and with a mouldable material. The layered material (1) is moulded in a compression mould comprising two mutually movable mould sections (7, 9). In order to reduce the formation of cracks, tears or breaks in the core layer, the first mould section (7) is composed of at least two mutually movable mould parts (10 and 11-12). A first portion of the layered material (1) is first deep-drawn by moving the first mould part (10) towards its moulding position so that wrinkles are formed in the layered material and the second mould part (11-12) is moved later and/or more slowly than the first mould part (10) towards its moulding position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventor: Kristiaan Bracke
  • Publication number: 20080229697
    Abstract: The panel-like laminate comprises a flexible skin (1), a rigid substrate (2) and an intermediate layer (3). The flexible skin (1) comprises a main part (8) which forms the front side of the laminate and at least one flange (9) which extends from the main part (8) of the skin towards the substrate (2) to form at least a portion of the lateral side of the laminate. In order to avoid foam leakage when moulding the intermediate layer (3) between the skin (1) and the substrate (2), the flange (9) is extended by a border part (10) which comprises a flexible lip (11). The flexible lip is pressed against the rigid substrate (2) so that the flexible lip (11) forms a seal between the skin and the substrate. To prevent deformation of the skin, the border part (10) of the skin further comprises at least one continuous or discontinuous ridge (12) which extends along the flange (9) of the skin (1) and which prevents a sliding of this border part when closing the mould.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Nele Bosman, Kristiaan Bracke, Bart Broeckaert, Hugo De Winter, Jan Willems