Patents by Inventor Kristof Benoit

Kristof Benoit 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: 9446633
    Abstract: The invention relates to an elastic vehicle tire (1) comprising a tire cavity. Said cavity is enclosed by a running strip (2) supporting the tread surface (3) and a side wall (4, 4.1) formed on each side of the running strip (2). A noise dampening insert (9) or a noise dampening insert arrangement disposed therein is provided in the tire cavity. A ventilation layer (13) having a structure permeable to air at least in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction of the running strip (3) is disposed between the noise dampening insert (9) or noise dampening insert arrangement and connected to the inner side (10) of the running strip (2) supporting the running surface (3). Said layer is suitable for passing an air flow at least partially in contact with the inner wall (10) of the running strip (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: RECTICEL N.V.
    Inventor: Kristof Benoit
  • Patent number: 8709324
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin wherein a polyurethane reaction mixture is sprayed onto a mold surface and the polyurethane reaction mixture is allowed to cure to produce the skin layer. The polyurethane reaction mixture is composed of components comprising at least an isocyanate component, isocyanate-reactive components and a catalyst component and the isocyanate component is composed of at least one isocyanate having at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group. The catalyst component is substantially free of lead, which leads to a lower flexibility. In accordance with the invention, the flexibility of the polyurethane skin is increased by means of at least one flexibiliser which reduces the flexural modulus of the skin and which comprises at least one isocyanate-reactive group. The flexibiliser is preferably a monofunctional flexibiliser which comprises only one isocyanate-reactive group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Recticel Automobilsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Kristof Benoit, Peter DeWilde, Geert Van Houcke, Koen Vanlandschoot, Yvan Vanluchene, Hugo De Winter
  • Publication number: 20130048181
    Abstract: The invention relates to an elastic vehicle tire (1) comprising a tire cavity. Said cavity is enclosed by a running strip (2) supporting the tread surface (3) and a side wall (4, 4.1) formed on each side of the running strip (2). A noise dampening insert (9) or a noise dampening insert arrangement disposed therein is provided in the tire cavity. A ventilation layer (13) having a structure permeable to air at least in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction of the running strip (3) is disposed between the noise dampening insert (9) or noise dampening insert arrangement and connected to the inner side (10) of the running strip (2) supporting the running surface (3). Said layer is suitable for passing an air flow at least partially in contact with the inner wall (10) of the running strip (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: RECTICEL N.V.
    Inventor: Kristof Benoit
  • Patent number: 8262002
    Abstract: The pressure swirl atomizing nozzle for spraying a curable composition comprises an orifice piece (16), which defines a funnel-shaped cavity and an exit orifice (17), and an injector piece (18) which closing off the funnel-shaped cavity so that the funnel-shaped cavity forms a swirl chamber (19) between a front side of the injector piece (18) and the exit orifice (17). The injector piece (18) comprises at least two swirl ports (20) which end in the swirl chamber (19) for injecting the curable composition therein and for thereby imparting swirl to the curable composition. Compared to the sum of the smallest cross-sectional areas of the swirl ports (20), the side wall (24) of the swirl chamber (19) has a relatively small surface area which is however still large enough to distribute the curable composition so as to achieve a uniform spray pattern. By the reduced size of the swirl chamber (19), the curable composition can be atomized more efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Recticel Automobilsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Christophe Vermeire, Kristof Benoit
  • Publication number: 20120219722
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin wherein a polyurethane reaction mixture is sprayed onto a mould surface and the polyurethane reaction mixture is allowed to cure to produce the skin layer. The polyurethane reaction mixture is composed of components comprising at least an isocyanate component, isocyanate-reactive components and a catalyst component and the isocyanate component is composed of at least one isocyanate having at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group. The catalyst component is substantially free of lead, which leads to a lower flexibility. In accordance with the invention, the flexibility of the polyurethane skin is increased by means of at least one flexibiliser which reduces the flexural modulus of the skin and which comprises at least one isocyanate-reactive group. The flexibiliser is preferably a monofunctional flexibiliser which comprises only one isocyanate-reactive group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: RECTICEL AUTOMOBILSYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Kristof Benoit, Peter De Wilde, Geert Van Houcke, Koen Vanlandschoot, Yvan Vanluchene, Hugo De Winter
  • Patent number: 8197939
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin comprising a first and a second flexible polyurethane layer obtained by spraying a first and a second polyurethane reaction mixture onto one another. The first reaction mixture is an aliphatic polyurethane reaction mixture which is free of lead and formulated to produce a polyurethane elastomer having a flexural modulus smaller than 35 MPa. The second reaction mixture is an aromatic polyurethane reaction mixture producing a polyurethane elastomer having a smaller flexural modulus. The thickness of the aliphatic polyurethane layer could be made so small with respect to the thickness of the aromatic polyurethane layer that the composite skin has an average flexural modulus smaller than 30 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Recticel Automobilsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Kristof Benoit, Peter De Wilde, Geert Van Houcke, Koen Vanlandschoot, Yvan Vanluchene, Hugo De Winter
  • Publication number: 20110308677
    Abstract: An elastic vehicle tire with a cavity (11) enclosed by a tread strip (2) supporting the tread (3) and sidewalls (4, 4.1) adjacent to this on both sides shows a foam insert (9) connected to the inside (10) of the tread strip (2). The side walls each carry a bead (5, 5.1) disposed at the free end to fit around the flange (8, 8.1) of the rim (6) of wheel (7). The foam insert (9) partly fills the cavity (11) and serves a dampening function, in particular in a frequency range below 400 Hz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: RECTICEL N.V.
    Inventors: Axel Kamprath, Kristof Benoit, Patrick Hanssens
  • Publication number: 20100178428
    Abstract: The pressure swirl atomizing nozzle for spraying a curable composition comprises an orifice piece (16), which defines a funnel-shaped cavity and an exit orifice (17), and an injector piece (18) which closing off the funnel-shaped cavity so that the funnel-shaped cavity forms a swirl chamber (19) between a front side of the injector piece (18) and the exit orifice (17). The injector piece (18) comprises at least two swirl ports (20) which end in the swirl chamber (19) for injecting the curable composition therein and for thereby imparting swirl to the curable composition. Compared to the sum of the smallest cross-sectional areas of the swirl ports (20), the side wall (24) of the swirl chamber (19) has a relatively small surface area which is however still large enough to distribute the curable composition so as to achieve a uniform spray pattern. By the reduced size of the swirl chamber (19), the curable composition can be atomized more efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Recticel Automobilsysteme GMBH
    Inventors: Christophe Vermeire, Kristof Benoit
  • Publication number: 20090324941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin comprising a first and a second flexible polyurethane layer obtained by spraying a first and a second polyurethane reaction mixture onto one another. The first reaction mixture is an aliphatic polyurethane reaction mixture which is free of lead and formulated to produce a polyurethane elastomer having a flexural modulus smaller than 35 MPa. The second reaction mixture is an aromatic polyurethane reaction mixture producing a polyurethane elastomer having a smaller flexural modulus. The thickness of the aliphatic polyurethane layer could be made so small with respect to the thickness of the aromatic polyurethane layer that the composite skin has an average flexural modulus smaller than 30 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: RECTICEL AUTOMOBIL SYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Kristof Benoit, Peter De Wilde, Geert Van Houcke, Koen Vanlandschoot, Yvan Vanluchene, Hugo De Winter