Patents by Inventor Norbert Himmel

Norbert Himmel 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).

  • Load carrying structure having variable flexibility
    Patent number: 6182929
    Abstract: A load carrying structure having a selectively rigid or flexible characteristic includes a thermoplastic material (7) having a softening temperature above the operating temperature range of the load carrying structure, and a heating arrangement (8) provided to selectively heat the thermoplastic material to above its softening temperature. During normal operation, the thermoplastic material is in a rigid state and the overall load carrying structure is rigid to the prevailing loads. By activating the heating arrangement to heat the thermoplastic material to at least its softening temperature, the thermoplastic material and therewith the load carrying structure becomes flexible so that it may be deformed to a different configuration by applying a deforming load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignees: DaimlerChrysler AG, Institut fuer Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH
    Inventors: Willi Martin, Hans-Friedrich Siegling, Marcel Kuhn, Norbert Himmel