Patents by Inventor Reinhard Gropp

Reinhard Gropp 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: 6116287
    Abstract: A flexible tube element for an exhaust pipe of a vehicle engine includes a first end and an opposite, second end; a circumferentially corrugated metal bellows extending between the first and second ends; a first stripwound metal hose arranged coaxially with the bellows between the first and second ends; a second stripwound metal hose arranged coaxially with the bellows and the first stripwound metal hose between the first and second ends; and first and second generally cylindrical connection fittings arranged at the first and second ends, respectively, and being coaxial with the bellows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Witzenmann GmbH Metallschlauch-Fabrik Pforzheim
    Inventors: Reinhard Gropp, Jorg Hornung, Michael Pluschke
  • Patent number: 4911206
    Abstract: Cables supporting and actually limiting excursion of a flexible thin-walled tube are held in position by spacers which are formed with recesses to receive the cables. To permit easy assembly, and eliminate threading the cables on the spacers with the hose in position, the spacers are formed as half-ring elements, coupled together independently of the cables which pass through recesses. The recesses may be tangentially or radially open slits so that the half elements can be slipped over a subassembly of hose and cables, or the recesses can be formed adjacent overlapping or abutting end portions of the half elements. The recesses also may be in the form of through-bores, on which half elements are threaded, the half elements then being fitted against each other around the hose. The half elements are held together either by external rings, interlocked with the half elements, or by overlapping regions, connected together by hook-and-recess connections, welding, adhesive or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Witzenmann GmbH Metallschlauch-Fabrik Pforzheim
    Inventors: Reinhard Gropp, Peter Schanz
  • Patent number: 4791963
    Abstract: A flexible tube (1) has mutually parallel ring-shaped flutes, end connectors (2) and longitudinal support cables (4, 5, 102) which hold said connectors against changes in axial spacing, and are rigidly joined to the connectors in the direction of pull and/or pressure, and against which the tube is at least indirectly braced. The longitudinal cables are held on the tube by rings (104) that ensure the radial relative position between tube (1) and cables (4, 5, 102) and hold the cables while the tube (1) is guided along these rings via the cables. The rings are formed by two ring segments, each of which has a hole (109) at the respective segment end to retain the cables therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Witzenmann GmbH Metallschlauch-fabrik Pforzheim
    Inventors: Heinz Gronert, Johann Benisch, Johann Pichler, Reinhard Gropp
  • Patent number: 4747624
    Abstract: To connect two pipes which may carry high-temperature potentially corrosive fluids, for example exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, while permitting flexing of the pipes with respect to each other in torsion or twist, bending or lateral shift, while maintaining a sealed connection, a ring chamber is formed in the region of the pipe ends, by an overlapping pipe end portion of the like, an external sleeve, or overlapping flange construction, which retains therein a sealing and support pillow of ceramic or metal materials in form of fibers, filaments or the like, felted, matted, woven, knitted and compressed together; a metal sealing foil, for example of aluminum or specialty steel, crinkled or creased and preferably formed with expansion/contraction undulations, is located within the pillow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1988
    Assignee: Witzenmann GmbH Metallschlauch-Fabrik Pforzheim
    Inventors: Bernd Faber, Reinhard Gropp
  • Patent number: 4127145
    Abstract: A movable pipeline construction which includes a first pipe and second pipe connected by a movable joint so as to permit angular and/or transverse movements of the pipes with respect to a common longitudinal pipe axis. Each of the pipes are provided with at least one of connecting ports and branch passages which are interconnected by way of flexible pipeline elements. The flexible pipeline elements may be constructed as flexible tubes, hoses, pipe bundles and/or bellows. Preferably, a stop valve construction is arranged in the pipeline elements to control the flow of the medium therethrough without affecting the flow through the other pipeline elements and/or the first and second pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1978
    Assignee: Metallschlauch-Fabrik Pforzheim (vorm. Hch. Witzenmann) Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Udo Erlenmayer, Reinhard Gropp, Hans Zenn