Patents by Inventor ROBERT NIKOLAUS GRASS

ROBERT NIKOLAUS GRASS 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: 10655274
    Abstract: A threadlike metallic or metallized reinforcer, for example a thread, film, tape or cord made of carbon steel, at the periphery of which is positioned a layer of metal referred to as “surface metal” chosen from copper, nickel and copper/nickel alloys, is characterized in that this surface metal layer is itself coated, at least in part, with at least one layer of graphene; preferably, there is grafted, to this graphene, at least one functional group which can crosslink to a polymer matrix. This reinforcer of the invention is effectively protected from corrosion by virtue of the graphene present at the surface; advantageously, it can be adhesively bonded directly, without adhesion primer or addition of metal salt, to an unsaturated rubber matrix, such as natural rubber, by virtue of the possible functionalization of this graphene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Robert Nikolaus Grass, Wendelin Jan Stark, Milan Fedurco, Antonio Delfino, Jean-Paul Meraldi
  • Patent number: 10465273
    Abstract: A process for depositing, with forward progression, graphene on the surface of a metallic or metallized continuous reinforcer, at the periphery of which is positioned a layer of surface metal chosen from copper, nickel and copper/nickel alloys, comprises at least one stage of flame spray pyrolysis (“FSP”), under a reducing atmosphere, of a carbon precursor which generates, in the flame, at least one carbon-based gas such as carbon monoxide which is sprayed onto the surface of the reinforcer in forward progression, and is decomposed thereon to form one or more graphene layers at the surface of the surface metal; an additional stage of graphene functionalization makes it possible to adhere the reinforcer to a polymer matrix such as rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Wendelin Jan Stark, Robert Nikolaus Grass, Milan Fedurco, Antonio Delfino, Jean-Paul Meraldi
  • Patent number: 9694517
    Abstract: A ready-for-use metal reinforcer, for example, of the wire or cord type, made of brass-coated carbon steel, is capable of adhering directly by vulcanization to a matrix of unsaturated rubber such as natural rubber. The surface of the reinforcer is provided with nanoparticles of at least one sulfide of a metal chosen from cobalt, copper, iron, zinc and the alloys comprising at least one of these elements. Such a reinforcer can be used as the reinforcing element of a finished article made of rubber, such as a tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Delfino, Milan Fedurco, Jean Paul Meraldi, Robert Nikolaus Grass, Wendelin Jan Stark
  • Publication number: 20170137993
    Abstract: A threadlike metallic or metallized reinforcer, for example a thread, film, tape or cord made of carbon steel, at the periphery of which is positioned a layer of metal referred to as “surface metal” chosen from copper, nickel and copper/nickel alloys, is characterized in that this surface metal layer is itself coated, at least in part, with at least one layer of graphene; preferably, there is grafted, to this graphene, at least one functional group which can crosslink to a polymer matrix. This reinforcer of the invention is effectively protected from corrosion by virtue of the graphene present at the surface; advantageously, it can be adhesively bonded directly, without adhesion primer or addition of metal salt, to an unsaturated rubber matrix, such as natural rubber, by virtue of the possible functionalization of this graphene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: ROBERT NIKOLAUS GRASS, WENDELIN JAN STARK, MILAN FEDURCO, ANTONIO DELFINO, JEAN-PAUL MERALDI
  • Publication number: 20170121806
    Abstract: A process for depositing, with forward progression, graphene on the surface of a metallic or metallized continuous reinforcer, at the periphery of which is positioned a layer of surface metal chosen from copper, nickel and copper/nickel alloys, comprises at least one stage of flame spray pyrolysis (“FSP”), under a reducing atmosphere, of a carbon precursor which generates, in the flame, at least one carbon-based gas such as carbon monoxide which is sprayed onto the surface of the reinforcer in forward progression, and is decomposed thereon to form one or more graphene layers at the surface of the surface metal; an additional stage of graphene functionalization makes it possible to adhere the reinforcer to a polymer matrix such as rubber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: WENDELIN JAN STARK, ROBERT NIKOLAUS GRASS, Milan Fedurco, ANTONIO DELFINO, JEAN-PAUL MERALDI
  • Publication number: 20150352900
    Abstract: A ready-for-use metal reinforcer, for example, of the wire or cord type, made of brass-coated carbon steel, is capable of adhering directly by vulcanization to a matrix of unsaturated rubber such as natural rubber. The surface of the reinforcer is provided with nanoparticles of at least one sulfide of a metal chosen from cobalt, copper, iron, zinc and the alloys comprising at least one of these elements. Such a reinforcer can be used as the reinforcing element of a finished article made of rubber, such as a tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: ANTONIO DELFINO, MILAN FEDURCO, JEAN PAUL MERALDI, ROBERT NIKOLAUS GRASS, WENDELIN JAN STARK
  • Publication number: 20150307981
    Abstract: The surface of a body, in particular a metal reinforcer, at least the surface of which comprises a layer of metal referred to as surface metal capable of forming sulphides, is sulfurized. The metal can be chosen from copper, zinc and their alloys. The process comprises at least one stage of flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) of a sulphur-donating precursor, for example, thiophene, which generates hydrogen sulphide in the flame. The metal bodies or reinforcers thus treated can be directly adhesively bonded, without adhesion primer or addition of metal salt, such as a cobalt salt, to matrices of unsaturated rubber such as natural rubber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: ROBERT NIKOLAUS GRASS, MILAN FEDURCO, ANTONIO DELFINO, JEAN PAUL MERALDI, WENDELIN JAN STARK