Patents by Inventor Rudiger Funk

Rudiger Funk 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: 11883848
    Abstract: The invention relates to a classification process for superabsorbent polymer particles, comprising classifying the water-absorbent polymer particles in a screen machine under reduced pressure wherein the pressure above the uppermost sieve is from 0 to 4.0 mbar per sieve higher than below the undermost sieve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Monte Alan Peterson, Patrick Neal Hamilton, Ronny De Kaey, Karl Possemiers
  • Patent number: 11826723
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt drier arrangement for drying an aqueous polymer gel and for comminuting the dried polymer gel to give dried polymer particles, comprising: a drier setup for drying an aqueous polymer gel, a comminuting arrangement downstream of the drier setup relative to the product flow direction, for comminuting the dried polymer gel to give dried polymer particles. In accordance with the invention the comminuting arrangement comprises at least a first comminutor and a second comminutor, each having a rotatable shaft with functional tools, the second comminutor being disposed downstream of the first comminutor relative to the product flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel
  • Patent number: 10928291
    Abstract: A method for the classification of superabsorber particles is disclosed, in which the superabsorber particles are put onto a top screen deck of a screening machine having at least two screen decks with a different hole size, the superabsorber particles which are smaller than the holes of the respective screen deck respectively falling through the holes and the superabsorber particles remaining on the screen deck being removed via an extraction point. Balls are positioned on each perforated plate, which balls are propelled upward by the movement of the perforated plate and strike from below the screen deck respectively lying above, wherein the balls have a stiffness in the range from 40 to 100 N/mm and a damping in the range from 1 to 4%. A machine for carrying out the method also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Oskar Stephan, Norbert Eugen Voll, Rüdiger Funk
  • Publication number: 20200316561
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt drier arrangement for drying an aqueous polymer gel and for comminuting the dried polymer gel to give dried polymer particles, comprising: a drier setup for drying an aqueous polymer gel, a comminuting arrangement downstream of the drier setup relative to the product flow direction, for comminuting the dried polymer gel to give dried polymer particles. In accordance with the invention the comminuting arrangement comprises at least a first comminutor and a second comminutor, each having a rotatable shaft with functional tools, the second comminutor being disposed downstream of the first comminutor relative to the product flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel
  • Publication number: 20200216622
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing superabsorbent polymer particles, comprising surface postcrosslinking, classifying the surface postcrosslinked superabsorbent polymer particles, deagglomerating the separated oversize fraction using a roll crusher and recycling the disintegrated oversize fraction before or into the classification of the surface postcrosslinked superabsorbent polymer particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Rüdiger FUNK, Thomas PFEIFFER, Matthias WEISMANTEL, Monte Alan PETERSON, Karl POSSEMIERS, Ronny DE KAEY
  • Publication number: 20200147652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a classification process for superabsorbent polymer particles, comprising classifying the water-absorbent polymer particles in a screen machine under reduced pressure wherein the pressure above the uppermost sieve is from 0 to 4.0 mbar per sieve higher than below the undermost sieve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Monte Alan Peterson, Patrick Neal Hamilton, Ronny De Kaey, Karl Possemiers
  • Patent number: 10647787
    Abstract: A production process for production of water absorbing polymer particles, including drying an aqueous polymer gel in a belt drier with a conveyor belt having a drier setup in the interior, in which drying air in the interior of the drier setup is conducted in countercurrent counter to the conveying direction and the interior of the drier setup is kept substantially at a reduced pressure relative to the ambient pressure outside the drier setup, and the interior has and/or forms a pressure zone, and is especially divided into a number of pressure zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel
  • Patent number: 10648731
    Abstract: A production process for production of water-absorbing polymer particles including drying an aqueous polymer gel in a belt drier with a conveyor belt. The belt drier is formed with a drier setup substantially comprising the conveyor belt and an air recycling conduit downstream of the drier setup for air recycling, where recycled air is withdrawn from the drier setup and fed back to the drier setup via the air recycling conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Karl Possemiers
  • Publication number: 20190255514
    Abstract: Filling process for superabsorbent polymer particles The invention relates to a filling process for superabsorbent polymer particles, comprising discharging the superabsorbent polymer particles out of a silo into bulk container for shipping, wherein the filling level of the silo during filling of the bulk container is never less than 20%, in order to avoid particle segregation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Dieter Hermeling, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Monte Alan Peterson, Peter Leunis, Karl Possemiers
  • Patent number: 10208149
    Abstract: A process for preparing water-absorbing polymer beads with high permeability by polymerizing droplets of a monomer solution, comprising monomers bearing acid groups, in a gas phase surrounding the droplets, wherein the monomer solution comprises polyvalent cations and the polymer beads have a mean diameter of at least 150 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Uwe Stueven, Matthias Weismantel, Wilfried Heide, Marco Krüger, Volker Seidl, Stefan Blei, Dennis Loesch, Rüdiger Funk, Annemarie Hillebrecht
  • Patent number: 10137432
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, comprising the steps of: •—processing an aqueous polymer gel from polymerization of a monomer solution or suspension, •—drying the aqueous polymer gel in a conveyer dryer, in particular in a forced air conveyer dryer, wherein •—the conveyer dryer has a circulating conveyer belt and the aqueous polymer gel is conveyed on the circulating conveyer belt, and wherein •—the circulating conveyer belt is formed as a circulating plate conveyer belt, comprising a number of belt plates separated by a hinge line of a hinge assembly and each belt plate having a surface for receiving the aqueous polymer gel, wherein said hinge assembly comprises a knuckle joint (301) with the hinge line in form of a straight hinge line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Monte Peterson
  • Patent number: 10066064
    Abstract: A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, wherein surface postcrosslinked water-absorbing polymer particles are remoisturized and delivered pneumatically, and wherein the time between remoisturization and pneumatic delivery is less than one hour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Rüdiger Funk, Jürgen Schröder, Thomas Pfeiffer, Matthias Weismantel
  • Publication number: 20180188149
    Abstract: A method for the classification of superabsorber particles is disclosed, in which the superabsorber particles are put onto a top screen deck of a screening machine having at least two screen decks with a different hole size, the superabsorber particles which are smaller than the holes of the respective screen deck respectively falling through the holes and the superabsorber particles remaining on the screen deck being removed via an extraction point. Balls are positioned on each perforated plate, which balls are propelled upward by the movement of the perforated plate and strike from below the screen deck respectively lying above, wherein the balls have a stiffness in the range from 40 to 100 N/mm and a damping in the range from 1 to 4%. A machine for carrying out the method also is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Oskar Stephan, Norbert Eugen Voll, Rüdiger Funk
  • Patent number: 10005064
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, comprising the steps of: •—processing an aqueous polymer gel from polymerization of a monomer solution or suspension, •—drying the aqueous polymer gel in a conveyer dryer, in particular in a forced air conveyer dryer, wherein •—the conveyer dryer has a circulating conveyer belt and the aqueous polymer gel is conveyed on the circulating conveyer belt, and wherein •—the circulating conveyer belt is formed as a circulating plate conveyer belt, comprising a number of belt plates separated by a hinge line of a hinge assembly and each belt plate having a surface for receiving the aqueous polymer gel, wherein said hinge assembly comprises a knuckle joint (301) with the hinge line in form of a straight hinge line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Monte Peterson
  • Publication number: 20180154335
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, comprising the steps of: •—processing an aqueous polymer gel from polymerization of a monomer solution or suspension, •—drying the aqueous polymer gel in a conveyer dryer, in particular in a forced air conveyer dryer, wherein •—the conveyer dryer has a circulating conveyer belt and the aqueous polymer gel is conveyed on the circulating conveyer belt, and wherein •—the circulating conveyer belt is formed as a circulating plate conveyer belt, comprising a number of belt plates separated by a hinge line of a hinge assembly and each belt plate having a surface for receiving the aqueous polymer gel, wherein said hinge assembly comprises a knuckle joint (301) with the hinge line in form of a straight hinge line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Monte Peterson
  • Publication number: 20180135912
    Abstract: A production process for production of water-absorbing polymer particles including drying an aqueous polymer gel in a belt drier with a conveyor belt. The belt drier is formed with a drier setup substantially comprising the conveyor belt and an air recycling conduit downstream of the drier setup for air recycling, where recycled air is withdrawn from the drier setup and fed back to the drier setup via the air recycling conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Matthias Weismantel, Karl Possemiers
  • Publication number: 20180086861
    Abstract: A production process for production of water absorbing polymer particles, including drying an aqueous polymer gel in a belt drier with a conveyor belt having a drier setup in the interior, in which drying air in the interior of the drier setup is conducted in countercurrent counter to the conveying direction and the interior of the drier setup is kept substantially at a reduced pressure relative to the ambient pressure outside the drier setup, and the interior has and/or forms a pressure zone, and is especially divided into a number of pressure zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Gerald Grünewald, Rüdiger Funk, Mattias Weismantel
  • Patent number: 9919284
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing water-absorbing polymer particles by polymerizing monomers on a continuous conveyor belt, wherein joins of the conveyor belt and/or damage on the conveyor belt surface have been sealed with a sealing composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Matthias Weismantel, Rüdiger Funk, Leigh R. Blair, Kevin D. Heitzhaus
  • Patent number: 9914230
    Abstract: The invention relates to the production of superabsorbent polymers on a continuous belt reactor, comprising at least one rotating knife that cuts the formed polymer gel at the end of the continuous belt reactor, wherein the length of the cutting edge is at least 1 cm and the cutting edge is non-parallel to the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Matthias Weismantel, Rüdiger Funk, Leigh R. Blair, Kevin D. Heitzhaus, Bruce Storey
  • Patent number: 9822197
    Abstract: A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, comprising the steps of thermal cracking of bionaphtha in the presence of steam, removing propene and at least some of the propane, gas phase oxidation to give acrylic acid and polymerization to give water-absorbing polymer particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Klaus Dieter Hörner, Jürgen Schröder, Rüdiger Funk, Renate Wüstefeld