Patents by Inventor Stefan Zikeli

Stefan Zikeli 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).

  • Publication number: 20050048151
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for producing endless molded bodies from a molding compound. For producing the endless molded bodies, spinning means are used comprising an extrusion head through which the molding compound is extruded to form endless molded bodies, a precipitating bath containing a precipitant, and an air gap between the extrusion head and the precipitating bath. After extrusion, the endless molded bodies are first passed through the air gap, and then through the precipitating bath. For facilitating control of the system, it is provided in accordance with the invention that the system comprises a control area arranged in front of the spinning means and accessible by the operating staff, and that the air gap is arranged freely visibly in a height freely defined by a central vision range of an operator standing upright in the staying area and looking substantially in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Applicant: Zimmer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20050035057
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the adsorption of heavy metals from media containing heavy metals, using a Lyocell moulded body. The invention also relates to a cellulosic moulded body comprising adsorbed heavy metals and the use of the same as an antibacterial and/or fungicidal moulded body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Thomas Endl
  • Publication number: 20050035487
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing continuously molded bodies from a molding material, such as a spinning solution containing cellulose, water and tertiary amine oxide. The apparatus (1) comprises a die plate (3) including extrusion orifices (4) through which the molding material is extruded into substantially filament-like continuously molded bodies (5). The continuously molded bodies (5) are passed through an air gap (6) and guided in a precipitation bath (9) by a deflector (10) to a bundling means (12) where they are united into a bundle of fibers. In the air gap, a blowing means (14) is provided for directing a cooling gas stream (15) onto the continuously molded bodies (5) in a direction transverse to the direction of passage (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2002
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20050015889
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for treating a fibre mass, such as for example a nonwoven or a woven. Such fibre masses are conveyed through a pressing mill for treatment where they are pressed in at least one pressing zone by means of a press-roll. By the pressing, a treatment fluid already present in the fibre mass is pressed out of the fibre mass. After the pressing out of the treatment fluid, a second treatment fluid is introduced into the fibre mass. In order to achieve a distribution of the second treatment fluid in the pressed fibre mass as quickly and homogenously as possible, according to the invention it is provided that the treatment fluid is introduced through the pressing surface area into the fibre mass in an expansion region, where the pressing power exerted by the press-roll is reduced in the moving direction of the fibre mass. Here, the pressing surface area is the surface through which the pressing power acts on the fibre mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20040108103
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluid line member for a modular fluid line system for passing therethrough a crystallizing, heat-sensitive working fluid, such as a synthetic polymer, a cellulose derivative or a solution consisting of cellulose, water and amine oxide. Such working fluids have a temperature-dependent viscosity and are subject to spontaneous decomposition phenomena under strong exothermic reaction. A temperature control of the working fluid is to be made possible by the fluid line member 1. This is achieved in that the fluid line member 1 has a circular cross-section with a temperature control device 5 instead of the core flow. According to the invention the temperature of the working fluid can thereby be controlled from the inside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20040051202
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for extruding continuously molded bodies, wherein an extrusion solution, in particular an extrusion solution containing water, cellulose and a tertiary amine oxide, is extruded through an extrusion orifice into a continuously molded body and is then deflected by means of a deflector (7). To improve the quality of the continuously molded bodies produced by the method or apparatus of the invention, the extrusion orifices are arranged in a row such that the individual, continuously molded bodies exit in the form of a curtain (3) form the extrusion head. This curtain is then deflected by the deflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20040021246
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method as well as a system for extruding continuously molded bodies for producing filaments or staple fibers from an extrusion solution, such as a cellulose solution containing water, cellulose and tertiary amine oxide such as N-methylmorpholine N-oxide. In comparison with the methods known from the prior art, profitability can be increased in the production of continuously molded bodies (3) if the extrusion rate v is set to a value v=B·T0.33·10,000·(1/r2). In a system, profitability can be enhanced if the number r of rows is r=[(B/v)·10,000·T0.33]1/2. T is here the fiber titer in T dtex, v the extrusion rate in m/min, r the number of the rows of extrusion duct orifices (12), and B an operational parameter which is not more than 4 and at least 0.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Patent number: 6644845
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a buffer tank as is substantially used for ensuring a constant supply of the spinning machine with a polymer melt in spinning machines. To this end the buffer tank is provided with a compensation chamber whose volume is variable in response to a pressure prevailing in the polymer melt and to a volume flow variation. The polymer melt flows from a polymer melt entry opening to a polymer melt exit opening through the compensation chamber. It is the object of the present invention to make the flow through the compensation chamber uniform. The residence time of the polymer melt in the compensation chamber shall thereby be prevented from having a wide range, the latter resulting in an irregular quality of the yarns produced by the spinning machine because of the time-dependent, mechanical and chemical properties of the polymer melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Zimmer A.G.
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Michael Longin, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20030193109
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a continuous moulding (11) making use of an extrusion solution containing preferably water, cellulose and a tertiary amine oxide. The extrusion solution is extruded through an extrusion-channel opening (10) so as to form a continuous moulding. The continuous moulding is conducted through an air gap (12) in which it is drawn. In order to increase the non-looping property and in order to reduce the fibrillation tendency, the present invention is so conceived that the mean acceleration and/or the mean heat flow density are controlled in accordance with predetermined formulae.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20030186611
    Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer composition comprising a biologically degradable polymer and a material from sea plants and/or shells of sea animals or at least two components selected from the group consisting of saccharides and the derivatives thereof, proteins, amino acids, vitamins and metal ions. The invention additionally relates to a molded article comprising said polymer composition. Said molded article may be used packaging material or fibrous material, in the form of fibrous material as mixing component for the production of yarns, and in the form of fibrous material for the production of nonwoven fabrics or woven fabrics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Thomas Endl, Michael Gert Martl
  • Publication number: 20030183274
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid conduit piece (8) for passing therethrough a spontaneously exothermic working fluid such as a synthetic polymer, a cellulose derivative and a solution on the basis of cellulose, water and amino oxide, said fluid conduit piece comprising a working fluid zone (9) through which said working fluid flows. The aim of the invention is to prevent the fluid conduit piece and other fluidic devices from being damaged in the event of a spontaneous exothermic reaction in the working fluid. To this end, the fluid conduit piece is provided with an anti-rupture device (1) for the purpose of pressure relief. Said anti-rupture device has a pressure equalizing volume (7) that, once a predetermined rupture pressure is exceeded, can be converted from a normal operation state in which the pressure equalizing volume is separated from the working fluid zone into a rupture state in which the pressure equalizing volume is linked with the working fluid zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20030168762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a continuously molded body (11) from an extrusion solution preferably containing water, cellulose and a tertiary amine. The extrusion solution is extruded through an extrusion duct orifice (10) to obtain a continuously molded body. The continuously molded body is passed through an air gap (12) in which it is stretched. To increase the loop strength and to reduce the tendency to fibrillate, the mean acceleration and/or the mean heat flow density are controlled according to the invention in accordance with predetermined formulae.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20030160348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing extruded, cellulosic continuous shaped bodies from an extrusion solution containing cellulose, water and tertiary amino-oxide. In order to improve the textile properties of the extruded continuous shaped bodies with regard to the prior art, the invention provides that the continuous shaped body (5) is conveyed, with essentially no tensile stress, on a conveying device (11) between an extrusion nozzle opening and a take-off unit (24). To this end, the speed of conveyance of the interconnected conveying device (11) is preferably less than the extrusion rate and less than the take-off rate of the take-off unit (24). By employing these measures, the textile properties such as loop strength and tendency to fibrillate can be considerably improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Publication number: 20030155673
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spinning head (8) for spinning a spinning dope, which is provided with a tubular, thin-walled spinning capillary (7) having a discharge opening (94). The spinning dope used is e.g. a mixture of cellulose, tertiary amine oxide and water. In order to reduce the fibrillation tendency of the fibres spun by means of the spinning head and in order to increase the non-looping property, the present invention is so conceived that the spinning capillary (7) is heated directly close to the discharge cross-section (94). By means of this simple measure, it is possible to reduce the fibrillation tendency and to increase the non-looping property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker
  • Patent number: 5984655
    Abstract: Spinning apparatus for carrying out a dry/wet-spinning process includes a spinneret for extruding filaments, a blowing device whereby the extruded filaments may be cooled immediately after being delivered from the spinning holes, a container containing spinning bath liquid, and means for bundling the extruded filaments provided in the spinning bath liquid. Preferably, the same means serves both for bundling and diverting the extruded filaments and is non-rotatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Schwenninger, Friedrich Ecker, Wilhelm Feilmair, Christoph Schrempf, Heinrich Firgo, Stefan Zikeli, Ernest Rauch
  • Patent number: 5968434
    Abstract: To prepare cellulose mouldings, a solution of cellulose in a tertiary amine-oxide is moulded in a hot state and the moulded solution is introduced into a precipitation bath in order to precipitate the contained cellulose, wherein the hot moulded solution is cooled before introduction into the precipitation bath. Cooling occurs immediately after the moulding process and preferably consists of blowing air horizontally on to the cellulose moulding. The process according to the invention allows spinning of the cellulose solution with a high fiber density without the spun fibers sticking together after emerging from the spinneret. In spite of the high fiber density, it furthermore allows the use of a long air gap between the spinneret and the precipitation bath, by which means sufficient time is generated in the spinning process to affect the textile properties of the fibers by drawing at the die (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Ernst Rauch, Hermann Koberger, Friedrich Ecker, Hartmut Ruf, Raimund Jurkovic, Franz Schwenninger
  • Patent number: 5921675
    Abstract: A method for keeping and delivering a homogeneous suspension of shredded cellulose in an aqueous amine oxide is provided using a horizontal cylindrical vessel including a conveyor screw which is parallel to and partially coextensive with the stirring elements in the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker, Ulrich Moderl
  • Patent number: 5890504
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with a process for transporting a thermally unstable viscous mass through a pipe having a predetermined breaking point to release excess pressure, which predetermined breaking point breaks when the excess pressure is reached, the excess pressure thus being released, and is characterized in that the predetermined breaking point is provided in the interior of the pipe, provided that the predetermined breaking point is not provided as a portion of the inner wall of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Klaus Weidinger, Friedrich Ecker, Michael Longin
  • Patent number: 5826978
    Abstract: A device for controlling pressure in a flowing viscous mass includes an inlet, a guiding element having a receiving capacity for the mass flowing from the inlet, a piston movable within the guiding element, and a receptacle which telescopically slides over the inlet when the piston moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Friedrich Ecker, Ernst Rauch, Arnold Nigsch
  • Patent number: 5798125
    Abstract: Apparatus for the preparation of cellulose fibers from a solution of cellulose in a tertiary amine oxide includes a spinneret having a multiplicity of spinning holes arranged essentially in a ring-shape. An inlet for cooling gas is positioned in the center of the ring-shape arrangement of the spinning holes and immediately downstream of the spinning holes. The inlet comprises a tube having a baffle plate at one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Zikeli, Ernst Rauch, Hermann Koberger, Friedrich Ecker, Hartmut Ruf, Raimund Jurkovic, Franz Schwenninger