Patents by Inventor THOMAS KOLL

THOMAS KOLL 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: 11795535
    Abstract: An aluminum-based coating of a flat steel product is applied in a hot-dipping method and comprises a mass percentage of silicon within a given range. The coating for a flat steel product, in particular for press mold hardening components, offers a shortened required minimum oven dwell time and a sufficiently large processing window when heating in an oven. This is achieved in that the surface of the coating has a degree of absorption for thermal radiation ranging between 0.35 and 0.95 prior to an annealing treatment, where the degree of absorption relates to an oven temperature ranging from 880 to 950° C. during the austenitizing annealing treatment. The invention additionally relates to an improved method for producing a flat steel product with an aluminum-based coating, to an inexpensive method for producing press-hardened components from such flat steel products, and to a press-hardened component made of such flat steel products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Debeaux, Friedrich Luther, Thomas Koll
  • Patent number: 11505775
    Abstract: A stirring device of a plug-flow fermentation device includes a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation which defines an axial direction. The stirring device further includes a boundary stirring element that defines the axial extent of a stirring volume covered by the stirring device. A nearest neighbor of the boundary stirring element in the axial direction has an axial maximum width which is smaller than an axial maximum width of the boundary stirring element and which is larger than an axial maximum width of a next-nearest neighbor of the boundary stirring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Thöni Industriebetriebe GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Köll
  • Patent number: 11339479
    Abstract: In a component made of press-form-hardened, aluminium-based coated steel sheet, the coating has a covering which contains aluminum and silicon applied in the hot-dip process. The press-form-hardened component in the transition region between steel sheet and covering has an inter-diffusion zone I, wherein, depending on the layer application of the covering before heating and press hardening, the thickness of the inter-diffusion zone I obeys the following formula: I [?m]<(1/35)×application on both sides [g/m2]+(19/7). Formed on the inter-diffusion zone I is a zone having various intermetallic phases having an average total thickness between 8 and 50 ?m, on which zone there is in turn arranged a covering layer containing aluminum oxide and/or hydroxide having an average thickness of at least 0.05 ?m to at most 5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: SALZGITTER FLACHSTAHL GMBH, VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Koll, Marc Debeaux, Friedrich Luther, Christian Fritzsche, Stefan Mütze, Frank Beier, Matthias Graul, Jan-Frederik Lass, Haucke-Frederik Hartmann
  • Publication number: 20220090250
    Abstract: An aluminum-based coating of a flat steel product is applied in a hot-dipping method and comprises a mass percentage of silicon within a given range. The coating for a flat steel product, in particular for press mold hardening components, offers a shortened required minimum oven dwell time and a sufficiently large processing window when heating in an oven. This is achieved in that the surface of the coating has a degree of absorption for thermal radiation ranging between 0.35 and 0.95 prior to an annealing treatment, where the degree of absorption relates to an oven temperature ranging from 880 to 950° C. during the austenitizing annealing treatment. The invention additionally relates to an improved method for producing a flat steel product with an aluminum-based coating, to an inexpensive method for producing press-hardened components from such flat steel products, and to a press-hardened component made of such flat steel products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Marc Debeaux, Friedrich Luther, Thomas Koll
  • Patent number: 10876195
    Abstract: In an aluminium-based coating for steel sheets or steel strips, the coating includes an aluminium-based coat applied in a hot-dip coating method, a covering layer containing aluminium oxide and/or hydroxide being arranged on the coat. The covering layer is produced by plasma oxidation and/or hot water treatment at temperatures of at least 90° C., advantageously at least 95° C., and/or steam treatment at temperatures of at least 90° C., advantageously at least 95° C. Alternatively, the covering layer containing aluminium oxide and/or hydroxide can be produced by anodic oxidation, the coat being produced in a molten bath with a Si content of between 8 and 12 wt. %, and an Fe content of between 1 and 4 wt. %, the remainder being aluminium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignees: Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Koll, Marc Debeaux, Friedrich Luther, Haucke-Frederik Hartmann, Jan-Frederik Lass, Matthias Graul
  • Patent number: 10852172
    Abstract: Doser for a container containing a substance. The doser includes a dosing member configured to be located at least partially inside a dispensing end of a container. The dosing member includes at least a bottom wall, a retaining wall and a retaining space of predetermined volume configured to retain a dispensable amount of said substance. When the doser is arranged on a container and the container dispenses the dispensable amount of the substance, the dosing member substantially prevents the substance contained in the container from either passing into the retaining space or being dispensed with the dispensable amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas Koll Porter Gieske, Tracie L. C. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20200308708
    Abstract: In a component made of press-form-hardened, aluminium-based coated steel sheet, the coating has a covering which contains aluminum and silicon applied in the hot-dip process. The press-form-hardened component in the transition region between steel sheet and covering has an inter-diffusion zone I, wherein, depending on the layer application of the covering before heating and press hardening, the thickness of the inter-diffusion zone I obeys the following formula: I [?m]<( 1/35)×application on both sides [g/m2]+( 19/7). Formed on the inter-diffusion zone I is a zone having various intermetallic phases having an average total thickness between 8 and 50 ?m, on which zone there is in turn arranged a covering layer containing aluminum oxide and/or hydroxide having an average thickness of at least 0.05 ?m to at most 5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicants: SALZGITTER FLACHSTAHL GMBH, VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: THOMAS KOLL, MARC DEBEAUX, FRIEDRICH LUTHER, CHRISTIAN FRITZSCHE, STEFAN MÜTZE, FRANK BEIER, MATTHIAS GRAUL, JAN-FREDERIK LASS, HAUCKE-FREDERIK HARTMANN
  • Patent number: 10550361
    Abstract: A biogas plant is provided comprising a fermentation container for receiving fermentation material to be fermented. The fermentation container comprises a lower wall part and an upper wall part where the upper wall part is positioned above the lower wall part. Further, the biogas plant comprises a support and a hinge wherein the hinge hingedly connects the fermentation container to the support and wherein the hinge defines a pivot axis about which the upper wall part and the lower wall part are pivotable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: THÖNI INDUSTRIEBETRIEBE GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Köll
  • Patent number: 10441101
    Abstract: Container having a container body comprising a bottom, a rim and a lid securing portion located adjacent the rim. A lid includes a lid base sized and configured to secure the lid to the lid securing portion of the container body and a lid door assembly movably mounted to the lid base. The lid door assembly includes a main door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the lid base and an open position with respect to the lid base, a first side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door, and a second side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tracie L. C. Wilson, Thomas Koll Porter Gieske, Darin Pugne, Adam Beaty, Don Ankney, Ron Myers, Charles A. Webster, Stephen B. Getsy, Dewey Carlile
  • Patent number: 10400205
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the herein disclosed subject matter it is described a stirring device (100) comprising a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation; a stirring element (106) attached to the shaft, the stirring element (106) having a recess (108); the recess (108) having a surface portion (114) and an edge (116), the edge (116) defining an opening which provides access to the surface portion (114); the recess (108) being spaced from the shaft, wherein a rotation of the shaft defines a moving direction (120) of the recess (108) in which the edge (116) forms a leading edge of the recess (108); the surface portion (114) defining a depth (122) of the recess (108) with regard to the edge (116); and wherein in a direction (124) radially inwardly the depth (122) of the recess (108) is decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: THÖNI INDUSTRIEBETRIEBE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Köll, Daniel Kern, Michael Krismer
  • Publication number: 20190256814
    Abstract: A stirring device of a plug-flow fermentation device includes a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation which defines an axial direction. The stirring device further includes a boundary stirring element that defines the axial extent of a stirring volume covered by the stirring device. A nearest neighbor of the boundary stirring element in the axial direction has an axial maximum width which is smaller than an axial maximum width of the boundary stirring element and which is larger than an axial maximum width of a next-nearest neighbor of the boundary stirring element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas Köll
  • Publication number: 20190040513
    Abstract: in an aluminium-based coating for steel sheets or steel strips, the coating includes an aluminium-based coat applied in a hot-dip coating method, a covering layer containing aluminium oxide and/or hydroxide being arranged on the coat. The covering layer is produced by plasma oxidation and/or hot water treatment at temperatures of at least 90° C., advantageously at least 95° C., and/or steam treatment at temperatures of at least 90° C., advantageously at least 95° C. Alternatively, the covering layer containing aluminium oxide and/or hydroxide can be produced by anodic oxidation, the coat being produced in a molten bath with a Si content of between 8 and 12 wt. %, and an Fe content of between 1 and 4 wt. %, the remainder being aluminium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicants: Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: THOMAS KOLL, MARC DEBEAUX, FRIEDRICH LUTHER, HAUCKE-FREDERIK HARTMANN, JAN-FREDERIK LASS, MATTHIAS GRAUL
  • Patent number: 10159947
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the herein disclosed subject matter it is described a stirring device (200) for a biogas fermenter wherein the stirring device (200) is configured for stirring a fermentation material and comprises a shaft (102) rotatable about an axis of rotation and a mounting structure (106) attached to the shaft (102). The mounting structure (106) has a first connection surface (112) and the second connection surface (114) and a stirring element (116) is attached to the first connection surface (112) and the second connection surface (114). The first connection surface (112) and the second connection surface (112) are located at opposite sides of the shaft (102) with the shaft being located between the first connection surface (112) and the second connection surface (114). The stirring element (116) may be configured to be spaced from the shaft (102) when the stirring element (116) is attached to the first connection surface (112) and the second connection surface (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Thöni Industriebetriebe GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Köll
  • Publication number: 20180141726
    Abstract: Dispenser package comprising a planar backing, a dispenser body coupled to the backing and a flip-up or flip-out cover movable between a closed position and an open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Erik HOLM, Thomas Koll Porter GIESKE, Tracie L.C. WILSON, Troy A. HILL
  • Publication number: 20180112169
    Abstract: A biogas plant is provided comprising a fermentation container for receiving fermentation material to be fermented. The fermentation container comprises a lower wall part and an upper wall part where the upper wall part is positioned above the lower wall part. Further, the biogas plant comprises a support and a hinge wherein the hinge hingedly connects the fermentation container to the support and wherein the hinge defines a pivot axis about which the upper wall part and the lower wall part are pivotable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Köll
  • Publication number: 20180092478
    Abstract: Container having a container body comprising a bottom, a rim and a lid securing portion located adjacent the rim. A lid includes a lid base sized and configured to secure the lid to the lid securing portion of the container body and a lid door assembly movably mounted to the lid base. The lid door assembly includes a main door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the lid base and an open position with respect to the lid base, a first side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door, and a second side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tracie L.C. WILSON, Thomas Koll Porter GIESKE, Darin PUGNE, Adam BEATY, Don ANKNEY, Ron MYERS, Charles A. WEBSTER, Stephen B. GETSY, Dewey CARLISLE
  • Publication number: 20180094959
    Abstract: Doser for a container containing a substance. The doser includes a dosing member configured to be located at least partially inside a dispensing end of a container. The dosing member includes at least a bottom wall, a retaining wall and a retaining space of predetermined volume configured to retain a dispensable amount of said substance. When the doser is arranged on a container and the container dispenses the dispensable amount of the substance, the dosing member substantially prevents the substance contained in the container from either passing into the retaining space or being dispensed with the dispensable amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas Koll Porter GIESKE, Tracie L.C. WILSON
  • Patent number: D809332
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas Koll Porter Gieske, Tracie L. C. Wilson, Olivier Rattin
  • Patent number: D810556
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Erik Holm, Thomas Koll Porter Gieske, Troy A. Hill, Tracie L. C. Wilson
  • Patent number: D846398
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tracie L. C. Wilson, Darin Pugne, Adam Beaty, Don Ankney, Ron Myers, Thomas Koll Porter Gieske