Patents by Inventor Thomas Lifka

Thomas Lifka 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: 20230081248
    Abstract: A method for producing a glass ceramic includes: providing a batch of raw materials; heating the batch of raw materials until a melt is obtained, the batch of raw materials being heated at least in a plurality of sections to a temperature above T3 which corresponds to a viscosity of a molten glass of 103 dPa*s; refining the melt, the melt being heated at least in a plurality of sections to a temperature above T2.5 which corresponds to a viscosity of the molten glass of 102.5 dPa*s; obtaining a refined glass which is configured for being ceramized to form a glass ceramic material; and ceramizing a glass which is configured for being ceramized to form the glass ceramic material, at least one of the step of heating until the melt is obtained and the step of refining being performed with heating by way of H2 and O2 combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: Schott AG
    Inventors: Olaf Claußen, Steffen Grün, Thomas Lifka, André Schrepfer
  • Publication number: 20230074664
    Abstract: A method for melting and/or refining glass, glass ceramic or glass which can be ceramized to form glass ceramic includes: providing a batch of raw materials; heating the batch until a melt of molten glass is obtained, the batch being heated at least in sections to a temperature above T3 which corresponds to a viscosity of the molten glass of 103 dPa*s; refining the melt, the melt being heated at least in sections to a temperature above T2.5 which corresponds to a viscosity of the molten glass of 102.5 dPa*s, refining of the melt includes adjusting an oxygen partial pressure p(O2) which is reduced by at least 60% relative to an O2 saturation in the melt at temperature T3; and obtaining a re-fined glass, a refined glass ceramic or a refined glass which can be ceramized to form glass ceramic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Schott AG
    Inventors: Olaf Claußen, Steffen Grün, Thomas Lifka, André Schrepfer
  • Patent number: 11465933
    Abstract: A glass-ceramic component is provided that has a low average coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a high CTE homogeneity. The use of such a component and a process for producing such a component are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Ralf Jedamzik, Steffen Grün, Thomas Lifka, Johann Faderl
  • Publication number: 20160355433
    Abstract: A glass-ceramic component is provided that has a low average coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a high CTE homogeneity. The use of such a component and a process for producing such a component are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Ralf JEDAMZIK, Steffan GRÜN, Thomas LIFKA, Johann FADERL
  • Patent number: 8404606
    Abstract: The lead-free and arsenic-free optical glasses have a refractive index of 1.83?nd?1.95 and an Abbé number of 24??d?35, good chemical resistance, excellent crystallization stability and a composition, in wt. % based on oxide content, of SiO2, 2-8; B2O3, 15-22; La2O3, 35-42; ZnO, 10-18; TiO2, 9-15; ZrO2, 3-10; Nb2O5, 4-10; and WO3, >0.5-3. Besides containing at most 5 wt. % of each of GeO2, Ag2O and BaO and conventional fining agents, they may also contain at most in total 5 wt. % of Al2O3, MgO, CaO, SrO, P2O5 and up to at most in total 5 wt. % of the components F, Ta2O5. The glasses are preferably free of alkali metal oxides, Bi2O3, Y2O3, Gd2O3 and/or Yb2O3. Optical elements made from the optical glass are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Silke Wolff, Karl Mennemann, Uwe Kolberg, Ute Woelfel, Thomas Lifka
  • Publication number: 20100222199
    Abstract: The lead-free and arsenic-free optical glasses have a refractive index of 1.83?nd?1.95 and an Abbé number of 24??d?35, good chemical resistance, excellent crystallization stability and a composition, in wt. % based on oxide content, of SiO2, 2-8; B2O3, 15-22; La2O3, 35-42; ZnO, 10-18; TiO2, 9-15; ZrO2, 3-10; Nb2O5, 4-10; and WO3, >0.5-3. Besides containing at most 5 wt. % of each of GeO2, Ag2O and BaO and conventional fining agents, they may also contain at most in total 5 wt. % of Al2O3, MgO, CaO, SrO, P2O5 and up to at most in total 5 wt. % of the components F, Ta2O5. The glasses are preferably free of alkali metal oxides, Bi2O3, Y2O3, Gd2O3 and/or Yb2O3. Optical elements made from the optical glass are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Silke Wolff, Karl Mennemann, Uwe Kolberg, Ute Woelfel, Thomas Lifka