Franz Hauner

Title: Franz Hauner: Inventor in Contact Materials

Introduction

Franz Hauner is an inventor associated with Rottenbach, Germany. His patent work includes processes for producing silver-based contact materials, with a focus on powder metallurgy and the properties of metal oxides in electrical contacts. Hauner is credited with 11 patents.

Latest Patents

One of Hauner’s latest patents describes producing a contact-material product from a powder mixture containing silver and iron. The process uses iron powder with an average particle size greater than one micrometer, then applies powder-metallurgy methods that oxidize the iron to iron oxide in the finished product.

Another patent concerns producing shaped articles or contact pieces from silver and a metal oxide. The powder mixture is metallurgically processed so that the metal oxide is reduced to metal. Because metal oxides can be obtained in finer particles than metal powders, this approach can produce contact materials with an active metal component averaging less than one micrometer in particle size. The fine particle size is described as beneficial to switching performance.

Career Highlights

Hauner’s listed company affiliations include Siemens Aktiengesellschaft and Metalor Contacts Deutschland GmbH. His patent portfolio reflects work on the composition and manufacture of contact materials, particularly methods that use powder processing to achieve desired material structures and electrical switching properties.

Collaborations

Hauner’s named coworkers include Gunter Tiefel and Manfred Schneider. Their association with his work points to collaboration in the development of contact-material technologies.

Conclusion

Franz Hauner’s patents document contributions to silver-based contact materials and manufacturing processes designed to refine their composition and performance.