Patents Assigned to Felters of South Carolina, LLC
  • Patent number: 11821520
    Abstract: High temperature dryer seals and related methods are provided. A high temperature dryer seal can include a first substrate having first and second ends and first and second sides. The first substrate can include a low-melt polymer. The first end and the second end of the first substrate can secured together so that the first substrate forms at least a portion of an annular shape. The dryer seal can also include a second substrate secured to the first substrate at the second side of the first substrate. The second substrate can include a high temperature material that has a higher melting point than the low-melt polymer of the first substrate. The dryer seal also includes a heat resistant coating attached to the second substrate with the heat resistant coating being activated at a temperature that is higher than a melting point of the low-melt polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20210347325
    Abstract: Vehicle safety devices and seam tapes for use in safety airbags along with their methods of formation and use are provided. The vehicle safety device can comprise an airbag and a pyrotechnic device positioned within working proximity to an aperture defined in the airbag and configured to fill the interior space of the airbag with a gas upon ignition. The vehicle safety device can also comprise a seam tape positioned over the seam joining a first fabric section and a second fabric section of the airbag. The seam tape can be configured to melt enough to flow into the needle puncture holes formed along the seam upon ignition of the pyrotechnic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Patent number: 11001222
    Abstract: Vehicle safety devices, seam tapes for use in safety airbags along with their methods of formation and use are provided. The vehicle safety device can comprise an airbag and a pyrotechnic device positioned within working proximity to an aperture defined in the airbag and configured to fill the interior space of the airbag with a gas upon ignition. The vehicle safety device can also comprise a seam tape positioned over the seam joining a first fabric section and a second fabric section of the airbag. The seam tape can be configured to melt enough to flow into the needle puncture holes formed along the seam upon ignition of the pyrotechnic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: FELTERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Patent number: 10800373
    Abstract: Vehicle safety devices, heat shields used in such devices and related methods are provided. The heat shield for use in vehicle airbags can include a woven base substrate and a needlepunched nonwoven substrate comprising silicon-containing fibers. The needlepunched nonwoven can be needlepunched to the woven base substrate such that, when the heat shield is positioned within an interior space of an airbag, the needlepunched nonwoven substrate faces apertures of an inflator within the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Patent number: 10648563
    Abstract: Bearings for fire retardant dryer seals, fire retardant dryer seals, and related methods are provided herein. A fire retardant dryer seal can include an elongate, flexible base substrate having a first end and a second end. The base substrate can also have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A fire retardant dryer seal can include a bearing having a first end and a second end with the bearing including a needlepunched nonwoven having a reinforced scrim and fibers with silicon therein. The first end and the second end of the base substrate secured to the first end and the second end of the bearing so that the bearing and the base substrate forms an annular shape. A heat resistant coating can be disposed on at least the first surface of the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Patent number: 10508379
    Abstract: High temperature dryer door seals and related methods are disclosed herein. Such a dryer door seal can include an outer substrate forming an interior cavity. The outer substrate is deformable upon compression and can have a shape to provide a tight seal between a dryer door and a bulkhead of the dryer. The dryer door seal can also include an inner substrate residing the interior cavity of the outer substrate that permits the outer substrate to deform upon compression between a dryer door and a bulkhead of the dryer. The dryer door seal can further include a heat resistant coating disposed on at least one surface of the inner substrate that expands at temperatures above an activation temperature. The outer substrate can include a polymer that has a melting point below the activation temperature at which the heat resistant coating is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Patent number: 10113646
    Abstract: Fire retardant dryer seals and related methods are provided herein. A fire retardant dryer seal can include an elongate, flexible base substrate having a first end and a second end. The base substrate can also have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first end and the second end of the base substrate secured together so that the base substrate forms at least a portion of an annular shape. A heat resistant coating disposed on at least the first surface of the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventors: Vernon J. Lowe, James Justice, Christina D. Viets
  • Patent number: 9970705
    Abstract: Fire retardant dryer seals and related methods are provided herein. A fire retardant dryer seal can include a first base substrate having a first end and a second end. At least a portion of the first base substrate can include a low-melt polymer with the first base substrate forming contact surfaces of the dryer seal for contacting portions of a dryer when installed in the dryer. The first end and the second end of the first base substrate can be secured together so that the first base substrate forms at least a portion of an annular shape. The fire retardant dryer seal can also include a heat resistant coating disposed on the dryer seal that does not comprise the contact surfaces of the first base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20180128373
    Abstract: Bearings for fire retardant dryer seals, fire retardant dryer seals, and related methods are provided herein. A fire retardant dryer seal can include an elongate, flexible base substrate having a first end and a second end. The base substrate can also have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A fire retardant dryer seal can include a bearing having a first end and a second end with the bearing including a needlepunched nonwoven having a reinforced scrim and fibers with silicon therein. The first end and the second end of the base substrate secured to the first end and the second end of the bearing so that the bearing and the base substrate forms an annular shape. A heat resistant coating can be disposed on at least the first surface of the base substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicant: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventor: Vernon J. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20170276250
    Abstract: Fire retardant dryer seals and related methods are provided herein. A fire retardant dryer seal can include an elongate, flexible base substrate having a first end and a second end. The base substrate can also have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first end and the second end of the base substrate secured together so that the base substrate forms at least a portion of an annular shape. A heat resistant coating disposed on at least the first surface of the base substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventors: VERNON J. LOWE, James Justice, Christina D. Viets
  • Patent number: 9562610
    Abstract: Fire retardant dryer seals and related methods are provided herein. A fire retardant dryer seal can include an elongate, flexible base substrate having a first end and a second end. The base substrate can also have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first end and the second end of the base substrate secured together so that the base substrate forms at least a portion of an annular shape. A heat resistant coating disposed on at least the first surface of the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Felters of South Carolina, LLC
    Inventors: Vernon J. Lowe, James Justice, Christina D. Viets