Patents by Inventor Michael D. Hurst

Michael D. Hurst 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: 10471925
    Abstract: An airbag comprises a textile substrate and a coating on at least a portion of the surface of the textile substrate. The coating comprises a polyurethane polymer and a phosphorous compound. The phosphorous compound can be selected from the group consisting of esters of phosphoric acid, esters of phosphonic acid, esters of phosphinic acid, and mixtures thereof. An airbag module comprises the above-described airbag, a gas generator, and a cover at least partially enclosing the airbag and gas generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Publication number: 20170342655
    Abstract: A process for coating a fabric web on upper and lower sides in one pass containing unwinding a fabric web, coating the upper side of the fabric web with a upper coating composition using a first coater, coating the lower side of the fabric web with a lower coating composition using a second coater, drying the coated fabric web in a horizontal dryer, and winding up the coated fabric web. The upper and lower coatings are each in an add-on amount of between about 10 and 75 GSM. The second coater comprises an entry edge and a beveled exit edge, where the entry edge is located closer to the first coater than the beveled exit edge, the entry edge of the second coater is in contact with the lower side of the fabric web, and the beveled exit edge of the second coater is not in contact with the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Publication number: 20170028961
    Abstract: An airbag comprises a textile substrate and a coating on at least a portion of the surface of the textile substrate. The coating comprises a polyurethane polymer and a phosphorous compound. The phosphorous compound can be selected from the group consisting of esters of phosphoric acid, esters of phosphonic acid, esters of phosphinic acid, and mixtures thereof. An airbag module comprises the above-described airbag, a gas generator, and a cover at least partially enclosing the airbag and gas generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Publication number: 20130241183
    Abstract: An airbag comprises a textile substrate and a coating on at least a portion of the surface of the textile substrate. The coating comprises a polyurethane polymer and a phosphorous compound. The phosphorous compound can be selected from the group consisting of esters of phosphoric acid, esters of phosphonic acid, esters of phosphinic acid, and mixtures thereof. An airbag module comprises the above-described airbag, a gas generator, and a cover at least partially enclosing the airbag and gas generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Patent number: 7413214
    Abstract: An airbag cushion having a novel seam structure including either a tri-stitch fold-over seam structure or a double-stitch fold-over seam structure. The novel seam structure allows airbag cushions to be manufactured by using low tenacity yarns, preferably in the range of between about 40 cN/tex and about 65 cN/tex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst, William J. Martin
  • Patent number: 7287478
    Abstract: An airbag cushion having a novel seam structure including either a tri-stitch fold-over seam structure or a double-stitch fold-over seam structure. The novel seam structure allows airbag cushions to be manufactured by using low tenacity yarns, preferably in the range of between about 40 cN/tex and about 65 cN/tex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst, William J. Martin
  • Publication number: 20040232682
    Abstract: An airbag cushion having a novel seam structure including either a tri-stitch fold-over seam structure or a double-stitch fold-over seam structure. The novel seam structure allows airbag cushions to be manufactured by using low tenacity yarns, preferably in the range of between about 40 cN/tex and about 65 cN/tex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst, William J. Martin
  • Patent number: 6734124
    Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics and more particularly concerns airbag cushions to which very low add-on amounts of silicone-based coating have been applied and which exhibit extremely low air permeability are provided. The inventive inflatable fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions that require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones, and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin, substantially uniform silicone coating to provide such necessarily low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coating comprises at least a single layer comprising a majority of silicone-based material, wherein the total thickness of the single layer is at most about 3.0 ounces per square yard as applied to a target fabric surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Hurst, Edwin Hersey
  • Patent number: 6672339
    Abstract: A fabric for use in an air bag is provided. The fabric of the invention is produced by mechanically compressing a preliminary fabric constructed substantially of synthetic yarn such that the packed volume per unit area of the compressed fabric is less than the packed volume per unit area of the preliminary fabric. Air permeability is not adversely affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Publication number: 20030134066
    Abstract: An airbag cushion having a novel seam structure including either a tri-stitch fold-over seam structure or a double-stitch fold-over seam structure. The novel seam structure allows airbag cushions to be manufactured by using low tenacity yarns, preferably in the range of between about 40 cN/tex and about 65 cN/tex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst, William J. Martin
  • Publication number: 20030124929
    Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics and more particularly concerns airbag cushions to which very low add-on amounts of silicone-based coating have been applied and which exhibit extremely low air permeability are provided. The inventive inflatable fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions that require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones, and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin, substantially uniform silicone coating to provide such necessarily low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coating comprises at least a single layer comprising a majority of silicone-based material, wherein the total thickness of the single layer is at most about 3.0 ounces per square yard as applied to a target fabric surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Michael D. Hurst, Edwin Hersey
  • Patent number: 6569788
    Abstract: Coated inflatable fabrics and more particularly concerns airbag cushions to which very low add-on amounts of silicone-based coating have been applied and which exhibit extremely low air permeability are provided. The inventive inflatable fabrics are primarily for use in automotive restraint cushions that require low permeability characteristics (such as side curtain airbags). Traditionally, heavy, and thus expensive, coatings of compounds such as neoprene, silicones, and the like, have been utilized to provide such required low permeability. The inventive fabric utilizes an inexpensive, very thin, substantially uniform silicone coating to provide such necessarily low permeability levels. Thus, the inventive coating comprises at least a single layer comprising a majority of silicone-based material, wherein the total thickness of the single layer is at most about 3.0 ounces per square yard as applied to a target fabric surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Hurst, Edwin Hersey
  • Publication number: 20030029007
    Abstract: A fabric for use in an air bag is provided. The fabric of the invention is produced by mechanically compressing a preliminary fabric constructed substantially of synthetic yarn such that the packed volume per unit area of the compressed fabric is less than the packed volume per unit area of the preliminary fabric. Air permeability is not adversely affected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Patent number: 6473948
    Abstract: A fabric for use in an air bag is provided. The fabric of the invention is produced by mechanically compressing a preliminary fabric constructed substantially of synthetic yarn such that the packed volume per unit area of the compressed fabric is less than the packed volume per unit area of the preliminary fabric. Air permeability is not adversely affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Patent number: 6327759
    Abstract: A fabric for use in an air bag is provided. The fabric of the invention is produced by mechanically compressing a preliminary fabric constructed substantially of synthetic yarn such that the packed volume per unit area of the compressed fabric is less than the packed volume per unit area of the preliminary fabric. Air permeability is not adversely affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst
  • Patent number: RE38769
    Abstract: A fabric for use in an air bag is provided. The fabric of the invention is produced by mechanically compressing a preliminary fabric constructed substantially of synthetic yarn such that the packed volume per unit area of the compressed fabric is less than the packed volume per unit area of the preliminary fabric. Air permeability is not adversely affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Keshavaraj, Michael D. Hurst