The present invention aims at providing a prepreg for producing a laminate suitable as a structural material, and a laminate, which have excellent tensile shear joining strength, fatigue joining strength, and interlaminar fractural toughness values, and can be firmly integrated with another structural member by welding. The present invention is a prepreg including the following structural components [A], [B], and [C], wherein [C] is present on a surface of the prepreg, [C] is a crystalline thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature of 100° C. or higher or an amorphous thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature of 180° C. or higher, and the reinforcing fibers [A] are present which are included in a resin area including [B] and a resin area including [C] across an interface between the two resin areas: [A] reinforcing fibers; [B] a thermosetting resin; and [C] a thermoplastic resin.

A sole structure includes a compressible elastomer and a knitting texture wrapped around the compressible elastomer and fused with a surface of the compressible elastomer. The compressible elastomer is formed from the thermoplastic filling material after being melted and cooled. The knitting texture is formed from the knitted fabric and is capable of being directly observed from an appearance of the sole structure.

A composite includes a heavy Leno weave fabric, a first resin coating, and a second resin coating. The heavy Leno weave fabric has a first side and a second side. The fabric is characterized by yarns having a denier number of at least about 1,300 in both warp and weft directions. The fabric defines a pore structure. The first resin coating is on the first side of the heavy Leno weave fabric. The second resin coating is on the second side of the heavy Leno weave fabric. The first and second resin coatings are bound to each other through the fabric via the pore structure.

Snowboards are constructed by initial manufacture of a base sub-assembly including fewer than all layers of the snowboard, e.g., a base layer, edges, and a stabilizing layer. These layers are permanently bonded together into a unitary base sub-assembly. The running (bottom) surface is then finished to provide a desired surface consistency by eliminating undesired irregularities from the manufacturing process, e.g., using a conventional base grinding machine. Subsequently, the base sub-assembly and remaining snowboard layers (e.g., top sheet and a core sandwiched between reinforcing layers) are permanently bonded together into a unitary final snowboard assembly, which may then be worked to form a finished snowboard. Snowboards may be either flat or non-flat in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. Accordingly, the method may be used to produce snowboards having a desired sanded/ground base surface having a desired surface consistency, even for snowboards that are non-flat in the transverse direction.

A gasket is disclosed for use as an environmental seal between a first aircraft part having planer surface and a second aircraft part having a planer surface, the two planer parts spread apart and engaged with fasteners. The gasket, in some embodiments, is compressible between the planer surfaces. The gasket, in some embodiments, comprises a first tabular portion having tabular portion properties and having a first tabular thickness and a length and a width, the length and width much greater than the first tabular thickness; and a second tabular portion having tabular portion properties having a second tabular thickness, a length and width, the length and width much greater than the second tabular thickness; and a tabular skeleton. The first and second tabular portions and the skeleton are positioned parallel to one another. The skeleton is at least partly contacting one of the tabular portions. The first tabular portion and the second tabular portion differ in at least one tabular portion property.

An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.

An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.

A method for analyzing a surface quality of a laminate part including the steps of creating a planned dimensioned representation of a laminate part desired to be built which includes a first surface having a first topography; placing fibers into locations for the laminate part desired to be built; and curing a resin associated with the placed fibers fabricating an as-built laminate part which includes a second surface having a second topography which corresponds to the first surface having the first topography. The method also includes aligning the first surface, the second surface and the locations of the fibers; determining a first elevation of a first point on the first surface and a second elevation of a second point on the second surface; and observing the first surface, the second surface and the locations of the fibers in alignment and the first elevation relative to the second elevation in analyzing the surface quality of the laminate part.

A multifunctional supporting rod of vehicle components of commercial vehicles, such as road implements, including, e.g., rods useful in supporting of vehicle components like fender, wings, rearview mirrors, lighting devices for commercial vehicles and similar, among other parts. In one aspect, the rod includes an integrated shock absorber for vibrational efforts and load in rod itself, comprising structural composite material, which provides improved dampen of mechanic-dynamic efforts and improved mechanic responses, reducing structural fatigue. In other aspect, the rod provides higher resistance to efforts, less material amount, and provides a mode of incomplete failure in predetermined location, avoiding loss of components during a structural failure generated from use. In another aspect, the rod has low weight/mass, provides gain of payload of commercial vehicle, and economy of energy/fuel.

A reinforced preform includes a sheet of reinforced material having opposed first and second edges, with each edge having a respective first connection point located therealong. The preform also includes first and second tethers, with each tether being attached at a respective first end thereof to a respective one of the first connection points and having a respective second end thereof terminating in at least one of: a respective loop tied at the respective second end, a respective knot tied at the respective second end, a respective graspable member to which the respective second end is connected, and an attachment to a respective second connection point located along a perimeter of the sheet. A method and mold for molding a reinforced preform are also disclosed.