A medical balloon with a variable diameter that is reinforced with continuous fibers woven to form a fabric with a varying number of layers and fiber densities. Portions of the balloon having a relatively smaller diameter are reinforced with a fabric having a reduced fiber density and an increased number of layers to facilitate the placement of the layers. The fabric also includes a braiding pattern that facilitates the transition from a single layer fabric to a multiple layer fabric. Also described is a manufacturing method for the braiding and layering.

A method for weaving a three-dimensional preform includes the following steps: decomposing and determining performance requirements of different functional locations of the parts; selecting guide sleeves and fibers of each of the functional locations and designing a parameter; selecting guide sleeves and fibers of a transition area and designing a parameter, thereby implementing smooth transition of the transition area; determining a weaving sequence according to layouts of the guide sleeves and winding manners of the fibers in the functional locations and the transition area to generate a fiber iterative instruction for layer-by-layer weaving; arranging guide sleeves according to design requirements of the functional locations and the transition area to generate a guide sleeve array; and driving a weaving mechanism to select different fibers for subarea weaving layer by layer to obtain the three-dimensional preform having a gradient structure.

Disclosed is a weaving assembly including a rotatable base, a base positional controller, a weave control grid, a warp fiber support, warp fiber arms, a warp fiber arm positional controller and a fill fiber wand.

A weaving loom produces a fabric (F), with warp yarns and in-woven weft yarns. The weaving loom includes a warp delivery unit, heddles to form a shed, a shedding mechanism for moving each heddle vertically along a vertical path, a weft insertion means for inserting each weft yarn in a shed and for releasing each weft yarn at a given location along a weft axis, and a weft delivery means for delivering each weft yarn to the weft insertion means. The weaving loom also includes a programmable clamping means for picking up a first end of each weft yarn and for releasing each weft yarn at any predetermined position along the weft axis, and a programmable mechanism including actuators for semi-closing the shed around the inserted weft yarn at any predetermined position along the weft axis.

A weaving loom produces a fabric (F), with warp yarns and in-woven weft yarns. The weaving loom includes a warp delivery unit, heddles to form a shed, a shedding mechanism for moving each heddle vertically along a vertical path, a weft insertion means for inserting each weft yarn in a shed and for releasing each weft yarn at a given location along a weft axis, and a weft delivery means for delivering each weft yarn to the weft insertion means. The weaving loom also includes a programmable clamping means for picking up a first end of each weft yarn and for releasing each weft yarn at any predetermined position along the weft axis, and a programmable mechanism including actuators for semi-closing the shed around the inserted weft yarn at any predetermined position along the weft axis.

Disclosed is a weaving method including placing a first section of a fill fiber between warp fibers, forming a pick, moving a base to reposition the warp fibers, and placing a second section of the fill fiber between the warp fibers to form a woven structure, wherein at least a portion of the warp fibers are introduced to the woven structure using a weave control grid. Also disclosed is a weaving assembly including a base, a base positional controller, a weave control grid, warp fiber arms, a warp fiber arm positional controller and a fill fiber wand.

Device for producing a preform to a given 3D profile, from at least two warp tapes/filaments (18) placed in a first plane and at least one weft tape/filament (20) placed in a second plane, the first and second planes making a determined angle, characterized in that it comprises feed means (12) for warp tapes/filaments (18) with independent modules, feed means (14) for weft tapes/filaments (20), manoeuvring .sub.[GH19] means (16) for manoeuvring the warp tapes/filaments (18) with respect to the weft tapes/filaments (20), and manoeuvring means (16) for manoeuvring all of the warp tapes/filaments (20), according to said given 3D profile.

Disclosed is a weaving method including placing a first section of a fill fiber between warp fibers, forming a pick, moving a base to reposition the warp fibers, and placing a second section of the fill fiber between the warp fibers to form a woven structure, wherein at least a portion of the warp fibers are introduced to the woven structure using a weave control grid. Also disclosed is a weaving assembly including a base, a base positional controller, a weave control grid, warp fiber arms, a warp fiber arm positional controller and a fill fiber wand.

A weaving loom for weaving a multilayer fabric with weft insertion mechanism (90) and main heddles moved by a Jacquard main shedding mechanism for guiding main warp yarns (12) and defining a main harness width (W11). According to the invention, the weaving loom includes auxiliary heddles (21) moved by an auxiliary shedding mechanism, for guiding auxiliary warp yarns (22) and defining a clamping area (W21) arranged within the main harness width (W11). At a first pick, the auxiliary heddles are configured for closing the auxiliary shed of auxiliary warp yarns for clamping an inserted weft (100) while the main shed is still open.

A method of manufacturing a preform including a core and a sole includes contour weaving the preform on a lap roller having a groove or an outgrowth allowing shape weaving of the core and the sole of the preform. At least one portion of the core and at least one portion of the sole include weft yarns which cross each other on common warp yarns.