A molding material comprising a fibrous reinforcement layer and a curable resin matrix. The fibrous reinforcement layer comprises a non-woven fabric comprising a single layer of unidirectional tows arranged at an angle greater than 0° in relation to the lengthwise direction of the fabric and a support structure for maintaining the arrangement of the tows.

A stretch laminate is disclosed. The stretch laminate may include a first layer; a second layer; and one or more elastic members disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The first layer may include a nonwoven web material bearing a pattern of thermal bonds, including a plurality of bonds each having a length and a width, the length being oriented perpendicularly to the stretch direction and being greater than the width, for a majority of the bonds. The elastic member(s) may be joined with the first layer and the second layer while pre-strained in the stretch direction; when the stretch laminate is in a relaxed condition, at least the first layer may include a plurality of gathers comprising elongate ridges and valleys oriented transversely to the stretch direction. A disposable absorbent pant having an elasticized belt structure including the stretch laminate, is also disclosed.

A machine for non-woven fabric formation containing a rotating center shaft, at least a first and second pair of laterally spaced, interchangeable helical yarn guides, a yarn feeding wheel assembly, a fabric take up. The machine is capable of forming both square and tri-axial scrims with changes to the interchangeable helical yarn guides and yarn feeding wheel assembly.

A machine for non-woven fabric formation containing a rotating center shaft, at least a first and second pair of laterally spaced, interchangeable helical yarn guides, a yarn feeding wheel assembly, a fabric take up. The machine is capable of forming both square and tri-axial scrims with changes to the interchangeable helical yarn guides and yarn feeding wheel assembly.

A reinforced substrate is used for molding a composite material. The reinforced substrate includes a first region and a second region. The first region includes reinforcing fibers extending in a fiber direction that is aligned in a single direction. The second region includes the reinforcing fibers aligned in the same direction as the fiber direction and being thinner than the first region. The first region and the second region are lined up in alternating fashion in a plane along a direction intersecting the fiber direction.

A reinforced substrate is used for molding a composite material. The reinforced substrate includes a first region and a second region. The first region includes reinforcing fibers extending in a fiber direction that is aligned in a single direction. The second region includes the reinforcing fibers aligned in the same direction as the fiber direction and being thinner than the first region. The first region and the second region are lined up in alternating fashion in a plane along a direction intersecting the fiber direction.

A semi-finished product for the manufacture of a structural component has a plurality of prepreg tapes, each having unidirectionally arranged reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, and with a plurality of connecting strands containing a thermoplastic material. The prepreg tapes and the connecting strands are either joined to form a textile sheet structure or the prepreg tapes are arranged to form a multiaxial fabric, individual layers of the fabric being joined by the connecting strands. Further, a method for manufacturing a curved structural component from such a semi-finished product is described.

A resin-integrated carbon fiber sheet 1, including: a carbon fiber sheet 2 in which a carbon fiber filament group is spread and arrayed in parallel in one direction; resin 4 that is present on part of a surface of the carbon fiber sheet; and bridging fibers 3. One or more of the bridging fibers 3 is present on average on a surface of the carbon fiber sheet 2 in a direction across the carbon fiber sheet per 10 mm.sup.2 of the sheet 2, and the resin 4 on the surface adhesively fixes the bridging fibers 3 to the carbon fiber sheet 2. Thus, the present invention provides a resin-integrated carbon fiber sheet that is strong in the width direction of the carbon fiber sheet, high in cleavage resistance and excellent in handleability, and a production method of the same.

Provided are an air filter medium and an air filter product that can have a long life. The air filter medium includes a filter medium layer that includes first fibers having an average fiber diameter of not less than 5 μm and not greater than 50 μm and second fibers disposed in gaps between the first fibers and having an average fiber diameter of not less than 30 nm and not greater than 1 μm.

An in-situ melt processing method for forming a fiber thermoplastic resin composite overwrapped workpiece, such as a composite overwrapped pressure vessel. Carbon fiber, or other types of fiber, are combined with a thermoplastic resin system. The selected fiber tow and the resin are prepared for impregnation of the tow by the resin. The resin is melted; and, carbon fiber is impregnated with the melted resin at the filament winding machine delivery head. The molten state of the composite is maintained and is applied, in the molten state, to the heated surface of a workpiece. The portion of the surface being wrapped is heated to the melting point of the thermoplastic resin so that the molten composite more efficiently adheres to the heated surface of the workpiece and so that the uppermost layer of fiber resin composite is molten when overwrapped resulting in better adherence of successive layers to one another.