A method for processing massive fiber bundles includes massive fiber-bundle formation and massive materials handling, wherein plural small-diameter bundles are unified, while more or less preserving their legacy cross-sectional form. It also includes bending, such as to create non-linear preforms, and preform-charge fabrication. Embodiments of the invention operate to help preserve a desired fiber alignment throughout a part fabricated from relatively large-diameter fiber bundles.

The present disclosure generally relates to thermoplastic truss structures and methods of forming the same. The truss structures are formed using thermoplastic materials, such as fiber reinforced thermoplastic resins, and facilitate directional load support based on the shape of the truss structure. In one example, multiple two-dimensional patterns of fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin are disposed on one another in a saw tooth pattern, sinusoidal pattern, or other repeating pattern, and adhered to one another in selective locations. The two dimensional patterns may then be expanded in a third dimension to form a three-dimensional, cross-linked truss structure. The three-dimensional, cross-linked truss structure may then be heated or otherwise treated to maintain the three-dimensional shape.

A technique for stable, high-speed treatment of reinforcement fiber. In a state where a unidirectional fiber bundle is held between a supporting surface of a support and a pressing surface of a resonator ultrasonically vibrating in a pressing direction perpendicular to the supporting surface, a pressed part of the unidirectional fiber bundle pressed by the pressing surface is moved in a longitudinal direction of the unidirectional fiber bundle. By doing so, the unidirectional fiber bundle can be stably treated at high speed when the unidirectional fiber bundle is opened or impregnated with a resin.

A method for creating a termination by attaching some kind of fitting to the end of a tensile member such as a cable. The end fitting is provided with an internal cavity. The cavity has a proximal portion that is adjacent the area where the tensile member exits the fitting and a distal portion on its opposite end. A length of the tensile member's filaments is placed within this expanding cavity and infused with liquid potting compound. The method exploits the characteristic of a liquid potting compound as it transitions to a solid. The potting compound in one portion of the cavity is typically transitioned to a solid at a more rapid rate than other portions. Once the potting compound in one portion of the cavity has transitioned sufficiently to hold the filaments at the desired level, tension is placed on the tensile member and a small linear displacement may be imposed on the tensile member. This linear displacement tends to pull the filaments residing in the potting compound into better alignment and improve load sharing.

A system for manufacturing a catheter includes at least first and second controllable rate material feeders that feed at least first and second materials into a temperature-controlled mixer to form a compound material that varies in flexibility and/or strength with the respective first and second materials and material feed rates. An extruder extrudes the compound material onto a rotating and translating mandrel to thereby form a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter that depends on respective rates of rotation and translation of the mandrel.

An active anvil assembly for use in forming a looped suture is provided. The active anvil assembly includes an anvil member, a first sensor operably connected to the anvil member, and a control assembly. The first sensor is configured for measuring at least one of force, torque, and distance feedback. Also provided are systems and methods for forming a looped suture including an active anvil assembly.

A method of forming fiber-reinforced composites. The method includes stabilizing two or more carbon fibers tows together (a) with a stabilizing resin and (b) in-line with a commercial carbon fiber production process to form a semi-finished tape; and impregnating the semi-finished tape with a matrix resin in a process offline of the carbon fiber production process to form a prepreg.

The present disclosure relates to stranded elastomeric laminates (including bi-laminates and tri-laminates) comprising beamed elastics and may have inventive Dtex-to-Nonwoven-Basis-Weight-Ratios, Dtex-to-Spacing-Ratios, and/or Void-Area-to-Strand-Area-Ratios. The stranded laminates of the present disclosure may be used for disposable absorbent article components (including pant belts) and may comprise inventive bonding arrangements that yield inventive textures and texture arrangements. When the inventive stranded elastomeric laminates are used for pant belts, the pants may have inventive Application-Forces, Sustained-Fit-Load-Forces, and Sustained-Fit-Unload-Forces. Further, when absorbent articles are packaged under compression at inventive In-Bag-Stack-Heights, the stranded elastomeric laminates of the present disclosure maintain their inventive properties and characteristics, including their inventive textures.

A method of manufacturing a toothbrush includes steps of providing a carrier having at least a first through hole extending from a front side to a backside of the carrier and at least a first wall element integral with the carrier and extending from the back side in a vicinity of the through hole; introducing a first cleaning element into the first through hole such that an end portion of the first cleaning element is exposed on the backside of the carrier; treating the end portion of the first cleaning element such that it deforms and becomes wider than the first through hole; and deforming the first wall element until it at least partially extends over the deformed end portion of the first cleaning element such that the first cleaning element is effectively retained in its axial position. A brush having structural features resulting from the manufacturing method.

A packaging container for holding contents such as fresh food. The container comprises a tray having a flange, a pre-formed sealing ring and a flexible film for sealing in the contents of the tray. The sealing ring is made from fiber, filament or tape (FFT) that is shaped into a shape that matches the shape of the tray flange. The sealing ring is adhered to the tray flange by heat welding or other means and the flexible film is adhered to the sealing ring.