A fiber-reinforced member includes: a base member having a tubular region with an outer circumferential surface extending along and substantially in parallel with an axial direction; and a fiber-reinforced resin layer constituted of a tow prepreg wound in an overlapping manner to cover the outer circumferential surface of the base member along a predetermined direction crossing the axial direction when viewed in a radial direction of the base member, the tow prepreg serving as a widened tape-like member. The tape-like member constituting the fiber-reinforced resin layer has a portion having a fiber line extending along a direction crossing the predetermined direction. A size of a width of the tape-like member constituting the fiber-reinforced resin layer is not less than 100 times and not more than 400 times as large as a size of a thickness of the tape-like member constituting the fiber-reinforced resin layer in the radial direction.

A composite spring made of a wire of a longitudinal axis curved around a spring axis in a winding direction and a method of fabrication thereof, the spring, the wire comprising a core; and fibers layers wound around the core, and an angular positioning, relative to the spring axis, of each one of the fiber layers being selected, along a length of the core, depending on the winding direction of the wire about the spring axis, to adjust at least one of: high natural frequency of the spring, resistance to buckling and resistance to tensile and compressive stress components induced by a compressive load on the spring.

A composite material comprises of at least first and second layers, each comprising a polymeric matrix material and wound tows for reinforcement. The tows are wound in opposite directions in each of the first and second layers such that overlapping tows form crossover regions. The wound tows in the second layer are arranged such that the crossover regions are formed to be laterally offset from the crossover regions in the first layer.

The high pressure tank includes a liner, a hoop layer, and a helical layer. The liner includes a cylindrically-shaped trunk portion and dome portions disposed on both ends in an axial direction of the trunk portion. In the hoop layer, a fiber impregnated with a resin is wound in hoop winding and laminated to cover the trunk portion. In the helical layer, a fiber impregnated with a resin is wound in helical winding and laminated to cover at least the dome portions. An interface strength between the fiber and the resin on the hoop layer covering the trunk portion has a low fatigue strength and a high tensile strength compared with an interface strength between the fiber and the resin on the helical layer covering the dome portions.

The high pressure tank includes a liner, a hoop layer, and a helical layer. The liner includes a cylindrically-shaped trunk portion and dome portions disposed on both ends in an axial direction of the trunk portion. In the hoop layer, a fiber impregnated with a resin is wound in hoop winding and laminated to cover the trunk portion. In the helical layer, a fiber impregnated with a resin is wound in helical winding and laminated to cover at least the dome portions. An interface strength between the fiber and the resin on the hoop layer covering the trunk portion has a low fatigue strength and a high tensile strength compared with an interface strength between the fiber and the resin on the helical layer covering the dome portions.

A filament winding apparatus winds, around a workpiece, a fiber bundle formed by bundling a plurality of fibers. The filament winding apparatus includes a widening roller that rotates while making contact with the fiber bundle that is being conveyed. The widening roller has, provided on the peripheral surface, a plurality of projecting ridges extending in the axial direction, the projecting ridges being arranged side by side in the circumferential direction. The projecting ridges make contact with the fiber bundle to thereby widen the fiber bundle.

A method for producing a high-pressure tank capable of suppressing break of a surface resin layer due to gas pressure as well as degradation in the tank quality. The method includes winding a thermosetting resin-impregnated fiber bundle around a liner so as to form an uncured fiber-reinforced resin layer thereon, first heating in which the uncured fiber-reinforced resin layer is locally heated at a first temperature so as to leach the thermosetting resin out of the uncured fiber-reinforced resin layer to form the surface resin layer, and the surface resin layer is cured to have cracks generated therein, and second heating in which the tank is entirely heated at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, so that the fiber-reinforced resin layer and surface resin layer are entirely cured, so as to obtain the tank with the surface resin layer locally having cracks generated therein.

A method for producing a high-pressure tank capable of suppressing break of a surface resin layer due to gas pressure as well as degradation in the tank quality. The method includes winding a thermosetting resin-impregnated fiber bundle around a liner so as to form an uncured fiber-reinforced resin layer thereon, first heating in which the uncured fiber-reinforced resin layer is locally heated at a first temperature so as to leach the thermosetting resin out of the uncured fiber-reinforced resin layer to form the surface resin layer, and the surface resin layer is cured to have cracks generated therein, and second heating in which the tank is entirely heated at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, so that the fiber-reinforced resin layer and surface resin layer are entirely cured, so as to obtain the tank with the surface resin layer locally having cracks generated therein.

A limb for a breathing circuit manufactured from very thin walled polymer materials has an elongate axial reinforcing spine lying freely inside the conduit and fixed to each end connector. The spine is laterally compliant but axially stiff. The spine provides resistance to tensile and compressive loads on the conduit, including that induced by prevailing internal pressures.

A tube for winding a web of fabric or similar material may include an inner tube formed by a plurality of inner layers and an outermost layer helically wound around the inner tube and having a plurality of raised gripping portions extending radially outward from a tube outer surface by a raised gripping portion distance. A raised protective strip may be formed at the outermost layer and wrap around the outermost layer so that at least a portion of the raised gripping portions are exposed to an exterior of the tube. The raised protective strip may extend radially outward from the tube outer surface by a protective strip distance. The raise protective strip may be formed, for example, by applying a strip of material to the tube outer surface, or by forming an overlap seam in one of the layers