A method of fastening an edge structure to a construction element includes providing the construction element, being a planar structure with two cover regions and a middle region between the cover regions; providing the edge structure being continuously extended, the edge structure having contact surfaces with a thermoplastic material shaped to lie against the cover regions in an outer surface of the construction element, and, opposite the contact surfaces, a coupling-in surface for coupling energy into the edge structure; coupling energy into the edge structure and pressing the contact surfaces against the cover regions until at least a portion of the thermoplastic material is liquefied and pressed into the cover regions; and repeating or continuing the steps of coupling and pressing until the edge structure is attached to the building element at a plurality of discrete locations or over an extended region along an edge of the construction element.

A method of fastening an edge structure to a construction element includes providing the construction element, being a planar structure with two cover regions and a middle region between the cover regions; providing the edge structure being continuously extended, the edge structure having contact surfaces with a thermoplastic material shaped to lie against the cover regions in an outer surface of the construction element, and, opposite the contact surfaces, a coupling-in surface for coupling energy into the edge structure; coupling energy into the edge structure and pressing the contact surfaces against the cover regions until at least a portion of the thermoplastic material is liquefied and pressed into the cover regions; and repeating or continuing the steps of coupling and pressing until the edge structure is attached to the building element at a plurality of discrete locations or over an extended region along an edge of the construction element.

The present disclosure provides a metal-polymeric composite joint including a first component and a second component. The first component includes a metal. The first component has a first surface including a plurality of micro-anchors. The second component includes a composite material including a polymer and a reinforcing fiber. The second component has a second surface that at least partially engages the first surface of the first component. A portion of the polymer of the second component occupies at least a portion of the micro-anchors of the first component to fix the second component to the first component. In one aspect, the metal-polymeric composite joint further includes a passivation layer disposed between the first surface of the first component and the second surface of the second component.

A protective device for enhancing the durability of a substrate, and a method of applying the protective device to the substrate is disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, the protective device may be comprised of a barrier or bonding component and a transfer component removably attached to the bonding component. When applied to an article via heat and/or pressure, such as an article of clothing, the protective device of the present invention can provide anti-abrasion and/or enhanced wear capabilities in desired areas. The protective device could be applied to those portions of the article, such as the knee areas of pants or elbow areas of shirts, to reduce or slow down the wear and tear typically associated with their use and extend their useful life.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

An open-channel stiffener for stiffening a panel has a bonding flange for bonding the stiffener to the panel through a bondline formed between the bonding flange and the panel to form a stiffened panel. The open-channel stiffener has a cross-sectional shape that aligns, or substantially aligns, a shear center of the stiffener with a centroid of the stiffener and aligns the shear center proximate an edge of the bondline, and removes the need for a radius filler noodle. A plurality of perforations may be formed through the bonding flange to permit an adhesive to wick into the perforations and create a mechanical interlock between the bonding flange and the panel.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

A method of fastening an edge structure to a construction element includes providing the construction element, being a planar structure with with two cover regions and a middle region between the cover regions; providing the edge structure being continuously extended, the edge structure having contact surfaces with a thermoplastic material shaped to lie against the cover regions in an outer surface of the construction element, and, opposite the contact surfaces, a coupling-in surface for coupling energy into the edge structure; coupling energy into the edge structure and pressing the contact surfaces against the cover regions until at least a portion of the thermoplastic material is liquefied and pressed into the cover regions; and repeating or continuing the steps of coupling and pressing until the edge structure is attached to the building element at a plurality of discrete locations or over an extended region along an edge of the construction element.

A method of fastening an edge structure to a construction element includes providing the construction element, being a planar structure with with two cover regions and a middle region between the cover regions; providing the edge structure being continuously extended, the edge structure having contact surfaces with a thermoplastic material shaped to lie against the cover regions in an outer surface of the construction element, and, opposite the contact surfaces, a coupling-in surface for coupling energy into the edge structure; coupling energy into the edge structure and pressing the contact surfaces against the cover regions until at least a portion of the thermoplastic material is liquefied and pressed into the cover regions; and repeating or continuing the steps of coupling and pressing until the edge structure is attached to the building element at a plurality of discrete locations or over an extended region along an edge of the construction element.