A serving tray comprised of at least one synthetic material and an insert which provides a non-slip top surface of the serving tray. The textured relief is preferably made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) which allows a glass or other item to be placed on the serving tray without the item sliding or slipping while the tray is in motion. As the tray is being fabricated, the TPU is mechanically bonded with the top surface of the tray while a textured relief is simultaneously defined into the top surface. The textured relief provides adequate frictional force to an item being placed on the tray so as to substantially prevent its lateral movement. The tray also includes an inner support structure disposed on its inner surface. The inner support structure provides an upward facing edge which allows a plurality of trays to be easily and efficiently stacked or nested on one another.

A construction board comprising (a) a foam core having a first planar surface and a second planar surface; (b) a facer, having first and second planar surfaces, including an inorganic fabric and a coating; and (c) an interfacial region between the foam core and said facer.

A heat-embosssed non-woven that is suitable for producing a decorative layer for a car passenger compartment includes: thermoplastic fibers, being needled and having a maximum tensile elongation of at least 30%; and embossed recesses that have base surfaces at a bottom thereof. A ratio between a thickness of the non-woven in a region of the base surfaces of the recesses and a thickness of the non-woven in a region of the non-embossed regions is at most 0.1. A fraction of a total surface area of the non-woven made up by a total base surface area of the recesses is from 0.5% to 30%.

A component joining structure having: a first component provided with a joint portion for joining components together; a second component formed from a resin material in which fibers are oriented in multiple directions; and a joined portion that is integrally formed to the second component using a resin material, that is in close contact with the joint portion and is joined to the joint portion, and in which the fibers are oriented in multiple directions.

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier (10) that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material (12) having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite insert (14) or overlay (960) having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (960) is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (960) and the mass of polymeric material (12) are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier (10) may be a mass of activatable material (126). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (960) may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

A construction board comprising (a) a foam core having a first planar surface and a second planar surface; (b) a facer, having first and second planar surfaces, including an inorganic fabric and a coating; and (c) an interfacial region between the foam core and said facer.

A method and apparatus for fabricating a short length carbon fiber preform with a through thickness reinforcement is disclosed herein. The starting media for fabricating a net shape (e.g., annular disc) may meet specific requirements including a sufficient fiber volume and a binding mechanism compatible with the needle-punching process.

A molded body for a seat component, in particular a backrest or a seat part of a seat may have at least one thermally solidified and three-dimensionally formed nonwoven element which is back-molded with a foam material or a foamable material. An additional molded body and a method for producing such a molded body are also disclosed.

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier (10) that includes: (t) a mass of polymeric material (12) having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite Insert (14) or overlay (980) having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous Insert (14) or overlay (980) is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that Is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) and the mass of polymeric material (12) are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at feast partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier (10) may be a mass of activatable material (126). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

A method and apparatus for fabricating a short length carbon fiber preform with a through thickness reinforcement is disclosed herein. The starting media for fabricating a net shape (e.g., annular disc) may meet specific requirements including a sufficient fiber volume and a binding mechanism compatible with the needle-punching process.