The invention relates to the use of a yarn spool handling container (1) for a yarn spool (2). The yarn spool handling container (1) comprises a frame or a housing (6). With respect to the frame or housing (6), a spindle (15) is rotatably supported. In the yarn spool handling container (1) a winding and unwinding of the technical yarn occurs. The yarn spool (2) is arranged in the yarn spool handling container (1) even during stocking and transport.

There is provide a process for unwinding material from a spool (2) wherein the angle (Θ) of take off at the first contact point (4) for the unwind is always in the range 0±20°, and wherein the first contact point (4) for the unwind is no more than 600 mm from the axis (3) of rotation of the spool (2). There is also provided an apparatus for the unwinding of material from a spool (2) comprising an axis (3) upon which a spool (2) may be rotatably mounted and a static first contact point (4) for the unwound material positioned no more than 600 mm from the centre of the axis (3), wherein the angle (Θ) of take off at the first contact point (4) for the unwind is always in the range 0±20°.

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 splicing two bundles (1, 2) of multifilament textile fibers comprises: inserting an end portion of a first bundle (1) into a first end of a heat-shrinkable sheath (10) and an end portion of a second bundle (2) into a second end of the sheath, axially opposite the first end, until the ends of the end portions of the two bundles are facing each other; inserting a curable organic material inside the sheath (10) in a space separating the end portions of the bundles (1, 2); heating a portion of the heat-shrinkable sheath (10) surrounding a joining portion (9) to a predetermined temperature; curing the curable organic material; and removing the sheath (10).

A method of separating carbon fiber tows. The method includes separating two or more first carbon fiber tows from a first tow band onto a second elevation to form two or more second carbon fiber tows from a second tow band. The two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band leave gaps next to first adjacent tows of the two or more first carbon fiber tows remaining from the first tow band after the separating step. The first adjacent tows from the first tow band leave gaps next to second adjacent tows of the two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber package in which a partially split carbon fiber bundle is wound around a bobbin, and which has no problem in unwindability. A fiber package is provided, which is a square-end type fiber package formed by traverse winding a fiber bundle (12) around a bobbin, in which the fiber bundle (12) is partially split into sub-bundles (11), and the width W of the fiber bundle (12) is smaller than the total sum of the widths W.sub.S of the sub-bundles (12). A fiber package is also provided, which is a square end type fiber package formed by traverse winding a fiber bundle (12) around a bobbin, in which the fiber bundle (12) is partially split into sub-bundles (11) and is wound around the bobbin so as to cause the sub-bundles (11) to overlap each other.

A process for debundling a carbon fiber tow into dispersed chopped carbon fibers suitable for usage in molding composition formulations is provided. A carbon fiber tow is fed into a die having fluid flow openings, through which a fluid impinges upon the side of the tow to expand the tow cross sectional area. The expanded cross sectional area tow extends from the die into the path of a conventional fiber chopping apparatus to form chopped carbon fibers, or through contacting tines of a mechanical debundler. Through adjustment of the relative position of fluid flow openings relative to a die bore through which fiber tow passes, the nature of the fluid impinging on the tow, the shape of the bore, in combinations thereof, an improved chopped carbon fiber dispersion is achieved. The chopped carbon fiber obtained is then available to be dispersed in molding composition formulations prior to formulation cure.

A method of spreading fibres, the method comprises providing a continuous fibre bundle having an initial width W.sub.a and causing the fibre bundle to run, in a running direction, through tensioning means and past or through fluid flow means, the tensioning means intermittently varying the tension in the fibre bundle and the fluid flow means producing a fluid flow through the fibre bundle as the tension varies in the fibre bundle, whereby the width of the fibre bundle increases to a spread width W.sub.b. Apparatus (1) is also disclosed, which apparatus (1) comprises a tensioning means (3) to intermittently vary the tension in the fibre bundle (2) and a fluid flow means (4) for producing a flow of fluid through the bundle (2).

Carbon fiber winding equipment includes integrated spiral and hooping winding equipment for multi-bundle fibers. The equipment includes a spiral winding unit, a hoop winding unit, and a guide base and a supporting base for supporting the spiral winding unit and the hoop winding unit. An end face of a gear driving plate includes a continuous bulbous iris curve sliding rail, a sliding rod extends into the sliding rail and is capable of driving a yarn guide shaft tube to slide radially along with the rotation of the gear driving plate. A bevel gear is capable of driving the yarn guide shaft tube to do auto-rotation motion along with the rotation of a second transmission gear ring. A ratchet driving plate rotates to drive an electric telescopic rod to push a hoop rotation plate to rotate so as to drive a hoop winding bundling device to complete a hoop winding action.

A fiber guide that guides fibers in a fiber processing system. The fiber guide has a surface having apertures through which fibers can pass in a direction from an upstream side of the surface to a downstream side of the surface. The apertures include at least one pair of apertures adjacent to and spaced from one another. The inlet of the first aperture is offset from the inlet of the second aperture. The offset is in the direction in which the fibers pass from the upstream side of the surface to the downstream side of the surface. A distance (d1) between the inlet of the first aperture and the inlet of the second aperture is larger than a distance (d2) between the first aperture and the second aperture measured transverse to the direction in which the fibers can pass.