A filament winding device includes a fiber bundle retainer that temporarily retains fiber bundles. The fiber bundle retainer includes: a reel member including an outer peripheral portion having pins movable in the axial direction relative to the fiber bundles supplied through fiber bundle guides and rotatable about the axis of the liner, the reel member capable of winding the fiber bundles onto the outer peripheral portion; a first cutting unit configured to cut a part of each of the fiber bundles in the circumferential direction, the part being between a part of the fiber bundle wound on the outer peripheral portion and a part of the fiber bundle wound on the liner; and a second cutting unit different from the first cutting unit and configured to cut a part of each of the fiber bundles in the axial direction, the part being wound on the outer peripheral portion.

A storage tank for a gas is provided. The storage tank includes a liner defining an internal compartment; a boss coupled to the liner; an interlayer covering a portion of the boss and the liner, the interlayer being non-pyrolyzed and including an interconnected web and pores having a diameter greater than the diameter of a hydrogen molecule and less than or equal to about 2 nm; and an outer shell including a carbon fiber reinforced composite, the outer shell covering the interlayer, except for an interlayer end that is in contact with the boss, so that the interlayer end defines an interlayer ring that is exposed to an external environment. The storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the exposed interlayer ring. Methods of fabricating the storage tank are also provided.

The reinforcing structure for a tire is in the form of a stratified assembly formed of two layers of reinforcing strips of completely connected cross section, and flattened in shape. According to the method, the strips of each layer are laid side by side in a main direction of laying. The strips of the first layer are spaced apart by a distance that is less than the width of the strips of the second layer and in such a way that the edges of the strips of the first layer overlap the edges of the strips of the second layer. The two layers of strips are separated by a layer of uncoupling rubber.

A multiple layer hollow cylinder is provided. An inner air-tight material is wrapped about at least a portion of a mandrel to form a plurality of first material loops. Each first material loop subsequent to an initial first material loop at least partially overlaps a previous first material loop. A resin-infused fabric material is wrapped over the inner air-tight material to form a plurality of second material loops. Each second material loop subsequent to an initial second material loop at least partially overlaps a previous second material loop. An outer air-tight transparent material is wrapped over the resin-infused fabric material to form a plurality of third material loops. Each third material loop subsequent to an initial third material loop at least partially overlaps a previous third material loop. Energy is directed about the outer air-tight transparent material to cure the resin-infused fabric material to form a hollow cylinder.

The invention relates to a method for producing a compressed-gas container, particularly a compressed-gas container for transporting and for storing liquid gases or natural gas.

A preform-charge fixture creates a preform charge, which is a partially consolidated assemblage of preforms that can be efficiently transferred to a mold to create a finished part in a molding process, such as compression molding. In the illustrative embodiment, the preform-charge fixture includes peripheral cleats that are movable towards a central cleat to create a small gap therebetween that receives and constrains preforms in a desired position. The fixture also includes clamps, which are operable to engage an uppermost layer of preforms in the gap and apply a slight amount of downward pressure thereto to assure that the preforms are properly seated. The fixture also accommodates an energy source that heats the preforms so that, in conjunction with downforce applied by the clamps and/or gravity, the preforms can be tacked together, forming the preform charge.

A helical winding unit is provided with a frame member in which a plurality of nozzle attachment units are provided to be aligned in a circumferential direction about an axis of a liner; nozzle units that each have a guide body movable in a radial direction of the liner and rotatable about a rotating axis extending in the radial direction, and that are attachable to and detachable from the nozzle attachment units; a moving endless toothed annular body that transmits, commonly to one or more nozzle units attached to one or more nozzle attachment units, power for moving the guide body in the radial direction; and a rotating endless toothed annular body that transmits, commonly to one or more nozzle units attached to one or more nozzle attachment units, power for rotating the guide body about the rotating axis.

A filament winding assembly includes a rotating mandrel coupled to a shaft that rotates the rotating mandrel. The rotating mandrel includes a first perforated sleeve that defines holes and includes a winding surface. The rotating mandrel also includes a second perforated sleeve disposed inside the first perforated sleeve. The second perforated sleeve defines an interior volume and holes configured to form fluid pathways with the holes of the first perforated sleeve. The fluid pathways extend from the interior volume to the winding surface of the first perforated sleeve. The filament winding assembly includes a filament that is wound, under tension, around the winding surface of the first perforated sleeve. The filament winding assembly also includes a fluid source fluidically coupled to the interior volume of the second perforated sleeve. The fluid source exhausts fluid, through the fluid pathways, from the wound filament to reduce manufacturing defects of the wound filament.

A method of determining a void volume during manufacture of a composite pipe formed of concentric layers of adjacently positioned, helical windings of composite tape has the steps of: (a) scanning the surface of a layer of adjacently positioned, helical windings to generate scanning information; (b) using the scanning information to locate gap(s) between adjacent windings and to determine the number of gaps and characteristic dimensions of each gap in the layer; and (c) generating a calculated void volume of the layer, using the number of gaps and the characteristic dimensions of each gap for the layer. The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus for determining a void volume during manufacture of a composite pipe formed of concentric layers of helically wound composite tape.

A method produces a high-pressure gas storage container that includes a liner and a reinforcing layer. The liner houses a high-pressure gas. The reinforcing layer is formed by winding a plurality of strip-shaped reinforcing members around an outer perimeter surface of the liner. The method includes irradiating plasma on at least a portion of the reinforcing fibers, and adjusting an irradiation intensity of the plasma such that an irradiation amount of the plasma with respect to the reinforcing fibers becomes constant in accordance with changes in a transport speed of the reinforcing fibers.