A composite rim for a bicycle wheel that has a wall of structural fibers incorporated in a thermosetting polymeric material and a plurality of spoke attachment seats. The composite material includes at least one layer of woven bi-directional fibers where some fibers are in a nominal direction substantially parallel to the circumferential direction of the rim and some fibers are substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the rim.

A composite rim for a bicycle wheel that has a wall of structural fibers incorporated in a thermosetting polymeric material and a plurality of spoke attachment seats. The composite material includes at least one layer of woven bi-directional fibers where some fibers are in a nominal direction substantially parallel to the circumferential direction of the rim and some fibers are substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the rim.

A fiber-reinforced resin composite material has a longitudinal direction, and includes a first stack, a second stack, a ridge, a flat surface, and a connection. The ridge extends in the longitudinal direction. The flat surface is continuous to the ridge. The connection is where the first and second stacks are coupled. The first and second stacks are joined to each other in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. Fibers of at least one of first fiber-reinforced resin sheets included in the first stack, fibers of at least one of second fiber-reinforced resin sheets included in the second stack, or both intersect the ridge. The connection includes the first and second fiber-reinforced resin sheets that are overlapped alternately, and includes ends of the first fiber-reinforced resin sheets, ends of the second fiber-reinforced resin sheets, or both that are shifted from each other to allow the connection to have a gradually-varied thickness.

Disclosed is a vacuum apparatus for applying a vacuum to a reinforcement lay-up during in composite manufacture, and a method of use. The vacuum apparatus comprises a vacuum port component (100) having body portion (102) defining a contact surface (104) and an internal cavity. A vacuum port (108) for connection to a vacuum pump is oriented away from the contact surface communicates with the internal cavity. The vacuum port component can be connected to vacuum component (200) body portion also defining a contact surface and an internal cavity (207), and further comprising a plurality of inlet apertures or slots (206) extending therethrough and in communication with the vacuum component internal cavity.

A method and a device for producing a component from a fiber composite material. The method includes introducing multiple layers of fibers impregnated with a matrix onto an inner mold, placing a membrane sealed against an outer mold onto the fibers impregnated with the matrix, such that a cavity extending along the shell surface of the outer mold forms between the outer mold and the membrane, and applying a temperature-controllable pressure fluid to the cavity at a temperature greater than the melting point of the matrix and at a pressure greater than the ambient pressure. To produce a component having at least one reinforcing layer, at least one reinforcing layer having fibers oriented in a predominantly parallel manner is placed locally onto a portion of a side of a the base layer facing the outer mold with the aid of an insertion device and a membrane with an average surface roughness of below 1.0 μm, preferably below 0.1 μm, subsequently exerts a set pressure in the cavity on the component.

A carbon fiber boom structure for an agricultural sprayer boom, the boom structure including an elongated upper carbon fiber tube, at least one elongated lower carbon fiber and a carbon fiber/resin matrix uniting structure bonded to each of the carbon fiber tubes to hold the tubes in a spaced apart position. The uniting structure being formed in a winding operation by applying windings of a carbon fiber string with a liquid resin around portions of the tubes, the windings and resin matrix defining an inner primary layer and an outer primary layer, wherein the inner primary layer is bonded to a surface portion of each tube while the outer primary layer is bonded to a remaining surface portion of each tube to completely, or essentially completely, envelope each tube by the portions of the two primary layers.

A carbon fiber boom structure for an agricultural sprayer boom, the boom structure including an elongated upper carbon fiber tube, at least one elongated lower carbon fiber and a carbon fiber/resin matrix uniting structure bonded to each of the carbon fiber tubes to hold the tubes in a spaced apart position. The uniting structure being formed in a winding operation by applying windings of a carbon fiber string with a liquid resin around portions of the tubes, the windings and resin matrix defining an inner primary layer and an outer primary layer, wherein the inner primary layer is bonded to a surface portion of each tube while the outer primary layer is bonded to a remaining surface portion of each tube to completely, or essentially completely, envelope each tube by the portions of the two primary layers.

The present application relates to a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite sheet and a method for preparing the same. The fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite sheet has on its surface a marble texture effect obtained by laminating cut pieces of a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite unidirectional tape, wherein the fibers and the resin used in the continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite unidirectional tape have different colors. The thermoplastic composite sheet may be prepared using a simple and quick method, and meet individual requirements of surface appearance of the final product.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber-reinforced composite material achieving both lightweight properties and mechanical properties, a laminate thereof, and a prepreg capable of easily molding a sandwich structure thereof. The present invention is a prepreg comprising a reinforced fiber substrate (B) impregnated with a resin (A), wherein the reinforced fiber substrate (B) exists in a folded state having a plurality of folds with a fold angle of 0° or more and less than 90° in the prepreg.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber-reinforced composite material achieving both lightweight properties and mechanical properties, a laminate thereof, and a prepreg capable of easily molding a sandwich structure thereof. The present invention is a prepreg comprising a reinforced fiber substrate (B) impregnated with a resin (A), wherein the reinforced fiber substrate (B) exists in a folded state having a plurality of folds with a fold angle of 0° or more and less than 90° in the prepreg.