Unwinding a portion of a support helix that comprises a heating wire from a wall of a hose at an end of the hose; sleeving a length of heatshrink tubing at least partly onto the unwound portion of the support helix; heating the heatshrink tubing to shrink onto at least part of the unwound portion of the support helix; and at an end of the unwound portion, directly connecting the heating wire to an electrical contact of an electrical connector.

An apparatus and a method for attaching functional elements, e.g. composed of metal, to a component, in particular to a component comprising fiber-reinforced plastic, while using a setting head, wherein the functional element has a contact surface provided with adhesive and wherein the adhesive can be supplied to the setting head in individual depots adapted to the functional elements on a carrier band is characterized in that the functional elements are taken over by a guide device and are each pressable to an adhesive depot and are subsequently guidable with the adhering adhesive depots and separately from the carrier band in the setting head to the setting position in front of a setting die.

An apparatus and a method for attaching functional elements, e.g. composed of metal, to a component, in particular to a component comprising fiber-reinforced plastic, while using a setting head, wherein the functional element has a contact surface provided with adhesive and wherein the adhesive can be supplied to the setting head in individual depots adapted to the functional elements on a carrier band is characterized in that the functional elements are taken over by a guide device and are each pressable to an adhesive depot and are subsequently guidable with the adhering adhesive depots and separately from the carrier band in the setting head to the setting position in front of a setting die.

Annular structures formed using composite materials and systems and methods for forming annular structures using composite materials are provided. The composite materials can include fiber reinforced thermoplastic materials. The annular structures include a number of component parts. Each component part can be in the form of a strip of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material that extends around all or a portion of a circumference of the structure. The ends of the component parts can be staggered, so that they a placed at different locations about the circumference of the structure. Methods for forming annular composite structures include wrapping one or more strips of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material having one or more layers about a mandrel, and fusing the strips to form an integral annular structure.

Annular structures formed using composite materials and systems and methods for forming annular structures using composite materials are provided. The composite materials can include fiber reinforced thermoplastic materials. The annular structures include a number of component parts. Each component part can be in the form of a strip of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material that extends around all or a portion of a circumference of the structure. The ends of the component parts can be staggered, so that they a placed at different locations about the circumference of the structure. Methods for forming annular composite structures include wrapping one or more strips of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material having one or more layers about a mandrel, and fusing the strips to form an integral annular structure.

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.

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.

A polar end ring mechanism for use with composite pressure vessels. The end ring is designed to support a pressure vessel during its formation via filament winding. The end ring helps define an opening at one of the polar ends of a tank. Spikes positioned along a portion of the end ring help prevent rotation or translation of the tank during formation and provide an improved mechanical lock with the tank body. A cap may then be secured to the polar end ring after formation in order to close the pressure vessel.

A polar end ring mechanism for use with composite pressure vessels. The end ring is designed to support a pressure vessel during its formation via filament winding. The end ring helps define an opening at one of the polar ends of a tank. Spikes positioned along a portion of the end ring help prevent rotation or translation of the tank during formation and provide an improved mechanical lock with the tank body. A cap may then be secured to the polar end ring after formation in order to close the pressure vessel.

Methods of making a composite article are provided herein. The method can include an unwinding step including unwinding a fiber substrate material from a creel at an unwinding velocity and an impregnation step including applying an uncured resin composition to the fiber substrate material to form a resin-fiber material. The method further includes a winding step comprising applying the resin-fiber material onto a shaped surface at a winding velocity and a solidifying step comprising applying heat to the resin-fiber material to initiate an exothermic reaction comprising polymerization, cross-linking, or both of the uncured resin composition. Temperature of the resin-fiber material can be monitored during operation of the method and a polymerization front velocity set point (v.sub.pfs) and an operating polymerization front velocity (v.sub.pfo) can be determined. Parameters can be adjusted to maintain a v.sub.pfo that is substantially the same as the v.sub.pfs. Systems for performing said methods are also provided.