During a formation method, a first component and a second component are provided. The first component is configured from or otherwise includes a first fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The first component also includes a base and a material buildup on a portion of the base. The second component is configured from or otherwise includes a second fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The second component is arranged with the first component. The second component abuts the material buildup. The second component is vibration welded to the first component to provide a weld joint between the first component and the second component. At least a portion of the material buildup is displaced during the vibration welding.

The present invention provides a life jacket. In an embodiment, the life jacket includes a jacket member; and an air blowing member which is provided in the jacket member to inject air to the jacket member, wherein the air blowing member includes a base part coupled with the jacket member; and a tube part extending from the base part, wherein a flexible portion is formed in a part or the entire of the tube part.

A composite vehicle driveshaft assembly includes a composite tube and a yoke bonded to one of the ends of the tube. The yoke has an inner sleeve that is concentrically received in the end of the tube. The sleeve has an outer peripheral surface that faces the inner peripheral surface of the tube with a cavity formed therebetween. An adhesive injection passage is formed in the yoke and extends at an acute angle from an inlet that is formed in an axial surface of the yoke to an outlet that is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and that opens into the cavity. Also disclosed is a method of bonding a yoke of such a driveshaft assembly to a composite tube.

A system for holding a workpiece in position and exposing it to laser radiation, such that: the workpiece includes a bottom surface and a top surface that are electrically insulated from each other. The system includes an electrostatic charge generating device for generating electrostatic charges on the top surface; an electrically conductive support for forming, on the bottom surface, electrostatic charges of opposite sign to those generated on the top surface; and a laser device for machining or welding. The electrostatic charge generating device is arranged to be activated before or during the laser machining or welding, such that the workpiece is held in position relative to the electrically conductive support during the machining or welding thereof.

A hollow fiber membrane module 10 has a hollow fiber membrane bundle 11 and a housing case 15. The housing case 15 has first molding members 17 and a second molding member 18. At each first molding member, a tubular portion 19 and a nozzle portion 20 are integrally molded. The second molding member 18 has a tubular shape coaxially continuous from the tubular portion 19. Values obtained by dividing, by the wall thickness of the second molding member, the wall thicknesses of the housing case 15 at positions separated in the axial direction from a connecting position toward the first molding member 17 side by distances of 3 times and 5 times the wall thickness of the second molding member 18 are 1.0 to 1.3 and 1.0 to 1.5, respectively.

An electrofusion joint includes a main body and a heating wire. The main body is configured to be connected to a first resin pipe and a second resin pipe containing a thermoplastic resin. The heating wire is disposed in the main body. The heating wire includes a conducting wire and an insulating cover film that is provided around the conducting wire. The insulating cover film has a melting point of at least 230 degrees.

An implantable medical device includes a first component including a first material, a second component including a second material, and a fiber matrix including a plurality of fibers. The fiber matrix joins the first component to the second component. The fiber matrix includes a first a first portion connected to the first component, and a second portion connected to the second component. The first portion of the fiber matrix is interpenetrated with, and mechanically fixed to, the first material. The first portion of the fiber matrix directly contacts the first material.

A method for optimizing a welding process to produce a weld joint having a predetermined strength includes measuring a plurality of melt layer thicknesses of weld joints for a plurality of sample assemblies formed by the welding process, measuring a plurality failure loads of weld joints for the plurality of sample assemblies, each of the measured plurality of failures loads being associated with one of the measured plurality of melt layer thicknesses, selecting a first failure load from the plurality of measured failure loads responsive to determining that the first failure load corresponds to a predetermined weld strength, and selecting a first melt layer thickness from the plurality of measured melt layer thicknesses that is associated with the selected first measured failure load.

The electrofusion joint includes a tubular main body, a stopper portion, a first heat generating section, and a second heat generating section. The tubular main body includes a joint receiving portion. The stopper portion projects inward on the inner surface of the main body. The first heat generating section includes a heating wire wound and arranged at the joint receiving portion. The second heat generating section includes a heating wire wound so that wound parts are adjacent to each other and the heating wire is disposed in the stopper portion. The first heat generating section includes at least one heat generating portion in which the heating wire is wound so that the wound parts are adjacent to each other.

A resin connector (10) includes a tubular connector main body portion (11) which is formed to contain a reinforcing filler in a main portion base material resin, and a tubular connector end portion (12) which is formed of a end portion base material resin without containing the reinforcing filler or containing the reinforcing filler at a lower proportion than the connector main body portion (11) and is joined to the connector main body portion (11) to constitute a tubular end portion. The resin tube (20) is formed of a material having a higher absorption rate of a laser beam than the connector end portion (12) and is fitted to the connector end portion (12) to be welded to an inner peripheral surface or an outer peripheral surface of the connector end portion (12) and not to be welded to the connector main body portion (11).