A composite panel comprises a first outer layer, a second outer layer, a filler layer, and a joint section of the composite panel. The filler layer is positioned between a portion of the respective first and second outer layers. The first and second outer layers are positioned adjacent one another without an intervening filler layer.

A protected substrate includes a planar substrate having a surface and a burn-off temporary protective layer positioned over at least a portion of the surface. The burn-off temporary protective layer includes a wax, a polyolefin, a polyester, a polycarbonate, a polyether, or some combination thereof. The burn-off temporary protective layer is removable by a heat treatment process that does not substantially damage the surface. Various other protected substrates and methods for protecting a substrate are also disclosed.

Roofing shingle layers, roofing shingles, and roofing systems having fire retardant properties are provided. In certain exemplary embodiments, the roofing shingle layers, roofing shingles, or roofing systems include an expandable fire retardant material. The expandable fire retardant material may comprise expandable graphite, ammonium polyphosphate, or a combination thereof.

Preforms including fiber reinforced nodes for use in fiber reinforced composite structures and methods for making fiber reinforced composite structures. Preforms with woven fabric elements extending radially from a common node include at least one reinforcing fiber interwoven between at least two elements and passing through the node. A method of assembling preform structures using the preforms to provide a structure with reinforced nodes.

A protected substrate includes a planar substrate having a surface and a burn-off temporary protective layer positioned over at least a portion of the surface. The burn-off temporary protective layer includes a wax, a polyolefin, a polyester, a polycarbonate, a polyether, or some combination thereof. The burn-off temporary protective layer is removable by a heat treatment process that does not substantially damage the surface. Various other protected substrates and methods for protecting a substrate are also disclosed.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

A disposable wearable article includes an elastic film stretchable structure in which an elastic film is laminated between a first sheet layer and a second sheet layer. The first sheet layer and the second sheet layer are bonded to each other through holes passing through the elastic film with many bonded portions arranged at intervals. A region having the elastic film stretchable structure includes a stretchable region that elastically stretches and contracts together with the elastic film. The stretchable region includes a plurality of elastic films disposed so as to have an overlapping portion. The number of laminated layers of the elastic film in a region located in an intermediate portion of the stretchable region in an orthogonal direction (XD) orthogonal to a stretchable direction (ED) is different from that in each of second regions adjacent to both sides of the first region.

A composed element includes at least two panel-shaped elements, which each have an edge zone in which coupling means are present in a profiled part respectively extending in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge zone, and each including an end face extending transversely to the respective edge zone. The profiled parts allow the coupling of the panel-shaped elements together in an interlocking manner. At least one of the panel-shaped elements includes an arrangement which hides from view at least a portion of the profiled part formed at the pertaining edge zone at the location of the end face.

A hermetic seal between an optical element and a metal mount or housing using a fluoropolymer. The fluoropolymer is dispersed along the interior edge of the metal mount. The metal mount and fluoropolymer are then heated to a temperature exceeding the melting point of the fluoropolymer. Once heated the optical element is pressed into the metal mount and allowed to cool. The metal mount, optical element and thickness of fluoropolymer are sized to provide an interference fit between the metal mount and optical element.

The embodiments described herein provide for lightning protection in aircrafts constructed with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) panel, a second CFRP panel that overlaps with the first CFRP panel in a vertical direction, and a fastener to join the first CFRP panel with the second CFRP panel, the fastener extending in the vertical direction in an area where the first CFRP panel and the second CFRP panel overlap. The apparatus further includes a plurality of electrically conductive pins in each of the first CFRP panel and the second CFRP panel, wherein the pins extend in the vertical direction proximate to the fastener to electrically connect the first CFRP panel and the second CFRP panel in the area where the first CFRP panel and the second CFRP panel overlap.