Toray Industries, Inc.

Setsuo Taguchi

Miyoshi Okamoto

Satoru Shimoyama

Mineto Fushida

Yukihiro Maeda

Ryuji Ota

Masumi Fujimoto

Hiroki Fukunaga

Polyester fiber and process for preparing the same

Polyester product and process for producing the same

A fiber-reinforced foamed material comprises a foamed body of a resin having a flexural elasticity modulus not smaller than 150 kg/mm.sup.2, reinforcement fibers, and a bonding component through which the reinforcement fibers are integrated with the foamed body so as to reinforce the foamed body. A method for producing a fiber-reinforced foamed material comprises the steps of: providing a material having a potential foamability; providing a composite fibrous material in the form of composite fibers and/or composite yarns each having a first component and a second component; and allowing the foamable material to foam together with the composite fibers or composite yarns at a temperature 10.degree. C. or more higher than the thermal deformation temperature or melting temperature of the first component and 20.degree. C. or more lower than the thermal deformation temperature or melting temperature of the second component, whereby the first component is thermally deformed or melted to serve as a bonding component, while the second component remains as a fibrous reinforcement component, the fibrous reinforcement component being integrated with the foamed body through the bonding component so as to reinforce the foamed body.

Foam material reinforced with composite fibers

A composite sheet comprising a fiber base and a binder, wherein said binder is broken into small fragments which adhere to the fibers, but at least some not to each other. Said composite sheet is produced by a method comprising the step of (a) applying a binder to a fiber base and (b) directing a fluid jet stream to the fiber base during or after coagulation of the binder applied thereto. The composite sheet of this invention is very soft and has considerable strength, because the fluid jet breaks weak portions of the binder only to divide the binder into small fragments, without breaking the tougher portions of the binder which mainly contribute to the strength of the leather.

Composite sheet and method of producing same

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Shiga, Japan

Setsuo Taguchi