| abstract |
Useful hinged, structural members and profiles are disclosed comprising thermoplastic-reinforcing fabric composite materials. The hinged members and profiles have at least two rigid areas of thermoplastic-fabric composite joined on a common fabric through flexible, hinged regions. The hinged regions can comprise fabric free of any thermoplastic composite forming material or alternatively can be coated with flexible materials on one or both sides of the fabric. The invention extends to co-extrusion methods wherein thermoplastic materials are applied to pre-determined portions of the fabric under pressure so that the thermoplastic coats, and preferably wets, fibers of the reinforcing fabric. The structural members thus extruded are formed into useful lengths and readily converted into complex profiles by simple bending at the hinged regions. In this way, complex profiles that would be difficult to produce by conventional extrusion processes and bulky to ship can be easily made at the job site. |