Abstract: Provided are a process and an apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape, the process and the apparatus being capable of preventing fiber cut from occurring at the start of production of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape. The provided process includes a resin impregnation step of opening a fiber bundle and impregnating the fiber bundle with molten thermoplastic resin and a through-nozzle passing step of passing the fiber bundle having undergone the resin impregnation step through a slit formed in a nozzle. The through-nozzle passing step includes setting, at the start of production, a gap dimension of the slit to a dimension larger than a normal dimension and changing the gap dimension of the slit to the normal dimension when a predetermined condition is satisfied, after the production start.

Abstract: Provided are a process and an apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape, the process and the apparatus being capable of preventing fiber cut from occurring at the start of production of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape. The provided process includes a resin impregnation step of opening a fiber bundle and impregnating the fiber bundle with molten thermoplastic resin and a through-nozzle passing step of passing the fiber bundle having undergone the resin impregnation step through a slit formed in a nozzle. The through-nozzle passing step includes setting, at the start of production, a gap dimension of the slit to a dimension larger than a normal dimension and changing the gap dimension of the slit to the normal dimension when a predetermined condition is satisfied, after the production start.

Abstract: A method for connecting a tail end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle of a preceding wound body to a front end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from a new wound body by blowing pressurized air to both of the ends to unravel and entwine both of the reinforcing fiber bundles, wherein the method includes a preparation step for adjusting the amount of a sizing agent contained in the front end of the reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from the new wound body and the tail end of the preceding wound body to 4 wt % or less, and the reinforcing fiber bundles are connected after the preparation step.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin pellet includes a roving package constituted by a cylindrical package of a reinforcing fiber bundle, a reinforcing fiber bundle delivery device, an impregnation die, a withdrawing device disposed on a downstream side of the impregnation die, and a cutter member. The reinforcing fiber bundle delivery device includes a plurality of collapse suppressing members adapted to be pushed radially outwards against an inner periphery surface of the roving package to suppress collapse of winding layers and a pusher for displacing said plural collapse suppressing members radially outwards following the inner periphery surface of the roving package which inner periphery surface shifts radially outwards gradually as the reinforcing fiber bundle is drawn out in a successive manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin pellet includes a roving package constituted by a cylindrical package of a reinforcing fiber bundle, a reinforcing fiber bundle delivery device, an impregnation die, a withdrawing device disposed on a downstream side of the impregnation die, and a cutter member. The reinforcing fiber bundle delivery device includes a plurality of collapse suppressing members adapted to be pushed radially outwards against an inner periphery surface of the roving package to suppress collapse of winding layers and a pusher for displacing said plural collapse suppressing members radially outwards following the inner periphery surface of the roving package which inner periphery surface shifts radially outwards gradually as the reinforcing fiber bundle is drawn out in a successive manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin pellet are provided which can smoothly carry out a continuous drawing-out operation for a reinforcing fiber bundle (continuous fiber-reinforced resin strand). With respect to a terminal end of a reinforcing fiber bundle A of a roving package being exhausted and a front end of a reinforcing fiber bundle B of a new roving package, fiber quantity-halved end portions A1 and B1 each about half of the original fiber quantity are formed respectively, then reinforcing filaments in those fiber quantity-halved end portions are entangled by an air splicer to form an entangled portion C1, and reinforcing filaments in a portion downstream of the fiber quantity-halved end portion in the reinforcing fiber bundle B of the new roving package are entangled by an air splicer to form an entangled portion C2.

Abstract: A method for connecting a tail end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle of a preceding wound body to a front end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from a new wound body by blowing pressurized air to both of the ends to unravel and entwine both of the reinforcing fiber bundles, wherein the method includes a preparation step for adjusting the amount of a sizing agent contained in the front end of the reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from the new wound body and the tail end of the preceding wound body to not less than 0 wt % and not more than 4 wt %, and the reinforcing fiber bundles are connected after the preparation step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin pellet are provided which can smoothly carry out a continuous drawing-out operation for a reinforcing fiber bundle (continuous fiber-reinforced resin strand). With respect to a terminal end of a reinforcing fiber bundle A of a roving package being exhausted and a front end of a reinforcing fiber bundle B of a new roving package, fiber quantity-halved end portions A1 and B1 each about half of the original fiber quantity are formed respectively, then reinforcing filaments in those fiber quantity-halved end portions are entangled by an air splicer to form an entangled portion C1, and reinforcing filaments in a portion downstream of the fiber quantity-halved end portion in the reinforcing fiber bundle B of the new roving package are entangled by an air splicer to form an entangled portion C2.