Abstract: This invention proposes a method for eliminating "sink" in molded glass fiber reinforced panels for automotive and other uses. Such panels are normally formed with integrally molded reinforcement shapes (ribs) and fastening locations (bosses), and a slight depression or "sink" occurs in the exposed panel surface over the location of the ribs and bosses. The present invention proposes the elimination of this sink by utilizing innovative material and design techniques that compliment one another.The material approach makes use of dual reinforcements; normal chopped glass fibers reinforcement (1 inch or less in length) in combination with a long fiber reinforcement (2 inches or more in length) and preferably a continuous fiber reinforcement. The long fiber reinforcement is placed such that it is oriented in the panel to closely underlie the exposed panel surface.

Abstract: A colored decorative plastic laminate is made from a core layer and a superimposed decorative layer comprising: a fibrous material, coloring particles having a Moh's hardness of up to about 6 and an average particle size range of between about 53 to 210 microns, and thermoset resin; where the weight ratio of fiber material:coloring particles is from about 1:0.04 to 1:0.4 and the colored decorative layer is characterized in that the pigments are dispersed only through the bottom two-thirds of the colored layer and concentrated in the colored layer near the core-decorative layer interface, the top one-third of the colored layer containing substantially no pigment particles.

Abstract: The postformability of laminates particularly decorative laminates, having resin-impregnated paper layers is improved by resin treating at least one of the core layers near the surface of the laminate to render the fibers therein less yielding than those of the other layers.

Abstract: An elongated wrapper which is initially flexible and which, when wrapped around one or more bodies, is adapted to be stretched and assume a substantially rigid condition. The wrapper has an outer, elongated, tubular, elastic envelope assembly which is of a generally flat cross section and which is adapted to surround one or more bodies while being longitudinally stretched and wrapped around the bodies. This envelope assembly has an inner surface carrying one of a pair of materials which, when they combine, react to assume a hardened condition. The other of these materials is situated in the interior of the envelope assembly and is separated from the one of the pair of materials by a separating layer structure which is located in the envelope assembly between the pair of materials separating them from each other to prevent them from combining.