Abstract: A system and method for impregnating a continuous fiber strand with a heated polymer melt involves the introduction of a polymer melt into a cavity and the routing the fiber strand through the cavity so the fiber is exposed to the polymer melt introduced therein. The strand is scrubbed as it is moved though the cavity so that the polymer melt is pressed against and blended within the fiber strand. The scrubbing action is effected by a rotating scrubber assembly mounted for rotation relative to the cavity about an axis of rotation and includes a plurality of smooth-surfaced pins arranged in a spaced, substantially circular arrangement about the rotation axis and so that the longitudinal axes of the pins are generally parallel to one another. The direction of movement of the pins along the fiber strand corresponds generally with the direction of movement of the strand through the cavity.

Abstract: A method for forming a structure of polymer-impregnated fiber and the structure formed thereby involves the rotation of a mandrel about an axis and the winding of a continuous polymer-impregnated fiber strand about the mandrel. The polymer-impregnated fiber strand is fed to the rotating mandrel so that the mandrel pulls the strand toward and winds the strand about the mandrel surface in an arrangement of windings. As the polymer-impregnated fiber strand is wound about the mandrel, the adjacent windings of the winding arrangement provide the structure with a close radial wrap, the fibers of the strand shift to an off-axis orientation, and the arrangement of windings is shifted along the length of the mandrel as the arrangement is formed to accommodate the feed of subsequent segments of the polymer-impregnated strand to the surface of the mandrel for winding thereabout. The polymer-impregnated strands of the winding arrangement are subsequently permitted to cure, or cool, to a hardened condition.