Abstract: A fibre-reinforced polymer composite shaft for transmitting loads along a central axis is provided. The composite shaft comprises a first interface surface extending along the central axis and comprising at least one helical groove and/or a plurality of circumferential grooves for engaging with at least one corresponding helical ridge and/or a plurality of corresponding circumferential ridges of a second interface surface of an end fitting. The at least one helical groove and/or the plurality of circumferential grooves comprises at least one flank with a flank angle of between 32° and 51°. In such an assembly, a preload structure is arranged to provide a radial biasing force to bias the first interference surface against the second interference surface.

Abstract: A composite shaft with an end fitting mounted on an interface region on at least one end of said shaft, and a preload structure arranged to provide a biasing force to bias the composite shaft against the end fitting; wherein the preload structure is in an interference fit with the composite shaft. The preload structure is applied to the composite shaft in a subsequent operation to the mounting of the end fitting to the shaft.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement and a common support layer to which the continuous fibre reinforcement is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced polymer composite pipe includes first and second ends and defines a central axis running in a longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end, and the pipe including at least one non-linear portion along the central axis between the first end and the second end. A first material extends continuously from the first end to the second end, the first material being a fiber reinforced polymer material comprising fiber reinforcement in a polymer matrix and having an electrical resistivity determined by an electrically conductive fiber reinforcement and/or an electrically conductive additive in the polymer matrix; and a second material arranged at the at least one non-linear portion and extending discontinuously between the first end and the second end, and has an elastic modulus greater than the elastic modulus of the first material in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A composite shaft with an end fitting mounted on an interface region on at least one end of said shaft, and a preload structure arranged to provide a biasing force to bias the composite shaft against the end fitting; wherein the preload structure is in an interference fit with the composite shaft. The preload structure is applied to the composite shaft in a subsequent operation to the mounting of the end fitting to the shaft.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced polymer composite pipe includes first and second ends and defines a central axis running in a longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end, and the pipe including at least one non-linear portion along the central axis between the first end and the second end. A first material extends continuously from the first end to the second end, the first material being a fiber reinforced polymer material comprising fiber reinforcement in a polymer matrix and having an electrical resistivity determined by an electrically conductive fiber reinforcement and/or an electrically conductive additive in the polymer matrix; and a second material arranged at the at least one non-linear portion and extending discontinuously between the first end and the second end, and has an elastic modulus greater than the elastic modulus of the first material in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A composite shaft with an end fitting mounted on one end of said shaft and a preload structure arranged to provide a biasing force to bias the composite shaft against the end fitting. The end fitting has a first interface surface, the first interface surface being tapered at an angle to the shaft axis and the shaft has a second interface surface for engagement with the first interface surface and is tapered at an angle to the shaft axis, the second interface surface extending axially from a first end to a second end, the shaft being thicker at the second end than at the first end. The shaft has a third interface surface and the preload structure has a fourth interface surface and the contact pressure of the third interface against the fourth interface increases from the first end of the shaft to the second end of the shaft.

Abstract: A battery cell stack casing includes casing walls defining a housing interior for receiving a battery cell stack; a first end plate provided between the walls at a first end of the casing to close a first end of the housing interior. The casing also include a second end plate provided between the walls at a second end of the casing to close a second end of the housing interior. The casing walls have a multi-layer structure include: an inner layer having a first side facing into the housing interior and a second opposite side; an outer layer spaced outwardly from the second side of the inner layer; a thermally insulating volume defined between the second side of the inner layer and the outer layer, the thermally insulating material containing a low density thermally insulative material e.g., foam or other insulative material; and a layer of intumescent material provided on the first side of the inner layer.

Abstract: A battery cell stack casing includes casing walls defining a housing interior for receiving a battery cell stack, a first end plate provided between the walls at a first end of the casing to close a first end of the housing interior, and a second end plate provided between the walls at a second end of the casing to close a second end of the housing interior. The casing walls have a multi-layer structure that includes, an inner layer having a first side facing into the housing interior and a second opposite side, an outer layer spaced outwardly from the second side of the inner layer, an air or vacuum-filled thermally insulating volume defined between the second side of the inner layer and the outer layer, and a layer of intumescent material provided on the first side of the inner layer.

Abstract: A housing for an electrical device such as a battery includes a casing with opposing ends. The casing is made of a composite material such that the housed device is surrounded by composite walls containing intumescent material which protects the outer composite materials from high temperatures generated inside the housing. An end cap is provided having a sandwich structure with a core, configured to evenly distribute compressive pre-load across a battery stack in the housing. A height adjustable end cap is also provided.

Abstract: An electrical isolator comprising: a first fluid-carrying member and a second fluid-carrying member spaced apart from said first fluid-carrying member; wherein said first fluid-carrying member has a first toothed surface and said second fluid-carrying member has a second toothed surface; wherein the electrical isolator further comprises: a fibre-reinforced polymer tube that overlaps both the first fluid-carrying member and the second fluid-carrying member and which contacts the first toothed surface in a first interface region of the fibre-reinforced polymer tube and which contacts the second toothed surface in a second interface region of the fibre-reinforced polymer tube; and a compression fitting arranged to bias the first interface region and the first toothed surface together.

Abstract: An actuator includes: a cylinder, formed of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), that extends along an actuator axis between a cylinder first end and a cylinder second end, and defines a cylinder inner diameter surface; a screw shaft that extends along the actuator axis between a screw shaft first end and a screw shaft second end, that is at least partially within the cylinder, and that is operationally connected, intermediate of the screw shaft first and second ends, to the cylinder second end; a screw shaft head affixed to the screw shaft first end, that in operation rotates relative to the cylinder, and that defines a screw shaft head outer diameter surface that faces the cylinder inner diameter surface with a slip fit therebetween; and a bearing ring affixed to the screw shaft head outer diameter surface, that is formed of polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

Abstract: A fibre-reinforced polymer composite shaft for transmitting loads along a central axis is provided. The composite shaft comprises a first interface surface extending along the central axis and comprising at least one helical groove and/or a plurality of circumferential grooves for engaging with at least one corresponding helical ridge and/or a plurality of corresponding circumferential ridges of a second interface surface of an end fitting. The at least one helical groove and/or the plurality of circumferential grooves comprises at least one flank with a flank angle of between 32° and 51°. In such an assembly, a preload structure is arranged to provide a radial biasing force to bias the first interference surface against the second interference surface.

Abstract: A composite shaft with an end fitting mounted on one end of said shaft and a preload structure arranged to provide a biasing force to bias the composite shaft against the end fitting. The end fitting has a first interface surface, the first interface surface being tapered at an angle to the shaft axis and the shaft has a second interface surface for engagement with the first interface surface and is tapered at an angle to the shaft axis, the second interface surface extending axially from a first end to a second end, the shaft being thicker at the second end than at the first end. The shaft has a third interface surface and the preload structure has a fourth interface surface and the contact pressure of the third interface against the fourth interface increases from the first end of the shaft to the second end of the shaft.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced polymer composite component formed from a polymer matrix material containing fiber reinforcement. The component comprises a main portion and at least one raised feature extending from a surface plane s of said main portion. The at least one raised feature is arranged to incur visually perceptible damage when the component is subject to an impact with an energy above a predetermined impact energy threshold and to resist an impact with an energy below the predetermined impact energy threshold.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced polymer composite pipe includes first and second ends and defines a central axis running in a longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end, and the pipe including at least one non-linear portion along the central axis between the first end and the second end. A first material extends continuously from the first end to the second end, the first material being a fiber reinforced polymer material comprising fiber reinforcement in a polymer matrix and having an electrical resistivity determined by an electrically conductive fiber reinforcement and/or an electrically conductive additive in the polymer matrix; and a second material arranged at the at least one non-linear portion and extending discontinuously between the first end and the second end, and has an elastic modulus greater than the elastic modulus of the first material in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a monolithic fiber-reinforced polymer composite component is provided. The method comprises providing a mould comprising a main cavity and at least one additional cavity that extends from the main cavity; introducing a polymer matrix material containing chopped fiber reinforcement into the mould to fill the main cavity and the at least one additional cavity to form a monolithic fiber-reinforced polymer composite component with a main portion formed in the main cavity and at least one raised feature formed in the additional cavity and extending from a surface plane of said main portion. The at least one raised feature is arranged to incur visually perceptible damage when the component is subject to an impact with an energy above a predetermined impact energy threshold and to resist an impact with an energy below the predetermined impact energy threshold.

Abstract: An electrical isolator comprising: a first fluid-carrying member and a second fluid-carrying member spaced apart from said first fluid-carrying member; wherein said first fluid-carrying member has a first toothed surface and said second fluid-carrying member has a second toothed surface; wherein the electrical isolator further comprises: a fibre-reinforced polymer tube that overlaps both the first fluid-carrying member and the second fluid-carrying member and which contacts the first toothed surface in a first interface region of the fibre-reinforced polymer tube and which contacts the second toothed surface in a second interface region of the fibre-reinforced polymer tube; and a compression fitting arranged to bias the first interface region and the first toothed surface together.

Abstract: A pressure vessel includes front and rear end plates and a plurality of open-ended vessel structures constructed of fibre-reinforced polymer matrix composite material positioned adjacent to one another so that their longitudinal axes are parallel to a longitudinal direction extending between the front and rear end plates. The vessel also includes an outer reinforcement comprising polymer matrix composite material with continuous fibres extending longitudinally around the pressure vessel to secure the front and rear end plates to the vessel structures. At least one of the vessel structures has a partially curved cross section in a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, such that one or more crevices are formed between the vessel structures, running longitudinally between the front and rear end plates and the front and rear end plates are shaped to allow the outer reinforcement to at least partially fill the one or more crevices between the vessel structures.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net 150 that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion 158, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement 110 and a common support layer 151 to which the continuous fibre reinforcement 110 is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net 150 into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion 156 forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion 158 forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.