CARRIER TAPE FOR RAPIER LOOM AND FIBER STRUCTURE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a carrier tape for a rapier loom insertable into a warp opening and removable from the opening while stably keeping the posture of a rapier head and having high durability. SOLUTION: The fiber structure 1 for the reinforcement of an FRP carrier tape is a three-dimensional braid having the width of the carrier tape and a thickness (1-3mm) to impart the tape with a rigidity to enable the movement of the carrier tape in a warp opening in weft-insertion while stably keeping the posture of the rapier head. The fiber structure 1 has a nearly rectangular cross-section and is composed of a number of yarns 2 folded at the surface of the fiber structure 1 and directed to keep a prescribed orientation angle (e.g.±15 deg.) relative to the longitudinal direction of the fiber structure 1. A yarn having high breakage strength and elastic modulus such as a roving of carbon fiber or ceramic fiber is used as the yarn 2. In the case of driving the tape with a sprocket, engaging holes are opened on the tape at prescribed pitch by pressing or drilling.