Fiber composite and process of manufacture

A method of making a fiber composite member, comprising:

• (a) forming flat members of fiber permeated with resinous material;
• (b) assembling said flat members into a unitary member having at least one wall portion;
• (c) positioning a bladder forming member adjacent one side of said at least one wall portion of said unitary member;
• (d) effecting distributed placement of an expansion agent in said bladder forming member, said expansion agent being positioned adjacent to said at least one wall portion of said unitary member, and effecting distributed placement of weights having first and second opposite ends, wherein said expanded expansion agent bears against said first and second opposite ends;
• (e) introducing said unitary member and said bladder forming member into a mold;
• (f) closing said bladder forming member to form a substantially closed bladder;
• (h) after said distributed placement has been effected, causing said expansion agent to expand and apply pressure to said at least one wall portion;
• and
• (i) hardening said resinous material, wherein said unitary member is in the form of a sports racket having a head portion and a handle portion, said head portion being defined by a tubular unitary member portion, said handle portion being positioned proximate to said head portion.

A method of making a fiber composite member, comprising:

• (a) forming flat members of fiber permeated with resinous material,
• (b) assembling said flat members into a tubular unitary member having at least one wall portion;
• (c) positioning a bladder forming member adjacent one side of said at least one wall portion of said unitary member;
• (d) effecting distributed placement of an encapsulated expansion agent within said bladder forming member, said expansion agent being positioned adjacent said at least one wall portion of said unitary member;
• (e) introducing said unitary member and said bladder forming member into a mold;
• (f) closing said bladder forming member to form a substantially closed bladder;
• (h) after said distributed placement has been effected, causing said expansion agent to expand and apply pressure to said at least one wall portion;
• and
• (i) hardening said resinous material,
• wherein said effecting distributed placement of said expansion agent in said bladder forming member is performed by distributing a quantity of said expansion agent onto an elongated spoon member and inserting said spoon member with said expansion agent into said bladder forming member.