Tape-shaped molding and belt for ball chain

A method of producing a belt for ball chain, comprising:

• stretching a yet-unstretched fibrous member of a thermoplastic resin per se to form an elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member of the thermoplastic resin, wherein the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member includes oriented molecular chains of the thermoplastic resin oriented longitudinally along the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member and has
• a tensile strength of at least 300 MPa which is greater than a tensile strength of the yet-unstretched fibrous member,
• setting, in a mold, balls for molding each having a diameter slightly larger than balls to be retained in a resultant shaped product so as to be aligned in a straight line along a central portion of the resultant shaped product, and the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member of the thermoplastic resin so as to be contained along longitudinally parallel edges or in proximity thereof of the resultant shaped product,
• injection-molding a moldable synthetic resin by injecting the moldable synthetic resin into the mold in which the balls and the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member have been set, to form a tape portion and a retaining portion integrally, and
• then removing the balls for molding to leave holes for retaining balls of the ball chain, thereby to form a belt for ball chain, which comprises:
• (i) a reinforced tape of synthetic resin, comprising, (i-1) an injection-molded un-stretched tape of a synthetic resin, and (i-2) an elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member of the thermoplastic resin embedded integrally within the un-stretched tape,
• wherein the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member of the thermoplastic resin has a length substantially identical to that of the un-stretched tape,
• wherein the reinforced tape is provided with a tensile strength of at least 250 MPa and a thermal shrinkability of at most 1% when subjected to standing at 40° C. for 24 hours;
• and
• (ii) the holes for retaining balls of the ball chain along the central portion of the reinforced tape,
• wherein (iii) the synthetic resin forming the yet-unstretched tape and the thermoplastic resin forming the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member comprise identical resins or include identical resins as principal constituents, and
• wherein (iv) the synthetic resin forming the unstretched tape and the thermoplastic resin forming the elongated stretch-oriented fibrous member comprise a pair of resins selected from the group consisting of polyester elastomer/polyester elastomer, 6/66 copolymer nylon/6/66 copolymer nylon, polyvinylidene fluoride/polyvinylidene fluoride, and polyester/polyester elastomer.