Opaque fiber reinforcement of composites

A structural window, comprising:

• a composite material having a window border and comprising:
• an optically transparent polymeric matrix;
• a plurality of optically clear elements defining at least one transparent region, the plurality of optically clear elements embedded in and surrounded by said polymeric matrix, each of said optically clear elements comprising optically transparent material, the plurality of optically clear elements aligned substantially parallel and adjacent each other in a plane;
• and
• a plurality of opaque reinforcing elements defining at least one opaque region, the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements embedded in and surrounded by said polymeric matrix, the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements aligned substantially parallel and adjacent each other in the plane and also positioned substantially parallel and adjacent to the plurality of optically clear elements in a first side region and a second side region framing the center of the window, said opaque reinforcing elements reinforcing a structural or ballistic performance, said at least one opaque region adjacent said border and surrounding said transparent region, and
• the plurality of optically clear elements and the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements positioned such that the transparent region substantially excludes opaque reinforcing elements in the center of the window and the opaque region substantially excludes optically clear elements in the first side region and the second side region of the window, and the window having adjacent positioning of the plurality of optically clear elements and the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements in a nonsuperimposed configuration in the center, the first side region, and the second side region, and
• wherein the plurality of optically clear elements and the plurality of opaque elements are configured so as to provide reinforcement in a structural window.

A composite structural window in an aircraft, comprising:

• a composite material having comprising a structural window with an opaque border comprising:
• an optically transparent polymeric matrix;
• a plurality of optically clear elements defining a transparent region positioned substantially in a center of the window, the plurality of optically clear elements embedded in and surrounded by the polymeric matrix, each of the optically clear elements comprising optically transparent material, the plurality of optically clear elements aligned substantially parallel and adjacent each other in a plane;
• and
• a plurality of opaque reinforcing elements defining an opaque region, the opaque region positioned substantially in a border area of the window and surrounding the center of the window, the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements embedded in and surrounded by the polymeric matrix, the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements aligned substantially parallel and adjacent each other-in the plane and also positioned substantially parallel and adjacent to the plurality of optically clear elements, said opaque reinforcing elements reinforcing a structural or ballistic performance, said at least one opaque region adjacent said border and surrounding said transparent region, and
• the plurality of optically clear elements and the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements positioned such that the transparent region positioned in the center of the window substantially excludes opaque reinforcing elements, and the opaque region in a first side area and a second side area of the border area substantially excludes optically clear elements, wherein the first side area and the second side area have the same alignment as the optically clear elements and the opaque reinforcing elements, the plurality of optically clear elements and the plurality of opaque reinforcing elements having a nonsuperimposed configuration in the center of the window, the first side area, and the second side area;
• and
• wherein the plurality of optically clear elements and the plurality of opaque elements are configured so as to provide reinforcement in the structural window.