3m Innovative Properties Company

Dennis Earl Ferguson

Satinder K Nayar

Donald L Pochardt

Stanley Rendon

Peter T Benson

Duane Douglas Fansler

Donald George Peterson

James N Dobbs

David Robert Mekala

Daniel H Carlson

Mikhail L Pekurovsky

Thomas I Insley

James J Kobe

Mitchell A F Johnson

Franklyn L Frederickson

Jeremy K Larsen

Craig R Sykora

Robert J Devoe

Dennis P O'Brien

Bradley D Zinke

Paul Michael Boucher

Kim B Saulsbury

Timothy J Rowell

Mary R Boone

Joseph S Warner

Dennis P O'BRIEN

Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Web with molded articles on both sides

A method of making hollow microneedle arrays is described. Also described are the articles therefrom and the use of the articles in applications such as delivering fluid to and/or extracting body fluid from a subject.

Methods of making hollow microneedle arrays and articles and uses therefrom

An ultrasonic-assisted injection molding system and method for making precisely-shaped articles. A source of ultrasonic energy is positioned to apply vibrational energy to a mold cavity connected to at least one gate in flow communication with a source of molten (co)polymer. The mold is heated to a temperature of 104-116&#xb0; C., and the molten (co)polymer is injected into the mold cavity. After cooling the mold until the molten (co)polymer within the gate has solidified, ultrasonic energy is applied to the mold without remelting the solidified (co)polymer within the gate until the temperature increases to 116-122&#xb0; C., thereby substantially relieving flow induced stresses. The mold is then cooled until the temperature decreases to 101-107&#xb0; C., and is thereafter heated until the temperature increases to 116-122&#xb0; C., thereby substantially relieving any thermally induced stresses. The mold is cooled until the molten (co)polymer has solidified, thereby forming a precision molded plastic optical element.

Ultrasonic-assisted molding of precisely-shaped articles and methods

A process for making a microneedle array master comprises: (a) providing a photoreactive composition, the photoreactive composition comprising: (1) at least one reactive species that is capable of undergoing an acid- or radical-initiated chemical reaction, and (2) at least one multiphoton photoinitiator system; and (b) imagewise exposing at least a portion of the composition to light sufficient to cause simultaneous absorption of at least two photons, thereby inducing at least one acid- or radical-initiated chemical reaction where the composition is exposed to the light, the imagewise exposing being carried out in a pattern that is effective to define at least the surface of a plurality of microneedles. The microneedles may be solid and the outer surface of the microneedles may be characterized by at least one concave area. The master may be used to fabricate a tool for replication.

Process for making microneedles, microneedle arrays, masters, and replication tools

Fabricating roll-good fuel cell material involves laminating first and second bonding material webs having spaced apart windows to first and second surfaces of a fuel cell membrane web. First and second active regions of the membrane web are positioned within the respective bonding material windows. Third and fourth gasket material webs having spaced apart windows are respectively laminated to the bonding material on the first and second membrane web surfaces. The bonding material windows align with the respective gasket material windows so that at least some of the bonding material extends within the respective gasket material windows. Fluid transport layer (FTL) material portions cut from fifth and sixth FTL material webs are laminated to the respective first and second active regions. The FTL material portions are positioned within respective gasket material windows and contact the bonding material extending within the respective gasket material windows.

Roll-good fuel cell fabrication processes, equipment, and articles produced from same

A method of molding a microneedle including providing a mold apparatus having a mold insert having the negative image of at least one microneedle, a compression core, a mold housing configured to allow a reciprocal motion between the mold insert and the compression core. The method includes placing the mold apparatus in a closed position, injecting polymeric material into the closed mold apparatus, compressing the injected polymeric material between the mold insert and the compression core by a reciprocal motion between the compression core and the mold insert, opening the mold, and removing a molded microneedle from the mold. The mold insert has a mold insert height and the molded microneedle has a height that is from about 90% of the mold insert height to about 115% of the mold insert height.

Method of molding a microneedle

Articles enabled by an injection molding process that molds parts on a carrier web located between mold halves and uses ultrasonic energy to assist flow of polymer melt into the mold cavity. One such article is a carrier web having a high density of molded parts, i.e., bearing an array of molded articles adhered to the web in rows and columns, the articles being spaced closer (center-to-center or edge-to-edge) than the diagonal spacing between articles in the next adjacent row and next adjacent column. Another such article is a microneedle array on a land no more than 250 &#x3bc;m thick on which at least 60% of the microneedles across the array are filled (i.e., completely formed).

Articles injection molded on a web

Ultrasonic injection molding on both sides of a web

The present invention is a system for molding a gasket to a membrane electrode assembly. The system comprises a cavity defined at least in part by closable mold blocks, at least one injection gate for injecting gasket material into the cavity, a mount for retaining the membrane electrode assembly adjacent to the cavity, and a mold insert independently movable relative to the closable mold blocks for applying pressure to the membrane electrode assembly retained on the mount.

Gasket molding system for membrane electrode assemblies

A method of molding a microneedle using a mold apparatus that includes the use of high frequency acoustic energy, such as ultrasonic energy.

Injection molding, parts onto a carrier web () located between mold halves (). Flow of polymer melt into the mold is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold cavity. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Molding apparatus comprises a moving mold face (), that can move toward and away from a first mold member () (which can be stationary) in which the mold cavity is located, a means () for moving and/or indexing carrier web between the first mold member and the moving mold face, means () to inject polymer melt into the mold cavity, and an ultrasonic system () providing ultrasonic energy to the mold cavity. The carrier web can transport molded parts to subsequent process steps, such as coating, drying, inspection, curing, assembly or packaging.

Ultrasonic injection molding on a web

An article bearing a flow field such as a distribution plate for use in a fuel cell is provided. The active portion of the article, i.e., the portion of the article bearing the flow field, comprises at least two subsections; a first central subsection and a second peripheral subsection; wherein channels within the first subsection have a cross-sectional profile that differs from that of channels within the second subsection. Typically, channels of the first subsection have lesser depth, greater draft or greater ratio of draft to depth. In addition, an article bearing a flow field is provided where the flow field comprises at least two channel segments which differ in draft. In addition, an article bearing a flow field is provided where the flow field comprises at least one channel segment comprising first and second channel walls which differ in draft.

Flow field

A method of molding a microneedle using a mold apparatus that comprises a mold insert ()having the negative image of at least one microneedle (), a compression core (), and a mold housing configured to allow a reciprocal motion between the mold insert and the compression core. The mold apparatus has an open position and a closed position. The mold apparatus is placed in the closed position and polymeric material is injected into the closed mold apparatus. The injected polymeric material is compressed between the mold insert and the compression core by a reciprocal motion between the compression core and the mold insert. Also, molding methods wherein the mold apparatus has sidewalls having an injection gate (). Also, molding methods comprising a heated mold insert. Also, molding methods comprising the application of high frequency acoustic energy, such as ultrasonic energy, to the mold apparatus.

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Mahtomedi, MN, United States of America

Dennis Earl Ferguson