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US 12,251,889 B2Granted
Systems and methods for making porous articles
AssigneeGlobus Medical, Inc.
InventorsAli R. Mehrabi, Reza Mehrabi, Rishikesh K. Bharadwaj, Eugene Rozenbaoum, Frank Chica
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Abstract
Multiple processes for preparing porous articles are described. The porous articles can be in a wide array of shapes and configurations. The methods include providing a soluble material in particulate form and forming a packed region from the material. The methods also include contacting a flowable polymeric material with the packed region such that the polymeric material is disposed in voids in the packed region. Also described are systems for performing the various processes.
Claims12
A method comprising:
- vibrating a mesh frame, via a spring apparatus, to form a packed region within a soluble material passing through the mesh frame, the packed region having a plurality of voids, wherein dimensions of a spacer between the mesh frame and the soluble material corresponds to a desired thickness of particulates within the soluble material, wherein the spring apparatus includes a support bar and a plurality of springs, the plurality of springs being configured to vibrate the mesh frame;
- converting a polymeric film or polymeric particulates into a flowable polymeric material;
- contacting the flowable polymeric material with at least a portion of the packed region of the soluble material such that at least a portion of the flowable polymeric material is disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of voids of the packed region;
- solidifying a portion of the flowable polymeric material to thereby form a composite material;
- and
- converting the composite material into a porous article.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.