# US 12,589,535 B2 · Medical implants with vent openings for molding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,589,535 B2 - Document ID: US12589535B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/531,263 - Filed: 2023-12-06 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2026-03-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-05 - Assignees: SMed-TA/TD, LLC - Applicants: SMed-TA/TD, LLC - Inventors: Gregory C. Stalcup; Kreigh R. Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12589535B2 ## CPC - B29C 45/14065: {Positioning or centering articles in the mould} - B29C 45/26: Moulds - B29K 2995/0056: Biocompatible, e.g. biopolymers or bioelastomers - B29L 2031/753: {Medical equipment; Accessories therefor (bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008)} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A method of forming an implant includes: placing a porous scaffold having a plurality of pores formed therein in a mold part cavity of a mold cavity of a mold, the porous scaffold including two portions of biocompatible material and a barrier layer disposed between the two portions, the barrier layer including a solid sheet having a plurality of vent openings that are sized to allow gas to vent therethrough; and injecting molding material into the mold cavity to fill the mold cavity and form the implant, wherein at least some of the gas in the mold cavity vents through the vent openings during the injecting. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming an implant, the method comprising: placing a porous scaffold having a plurality of pores formed therein in a mold part cavity of a mold cavity of a mold, the porous scaffold comprising two portions of biocompatible material and a barrier layer disposed between the two portions, the barrier layer comprising a solid sheet comprising a plurality of vent openings that are sized to allow gas to vent therethrough; and injecting molding material into the mold cavity to fill some of the pores of the porous scaffold in the mold cavity and form the implant, wherein at least some of the gas in the mold cavity vents through the vent openings during the injecting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the two portions of biocompatible material each comprise a plurality of interconnected pores. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer comprises a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings, the first openings all having a same diameter and the second openings all having a same diameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the diameter of each of the second openings is greater than the diameter of each of the first openings and less than a diameter of each of the vent openings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the first openings are arranged in a regular grid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the two portions of biocompatible material comprise a first sandwiching portion and a second sandwiching portion, the barrier layer being sandwiched between the first sandwiching portion and the second sandwiching portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first sandwiching portion comprises at least one scaffold vent opening and the second sandwiching portion comprises at least one scaffold vent opening, the at least one scaffold vent opening of the first sandwiching portion and the at least one scaffold vent opening of the second sandwiching portion aligning with one of the vent openings of the barrier layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the scaffold comprises a barrier portion comprising the barrier layer and at least one other barrier layer stacked on top of the barrier layer, the at least one other barrier layer having an opening that at least partially overlaps with at least one opening of the barrier layer to form an at least partially overlapped opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the at least partially overlapped opening is a fully overlapped opening forming a through-opening that extends through the barrier portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one opening of the at least one other barrier layer has a same shape and size as the at least one opening of the barrier layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one opening of the at least one other barrier layer is offset relative to the at least one opening of the barrier layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer comprises a plurality of first openings having a first size, the first openings being distributed in a first region at a first concentration per unit area and a second region at a second concentration per unit area that is greater than the first concentration per unit area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first openings are regularly arranged in a defined pattern in the first region and/or in the second region.