System and method for manufacturing molded structures using a high density matrix of microparticles
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorHans Negle
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Abstract
A method for manufacturing a molded structure includes the provisioning of a first mixture which includes microparticles and a liquid-phase mixture of resin and curing agent. The first mixture is centrifuged to extract a volume of the liquid-phase resin and curing agent mixture from the first mixture, the centrifuging process resulting in the formation of a liquid-phase matrix of microparticles which are at least partially-coated with liquid-phase resin and curing agent. The liquid-phase matrix of at least partially coated microparticles is cured to form a solid-phase matrix of microparticles, thereby providing the molded structure.
Claims12
A method for manufacturing a molded structure, comprising:
- providing a first mixture comprising microparticles and a liquid-phase mixture of resin and curing agent (112);
- centrifuging the first mixture to extract a volume of the liquid-phase resin and curing agent mixture from the first mixture, whereby a liquid-phase matrix of microparticles which are at least partially-coated with liquid-phase resin and curing agent is formed thereby (114);
- and
- curing the liquid-phase matrix of at least partially coated microparticles to form a solid-phase matrix of microparticles, the solid-phase matrix of microparticles forming the molded structure (116).
A system for manufacturing a molded structure, the system comprising:
- a centrifuge (310) operable to spin around a spin axis (312);
- and
- a casting mold (320) coupled to the centrifuge (310) and operable to contain a first mixture comprising microparticles and a liquid-phase mixture of resin and curing agent, the casting mold (320) comprising one or more outlet ports (327) through which a volume of the liquid-phase resin and curing agent is evacuated when the casting mold (320) is spun, whereby the casting mold (320) is operable to retain a liquid-phase matrix of microparticles which are at least partially-coated with the liquid-phase resin and curing agent mixture when the centrifuge (310) is spun.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.