# US 2019/0168424 A1 · Mold and process for producing porous devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168424 A1 - Document ID: US20190168424A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/271,516 - Filed: 2019-02-08 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-26 - Assignees: Vertera, Inc. - Applicants: Vertera, Inc. - Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Chang; Stephen Lee Laffoon; Christopher S.D. Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168424A1 ## CPC - B29C 43/04: using movable moulds - B29C 33/00: Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B29C 44/58: Moulds - B29C 67/202: {comprising elimination of a solid or a liquid ingredient} - C08J 9/26: by elimination of a solid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. leaching out - B29K 2071/00: Use of polyethers {, e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material - B29L 2031/753: {Medical equipment; Accessories therefor (bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008)} - B29L 2031/7532: {Artificial members, protheses} - C08J 2201/0446: Elimination of NaCl only - C08J 2205/05: Open cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are open - C08J 2300/22: Thermoplastic resins - C08J 2371/00: Characterised by the use of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers - 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) - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - 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 In general, in various embodiments, the present disclosure is directed systems and methods for producing a porous surface from a solid piece of polymer. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to systems that include a track assembly, mold assembly, press assembly, and methods for using the same for producing a porous surface from a solid piece of polymer. In some embodiments, the present systems and methods are directed to processing a polymer at a temperature below a melting point of the polymer to produce a solid piece of polymer with an integrated a porous surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for processing material using a mold, the method comprising: loading a solid body of thermoplastic material and a layer of porogen into a mold, the mold comprising a non-through void for receiving the layer of porogen and the solid body of thermoplastic material; heating the mold to a processing temperature that is below a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material; and applying a constant pressure to the solid body of thermoplastic to displace the layer of porogen through a surface of the solid body of thermoplastic material by a defined distance thereby creating a matrix layer including the thermoplastic material and the porogen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: cooling the solid body of thermoplastic material; unloading the solid body of thermoplastic material from the mold; and removing at least a portion of the porogen from the matrix layer to create an integrally connected porous layer in the solid body of thermoplastic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the integrally connected porous layer comprises pores about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm in size. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising holding the mold at the processing temperature while applying the constant pressure until the matrix layer is created. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mold comprises: an outer mold body defining an opening for receiving a mold insert; and a static weight for applying the constant pressure to the solid body of thermoplastic material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein: the outer mold body comprises one or more pegs; and the static weight comprises one or more holes corresponding to the one or more pegs, wherein the static weight is received by the outer mold body via the one or more pegs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the constant pressure to the solid body of thermoplastic is by using the static weight. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the constant pressure is between 0.1 and 10 PSI. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the processing temperature is between 305 and 342 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a particular depth of the layer of porogen is approximately 0.2 mm to 5.0 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the defined distance is between approximately 0.2 mm to 5.0 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solid body of thermoplastic material comprises at least 50% PEEK by weight. ### Claim 13 A method for processing material, the method comprising: providing a thermoplastic material for processing; providing a porogen for creating a porous layer in the thermoplastic material; providing a mold assembly for receiving and holding the thermoplastic material and the porogen; providing a track assembly comprising a heating element for heating the thermoplastic material; providing a static weight for applying a constant pressure to the thermoplastic material; providing a press assembly for applying an increased pressure to the thermoplastic, wherein the mold assembly, the track assembly, the static weight, and optionally the press assembly are used to create the porous layer in the thermoplastic material with the porogen. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the increased pressure is in addition to the constant pressure applied by the static weight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the static weight is configured to be placed on a surface of the thermoplastic material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the static weight is configured to be placed on a top surface of the thermoplastic material and the thermoplastic material is placed on top of the porogen. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the static weight comprises one or more holes that is configured to receive one or more pegs of the mold assembly. ### Claim 18 A method for processing material, the method comprising: heating a surface of a solid piece of material to a processing temperature below a melting point of the material; displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the material to create a matrix layer comprising at least a portion of the solid piece of material and the porogen layer at the processing temperature; removing at least a portion of the porogen layer from the solid piece of material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the processing temperature is approximately one to 38 degrees below a melting point of the material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the material comprising pressing a second surface of the material with a constant force using a static weight, the static weight comprises one or more holes that are configured to receive one or more pegs of a mold holding the material and the porogen.