# US 5,332,626 A · Pores of controlled geometry on a thermoplastic polymer

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- Number: US 5,332,626 A
- Document ID: US5332626A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/008,278
- Filed: 1993-01-25
- Granted: 1994-07-26
- Earliest claimed: 1990-09-11
- Assignees: Vitaphore Corporation
- Inventors: Stanley R. Conston; Glenn C. Buchanan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5332626A

## CPC

- B26F 3/06: Severing by using heat
- A61F 2/0077: {Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth (A61F2/30767 takes precedence)}
- B26F 1/24: Perforating by needles or pins
- B26F 3/08: with heated members
- Y10S 525/937: Utility as body contact e.g. implant, contact lens or I.U.D.
- Y10T 428/24355: Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
- Y10T 428/24479: including variation in thickness
- Y10T 428/249953: Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
- Y10T 428/249961: With gradual property change within a component
- Y10T 428/249975: Void shape specified [e.g., crushed, flat, round, etc.]
- Y10T 428/249978: Voids specified as micro
- Y10T 428/31: Surface property or characteristic of web, sheet or block
- Y10T 428/31507: Of polycarbonate
- Y10T 428/31551: Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
- Y10T 428/31786: Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
- B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A process is provided for manufacturing nonwoven, nonbiodegradable tissue ingrowth-inducing, tissue-interfacing substrates with predetermined oriented uniform pore diameter, pore density and pore depth. Pins are inserted to a predetermined depth into a softened thermoplastic substrate or, heated pins are inserted into the substrate, then removed to form the predetermined pore pattern.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nonwoven, nonbiodegradable tissue ingrowth-inducing, tissue-interfacing thermoplastic substrate having surface pores of a substantially uniform density, diameter and depth, said pore density in the range of about 20 to 10,000 pores per square centimeter; said uniform pore diameter being in the range of about 50 to 500 microns, said pores characterized by substantially cylindrical shape with substantially flat or slightly curved bottom surfaces.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A substrate according to claim 1 comprising polyurethane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A substrate according to claim 1 comprising polyethylene terephthalate.