US 6,331,266 B1 · Process of making a molded device

Abstract

A device, preferably a micro-device, is molded from a plastic material by injection molding, compression molding or embossing. A microabrader can be molded having microneedles for abrading the stratum corneum of the skin to form an abraded site in the tissue for enhancing drug delivery. The micro-device is molded using a mold assembly having a silicon molding surface. The silicon molding surface can include a recess corresponding to the desired shape and length of the microneedles. The silicon molding surface enables micron and submicron size features to be molded from polymeric materials without the polymeric material adhering to the mold surface. Micro-devices having molded features having micron and submicron dimensions can be rapidly produced without the use of a release agent.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of making a molded device comprising a plurality of micron or sub-micron size structural features, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold assembly having a mold section with a recess defining a mold cavity and having a silicon mold member disposed in said mold cavity, said silicon mold member having a mold surface with a contoured surface defining an impression of said device and said structural features facing said mold cavity;
introducing a plastic material into said mold cavity to fill said mold cavity and said contoured surface in said silicon mold member to form said molded device having a body and molded surface corresponding to said contoured surface and said structural features;
and removing said molded device from said mold section.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process of making a molded device

Life of this patent

Process of making a molded device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24