Apparatus and method for manufacturing microneedles
First Claim
1. Apparatus for forming an array of microneedle structures in a polymer material, said apparatus comprising a mold assembly including at least one bore therethrough having a cavity therein defining the shape of the finished microneedle shape to be formed therein, said bore having an inlet opening and an exit opening;
- means for locating the polymer to be formed at one end of said cavity;
means for introducing fluid into said inlet opening of said bore and into said cavity; and
exhaust means for communicating with said exit opening of said bore, whereby introducing said fluid through said polymer causes said polymer to assume the shape of said cavity and said fluid forms a hollow channel to define a needle-like structure in said polymer as said fluid is exhausted through said cavity and said bore, and wherein said mold assembly includes upper and lower manifolds separated by a fluid-tight gasket disposed therebetween, and said mold forming cavity is in said upper manifold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The apparatus comprises a mold assembly including at least one bore therethrough having a cavity therein defining the shape of the finished microneedle shape to be formed therein. The bore has an inlet opening and an exit opening. The apparatus also comprises means for locating the polymer to be formed at one end of the cavity and means for introducing fluid into the inlet opening of said bore and into the cavity. The apparatus also comprises exhaust means communicating with the exit opening of the bore, so that introducing the fluid through the polymer causes the polymer to assume the shape of the cavity and the fluid forms a hollow channel to define a needle-like structure in the polymer as the fluid is exhausted through the cavity and the bore.
22 Citations
15 Claims
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1. Apparatus for forming an array of microneedle structures in a polymer material, said apparatus comprising a mold assembly including at least one bore therethrough having a cavity therein defining the shape of the finished microneedle shape to be formed therein, said bore having an inlet opening and an exit opening;
- means for locating the polymer to be formed at one end of said cavity;
means for introducing fluid into said inlet opening of said bore and into said cavity; and
exhaust means for communicating with said exit opening of said bore, whereby introducing said fluid through said polymer causes said polymer to assume the shape of said cavity and said fluid forms a hollow channel to define a needle-like structure in said polymer as said fluid is exhausted through said cavity and said bore, and wherein said mold assembly includes upper and lower manifolds separated by a fluid-tight gasket disposed therebetween, and said mold forming cavity is in said upper manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- means for locating the polymer to be formed at one end of said cavity;
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9. An apparatus for forming an array of microneedle structures in a polymer material, said apparatus comprising a mold assembly having an upper manifold and lower manifold, each of said manifolds being adapted to be positioned in airtight relation relative to one another, the upper manifold having at least one cavity formed therein;
- at least one bore in said lower cavity feeding through to a bore in said cavity and through said upper manifold;
an inlet port feeding said bore in said lower manifold;
an exit port for exhausting said upper cavity via said bore in said upper manifold;
a gas impervious gasket disposed between said upper and lower manifolds;
a gas permeable membrane adapted to be positioned between said upper and lower manifolds. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- at least one bore in said lower cavity feeding through to a bore in said cavity and through said upper manifold;
Specification