Elastomer Medical Component Embedded Electronics Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 'smart' medical devices with embedded electronics face challenges in heat damage and incomplete encapsulation, requiring multiple parts and complex manufacturing processes, which can lead to inefficiencies and vulnerabilities in environmental protection and positioning control.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing medical components with embedded electronics using a molded elastomeric body, involving a sheet of elastomeric material with recesses, alignment of electronic devices within these recesses, and a protective film, followed by molding to create a unitary body that fully encapsulates the electronics, allowing for better control and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional multi-part manufacturing methods are used to embed electronics in elastomeric devices, then electronics can be incorporated into the device, but heat damage to electronics and incomplete encapsulation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic components are positioned and secured in the mold cavity before the elastomeric material is molded. The mold includes positioning features such as recesses, protrusions, or adhesive layers that hold the electronics in place during the molding process, ensuring they are fully encapsulated without exposure to damaging heat or incomplete coverage
2Reliability
If conventional multi-part manufacturing methods are used, then electronics can be embedded, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple functions into a single integrated elastomeric component. The elastomeric material simultaneously provides structural support, electrical insulation, environmental protection, and mechanical functionality. This eliminates the need for separate encapsulation layers, housing components, and assembly steps, reducing both device complexity and manufacturing complexity while improving encapsulation reliability
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing methods are used, then electronics can be incorporated, but positioning control and encapsulation completeness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mold includes localized positioning features such as recesses, protrusions, or adhesive regions specifically designed to hold electronic components in precise positions. These local modifications to the mold structure provide accurate positioning control for the electronics without requiring complex overall manufacturing processes or multiple assembly steps
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method ensures complete encapsulation and protection of sensitive electronics, avoids heat damage, and provides greater control over electronic positioning, enhancing the reliability and performance of medical devices like syringes and vials.
Implementation Method 1
molding the elastomeric preform covered by the protective film to cure the elastomeric material to obtain a unitary body
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 2B
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a medical component includes preparing a first sheet of an elastomeric material, arranging at least one electronic device in the first sheet of elastomeric material to obtain an elastomeric preform, and arranging the elastomeric preform in a mold and molding the elastomeric preform therein to cure the elastomeric material and form the medical component having the at least one electronic device embedded therein.